As computers become an increasingly common appliance, groups and individuals whose interests extend beyond computers have found computer bulletin board systems (BBS) to be efficient communication devices. A BBS is a modem-equipped computer that can communicate with other modem-equipped computers over ordinary telephone lines. A modem translates computer text and numeric data into an audio signal that can be passed back and forth; the BBS software tells the computer how to act as a host for other computers that dial in. Use of the BBS varies extensively from "underground" boards to businesses using them to communicate with employees, to investment groups swapping ideas, to churches using them as outreach tools, and to schools, which are especially interested in their use. One example is the Brooklyn Math and Science Research Academy in New York, where students use the BBS for math/science competitions, trading tips on research projects, and finding a tutor from a database of volunteers. Although time consuming, it is not difficult to install a BBS. All that is needed is a computer, an auto-answer modem, two disk drives or a hard disk for data storage, a phone line dedicated solely to the BBS, and BBS software. Once the BBS is open, a system operator should be alert for any special problems associated with high-tech vandalism. (DJR)