#MARCHintosh project: Mac IIci 6-node Hermes II BBS

[Byte Knight]

The 90's Mac underground scene is back for the month of March at The Crow's Nest BBS - download the latest Mac releases, read some HackAddict/Happle Mac underground G-Files, browse the message forums, and play some old-school door games all from your vintage Mac!

The Hermes II v3.1.1 BBS software is running on a 40MHz 68040 Carrera-accelerated Mac IIci with a CSI Hurdler II 4-port serial NuBUS card connected to 5 WiModem232's and one dial-up Zoom modem. Why run an older version of Hermes II you might ask? It's all about the door games, and the vast majority of doors I was able to track down won't work with versions of Hermes II 3.5 and above.

So fire up that old Mac and check out the BBS while it's up for the month of March! Nobody has been able to crack or find a working serial number for v3.1.1 so it can only run for the 30 day trial period. Use ZTerm with a wifi/dial-up modem or Black Night with a networked Mac to connect. Telnet to crowsnestbbs.ddns.net ports 6801-6805 or call (612) 886-6348. Hope to see you there!

 

[JeffC]

I ran a 2-line BBS with Hermes when I was a kid, on a '040 accelerated Mac II. The guy who wrote the Hermes software lived a couple streets from me, so I just walked up and bought my copy directly from him.

 

[Byte Knight]

I ran a 2-line BBS with Hermes when I was a kid, on a '040 accelerated Mac II. The guy who wrote the Hermes software lived a couple streets from me, so I just walked up and bought my copy directly from him.

That's cool! Paying for two phone lines was not cheap back then. Do you still have any of your old BBS software?

 

[JeffC]

That's cool! Paying for two phone lines was not cheap back then. Do you still have any of your old BBS software?

Unfortunately no, when I went off to college all my old computer stuff magically disappeared. 🫤

 

[KennyPowers]

Connected from my newly-working Color Classic using BlueSCSI DaynaPort emulation

 

[Byte Knight]

Unfortunately no, when I went off to college all my old computer stuff magically disappeared. 🫤

Parents turn your room into a den? I never played around with Hermes II until recently. Did you have many door games?

 

[JeffC]

Parents turn your room into a den? I never played around with Hermes II until recently. Did you have many door games?

Haha I think it's more that my mom hated my hobby and saw her opportunity.

I remember I had a couple door games, but couldn't say which ones.

 

[KennyPowers]

Finally got the ethernet sorted in my 040 IIci so it could talk to its twin

 

[Byte Knight]

Found four more door games for the BBS bringing the total up to 23 - check 'em out!

 

[Byte Knight]

And we're back for #MARCHintosh2025!

What's new this year?

• Downloads have been updated with the latest vintage Mac software releases, which I don't think you can find anywhere else in one place. I also finally figured out how to add file descriptions.
• Added the Macworld Game Hall of Fame winners from '86 to '01 to the GFiles section.
• There are now a total of 23 original Hermes door games to play in the Externals section.
• Thanks to Will Price (original programmer who recently reacquired Hernes) and Sidd Hartha, we now have a good serial # for Hermes v3.1.1 so everything works as it should!
• Got rid of the dial-up modem as nobody ever called it.

 

[falecore]

Unfortunately no, when I went off to college all my old computer stuff magically disappeared. 🫤

ugh same

 

[Byte Knight]

Will Price, the original programmer for Hermes BBS who recently reacquired it, just signed onto the BBS. Come join us and learn about the early days of Mac BBS'ing!