Non-controversial facts
- Smartmodems (1981): Hayes-compatible devices exposed a simple command language (
AT,ATDT,ATH) over serial, enabling full software control of phone calls. - Atari 835 direct-connect (SIO): The Atari 835 plugs straight into the Atari SIO bus and is BASIC-controllable at 300 baud—no 850 interface required for dialing and modem control.
- Home BBS reality: BBS systems were common by 1981; one line, one user, message storage, simple access control.
Why this makes a 1981 WPA inevitable
When consumer modems obey software, and BASIC can stream characters over SIO, a small targeted board that initiates calls, prompts for credentials, and logs exchanges was not the norm it was unprecedented.
- Novel step: dialing users first (invite-only) to present a terse login prompt.
- Standard plumbing: Hayes commands, SIO I/O, single-line concurrency, and flat-file storage.