Subj : Re: What do you get out of running a BBS?
To : Nightfox
From : Warpslide
Date : Tue Apr 06 2021 05:17 pm
*** Quoting Nightfox from a message to All ***
Ni> For the BBS sysops out there, what motivates you to keep running a
Ni> BBS?
I got back into BBSing in May of 2020 more as a distraction when covid first
started. Being stuck "working" from home with a lot of the projects we were
working on being put on hold while also shifting to a remote-work model was,
well, fun...
Ni> I've always enjoyed it as a way to provide a service people like
Ni> using.
When I ran the original Northern Realms back in the late 90s it was for the
users: "Can you install this door game?", "Can you please carry this echo?",
"Can I give you some money for more time?" (That last one actually did
happen, but only once).
I have had one regular local user since coming back to the scene, aside from
other sysops popping by to have a look. Now-a-days I run it mostly for
myself, though others are welcome to use it if they like.
Ni> At the same time, sometimes I get into a mood where I feel like there
Ni> are other things that are more important to me, and my attention to
Ni> my BBS drops a bit. I'm going through some things right now and I
Ni> feel like my motivation to work on BBS stuff right now isn't what it
Ni> once was, but I still like keeping my BBS running.
I'm kind of in the same boat right now. I started a new job last week so my
time/energy/attention is more focused on that right now, though I do still
make some time to pop by and read/reply to some messages. I'm not really
customizing/modding/adding to the board at the moment.
Ni> Also, running a BBS is a fairly obscure hobby. It seems there aren't
Ni> many people these days who know what an old-school BBS is, and they
Ni> might not totally understand it if you try to explain it to them.
My old boss is the exact same age as I am and he had never heard of a BBS
before. I gave him the 50 cent tour of my board once and he didn't really
"get" it. My Mom used to log into my BBS back in the day to play LORD, when
I told her I restarted my board, she didn't really remember anything about
it.
Jay
... I don't think it's any less important for not being terribly important.
