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Life & fun · January 28, 2015

Artpacks.org – Archive of the ANSI and ASCII art scene (1990 to present)

Artpacks act as an archive of the BBS, ANSI and ASCII art scenes, from 1990 to present. Artpacks are recognized as one of the primary reasons that the early computer art scene is so well preserved and documented in relation to other underground computer scenes at the time.

Artpacks.org – Archive of the ANSI and ASCII art scene (1990 to present) launched on January 28, 2015 with 111 votes, #242 of 1,772 launches that month and more than 95% of that year's launches. The site was still online in September 2026, 11 years on.

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In plain words

Artpacks.org is an online archive documenting the ANSI and ASCII art scene from 1990 to the present day. The site preserves works created during the BBS era and beyond, serving artists, historians, and enthusiasts interested in early computer art. Artpacks are recognized as a crucial resource for understanding and accessing this underground art movement, making it one of the most well-documented computer art scenes from that period.

written from the facts on this page · September 2026

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