The Matrix
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America On-Line was a Birmingham-based bulletin board system launched in 1985 by Rocky Rawlins and Tom Egan. The 3-line system allowed free public access for up to 30 minutes per day, enticing enough paying subscribers to make the operation pay for itself.
Rights to the system's trademarked name were sold to Steve Case when he launched a national America Online (AOL) internet service in 1991. With the money from the buyout, rumored to be $15,000, Rawlins expanded his system and re-named it "The Matrix".
References
- Maisel, Mark (November 1992) "The BBS: Business or Hobby?" Birmingham Telecommunications News. Vol. 5, No. 10 ISSN ISSN 1055-4548