[ THIS DOCUMENT IS UNDER REVISION & VERIFICATION OF COLLECTED DATA! ] BBS History Timeline The FidoNet Showcase Project (FNSP) Copyrighted (c) 1999-2001 by Frank Robbins Contents ---------------------------------- Technologies & Personal Milestones BBS History Timeline FAQ Biography Administrivia ---------------------------------- =========================================================================== =================== TECHNOLOGIES & PERSONAL MILESTONES ==================== =========================================================================== Datelines below cover the following BBS resources: BBS History-EchoMail-Echolist-FidoNews-FileBone-FTSC-Historical-IFNA- Magazines-Nodelist-Policies-Routing List-Timelines-Tom Jennings ? = information is being verified. =========================================================================== === 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 - 1978 === =========================================================================== 16-Jan-1978 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ward Christensen, member of a Chicago computer club, pieced together a software program that allowed a Northstar Horizon CP/M personal computer built by his friend, Randy Suess, to answer the telephone using a 110-bps modem. http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/1.04/bbs.html http://www.jps.net/foxnhare/cbbs.html 16-Feb-1978 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The first major microcomputer bulletin board system (BBS), run by Ward Christensen and Randy Seuss, goes online. BBS BASICS v2.2 by Pasco BBS Magazine (17-Jan-1997) http://www.geocities.com/j_hellige/HISTORY.HTML http://www.chinet.com/html/cbbs.html =========================================================================== === 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 - 1983 === =========================================================================== xx-xxx-1983 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Opus started life, originally called Chameleon. xx-Dec-1983 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNet is founded by Tom Jennings. Tom Jennings invents the FidoNet protocols originally exclusively on IBM PCs or compatibles running MS-DOS. Some people involved in the development of FidoNet wanted to use UUCP, but it was thought (erroneously) at the time that the UUCP protocol was proprietary to AT&T, so new protocols were invented. http://www.fnet.fr/history/QuatermanCarl-Early.html The first Fido transmission protocol was Xmodem with a few simple extensions. The current Fido transfer protocol, ZedZap, is Zmodem with a few simple extensions. http://members.iquest.net/~jswartz/jks/professional/history.html 01-Dec-1983 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fido Software v1.0 is released by Tom Jennings. =========================================================================== === 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 - 1984 === =========================================================================== xx-Aug-1984 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Routing began. FidoNet History Part 1 (08-Feb-1985) 10-Dec-1984 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fido v10a 1/2 bugfix released by Tom Jennings. http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido102.txt =========================================================================== === 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 - 1985 === =========================================================================== xx-xxx-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Echomail was conceived in Dallas at a Pizza party. Later that year, Opus v0.0 was released. xx-Apr-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Because we have already reached our present limit, we have declared a moratorium on new node assignments. You will NOT receive any new NODELIST.NNN until v10h is ready for distribution. At that time, a new NODELIST will be published and distributed. http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido210.txt xx-May-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fido Software v10i update released by Tom Jennings. NODELIST.EXE released handling up to 700 nodes. This is important as I am told we now have 500 nodes! http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido213.txt 09-May-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Network Changes And Fido Version 10i released by Tom Jennings. Fido Software v10j update released by Tom Jennings. 03-Jun-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Multinet Fido is slowly approaching. The local net hosts and regional coordinators should be receiving a "starter kit" in the mail from St Louis soon, if you haven't got it already. Ken Kaplan and Ben Baker have been busily carving up the country into regions and assigning numbers to them, and I guess they've got it finalized by now. They also managed to write a couple of articles about all of this, including the promised piece on what it means to be a Regional Coordinator. http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido216.txt 12-Jun-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Start of Multinet Fido. Make sure you have Fido v10i. Stay in net 1 until this date, then switch over to your new net number. http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido214.txt http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido215.txt http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido217.txt Fidonet adopted the use of Regional recorders and officialy switches from the old style node numbers to the numbering scheme we use today. xx-Jul-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Echomail released by Wynn Wagner. xx-Aug-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Every Fido had swapped over to the area code, or net/node architecture. FidoNet History Part 2 (20-Aug-1985) 20-Aug-1985 FidoNet History Part 2 released by Tom Jennings. FidoNet History Part 2 (20-Aug-1985) 14-Oct-1985 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thom Henderson discusses the rational for ARC. The nodelist was being compressed with ARC at this time, but FidoNews was not. =========================================================================== === 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 - 1986 === =========================================================================== xx-xxx-1986 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- St. Louis version of nodelist began. Zone numbers not introduced yet. ??Some European Nodes (from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Germany ??(2 Nodes!), Great Britain, Holland, Switzerland and Italy) were. NEW LISTGEN STATUS -- UNKNOWN! We have been unable to reach John Warren in several weeks now. You may wish to investigate converting to XLATLIST/ROUTGEN. Nodelist 1986276 =========================================================================== === 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 - 1987 === =========================================================================== xx-xxx-1987 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- About this year, WWIVnet, another PC network, modeled partly on FidoNet, begins. This is third level homage to the ARPANET, since WWIVnet was influenced by FidoNet, which was influenced by UUCP and USENET, which were modeled partly after the ARPANET. http://www.fnet.fr/history/QuatermanCarl-Early.html http://members.iquest.net/~jswartz/jks/professional/history.html 13-Jan-1987 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- First official Echomail Conference List (Echolist), Issue 1, Number 1, released by Thomas Kenny. http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido410.txt http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido508.txt xx-Mar-1987 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- First issue of BOARDWATCH MAGAZINE, a monthly print publication covering the online information services and electronic bulletin board (BBS) industry from March 1987 to xxxx 199x. http://www.lights.com/hytelnet/fee/fee090.html =========================================================================== === 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 - 1988 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 - 1989 === =========================================================================== xx-Jan-1989 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tim Pozar releases Ufgate. 15-Nov-1989 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fido Software v12r is released by Tom Jennings. FIDO12R docs. =========================================================================== === 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 - 1990 === =========================================================================== xx-Aug-1990 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saudinet organized. FidoNews abruptly switches to LHA as an archiver. =========================================================================== === 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 - 1991 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 - 1992 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 - 1993 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 - 1994 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 - 1995 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 - 1996 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 - 1997 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 - 1998 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 - 1999 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 - 2000 === =========================================================================== =========================================================================== === 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 - 2001 === =========================================================================== xxx =========================================================================== ======================== BBS HISTORY TIMELINE FAQ ========================= =========================================================================== 1. HOW DO I GET THE BBS HISTORY TIMELINE? -------------------------------------- The BBS History Timeline is archived and available in HTML and TEXT language formats from the Archive-location at the bottom of this document. 2. WHY WAS THE BBS HISTORY TIMELINE DEVELOPED? ------------------------------------------- The BBS History Timeline was created to make the grassroots movement and further development of Bulletin Boards publically available to the Bulletin Board System Operators who comprise the network since many have joined years later after the movement began and many were not aware of the colorful history that has occurred. To date, there have been no large-scale effort to present BBS history from 1978 to the present into a public archive. Before this history is lost in "the sands of time", it is important to preserve "a complete as possible" and centralized public record of these events in a chronological date order. It is, however, very enlightning to see a present preservation effort trend occurring via various related FidoNet websites on the Internet. 3. CAN I DUPLICATE THE BBS HISTORY TIMELINE OR USE PARTS OF IT FOR ... ? --------------------------------------------------------------------- Drop me an email. The answer is most likely (though don't assume) "yes" for non-profit use, and "maybe" for for-profit; drop me an email and wait for a reply. If you don't hear from me in three (3) days, verify my email address from the archive site, then email me again. BTW, let me know who you are and your affiliation; anonymous requests will not be answered. 4. IS THE BBS HISTORY TIMELINE PUBLIC DOMAIN? ------------------------------------------ No. It is copyrighted by me. The BBS History Timeline is provided "as is" as a FREE service and is intended to be used as public information concerning FidoNet history. The BBS History Timeline is intended as a gesture of goodwill towards the Bulletin Board community first, and all others, second. Permission is granted for use of this document in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes as long as the Copyright notice and a link to this document, at the Archive-location listed at the end of this document, is included. For commercial uses, please contact the author first. Links to this document are welcome after emailing the author with the document URL where the link will appear. It may be translated to other languages provided the above terms are observed. The BBS History Timeline is a living document which is frequently updated as more history is made available by the FidoNet Showcase Project. 5. CAN I DONATE HISTORICAL BBS FILES OR DOCUMENTS TO THIS PROJECT? --------------------------------------------------------------- Yes. We will be glad to take the history from you, if it is free! If you have any historical information that needs to be included within The BBS History Timeline, please send me a copy of that information or an Internet address where I can review the information. My email address is at the bottom of this document under Author. 5. CAN I SEND CORRECTIONS OR UPDATES TO THIS DOCUMENT? --------------------------------------------------- Yes. We have tried very hard to insure all information that we have provided is as correct as humanly possible. There may be, of course, some milestone dates that we are using that conflict with other documents. We are trying to resolve which source is correct and will so state when we come across such occurrences. Also, any conflicting document will be adressed to the person who originally created it if we can successfully locate this person. If you notice anything that requires correction, please inform me by email. My email address is at the bottom of this document under Author. =========================================================================== ============================== BIOGRAPHY ================================== =========================================================================== The BBS History Timeline was compiled from these sources: Awards --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Dvorak PC Telecommunications Excellence Awards http://www.citivu.com/dvorak/index.html - Pioneer Awards (deserving indivs and orgs of the electronic frontier) http://www.eff.org/awards/pioneer.html BBS Magazines/E-zines/Newsletters --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - BABBA/WCO Magazine Archives (Mar-1993 to Sep-1995) http://www.markshapiro.com/backiss.html - BBS World Magazine (Apr-1998 to Jul-1999) http://thor.prohosting.com/~greenie/index3.htm - Boardwatch Magazine Archives (Jan-1995 to present) http://www.ispworld.com/src/Archive.htm - EFFector Newsletter Archives (Dec-1990 to present) http://www.eff.org/effector/ - Pasco BBS Magazine (xxx-199x to xxx-199x) http://??? - The Journal of American Undergound Computing (Mar-1994 to xxx-199x) http://??? - FidoNet Articles by non-Fido Members --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Carol Anne Dodd (What is a FidoNet? Discussion of the Growth and Development of an Amateur Computer Network Carleton University ??-Mar-1992) http://winramturbo.com/??? - xxx - xxx - xxx FidoNet Conventions --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - EuroCon (Europe Conference) - FidoCon (Fido Convention) - IBEC (International BBSing and Electronic Communications Conference) - One BBSCon (One Bulletin Board System Conference) - Poor Man's FidoCon (Poor Man's Fido Convention) FidoNet Historical Archives --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNet Showcase Project ======================== - - Art Gallery Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-art-gallery.htm - Awards Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-art-awards.htm - BBS Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-bbs.htm - Conventions Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-conventions.htm - Echolists Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-echolists.htm - Fido Software Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-fido-software.htm - Fido Utilities Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-fido-utilities.htm - FidoNet Information Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-fn-info.htm - FidoNet Software Developer Archive http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-fn-sw-dev.htm - FidoNews Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-fidonews.htm - Files Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-filedist.htm - FTSC Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-ftsc.htm - IFNA Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-ifna.htm - K12 Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-k12.htm - Legal Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-legal.htm - Mail Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-mail-dist.htm - Memorabelia Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-memorabelia.htm - Nodelist Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-nodelist-diff.htm - Photo Album Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-photo-album.htm - Policy Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-policy.htm - Privacy Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-privacy.htm - Tom Jennings Personal Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-tj-personal.htm - Trademark Archive by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/arch-trademark.htm - Other Sites =========== - - FidoNet On The Internet (FOTI) http://www.fidonet-on-the-internet.org/ - FidoNet Technical Standards Committee (FTSC) Archive http://www.ftsc.org/archive/index.htm - FidoNews Archive ftp://ftp.fidonews.org/pub/fnews-nws/ - Net 282 Folks http://www.rxn.com/~net282/ - Peaceful Corner http://www.grudolph.de/ - The Original FidoNet Nodelist Archives http://www.rcat.com/fido_public/ - The TEXTFILES.COM BBS List http://bbslist.textfiles.com/ - TheLitterBox BBS http://www.thelitterbox.org/ - Was Ist Fido? http://www.was-ist-fido.de/ - FidoNet Policy Documents --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Policy 4.07 (09-Jun-1989) - xxx - FidoNet Technologies - - Developing Peer-to-Peer and Metadata Alternatives to Spidering by Internet World Magazine http://www.internetworld.com/120100/12.01.00underdev.jsp - Mailing Lists --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - xxx - Personal Contributors --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you to these people who provided technical expertise, support information, documents and/or constructive comments during development of the FidoNet Showcase Project: - - Gisbert Rudolph - http://www.grudolph.de/ - Marc Weinmann --- ncl2fth@141.com - Peter Karlsson -- http://www.softwolves.pp.se/ - Ruth Argust ----- http://www.rcat.com/ - Steven Leeman --- http://welcome.to/skynetbbs/ - Tom Jennings ---- http://www.wps.com/ - Tony Campbell --- http://www.thelitterbox.org/ - more to be added... - References - BBS, Modems & Networks Books of Interest --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - The Virtual Community by Howard Rheingold http://www.rheingold.com/vc/book/ - Please visit the front page at FidoNews: http://www.fidonews.org/ for a list of BBS reference books from the Barnes & Noble Bookstore - Timelines --------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - Bulletin Board System (BBS) History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-bbs.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-bbs.txt - FidoNet EchoList History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - FidoNet EchoMail History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - FidoNet FidoNews History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - FidoNet FileBone History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - FidoNet General Information History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-fn-info.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-fn-info.txt - FidoNet NodeList History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - FidoNet Policy History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - FidoNet SoftWare Developer History Timeline by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-fn-sw-dev.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-fn-sw-dev.txt - FidoNet Technical Standards Committee (FTSC) History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-ftsc.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-ftsc.txt - FidoNews History Timeline by the FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-fidonews.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-fidonews.txt - International FidoNet Association (IFNA) History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - Internet Timeline by JF Kol http://wwwmcc.murdoch.edu.au/ReadingRoom/VID/jfk/timeline.htm - Personal Computer History Timeline by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-pc.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-pc.txt - Tom Jennings FidoNet History by FNSP http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.htm http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-xxx.txt - =========================================================================== ============================== ADMINISTRIVIA ============================== =========================================================================== Archive-name: BBS History Timeline Version: 1.0 --------------------------------------------------------- Archive-location: HTML format http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-bbs.htm --------------------------------------------------------- TEXT format http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/tl/tl-bbs.txt --------------------------------------------------------- Last-updated: 26 November 2001 Author: Maintained by Frank Robbins Description: The BBS History Timeline - An authoritative history of the major technical and personal milestones in the development of Bullentin Board Systems from their grassroots to their present day incarnation. Reproduction of this publication in electronic media is encouraged. Articles do not necessarily represent the views of the FidoNet Showcase Project. To reproduce signed articles individually, please contact the authors for their express permission. Press releases and Project articles may be reproduced individually at will and will retain our copyright. ===========================================================================