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There was a time before the Internet. It was a time of point-to-point connections via dial-up telephone lines. Computer users used modems to connect to bulletin board systems (BBS) worldwide. The BBS was the hub for early online communities, for games, friendships and file-sharing among computer enthusiasts. Looking back, many aspects of what used to be common knowledge is slowly fading. What is a Terminal? What is Telnet? How would you connect a modem via RS-232? ASCII Art, Baud and Handshakes? Getting started with the subject can be difficult: terms are unknown, concepts are only vaguely familiar, or technical abbreviations difficult to decipher. Do I still need a dial-up modem, today?

This Micropolis Handbook is a collection of short articles, meant as a quick-start guide on bulletin board systems (BBS) and dial-up networking. A practical guide for anyone who wants to connect a modem to a computer and learn about the fascination world of old-school analog data transmission. A glimpse into computer history of the 1980s and 1990s. Learn how users went on-line, back then and today! The retro computing scene is going strong and users can still "call" a BBS like in the olden days. This basic reference book is a first primer on how dial-up works and what it needs to connect with a time when bits were analog.