Features
A classic BBS had:
- A computer
- One or more modems
- One or more phone lines, with more allowing for increased concurrent users.
- A BBS software package
- A sysop - system operator
- A user community
The BBS software usually provides:
- Menu Systems
- One or more message bases
- File areas
- SysOp side, live viewing of all caller activity
- Voting - opinion booths
- Statistics on message posters, top uploaders / downloaders
- Online games (usually single player or only a single active player at a given time)
- A doorway to third-party online games
- Usage auditing capabilities
- Multi-user chat (only possible on multi-line BBSes)
- Internet email (more common in later Internet-connected BBSes)
- Networked message boards
- Most modern BBSes allow telnet access over the Internet using a telnet server and a virtual FOSSIL driver.
- A "yell for SysOp" page (The original chat, before multi-line systems) caller side menu item that sounded an audible alarm to the SysOp. If chosen, the SysOp could then initiate a text-to-text chat with the caller; similar to what commercial websites have used to sell and support products.
- Primitive social networking features, such as leaving messages on a users profile
Read more about this topic: Bulletin Board System
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