ONLINE SIDEBAR: October COMPUTE!'s Gazette "Dialed Back": Modern Terminal Programs

[Gazette]

Welcome to the online sidebar for COMPUTE!'s Gazette October 2025 "Dialed Back" column! In the print issue, we talked about the incredible, ongoing resurgence of the BBS scene. As promised, here's a more detailed list of some of the best modern terminal programs to get you connected.

The days of needing a 2400-baud modem and a copy of Procomm Plus are behind us, but the spirit of dialing in is stronger than ever. Whether you're on a brand-new Windows 11 PC, a MacBook, a Linux box, or even your phone, there's a door to the past waiting for you. Let's look at the software that holds the keys.

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BTERM​

• Operating Systems: BSD, Linux, OS/2, Windows
• Description: BTERM is a small VT320 terminal emulator to be used as a telnet client or with modem/ISDN. It is free for single user non-commercial use, for all other use you must register BBBS.

EtherTerm​

• Operating Systems: macOS, Linux, Windows
• Description: EtherTerm is a portable terminal emulator and telnet/ssh client for Windows and Unix. It differs from standard terminal emulators such as xterm and PuTTY by providing a common telnet and ssh protocol across platforms, with particular focus on font sets appropriate for connecting to BBS servers using cp437, and amiga art.
  
  EtherTerm is comparable to programs such as Syncterm and Netrunner. Notably: It is an SDL graphics program and makes use of full OpenGL/DirectX graphics acceleration.

icyTERM​

• Operating Systems: macOS, Linux, Windows
• Description: A relatively new but powerful contender, icyTERM is built from the ground up for the modern BBS scene. It boasts excellent ANSI and ASCII art rendering, multiple protocol support (including RLogin and SSH), scripting capabilities, and a clean, modern interface.

fTelnet​

• Operating Systems: Any with a modern web browser.
• Description: One of the original web-based clients, fTelnet has evolved from its Flash-based roots into a robust and reliable HTML5 terminal. Many SysOps embed fTelnet directly into their BBS's webpage for instant, easy access.

iTerminal​

• Operating Systems: iOS (iPhone/iPad)
• Description: iTerminal is a professional-grade terminal emulator for Apple's mobile devices. While it's packed with powerful SSH features for network admins, its rock-solid Telnet and terminal emulation make it an excellent, if premium, choice for BBSing from your iPhone or iPad.

juiceSSH​

• Operating Systems: Android
• Description: Arguably the most popular terminal client for Android, JuiceSSH is known for its slick user interface and robust feature set. While its name highlights SSH, its Telnet support is top-notch, making it a fantastic way to connect to your favorite boards from anywhere.

MagiTerm​

• Operating Systems: Linux, Windows
• Description: Magiterm is an SDL2 based SSH / Telnet client for Bulletin Board Systems. It supports basic ANSI, extended pallets (8 bit and 24 bit), font loading and font switching, sixel, ZModem and more.
  
  Magiterm is available as a Win32 installer, packages for linux and source code for other OSes, it is known to compile on Windows 10, Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Haiku and macOS.

mtelnet​

• Operating Systems: OS/2, Windows
• Description: mTelnet is a telnet client for OS/2 and Windows that has Z-Modem, Backscroll and a Phonebook. It's great for telneting to bbses.
  
  Features:
  zmodem
  ansi, vt100
  phonebook
  color backscroll
  its free!

MuffinTerm​

• Operating Systems: iOS (iPhone/iPad), macOS
• Description: MuffinTerm is designed by a BBS enthusiast, for BBS enthusiasts. It was created specifically for accessing ANSI art-based boards on a touch screen. It features a custom font for perfect rendering and an interface optimized for the mobile BBS experience.

NetRunner​

• Operating Systems: Linux, Windows
• Description: NetRunner is a telnet client originally developed in the late 90s in sync with the release of Windows XP. It was intended to be a console telnet client which stayed true to ANSI-BBS emulation and the old school feel of DOS terminals. Some features include telnet, ssh, rlogin, batch upload/download Zmodem and Zmodem 8K, multiple phone book, mTelnet and SyncTerm phone book importers, original MSDOS and Amiga fonts with font switching, full screen mode, basic scripting language, mouse support, and font UPSCALING that (when enabled) provides the highest quality BBS terminal, even at 2K full screen resolutions! 256 color XTERM color support, 80x25, 132x376 terminal sizes, etc

PuTTY​

• Operating Systems: Windows (official); ports available for macOS & Linux
• Description: The old reliable. PuTTY is a lightweight, no-nonsense client that has been a favorite of SysOps and users for decades. While primarily known for SSH, its Telnet client is fast, simple, and just plain works. It's the definition of a utility player.

Retroterm​

• Operating Systems: Web Based
• Description: A simple web-based BBS client

SyncTerm​

• Operating Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD
• Description: A giant in the modern BBS world. SyncTerm is renowned for its highly accurate ANSI emulation, full support for classic door game fonts, and a host of features designed specifically for BBSing, including an excellent dial directory and Zmodem transfers. Many consider it the gold standard.

WindTerm​

• Operating Systems: Windows, macOS, Linux
• Description: WindTerm is a free, professional-grade terminal that's fast and highly configurable. While it's packed with features for developers and network engineers, its speed, high-quality text rendering, and solid performance make it an excellent choice for a BBS user who also needs a powerful tool for other tasks.

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That's the rundown! It's amazing to see so much active development helping us connect to our favorite boards. Did I miss your favorite? Post a reply and let us know what you're using to dial in.

Until next time, keep the carrier tones alive!