Somehow I started thinking about the pre-Internet days of the Bulletin Board System (BBS). I remember trying to squeeze as much out of my 2400 baud modem as possible to download Duke Nukem and other games. Remember RIPscrip? I think it was Infoworld that did a huge article on RIP, stating how it would change the industry back in 1993. Where's that technology now? Abandonware.

I finally tossed out my copy of Qmodem from The Forbin Project. That had to be the best piece of software ever! Their offline mail reader was great, too! Imagine downloading all your mail and chat room conversations, reading and responding while offline, then uploading when finished! It saved your connection time for the important work of transferring information. Back then every second counted. Of course, now we have always-on connections via cable modem or DSL. Who needs to be offline anymore?

What I really miss, I suppose, is how using a BBS was for the most part FREE. Sure, you had to buy a computer and modem, and had to have a telephone line. But that was it. Most BBSes were free and allowed downloads based on the amount you uploaded, encouraging sharing of freeware and shareware programs.

Today's Internet providers offer packages starting at $15 for dialup access and up to $50 per month for 8mb per second, or some such number. That's a long shot away from free. Sure, the downloads are fast and you don't have to wait for web pages but for a cheap scoundrel like me those prices are too high.  Well, higher than I really want to pay, anyway.

I found some of those BBS conversations not too long ago while sorting through some old floppies. I had forgotten I used to debate religion with a fellow named Howard Stern. I doubt it was the same as the now infamous radio personality, but I wonder...