BBS Messages

Textfiles, intended to be transferred from BBS to BBS and user to user, were the longer-lasting legacy of the 1980's, but a much more fluid portion of the boards was the true lifeblood of the culture: the messages. Every BBS has a number of message bases where users could post about whatever they thought to discuss; debates, rag wars, advertisements, and boasts all played out the same dramas all over the country and the world. When you logged onto a BBS, and started reading the bases you had access to, you could get a sense, almost immediately, of what the "character" of the board was. Some were dictatorships, some were insane asylums, some were office buildings.

In the files below, you will get a glimpse of these wonderous worlds that affected mine and others' lives, and the steady stream of mind-to-mind communication that shot out of a thousand nighttime modems.


Filename
Size
Description of the Textfile
ALANWESTONThe Alan Weston BBS Message Collection (1990-1996)
ALTERREALITYMessage Bases from the Alter Reality BBS (1989-1991)
BACKWATERMessage Bases from the Backwater BBS (Unsorted)
QWKCollections of Messages in .QWK Format
TBFILES
YABBSMessage Bases from Alex Wetmore's YABBS (1994)
 
103dbug2.txt 4248
MESSAGE: Tradewars Informationn, by Stephen Whitis (March 5, 1994)
103dbug3.txt 6499
MESSAGE: Tradewars Information by Stephen Whitis (March 5, 1994)
103dbug4.txt 5902
MESSAGE: Tradewars Information, by Stephen Whitis (March 5, 1994)
103dbugs.txt 5942
MESSAGE: Tradeware Information, by Stephen Whitis (March 5, 1994)
acking.txt 2383
Some BBS Messages about Hacking, December of 1984
anarchy.txt 53621
Postings from an Anarchy Sub-Board, Telegard Conference, Late 1991
anonym.txt 5686
Postings to the Anonymous Attic on the 1985 BBS, May, 1984
apples.txt 8960
Messages from the Apple Pirate board on Sherwood Forest II, 1985
artofwar.txt 86120
Message from the Art of War BBS (1991)
avatar.posts 44288
The America Online Project Avatar Posts Archive (June 28, 1992)
bbs.txt 4302
Message Base with Ads for BBS's, 1985
bice.txt 47412
LODCOM: Selected Messages from Black Ice Private (April-May 1989)
black1.txt 64553
LODCOM: Large Sampling of Messages for the LODCOM Project
bombs.ana 19444
Postings to the Bombs Message Base from the South Pole BBS
bruce.txt 1757
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics, by Micah Holmes (February 16, 1994)
bruce2.txt 5701
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (The Bruces) by Saul Ansbacher (March 23, 1994)
brutal.txt 23411
CAPTURE: Text Capture of Brutal, early Danish Hack/Phreak BBS by FIgaro (1992)
buldagr1.txt 13202
BBS Messages: Johnny Dagger and friends build a story late one night (1993)
bullcreek86.txt 112306
BBS MESSAGES: The Bull Creek BBS in Austin, TX (Sysop: Mark Bryant) Messages from 1986
bust_bbs.txt 4216
Some Messages Preceeding a BBS Piracy Bust (September 27, 1991)
cdz.cap.txt 13167
Messages from unknown hacker/phreaker BBS in the 206 (Washington State) area code. (November, 1989)
cdz2.cap.txt 25707
Messages from unknown hacker/phreaker BBS in the 206 (Washington State) area code. (December, 1989)
channl-1.txt 19120
Discussion of the Modem Tax on the Channel 1 BBS (August, 1993)
chatter.asc 19662
GodNet General Chatter Message base (February, 1993)
chin.txt 2517
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (I Like Chinese) from Micah Holmes (March 15, 1994)
circlems.txt 12794
Some Postings from The Inner Circle about Blue Boxing
citadel-story.txt 2472
Citadel Explains the Citadel-TOPx Log Files from 1996 (2002)
citadel-top.log 173991
Log Files of TOP BBS (January, 1996)
citadel-top2.log 41084
Log Files of TOP BBS (January, 1996)
citadel-top3.log 101457
Log Files of TOP BBS (January, 1996)
color$.txt 9824
The Color Box, from the Aluminum Gerbil (40 Columns, Uppercase)
compcond.txt 4783
CAPTURE: The Computer Connection BBS (1982)
compconna.txt 8228
CAPTURE: The Computer Connection BBS (1982)
compconnb.txt 6395
CAPTURE: The Computer Connection BBS (1982)
compconnc.txt 9698
CAPTURE: The Computer Connection BBS (1982)
conspir.asc 11274
The GodNet Conspiracy Theory Echo (June, 1993)
corruptc.txt 8116
Extracts from the Corrupt Computing BBS
crash.txt 2507
Submission for mod.telecom ("Crashing" a Central Office) (April 26, 1987)
crazy 5103
How Someone Harassed Someone Else on FidoNet
crckin.msg 4274
Messages from a "Cracking" BBS Conference, August, 1994
crime.txt 23927
Discussion of Credit Card Fraud on a BBS, with the Sysop Offering Help to the Secret Service (May, 1994)
cy-chat.txt 15924
Cyberpunk BBS Message Base (Early 1991)
cyberadv.txt 12645
Online Cyberpunk Role-Playing BBS (March 1991)
death.txt 1071
MESSAGE: A Little Poem of Death by Robert (October 2, 1993)
death2.txt 1192
MESSAGE: An Ode to Death, by Sysop III (October 19, 1993)
debate.txt 16545
The Debate Den Message Board on the Safehouse BBS
diversibuffer.txt 24370
BUFFER: Messages on a Diversi-Dial, Late 1980's
docwho.eko 61677
Capture from a Dr. Who Converence, (May 1992)
docwho1.eko 36345
Additional Captured Messages from a Dr. Who Conference (May 1992)
ericbee.txt 2038
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics by Micah Holmes (Eric the Half a Bee) (February 17, 1994)
exec_inn.txt 9384
MESSAGES: Postings from the Executive Inn BBS (1988)
feather.txt 58449
24 msgs on The Feather's Quill (A BBS Story Board)
frwrks.txt 6978
Pyrotechnic BBS Message Base (May-July 1984)
fuckyouf.txt 155880
Uncensored Transcripts from the MindVox "Fuck-You" Forum, Compiled and Moderated by Jim Felcher (1994)
galaxy.txt 2307
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (The Galaxy Song), from Jason Levine (March 1, 1994)
grabbag.msg 8607
All sorts of interesting snippets
hackers.msg 22918
BBS Messages: The Compost Heap, Hacking Sub-Board, March 1986
hackshak.txt 19958
LODCOM: Selected Messages from The Hack Shack BBS
hate-mod.txt 24613
A Very Large Flamewar on a Usenet Message Base in West-Germany
The BBS Flamewar travels to USENET...
hpnumber.txt 23792
Collection of Hacking and Phreaking Codes on a BBS Message Base (November-December, 1991)
indy3.txt 29560
Capture of a Gaming BBS Message Base, Circa 1990
info4 6272
Hacker Messages from PC-Pursuit NetExchange BBS (February 1988)
int_pyro.txt 8904
Messages from the Pyromania Section of a Citadel BBS (June 1990)
iroc.txt 19355
LODCOM: Selected Messages from the Inner Realm of Communications BBS (IROC)
jerky.txt 50126
A Large Collection of Jerky-Related BBS Messages and Files (1994)
journal.txt 13081
The Works BBS Endless Story File
junk.txt 6528
Message Base about Luding on the 1985 BBS
kindbud.txt 242150
BBS Messages from Kind Bud's Hemp Discussion Corner
letter.txt 2234
A Great Message by The Slipped Disk
lifesong.txt 2674
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (Bright Side of Life) from Micah Holmes (March 8, 1994)
lodcom.hac 51395
Lodcom Sample Messages Set #1, 4/20/93
lodstuph 60363
LODCOM: Internal Release about the LODCOM Project, as well as LOD Messages
lotsames.msg 13507
Complete Smattering of Messages, October
luding.txt 8526
Posts on the Luding Message base from 1985 BBS, Feb.
lumberja.txt 2252
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (Lumberjack Song), from Jim Maciorowski (February 14, 1994)
messag.msg 14798
Wares, Cracking and Pirating Messages, November
messy.msg 4096
"General" to "Elite Phreak", November
meta01.txt 274645
Messages from a Pagan Fidonet Echo, February 1988
meta02.txt 304084
Messages from a Pagan Fidonet Echo, February 1988 (Part II)
mjunkdrw.txt 15268
Collection of Messages from the Junk Drawer BBS
modemtest.txt 203772
Messages from The Modem Test BBS (Sysop: Charles "Chuck" Hood) (1993)
morgue.cap 32000
A Capture of Textfiles and Messages from The Morgue BBS (March, 1985)
movie.txt 17722
The Movie Review Alcove Message Base of the 1985 BBS
nurses.hum 9789
Messages from Nurses in Bondage
nurses2.hum 16506
More Messages from Nurses in Bondage
nurses3.hum 12625
And Yet More Nurses In Bondage
old_msgs 29590
Explosives for Fun and Pleasure, Uploaded by Shadow Knight (May 17, 1987) (Has Anarchy Messages Around It)
os2news.txt 28908
Messages about the IBM PS/2 1991 Forum (April 18, 1991)
p80-1.txt 23384
LODCOM: Selected Messages from the P-80 BBS (January-March 1984)
p80-2.txt 9174
LODCOM: Selected Messages from the P-80 BBS (March 1984)
peyote.txt 34536
BBS Messages about the Supreme Court and Peyote
philosip.txt 44768
The Philosophy Message Base of 1985 BBS, circa 1984
phoenix1.msg 163124
The Incredible LOD Phoenix Project #1
phoenix2.msg 234933
The Incredible LOD Phoenix Project #2
phoenix3.msg 258465
The Incredible LOD Phoenix Project #3
phreaks.txt 5946
General Phreaking Message Base
pod_rule.txt 7209
Posting of Mesages on Pagan/Occult BBS (Rules for the Conference)
qbbs_mess.txt 152034
MESSAGES: Capture of messages from the QBBS Support Board (April 12, 1988)
randomne.hum 13169
The Slipped Disk's Ramblings
robin.txt 2868
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (Brave Sir Robin), from Jason Levine (February 19, 1994)
roundtab.txt 2042
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (Knights of the Round Table) from Michah Holmes (February 23, 1994)
sitface.txt 1057
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (Sit on my Face), from Jeff Stokes (March 6, 1994)
slippe.hum 7638
More weird writings by the Slipped Disk
snurgle.txt 8173
What the Hell is a Snurgle? (BBS Postings)
softrev1.txt 25468
Software Reviews Message Base (July, 1991)
spamskit.txt 3625
MESSAGE: The Spam Sketch (Monty Python) from Richard Cote (March 11, 1994)
sperm.txt 3145
MESSAGE: Monty Python Lyrics (Every Sperm is Sacred) from Micah Holmes (March 10, 1994)
strek.txt 121379
Inter-WWIV Posting about Star Trek
strongholdnorth.txt 13046
Messages from the Stronghold North BBS (612) (March 26, 1986)
stuff3.txt 1929
Goodbye Message from the Off the Wall BBS
sysopsue.hum 31743
Message Base: Can Sysops Sue Their Users?
syssong.txt 2569
MESSAGE: The Sysop Soung (Monty Python Parody) by Mark Williams (February 19, 1994)
tardis2.msg 5888
Pretty bleak Dr. Who BBS Conference ..15 Minute Time limit...
telec.txt 15250
Basic Telecommunications Message Base by The Videosmith
telnetfe.txt 6001
Message Captured from the Telenet PC Pursuit Net Exchange BBS (February 1988)
trekkie.txt 25156
Star Trek Message Board from The Safehouse, 1984
tt900507 11416
MESSAGES: Messages from the Tender Trap BBS Circa May, 1990, by Dream Hunter Rem (1990)
udgbbs.txt 7552
Large BBS Ad Message Base List (January 1991)
vi900906.vir 187667
Messages about Viruses on a FidoNet board
vi901029.vir 181138
Messages about Viruses on a FidoNet board
virdisc2.txt 23128
Messages: Virus Discussion, 1991
vmb.txt 11833
Mish-Mash Collection of Various Phreaking Textfiles, 1990
wopr.txt 37938
LODCOM: Selected Messages from WOPR BBS (December 1984)
wotchlst.txt 89917
MESSAGES: Selection of Science Fiction BBS Messages
wotmisc.txt 255091
MESSAGES: Selection of Science Fiction BBS Messages (Prodigy)
wotproph.txt 139825
MESSAGES: Selection of Science Fiction BBS Messages (Prophecy)
wowie!!.msg 20632
Messages from October
zachman1.msg 175524
MESSAGE BASE: William F. Zachmann Quits the Ziff Davis Publishing Company (Compuserve) (1992)
zachman2.msg 52190
MESSAGE BASE: William F. Zachmann Quits the Ziff Davis Publishing Company (Compuserve) (1992)
zachman4.msg 30109
MESSAGE BASE: William F. Zachmann Quits the Ziff Davis Publishing Company (Compuserve) (1992)

There are 130 files for a total of 5,459,155 bytes.
There are 6 directories.

It is very important to give credit where it's due; in 1993-1994, the remaining members of the Legion of Doom, now called LOD Communications, decided to take on a vast project of bringing the past to the BBS users of the present. They would do this by transcribing BBS messages from all the most popular and active phreaking and hacking boards of the 1980s and presenting them in their original 40 or 80 column format, all the spelling and grammatical errors intact, and giving a profile of the boards the messages came from. In many ways, textfiles.com had the same idea, 6 years later. The project got underway, but never really achieved the nationwide/mass acceptance it was supposed to, and these important files were in danger of being lost a second time.

I'm pleased to be a part of bringing many of these files back to you, and give a bow to these pioneers of BBS nostalgia/history.

If you wish to have the entire directory conveniently archived and compressed into one file, please download either messages.tar.gz (23761037 bytes) or messages.zip (25286829 bytes) instead of all the files separately.