You just reminded me of a couple of BBS we had locally when I was a kid that where only on for a couple of hours a day but never exactly on the hour, everyone would start dialling our early to try and connect.
We had a thriving BBS scene despite been a poor northern town because of a historical oddity that meant local calls cost a fixed price whether they lasted 30s or two hours.
I love my modern computers but there was something cool about computers then (or simply the optimism of youth).
It felt like they where going to change everything..and then they only sorta did and not always in ways I’d have wanted.
I guess that’s what people thought of the telephone, wireless and steam engine though.
