My favourite activity on any retro computer that isn't game-focused is BBSing. So I "need" VT100 emulation for that to satisfy my expectations for what a BBS session should be like.

I think the main problem here is, that most BBS'es require 80 columns. Most
of my retro computers supply 32, 40 or 64. That make it a subset I can use
for BBSing.

/Mrtinb, Denmark

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Linux/64)
* Origin: Al's Geek Lab -=- bbs.alsgeeklab.com:2323 (21:1/126)

I think the main problem here is, that most BBS'es require 80 columns. Most of my retro computers supply 32, 40 or 64. That make it a subset
I can use for BBSing.

Most "modern" BBS would be 80cols when you're at ~40cols, have to admit
having never seen a 64col display thats and odd one... Mostly you're going to be limited to BBS of the same kind of vintage.

A lot of "old" Apple II+ systems were only 40 col, and for the most part
you'd be limited to using a BBS running on another Apple II+, mind you even
the far better equipped IIgs couldn't manage a reliable ANSI emulation,
usually having to resort to graphics to display any colours, and then
rendering issues due to limited processor speed.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Most "modern" BBS would be 80cols when you're at ~40cols, have to admit having never seen a 64col display thats and odd one... Mostly you're

The TRS-80 Model I and III were 64 columns.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Rocket Town BBS (21:1/203)

I'd have to say... a lot of the 40/80 column stuff is present in the
Atari BBS scene too. Most of the ST boards don't handle 40 col all that
well (as they were mostly 80) and even though there were a few Atari 8
bit terms that supported 80 col, most Atari BBS's have only ASCII support
for 80 col (some may do ANSI or 80 col ATASCII).

So there are a few 40 col BBS's out there in the Atari scene at least.
Quite a few.

--- RATSoft/FIDO v09.14.95 [JetMail 1.01]
* Origin: STar Fleet HQ - Real Atari! bbs.sfhqbbs.org:5983 (21:3/171.0)

The TRS-80 Model I and III were 64 columns.

Interesting, I recall many fun and frustrating times playing Raaka-tu on a model 1, wasn't mine... I have to admit not counting the columns... but I thought it had 80... even back then... shrug.. there we go, you can still
learn something new every other day :)

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

Interesting, I recall many fun and frustrating times playing Raaka-tu on
a model 1, wasn't mine... I have to admit not counting the columns...
but I thought it had 80... even back then... shrug.. there we go, you
can still learn something new every other day :)

Well, at that time, there was only the Commodore PET and Apple II. I know the PET was 40 columns (the 80 column models didn't come out until much later). I'm not sure about the Apple, but I'm pretty sure it was 40 colums as well.

So the TRS-80 looked much more like an 80 column display compared to the others.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A47 2021/12/25 (Windows/32)
* Origin: Rocket Town BBS (21:1/203)

Well, at that time, there was only the Commodore PET and Apple II. I know the PET was 40 columns (the 80 column models didn't come out until much later). I'm not sure about the Apple, but I'm pretty sure it was 40 colums as well.

That is I s'pose pretty true. Apple's would've come out of the factory
40cols at that stage of their lives... most 80col cards I can find are ~1981.. the odd one as far back as 1979 but you can imagine they would've been hideously expensive at the time.

I didn't really have much to do with them until about 1984 or so and pretty much everything was 80 by then.. the II would've been obsolete in favour of
the IIe which came with the 80col pre installed.

Spec


*** THE READER V4.50 [freeware]
--- SuperBBS v1.17-3 (Eval)
* Origin: A camel is a horse designed by a committee. (21:3/101)

With the exception of a couple default files, which you can easily edit, Synchronet does a really nice job at displaying things for me at 40 columns.
I connect into the BBS with 40 column ASCII from the Atari and 40 column PETSCII (yes, it converts all the ANSI to PETSCII!) from the C64 pretty
often. It's really cool how you could almost think it was a C64 BBS. If you'd like to see an example, try tacopronto.bbs.io. For regular ANSI and ASCII,
use port 23. For PETSCII use port 2064 for 40 columns and 2128 for 80 columns.

It's just the login screen that is in 80 columns.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/03/02 (Windows/32)
* Origin: 8-Bit Boyz BBS! -=[ bbs.8bitboyz.com port:6502 ]=- (21:4/137)