BiModem was one of the last

file transfer protocol The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used for the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is built on a client–server model architecture using separate control and d ...

s developed for use in

bulletin board system A bulletin board system (BBS), also called a computer bulletin board service (CBBS), is a computer server running list of BBS software, software that allows users to connect to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, the user perfor ...

s. It was created by Erik Labs, and was revolutionary for its day. Unlike the predominant protocols of the day (

XMODEM XMODEM is a simple file transfer protocol developed as a quick hack by Ward Christensen for use in his 1977 MODEM.ASM terminal program. It allowed users to transmit files between their computers when both sides used MODEM. Keith Petersen made a ...

YMODEM YMODEM is a file transfer protocol used between microcomputers connected together using modems. It was primarily used to transfer files to and from bulletin board systems. YMODEM was developed by Chuck Forsberg as an expansion of XMODEM and was f ...

, ZMODEM), BiModem allowed BBS users to upload and download files at the same time. This resulted in significant time savings when a 1 megabyte file would take more than an hour to transfer, at 130 to 250 characters per second over a 1200 or 2400 bit/s modem. In addition, it had a chat feature. This would allow the user and the

sysop A sysop (, an abbreviation of system operator) is an administrator of a multi-user computer system, such as a bulletin board system (BBS) or an online service virtual community.Jansen, E. & James, V. (2002). NetLingo: the Internet dictionary. Ne ...

to converse during the upload/download of files. BiModem never received widespread acceptance. It had to be manually patched into both BBS and

terminal emulator A terminal emulator, or terminal application, is a computer program that emulates a video terminal within some other display architecture. Though typically synonymous with a shell or text terminal, the term ''terminal'' covers all remote term ...

packages, and it was incompatible with some programs. It was released in the end of 1989, and before it saw widespread use, HS/Link was created which was easily added to BBSes and allowed for file lists and bidirectional transfers. Part of the problem with BiModem is that very few sysops and users wanted to wade through the instructions. To simplify installation, a ZIP file with BiModem and a preconfigured shareware copy of

ProComm Datastorm Technologies, Inc., was a computer software company that existed from 1986 until 1996. Bruce Barkelew and Thomas Smith founded the company to develop and publish ProComm, a general-purpose communications program for personal computers. ...

with a batch file to run BiModem was created. The final version (BiModem 1.25) was released in 1991. In 1995 a program was released in

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

called BiModem Pro 4.0. This was a user-modified version of BiModem 1.25 with some minor bugfixes.

External links

BiMODEM 1.14 program

BiMODEM documentation

{{Modem file transfer protocols BBS file transfer protocols