====== Welcome to the Synchronet Wiki ======

~~META:title=Wiki~~

This is the [[wp>Wiki|Wiki]] for everything related to [[http://www.synchro.net/|Synchronet]] BBS Software — a free, open-source package for running your own online BBS supporting multiple simultaneous users, hierarchical message and file areas, multi-user chat, and classic BBS door games.

===== New Sysop? Start Here =====

  - [[install:|Install Synchronet]] on your platform (Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker, Raspberry Pi…)
  - [[config:sbbs.ini|Configure your BBS]] — start with [[config:index|configuration files]] and use SCFG for interactive setup
  - [[module:|Add modules and doors]] to expand your BBS with games, utilities, and services
  - [[howto:|How-to guides]] for common tasks: FidoNet, DOVE-Net, web, email, and more
  - Connect to [[bbs:Vertrauen]] to see a live Synchronet BBS in action

===== Try It Live — Vertrauen =====

[[bbs:Vertrauen]] is the home BBS of Synchronet BBS Software. Connect and explore:

  * [[telnet://vert.synchro.net|Telnet]] · [[ssh://vert.synchro.net|SSH]] · [[rlogin://vert.synchro.net|RLogin]]
  * [[http://web.synchro.net/|Web terminal]] · [[http://web.synchro.net/files/|Files]] · [[ftp://vert.synchro.net|FTP]] · [[irc://vert.synchro.net|IRC]]

===== About Synchronet =====

Synchronet BBS Software is a [[dev:source|free and open-source]] package that can turn your personal computer (or a Raspberry Pi, VPS, etc.) into a custom online service. It supports Telnet, SSH, FTP, SMTP, POP3, IRC, NNTP, and HTTP, and runs on modern [[http://synchro.net/docs/platforms.html|computing platforms]].

Development began in 1990 for MS-DOS with Hayes-compatible modems and was sold commercially from 1992–1996, then released to the public domain. In 1999 development resumed with a full redesign for the Internet era. Synchronet Version 3 for Windows and Unix-like OSes is available for [[http://synchro.net/download.html|download here]] and is under continuous active development.

===== New to BBSes? =====

Not sure what a BBS is? Here are some good starting points:

  * Videos:
      - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWdr4zeE3JU|Lon.TV: Retro Review - Computer Bulletin Board (BBS) Systems]]
      - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvhLK8Mbw_g|34C3: BBSs and early Internet access in the 1990ies]]
      - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0OwGSX2IiQ|Al's Geek Lab: Back to the BBS]]
      - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb7te_HZyiA|The Computer Chronicles - Modems & Bulletin Boards (1985)]]
      - [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxKF681vI9U|Hackfest 2024 - aNACHRONiST - Bulletin Board Systems in the Modern Era and Beyond]]
      - [[https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/kzm4j3/the-lost-art-of-warez|VICE: The Lost Art of Warez]]
  * Articles:
      - [[https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/11/the-lost-civilization-of-dial-up-bulletin-board-systems/506465/|The Atlantic: The Lost Civilization of Dial-Up Bulletin Board Systems]]
      - [[https://www.howtogeek.com/686600/remember-bbses-heres-how-you-can-visit-one-today|How-to Geek: Remember BBSes? Here's How You Can Visit One Today]]
      - [[wiki:user:digital_man#Why BBS?|digital man: Why BBS?]]

===== About this Wiki =====

  * Created by [[person:digital man]] in February 2010
  * Powered by [[wiki:dokuwiki|DokuWiki]] and [[http://www.php.net|PHP]], hosted on [[bbs:Vertrauen]]
  * To contribute, [[http://web.synchro.net/?page=000-register.xjs|create an account]] on Vertrauen and see [[wiki:index|Wiki Best Practices]]