Try that on America Online, CompuServe, or Prodigy. Also, many of the local BBSes have Internet gateways so you can send and receive Internet e-mail, or participate in Usenet newsgroups, or subscribe to Internet mailing lists, usually for less money than a subscription to the commercial online services. Even though the membership of a local BBS is made up mostly of local people within that city, region, or area code, it still can participate in the Internet if the BBS has the appropriate software. While it is true that everyone seems to be scrambling to get on the Net, bulletin boards are not going to fade from the scene. Governments, educational institutions, businesses, and individuals that have created specialized bulletin boards are still in demand.
Many web sites go without updating for months.
Most computer companies provide technical support boards where you can get the latest software drivers or system updates. Government bulletin boards allow you to download millions of bits of information paid for by your tax dollars - info on business, environment, the economy, housing, census data, you name it. If the government has the info, it probably also has a BBS where you can get it. Here in the 518 area code, there are more than 100 local bulletin boards that cater to just about every computer user's needs. Many are free, some charge.