Posted by The BBS that I have chosen is from Los Angeles, CA. It is called the P.C.H. Micro, PCH Micro TBBS. It was ran by Rudy Hartmann, and is identified only by the number with area code 213. (213) 212-7179. The one thing that caught my eye immediately was the graphics and images that remained with this BBS. Judging from the links that are still intact, the BBS was used to promote electronic graphics. Further in the links, the BBS can be determined to be called the “Lee Graphics” BBS, and it seems that Rudy Hartmann also created a personal logo, company, or platform called “True Vision”. http://bbslist.textfiles.com/213/
The BBS culture in Los Angeles was utilized for several different outlets, including but not limited to social life, games, electronic libraries, or online mail. Many people convened through a mutual BBS called the Annex ran by Greg Gooden. During the 90’s, the biggest internet systems being used included Prodigy, CompuServe, and America Online.
Nationally, by the time 1994 came around, over 57,000 BBS’s were actively in use, providing a world online to thousands of people. Many people chose to utilize smaller BBS’s due to the lower cost than bigger systems, allowing them to communicate easily locally. For example, CompuServe charged $20 per user plus extraneous fees, while the Annex was only $8 a month. The Annex and KBBS were successful in attracting citizens to begin their own small companies within the BBS, in close communication and contact with others that have subscribed to a BBS.
Specifically, Los Angeles had the most competitive market in the nation, which resulted in the BBS to be constantly upgraded. This allowed for a boom in the BBS industry especially in Los Angeles, where many were convinced that the BBS culture would continue to increase and grow in industry. https://www-proquest-com.proxy1.library.jhu.edu/docview/282408364?accountid=11752
However, in areas outside of Los Angeles as well, the BBS culture was flourishing, and by the time 1986 rolled around, the industry was prospering. This news article from Washing D.C. includes a guide to creating and maintaining a successful BBS. This was intriguing, because the system of BBS throughout the nations were all interconnected through many means. In order to even get started in creating a BBS or getting plugged in, you would join an existing board within your area. This attends to the organization of BBS by area code of each state. Within this article, the culture of BBS is also emphasized within downloading different programs to one’s liking and taking part in community activities such as games. A common program was called Shareware, where a user could have a trial of a certain program, and if they find a liking to it, then they could go ahead and purchase. Looking at the BBS system in the past, it is very reflective of what social media has become where communities can exist online separate from stepping outside of one’s home. https://advance-lexis-com.proxy1.library.jhu.edu/api/document?collection=news&id=urn:contentItem:3SJF-95Y0-002S-T337-00000-00&context=1516831