Computerized bulletin board systems allow users to post electronic messages, and responses to messages. The first computerized bulletin board system, CBBS, was launched on February 16, 1978.
BBSs worked mainly over dialup links. They became obsolete with the growth of the world-wide-web, and have been replaced by today's internet-based forums, which are far easier to deploy and use.
Forums are proving to be a very powerful way that people can exchange information. This in turn is having a major effect on hierarchical organizations, because with forums, people have access to valuable information, and can coordinate their activities without direction by central teams.
As the arab spring of 2011 illustrated.--David Ferris