Computerized system used to exchange public messages or files. A BBS is typically reached by using a dial-up modem. Most are dedicated to a special interest, which may be an extremely narrow topic. Any user may "post" his or her own message (so that they appear on the site for all to read). Bulletin boards produce "conversations" between interested participants, who may download or print out messages they desire to keep or pass on to others. BBS sites today number in the tens of thousands. See also newsgroup
Most popular in the 1980s and early 1990s before the overwhelming popularity of the internet, Bulletin Board Systems (BBSes) are computers that can be dialed into mainly for the purpose of reading messages from and leaving messages to other users. Secondarily, they can be used for the sharing of files. Each user on the system is distinguished by a unique handle or ID