Magpie BBS was a system created by Steve Manes in the late-1980s. Magpie employed a tree structure for threaded messages, making it easy to follow and participate in conversations. The multi-line version was designed to run on the SCO Xenix operating system, while a single-line version was available for MS-DOS. Magpie followed the shareware model, with a registration fee.

What truly set Magpie apart was its adoption by major educational institutions. The NYC Board of Education implemented it for NYCENET, their school-wide information system, enabling efficient communication and resource sharing across schools. Its success in New York City paved the way for adoption by other major school systems in Chicago, Detroit, Boston, and Los Angeles.

Unfortunately only 1.0 (DOS) and 2.0 (DOS, XENIX) have been archived. 3.0 has been lost to time.