That, and a few other things. For example, you wouldn't launch an executable named GOOGLE.COM, you'd launch your terminal emulator[1] and then select the Google BBS from a phonebook (or enter the number manually, perhaps even with ATDT in front). Also, 8-bit ANSI art[2] was rapidly embraced by BBSes in those days (what you see is 7-bit with colors).

[1] Terminate was pretty popular: http://www.terminate.com/tour/tour.html [2] Example: http://www.oldskool.org/demos/explained/htmlpictures/ansi.gi...