• a future past

    From August Abolins@723:320/1 to All on Sat Feb 18 08:47:00 2023
    The Modem World: A Prehistory of Social Media | Hardcover
    Kevin Driscoll
    Yale University Press | Yale University Press
    Computers / History / Internet / History / Modern - 20th Century
    Published May 17, 2022

    ..chronicles how modems (and particularly BBSes) shaped and
    defined the social online culture we have today.

    There are plenty of references to Fido and Fidonet throughout.

    A few excerpts:

    "Fido wasn't designed," Jennings had remarked to Byte... "It
    was just built." p.68

    "Forget the Fido code: the future of FidoNet depended on its
    protocol. p.74

    "Ben Baker, after "banging his head against the wall" and
    "pleading" with users to try FidoNet, was thrilled by the
    sudden enthusiasm for Echomail. Tom Jennings believed that
    Echomail alone drove the adoption of FidoNet during the late
    1980s. "It spread like wildfire," he recalled. "The traffic was
    just enormous." New sysops were joining FidoNet specifically
    to access Echomail. p.85

    "While the internet discouraged people from thinking too much
    about geography, FidoNet constantly reminded users that they
    were people living in place. The unique net/node numbering
    schema engendered a translocal imaginary of cyberspace as a
    network of local communities rather than a global village or
    virtual reality. Internet advocates envisioned cyberspace as an
    escape from the physical world. FidoNet provided a means to
    tunnel through it. p.89

    About one third of the book comprises of Notes, and an Index.

    But what about the future? The author has been spotted saying
    this in response to that question in DOVENET:

    To: /DOVEnet/DOVE-GEN (knightwise)
    From: Ford Prefect @ 723:320/1
    Subject: Re: New BBS history book
    Software: Synchronet 3.19c-Linux master/04bb1bf85 Jun 15 2022 GCC 11.2.0
    Path: 723:320/1!320/1
    Date: Th 16.06.22, 12:54 (received: 17.06.22, 08:28)
    Size: 2506 Bytes

    Re: Re: New BBS history book
    By: knightwise to Kevin Driscoll on Tue Jun 14 2022 09:37 pm

    I was wondering what, seeing how you looked back into history, your thoughts are on the future of the net ? How do you see the internet evolve over the next 10 years. Will the internet break up because of legislation (China/US/Eu) or will the big platforms start to slug it out ? What are the chances we will to back to a decentralised self-hosted net ? Curious to hear what your take is on this.

    Seeing how the internet has evolved since its inception, changes are to be expected. Taking a step
    back and looking at the internet of the 80s, 90s, 2000s, and 2010s, you can readily see what's
    changed, what's important, and what isn't. What we used in the 80s, simple e-mail communication,
    file transfers, and the like, is now replaced with streaming services, social media, and always
    available news and information.

    But, will it break? I feel that the internet of today is not sustainable. There are too many
    governments and localities trying to police what should be the free exchange of information, ideas,
    and content. When BBSes were the "social media" purveyors, information was localized and only with
    the help of FidoNet, RIME, and even IRC, local informed global. With the likes of Comcast,
    CenturyLink, AT&T, and others having the ability to block content from going over their lines, this
    simply has to stop.

    Net neutrality must be enforced, not just at a country level, but throughout the entire planet.
    When you have countries like Russia, China, and even the US, trying to police what can and cannot be
    placed on the Internet, the Internet is no longer a free resource for information. Yes, the "Tide
    Pod" crowd needs to start using their brains, but at the end of the day, this is the same as the
    idiots who read "The Anarchists Cookbook", built a small pipebomb, and blew their legs off in the
    80s. It is what it is.

    Ultimately, until we remove the hyper-religious right, the hyper-liberal left, and focus on simply
    being neutral, nothing will change for the better. Until then, I'll keep doing what I'm doing,
    complaining about this and that, and hope that one day our elected officials will get their heads
    out of their asses.

    Brian Klauss <-> Ford Prefect
    42bytes a Synchronet BBS =========> 42bytes.net

    ---
    ■ Synchronet ■ 42bytes - 42bytes.net - Don't Panic!
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (723:320/1)
  • From August Abolins@2:221/1.58 to All on Sat Feb 18 09:01:00 2023
    ** On Saturday 18.02.23 - 08:47, August Abolins wrote to All:

    But what about the future? The author has been spotted
    saying this in response to that question in DOVENET:

    To: /DOVEnet/DOVE-GEN (knightwise)
    From: Ford Prefect @ 723:320/1
    Subject: Re: New BBS history book
    Date: Th 16.06.22, 12:54 (received: 17.06.22, 08:28)
    Size: 2506 Bytes

    [...]

    Brian Klauss <-> Ford Prefect
    42bytes a Synchronet BBS =========> 42bytes.net


    ERRATA:

    "Brian Klauss <-> Ford Prefect" =/= (does not equal) Kevin
    Driscoll.

    Apologies to the author.

    --
    ../|ug

    --- OpenXP 5.0.57
    * Origin: FUTURE4FIDO = https://t.me/joinchat/SV_BQ0XcbSRoP4bt (2:221/1.58)
  • From Alejandro Filimonchuk@4:900/102 to August Abolins on Thu Mar 2 08:15:08 2023
    Hi August!

    The Modem World: A Prehistory of Social Media | Hardcover
    Kevin Driscoll
    Yale University Press | Yale University Press
    Computers / History / Internet / History / Modern - 20th Century
    Published May 17, 2022

    Im reading this book... AWESOME. Best thing since soccer world cup 2022 (Im from Argentina, mind you... :D)

    Im loving the Citizen Band/Ham Radio chapters (being a ham/shortwave listener myself, this is touching)

    Thanks!

    ... There is an exception to every rule, except this one.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: The Vault BBS (4:900/102)
  • From August Abolins@2:221/1.58 to Alejandro Filimonchuk on Sun Mar 5 12:40:00 2023
    Hello Alejandro Filimonchuk!

    ** On Thursday 02.03.23 - 08:15, you wrote to me:

    The Modem World: A Prehistory of Social Media | Hardcover
    Kevin Driscoll

    Im reading this book... AWESOME. Best thing since soccer
    world cup 2022 (Im from Argentina, mind you... :D)

    Im loving the Citizen Band/Ham Radio chapters (being a
    ham/shortwave listener myself, this is touching)

    I wondered why the inclusion/diversion into ham/cb radio
    chapters was pertinent. But it seems be needed to support the
    argument that "Amateur and CB radio nevertheless provided the
    firmament for grassroots computer networks like CBBS to grow
    and flourish. (p.57)"



    --
    ../|ug

    --- OpenXP 5.0.57
    * Origin: FUTURE4FIDO = https://t.me/joinchat/SV_BQ0XcbSRoP4bt (2:221/1.58)
  • From Kurt Weiske@1:218/700 to August Abolins on Mon Mar 6 07:18:00 2023
    August Abolins wrote to Alejandro Filimonchuk <=-

    I wondered why the inclusion/diversion into ham/cb radio
    chapters was pertinent. But it seems be needed to support the
    argument that "Amateur and CB radio nevertheless provided the
    firmament for grassroots computer networks like CBBS to grow
    and flourish. (p.57)"

    There was a cottage industry in packet data networks over HAM radio
    using AX.25, and BBSes connecting to each other over radio. Packet
    radio, a low-power computer and a store-and-forward network technology
    like Fido would make a good SHTF data connectivity solution.

    Not sure if it would qualify as prevalent, but I know of some people
    who did that.



    ... Not building a wall but making a brick
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    * Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)
  • From August Abolins@2:221/1.58 to Kurt Weiske on Mon Mar 6 13:22:00 2023
    Hello Kurt!

    There was a cottage industry in packet data networks over
    HAM radio using AX.25, and BBSes connecting to each other
    over radio. Packet radio, a low-power computer and a
    store-and-forward network technology like Fido would make
    a good SHTF data connectivity solution.

    AX.25 and APRS seem to be related. I have a friend who manages
    several APRS nodes. But, the throughput seems to be 1200bps at
    best. Perhaps the medium is simply not sustainable for today's
    echomail volumes.

    Not sure if it would qualify as prevalent, but I know of
    some people who did that.

    I've heard of people experimenting with it in the past. In
    light of growing censorship and control of the internet, packet
    radio seems like a timely medium to revisit.

    --
    ../|ug

    --- OpenXP 5.0.57
    * Origin: FUTURE4FIDO = https://t.me/joinchat/SV_BQ0XcbSRoP4bt (2:221/1.58)
  • From Ward Dossche@2:292/854 to Kurt Weiske on Mon Mar 6 19:12:20 2023
    Not sure if it would qualify as prevalent, but I know of some people
    who did that.

    They're probably all dead and no-one knows about them?

    \%/@rd

    --- DB4 - 20230201
    * Origin: Many Glacier - Preserve / Protect / Conserve (2:292/854)
  • From Stephen Walsh@3:633/280 to August Abolins on Tue Mar 7 10:12:40 2023

    Hello August!

    06 Mar 23 13:22, you wrote to Kurt Weiske:

    AX.25 and APRS seem to be related. I have a friend who manages
    several APRS nodes. But, the throughput seems to be 1200bps at
    best. Perhaps the medium is simply not sustainable for today's
    echomail volumes.

    1200bps is the most a standard radio can handle. Ie: any off the shelf ham radio rig.
    Basic example is just connecting the tnc (modem) to the mic line/audio out line.

    To go to for example, 9600bps. The radio needs to support that mode and the connection bypasses the standard audo processing
    systems.


    Stephen
    vk3heg


    --- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20220409
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair BBS, Telnet: dragon.vk3heg.net Prt: 6800 (3:633/280)