Making an old 90's style BBS?

[VIDEODROME]

This is a peculiar interest I've started looking into. I think it started with exploring Linux and even Unix and seeing that old technology can be dusted off and further developed.

So why the hell would I revisit the old Dial-Up bulletin board?

Well, I like to think such things are off the general radar if you find things like PRISM annoying. Also, while many such BBSes in the past were dial-up services for local clubs or HAMs, eventually some were on the regular internet and you browsed them through Telnet. What I'm interested in are the few open source BBS systems out there that support SSH.

I think it would be funny as hell if a forum based almost entirely on the SSH protocol could be locked up tight.

I'm in the very early stages of checking into this and if somehow I actually make one I'll post how I did it. I also wondered if anyone else, particularly HAMs who use 'Packet Radio', know much about this stuff.

 

[heavenlyboy34]

Sounds like a neat project. Hope it turns out well!

 

[GunnyFreedom]

This is a peculiar interest I've started looking into. I think it started with exploring Linux and even Unix and seeing that old technology can be dusted off and further developed.

So why the hell would I revisit the old Dial-Up bulletin board?

Well, I like to think such things are off the general radar if you find things like PRISM annoying. Also, while many such BBSes in the past were dial-up services for local clubs or HAMs, eventually some were on the regular internet and you browsed them through Telnet. What I'm interested in are the few open source BBS systems out there that support SSH.

I think it would be funny as hell if a forum based almost entirely on the SSH protocol could be locked up tight.

I'm in the very early stages of checking into this and if somehow I actually make one I'll post how I did it. I also wondered if anyone else, particularly HAMs who use 'Packet Radio', know much about this stuff.

Actually, others are doing this, because the bandwidth on AMPRNet is small enough, and the FCC rules prohibiting packet radio from connecting to the Internet (due to the potential for the broadcast of commercial data) make old-school BBS the go-to system for AMPRNet systems.

It appears that Internet/AMPRNet gateways are starting to appear out in the wild, desperately illegal though they may be, (FCC needs to die, btw) and there are burgeoning communities in the AMPRNet 44.0.0.0 IP range with resources out the wazoo.

I imagine all you really need to do is set up a BBS on your LAN, assign it a 44.x.x.x IP and stick it in the AMPRNet DMZ, and go.

 

[CPUd]

You should deny all web browsers except lynx:

 

[GunnyFreedom]

Huh. I didn't know that vBulletin provided that well developed of a text-only interface.

An old-school BBS however, didn't require any kind of browser at all. It was it's own interface.

However, that does make the problem of coming up with BBS software that much easier if you set up a TCP/IP based board and let people access it in a browser. Lynx in particular.

 

[VIDEODROME]

lol this is actually more feedback than I expected.

For now I'm looking into SynchroNet BBS software with Ubuntu Server.

 

[GunnyFreedom]

lol this is actually more feedback than I expected.

For now I'm looking into SynchroNet BBS software with Ubuntu Server.

Terminal based, so no browser. Accessing the terminal may be outside of the capabilities of some people. It's easy to get to on all POSIX systems like Unix, BDS, Linux, Mac OS, but IIRC you have to enable it in Windows 7 with the installer?

I dunno, anyone running Win7 that has NOT enabled the terminal (not the command prompt) do you know how to get to it?

Apparently the Telnet Client is turned off by default starting in Win7, but you can enable it.

enable Telnet by following these steps:

1. Click Start
2. Control Panel
3. Programs And Features
4. Turn Windows features on or off
5. Check Telnet Client
6. Hit OK

And the telnet client can only be started via commandline, which for some non-POSIX users may be a problem.

I like the idea myself, and I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but who will be accessing the BBS? If you have to Telnet in it may narrow your audience a bit. Though I would imagine anybody up on AMPRNet is not about to be stymied by a Telnet Client.

 

[GunnyFreedom]

I'm assuming that in order to access the SynchroNet BBS across TCP/IP and/or AMPRNet you must necessarily use a Telnet Client. Telnet is unfortunately quickly becoming vestigial, and only a small portion of people know what it is or how to use it. If you specifically have a very narrow audience that's OK. If you want a broader audience, it may be a good idea to run a slim client Internet BBS and provide browser access. EVERYONE knows how to use a browser.

It all depends on your implementation and your audience really.

 

[VIDEODROME]

I think Telnet is fading because of security concerns.

At first, I'm not that worried about getting a lot of people to sign up. It's more of an experiment. Also, my plan is to graduate from my Associate's program this Fall. I would like to make a Resume/Portfolio page and this could be an unusual feature added to it. I could say I'm a SysOp.


I would like to see something using the more secure SSH protocol. Maybe Windows machines could use Lynx or simply PuTTY. I'm not sure if Putty is good for things like this or "ANSI Graphics", but it's a starting point.

 

[VIDEODROME]

I think Telnet is fading because of security concerns.

At first, I'm not that worried about getting a lot of people to sign up. It's more of an experiment. Also, my plan is to graduate from my Associate's program this Fall. I would like to make a Resume/Portfolio page and this could be an unusual feature added to it. I could say I'm a SysOp.


I would like to see something using the more secure SSH protocol. Maybe Windows machines could use Lynx or simply PuTTY. I'm not sure if Putty is good for things like this or "ANSI Graphics", but it's a starting point.

 

[Chester Copperpot]

Boy this reminds me of my old Atari 8-Bit days when I ran a BBS,..... What fun... lol


Still have access to the hardware and software too.

 

[Cap]

I remember those days, there was something mysterious about them. For even just the nostalgic reasons, I would love to see one up and running again and of course thriving. Good idea.

 

[UtahApocalypse]

Speaking of Hams here is a project our group is working on.....

http://hsmm-mesh.org

We are building a full featured server with restricted access, it will have internal email, web, forums, VoIP, video streaming, and anything that can be done over internet.

 

[VIDEODROME]

This could be a possibility. It actually has more features for the web to.

www.citadel.org/

Actually, just at a glance Citadel looks like a handy communication tool in general.

 

[Matt Collins]

I remember when HotLine came about (huge warez community) but it was mostly killed off by Napster. Hotline was kind of a cross of BBS and FTP except it had a GUI over Windows. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotline_Communications



But I also remember the old dial-up BBS days. That was a ton of fun, I used to do that as a kid hitting up every BBS in town. I would send e-mails via FIDONet that would take 7 days to reach across town heh. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FidoNet

And then came Prodigy/AOL to kill it, with me eventually convincing my parents to give me a cable modem for my birthday when I was 16.

 

[Matthew5]

Don't have anything tech related to add, but this takes me back. I'll never forget what a day it was when we all gathered round and logged in for the first time. Someone from the UK replied to a message my dad had sent and it freaked him out. He turned to all of us and said, "kids, you watch, this is going to change the world. People across the globe will be able to communicate electronically within minutes." Those were the days...

 

[torchbearer]

Terminal based, so no browser. Accessing the terminal may be outside of the capabilities of some people. It's easy to get to on all POSIX systems like Unix, BDS, Linux, Mac OS, but IIRC you have to enable it in Windows 7 with the installer?

I dunno, anyone running Win7 that has NOT enabled the terminal (not the command prompt) do you know how to get to it?

Apparently the Telnet Client is turned off by default starting in Win7, but you can enable it.

enable Telnet by following these steps:

1. Click Start
2. Control Panel
3. Programs And Features
4. Turn Windows features on or off
5. Check Telnet Client
6. Hit OK

And the telnet client can only be started via commandline, which for some non-POSIX users may be a problem.

I like the idea myself, and I'm not trying to talk you out of it, but who will be accessing the BBS? If you have to Telnet in it may narrow your audience a bit. Though I would imagine anybody up on AMPRNet is not about to be stymied by a Telnet Client.

I have a portable version of putty.
runs from windows 7 live boot usb.

 

[GunnyFreedom]

I have a portable version of putty.
runs from windows 7 live boot usb.

That's a good way to do it. SSH is better than Telnet.

 

[torchbearer]

That's a good way to do it. SSH is better than Telnet.

there are several government systems that use telnet/ssh.
i use it to diagnose communication problems.
some banks still use it. you can actually remote into banking teller systems with telnet.

 

[torchbearer]

the portable version doesn't keep any trace of what you've done either.
here's your portable putty: http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/putty_portable