The Bulletin Board System is a type of community software that allows individuals to dial up private networks to interact and trade opinions with others who share similar interests.
The BBS systems were an important part of creating the "virtual community" that has become associated with the World Wide Web over the past few years - a feat which was technically unachievable before the development of the Mosaic /Netscape browser software. Speciality music bulletin boards were the electronic equivalent of fan clubs, being a place for likeminded individuals to meet and discuss their favourite artists or genres, but were far more interactive than traditional fan clubs.
Demand for BBS increased rapidly in the late 1980s and early 90s and many specialist music bulletin boards appeared. Early music bulletin boards include SonicNet, Rocktropolis, Jazz Online and Cyberden, all of which extended their services and online presence into Web-based systems. The aim of this integration into the World Wide Web was to extend the reach of the community served by each company and to embrace newcomers to the Internet, especially since many users left the BBS system for the World Wide Web as its accessibility increased. [16]
Music sites have reacted differently to their relocation to the Internet . Jazz Oline's original ambition was to become the Internet's Jazz hub, and offered several interactive services, including the Jazz Jukebox, Jazz Radio Online, Jazz Catalogues Online, Jazz Times Online, The Jazz Graphics Art Gallery, CD Cover Graphics Gallery and Jazz Education Online. The company even provided Web development services for the larger jazz labels (Blue Note, Warner Jazz and Verve) before reinventing itself as a much more streamlined, highly targeted online jazz magazine.
Jazz Online homepage (6th July 1998)
Rocktropolis developed its concept of a "virtual city" when the company was purchased by N2K in early 1996, and now comprises part of the rock family of N2K's large network of music sites.
Rocktropolis homepage (6th July 1998)
SonicNet, the BBS company which has achieved the greatest success on the Web, were less concerned about presenting music guides online, but rather, focussed on presenting music news and online music events. The site offered big name chats and cybercasts, online events and music news long before many of today's hi-tech sites. As a result, SonicNet have become one of the most dynamic music sites on the Internet, constantly upgrading and developing its services in the fast-moving world of Internet technologies.
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