PODSnet
Encyclopedia
Pagan Occult Distribution System Network (PODSnet) was a neopagan
/occult
computer network
of Pagan Sysops and Sysops carrying Pagan/Magickal/Occult oriented echoes operating on an international basis, with FIDO Nodes
in Australia, Canada, Germany, the U.K., and across the USA. PODSnet grew rapidly, and at its height, was the largest privately distributed network of Pagans, Occultists, and other people of an Esoterical bent on this planet.
, which was created by J. Brad Hicks, the Sysop of the Weirdbase BBS
back in 1985. MAGICK was the 8th Echo conference created on FidoNet
. It quickly grew to 12 systems, and then went international when the first Canadian Pagan BBS
, Solsbury Hill (Farrell McGovern, Sysop), joined. This was just a hint of its growth to come.
Another early expansion was the addition of two more echoes, MUNDANE and METAPHYSICAL.
MUNDANE was created to move all "chat"; that is personal discussions, and other conversations that were of a non-pagan or magickal nature. Simulataneously, METAPHYSICAL was created for long, "article-style" posts of information on full rituals, papers and essays of a Pagan, Occult or Magickal nature.
These three were bundled as the "Magicknet Trio". If a BBS carried one, they had to carry all three.
At its height, there were over 50 "official" echoes that were considered part of the PODSNet backbone, with several others available.
Like many open source
and standards-based technology projects, FidoNet grew rapidly, and then forked. The addition of Zones to the Fidonet technology allowed for easier routing of email internationally, and the creation of networks outside of the control of International Fido Net Association (IFNA). As a number of associated Echos were added to the Magicknet Trio, the Sysops who carried them collectively decided to form their own network, the Pagan Occult Distribution System, or PODSnet. It asked for the zone number of 93, as the other popular occult oriented zone numbers, 5 and 23 (see Discordianism
) were already reserved. See 93 (Thelema)
for more information about why 93 was chosen.
As PodsNet users came from various religious paths, from Asatru to Zen Buddhist, and their contributions as well as topical messages were compiled two to three times a year during the life of PODSNet.
Since the end of the BBS era, these files have circulated online on a number of services, often with introductory material stripped, and offered for sale on sites such as eBay.com. Charging money for the collection is in direct violation of the copyright notice within the volumes that the material is offered free of charge; additionally, portions of the content are under individual copyright by a variety of publishers, including Weiser, Llewellyn Publishing and others, as some texts were extracted in there entirety from published books. Other pieces have subsequently been formally published by their authors, including Dorothy Morrison, Mike Nichols and Isaac Bonewits, among others.
Neopaganism
Neopaganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of modern religious movements, particularly those influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe...
/occult
Occult
The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g...
computer network
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
of Pagan Sysops and Sysops carrying Pagan/Magickal/Occult oriented echoes operating on an international basis, with FIDO Nodes
FidoNet
FidoNet is a worldwide computer network that is used for communication between bulletin board systems. It was most popular in the early to mid 1990s, prior to the introduction of easy and affordable access to the Internet...
in Australia, Canada, Germany, the U.K., and across the USA. PODSnet grew rapidly, and at its height, was the largest privately distributed network of Pagans, Occultists, and other people of an Esoterical bent on this planet.
Origins
PODSnet grew out of an echomail area/public forum (Echo) named MAGICK on FidoNetFidoNet
FidoNet is a worldwide computer network that is used for communication between bulletin board systems. It was most popular in the early to mid 1990s, prior to the introduction of easy and affordable access to the Internet...
, which was created by J. Brad Hicks, the Sysop of the Weirdbase BBS
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
back in 1985. MAGICK was the 8th Echo conference created on FidoNet
FidoNet
FidoNet is a worldwide computer network that is used for communication between bulletin board systems. It was most popular in the early to mid 1990s, prior to the introduction of easy and affordable access to the Internet...
. It quickly grew to 12 systems, and then went international when the first Canadian Pagan BBS
Bulletin board system
A Bulletin Board System, or BBS, is a computer system running software that allows users to connect and log in to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, a user can perform functions such as uploading and downloading software and data, reading news and bulletins, and exchanging...
, Solsbury Hill (Farrell McGovern, Sysop), joined. This was just a hint of its growth to come.
Another early expansion was the addition of two more echoes, MUNDANE and METAPHYSICAL.
MUNDANE was created to move all "chat"; that is personal discussions, and other conversations that were of a non-pagan or magickal nature. Simulataneously, METAPHYSICAL was created for long, "article-style" posts of information on full rituals, papers and essays of a Pagan, Occult or Magickal nature.
These three were bundled as the "Magicknet Trio". If a BBS carried one, they had to carry all three.
At its height, there were over 50 "official" echoes that were considered part of the PODSNet backbone, with several others available.
Structure
Similarly to FidoNet, PODSnet was organized into Zones, Regions, Networks, Nodes and Points; however, unlike FidoNet, these were not geographically determined, as the individual SysOp would determine from where to receive the network feed. Additionally, Points were more common within PODSnet due to the specialized nature of the network.Like many open source
Open source
The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...
and standards-based technology projects, FidoNet grew rapidly, and then forked. The addition of Zones to the Fidonet technology allowed for easier routing of email internationally, and the creation of networks outside of the control of International Fido Net Association (IFNA). As a number of associated Echos were added to the Magicknet Trio, the Sysops who carried them collectively decided to form their own network, the Pagan Occult Distribution System, or PODSnet. It asked for the zone number of 93, as the other popular occult oriented zone numbers, 5 and 23 (see Discordianism
Discordianism
Discordianism is a religion based on the worship of Eris , the Greco-Roman goddess of strife. It was founded circa 1958–1959 after the publication of its holy book the Principia Discordia, written by Malaclypse the Younger and Omar Khayyam Ravenhurst after a series of shared hallucinations at a...
) were already reserved. See 93 (Thelema)
93 (Thelema)
The number 93 is of great significance in Thelema, a religious philosophy founded by English author and occultist Aleister Crowley in 1904 with the writing of The Book of the Law ....
for more information about why 93 was chosen.
The "PODSNet Book of Shadows"
One of the most enduring contributions to the online world was a collection of rituals, articles poetry and discussion collected by Paul Seymour of the Riders of the Crystal Wind, and often referred to as either the "Internet Book of Shadows" or the "PODSNet Book of Shadows".. These books (there are seven in all) are, in fact, a collection of rituals, spells, recipes, messages, and essays from and among members of PODSNet.As PodsNet users came from various religious paths, from Asatru to Zen Buddhist, and their contributions as well as topical messages were compiled two to three times a year during the life of PODSNet.
Since the end of the BBS era, these files have circulated online on a number of services, often with introductory material stripped, and offered for sale on sites such as eBay.com. Charging money for the collection is in direct violation of the copyright notice within the volumes that the material is offered free of charge; additionally, portions of the content are under individual copyright by a variety of publishers, including Weiser, Llewellyn Publishing and others, as some texts were extracted in there entirety from published books. Other pieces have subsequently been formally published by their authors, including Dorothy Morrison, Mike Nichols and Isaac Bonewits, among others.
External links
- Internet Archive of The PODSnet Internet home (official site temporary offline)
- J. Brad Hick's Homepage
- Jay Loveless's PODSnet page. Jay was one of PODSnet's administrators. (Page retrieved from the Internet Archive Wayback Machine as IO.COM is no longer on-line.)
- PODSNet Alumni Group on Facebook
- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PODSreunion/ - PODSnet "General Chat" Echo on Yahoo! Groups.