Glossary of Technical Terms

  • BBS – Bulletin Board System; early online platforms accessed via modem. (more)
  • PCBoard – Professional-grade BBS software used by ExecNet. (more)
  • Sysop – System operator; the admin of a BBS.
  • ASCII / ANSI Art – Text-based graphics used for welcome screens, menus, and branding.
  • SLIP/PPP – Protocols used to connect BBS systems to the internet.
  • Modem – A device that converted digital data into analog signals over phone lines.
  • Baud Rate – Speed of modem communication (e.g., 1200, 2400, 14.4k, 28.8k baud).
  • QWK/REP – Compressed mail packets for offline reading and replying; used in message exchange networks.
  • Node – A connection slot for a caller into a BBS.
  • Ilink – A message network allowing BBSes to exchange mail/conferences. (more)
  • Ilink Message Network – was a distributed message-sharing system that allowed multiple BBSes (Bulletin Board Systems) to exchange forum-style messages across different locations — similar to how modern forums or chat servers sync data. (more)
  • LANtastic – A peer-to-peer networking system developed by Artisoft that allowed up to 10 computers to share files, printers, and devices without a dedicated server. Popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, LANtastic was widely used by small BBS setups due to its affordability and ease of use. Unlike Novell NetWare, which required centralized administration, LANtastic was designed for simpler, small-scale environments. (more)
  • FidoNet – A worldwide message exchange system using address-based routing like “1:272/111”.
  • Email – Electronic mail, commonly shortened to “email,” is a communication method that uses electronic devices to deliver messages across computer Networks. “Email” refers to both the delivery system and individual messages that are sent and received.
  • EchoMail – Public, forum-style messages shared across BBSes.
  • NetMail – Private messages routed between BBSes or directly to users.
  • Front-End Mailer – Software used to schedule, route, and handle packet delivery (e.g., FrontDoor, D’Bridge).
  • Polling – Automated dialing to another BBS to exchange data like mail packets.
  • Conference – A message area or topic category in a BBS (similar to a forum thread).
  • FTP – File transfer protocol (FTP) is a method for moving files between computers on a network. It’s a set of instructions that computers use to communicate and exchange files. You can use FTP to upload files to a server, download files from a server, or transfer data between computers on a local network.
  • File Base – The downloadable file library of a BBS. ExecNet’s file base was award-winning.
  • Gopher – is a protocol designed for distributing, searching, and retrieving documents over the Internet. It predates the World Wide Web.
  • Usenet – (short for “User Network”) is a distributed messaging system created in 1980 that allows users to post and read messages (called articles) organized into newsgroups.
  • Novell NetWare – was a network operating system widely used in the 1980s and 1990s to manage file sharing, printing, and networked resources in local area networks (LANs). (more)
  • DOS – (Disk Operating System) A command-line-based operating system used widely in the 1980s and early 1990s. DOS provided a simple, text-based interface for running programs and managing files. It was the foundation for most early BBS platforms, including PCBoard, WWIV, and Wildcat!, due to its low system requirements and direct hardware control. (more)
  • Door – A separate application “door” opened from the main BBS — often games or utilities.
  • Door Game – External game programs that could be launched from the BBS (e.g., TradeWars 2002)
  • RBBS-PC – Developed in the early 1980s, RBBS-PC (Remote Bulletin Board System) was the first free and open-source BBS software for MS-DOS. Written in BASIC, it pioneered many early BBS features, including messaging and file sharing. It was widely used by hobbyists and small communities. (more)
  • WWIV – WWIV (World War IV) was a modular and customizable BBS platform, originally written in Turbo Pascal. It gained popularity in the late 1980s for its message network (WWIVnet) and user modifiability. Sysops could change menus, commands, and features to create highly personalized BBS environments. (more)
  • Wildcat! BBS – Released by Mustang Software in 1986, Wildcat! was a commercial BBS system known for its ease of setup, multi-line capability, and graphical DOS interface. It supported thousands of systems worldwide and had strong support for message networks like FidoNet. (more)

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