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CWP Article #5: — WPA Unprecedented Targeted Symmetrics

With smartmodems, software-driven bbs hosting were standard tools. A board that initiates calls to vetted users, shows a login, and records exchanges was highly unusual—it was unprecedented.

Established techniques

common: auto-dial scripts: queue numbers, dial, time-out, retry. common bbs: user dial up to host phone number, host modem answers, modem tone handshake-connected.
common bbs: user dial up to host phone number, host modem answers, modem tone handshake-connected.

WPA > SysOp initciated out-dial script > Access tiers: forced-invite-only user sets and restricted sections.

Conclusion

WPA’s dial-first software behavior was precisely unprecedented. 1981 hardware was enablable.