🚀 go-pugleaf

On Sun, 27 Aug 2000 16:07:50 +0200, "Mel" <nospam@co.za> wrote:

>"Steve Hayes" <khanyaiis@global.co.za> wrote in message
>news:39a8eb61.197850928@news.yebo.co.za...
>> Pretoria BBSs are waiting for you to call?
>> What is a BBS?
>> A BBS is a computer bulletin board service, where you can commu-
>> nicate with people around the city or around the world, without
>> having to be "on the internet". In other words, you don't need
>> to pay an ISP for access, though you do need a computer and a
>> modem.

>You have posted this ad before and I asked a question before, which you
>chose not to answer - so I'll ask it again.

Sorry, I did not see your question before, 

>Why do you not make this BBS available to Net users via an on-line
>web-forum? Your BBS is likely to draw only PTA people, whereas it would be
>available to the world if hosted on a Net-connecte machine.

Several reasons.

1) There are well over 100 forums, and they are connected to other people
around the world through BBS networks, and gated to mailing lists for those
who are unfortunate enough not to have access to a local BBS. So it would not
be a matter of setting up one web forum, mbut well over 100 of them, And since
they usually have to be read on line, Telkom would get rich, and the users
would get poor.

And you can get to them via the Internet - have a look at 

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/bsweb.htm

for a list of telnettable BBSs. You can click on the Telnet address from your
Web browser and log in in the same way as you could if you were dialling a
local BBS - it's just likely to be a bit slower.

2) BBSs do have local conferences as well as international ones, and the local
ones serve local interests. People don't need world-wide access to them.

3) Not everyone has, or can afford, Web access.

>Am I wrong in thinking that the days of BBSes belong in the Jurassic era?

Yes.

Ever hear of intermediate technology and empowerment?

To go on to the Web nowadays you need a new computer with a lot of memory and
a fast processor to handle all the Javascript and plug ins. Such things cost
money, and even then one sometimes still enjoys the World Wide Wait when a
page downloads at 50 bytes per second, graphic by painful graphic - all to the
detriment of the phone bill.

The Web has its uses, and is particularly good for one-to-many communication,
but nothing beats the BBS for interactive many-to-many communication.

And you can set up a BBS yourself with an old XT and a modem and a phone line.
Its a useful tool for NGOs and CBOs that don't have a lot of money to throw
around.


Steve Hayes
http://www.geocities.com/hayesstw/