Fidonet: Technology, Use, Tools, and History (1993) | Hacker News

A former user recalls HitNet, a Turkish FidoNet clone, and its Netmail server HitBase.

HitBase let people discover nearby users and connect locally, functioning like an early social network.

The system also raised serious privacy concerns because it exposed local user information.

Over time, the internet displaced HitNet, though some related communities stayed active elsewhere.