The File Bank BBS!

The File Bank BBS! History

1993
The File Bank BBS! was originally located in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines and commenced operation in 1993 using Wildcat BBS Software v3.9 and Frontdoor running on DOS and DesqView using a 1440 Supra Modem which was eventually upgraded to a ZyXel 19200 modem. It was only online in the late evening till early morning as phone lines were very difficult to get at that time but after about a year the BBS had one dedicated phone line.
BBSing was very popular back then as I had over 1000 registered callers and the lines were always busy with callers except during ZMH (Zone Mail Hour). As soon as I setup the BBS, I joined Fidonet being allocated node numbers 6:751/301. The Fidonet Echomail and File feed was still supplied via members of the US Military from Japan as the US Bases in the Philippines were closed in 1992, the one person I remember and who became a good friend with is Bill English.

1994
The File Bank BBS! was upgraded to use Wildcat BBS Software v4.0 and Intermail running on OS2 WARP using the 1440 Supra Modem and the 19200 ZyXel Modem as by then I received a second dedicated phone line. The two modems were both replaced some time later with two USR Courier V Everything modems. The Zyxel modem was then used on my voice line to call other BBS'S or poll other Nodes late at night.
Around this time, I became the main Fidonet Echomail and File feed for the Philippines, the feed was supplied by POTS from USR USA (3COM) utilizing the two USR Courier V Everything modems (Sysop discounted) and I was polled twice a day. USR USA at the time supplied a few critical feeds around the world and I was told their Phone bill was around US $30,000 a month.

1996
On Novemeber 1 The File Bank BBS! was again upgraded to use Wildcat BBS Software v5.0 and Platinum Xpress v2.0 running on Windows Sever NT4 and still using the two USR Courier V Everything modems.
Later I was lucky enough to be a beta tester for Destiny Cable who were introducing data interent connections using a cable modem verses DSL being supplied by the Phone companies. The connection was fast and reliable so a new feed for echos and files were established.
Echomail was supplied by Glen Harvey 3:714/930 from Sydney using TransX and files (Filegate) were supplied by Janis Kracht 1:2320/38 from the USA utilizing FTP using Internet Rex. I then became the Zone 6 Filegate Supersite.

1998
Due to business committments Glen could no longer supply a feed so the Echomail feed was then supplied by Todd Cochrane 1:10/345 from the USA utilizing FTP using Internet Rex.

2001
The File Bank BBS! was taken down at the end of 2001 due to my work commitments. There were still a lot of callers at the time but traffic was definitely decreasing due to the internet becoming more widely available and affordable.

2018
I retired and moved back to Cairns, Autralia and started to revive and re-learn what had been forgotten after around 15+ years regarding operating and running a BBS, it is quite shocking how much one can forget in that time.

2019
The File Bank BBS! was rebuilt and updated and back ONLINE using Wildcat BBS Software v7.0 and Platinum Xpress v7.0 running on Win 10 Pro 32 bit. I re-joined Fidonet with Node number 3:640/1321 and now getting Echomail from my uplink Paul Quinn 3:640/1384 and files once again from Janis Kract 1:261/38 utilizing BinkP using Internet Rex plus now have become the Zone 3 SuperSite for Filegate and NC for Net 640. Late in the year the Wildcat BBS Software was upgraded to v8.0 and I joined FSXnet with Node number 21:5/101.

2020
The File Bank BBS! helped to revive WINSnet with Node number 9:467/6 which is a FTN network dedicated to Wildcat BBS systems.

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