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Sixteen years ago I was working on updating my BBS and was massively updating the "files" section of it. Before it had pretty much been a posting and game BBS, the only files I had at the time were fairly common ones for other SysOps. So I spent a few days calling out to other BBS's and for shits and giggles grabbed some adult picture files and very stupid animated movies (mostly scanned mags and crap). I added these to my "files" section and then set the ratio as 4-1 on them (four upload credits required for one download credit). In a matter of litterally days my usage had really spiked and I was getting emails asking if people could just buy credits instead of uploading files for them. I was unsure if they would really pay but did it anyways. I told them to mail me a copy of their ID along with a payment that would total ten cents per credit desired. I also placed this on the BBS. Much to my surprise a week later I had recieved approx 300.00 in checks, money orders, and cash. The light bulb had went off.
I knew I could not charge for others work "mag scans" so I went searching for some BBS roms that were adult. I found and bought every one I could locate and a multi-disk changer. It was near impossible to keep up. My one line BBS had exploded into a 10 line BBS with roughly 90% activity 24/7. I began adding even more lines and premium numbers available for an extra fee and people paid that. I was then at 22 lines 10 of which were premium lines for paying members only. I then ran into my delima.
I could not locate any more BBS roms that I did not already own. I was getting bundles of cash every day in the mail and was hooked. I still refused to offer up scans of mags like many did since I was very aware of the copyright issues (despite knowing I could get away with it).
I thought it over and figured I would take a major risk. I built up my nerves and got myself ready to get slapped the shit out of and asked a friend if I could take some naked pictures of her for a hundred bucks a day. To my surprise she did not slap me and jumped at the chance. I spent several days photographing my friend naked and then paid an insane amount to get the film developed and scanned in. I was about out of funds again after this ordeal and my phone bills were due soon.
I added in a new files section called local girls and set the credits at 10 to 1. Basicly 1.00 per picture to download them. It went over very well and the gamble had paid off. I began finding more girls shooting them and adding them to the BBS. Money was rolling in left and right and everything was perfect.
Then on some icenet or other private network I was hearing talk of stuff called newsgroups and something called the internet. After getting the basic jist of it I knew in my heart that my BBS now officially had a tombstone in its near future. I quickly learned what I could and dug up as much information as possible on this whole internet thing. On March 30th, 1997 I officially pulled the plug on my BBS. At its hayday it was a 42 line system, 32 of those lines being premium lines and across the board I maintained an average 85% active rate and nearly a 100% active rate on the 10 free lines. The rest is history, but without monica saying yes that one day I would of never moved foward. In lots of ways I owe it all to her.
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