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BBS The Documentary: Episode 1 of 8: BAUD (The Beginning)

Jason Scott · documentary · Watch on YouTube

History of computingInternet culture & memesDocumentaries & storytelling

What it is

The first episode of Jason Scott's eight-part BBS documentary, covering the predecessors and beginnings of the dial-up bulletin board system. It includes interviews with pioneers such as Ward Christensen and Randy Suess, who created the first dial-up BBS in 1978.

Why Hacker News recommends it

HN commenters recommend the series as the definitive history of BBS culture and its Fidonet roots, especially for nostalgia and the origins of the demoscene.

  • 4 people recommended it
  • 4 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2019, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “He also gave us the brilliant BBS: The Documentary”

    Jason Scott's BBS documentary.

    Eremotherium, 2020-04 · Strong recommendation · in “textfiles.com”

  2. “I recommend you to check out Jason Scott's BBS Documentary”

    Jason Scott's BBS documentary available on YouTube.

    kbr2000, 2019-12 · Recommendation · in “Randy Suess, computer bulletin board inventor, has died”

  3. “If you want more, check out Jason Scott's”

    Documentary on BBS history for readers wanting more nostalgia

    mwest, 2022-12 · Recommendation · in “My secret life as an 11-year-old BBS sysop”

  4. “If you'd like to know where the demoscene came from, look no further than The BBS Documentary”

    Origins of demoscene in BBS and cracktro culture

    effekt, 2023-10 · Recommendation · in “What is the Demoscene? An obscure but influential art form”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: bulletin board systems, jason scott, fidonet, dial-up, computer history

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