The Electronic Bulletin Board System (EBBS, but usually referred to simply as a BBS) is how most people get introduced to computer telecommuni-cations. A BBS is a computer program that anyone can set up on his or her computer. The program watches the computer's modem, waiting for the telephone to ring. When
it does, the BBS program answers the phone. If it is another modem calling, the two computers are connected. The person who is calling is then able to use the computer on the other end of the line as if he or she was sitting di-rectly at that computer's keyboard. The BBS pro-gram allows the caller to choose various options from menus, letting the caller write messages to be displayed to other callers, read messages, send files back and forth, or play games on the remote com-puter. In essence, the caller actually controls the computer through the phone lines.
However it is only the BBS program that he or she is allowed to control. The BBS program separates the caller from the computer itself. At least, it tries to. BBSs are generally run by computer hobbyists on their home computers, and are used as a way to share information in the spirit of the original hack-ers. Usually
there is no charge to call these up and look around, but that is at the discretion of the person running the BBS - the system operator (sysop). Schools, libraries, stores, user groups, churches, and organizations often run BBSs to spread the word about activities and to keep mem-bers in touch with one another. Sometimes companies will set up electronic BBSs as a way for cus-tomers to mail order products from them, to see new product information, or to report problems with products or services.
The US Congress has even set up a bulletin board system. Run on RBBS software, the BBS was created in late 1991 by Congressman Bob Wise and his House Government Operations subcommittee on government information, justice and agriculture as a way for government employees to anony-mously inform inspectors
about wrong-doing at the workplace.
Other BBSs are private ones, the phone num-bers to which are not made widely available. For example, the FBI runs the National Crime Informa-tion Center (NCIC) which makes use of a BBS to keep track of wanted persons, missing persons, and people with criminal records. Franchise businesses such as fast food places often use BBSs to upload inventory or financial data to their company headquarters on a daily basis. And of course, there are otherwise "public" BBSs which maintain silence be-cause the people who use them do so for illegal purposes. Access to most BBSs is controlled by a name/password combination. When you call up a BBS you are asked to enter your name, or NEW if you have not called before.
If you are a new user, you will be asked if you wish to register for the, sys-tem and, if so, you will be asked some questions, welcomed to the system, perhaps given a short tour, and shown the rules of the house ("Please keep messages clean... No discussion of illegal activities such as computer hacking, fone phreaking, stolen credit card numbers, etc...").
After that, you might be given guest access to the BBS until the sysop can validate your request for admission, or you might be logged off and asked to call back the next day. This isn't always the case, of course, but sysops like to make sure you are who you say you are - if you registered with a phony phone number, they want to know about it. They want to make sure the people they will be allowing to use their computer can be trusted.
Electronic bulletin boards are important to the computer enthusiast and to the hacker for many reasons. They enable us to communicate (possibly anonymously or serni-anonymously) with other computer users. We can learn from those who have more experience than us, and we can use BBSs to help newcomers to the world of computing.
And of course, there are the immoral and illegal ways of using BBSs, ways to exploit them and the people on them for your benefit, ways to make con-tact with the underground and deviant computer users of the world, including hackers.
