Marc_North@mindlink.UUCP (Marc North) (03/14/91)
UPDATE: THE GLOBAL BBS LIST
This update is provided to all those who have read the previous posting
of mine, of about 10 days ago. The following changes have been made:
[1] This project has been re-named. It shall, from now on be called and
referred to as, "THE GLOBAL BBS REGISTRY"
[2] The list is now accepting information regarding the existence of
all BBS's presently operating AND, systems NO LONGER IN OPERATION, from any
sources around the world. Hence the change in name. It is taken on faith that
no one shall deliberately attempt to submit information that is categorically
false.
[3] The purpose behind accepting and recording BBS's that no longer
operate is to acknowledge that the list exists as a true archive. Hence the
name change in regards to the word REGISTRY.
[4] The base purpose of the registry are as follows:
a) To record BBS names and phone numbers.
b) To record any information that is pertinent to the operation
of the BBS.(Subject to editing if information is too verbose or deemed
irrelevant)
c) To permanently archive ALL entries to The Global BBS
Registry.
d) To delete NO information.
e) To make constant updates. Indicating known system closures
with an appropriate mark.
f) To make updates to the list publicly available via anonymous
FTP.
g) To submit yearly updates of The Global BBS Registry to the
federal archives of at least, but not limited to, Canada and the United States.
h) To provide any country's federal archives, or educational
institutions either printed or magnetic disk copies of The Global BBS Registry.
Any requests for archiving of The Global BBS Registry must be submitted, in
writing, to me at the address at the bottom of this article. If the information
is to be subsequently made in any way publicly available, then a summary of
methods of distribution must be accompanied with the request and must support
the objective stated in paragraph (i) of this article.
i) No commercial or industrial institutions will be granted
direct authorization to obtain or maintain printed or magnetic disk copies of
The Global BBS Registry. Specific legalities will be available upon the initial
release of this information.
j) This will be an on-going project, without any known
termination date.
k) The spirit of this project is as follows: To document,
record, and preserve the sources of the unique culture that has arisen as a
result of the personal telecommunications community.
Official-ese out of the way, let me say that I am THRILLED with the
responses to date! I have approximately 12,000 entries to The Global BBS
Registry. I receive, on average, 1,000 new entries per day. I expect to have
nearly 100,000 - 125,000 entries by the summer. I have BBS names and numbers
from Finland to Spain, South America to Russia. LOTS from virtually everywhere
in Canada and The United States, of course. But, as you are wondering, I need
more.
I need to have both the numbers you call, and the numbers you NEVER
call. I need your list from last night, and your list from 2 years ago. In
short, you CANNOT overwhelm me with responses.
The information you submit, if it is to be of use in this project, must
contain AT LEAST the following information: 1) The BBS's name, 2) The
telephone number(s), and 3) The AREA and/or COUNTRY CODE(S). Any other
information you supply is at your discretion. The more detailed the
information, the more accurate the picture of the BBS. When possible, supply
the Sysop's name, and the operating system or computer type that BBS runs on.
PLEASE!! This project will only be successful if I can count on your
constant support. As the title indicates, this is a registry. If you or your
friends are starting a BBS, please register it with me. Your name (as sysop)
and your board's name and phone number will be preserved for all time in both
this computer's archive as well as federal archives of Canada and The United
States.
Expect to find a similar posting in other news groups. I apologize if
the topic of this posting has nothing to do with the topic of the newsgroup it
is being posted in.
Expect periodic updates as to the Registry's status and total count.
This is a serious project that I am undertaking. I will make no money
from it, nor will my time be directly compensated for. All the hours of work I
have already given, and have yet to give, are a labour of love. More so, I feel
a responsibility to preserve this data. This information is not vital. Not now,
not yet. But someday I believe it will be priceless. Not so much for the
references to what will be ancient telephone numbers, but as a measure of the
people who lived in what is now 'our time'. I ask that you please help me. Help
me to preserve our era, our methods, our systems of communicating.
Many, MANY thanks to EVERYONE who has already sent me
information, to everyone who WILL, and to you for taking the time to read this.
Sincerely,
Marc North
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* The Global BBS Registry *
* c/o Marc North *
* 225 - 810 West Broadway *
* Vancouver, B.C. *
* V5Z 4C9 CANADA *
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