FAQ and Help For Beginners

When starting out in The BBS Scene you need to have some basics covered, such as what is BBS server software and BBS client software. It is from these two things that makes up this amazing hobby. In this page we will discuss what is necessary knowledge to bring out all the goodness of The Scene, The BBS Scene.

From Baby Steps to a Sweet Hobby

Hardware

For any BBS to exist there needs to be some hardware to run the server off of.  The server software can be one of dozens of different alternatives that runs on various computer operating system platforms.  There also needs to be hardware for the client to access the server from.  Generally speaking the server hardware needs to be a next level up in sophistication to be able to serve up all the files and messages in a quick period of time.  Typically these days the servers run off x64 Intel or AMD CPU's, though the latest Mystic BBS release supports modern day Mac CPU's.  The client systems can be whatever type of hardware to access the BBS'es from as they just participate in BBS networks rather than running them.

Software

Modern day BBS software is available for multiple platforms and every system out there has at least one terminal client for it.  Mystic and Synchronet are compatible with both Linux and Windows OS'es, and the latest generation of those server software packages are in the process of adding compatibility to Apple Mac computers as well as the Raspberry Pi single board computers (SBC).  Some examples of server software are Mystic BBS, Synchronet BBS, Enigma1/2 BBS, CBBS BBS, and the Renegade BBS.  As for client software the big three are SyncTerm, NetRunner, and mTelnet.  The client software can even be old DOS terminals such as Terminate and Telix through the DOSBOX emulator.  This is particularly awesome as DOSBOX has native Serial port emulation, so you can use DOSBOX to run a BBS terminal software package from Terminate for example, to dial out via POTS to an old telephone line-based system and recreate the feeling of textmode computing from yesteryear.  

Recommendations

Start out with the TelnetBBSGuide.com, find a BBS that looks promising and go from there to experience your first steps in exploring the BBS Scene in all its glory.  Perhaps one day after you have really discovered The Scene that you may one day become a BBS System Operator (sysop) yourself.  This is the adventure… run to it! 🙂