Subj : Re: Opus-CBCS - any boards online?
To   : Utopian Galt
From : k9zw
Date : Thu May 30 2024 06:46 am

On 29 May 2024, Utopian Galt said the following...
 
 UG> BY: k9zw (21:1/224)
 UG> 
 UG> k> I don't think there was much awareness of that gay driver behind BBSes
 UG> k> out here in flyover country.  To be honest many sysops were chasing
 UG> Fidonet was even founded by a gay dude too. 
 
Which really doesn't matter.

What those of us out in the midwest, back in the day of Fido and OPUS, largely didn't click on was that the gay-to-gay networking was such a major driver.

Forty years ago rural American was less tolerant of lives that didn't fit somewhat close to the mold. 

Can't say for certain, but of those early sysops would they avoid Fido & OPUS if they knew the backstory of gay-outreach that was the driver?

Not saying all would have rebelled and looked to other software or systems, but if the underlying purpose was overt would they risk the troubles other parts of society would lump on them?  

Back at the start I held a Security Clearance of a level that associations became issues in background check updates.  

Fortunately those doing my reviews also didn't know about the underpinnings behind Fido and OPUS.

One of my trolls back in the day was posting basically How To guides for the physical side of gayness, so I do think some of the users knew more about the underpinnings than the sysops.

--- Steve K9ZW via SPOT BBS 

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 2022/07/15 (Linux/64)
 * Origin: SPOT BBS / k9zw (21:1/224)

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