NetBBSD is a retro-inspired, modern-architecture BBS software designed for *nix(-like) systems like NetBSD, FreeBSD, and other POSIX-compatible systems. It brings back the experience of the classic BBS era, enhanced with modern security, Unicode support, an IRC-style real-time chat, and inter-BBS link capabilities.
- Telnet-based access for real terminal clients
- Support for ANSI art and color menus
- SQLite-backed database with hashed passwords
- Message boards, file areas, and private messages
- Attachment support for message board posts
- Role-based moderation
- Extensive SysOp controls
- Granular permission system
- Real-time chat channels
- Lightweight and dependency-free (Python 3 stdlib only)
- Designed for NetBSD, but should run on or easily be portable to any *nix(-like) system
- Easy-to-setup mesh network "NetBBSD Link" between
NetBBSDBBSes with automatic key exchange - Inter-BBS PM system
- Linked file areas ("NetBBSD Link Areas") and message boards ("NetBBSD Link Boards")
- Linked IRC-style chat channels ("NetBBSD Link Channels")
- Passwords hashed via bcrypt (fallback: pbkdf2_hmac)
- Configurable rate limits for logins
- Idle timeouts to prevent zombie sessions
- No shell evals or arbitrary code execution
- Sandbox to run external programs/door games
- Python 3.7+ (3.9+ recommended)
- NetBSD or any UNIX-like system with POSIX support
$ python3 netbbsd.pyYou can connect with:
$ telnet localhost 2323Upon first run, netbbsd.py creates a config file netbbsd.ini in the current directory with (hopefully) sensible defaults.
This README is very much work in progress - just like the entire project. Don't expect things to be fully fleshed out or even just working. NetBBSD in its current form serves more as a proof of concept, not so much as a turnkey solution (although providing an easy-to-use modern BBS software package is a project goal).
All configuration takes please in the netbbsd.ini INI file. At the very least, you should set a hostname for your BBS.
This documentation is severely lacking, but you might be able to gather more information from the actual code and its annotations.
- Compatibility of door game launcher (external process sandbox) with existing door games for other BBS software packages
- Upload/download quotas for file areas
- Attachment support for PMs
Pull requests and bug reports are welcome. Architecture is deliberately monolithic for ease of deployment, but modularization is possible in future branches (i.e. code is already divided into functions).
This project is licensed under the 3-clause BSD license. See the LICENSE file for details.
