[TriLUG] Article on old style BBS systems

[Gregory Woodbury via TriLUG]

Once upon a time, I wrote a UNIX BBS in sh, from scratch.  The users
would login as bbs the first visit, and go through a text UI (tui) to
make a UNIX login. On subsequent visits, they would use their own
username and be placed in the BBS chroot with a restricted shell. The
BBS featured netnews-based topic board. [Requesting access to a group
would add it to the newsfeed from duke.]
With two dial-in lines, a talk program was also available, either to
the sysop (me) or the other user who may be logged in.  The system ran
on UNIX/386 (which later became SCO UNIX) on a custom 486 box. This
was circa 1985.  It took me about a week to write and another two
weeks to get the security right.  That was the last incarnation of
"The Wolves Den" BBS.

Alas, it is lost to the bit-rot of dead floppy disks, long since
disposed of and recycled. I could probably recreate it in a few weeks
if motivated to do so.

-- 
G.Wolfe Woodbury
AKA: redwolfe at gmail.com
formerly: duke!wolves!ggw :-)