There was a FidoNet clone in Turkey called HitNet (short for “Hi Türkiye Net”). Its node addresses were like “8:103/119”.

İ developed a Netmail server for Hitnet called HitBase in 1995 or so. It allowed people to discover others around their city to meet. Possibly the earliest thing that resembles Facebook. Similarly, it was a privacy nightmare too, luckily short-lived.

HitNet introduced me to great people some of whom I still see today. It was such a tight-knit friendly community.

The advent of Internet killed it but some communities are still active on other platforms.