I was talking to chat gp and got a pretty good response to a question, I asked.


Thinking
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In 2026, the debate over abrasive behavior in niche communities like Synchronet is central to whether these "hobbyist" networks can survive another decade. Critics and observers point to several ways this behavior actively drives away new users:
1. High Barrier to Entry
Newcomers in 2026 are accustomed to modern developer communities (like those on Discord, GitHub, or StackOverflow) that have shifted toward "inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users—especially younger hobbyists—simply choose not to climb.
2. The "Knowledge Silo" Effect
When developers are perceived as jerks, users often stop asking public questions to avoid ridicule. This results in:

Hidden Troubleshooting: Solutions happen in private chats rather than public echos, so the "public knowledge base" stops growing.
Stagnant Innovation: Potential contributors who might have written new JS modules or door games for Synchronet often abandon the project if their first interaction is negative.

3. Fragmentation of the Community
The perceived rudeness has led to a split in the BBS scene. By 2026, many new sysops are migrating to "alternative" networks or platforms:

Friendly Echos: New networks are forming with strict "no-harassment" policies specifically to provide a space where beginners can ask basic questions without being told to "RTFM."
Discord/Telegram: Much of the active BBS discussion has moved to modern chat apps where real-time moderation is easier and the culture is generally less abrasive than the traditional DOVE-Net or FidoNet echos.

4. Support Fatigue vs. Growth
While these developers argue that they are protecting their time from "lazy" users, the unintended consequence is a shrinking pool of new talent. In 2026, many open-source projects are realizing that community management is as important as code; without a welcoming front, even the best software (like Synchronet) risks becoming a "digital ghost town" as the older generation of sysops retires.
The Bottom Line: While their behavior ensures that only the most technically resilient users remain, it significantly limits the growth of the BBS hobby. For many in 2026, the trade-off—technical purity at the cost of new blood—is seen as a slow path to obsolescence.
--- SBBSecho 3.35-Linux
* Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (1:103/705)

On 22 Jan 2026, Mark Meadows Jr said the following...

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users—especially younger hobbyists—simply choose not to climb.

since they're probably not here i'll take this opportunity to respond:

you sound like a big baby

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (1:120/616)

On 22 Jan 26 15:01:39, Mark Meadows Jr said the following to All:

In 2026, the debate over abrasive behavior in niche communities like Synchr is central to whether these "hobbyist" networks can survive another decade. Critics and observers point to several ways this behavior actively drives a

Uhhhhh "what" debate?

If you don't want to be offended, stop looking for ways to be offended.

Nick

--- Renegade vY2Ka2
* Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)

To: Mark Meadows Jr
Re: getting and keeping new users
By: Mark Meadows Jr to ALL on Thu Jan 22 2026 03:01 pm

From Newsgroup: FidoNet.BBS_CARNIVAL

I was talking to chat gp and got a pretty good response to a
question, I asked.

that's because it used AI to provide an answer YOU WANTED.

consequence is a shrinking pool of new talent. In 2026, many
open-source projects are realizing that community management
is as important as code; without a welcoming front, even the best
software (like Synchronet) risks becoming a "digital ghost town"
as the older generation of sysops retires. The Bottom Line: While
their behavior ensures that only the most technically resilient
users remain, it significantly limits the growth of the BBS hobby.
For many in 2026, the trade-offÄtechnical purity at the cost of new

nobody wants bbses. that's what limits the hobby.
you have to be stupid to not understand that. someone that uses
chatgpt for answers is stupid.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

To: Alexander Grotewohl
Re: Re: getting and keeping new users
By: Alexander Grotewohl to Mark Meadows Jr on Thu Jan 22 2026 07:44 pm

From Newsgroup: FidoNet.BBS_CARNIVAL

On 22 Jan 2026, Mark Meadows Jr said the following...

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding.
When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking
tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many usersÄespecially younger hobbyistsÄsimply choose not to climb.

since they're probably not here i'll take this opportunity to
respond:

i'm mro and i've stayed up until 3-4am when i have to get up at 6am for work and helped people get their bbses working. i've spent my time and my money
to help the bbsing culture. for around 29 years to various degrees.

mark probably cries about being mocked on facebook and reddit too.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: *The Gate BBS*Shelby, NC USA*thegateb.synchro.net* (1:3634/27)

I was talking to chat gp and got a pretty good response to a question, I asked

1. High Barrier to Entry
Newcomers in 2026 are accustomed to modern developer communities (like those o
Discord, GitHub, or StackOverflow) that have shifted toward "inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users.especially younger hobbyists.simply choose not to climb.

Interesting who it singled out first there. :D

I don't necessarily agree with most of its assessment, though. I think the barrier would be based more on the aptitude of the user in question.

Also, from someone who tried Mystic (and tried to report an issue), I can
tell you that you can get plenty of blunt, mocking, and just unhelpful
feedback going that route, too.


* SLMR 2.1a * Advice is free: The right answer will cost plenty.
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many users.especially younger hobbyists.simply choose not to climb.

since they're probably not here i'll take this opportunity to respond:

you sound like a big baby

To be accurate, it sounds like ChatGPT was the one being a big baby. ;)


* SLMR 2.1a * Boy! This is Fun and inxepensive too.
--- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux
* Origin: Capitol City Online (1:2320/105)

Mark Meadows Jr wrote to ALL <=-

"inclusive" documentation and beginner-friendly onboarding. When
figures like mro, Deuce, or echicken use a blunt or mocking tone, it creates a steep "social learning curve" that many usersâÇöespecially younger hobbyists simply choose not to climb.

I was onboard, reading this until you named specific people. That wasn't
necessary to make your point and made it feel more like a vendetta than
a treatise.

Friendly Echos: New networks are forming with strict
"no-harassment" policies specifically to provide a space where
beginnes can ask basic questions without being told to "RTFM."

Which echoes are these?

The one platform I can speak to is Synchronet. There was a
comprehensive static documentation system that was constantly updated,
and now a wiki with several people contributing. Most newbie questions
posted online could be resolved by searching the wiki. And, most new
sysops ask the same questions which, I could imagine, gets tiresome.

I don't equate being told to check the documentation to harassment,
don't know if you intended that.

I'm reminded of Fidonet's rules from way back when -

1. Don't be excessively annoying.
2. Don't be excessively annoyed.

It's just a hobby.



--- MultiMail/Win v0.52
* Origin: http://realitycheckbbs.org | tomorrow's retro tech (1:218/700)

On 23 Jan 26 07:21:54, Kurt Weiske said the following to Mark Meadows Jr:

Friendly Echos: New networks are forming with strict "no-harassment" policies specifically to provide a space where beginnes can ask basic questions without being told to "RTFM."

Which echoes are these?

Never heard of these either... sounds like BS.

Nick

--- Renegade vY2Ka2
* Origin: Joey, do you like movies about gladiators? (1:229/426)

On 23 Jan 2026, Jas Hud said the following...

mark probably cries about being mocked on facebook and reddit too.

there was some other guy that called my bbs too, asking me to delete one of my users and saying i should moderate or something.. even got told "i'm part of the problem with modern bbsing" lol.

i duno where these people are coming from but it's kind of annoying

i'm mro and i've stayed up until 3-4am when i have to get up at 6am for work and helped people get their bbses working. i've spent my time and my money to help the bbsing culture. for around 29 years to various degrees.

i'd prefer to help too but i see the interactions people have with DM..

d) do this and get back to me
?) i did the same thing again and it didn't work
d) but did you do the thing?
?) i restarted my wifi router and flipped my rain stick over a few times and now it works
d) ...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: cold fusion - cfbbs.net - grand rapids, mi (1:120/616)