Once I had to download y-modem using the built in x-modem, then I used
y-modem to download dsz, man we're old.
reddit / bbs

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djlewt · 2011-08-21 01:10

How do you even explain that to people?  that we had to use download
PROGRAMS.

lol?

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tribute · 2011-08-21 04:42

After they give you a wtf face lean in and whisper, "get off my lawn."

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spork_king · 2011-08-21 14:32

I remember in High School I had a "special" version of xmodem I was
able to compile somehow. I only really barely knew Pascal, but had a C
compiler and could eventually figure out enough of what was going on
to get things to work. This version would never ACK the last packet it
received, but would store it and go on with whatever post-download
stuff it had to do.  If you remember, xmodem would ACK every packet so
the server/bbs would know you got it and to start sending the next one
(zmodem didn't do this, it sent a NACK if it detected it missed
something, speeding up an already slow process).

The end result - not charged for the download at sites that made me
maintain a limit.  :)  Eventually sites caught on to this and counted
the download anyway, but it was fun while it lasted.

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funderbolt · 2011-08-21 15:27

Connections were so slow at one point in time that we had to use
special software for transfer protocols in order to get every bit of
speed.  It was that way just because it was the electronic fronter and
the technology changed over the years.

I came late to the BBS game, but the terminal software that I used had
XModem, YModem, and ZModem protocols built-in.

In a similar vein to your question, I was talking to someone about
Bittorrent.  I explained to them that you needed a separate piece of
software to download using Bittorrent, and they thought that was
strange.  I responded with a shrug.  I couldn't easily explain it.

Software can be engineered in many different ways.  Simplistically,
the way software exists today is because somebody programmed it that
way and it caught on with other software.  The only way that happened
is by programmers sharing their technology.

I feel old after reading this.  ;-)

Arr..  Pirate winking...  ,-)

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mycall · 2011-08-27 06:32

KERMIT 9.0 was just released.  Crazy huh.

I still use download programs.. like HTTrack and bittorrent.

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antdude · 2011-12-03 16:05

Try HS/Link! Even better with bi-transfers and slow chats!

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misterkrad · 2012-04-02 12:00

spork_king - i wrote that leech modem - it was used for years against
the 408/415/203 area boards to leech the heck out of points. back then
you were charged xx points for an app complete download. but nothing
for a fail.

also did putsnp (zmodem serial) and leech-zmodem lol.

good times

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antdude · 2012-04-02 18:34

I don't remember those.