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Mailbox (BBS)TelephonyTimelineGlossaryAbout

// 1987 ———— 2026

Timeline

Two threads, one axis: the mailbox Empire BBS and the parallel career in telephone technology. Where the two overlap, it’s marked as “Both”.

  1. 1987

    C64 bought

    Mailbox

    The foundation – and the first English lessons, courtesy of the era’s computer games.

  2. 1988

    First steps with the Amiga

    Mailbox
  3. 1989

    First modem, first nick

    Mailbox

    The Supra 2400 gets tested at a barbecue. A school talk about Gorbachev gives rise to the nick “Gorbi”.

  4. 1990

    Starts training as an electrical fitter

    Telecom

    Telephone installation is a sideline at first.

  5. 1991

    Empire BBS goes live

    Both

    On the Amiga 2000 under Paragon. In June, also my first own online bank transfer, over Telegiro PTT via Videotex.

  6. 1992

    ISDN, first e-mail, Xenolink

    Both

    First own Swissnet/ISDN line – on the Amiga via an ISDN-Master card; the phone side runs on the WilhelmTEL software (as a beta tester). A UUCP gateway produces the first e-mail address; the mailbox switches to Xenolink (beta test).

  7. 1992–93

    Brief AmiExpress phase

    Mailbox

    At the request of the cracker group Analog, as European Headquarters (EHQ) – with a mention in an Amiga demo.

  8. 1993

    Expanded to four channels

    Both

    Two fixed analog lines plus an ISDN basic access whose two B-channels could be used digitally, as analog, or mixed.

  9. 1994

    Completes training

    Telecom
  10. Late 1995

    Service technician for phone lines

    Telecom

    On the side, brokering internet connections begins – the foundation of the later customer base.

  11. 1995–96

    The internet arrives

    Both

    With the dial-up breakthrough, mailbox users start drifting away.

  12. 1999

    Empire BBS is shut down

    Both

    After eight years, it’s over, and the Amigas move to the basement. In October, the job as a phone technician ends too.

  13. 2000

    IT job, then founding a company

    Telecom

    Employed in IT from early 2000, self-employed from October 2000.

  14. Spring 2026

    Rediscovery of the Amiga 3000T

    Mailbox

    While preparing to give it away, the Amiga 3000T turns out to be a valuable, still-working collector’s piece.

  15. 2026

    Recovery and reconstruction

    Mailbox

    The hard drive is read out (around 34,000 messages from the years of operation), and the browser-based BBS demo and this website take shape.

BBS storyTelephonyGlossary