A computer and associated software which typically provides an
electronic message database where people can log in and leave
messages. Messages are typically split into topic groups
similar to the newsgroups on Usenet (which is like a
distributed BBS). Any user may submit or read any message in
these public areas.
The term comes from physical pieces of board on which people
can pin messages written on paper for general consumption - a
"physical bulletin board". Ward Christensen, the programmer
and operator of the first BBS (on-line 1978-02-16) called it a
CBBS for "computer bulletin board system".
Apart from public message areas, a BBS may provide archives of
files, personal electronic mail and any other services or
activities of interest to the bulletin board's system operator
(the "sysop"). Thousands of local BBSes are in operation
throughout the world, typically run by amateurs for fun out of
their homes on MS-DOS boxes with a single modem line each.
Although BBSes have traditionally been the domain of
hobbyists, an increasing number of BBSes are connected
directly to the Internet, and many BBSes are currently
operated by government, educational, and research
institutions. Fans of Usenet and Internet or the big
commercial time-sharing bboards such as CompuServe, CIX
and GEnie tend to consider local BBSes the low-rent district
of the hacker culture, but they serve a valuable function by
knitting together lots of hackers and users in the
personal-micro world who would otherwise be unable to
exchange code at all.
Use of this term for a Usenet newsgroup generally marks one
either as a newbie fresh in from the BBS world or as a real
old-timer predating Usenet.
(2005-09-20)
Nearby terms:
Built-in Self Test « Bull « bulletin board « bulletin board system » bulletproof » Bull Information Systems » bum
