Blackboard is a modern implementation of classic bulletin board systems (BBS), inspired by legendary systems like Telegard, Mystic, and Renegade. Built with .NET 8 and featuring a rich terminal interface, it combines the nostalgic charm of 1980s-90s BBSes with modern reliability, security, and maintainability.

Whether you're a sysop looking to run a retro BBS community or a developer interested in terminal applications and networking protocols, Blackboard provides a solid, extensible foundation with comprehensive features.

• 🚀 Modern Architecture - Clean, modular .NET 8 solution with dependency injection
• 🌐 Custom Telnet Server - Full ANSI/VT100 support with proper telnet protocol negotiation
• 🖥️ Terminal Administration - Rich Terminal.Gui interface for system management
• 🗃️ SQLite Database - Reliable data persistence with WAL mode and connection pooling
• ⚙️ YAML Configuration - Hot-reloadable configuration with file watching
• 📝 Comprehensive Logging - Structured logging with Serilog (console + file output)

• 🔐 Secure Authentication - BCrypt password hashing with complexity requirements
• 👤 User Profiles - Customizable profiles with preferences and statistics
• 🛡️ Access Control - Permission levels with granular access control
• 🔒 Session Management - Secure session handling with timeout controls
• 📊 Audit Logging - Complete audit trail for administrative actions

• 📧 Private Messaging - Secure inbox/outbox with read/unread tracking
• 📋 Public Message Boards - Threaded discussions with moderation tools
• 🎨 ANSI Editor - Built-in ANSI art editor for creative message composition
• 🔍 Message Search - Full-text search with pagination support
• 🚫 User Blocking - Block/unblock system for user privacy
• 📈 Message Quotas - Configurable daily and monthly limits

• 🗂️ File Areas - Organized file libraries with permissions and quotas
• 📥 File Transfers - Upload/download support with approval workflow
• ⭐ Rating System - 5-star rating system with user comments
• 🏷️ File Tagging - Tag-based organization and search
• 📊 Statistics - Download tracking and usage analytics
• 🧹 Auto-cleanup - Automatic removal of expired files

• 🚪 Door Registry - Comprehensive door game management interface
• 💾 DOS Games Support - DOSBox integration for classic BBS doors
• 📄 Drop File Standards - Support for DOOR.SYS, DORINFO1.DEF formats
• 🔌 FOSSIL Emulation - Serial port to telnet emulation for legacy compatibility
• 🎯 Access Controls - User-level permissions and scheduling
• 📈 Game Statistics - Session monitoring and usage statistics

• 📊 Real-time Dashboard - Live system statistics and monitoring
• 👨‍💼 User Management - Comprehensive user administration tools
• 🔧 Configuration Manager - Hot-reloadable YAML configuration system
• 📝 Log Viewer - Built-in log analysis and monitoring
• 🛠️ Maintenance Tools - Database optimization and cleanup utilities

• .NET 8.0 SDK or later
• Operating System: Linux, Windows, or macOS
• Terminal: Any ANSI/VT100 compatible terminal or telnet client

1. Clone the repository

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/blackboard.git
   cd blackboard

2. Build the solution

   dotnet build

3. Run the BBS

   dotnet run --project src/Blackboard

4. Connect to your BBS

   telnet localhost 2323

Note: The system starts with the telnet server offline by default for security. Use the admin interface to enable it.

┌─────────────────┐ ┌──────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐
│ Telnet Client │────│ Blackboard │────│ SQLite Database │
└─────────────────┘ └──────────────────┘ └─────────────────┘
 │
 ┌────────┴────────┐
 │ │
 ┌──────▼──────┐ ┌──────▼──────┐
 │ Terminal UI │ │ YAML │
 │ (Admin) │ │ Config │
 └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘

Blackboard/
├── 📁 src/
│ ├── 🎯 Blackboard/ # Main application & Terminal.Gui interface
│ ├── 🧠 Blackboard.Core/ # Core business logic & services
│ └── 💾 Blackboard.Data/ # Data access layer & SQLite management
├── 🧪 tests/ # Unit and integration tests
├── 📚 docs/ # Documentation & guides
├── ⚙️ blackboard.yml # Configuration file
└── 📄 README.md # This file

• 🚪 Door System Guide - Complete guide to setting up door games
• 📋 Product Requirements - Detailed feature specifications
• ✅ Development Tasks - Current development roadmap

# Clone and build
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/blackboard.git
cd blackboard
dotnet restore
dotnet build
# Run tests
dotnet test
# Run with hot reload
dotnet watch --project src/Blackboard

• Framework: .NET 8.0
• UI: Terminal.Gui
• Database: SQLite with Entity Framework
• Logging: Serilog
• Configuration: YamlDotNet
• Security: BCrypt.Net, JWT tokens
• Testing: xUnit, Moq

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Please read our Contributing Guidelines for details on our code of conduct and development process.

Phase 1: Core System

• .NET 8.0 project structure with modular design
• Custom telnet server with ANSI/VT100 support
• Terminal.Gui administration interface
• SQLite database with comprehensive schema
• YAML configuration system with hot-reload
• Serilog structured logging

Phase 2: User Management

• User registration and authentication
• Profile management and preferences
• Permission levels and access control
• Password security with BCrypt
• Session management and audit logging

Phase 3: Administration

• Real-time dashboard with system statistics
• Active sessions monitoring
• Configuration management interface
• User management tools
• System alerts and notifications

Phase 4: Messaging

• Private messaging with inbox/outbox
• Public message boards with threading
• ANSI editor integration
• Message search and pagination
• User blocking and preferences
• Admin moderation tools

Phase 5: File Management

• File areas with permissions
• Upload/download with approval workflow
• File search and tagging
• Rating system with comments
• Statistics and auto-cleanup

Phase 6: Door Games

• Door registry and management
• DOSBox integration for DOS games
• Drop file support (DOOR.SYS, DORINFO1.DEF)
• FOSSIL emulation for legacy compatibility
• Access controls and scheduling

Phase 7: Inter-BBS Networks

• FidoNet protocol support
• QWK/REP packet processing
• Network configuration interface
• Message routing and import/export

Phase 8: Enhanced UI

• Custom ANSI art screens and menus
• Real-time updates and notifications
• Enhanced keyboard navigation
• Template system for dynamic content

• System starts with telnet server offline by default
• Default telnet port 2323 (non-privileged)
• BCrypt password hashing with salt
• Comprehensive audit logging
• Session timeout controls
• Database WAL mode for better concurrency

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

• Inspired by classic BBS systems: Telegard, Mystic BBS, and Renegade
• Built with modern .NET technologies
• Terminal.Gui for rich console interfaces
• The BBS community for keeping the spirit alive

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Project Wiki