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BBS: The Documentary is released

Name: BBS: The Documentary is released
Start: 2026-05-01
Location: AtariAge Forums

01 May 2026

Event created by JohnPolka

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https://forums.atariage.com/events/event/170-bbs-the-documentary-is-released/

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This event began 05/01/2025 and repeats every year forever

BBS: The Documentary was released in May 2005. Produced by Jason Scott, this 3-DVD documentary set contains many stories of the BBS era, including interviews with pioneers like Ward Christensen and Randy Suess. It explores the experience of being a SysOp, Fidonet, the underground hacking scene, the art scene, the BBS industry in the 1990s, and the rise of the Internet that led to the decline of the BBS.

This documentary predates the BBS Renaissance we’re experiencing today, so that aspect isn’t covered. Nevertheless, it’s a fantastic watch that captures the rich history of BBSing. A must-see for anyone who was—or still is—into the hobby.

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JohnPolka 437

Posted February 1 (edited)

In May 2025, BBS: The Documentary will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Interestingly, that span of time is longer than the gap between the peak of BBSing in the U.S. (1994) and the documentary’s release in 2005.

For reference, the September 5, 1994 issue of InfoWorld (Vol. 16, No. 36, p. 52) estimated there were 60,000 BBSs in the U.S., serving 17 million users at the time. The number of BBSs began to decline after 1994.

Edited February 1 by JohnPolka