Sezam
Encyclopedia
Sezam, the cult Bulletin Board System
in former Yugoslavia
.
Sezam BBS was founded on November 11, 1989 as one of many one phone line / night only Bulletin Board Systems in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Contrary to many BBS systems dedicated to file download, Sezam focused on conferences. The original BBS software, specially developed by Sezam's founders, Zoran Zivotic and Dejan Ristanovic
, enabled users to share their comments about computers, education, sports, politics...
Within months Sezam had several thousands users and evolved into a subscription-based systems using 3 phone lines. During the following years it grew to 6, 8, 10 and finally 15 phone lines. Tens of thousands users from former Yugoslavia used Sezam to communicate and exchange opinions on various subjects. During the media blockade imposed by Milosevic's regime, Sezam was one of very few free media in Serbia.
In 1995 Sezam BBS evolved to SezamPro and become the influential Internet providing system in Serbia. Old BBS system, with more than million messages in the database, still exists (telnet telnet.sezampro.rs) as the monument to the stormy 1990s in Yugoslavia.
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...
in former Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
.
Sezam BBS was founded on November 11, 1989 as one of many one phone line / night only Bulletin Board Systems in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Contrary to many BBS systems dedicated to file download, Sezam focused on conferences. The original BBS software, specially developed by Sezam's founders, Zoran Zivotic and Dejan Ristanovic
Dejan Ristanovic
Dejan Ristanović , is a well known Serbian writer and computer publicist.In January 1981 he wrote the first article on personal computers for the popular science magazine Galaksija...
, enabled users to share their comments about computers, education, sports, politics...
Within months Sezam had several thousands users and evolved into a subscription-based systems using 3 phone lines. During the following years it grew to 6, 8, 10 and finally 15 phone lines. Tens of thousands users from former Yugoslavia used Sezam to communicate and exchange opinions on various subjects. During the media blockade imposed by Milosevic's regime, Sezam was one of very few free media in Serbia.
In 1995 Sezam BBS evolved to SezamPro and become the influential Internet providing system in Serbia. Old BBS system, with more than million messages in the database, still exists (telnet telnet.sezampro.rs) as the monument to the stormy 1990s in Yugoslavia.
External links
- SezamPro Web page (in Serbian)
- Wired magazine article about Sezam (in English), by David S. Bennahum
- The early days of Sezam by one of its founders (in English)