I was talking to chat gp and got a pretty good response to a question, I asked

1. High Barrier to Entry
Newcomers in 2026 are accustomed to modern developer communities (like those o
Discord, GitHub, or StackOverflow) that have shifted toward "inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users.especially younger hobbyists.simply choose not to climb.

Interesting who it singled out first there. :D

I don't necessarily agree with most of its assessment, though. I think the barrier would be based more on the aptitude of the user in question.

Also, from someone who tried Mystic (and tried to report an issue), I can
tell you that you can get plenty of blunt, mocking, and just unhelpful
feedback going that route, too.


* SLMR 2.1a * Advice is free: The right answer will cost plenty.
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users.especially younger hobbyists.simply choose not to climb.

since they're probably not here i'll take this opportunity to respond:

you sound like a big baby

To be accurate, it sounds like ChatGPT was the one being a big baby. ;)


* SLMR 2.1a * Boy! This is Fun and inxepensive too.
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)

To: Dumas Walker
Re: getting and keeping new u
By: Dumas Walker to MARK MEADOWS JR on Fri Jan 23 2026 10:07 am

and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce,
or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social

Interesting who it singled out first there. :D

Because i'm awesome. all my haters i've owned in various ways and their
asses are still bleeding.

Also, from someone who tried Mystic (and tried to report an issue),
I can tell you that you can get plenty of blunt, mocking, and just
unhelpful feedback going that route, too.

I don't think anybody gets unhelpful feedback or mocking when asking for help in bbs msg networks. Even the people that are dicks, like gamgee might be somewhate helpful at first. is that guy evne still around? havent seen his posts in forever.

I will however mock anybody who uses chatgpt to defend a point or create a
msg post.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

To: Dumas Walker
Re: Re: getting and keeping n
By: Dumas Walker to ALEXANDER GROTEWOHL on Fri Jan 23 2026 10:07 am

respond:

you sound like a big baby

To be accurate, it sounds like ChatGPT was the one being a big baby.
;)

yeah but he fed chatgpt a leading question.
so he was still behind the wheel.

i asked grok a non retarded non leading question and got a good result.

i asked "why aren't new people getting involved in bbs softwares. I mean bulletin board softwares that used to be old but are still being developed
for the internet"



Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) originated in the late 1970s as dial-up services for messaging, file sharing, and games, but they largely faded in the 1990s
as the internet rose. While some modern adaptations exist (e.g., telnet-based systems like Synchronet or Mystic BBS, or hybrids blending retro aesthetics with web tech), involvement from new developers and users remains low. Based on discussions in online communities and historical analyses, here are the
key reasons:


1. Shift to Modern Alternatives
BBS functionality has been superseded by more accessible platforms like Reddit, Discord, forums (e.g., phpBB), and social media. These offer similar features- threaded discussions, media sharing, and communities-but with
better scalability, multimedia support, and no need for specialized clients
or dial-up/telnet. Historical accounts note that BBS declined sharply in the mid-1990s due to services like AOL and CompuServe, which supported more simultaneous users without hardware limits. Today, why build on BBS when
tools like Discourse or even Mastodon provide modern, open-source
equivalents?


2. Niche and Nostalgic Appeal
Modern BBS development often caters to retro enthusiasts rather than broad audiences. Communities like r/bbs on Reddit highlight that much of the interest comes from veterans reminiscing about the 80s/90s era, with
questions about why software hasn't "evolved" to include modern graphics or sounds. New people aren't drawn in because it's seen as a hobbyist relic, not a cutting-edge field. For instance, ongoing projects like new hybrid BBS software blend old and new tech, but they're shared in small Facebook groups for "BBS fans," limiting exposure.


3. Technical and Accessibility Barriers
BBS software typically relies on outdated protocols (e.g., telnet, ANSI art) that don't integrate well with current web standards or mobile devices. Developers note compatibility issues, like finding telnet clients that handle PC-ANSI properly on modern hardware. New coders prefer stacks like
JavaScript, React, or cloud services, which are more employable and easier to learn. Older BBS codebases (e.g., MajorBBS or Worldgroup) are often treated
as abandonware, with calls to open-source them unmet, deterring
contributions.


4. Lack of Visibility and Education
BBS isn't part of mainstream tech education or hype cycles. Younger
developers focus on AI, web3, or app dev, where jobs and funding abound. Forums like phpBB, a spiritual successor to BBS, are perceived as "dead" by former contributors due to inactivity and lack of fresh involvement. Without marketing or viral appeal, new talent doesn't discover it-contrast this with how GitHub trends boost projects in other areas.


5. Community and Economic Factors
The ecosystem is small and aging, with sysops (system operators) retiring and few replacements. Atari or Macintosh BBS threads show evolution stalled decades ago, tied to specific hardware. There's little economic incentive;
BBS isn't monetizable like SaaS tools. Broader software dev trends, like resistance to outdated practices or focus on maintenance over innovation, compound this.
That said, pockets of activity persist-e.g., new multi-platform BBS projects in 2026 still pop up in niche groups. If you're interested in getting involved, check communities like r/bbs or BBS-focused Facebook groups for entry points.

--snip--

you notice it gave good feedback instead of blaming people for creating a 'learning curve' by responses. also if people want to know how to set
things up they can read the docs. i can count on one hand how many times
i've had to ask for help in 26 years with synchronet.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

Mark Meadows Jr wrote to ALL <=-

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users...especially younger hobbyists simply choose not to climb.

I was onboard, reading this until you named specific people. That wasn't
necessary to make your point and made it feel more like a vendetta than
a treatise.

I am pretty sure that ChatGPT named them. It would appear that Mark just copied over the ChatGPT output.


* SLMR 2.1a * Sometimes you have to wake up and smell the Spam.
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)

Friendly Echos: New networks are forming with strict "no-harassment" policies specifically to provide a space where
beginnes can ask basic questions without being told to "RTFM."

Which echoes are these?

I suspect ChatGPT is talking about FSXnet here. SFnet also has such
policies, written by its original host, but it doesn't really have any tech echoes to speak of.


* SLMR 2.1a * Is it magic.... or is it SessionManager?
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)

Dumas Walker wrote to KURT WEISKE <=-

I was onboard, reading this until you named specific people. That wasn't
necessary to make your point and made it feel more like a vendetta than
a treatise.

I am pretty sure that ChatGPT named them. It would appear that Mark
just copied over the ChatGPT output.

Yeah, but Mark put his name on it.



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)

To: Dumas Walker
Re: Re: getting and keeping n
By: Dumas Walker to KURT WEISKE on Sat Jan 24 2026 10:37 am

From Newsgroup: FidoNet.BBS_CARNIVAL

Mark Meadows Jr wrote to ALL <=-

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users...especially younger hobbyists simply choose not to climb.

I was onboard, reading this until you named specific people. That wasn't
necessary to make your point and made it feel more like a vendetta than
a treatise.

I am pretty sure that ChatGPT named them. It would appear that Mark just copied over the ChatGPT output.

I would like to see the original question :D



--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

To: Dumas Walker
Re: Re: getting and keeping n
By: Dumas Walker to KURT WEISKE on Sat Jan 24 2026 10:37 am

I suspect ChatGPT is talking about FSXnet here. SFnet also has such policies, written by its original host, but it doesn't really have
any tech echoes to speak of.

so you are saying i need to make FSXnet my home, eh?

do they actually have a no "RTFM" policy?

and don't you think the output from grok is more truthful and unbiased, only based on my professor-like question format.


--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

On 24 Jan 2026, Dumas Walker said the following...

I was onboard, reading this until you named specific people. That wasn'
necessary to make your point and made it feel more like a vendetta than
a treatise.

I am pretty sure that ChatGPT named them. It would appear that Mark just copied over the ChatGPT output.

can 100% guarantee he pasted example messages into chatgpt and has been doing so for a while now. all cherry-picked of course.

you can just as easily feed it messages to make it behave like a cat girl or some other nonsense. maybe that's what he had open in another browser tab.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (1:120/616)

To: Alexander Grotewohl
Re: Re: getting and keeping n
By: Alexander Grotewohl to Dumas Walker on Sat Jan 24 2026 03:38 pm

you can just as easily feed it messages to make it behave like a cat
girl or some other nonsense. maybe that's what he had open in
another browser tab.

My buddy is obsessed with that shit and what i've learned is it will always tell you what you want to hear. Especially when you interact with it aside from using it as a tool. It keeps people with low self esteems coming back for more by telling them their ideas are great and other BS.


--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

Re: Re: getting and keeping n
By: mro to Alexander Grotewohl on Sat Jan 24 2026 05:46 pm

My buddy is obsessed with that shit and what i've learned is it will
always tell you what you want to hear. Especially when you interact
with it aside from using it as a tool. It keeps people with low
self esteems coming back for more by telling them their ideas are
great and other BS.

btw, sorry for my grerrical errors,etc. i've been up for like 20+ hrs.
trying to get my sleep schedule back on track. going to be hearing voices soon.


--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

To: Alexander Grotewohl
Re: Re: getting and keeping n
By: Alexander Grotewohl to Dumas Walker on Sat Jan 24 2026 03:38 pm


oh i see this mark meadows jr guy is the morningstarr user
on dovenet.

we've been real nice and helping him out and he goes and pulls
this shit.

User: Morningstarr #336 In real life: Mark Meadows Jr
From: Concord, Nc Handle: lucifer
Age: 42 years Gender: M
Shell: default Editor: slyice
Last login Fri Jan 23 2026 10:13 pm PST
via Telnet from syn-2603-6080-0306-b168-b369-3a43-6fd7-148f.res6.spectrum.co

i guess he feels he was wronged.


--
"Before using Wildcat....This Company did not have a convenient way of
looking after some of the richest clients in the world...Now we do!"
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)