Blase's Baltimore BBS List - BBBLmmyy.ZIP A Chronological History of Changes and Updates June, 1992 Moved into the Baltimore area and was frustrated by the lack of good, up-to- date BBS information. Existing lists were out-of-date and poorly maintained. Guess I was spoiled by the BBS listing in the DC/MD/VA area put out by Mike Focke. July, 1992 After finally scraping together a few BBS's with (410) area codes, I began calling some Baltimore area BBS's to gather other phone numbers, and to try to find an accurate BBS list for the area - met with little success. Decided at the end of July to compile the numbers I had and to initiate a monthly list of VERIFIED BBS's for the Baltimore area - BBBLmmyy.ZIP was born. BBBL0892.ZIP was compiled and "put out on the street" for distribution on 07/30/92. August, 1992 Began looking for a BBS to help me distribute BBBL every month. Howard Michaelski of NetWork BBS was the first Sysop to contact me and offer his assistance. Howie and I began to search for software that could automate the monthly BBS verification process. I re-opened my old BBS - Silver Streak on August 27 at the phone number 410-683-1583. September, 1992 With Howie's help, I wrote a {COMMO} script that quickly and easily verified BBS numbers. Information on other BBS's came steadily from users on NetWork BBS, plus others I was digging up from other board's online listings. Responses from users and Sysops are positive. October, 1992 No major changes - tweaked BBS verification program a bit to report baud connect rates and error correction methods. Incorporated this information into the November list. Several Sysop's tell me that activity on their BBS has increased tremendously since their number appreared on the BBBL. November, 1992 More positive feedback received from callers and Sysops. Several requests for an 80-column format "long list" of BBBL have been received - for use on BBS bulletins. Will add an additional format to the Dec. 92 listing. Decide to add WHATSNEW.TXT (this file) to ZIP packet. December, 1992 Got rid of the 132 column "long list" and replaced it with the 80 column format (formerly BBBL-4.TXT). We are back to just three formats for the list - this will make the ZIP file smaller. Started playing around with CLIPPER again - might write a program to streamline sort/printing options. January, 1993 - April, 1993 No major changes - many new BBS additions to BBBL. May, 1993 Made a few cosmetic changes to the headers on the lists. Modified the BBBL.DOC to encompass the README.TXT file. Rearranged the doc's a little bit. It seems that the BBBL stirred up some controversy among some FIDOnet -based Sysops - they just found out about the BBS list, and were livid over the fact that I did not ask their "permission" to publish their BBS numbers. "Too bad, and too late" was the answer. Gerald Todd, Sysop of Modem Ready BBS announced the first annual Baltimore BBS Poll - a ballot file is included in the May, 1993 issue of BBBL. He will be collating the votes from Modem Ready BBS - 410-360-8007. ============================== 29 April 1993 Brad Blase Silver Streak BBS 410-683-1583