[Yo-Yo]

Once we got software that would download all the posts from a given 'forum', it became a lot easier. You'd do all your reading and posting offline then just connect to upload any comments, and new packets. Since I'm old and forgetful, I don't even remember the name of the programs I used to use.

Now that you mention it, I think I had that as well. My "online" setup was a 1200 baud modem and an Amiga 500. There was some sort of software you could buy that you could use to create games, and I downloaded a ton of those homemade games.

There was also a crude "email" system that allowed you to address messages to someone across the country, and the message would hop from BBS to BBS until it reached the recipient, so you didn't have to make a long distance call to a BBS out of state.

This was the mid to late 1980s so my memory is a bit fuzzy...

[zeugma]

There was also a crude "email" system that allowed you to address messages to someone across the country, and the message would hop from BBS to BBS until it reached the recipient, so you didn't have to make a long distance call to a BBS out of state.

Indeed. At the time, I thought it was amazing you could get a "letter" from the US to Australia in 2-3 days. I made a purchase of a Lego model from a guy in AU, which was the first set I bought as an adult. Took so long to get here, I thought the seller had put it in a canoe, or something to make the trip acoss the pacific.