PODSnet

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Pagan Occult Distribution System Network (PODSnet) was a neopagan/occult computer network based upon FidoNet technology.

PODSnet grew out of an Echo named MAGICK on FidoNet, which was created by J. Brad Hicks, the Sysop of the Weirdbase BBS back in 1985. MAGICK was the 8th Echo conference created on FidoNet. It quickly grew to 12 systems, and then went international when the first Canadian Pagan BBS, Solsbury Hill (Farrell McGovern, Sysop), joined. This was just a hint of its growth to come.

Another early expansion was the addition of two more Echos, MUNDANE and METAPHYSICAL.

MUNDANE was created to move all "chat"; that is personal discussions, and other conversations that were of a non-pagan or magickal nature. Simulataneously, METAPHYSICAL was created for long, "article-style" posts of information on full rituals, papers and essays of a Pagan, Occult or Magickal nature.

These three were bundled as the "Magicknet Trio". If a BBS carried one, they had to carry all three.

Like many open source and standards-based technology projects, FidoNet grew rapidly, and then forked. The addition of Zones to the Fidonet technology allowed for easier routing of email internationally, and the creation of networks outside of the control of International Fido Net Association (IFNA). As a number of associated Echos were added to the Magicknet Trio, the Sysops who carried them collectively decided to form their own network, the Pagan Occult Distribution System, or PODSnet. It asked for the zone number of 93, as the other popular occult oriented zone numbers, 5 and 23 (see Discordianism) were already reserved. See 93 (Thelema) for more information about why 93 was chosen.

PODSnet grew rapidly, and at its height, was the largest privately distributed network of Pagans, Occultists, and other people of an Esoterical bent on this planet.