Usenet and Bulletin board systems

Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) were based on widely available personal computers, and spread rapidly.
Usenet and Bulletin board systems are types of forums where one or two particular subjects are up for discussion. It allows people to communcate through 'threads' and comment on each others thoughts, all the comments are openly shared with everyone. People participating in an Internet forum can build bonds with each other and interest groups will easily form around a topic's discussion, subjects dealt within or around sections in the forum.

I personally have not ever used BBS before so have no experience of them.