In 1980 I bought my first computer, a Commodore-VIC-20.
In 1983 I setup an Atari BBS System Called "Center City BBS" ), using a Atari 800 computer, Interface 850, 4ea-1050 floppy drives and a Hayes 300 Baud Smartmodem.
The Atari Message Information System (AMIS) was one of the first BBS (Bulletin Board System) software packages available for the Atari 8-bit family of computers.
The original AMIS BBS software was written in Atari BASIC by Tom Giese member of the MACE (Michigan Atari Computer Enthusiasts). The program included instructions for building a "ring detector" circuit for the board maintainer's modem (Atari 1030 modem) to enable it to answer incoming calls – modems at the time were most often capable of making outgoing calls, but not receiving incoming ones. The one exception being the Atari XM301 modem which had a ring detector built-in.
Later I Upgraded Sparta DOS X, A Microsoft Clone Of DOS 3.2, US Robotics 56K modem, Atari 1200XL Computer, And A 130XE Computer, ICD-1 Meg Multi IO.
The Last BBS program I used with the 8-Bit computer was Express BBS
Two Atari 520ST Computers, that I modified with 4 Megs Ram,
Conversion from Atari Computers to IBM Based, happened in 1992
later I had A 25mhz Packard bell PC, 60 MHz Packard bell Pc back in 1994, and others as time turned.
I used a OctoCable So I could have Multi Modems Hooked Up To One(1) Computer.
I ran a 5 Line BBS Using RoboBOARD/FX BBS Software, © Copyright Hamilton TeleGraphics Inc., 1993, and the last BBS program was Excalibur BBS, when I took the BBS down in 1996. I was able to use my server to connect users to My internet connection thru CompuServe. To have to understand that the internet was just being setup and used with Browsers. before this every thing on the internet was straight text. browsers came and went. the best Browser at the time was Netscape.