Ward Christensen, creator of the first BBS, dies at 78

The technology world lost a big name last Friday (11). computer scientist Ward Christensenco-creator of the first BBSHe passed away at his home in the USA at the age of 78.

Ward was one of those responsible for the development of this system. Computerized Bulletin Board System (CBBS)), the service that would later be referred to simply as BBS. The cause of death was not disclosed, but friends realized something was wrong when he did not respond to messages about his health.

Prior to the creation of BBS in 1977, he developed: XMODEMa file transfer protocol that helps send data accurately between two computers over a telephone line – one of the future pillars of BBS.

in the ward He worked at IBM for years and retired in 2012. Despite his prominence in the industry, he was seen as a rather reserved person and his digital life was quite reserved.

Legendary BBSs

CBBS Chicago was founded in 1978 by Ward and Randy Suess. The duo decided to establish this service after the city fell victim to a snowstorm, leaving residents in their homes for a while.

The idea was to bring enthusiasts together to spread the word about events and information, but with global adoption they have managed to create a much more significant form of communication. Suess, the Chicago chain’s other co-creator, died in 2019.

The precursors to the first forms of computer connectivity were bulletin boards. digital living spaces for conversations, information and file exchange. Using their own phone lines and modem to transmit data, those responsible for these services helped create communities that participated in many pivotal moments in the beginning of the internet.

Brazil was a country with a high presence of BBS communities created by the country’s internet pioneers such as the late Aleksandar Mandic.