ARTICLES & ZINES
Dial-up culture, retro hardware, software history and the people behind the scenes.
The Sound of Connecting
Before broadband, getting online began with the hiss, chirp and handshake of a modem. Each connection was a miniature ritual: dial a local number, hope the line wasn’t busy, then watch a text-based world come alive.
READ ARTICLE →▦ BBS HISTORYWhat Was a Bulletin Board System?
A BBS was a computer running software that allowed callers to connect through a phone line. Users exchanged messages, downloaded shareware, played door games and formed communities long before social media existed.
READ ARTICLE →▦ ANSI CULTUREANSI Art: Colour from Characters
Using an extended character set and terminal control codes, ANSI artists transformed plain text screens into intricate logos, menus and illustrations. ANSI art became one of the defining visual languages of the BBS era.
READ ARTICLE →▦ GAMINGDoor Games: Another World Behind the Menu
Door games were external programs launched from a BBS. Players could explore fantasy worlds, trade, battle and compete with other callers; classic examples include Legend of the Red Dragon and TradeWars 2002.
READ ARTICLE →▦ PEOPLEThe SysOp Behind the Screen
The system operator kept everything running: configuring modem lines, curating downloads, moderating messages and paying the phone bill. Many boards were run from a bedroom or basement.
READ ARTICLE →▦ MODEMSFrom 2400 to 56K
Every jump in modem speed felt revolutionary. Moving from 2400 to 14,400 and 28,800 bits per second made ANSI screens and file transfers noticeably quicker; 56K modems came later in the dial-up era.
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