BBSs are more than just bulletin boards - that is, they are more than just a place to write and read messages.
BBSs with file/ transfer sections will allow you to upload (send) computer programs and files to the BBS, and download (receive) files from the BBS computer. Many of the more serious BBSs have re-nounced file transfers as a waste of good time and disk space, but this feature is still common, espe-cially with sysops who cater to software pirates (or bootleggers) who deal in software that has had its copy protection removed.
There are various kinds of user lists and logs on BBSs. These range from user responses to a poll or questionnaire, to a little introductory message from the user, to brief one or two word descriptions of the user's affiliations and interests. Often usage logs are available; these will let you see who logged onto the BBS before you arrived there. These usage logs may go back to the beginning of the day, or farther.
"Doors" are used to go outside of the BBS pro-gram. When you walk through a door (by selecting a command from a menu) you enter a completely different program. Usually doors are used to play games on-line, but any kind of program can be ac-cessed through doors. It all depends on the BBS software being used, and the whims of the sysop.
Other BBS features include:
• Graffiti walls. These allow users to put up a short note, advertisement, or a joke.
• E-mail (electronic mail). Lets users send private messages to other users of the system.
• Chat (also called "page operator"). Allows you to have an on-line conversation with the sysop, if the sysop is at home.
Text file libraries. These contain anecdotes, jokes, "Welcome to the BBS,` handy nformation, technical files and other sorts of things that people might like to read. Once you get started BBSing, you'll get a handle on the kinds of things you tend to find on BBSs... and the ways you can exploit them to your mis-chievous hacker advantage!
