Just rememberin' some Cellar history

Undertoad · 01-21-2017, 10:44 AM

So in like 1995 or something, this guy from the second-biggest Philadelphia weekly paper did a story on The Cellar.

And he pointed out to me that getting on the BBS was pretty hard to do, because you had to understand modems, and install a weird program that allowed you to connect, and then you had to understand the BBS commands to the point where you could post...

And all this comprehension meant that there was a barrier to entry, of being at least intelligent enough to figure out this stuff. He figured that this was why The Cellar had mostly intelligent people on it.

And I thought, well, partly you are right; but anyone with motivation can learn the commands. The other big BBSes in the area are serving either the pornheads or the warez kiddiez. Those people learned the commands!

In fact, the company that became one of the area's biggest VoIP companies started as a BBS out of a dude's garage... where he was paying people money to spend time putting rare porn magazines through scanners, so he would have enough content to attract a huge crowd.

Another business model ruined by the Internet.

Gravdigr · 01-21-2017, 11:56 AM

xoxoxoBruce · 01-21-2017, 01:39 PM

I'm grateful to the internet, and to Microsoft, for making it possible for us non-nerds to join the party.

DanaC · 01-21-2017, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

I'm grateful to the internet, and to Microsoft, for making it possible for us non-nerds to join the party.

And the porn.

Gravdigr · 01-21-2017, 03:21 PM

Porn. Absolutely.

Pamela · 01-21-2017, 07:26 PM

Oh, how I miss those days of Christmas modemers!

'Tis the season right now, too. Sigh! Good times!

xoxoxoBruce · 01-21-2017, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaC

And the porn.

Yes, porn paid for much of it.

Gravdigr · 01-23-2017, 05:08 PM

Only thing better than porn is sex.

And maybe pizza.

glatt · 01-25-2017, 02:31 PM

I was looking for something in a sub-folder on my hard drive and found a hidden sub-sub-sub-folder with a ton of old stuff.
This gem is from 12 years ago, but that might be when I copied it for some reason. I have no idea who this is.

I put a current screen shot up with the mp3 file to make a video.

lumberjim · 01-25-2017, 06:51 PM

Nice. Thanks glatt. How the fvck did I not make the credits at the end? Miffed.

Sounds lllllocooooo

glatt · 01-25-2017, 07:15 PM

Is that you?

lumberjim · 01-25-2017, 08:32 PM

Who?

glatt · 01-25-2017, 08:41 PM

I hear a guitar and vocals. Are you either one?

lumberjim · 01-25-2017, 10:25 PM

No. That was some guy that does that for a living. I don't remember who hired him.

01-21-2017, 10:44 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Just rememberin' some Cellar history So in like 1995 or something, this guy from the second-biggest Philadelphia weekly paper did a story on The Cellar. And he pointed out to me that getting on the BBS was pretty hard to do, because you had to understand modems, and install a weird program that allowed you to connect, and then you had to understand the BBS commands to the point where you could post... And all this comprehension meant that there was a barrier to entry, of being at least intelligent enough to figure out this stuff. He figured that this was why The Cellar had mostly intelligent people on it. And I thought, well, partly you are right; but anyone with motivation can learn the commands. The other big BBSes in the area are serving either the pornheads or the warez kiddiez. Those people learned the commands! In fact, the company that became one of the area's biggest VoIP companies started as a BBS out of a dude's garage... where he was paying people money to spend time putting rare porn magazines through scanners, so he would have enough content to attract a huge crowd. Another business model ruined by the Internet.

01-21-2017, 11:56 AM	#2
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	__________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

01-21-2017, 01:39 PM	#3
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	I'm grateful to the internet, and to Microsoft, for making it possible for us non-nerds to join the party. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

01-21-2017, 03:21 PM	#5
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Porn. Absolutely. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

01-23-2017, 05:08 PM	#8
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Only thing better than porn is sex. And maybe pizza. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

01-21-2017, 07:26 PM	#6
Pamela Deplorable Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 767	Oh, how I miss those days of Christmas modemers! 'Tis the season right now, too. Sigh! Good times!

01-25-2017, 02:31 PM	#9
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I was looking for something in a sub-folder on my hard drive and found a hidden sub-sub-sub-folder with a ton of old stuff. This gem is from 12 years ago, but that might be when I copied it for some reason. I have no idea who this is. I put a current screen shot up with the mp3 file to make a video.

01-25-2017, 06:51 PM	#10
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	Nice. Thanks glatt. How the fvck did I not make the credits at the end? Miffed. Sounds lllllocooooo __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

01-25-2017, 07:15 PM	#11
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Is that you?

01-25-2017, 08:32 PM	#12
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	Who? __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

01-25-2017, 08:41 PM	#13
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I hear a guitar and vocals. Are you either one?

01-25-2017, 10:25 PM	#14
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	No. That was some guy that does that for a living. I don't remember who hired him. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

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