The IDS World Network, or simply IDS was started as a BBS by a young Andrew Green of Rhode Island. He was really into computers as a kid, grew up with the old Tandy 1000 systems and befriended Jim Whaley in the local Radio Shack while drooling over the new computer systems.
Together they built a successfull BBS and turned it into a local ISP. I am unsure of what the BBS ran on before the VAX, but the VAX/VMS system remained a core component of the IDS Network as the text based dialup portal until about 1997 when the plug was finally pulled.
Geographically, IDS has always been based in East Greenwitch, RI. Until 1999/2000 when it moved to Warwick. Network location has changed for IDS over the years. Sprintlink, MCI, and currently they are a node of OEM.NET. IDS's gateway for their host customers is known as CHANCHENG.IDS.NET, see Chang Chen for an explanation, and has the ip address of 155.212.105.1. I believe their firewall/gateway is 155.212.254.254.
Over the years they added new machines and staff, I had the opportunity to be a part of the staff along with Pete Fucchi and Kathleen Brault as well as many others.
One especially notable person who helped to administer the core IDS systems was Daver. Daver still maintains the longest running UNIX BBS in Rhode Island, TMoK aka The Ministry of Knowledge.
This is a sad ending to what was once a great Rhode Island computer network. IDS was aquired by another company shortly after Andy Green left to pursue a career as a commercial air pilot. His second love was always flying. He left the company in the care of his sister who is the biggest bitch i've ever met, and just took off. Andy had been trying to sell the company for quite a few years, between 1997/98 and 1999 when it was finally aquired.
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