For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

I've always enjoyed it as a way to provide a service people like using. I like customizing my BBS and setting things up on it that people want to use. I have also created some BBS add-ons and little software tools that I've shared, which I enjoy. I also like the networked message groups that are available.

At the same time, sometimes I get into a mood where I feel like there are other things that are more important to me, and my attention to my BBS drops a bit. I'm going through some things right now and I feel like my motivation to work on BBS stuff right now isn't what it once was, but I still like keeping my BBS running.

Also, running a BBS is a fairly obscure hobby. It seems there aren't many people these days who know what an old-school BBS is, and they might not totally understand it if you try to explain it to them.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.12-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

On 06 Apr 21 12:45:30, Nightfox said the following to All:

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

Everyone else puts a gun to my head, so...

Atreyu

--- Renegade vY2Ka2
* Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (21:1/176)

Re: What do you get out of running a BBS?
By: Nightfox to All on Tue Apr 06 2021 12:45 pm

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

It's a hobby that I enjoy.

At the same time, sometimes I get into a mood where I feel like there are other things that are more important to me, and my attention to my BBS drops a bit. I'm going through some things right now and I feel like my motivation to work on BBS stuff right now isn't what it once was, but I still like keeping my BBS running.

There are things that are more important than the BBS so the BBS doesn't get all my time. It's a free time thing.

Also, running a BBS is a fairly obscure hobby. It seems there aren't many people these days who know what an old-school BBS is, and they might not totally understand it if you try to explain it to them.

Those guys don't know what they missed/are missing.. ;)

Ttyl :-),
Al

... She kept saying I didn't listen to her, or something like that.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: The Rusty MailBox - Penticton, BC Canada (21:4/106.1)

*** Quoting Nightfox from a message to All ***

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a
BBS?

I got back into BBSing in May of 2020 more as a distraction when covid first started. Being stuck "working" from home with a lot of the projects we were working on being put on hold while also shifting to a remote-work model was, well, fun...

I've always enjoyed it as a way to provide a service people like
using.

When I ran the original Northern Realms back in the late 90s it was for the users: "Can you install this door game?", "Can you please carry this echo?", "Can I give you some money for more time?" (That last one actually did happen, but only once).

I have had one regular local user since coming back to the scene, aside from other sysops popping by to have a look. Now-a-days I run it mostly for myself, though others are welcome to use it if they like.

At the same time, sometimes I get into a mood where I feel like there
are other things that are more important to me, and my attention to
my BBS drops a bit. I'm going through some things right now and I
feel like my motivation to work on BBS stuff right now isn't what it
once was, but I still like keeping my BBS running.

I'm kind of in the same boat right now. I started a new job last week so my time/energy/attention is more focused on that right now, though I do still make some time to pop by and read/reply to some messages. I'm not really customizing/modding/adding to the board at the moment.

Also, running a BBS is a fairly obscure hobby. It seems there aren't
many people these days who know what an old-school BBS is, and they
might not totally understand it if you try to explain it to them.

My old boss is the exact same age as I am and he had never heard of a BBS before. I gave him the 50 cent tour of my board once and he didn't really "get" it. My Mom used to log into my BBS back in the day to play LORD, when
I told her I restarted my board, she didn't really remember anything about
it.


Jay

... I don't think it's any less important for not being terribly important.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4/mL
* Origin: Northern Realms | 289-424-5180 | bbs.nrbbs.net (21:3/110)

Re: Re: What do you get out of running a BBS?
By: Warpslide to Nightfox on Tue Apr 06 2021 05:17 pm

My old boss is the exact same age as I am and he had never heard of a BBS before. I gave him the 50 cent tour of my board once and he didn't really "get" it.

I was 14 years old (in 1994) when I started my first BBS. At the time, I was talking to a friend of mine about computer stuff and I said I had started running a BBS. He said he didn't know what a BBS was. I was a little surprised.

My Mom used to log into my BBS back in the day to play LORD,
when I told her I restarted my board, she didn't really remember anything about it.

That's cool. My mom isn't big into computers but knows the basics of using a computer. My dad was always into computers though and is familiar with what a BBS is.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.12-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

On 06 Apr 2021, Nightfox said the following...

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

Back in the 80's and 90's I ran a BBS because I enjoyed programming in Basic for the Image BBS for the C64, I spent more money and more time doing both. I loved it but then it became a job. When that happened and my old hardware was dying I got out.. In 2018 because I saw some groups on Facebook catering to BBS' I put one up again. Why? I did it for me! It was a way to kill time at night instead of sitting in front of that boob tube and watching my brain rot!

Since that first Mystic board (The one I am posting on) I put a BBS on every platform that means something to me, Amiga, Linux, C128 and I and another programmer just released Image BBS v3.0 for the C64. Now I am programming for my fun, not anyone else's.. So that is what motivates me, I do it for me! If
I get callers to call great, if not, I still can sleep at night knowing I am having some fun and also keeping my brain working before Alzheimers sets in!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (21:4/131)

*** Quoting Nightfox from a message to Warpslide ***

My old boss is the exact same age as I am and he had never heard of
a BBS before.

I was 14 years old (in 1994) when I started my first BBS. At the
time, I was talking to a friend of mine about computer stuff and I
said I had started running a BBS. He said he didn't know what a BBS
was. I was a little surprised.

Sounds like we're the same age as well. I started my board when I was 15 or 16 though.

That's cool. My mom isn't big into computers but knows the basics of using a computer. My dad was always into computers though and is
familiar with what a BBSis.

It's the opposite for me. My Mom has an iPhone, iPad & laptop today and has pretty much always enjoyed technology. Back when I lived at home I had networked my BBS PC w/ the family PC (a 10 meg coax connection) so we could play a game of Age of Empires against each other.

To this day my Dad still doesn't have a computer, cell phone or even call display on his landline.


Jay

... Alimony is like buying oats for a dead horse.

--- Telegard v3.09.g2-sp4/mL
* Origin: Northern Realms | 289-424-5180 | bbs.nrbbs.net (21:3/110)

Am 06.04.21 schrieb Warpslide@21:3/110 in FSX_BBS:

Hallo Warpslide,

I was 14 years old (in 1994) when I started my first BBS.

Sounds like we're the same age as well. I started my board when I was
15 or 16 though.

Interesting, as I also was 14 in 1994 and that was about the time I heard about BBSes as well :)
Although I did not start my own BBS back in the days, I used to have a
point system for FidoNet using CrossPoint on DOS and OS/2.

I started my own BBS around December 2020, and I like being connected to different message networks and door games (via BBSlink).
I also enjoyed creating the menu system and sticking together several
modules of Synchronet to make it look a little bit individual :)

But my main motivation was to create something that I like to use myself,
I do play some BBSlink games regularly (LORD, Global War, Global
Backgammon) and use my BBS as "boss" system for my OpenXP point.

Regards,
Anna

--- OpenXP 5.0.49
* Origin: Imzadi Box Point (21:3/127.1)

Nightfox wrote to All <=-

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

It's the lavish pay. And, the chicks. And definitely the drugs.

It's part technical challenges, part amusement at being able to do so much with crappy consumer hardware, part enjoyment of a user population that grew up with a different notion of online communities (or newer users for whom
the old scene resonates) and part habit. I've logged on in the morning with
my first cup of coffee pretty much every morning since 1991.






... Abandon desire
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

Re: Re: What do you get out of running a BBS?
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Nightfox on Wed Apr 07 2021 10:36 am

It's part technical challenges, part amusement at being able to do so much with crappy consumer hardware, part enjoyment of a user population that grew up with a different notion of online communities (or newer users for whom the old scene resonates) and part habit. I've logged on in the morning with my first cup of coffee pretty much every morning since 1991.

I pretty much agree with all this. Though it hasn't been as much of a habit for me, I do like to check the networked message areas.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.12-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

BBSes have alway facinated me. Always enjoyed logging in to different
boards back in the day to see what they had to offer. What motivates me is
the enjoyment I get out of setting up everything that has to with the BBS.and the fact that you don't have to use the web to get all your information. It's
a fun hobby! Now we just need to get some users.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Lunatics Unleashed BBS (21:3/135)

BY: Nightfox(21:1/137)


|11N|09> |10For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?|07
|11N|09> |07
I had just graduated from College and moved about 80 miles from home to start a career. I discovered BBSs, and fell in love with them - the conecpt of emailing and talking with people all over the country appealed to me. I started my BBS in 1992 and ran it for 10 years. I made a lot of great friends and had a lot of fun on there, and I learned how to program by modding my BBS.

Over the years, I'd kept in touch with some SysOps that were still running their boards and were still improving it. One piece of software I'd written was still being used, and I'd given the source to someone to make some modifications to it. They kept me in the loop about what was going on, and I decided to give it a whirl and see if I could bring my board back online and run it. As I got into building it back, I went through my old BBS files, and the flood of memories was almost overwhelming. I'd forgotten just how much fun BBSing had been. I'd made a lot of friendships that have continued to this day.

I know I'll never rekindle the popularity of BBSing in the 1990s. But I'm enjoying running the BBS, it's helping me get back into programming, and I'm enjoying making new friends.

-Morgul

--- WWIV 5.7.0.development
* Origin: ** The Trading Post [SOUTH] BBS -=- Columbia, SC ** (21:1/207)

For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a BBS?

Also, running a BBS is a fairly obscure hobby. It seems there aren't
many people these days who know what an old-school BBS is, and they
might not totally understand it if you try to explain it to them.

I love BBSes. I guess I could stop there. :P

I created 2o as MY portal to the BBS world. It allows me to read the FTNs I care about, it allows me to play the door game networks I care about and it allows me to connect to the BBSes that I'm interested in.

It gives me a platform to share different and new sections of historical textmode and other retro computing topics that.. I care about. :)

And last, it allows me to learn a little bit of programming while I learn Mystic MPL, Python and some other languages.

If no one called, I'd still have all of this in one place - the fact that callers are enjoying it too... is awesome.



|07p|15AULIE|1142|07o
|08.........

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/02/12 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)

Re: Re: What do you get out of running a BBS?
By: Morgul to Nightfox on Wed Apr 07 2021 09:26 pm

back online and run it. As I got into building it back, I went through my old BBS files, and the flood of memories was almost overwhelming. I'd forgotten just how much fun BBSing had been. I'd made a lot of friendships that have continued to this day.

I had made maybe a couple friends back in the day from BBSing, but no long-lasting friendships, unfortunately.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.12-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

Hello Nightfox.

08 Apr 21 08:22, you wrote to Morgul:

@COLS: 80
@BBSID: DIGDIST
Re: Re: What do you get out of running a BBS?
By: Morgul to Nightfox on Wed Apr 07 2021 09:26 pm

back online and run it. As I got into building it back, I went
through my old BBS files, and the flood of memories was almost
overwhelming. I'd forgotten just how much fun BBSing had been.
I'd made a lot of friendships that have continued to this day.

I had made maybe a couple friends back in the day from BBSing, but no long-lasting friendships, unfortunately.

i have a couple of ex-users and sysops whom we are still connected, altough they are not using the BBS any more.

Daniel

--- GoldED+/EMX 1.1.4.7
* Origin: Roon's BBS - Budapest, HUNGARY (21:4/148)

Nightfox wrote to Morgul <=-

I had made maybe a couple friends back in the day from BBSing, but no long-lasting friendships, unfortunately.

In my early days of BBSing, I was in college and all the BBSs were run by college students. But we were all in the same computer club, so we knew
each other.

When I really called them a lot, they were all in the same area. But
there were few social events for BBS people. I remember one nice lady
who threw a big BBS Picnic every year. She checked out an "island" in
a local park.

But some BBSers were still kids. Others were really old. ALL were geeks
(and socially awkward). Interacting on BBSs was something that we were
all comforable with - and kept other people at arm's length, which is what we were comfortable with.

Later on, as we got more into Fidonet and the like, people were really geographically wide spread.

It's hard to get close to geeks in the first place. It's even harder when
many of them can't get together (too young, too old, too insecure, etc.).
And it's pretty much impossible to make lasting friendships without that contact.


... You are confused; but this is your normal state.
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: Diamond Mine Online BBS 21:1/194 bbs.dmine.net:24 (21:1/194)

Re: Re: What do you get out o
By: Ron Lauzon to Nightfox on Fri Apr 09 2021 09:15 am

It's hard to get close to geeks in the first place. It's even harder when many of them can't get together (too young, too old, too insecure, etc.). And it's pretty much impossible to make lasting friendships without that contact.

I've always been an introvert and into computers & such. I don't have a large group of friends and sometimes feel a bit lonely. I went through a divorce last year, and being by myself again has felt weird.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.12-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

On 04-09-21 09:15, Ron Lauzon wrote to Nightfox <=-

It's hard to get close to geeks in the first place. It's even harder
when many of them can't get together (too young, too old, too insecure, etc.). And it's pretty much impossible to make lasting friendships
without that contact.

Depends on the geek, I'm a notoriously social geek, so I'm not hard to get together - just need a suitable social event. :)


... I'm only paranoid because everyone's against me.
=== MultiMail/Win v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

Vk3jed wrote to Ron Lauzon <=-

Depends on the geek, I'm a notoriously social geek, so I'm not hard to
get together - just need a suitable social event. :)

I forced myself to get more social when I approached 40. I took up ballroom dancing - in for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying goes.

While I enjoy being social more, I don't crave it like some type of people do.

... Lead me not into temptation, I can find my own way
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: Diamond Mine Online BBS 21:1/194 bbs.dmine.net:24 (21:1/194)

Nightfox wrote to Ron Lauzon <=-

I've always been an introvert and into computers & such. I don't have
a large group of friends and sometimes feel a bit lonely. I went
through a divorce last year, and being by myself again has felt weird.

I hear you. I've been kind of a loner all my life. I guess that I just don't feel the loneliness anymore.

But I understand about the divorce. I only got married about 7 years ago.
But it would certainly feel weird to not have her underfood anymore.


... Me, indecisive? I don't think I am, do you?
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: Diamond Mine Online BBS 21:1/194 bbs.dmine.net:24 (21:1/194)

Ron Lauzon wrote to Nightfox <=-

It's hard to get close to geeks in the first place. It's even harder
when many of them can't get together (too young, too old, too insecure, etc.). And it's pretty much impossible to make lasting friendships
without that contact.

We had at least quarterly get-togethers on NIRVANnet(tm), a local BBS
network where, for the most part, we were driving/transit distance to each other. We'd rotate locations so each BBS could "host" a location.

The first social hurdle was identifying a group of strangers in a cafe, we'd bring something to make us stand out, like my linesman's handset, a copy of 2600, anything. We'd still see people lurking outside, and unfortunately, a few of them wouldn't come in.

Once people dove in, they had a great time. For the socially timid, it was a place to interact with people they already knew and were similarly socially challenged.

Online rivalries often cooled when people met face-to-face. I've told the story of two of my users who *hated* each other online and ended up getting drunk together at the exclusion of almost everyong else, trying to convince the other that he was right - but in a loud, friendly way for once.


... Abandon desire
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

Nightfox wrote to Ron Lauzon <=-

I've always been an introvert and into computers & such. I don't have
a large group of friends and sometimes feel a bit lonely. I went
through a divorce last year, and being by myself again has felt weird.

Sorry to hear about the divorce, I can relate to the contrast. I separated
in 2007, and remember being the last person at work, since I could. I
reached out to some old friends, one of the issues with marriage is
sometimes one partner's friends become the "marriage" friends - and when separating, they often feel they need to take sides.

I'm coming up on my son's 18th birthday, and the end of 14 years of paying child support. He's going to college and we're paying for it, though, so
it's a zero-sum equation. <shrug>

Facebook taught us that we should have 150+ "friends", and they were wrong.
1 or 2 good friends is perfect.


... Abandon desire
--- MultiMail/DOS v0.52
* Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)

Re: Re: What do you get out o
By: poindexter FORTRAN to Nightfox on Mon Apr 12 2021 07:08 am

Sorry to hear about the divorce, I can relate to the contrast. I separated in 2007, and remember being the last person at work, since I could. I reached out to some old friends, one of the issues with marriage is sometimes one partner's friends become the "marriage" friends - and when separating, they often feel they need to take sides.

Yeah, that would be tough. We didn't have either of our friends who became the "marriage" friends, but I would imagine that would be hard.

Facebook taught us that we should have 150+ "friends", and they were wrong. 1 or 2 good friends is perfect.

I don't have many friends I talk to (or could talk to) on a regular basis, and often it seems like my friends and family are busy. Or maybe that's what I tell myself. I don't often reach out to people to talk a whole lot - sometimes I've wondered if I should have been reaching out to people more throughout my life. I feel especially alone when I'm going through a hard time.

Nightfox
--- SBBSecho 3.12-Win32
* Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)

BY: poindexter FORTRAN(21:4/122)


|11pF|09> |10We had at least quarterly get-togethers on NIRVANnet(tm), a local BBS |07
|11pF|09> |10network where, for the most part, we were driving/transit distance to|07
|11pF|09> |10each |07
|11pF|09> |10other. We'd rotate locations so each BBS could "host" a location.|07
|11pF|09> |07
In my area, we had a monthly meeting. We called it C.A.U.S.E. - Columbia Area Users and SysOps Exchange. We met every month on a Sunday at a local restaurant. It was pretty easy to find the group, and the restaurants were nice enough to let us put up a sign pointing in our direction. Over the years, the location moved to various parts of town, and were usually pretty well attended.
It wasn't anything formal, just a casual get together to get to know each other and share stories.

I miss those days.

-Morgul

--- WWIV 5.7.0.development
* Origin: ** The Trading Post [SOUTH] BBS -=- Columbia, SC ** (21:1/207)

poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Ron Lauzon <=-

Once people dove in, they had a great time. For the socially timid, it
was a place to interact with people they already knew and were
similarly socially challenged.

Yup. I've been to a few "geek fests" in my day and we really open up
when surrounded by other geeks.

Online rivalries often cooled when people met face-to-face. I've told
the story of two of my users who *hated* each other online and ended up getting drunk together at the exclusion of almost everyong else, trying
to convince the other that he was right - but in a loud, friendly way
for once.

One problem with BBSs is that queues like body language don't translate well. Also, being with someone in person, who can hit you, tends to dampen things down. 8)


... Every step you take becomes a twist of fate.
=== MultiMail/Linux v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: Diamond Mine Online BBS 21:1/194 bbs.dmine.net:24 (21:1/194)

On 13 Apr 2021, Dr. What said the following...

Online rivalries often cooled when people met face-to-face. I've told the story of two of my users who *hated* each other online and ended getting drunk together at the exclusion of almost everyong else, tryi to convince the other that he was right - but in a loud, friendly way for once.

This is very true, I back in the day ran a sysOp group called ESA (Elite
SysOp Association) in my area, we had another hacker group which I can't remember the name of off the top of my head, I constantly argued with the leader of that group, we were at each other's throats all the time! Then I
went to a BBS get together at a local Nathans and I met the guy face to face, to be honest I was ready to take it outside as soon as he started his crap,
but I said one thing that quelled it all, I said to him buy me a hot dog and lets sit down and hack this crap out! 2 hours later we were headed to a bar down the street without the kiddies who were at the BBS get together and we became really good friends! Ah that's my story.. lol

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (21:4/131)

On 12 Apr 2021 at 07:08a, poindexter FORTRAN pondered and said...

Facebook taught us that we should have 150+ "friends", and they were wrong. 1 or 2 good friends is perfect.

I totally agree with this.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)

On 04-10-21 10:12, Dr. What wrote to Vk3jed <=-

I forced myself to get more social when I approached 40. I took up ballroom dancing - in for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying goes.

That's definitely a good way to become more social! :)

While I enjoy being social more, I don't crave it like some type of
people do.

Yeah, I do seek out social engagements - coffee catchups, radio and sporting clubs, and other events. More quiet casual things (OK, the sport is also serious competition ;) ), rather than all out parties.

... Lead me not into temptation, I can find my own way

True. ;)


... Married by a judge; should've asked for a jury. -Groucho
=== MultiMail/Win v0.52
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Linux
* Origin: Freeway BBS Bendigo,Australia freeway.apana.org.au (21:1/109)

Avon wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

On 12 Apr 2021 at 07:08a, poindexter FORTRAN pondered and said...

Facebook taught us that we should have 150+ "friends", and they were wrong. 1 or 2 good friends is perfect.

I totally agree with this.

Yes indeed.


... Computer Hacker wanted. Must have own axe.
--- MultiMail
* Origin: Possum Lodge South * possumso.fsxnet.nz:7636/SSH:2122 (21:4/134)