<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
a	O
popular	O
brand	O
of	O
bulletin	B-Application
board	I-Application
system	I-Application
software	O
from	O
the	O
late	O
1980s	O
through	O
the	O
mid-1990s	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
also	O
allowed	O
tens	O
of	O
thousands	O
of	O
BBSes	B-Application
to	O
link	O
together	O
,	O
forming	O
a	O
worldwide	O
proprietary	O
computer	B-Architecture
network	I-Architecture
,	O
the	O
WWIVnet	O
,	O
similar	O
to	O
FidoNet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
started	O
out	O
in	O
early	O
1984	O
as	O
a	O
single	O
BBS	O
in	O
Los	O
Angeles	O
,	O
California	O
,	O
run	O
by	O
Wayne	O
Bell	O
,	O
who	O
wrote	O
the	O
original	O
1.0	O
version	O
in	O
BASIC	O
as	O
a	O
high	O
school	O
programing	O
project	O
,	O
and	O
shared	O
the	O
software	O
with	O
25	O
of	O
his	O
friends	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
spread	O
in	O
the	O
mid-1980s	O
,	O
for	O
practical	O
reasons	O
Bell	O
switched	O
to	O
Pascal	B-Application
—	O
specifically	O
Borland	O
's	O
Turbo	B-Application
Pascal	I-Application
2.0	O
—	O
creating	O
a	O
compiled	B-Language
version	O
of	O
the	O
BBS	O
but	O
distributing	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
for	O
it	O
to	O
anyone	O
who	O
was	O
interested	O
in	O
their	O
own	O
BBS	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
encouraged	O
sysops	O
to	O
develop	O
new	O
features	O
for	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
these	O
ideas	O
were	O
released	O
as	O
"	O
mods	O
"	O
that	O
others	O
could	O
add	O
to	O
their	O
own	O
copies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Shortly	O
after	O
releasing	O
the	O
2.0	O
version	O
,	O
Borland	O
updated	O
the	O
compiler	B-Language
to	O
the	O
3.0	O
and	O
3.1	O
versions	O
;	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
's	O
versions	O
were	O
revised	O
to	O
reflect	O
the	O
compiler	B-Language
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
of	O
Turbo	B-Application
Pascal	I-Application
's	O
strong	O
features	O
was	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
easily	O
"	O
chain	B-Operating_System
"	O
sub-programs	O
and	O
external	O
modules	O
into	O
memory	O
only	O
as	O
required	O
;	O
as	O
the	O
average	O
available	O
RAM	O
for	O
a	O
program	O
to	O
load	O
and	O
run	O
in	O
MS-DOS	B-Application
was	O
384	O
kilobytes	O
,	O
this	O
became	O
a	O
very	O
important	O
feature	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Chaining	O
"	O
allowed	O
for	O
online	O
games	O
and	O
other	O
utilities	O
to	O
be	O
used	O
with	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
without	O
having	O
to	O
add	O
the	O
new	O
source	O
code	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
then	O
recompiling	O
the	O
entire	O
BBS	O
again	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
programs	O
—	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
"	B-Protocol
chains	I-Protocol
"	I-Protocol
or	I-Protocol
"	I-Protocol
doors	I-Protocol
"	I-Protocol
—	O
became	O
very	O
popular	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Borland	O
released	O
Turbo	B-Application
Pascal	I-Application
4.0	O
and	O
changed	O
the	O
structure	O
of	O
how	O
compiled	B-Language
programs	O
behaved	O
—	O
which	O
made	O
"	O
chained	O
"	O
sub-programs	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
popular	O
game	O
Trade	O
Wars	O
II	O
and	O
Geopolitik	O
impossible	O
to	O
run	O
—	O
Bell	O
switched	O
to	O
Borland	B-Application
C++	I-Application
,	O
which	O
allowed	O
for	O
remote	O
shell	O
operations	O
and	O
easy	O
porting	O
of	O
the	O
old	O
games	O
and	O
utilities	O
written	O
for	O
the	O
Pascal	B-Application
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Until	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
version	O
5.x	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
written	O
in	O
C	B-Language
.	O
For	O
the	O
open-source	B-Application
release	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
converted	O
to	O
C++	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
done	O
to	O
not	O
only	O
allow	O
multiple-line	O
BBSs	O
to	O
exist	O
using	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
,	O
but	O
to	O
allow	O
all	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
sysops	O
to	O
access	O
their	O
own	O
BBS	O
without	O
having	O
to	O
wait	O
for	O
a	O
user	O
to	O
log	O
off	O
and/or	O
be	O
rude	O
and	O
kick	O
them	O
off	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
other	O
side-effect	O
of	O
the	O
multi-line	O
capability	O
was	O
that	O
IBM	O
's	O
OS/2	B-Application
—	O
specifically	O
the	O
Warp	O
version	O
—	O
became	O
a	O
popular	O
choice	O
for	O
some	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
sysops	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
default	O
two	O
instance	O
configuration	O
could	O
easily	O
run	O
under	O
the	O
most	O
basic	O
OS/2	B-Application
system	O
with	O
ease	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
BBS	O
world	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
referred	O
to	O
sometimes	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
only	O
killer	O
app	O
for	O
OS/2	B-Application
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
n't	O
even	O
written	O
for	O
it	O
!	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
did	O
run	O
well	O
even	O
in	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
,	O
though	O
—	O
often	O
better	O
than	O
Windows-native	O
BBSs	O
—	O
because	O
DOS	O
applications	O
ran	O
preemptively	O
,	O
even	O
with	O
Windows	O
3.1	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
also	O
ran	O
well	O
under	O
Quarterdesk	O
's	O
DESQview	B-Operating_System
and	O
DESQVIEW/X	O
multitasking	O
shells	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
switch	O
to	O
C	B-Language
also	O
allowed	O
for	O
Bell	O
to	O
implement	O
a	O
rather	O
flexible	O
BBS	O
network	O
,	O
WWIVnet	O
,	O
allowing	O
all	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
boards	O
to	O
link	O
to	O
each	O
other	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Starting	O
with	O
the	O
C	B-Language
version	O
,	O
those	O
who	O
paid	O
a	O
registration	O
fee	O
,	O
as	O
high	O
as	O
$80	O
in	O
1994	O
,	O
received	O
copies	O
of	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
to	O
modify	O
and	O
recompile	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ability	O
to	O
modify	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
as	O
a	O
sysop	O
saw	O
fit	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
its	O
selling	O
points	O
—	O
something	O
that	O
RBBS	B-Protocol
,	O
Opus	B-Protocol
,	O
Genesis	O
,	O
and	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
other	O
BBS	O
programs	O
of	O
the	O
era	O
refused	O
to	O
provide	O
,	O
usually	O
on	O
the	O
basis	O
of	O
the	O
perceived	O
security	O
risk	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nevertheless	O
,	O
source	O
code	O
availability	O
was	O
not	O
lost	O
on	O
the	O
thousands	O
of	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
sysops	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
begun	O
to	O
regard	O
Bell	O
as	O
a	O
cross	O
between	O
a	O
father	O
figure	O
and	O
a	O
revolutionary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Registration	O
also	O
was	O
required	O
for	O
membership	O
in	O
WWIVnet	O
,	O
which	O
encouraged	O
the	O
growth	O
of	O
alternative	O
WWIV-based	O
networks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
also	O
generated	O
a	O
subculture	O
of	O
unregistered	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
boards	O
,	O
which	O
at	O
its	O
peak	O
represented	O
a	O
multiple	O
of	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
officially	O
registered	O
boards	O
,	O
and	O
even	O
passed	O
around	O
unlicensed	O
copies	O
of	O
the	O
source	O
code	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
forming	O
their	O
own	O
networks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Boards	O
in	O
a	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
network	O
are	O
identified	O
within	O
the	O
network	O
by	O
a	O
node	O
number	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
to	O
e-mail	O
a	O
user	O
at	O
another	O
board	O
within	O
a	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
network	O
,	O
the	O
@	O
sign	O
would	O
be	O
added	O
(	O
similar	O
to	O
an	O
internet	O
e-mail	O
address	O
)	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
the	O
node	O
number	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
case	O
of	O
WWIVnet	O
,	O
node	O
number	O
1	O
was	O
a	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
BBS	O
named	O
Amber	O
,	O
the	O
BBS	O
run	O
by	O
Wayne	O
Bell	O
in	O
the	O
South	O
Bay	O
region	O
of	O
Los	O
Angeles	O
County	O
,	O
California	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Filo	O
"	O
)	O
,	O
who	O
assumed	O
the	O
position	O
of	O
administering	O
the	O
sales	O
of	O
the	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
source	O
code	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Wayne	O
Bell	O
wrote	O
and	O
released	O
the	O
"	O
Net30	O
"	O
program	O
which	O
allowed	O
multiple	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
bulletin	I-Operating_System
board	I-Operating_System
systems	I-Operating_System
to	O
connect	O
to	O
each	O
other	O
,	O
forming	O
a	O
network	O
called	O
WWIVnet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIVlink	O
was	O
the	O
next	O
WWIV-based	O
BBS	O
network	O
to	O
be	O
created	O
that	O
did	O
not	O
require	O
the	O
member	O
BBS	O
systems	O
to	O
be	O
registered	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
versions	O
of	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
became	O
available	O
that	O
would	O
support	O
WWIV-networking	O
"	O
plugins	O
,	O
"	O
there	O
were	O
suddenly	O
dozens	O
of	O
new	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
networks	O
such	O
as	O
IceNET	O
(	O
run	O
by	O
Jim	O
Nunn	O
in	O
Buffalo	O
,	O
New	O
York	O
)	O
,	O
FILEnet	O
(	O
run	O
by	O
Dennis	O
M	O
.	O
Myers	O
in	O
Richmond	O
,	O
Virginia	O
)	O
and	O
WWIVlink	O
,	O
TerraNET	O
(	O
run	O
by	O
Cris	O
McRae	O
)	O
,	O
EliteLink	O
,	O
ChaosNET	O
(	O
centered	O
on	O
Jacksonville	O
,	O
Florida	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
TriNet	O
around	O
Washington	O
,	O
D.C.	O
</s>
<s>
Linker	O
played	O
an	O
integral	O
part	O
of	O
increasing	O
the	O
popularity	O
of	O
systems	O
being	O
on	O
more	O
than	O
one	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
based	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
Internet	O
began	O
to	O
rise	O
in	O
popularity	O
and	O
availability	O
a	O
new	O
method	O
of	O
packaging	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
messages	O
for	O
transport	O
by	O
internet	O
email	O
was	O
developed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
merged	O
FILEnet	O
shortly	O
became	O
the	O
backbone	O
for	O
WWIV-based	O
network	O
traffic	O
over	O
the	O
Internet	O
,	O
eliminating	O
costly	O
long-distance	O
calls	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
need	O
for	O
Linker	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
their	O
peaks	O
,	O
the	O
large	O
WWIV-based	O
networks	O
each	O
had	O
:	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
software	O
continued	O
to	O
be	O
improved	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
third-party	O
software	O
was	O
being	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
BBS	O
system	O
,	O
new	O
gateways	O
systems	O
were	O
set	O
up	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Similar	O
WWIVnet	O
gateways	O
even	O
allowed	O
messages	O
to	O
be	O
sent	O
to	O
and	O
from	O
standard	O
Internet	O
email	O
addresses	O
and	O
USENET	B-Application
newsgroups	I-Application
by	O
means	O
of	O
the	O
UUCP	B-Protocol
protocol	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Thanks	O
to	O
the	O
network	O
implementation	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
sysops	O
and	O
their	O
users	O
worldwide	O
became	O
united	O
to	O
one	O
another	O
much	O
in	O
the	O
same	O
way	O
forum	O
communities	O
exist	O
on	O
the	O
Internet	O
today	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
camaraderie	O
gave	O
rise	O
to	O
WWIVCons	O
,	O
annual	O
meetings	O
where	O
sysops	O
and	O
users	O
of	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
boards	O
met	O
in	O
some	O
central	O
,	O
real-life	O
location	O
to	O
share	O
stories	O
,	O
discuss	O
the	O
future	O
of	O
BBSing	O
,	O
and	O
even	O
hang	O
one	O
or	O
two	O
infamous	O
sysops	O
in	O
effigy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
its	O
popularity	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
n't	O
without	O
its	O
share	O
of	O
controversy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
quite	O
a	O
few	O
non-WWIV	O
sysops	O
,	O
using	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
a	O
sign	O
of	O
rebellion	O
against	O
the	O
status	O
quo	O
;	O
in	O
fact	O
,	O
several	O
key	O
FidoNet	O
administrators	O
were	O
quoted	O
on	O
several	O
occasions	O
that	O
they	O
firmly	O
believed	O
that	O
running	O
a	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
board	O
meant	O
that	O
you	O
were	O
probably	O
running	O
a	O
"	O
pirate	O
"	O
or	O
"	O
hacker	O
"	O
BBS	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
no	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
BBS	O
should	O
be	O
allowed	O
access	O
to	O
FidoNet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
BBSes	B-Application
have	O
been	O
eclipsed	O
by	O
the	O
World	O
Wide	O
Web	O
and	O
the	O
Internet	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
and	O
other	O
popular	O
software	O
still	O
exist	O
and	O
are	O
supported	O
today	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
One	O
popular	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
support	O
site	O
is	O
owned	O
by	O
Frank	O
Reid	O
,	O
who	O
runs	O
Eagle	O
's	O
Dare	O
BBS	O
near	O
Washington	O
,	O
D.C.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
is	O
now	O
owned	O
by	O
Dean	O
Nash	O
aka	O
Trader	O
Jack	O
;	O
his	O
BBS	O
is	O
at	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
uses	O
the	O
Synchronet	B-Protocol
FOSSIL	B-Protocol
driver	O
and	O
is	O
released	O
under	O
the	O
Apache	B-Application
Software	I-Application
License	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Due	O
to	O
its	O
popularity	O
,	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
influenced	O
later	O
BBS	O
programs	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VBBS	B-Protocol
,	O
written	O
by	O
Roland	O
DeGraaf	O
in	O
1990	O
using	O
QuickBASIC	B-Language
,	O
contained	O
a	O
WWIV-type	O
interface	O
and	O
networking	O
that	O
was	O
compatible	O
with	O
WWIVnet	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Early	O
versions	O
of	O
VBBS	B-Protocol
listed	O
features	O
such	O
as	O
"	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
Compatible	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Can	O
be	O
run	O
as	O
a	O
door	O
from	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
BBS.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Telegard	B-Protocol
and	O
Renegade	B-Protocol
BBS	I-Protocol
packages	O
were	O
heavily	O
based	O
on	O
an	O
older	O
version	O
of	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
source	O
code	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
WWIV	B-Operating_System
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	O
Apple	B-Device
Macintosh	I-Device
by	O
Terry	O
Teague	O
and	O
later	O
a	O
WWIV	B-Operating_System
clone	O
for	O
the	O
Macintosh	B-Device
named	O
Hermes	B-Protocol
was	O
written	O
by	O
Frank	O
Price	O
.	O
</s>
