Featuring: Jim Maxey	by Bob Talmadge contact: bobtalmadge100@gmail.com https://bbsdays.com/

Read more about other Internet Pioneers here on bbsdays.com including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates

This is the true rags-to-riches story of an American man, down on his luck and with sole custody of his six-year-old daughter, who tried one last desperate idea that ultimately worked and helped change the online world.

Jim Maxey created Event Horizons BBS in late 1983 as a hobby, just before he began working full-time as a television news reporter for KWTX TV in Texas. He also tutored students in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Creative Writing on a freelance basis.

He currently lives in Saigon, where he runs a successful cybersecurity business and writes novels.

Around 1985, Maxey accepted a position as a media lab director with the U.S. Army and Essex Corporation. He was tasked with creating and operating a military media lab at Fort Hood, Texas, where he produced videos that trained soldiers to identify enemies using thermal imaging night sights on M1 Abrams tanks.

Maxey was not hired for his expertise with tanks—he admits he had none—but rather for his electronic engineering background and his FCC first-class license as a television broadcast engineer at WNSC-TV in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Before the advent of the web in late 1993, millions worldwide connected to “Bulletin Board Systems” (BBS) using regular telephone lines, as the internet and websites did not exist at that time. A BBS functioned similarly to a website; it was "online," allowing people around the world to chat and share information via standard phone lines.

This story focuses on a controversial figure who was one of the most successful BBS System Operators (SysOps) in the world. I write about this topic because the history and origins of BBS are crucial, and there has been far too little written about the BBS pioneers. As a teenager, I was also a customer of Event Horizons BBS.

Jim Maxey created the first known online AI personality in 1984, using TBBS and dBase to store information in 8bit flags. Maxey called his invention, Elsa. At that time the system could handle only one user at a time, until 1987 when Multiline-TBBS became available.

The system ran by itself after Maxey and his staff programmed the database with hundreds of hours of possible answers to common qustions users might ask. It was quite popular, one magazine called it "truly amazing".

I believe most people would describe Maxey as sensible and professional. However, on I believe it was Instagram, that he admited to a certain lack of public restraint, forethought, or, as he has acknowledged, foresight. But people seem to love and respect him even though he keeps a low-profile life. He is not married, but looking.

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When a public figure, however fleeting their fame, admits to certain characteristics, they might be labeled foolish yet candid, and perhaps even possess some integrity—but you are the judge.

(Photo: An arrow points to the second-floor apartment where Maxey lived in 1988 with his seven-year-old daughter.)

Maxey was one of the best-known figures during the BBS era (1978 to 1995). From 1983 to 1996, he operated Event Horizons BBS, one of the world's largest and most financially successful Bulletin Board Systems. This is all well-documented history.

Event Horizons BBS was located at Event Horizons Inc. in Lake Oswego, Oregon. The company, owned by Jim Maxey, housed two corporate businesses—Event Horizons and James Monroe Investigations—on the first and second floors of the Frasier Durham Building.

While I am not a professional writer, I believe in the importance of truth and strive to illuminate the contributions of various individuals in this field. As a former high school history teacher, I particularly admire the pioneers who were online before the advent of the web.

The Beginning of Online

It is astonishing that most people are completely unaware that "online" existed long before the Internet became mainstream in 1993. I have maintained a list of notable online pioneers for many years on bbsdays.com, where you can find information about Jim Maxey and others I need to add as I gather more data and reach out to them.

You can find more about Jim Maxey on Google and Wikipedia.com, LinkedIn.com. This is one reason why this article is lengthy — there's a wealth of information. I will present the main story below, but first, some background is necessary.

Photo: Maxey's Event Horizons Corporation operated the BBS from professional offices in Lake Oswego, Oregon USA.

Jim Maxey can be stubborn and uncompromising. He has been quoted as saying he is “willing to take a chance at losing to prove a point.” Stubborn? Absolutely. Some regard him as an innovator, though he admits to getting bogged down in too much detail.

His Event Horizons Corporation managed the BBS from professional offices in Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA.

Most people would likely describe Jim as sensible and professional. However, on Instagram, he openly expresses a lack of public restraint regarding the treatment of the poor or disabled. He has lectured on global warming and climate change, and he created some of the most popular online games of their kind before anyone else. Jim has appeared on numerous national and regional television programs and has been a topic of discussion for the last three decades.

When a public figure admits to various descriptions—though fame can be fleeting—they may be seen as foolish, yet also candid, independent, and perhaps possessing some integrity. Ultimately, that judgment is yours.

Jim was one of the best-known online operators of his time, running one of the world's largest and most financially successful online systems. This is a matter of public record.

I'm not a professional writer and won't claim to be, but I believe that history and truth are important. I strive to shed light on various individuals in this field. I have written about other pioneers, including Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Jim and Steve Jobs were acquaintances in Portland, Oregon, early in their careers, and from what I can observe, they shared similar personalities, although Jobs became vastly more successful and well-known. As a former high school history teacher, I admire those men and women who were online pioneers before the web. They should not be forgotten. If you have an interest in another internet pioneer, please reach out to me.

It's astonishing that many people are unaware that "online" existed long before the internet took shape. I have been maintaining a list of notable online pioneers for many years. Jim stands out as the most notable and successful among them, but he is not the only success story.

A few years ago, I naively referred to Jim as a genius on my Facebook page. That turned out to be a mistake. When Jim learned about my post, he asked me to remove it. I refused, primarily because I found his request to be a bit brusque, perhaps even rude. He then asked me to at least take down the "genius" label. I again politely declined. In retrospect, I realize I was wrong. I can only imagine the pressure of having to live up to the title of genius.

Review of Maxey’s Voyager III

After he ignored me on Facebook for nearly two years, he finally led me to question whether he was truly a genius. He wrote, “…if I were a genius, I would have registered 'carinsurance.com' (which sold for $49 million)."

If you make a lot of money and are globally innovative or successful, you might be labeled a genius, even if you are stubborn and difficult like Steve Jobs. However, if you’re struggling financially, you may be viewed as a fool or a weirdo; some might even consider you a loser. Throughout history, there have been a few genuine geniuses who were labeled lunatics or ended up sitting on street corners, proclaiming that one day humans would fly to the moon and back. There are undoubtedly more idiots in the world than geniuses—unless I happen to be one of those idiots.

Most exceptionally bright individuals have remained unnoticed by the majority, possibly because they either chose to remain in the background or encountered unfortunate circumstances. Those who achieve success are often in the right place at the right time, while their genius may go unrecognized, leaving them without accolades for their brilliant insights or prodigious talents. In my honest opinion, Jim is a brilliant guy, but like most of us, he sometimes lacks making the best choices for himself. Most geniuses are capable of making foolish choices, much like Steve Jobs, who refused urgent medical help and ultimately suffered for it. To me, it’s not about how intelligent Jim is, but rather the history of his journey. That’s what truly piques my interest, and I promise to go after that.

His Facebook page is filled with poems, videos, images, ideas, and detailed accounts of at least parts of his life, which I am fortunate to have the opportunity to write about. I don't expect many here to share my level of interest in all the details, but if you read everything, you might be surprised.

Jim faced criticism from some in the early online industry; those who were not as successful often dismissed him, possibly out of jealousy for his achievements, which far surpassed anyone else’s on a global scale. This can alienate people who are struggling with their failures or who don’t receive much recognition or appreciation. If they contact me and are honest, I'll write about them.

One person who worked closely with Jim shared a personal observation with me. This is what Jim's employee told me:

"When directing a small office group, including programmers and myself, to write a piece of code to his liking, it could either be 'great and perfect' or deemed worthless, inept, or both."

Many exceptionally intelligent individuals remain unknown to the broader public, perhaps by choice or due to unfortunate circumstances. Those who achieve success often find themselves in the right place at the right time, or their genius goes unrecognized, leaving them without accolades for their remarkable insights or talents. In my honest opinion, Maxey is indeed a very bright individual; however, like most of us, he sometimes lacks wisdom. It's important to note that many geniuses, despite their intelligence, can engage in foolish behavior, such as Steve Jobs’ refusal to seek proper medical treatment. Ultimately, what matters to me is not how smart Maxey is or was, but the narrative of how everything unfolded. That is what truly captures my interest, and I promise to examine further.

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Jim Maxey has tutored English students and fiction writers. Surprisingly, he also operates a successful internet security firm in Vietnam. His primary concern, as I understand it, is his Vietnamese wife, Emily, and their young daughter. Maxey, a former television broadcast engineer, developed a fondness for Vietnam and its people during his travels. He states, "They're friendly, and no guns are allowed in Vietnam," describing it as a peaceful nation with minimal crime and high standards among its populace.

There's a compelling story here—one that could fill a book or a movie—about how Jim and Emily met and the challenges they faced in their journey to marriage, often encountering ridicule and dismissal. Despite their hardships, they've kept their experiences private, sharing them only with me and a select few. I promised Jim I wouldn't write about it, and I hope I haven't already overstepped. Reflecting on their story often leads me to a melancholy state.

But I'm rambling. Let's return to the original article about BBS Communications and Jim Maxey—the story that predates the internet.

About author Bob Talmadge