==============================================================================
HOSTING IMAGE BBS ON A RASPBERRY PI ==============================================================================

Can you do it? Absolutely. Because Image BBS was built for the Commodore 64/128, running it on modern ARM hardware requires bridging the retro-to-modern
gap. SysOps generally use one of two setups:

1. THE VIRTUAL C64 APPROACH (AUTHENTIC EMULATION)
Run the classic Image BBS software (v1.2a, v2.0, or v3.0) via emulation.
- THE EMULATOR: Use VICE (Commodore emulator) running on Raspberry Pi OS.
- THE MODEM: Use 'tcpser' to translate modern Telnet/SSH internet traffic
into virtual Hayes "AT" commands that the emulated C64 can read.
- TIP: Look into community Docker containers (like the Pinacolada64 builds
on GitHub) to skip the manual setup headaches.

2. NATIVE LINUX BBS SUITES (THE MODERN ALTERNATIVE)
If you want a 24/7 Pi server without dealing with Commodore limitations,
shift to native ARM-compatible BBS packages.
- SOFTWARE: Mystic BBS or Synchronet.
- ADVANTAGES: Runs directly on the Pi without emulation, native multi-node
support, robust ANSI graphics, and superior modern network stability.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------ REPLY BELOW: Are you chasing pure C64 nostalgia via emulation! ==============================================================================

+ call.rofbbs.com:6800 [email protected] 423-541-8271 IPv4 & IPv6
+ ACIS Member. AmigaNet ArakNet C=Net DescipleNet FidoNet PiNet RetroNet
--- C-Net/5
* Origin: Reign of Fire : ROF FTN : ArakNet 2.0 : www.rofbbs.com (314:413/1)

Re: Image BBS on a Pi
By: Spitfire to All on Sun Nov 01 2026 10:21:41

...robust ANSI graphics...

As opposed to, what...weak ANSI graphics?
--- SBBSecho 3.38-Linux
* Origin: End Of The Line BBS - endofthelinebbs.com (314:413/10)

On Mon 2-Nov-2026 11:04a, Mortar@314:413/10.0 said to Spitfire:

Re: Image BBS on a Pi
By: Spitfire to All on Sun Nov 01 2026 10:21:41

...robust ANSI graphics...

As opposed to, what...weak ANSI graphics?

ASCII only, 40 columns only, Petscii only. Have you called an Image BBS?

+ call.rofbbs.com:6800 [email protected] 423-541-8271 IPv4 & IPv6
+ ACIS Member. AmigaNet ArakNet C=Net DescipleNet FidoNet PiNet RetroNet
--- C-Net/5
* Origin: Reign of Fire : ROF FTN : ArakNet 2.0 : www.rofbbs.com (314:413/1)

On 01 Nov 2026, Spitfire said the following...

==========================================================================
HOSTING IMAGE BBS ON A RASPBERRY PI ==========================================================================

Can you do it? Absolutely. Because Image BBS was built for the Commodore 64/128, running it on modern ARM hardware requires bridging the retro-to-modern

gap. SysOps generally use one of two setups:

1. THE VIRTUAL C64 APPROACH (AUTHENTIC EMULATION)
Run the classic Image BBS software (v1.2a, v2.0, or v3.0) via emulation. - THE EMULATOR: Use VICE (Commodore emulator) running on Raspberry Pi OS. - THE MODEM: Use 'tcpser' to translate modern Telnet/SSH internet traffic into virtual Hayes "AT" commands that the emulated C64 can read. - TIP: Look into community Docker
containers (like the Pinacolada64 builds on GitHub) to skip the manual setup headaches.

Folks, easiest way to run Image BBS on a Pi or a PC is to download my BBS on a Stick, it is a full package download! For Windows or Linux, the Windows version comes with WinVice (nightly version from the day of being packaged) right now it includes TCPSER although this weekend (11/7/2026) it will now include WNFTelser a full blown TCPSER and BBS Server replacement! It includes the latest Image BBS with fixes up to that date, plus mods that I have written for Image BBS. All on a emulated Lt Kernal Hard Drive. The Linux version comes with a build script which will build Vice from Source and install the BBS on it, in both packages all you need to do is double click a .bat file or type ./im3.sh on a Pi or Debian based OS. A little about me, I have been running Image BBS since the first day it was released (Serial# E0001), I ran NISSA (New Image SysOp Support Association) from 1989 till 1993 and ran the NISSA Network the same time. In 1996 I and a few other programmers took on the task of completing the v2.0 version. My hardware died and I had to leave the group. In 2018, when I got back into BBS'n, I was the first person to get Image BBS to run in Emulation, counteracting 9 years of people saying it couldn't be done! In 2019 I and X-Tec took on writing a new v3.0 from the remains of what was left of a 2.0 which never was finished. We released it in 2020. From that point till now, we have been doing fixes to anything that was broken, and I have been writing pfiles and making changes to the files to make it more SysOp helpful. I just wrote the 56k routines for modems to connect at 56k (will be included in the next Stick update and in the fixes disk that X-Tec releases at the end of the year). You want to run a Image BBS? Go to www.wrgnbr.com and grab my Stick project and you will be up in minutes. It will take you more time to do the SysOp config inside the BBS then it will take to install it with my simple install files!


|11 Bucko |14- |06Wrong Number Family Of BBS' |07- |03www.wrgnbr.com

... Computers all wait at the same speed!

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (314:413/5)

On 02 Nov 2026, Spitfire said the following...

ASCII only, 40 columns only, Petscii only. Have you called an Image BBS?

Actually, Image BBS supports ASCII, Petscii, and ANSI. In 40 and 80 columns..


|11 Bucko |14- |06Wrong Number Family Of BBS' |07- |03www.wrgnbr.com

... 24 hours in a day and 24 beers in a case. Hmmmm...

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
* Origin: The Wrong Number Family Of BBS' - Wrong Number ][ (314:413/5)

On Mon 2-Nov-2026 7:22p, Bucko@314:413/5.0 said to Spitfire:

Actually, Image BBS supports ASCII, Petscii, and ANSI. In 40 and 80 columns..

Yes it does, its a very nice Commodore BBS. This is why I started this topic here.

+ call.rofbbs.com:6800 [email protected] 423-541-8271 IPv4 & IPv6
+ ACIS Member. AmigaNet ArakNet C=Net DescipleNet FidoNet PiNet RetroNet
--- C-Net/5
* Origin: Reign of Fire : ROF FTN : ArakNet 2.0 : www.rofbbs.com (314:413/1)