BBSs and Early Internet Communities with Author Kevin Driscoll

Kevin Driscoll, author and associate professor of Media Studies at University of Virginia, discusses the history of BBSs, or bulletin board systems, and how they have been overlooked as part of the history of the internet. Developing out of his early experiences with local online communities, Kevin approaches the history of the internet from a grassroots perspective, offering up true stories and examples of how everyday people developed communities online. He outlines how BBSs, from the late 1970s to the 1980s, develop from a space for computer club members to share information to a place where marginalized groups, for example gay men, could gather online. Using BBS lists that were either regional or interest-oriented, Driscoll has been able to uncover the various communities and practices of early online interactions that laid the groundwork for contemporary online social groups and platforms.A full transcript of this episode will be available soon!Here are some of the references from this episode, for those who want to dig a little deeper:Kevin Driscoll BioBook, The Modem WorldFred Turner’s Research on The WellHoward Rheingold’s Research on The WellByte Magazine Vol. 3 number 11 featuring Christensen and Suess Article on CBBSsKristen Haring’s Work on Postwar Ham Radio CultureSusan Douglas’ Work on Ham Radio CultureCharlton McIlwain’s Work on AfroNetRelevant Background Information: WIRED Article on The WellMinitelQuartz Article on Stacy Horne and EchoMIT  Project Athena Internet as Third SpaceSherry Turkle Amy BruckmanCheck out our previous episodes with Howard Rheingold and Sherry TurkleShare your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at [email protected]:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet  https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Share your thoughts via Twitter with Henry, Colin and the How Do You Like It So Far? account! You can also email us at [email protected]:“In Time” by Dylan Emmett and “Spaceship” by Lesion X.In Time (Instrumental) by Dylan Emmet  https://soundcloud.com/dylanemmetSpaceship by Lesion X https://soundcloud.com/lesionxbeatsCreative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/in-time-instrumentalFree Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/lesion-x-spaceshipMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/AzYoVrMLa1Q––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––