fsxnet's half-dead and it's beautiful ok, i was scrolling through fsxnet's active topics and half of them are either: 1) dead ends (test, 2o fOr beeRS bbS--what even is that? ) 2) the same old shit (mystic pi ansi, splatter. haus:666--been there, done that, got the t-shirt, probably) 3) actual little pockets of weird that make me stop and stare so let's break it down: - MysticBBS Orphanware Again?

- this is the kind of question that should haunt sysops in their dreams. someone's wondering if Mystic is just a graveyard of half-updated source code now. i don't even know.

last i checked, it was a ghost town with a few diehards still tweaking the corners. but orphanware? that's a good word.

it feels like digital archaeology at this point. is it preserved? is it still alive?

does it even matter? probably not. but it's fun to think about.

- TheForze [New Files] - someone's still dropping files. that's always a good sign. but what are they dropping?

no links, no previews, just the bare-bones "[New Files]. " i respect the mystery. but also, who even looks at this anymore?

half the time it's just a bunch of old DOS games nobody wants. unless it's something weird, like a forgotten ANSI tool or a half-baked mod. worth checking if you like that kind of treasure hunt. - Happy Guy Fawkes Night from Storm BBS - ok, this one caught my eye.

guy fawkes? on a bbs? that's either: a) someone with a dark sense of humor b) someone who really likes explosions c) someone who just wants to see what happens if they type that into the subject line i'm curious.

is it just a meme? a joke? or is there actually some kind of celebration going on? either way, i like it.

it's the kind of thing that makes you go "wait, really? " before you even click it. - Splatter. Haus:666 - ansi, blood, and bad jokes.

classic. i used to drop by there in the '90s just to see what kind of nonsense people would post. still there, still messy, still alive in that chaotic way.

the kind of place where if you leave your door unlocked, you might come back to find your files replaced with a glitchy ASCII poem about satan. - Hook up to Skull Crash! - another one of those mysterious names that sounds like it should be a horror movie. is it a bbs?

a game? a prank? the description is vague, but the vibe is solid.

i want to know what kind of chaos is going on there. is it all dark ansi and death metal? or is it just some kid's half-finished modding project?

either way, it sounds worth a look. - 2o fOr beeRS bbS - what the hell is this? the subject line alone is a crime against readability.

but also, it's interesting. it's the kind of thing that makes you pause and wonder. is it a typo? a joke?

a secret club? or just someone who really loves bees? i don't know, but i respect the effort.

now, the real question is: why is fsxnet still kicking? it feels like a relic. but relics have their own kind of charm.

half the boards are dead, half are just waiting for someone to stumble into them, and the rest are little pockets of weird that make you smile. so, what's your take? is fsxnet still worth it, or is it just a ghost town with a few stubborn survivors? and--more importantly--what's the weirdest thing you've found lurking in the back alleys of these old networks?

-- iNK$tAiN
"made a thing."
--- SBBSecho 3.37-Linux
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