What Is a Bulletin Board System (BBS)?

A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, was an early form of online communication and digital content sharing that predated the modern internet. Popular from the late 1970s through the early 1990s, BBSes allowed users to connect to a central computer over a phone line using a modem. Once connected, users could:

  • Post and read public messages (similar to a forum)

  • Send private mail to other users

  • Upload and download software and documents

  • Participate in discussion threads or group topics

  • Play simple online games (“door games”)

Each BBS was typically run by a system operator (sysop), who managed user access, content moderation, and system maintenance. Many were run from homes or small offices, often using software like PCBoard, RBBS, or WWIV on DOS-based machines.

BBSes were primarily accessed through dial-up connections, and many were only available locally (within a specific area code), although some supported message relays through networks like FidoNet.

How Did BBSes Work?

Users connected directly to a BBS using a dial-up modem, which placed a phone call to the host computer’s line. Each BBS was typically limited to one user at a time per phone line, though larger systems could support multiple lines.
Early BBS systems ran on software such as PCBoard, RBBS, WWIV, or Wildcat!, and served as hubs for local communities of tech enthusiasts, hobbyists, and developers.

LAN-Based BBS Systems

While most BBS platforms were dial-up based, some — like ExecNet — focused specifically on LAN (Local Area Network) environments. Founded in 1986 by Andy Keeves, ExecNet was designed for IT professionals working on business and enterprise networks. Rather than just serving general hobbyist communities, ExecNet targeted system administrators, software developers, and LAN engineers, offering:

  • Specialized file libraries for networking tools

  • Support for PCBoard software and custom enhancements

  • Internal messaging and collaboration systems tailored for professional users

ExecNet became one of the most respected LAN-based BBS platforms of its time, offering early examples of workplace collaboration and digital file distribution long before cloud services or corporate intranets existed.

Legacy

Though BBSes largely disappeared with the rise of the World Wide Web in the mid-1990s, their influence is still visible today in modern forums, file-sharing systems, and even social media. Platforms like ExecNet played a foundational role in shaping how people exchanged knowledge and software online — particularly in professional technical communities.

This archive exists to help preserve the unique contributions of ExecNet and the BBS era as a whole

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