Hoping not to sound like a nit-picker -- smirk -- I don't think that it is completely accurate to refer to BBSes as being "text-only".
Yes, I know that you base this on the fact that all commands were/are executed by typing numbers, letters, symbols or a combination thereof on the keyboard. However, let us not forget the amazing ASCII and ANSI graphics which were displayed on many BBSes back then, some of which were even animated.
I am sure that I don't need to remind you of TheDraw, ACiD, etc. Today we even have PabloDraw which works on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. In fact, just today I added a number of such files and utilities to both my Hotline server, and to my Hermes II BBS. Why? For the same reason that I run my BBS in the first place: to keep the art alive a bit longer.
As I said, there was some amazing ASCII and ANSI art talent back then. Some of those guys really honed it into a craft. Just look at the PabloDraw website, and you will see what I mean. Yes, some of their artwork was/is truly strange indeed.
The tragedy is that animated ANSI is now a dead art, because its very existence depended upon the slow modem speeds that we had back then, which served to let the animations run at the right speed. Being as escape codes cannot control the speed of the ANSI animation, with today's fast machines, and fast Internet connections, you wouldn't even notice the animation, because it would be gone before you could blink an eye. However, some of it has been preserved in ANSI art videos that certain people have made.
Oh, BTW, you are right: I am retro! But I am also in the 21st century as well.
Also, from what I understand, it is very easy to install telnet on Windows 8 using the command line. I offer a short file on the Armageddon BBS website which explains how to do it. It's in a link at the bottom of the page.
Yes, nostalgia has a lot to do with it as well. No doubt about that.
Yes, I know that you base this on the fact that all commands were/are executed by typing numbers, letters, symbols or a combination thereof on the keyboard. However, let us not forget the amazing ASCII and ANSI graphics which were displayed on many BBSes back then, some of which were even animated.
I am sure that I don't need to remind you of TheDraw, ACiD, etc. Today we even have PabloDraw which works on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. In fact, just today I added a number of such files and utilities to both my Hotline server, and to my Hermes II BBS. Why? For the same reason that I run my BBS in the first place: to keep the art alive a bit longer.
As I said, there was some amazing ASCII and ANSI art talent back then. Some of those guys really honed it into a craft. Just look at the PabloDraw website, and you will see what I mean. Yes, some of their artwork was/is truly strange indeed.
The tragedy is that animated ANSI is now a dead art, because its very existence depended upon the slow modem speeds that we had back then, which served to let the animations run at the right speed. Being as escape codes cannot control the speed of the ANSI animation, with today's fast machines, and fast Internet connections, you wouldn't even notice the animation, because it would be gone before you could blink an eye. However, some of it has been preserved in ANSI art videos that certain people have made.
Oh, BTW, you are right: I am retro! But I am also in the 21st century as well.
Also, from what I understand, it is very easy to install telnet on Windows 8 using the command line. I offer a short file on the Armageddon BBS website which explains how to do it. It's in a link at the bottom of the page.
Yes, nostalgia has a lot to do with it as well. No doubt about that.