BBSing continued: Best of BBSing in 2020!
#1
Hey guys... I have had several people login to MY BBS after they followed my how-to on building the SyncTerm from source post. That's really cool, and to be honest MY BBS is just a project. There is actually many that are leaders in the Bulletin Board world.

So, I hope you'll read along with me and enjoy more information about BBSing in 2020. If you missed the first writeup, search for BBS and read my how-to on building the terminal program SyncTerm. And furthermore, please apply for access at my BBS - 20 For Beers BBS. I'm thinking of adding Pine64 message bases there, too. Tongue Come on over - theres a lot to be had in the 'BBS Scene' in 2020.

Heres some of the BEST OF BBSing IN 2020:

Best ANSI Art Group:
BLOCKTRONICS @ www.blocktronics.org
runner-up, Impure Ascii Group @ impure.nl

More Info... checkout 16colo.rs (website) for everything ANSI. They have *every* ANSI release since 1990 - 2020! Be sure to checkout the releases in 2020... there is STILL a great ANSI scene in the BBS world. The artists never went away, and its not all about ACiD anymore!

Best BBS Software:
Mystic BBS @ mysticbbs.com
runner-up, Enigma.5 BBS @ enigma-bbs.github.io

Mystic BBS software is the front runner in BBS servers - You can *run* your own bulletin board over telnet using Mystic... Enigma.5 is also currently being developed, and Synchronet (www.synchro.net) is currently being developed. They also are the authors of SyncTerm terminal software.

Best BBS Terminal Software:
SyncTerm @ syncterm.bbsdev.net
runner-up, NetRunner @ mysticbbs.com/downloads.html

These are the terminal softwares you'll need to call BBSes and take advantge of the ANSI (or petscii, RIP, etc) graphics that BBSes still use in 2020... if you just use Telnet or Putty, BBSes will NOT display correctly and your experience will... suck.

Best FTN (FidoNet style) Message Networks:
fsxNet @ The Agency BBS agency.bbs.nz port 23
runner-up, Dove-Net @ Vertrauen BBS cvs.synchro.net port 23

These are message networks, so you'll find them carried at MANY BBSes. However, I've listed their HOME bulletin boards. Remember, to 'call' into the links for BBSes you'll have to use SyncTerm or NetRunner Terminal softwares. There may be others available, but your regular linux terminal using Telnet or simple Putty will not work. You need one that can display ANSI graphics, like SyncTerm, NetRunner, etc.

Best Door Games Network:
Door Party! @ The Throw Back BBS bbs.throwbackbbs.com port 23
runner-up, BBSLink @ bbslink.net

Door Game Networks are the new way we play door games on BBSes. They are networked, and when you now fire up TradeWars 2002 or Legend of the Red Dragon or Kannons and Katapults... and all your old BBS door game favorites, the boards can use these networks. Door Party has a home BBS, and BBSLink does not. However, you can find these networks used at many many BBS systems. Finally, there are plenty of users to play your favorite online ANSI door games with! Just find a BBS that carries your favorite. BTW, my BBS 20 For Beers BBS carries both. Login @ 20ForBeers.com port 1337

Best BBS List:
The Telnet BBS Guide @ www.telnetbbsguide.com
runner-up, BBS Guide @ bbs.guide

These are all some of the most current features of the BBS scene in 2020... and now for the best part, I'll give you my BEST OF BBSes list. These are all actual bulletin boards; so give them a telnet call and apply for access! The following are the BEST bulletin boards that are available today!!

Best BBSes in 2020:
Remember, you must use a BBS terminal as stated above to TELNET into the following. You must use the correct port #, which you enter in the terminal program entry.

THE BEST:
aBSINTHE BBS, an Amiga C-Net BBS @
absinthebbs.net port 1940

Best 2020 BBS:
The Underground @
www.theunderground.us port 10023
Mafia-style bulletin board, where you have to be a capo to not get capped!!

ACiD ANSI WHQ:
ACiD Underground @
blackflag.acid.org port 31337

Best 'Underground Commodore' BBS:
Anarchy Underground @
aubbs.dyndns.org port 2300
[40 column, c-64 BBS. must specify c64 in terminal software entry]

Best ZINE BBS, Hosting NULL MAGAZINE:
Another Dr01d BBS @
andr01d.zapto.org port 9999

Badass ANSI BBS:
Bottomless Abyss @
bbs.bottomlessabyss.net port 2023

Most Door Games [local, not networked!] BBS:
Danger Bay BBS @
dangerbaybbs.dyndns.org port 1337

Best Networked Door Games BBS:
Serion BBS @
connect.serionbbs.com port 23

Best Hacking Simulator 'BBS'
TeleHack @
telehack.com port 23
This is one board you CAN simply use Telnet to connect. telnet telehack.com and get to HACKING!!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was fun to write up, ladies and gents... I hope some of you dig this and get some use or happiness out of the write up. If you go checkout some ANSI art, great... if you decide to learn about older BBSes that I didn't list, theres tons of less-new age ones and plenty that will remind you of exactly how it was BACK THEN. Use the Telnet BBS Guide and search for the BBS software that was YOUR favorite from back in the day.

THIS list was to cover whats CURRENT in 2020... the BBS scene is ALIVE and kicking... I hope you build SyncTerm and come along and get involved with the BBS scene... heck, maybe a few of you will even become a SysOp and run your own bulletin board.

You can totally run a bulletin board server with these ARM single boards or PBP systems... I run mine on a Raspberry Pi 4... If theres any interest here, I can do a writeup about how to run a bulletin board. Do let me know in the comments. Tongue

Hope ya'll meet me on the FTN message network fsxNet or Dove-Net. Jump on in, the water is great!
Big Grin
-----
 pAULIE42o
.  .  .  .   .  . .
/s
#2
glad to see more BBS enthusiasts. I wanted to also mention https://github.com/klamonte/qodem as an alternative to syncterm. I do my BBSing from a pocketchip and syncterm was a bit more than it could handle, but qodem worked well.... and feels just like Qmodem for DOS
#3
(09-26-2020, 10:17 PM)lanefu Wrote: glad to see more BBS enthusiasts.    I wanted to also mention https://github.com/klamonte/qodem as an alternative to syncterm.  I do my BBSing from a pocketchip and syncterm was a bit more than it could handle, but qodem worked well.... and feels just like Qmodem for DOS

Agreed, and most importantly Qodem sufficiently displays ANSI graphics for BBSes... good software, great reply. Thanks kindly. Tongue
-----
 pAULIE42o
.  .  .  .   .  . .
/s


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)