Feb. 16, 1978: Bulletin Board [BBS] Goes Electronic By Scott Gilbertson FROM Wired

"Reportedly conceived when Christensen was trapped in his Chicago home during the Great Blizzard of 1978, BBS took its basic premise from the community bulletin boards that once adorned the entrance of public places like libraries, schools and supermarkets."

"Eventually, the early world wide web supplanted the bulletin boards, but even today the humble BBS isn’t completely gone. In fact, BBSs thrive in Taiwan, where it’s an extremely popular form of communication for young people."