bulletin board system

Pre-internet message hub

A bulletin board system is an early form of online community, typically accessed by dialing in with a modem.

Users could post messages, share files, and chat—functions now handled by websites and social media.

Often abbreviated BBS.

I spent hours on local bulletin board systems in the early nineties.

era

1980s

Fourth-to-last twentieth-century decade

1990sFinal twentieth-century decade
hobbyistRecreational pursuer of interests
home computerResidential electronic workstation

Commodore · DOS · personal computing · local · grassroots · zine · warez · phreaking · underground

BBS

forum

Gathering place for discourse

messageboardOnline discussion platform
threadFiber for stitching
postingPublishing content online

discussion · community · sysop · textfile · ASCII · upload · download · shareware · freeware · FAQ

dial-up

modem

Digital-to-analog signal converter

baudSignal change frequency unit
handshakeMutual palm-gripping gesture
carrierOne that transports

telephone · landline · busy signal · dialtone · connection · offline · terminal · login · ringback · analog

network

Usenet

Distributed discussion system

newsgroupInternet message board
nodeConnection point in networks
hubCentral connection point

packet · relay · store-and-forward · poll · mailer · tosser · zone · net

Opposites

network architecture/technology era

bulletin board systemWorld Wide Web

Hypertext system via Internet

social media · cloud computing · internet · website · web browser

communication mode

bulletin board systemtown hall meeting

Gathering for civic dialogue

oral communication · telephone call

information persistence

bulletin board systemlive chat

Real-time text exchange

video call · Snapchat · voice call · live streaming

Family

bulletin, board, system, bulletins, boards, systems, boarded, boarding, boarder

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Used worldwide · Rated G