pozar@kumr.lns.com (Tim Pozar) (05/29/91)
Ok Campers, Vol8.20 has disappeared in cloud of greasy black smoke.
This is the next one I can get. There is some changes afoot to speed
up the delivery of FidoNews, more later...
Tim
Volume 8, Number 21 27 May 1991
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| _ |
| / \ |
| /|oo \ |
| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
| _`@/_ \ _ |
| FidoNet (r) | | \ \\ |
| International BBS Network | (*) | \ )) |
| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Editor in Chief: Vince Perriello
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
Copyright 1991, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication
and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only.
For use in other circumstances, please contact Fido Software.
FidoNews is published weekly by and for the Members of the
FidoNet (r) International Amateur Electronic Mail System. It is
a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors
or authorized agents of the authors. The contribution of articles
to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors.
You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1:1/1. 1:1/1 is a Continuous
Mail system, available for network mail 24 hours a day.
Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA and are
used with permission.
Opinions expressed in FidoNews articles are those of the authors
and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of Fido Software.
Most articles are unsolicited. Our policy is to publish every
responsible submission received.
Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
It's been Real ........................................... 1
2. ARTICLES ................................................. 4
The GATEWAY Complaint - the NC's side .................... 4
WorldPol: Second Act ..................................... 7
Why do we need a WorldPol? ............................... 20
Zone 1 Coordinators on Notice ............................ 22
Response to Henry Clark's Comments on "Joggraphy" ........ 23
A Cautionary Tale ........................................ 27
Telephone-Call Cost-Reporting Program .................... 31
GateWorks Release! ....................................... 34
And more!
FidoNews 8-21 Page 1 27 May 1991
=================================================================
EDITORIAL
=================================================================
This is my last Editorial.
I have resigned as FidoNews Editor. We are currently working our
way through a "short list" of replacement candidates, and the new
Editor will be on the job next week.
Be kind to the poor soul.
I've just been looking though the indexes for the past two years.
It's really amazing what we have been through. It's even more
amazing that we are still here to talk about it.
For example, when I took over Dale's job as Editor, the current
version of FidoNet Policy was Version 3. David Dodell was the
current International Coordinator. IFNA was still trying to
figure out what, if anything, could be made of its existence.
I was running my system on a DEC Rainbow. It worked great, too.
A few other hardy souls were doing similar things on Sanyo and
Tandy PC's (the ones from before Tandy became the PC-Clone hawker
that they are today). Hardly anyone is doing THAT any more!
POLICY4 was declared to be in force in FidoNews Volume 6, Number
24, on June 12, 1989. This created a stir because in the absence
of a formal procedure in POLICY3 for replacement, David used the
method described in the POLICY4 draft to determine whether he
should declare it to be in force. Boy, what a stir! There was
that article in Volume 6, Number 26, entitled "Policy 4: FidoNet
now a Nazi Dictatorship?". To the best of my knowledge nobody has
been gassed or blitzed (except metaphorically) in the almost two
years since.
David quit at the end of July. I quit two weeks later, then
changed my mind (with some coercion from friends). It was an
exciting time to be the Editor. Because the Great IFNA Mandate
Plebiscite was taking place.
This was IFNA's final answer to the people who had claimed that
the simple majority who chose IFNA were not representative. The
voting rules were simple: if you were in the nodelist running a
public access system, you were eligible. And a majority of all
eligible nodes was required to endorse IFNA. If IFNA won the
election, the critics would be silenced forever. And in a high
stakes gamble, IFNA agreed to disband if not ratified.
Did IFNA ever have a chance? Was it the right idea? Who really
can say anymore? In any event, apathy won the election and IFNA
was out, as reported in FidoNews Volume 7, Number 1.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 2 27 May 1991
As I look back to 1989, what's really fascinating is that Pablo
Kleinman was already at work on Worldpol in the immediate
aftermath of the Policy4 adoption. And he's still at it. He is
showing signs of getting it right, too. It's just going to take
some more time.
Remember Hurricane Hugo? Remember what it did to Mike Ratledge
and many others in his area? FidoNet reached out and touched
him in a very special way, and FidoNews was there, starting with
an article in Volume 6, Number 39 entitled "Let's give Mike
Ratledge a hand". One of our finest hours. I am proud to have
been here to see it.
FidoNews has had its critics too. There was an article in Volume
6, Number 40 entitled "FidoNews: What IS Its Purpose ?". I have
my own ideas about that. Fortunately for my peace of mind, it
will soon be someone else's problem to define that role.
When the Internetwork Gating Policy was published, there was a
lot of comment. Mostly negative. I think (speaking as one of
the people who had some input in the process) that if the
criticism was directed at alternative solutions to the problems
addressed in the Policy rather than direct attacks on the entire
idea of HAVING such a document, we might have accomplished
something. As things stand, the original document is still in
force but not strongly enforced. In other words "If you want to
connect to FidoNet, you could refer to this document and get it
right -- or just do it any old way". Sigh. What happened to
the idea of you don't go wee-wee in my garden and I won't go
poo-poo in yours?
We at FidoNews had a great moment in everyone's spotlight too.
The way things were progressing, it was getting really hard to
attract your attention anymore. But we found a way. On July 30,
1990 lots of you woke up to find FidoNews sitting on your system
in a file compressed with LHARC. Yup, you sure DID notice. I
think it was probably the most popular topic in FidoNews that
year. Even with the late start.
It really pissed off Saddam Hussein too. In less than a week he
had taken over Kuwait in an attempt to capture the responsible
parties. After being told that the dirty deed had been done by
an American, he is reported to have said "An American? OK. I'll
wait here for him."
I never made it over there. A lot of very brave folks did. And
they did a great job. FidoNet was involved too, in its own unique
way. An article in FidoNews Volume 7, Number 45 announced "The
Saudi Connection". Numerous articles about the war were
published. A healthy exchange of opinions ensued. People were
engaged. It was great.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 3 27 May 1991
We had ZC, RC and EC elections in Zone 1 and elsewhere, as the
idea of democracy flowered in the Net. Then of course we had the
great turnout in the Worldpol ratification vote. Electing NC's
is an idea whose time has come. It should be easier to throw out
the old slugs than it presently is.
I sure wish I knew where FidoNet is going these days. The only
consolation I have is that nobody knows. If anybody tells you
that he or she DOES know, you can safely call that person a liar.
Boy, there are some great memories here. And some not so great
memories. It's been a lot of fun. But I won't miss it. I'll be
too busy with other things.
Well, maybe I will miss it. But I promise not to make a scene.
Best regards,
Vince
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 4 27 May 1991
=================================================================
ARTICLES
=================================================================
Glen Johnson
1:269/101@fidonet.org
The GATEWAY Complaint - the NC's side
I'm just writing this little blurb to clear up any
misunderstanding about the "Gateway Complaint" filed by Bob
Moravsik, and finally ruled on by the International
Coordinator. First, a very brief summary of what it was all
about. This text is by Matt Whelan, in Fidonews 819:
"In essence, Bob complained that a directive from his
then-NC, Glen Johnson, contradicted the FidoNet<tm> Gateway
Document adopted by me last year."
"The NC directive, to his hub coordinators, insisted they
pass on all mail for their nodes, regardless of origin. It
also insisted they should accept calls from any system,
whether or not it was a FidoNet node."
"Bob complained this forced the Hub Coords to act as Gateway
systems under FidoNet policy. Thus they would be required to
provide outbound gating facilities as well, despite the
technical complications this involved."
"The decision at all levels was made more difficult by the
complaint's somewhat unclear intent: was it a protest at the
NC's imposition of a policy at all, or at the content of the
policy?"
Got it?
Ok. As the person that drafted the HC policy that Bob filed
his complaint about, maybe I should explain what that policy
was all about, and why I drafted it.
My policy, which was a directive issued to all the hub
coordinators in our net, was that they were to accept calls,
and accept mail from wherever it came from, and forward it to
the addressee *IF* the addressee was a listed system in their
hub. This was to be done regardless of the origin of the
message. I basically directed all the hub coordinators to not
give a hoot if the message came from a Fidonet system or not,
but to pay attention to whom it was ADDRESSED. I did not
require hub coordinators to gate replies back. That's what the
policy was all about.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 5 27 May 1991
Bob immediately complained that this modus operandi
contradicted the GATEPOL document that was dumped on the
network by Matt Whelan. His complaint first went to RC13, who
rejected it, then to Z1C, who also rejected it. It finally
went to Matt, and Fidonews 819 contains his decision.
Now WHY did I invent this HC policy to begin with? Well, I
actually didn't INVENT it. My hub coordinator's policy was
merely a written document that reflected STANDARD OPERATING
PROCEDURE in Region 13. I had been told by RC13 that this was
how systems were to operate in Region 13. Whether or not I
agree with that is irrelevant. I felt that if I were required
to operate my system as the net host in a particular fashion,
then all of the HCs under me are merely extensions of me, and
that they too, should be required to operate the same way. So
I "put it in writing" and shipped it off to the hub
coordinators.
My HC policy in no way deviated from what had always been
the normal day to day method of operation within region 13,
and it reflected my interpretation of how the RC wanted things
done.
Furthermore, I want it to be known that the complaint filed
about my HC policy was by no means an adversarial one. Bob and
I BOTH were anxious to see it resolved, as we BOTH wanted to
see the *C structure, from the top down, speak the same
language. Had my policy been overturned by the IC, that would
have been fine with me. I was much more interested in seeing
that all the coordinators in the "chain of command" knew,
without any doubt, what the score was.
In any case, since this issue came up, you couldn't possibly
imagine the amount of juvenile mud slinging that has gone on
about it. ALL of the parties involved have been acting like a
bunch of whining crybabies, but that's a story for another
day. Its also not my problem :)
On April 1, 1991 I retired as NC 269, and I appointed (with
the RC's approval) Mike Brandt, 1:269/201 to serve as interim
NC until the net coule democratically elect a replacement. I
was elected NC twice, served two consecutive terms, and I felt
that passing the torch would give someone else the unique
opportunity to experience first hand, all of the nitpicking
HORSESH*T that some NCs have to deal with. Mike wasn't in
"office" for a week before he found out about that BIG TIME.
Personally, I find the GatePol document to be repulsive. But
that's just my opinion. And you know what they say about
opinions. But the most mind boggling thing about this whole
mess (which has been dragging on for months, and just
escalated to the boiling point a few weeks ago) is just how
crazy some people are when it comes to this stuff. Acting like
Fidonet is something incredibly IMPORTANT. When are people
going to use Fidonet for the purpose it was INTENDED... to
ENHANCE your damn BBS, instead of trying to make an EMPIRE out
FidoNews 8-21 Page 6 27 May 1991
of the thing and play lawyer, judge and jury like a bunch of
three year olds watching LA LAW?
So there you have it. My policy, the complaint, and the
decision. As far as I'M concerned, the case is closed. But I'm
sure SOME people will find ways to beat it to a pulp and whine
about it for months to come. Maybe its not so bad. It'll keep
'em off the streets.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 7 27 May 1991
A BETTER POLICY FOR FIDONET
(The Odyssey Continues)
The recent vote on WorldPol version 1h is over. Results, as we
have seen, were 39.5% in favour of adoption, 48.7% against
adoption, and WorldPol version 1h was not adopted as a policy for
FidoNet. But considering that only the coordinators can vote, I
must admit that the figures were not disillusioning at all for
those of us that promote WorldPol.
Since the last known version of WorldPol was released last
December, suggestions continued arriving, different points of
view were exposed on FidoNews, and I got a few new ideas that I
added to the document.
The current FidoNet policy document, Policy4, is unquestionably
impossible to enforce in a great portion of the world as well as
opposed by a considerable number of the network's members. The
debate created by the WorldPol election was effective in proving
the fact that Policy4 MUST be changed.
Support for WorldPol in Zone 4 was unanimous, in Zone 2 was 46 to
12. There was also a great number of abstentions, primarily in
North America where most of the coordinators did not participate
in the referendum.
A wise friend once told me: "if you are sure you are following
the right path, keep on going". This is precisely what, God
willing, I aim to do. I aspire to see improved outcome on this
second occasion.
This is a second opportunity not only for WorldPol, but for you
that voted against it: participate so the next time you find it
acceptable! When the second WorldPol referendum is held, no
excuses will be accepted from those that deliberately decide not
to participate. If someone is allowed to make a change and
voluntarily rejects the opportunity, he shall have no right to
complain later.
A multi-zone echomail conference will be freely available to all
those interested in participating in WorldPol 2. In the meantime,
net-mail participation will be also welcome, as it has been since
1989. Be sure to write as soon as possible to node 4:4/50 if you
are interested in carrying the WorldPol echomail conference,
which will be headquartered in Zone-1.
Changes made to WorldPol with version 2: (a) different
requirements for admittance to FidoNet and provisions for cases
of discrimination; (b) adjustment in the roles of the ZCC and the
IC; (c) definition of point systems and their rights; (d)
FidoNews requirement modified; (e) election procedures described
and elimination of "democratic by western standards". In addition
to this, wording has been modified throughout the document, some
grammar was corrected or changed.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 8 27 May 1991
Here is the complete WorldPol 2:
W o r l d P o l
The FidoNet Worldwide Policy Document
Version 2, 23 May 1991
This Worldwide Policy document has been released for vote by the
members of FidoNet and is not yet in force.
1 FidoNet
This document establishes an international (inter-zonal) policy
for sysops who are members of the FidoNet organization of
bulletin board systems worldwide. FidoNet is defined by a list
of nodes (NodeList) issued on a weekly basis by each of the Zone
Coordinators, on behalf of the International Coordinator.
A node is understood to be a "member system" of FidoNet. The
collection of nodes is classified into Zones, Regions and
Networks.
Each FidoNet Zone is entitled to issue its own policy document,
according to its own needs and customs. This International
Policy, determines general rules which must be specified -and may
not be contradicted- by the Zone Policies.
Regions and Networks may also issue their own policies according
to the provisions stated on the corresponding Zone Policy.
1.1 Overview
FidoNet is an amateur electronic mail system. As such, all of its
participants and operators are unpaid volunteers. From its early
beginning in 1984, as a few friends swapping messages back and
forth mainly in North America, it consists now of an
International community of more than ten thousand systems all
over the world.
FidoNet is not a common carrier or a value-added service network
and is a public network only as much as the independent,
constituent nodes may individually provide public access to the
network on their system.
FidoNet exists to provide electronic mail services to its
member sysops. To efficiently provide such services, various
structure and control mechanisms are essential. The structure is
organized into multiple nets, with decentralized administration.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 9 27 May 1991
This document delineates all of the procedures at the
international level of FidoNet, as well as some general rules for
the lower levels (intra-zonal), developed to manage the network.
Authorities in the international level not defined by this
document, shall be defined by the Zone Coordinators Council and
the International Coordinator.
2 Language
Each zone has the right to determine its own official language.
At the international (inter-zonal) level, for practical purposes,
FidoNet adopts English as its official language. All the FidoNet
documents issued at the international level must exist in
English. Translation into other languages is encouraged.
3 Admittance to FidoNet
FidoNet membership is open to everyone fulfilling the technical
standards described on a document released by the network's
Technical Standards Committee (FTS-0001 at this writing).
Lower-level policies may issue additional restrictions only if
specifically authorized by the Zone Coordinator Council.
3.1 Anti-discrimination Policy
Discrimination is strictly forbidden within FidoNet.
This means that any type of restriction imposed to a member of
the network that has no technical justification is illegal and
unacceptable.
No technical requisites will be demanded to any member of the
network than those specifically authorized by this or lower-level
policy documents.
4 Organization
The organizational structure of FidoNet, has been developed to
distribute the administration and control of FidoNet, to the
lowest possible level, while still allowing for coordinated
action over the entire system.
Effective administration is made viable by operating in a
top-down manner. This means, that a person at any given level is
responsible to the level above, and responsible for
administrating the level below.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 10 27 May 1991
If a person at any level above sysop is unable to properly
perform their duties, the person at the next level may replace
them. For example, if a Region Coordinator fails to perform, the
Zone Coordinator may cause the Coordinator to be replaced.
Coordinators may also be removed by a majority vote of the level
below. For example, if network Coordinators in a region lose
faith in the ability of a Region Coordinator to effectively
perform, they may vote to have a new Coordinator elected.
4.1 Zone Coordinator Council
The Zone Coordinator Council (ZCC) consists of the Zone
Coordinators and the International Coordinator.
Each Zone Coordinator has one vote at the ZCC. The International
Coordinator may only vote in the event of a ZCC vote tie, but
does not regularly have voting power.
The Zone Coordinator Council is the legislative body of FidoNet,
it represents each of the zones in FidoNet. It is the highest
authority of the network's Top-Down organization.
4.2 International Coordinator
The International Coordinator (IC) is the Executive Officer of
FidoNet and coordinates the joint production of the master
nodelist by the Zone Coordinators. The International Coordinator
is responsible for creating new zones in FidoNet, but can only do
so with the approval of a simple majority of the members of the
Zone Coordinator Council.
The International Coordinator is selected by unanimous vote of
the Zone Coordinators, and removed by a majority vote of the Zone
Coordinators. In the case of absence of the International
Coordinator, the Zone Coordinator Council replaces him by voting
on all IC resolutions to be approved by a simple majority.
4.3 Zones and Zone Coordinators
A zone is a defined geographic area containing one or many
regions, covering one or more countries.
The Zone Coordinator is the Executive Officer of the Zone, and
the zone's representative to the other zones.
The Zone Coordinator compiles the nodelists from all of the
regions in the zone, creates a master nodelist and a difference
file, which is then distributed over FidoNet within the zone. A
Zone Coordinator does not perform message-forwarding services for
any nodes in the zone, whereas the Zone Coordinator is
responsible for the formation and/or administration of one or
more zone-gates to provide inter-zone mail facilities.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 11 27 May 1991
The method used for selection of Zone coordinators is left to
the discretion of the relevant Zone Policy. In the absence of a
Zone Policy selection method, Zone Coordinators are elected and
removed by a simple majority vote of the Region Coordinators in
the Zone.
4.4 Regions and Region Coordinators
A Region is a defined geographic area containing nodes which
may or may not be combined into networks. A typical Region will
contain many nodes in networks, and a few independent nodes which
are not part of the network.
The Region Coordinator maintains the list of independent nodes in
the region, and accepts nodelists from the Network Coordinators
in the Region. These are compiled to create a regional nodelist,
which is sent to the Zone Coordinator. A Region Coordinator is
encouraged to perform message-forwarding services for nodes
within the region, but is not forced to, unless the appropriate
Zone or Region policy imposes such a requirement.
The method used for selection of Regional coordinators is left to
the discretion of the relevant Zone or Region Policy. In the
absence of such a policy selection method, Region Coordinators
are elected and removed by a simple majority vote of the Ncs in
the Region.
4.5 Networks and Network Coordinators
A network is a group of nodes, normally but not exclusively in a
local geographic area. Networks coordinate their mail activity to
decrease cost.
The Network Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the list
of nodes for the network, and for forwarding netmail sent to
members of the network from other FidoNet nodes. The Network
Coordinator may make arrangements to handle outgoing netmail, but
is not required to do so, unless the appropriate Zone, Region or
Net policy imposes such a requirement.
The Network Coordinator is responsible for assigning each and
every petitioner within his own geographic area, a valid node
number within 10 days. A node application can solely be rejected
on technical grounds and if that is the case, the petitioner and
the rest of the local network must be informed by the NC of the
requirements that will allow the node number to be assigned.
The method used for selection of Network coordinators is left to
the discretion of the relevant Zone/Region/Net Policy. In the
absence of such a policy selection method, Network Coordinators
are elected and removed by a simple majority vote of the Nodes in
the Network.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 12 27 May 1991
4.5.1 Network Routing Hubs
Network Routing Hubs exist only in some networks. They may be
appointed by the Network Coordinator, in order to assist the
management (especially routing tasks) of the network.
4.6 Individual systems (Nodes)
The smallest subdivision of FidoNet is the individual system,
corresponding to a single entry in the nodelist. The system
operator (SysOp) formulates a policy for running the board and
dealing with the users. The sysop must mesh with the rest of the
FidoNet system to receive and send mail, and the local policy
must be consistent with other levels of FidoNet.
4.6.1 Points
A point is a system that is not in the nodelist, but communicates
with FidoNet through a node defined to as bossnode.
A point operator is generally regarded in the same manner as a
node operator, but does not have right to vote and shares
responsibility of his actions with his bossnode.
The bossnode operator is responsible for all mail originating at
the point. All mail sent to a point is addressed to the
bossnode's address.
A point operator is granted full rights under this policy
document as an associate (co-sysop) of the bossnode operator
listed on the nodelist.
4.6.2 Users of an individual system
The sysop is responsible for the actions of any user when they
affect the rest of FidoNet (i.e. if the user is annoying, the
sysop is annoying). The users have no rights under this policy
document.
4.7 The FidoNet Technical Standards Committee
The FidoNet Technical Standards Committee, abbreviated as the
FTSC, exists for the purpose of establishing minimum requirements
in software and hardware to be able to interface with FidoNet.
These minimum requirements must be obeyed at every level. Nodes
not meeting these requirements are ineligible for a node number
(see section 5.9). These requirements are subject to change at
any time by the FTSC.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 13 27 May 1991
5 General Procedures for All Coordinators
5.1 Making Available Difference Files and Nodelist
Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making
available for file request, on a weekly basis, nodelist
difference files and complete nodelists.
5.2 Making Available FidoNews Documents
FidoNews is the Official Newsletter of FidoNet. Each
Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making available
for file request on a weekly basis, FidoNews Documents.
This requirement may be waived in the event that a majority of
the Sysops served by the Coordinator have no desire to read or
receive FidoNews.
If a Zone Coordinator is not able to get FidoNews into his Zone,
he should immediately request help to the FidoNews Editor. If the
Editor can arrange a way to have it delivered to the Zone
Coordinator, FidoNews must be necessarily available to the rest
of the Zone. Otherwise, the Zone Coordinator may unilaterally
waive this requirement.
5.3 Processing Nodelist Changes and Passing Them Upstream
Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining nodelist
information from the level below, processing it, and passing the
results to the level above. The timing of this process is
determined by the requirements imposed by the level above.
5.4 Ensure the Latest Policy is Available
A Coordinator is responsible to make the current version of the
International Policy available to the level below, and to
encourage familiarity with it.
5.5 Minimize the Number of Hats Worn
Coordinators are persuaded to limit the number of FidoNet-related
Coordinator functions they perform. A Coordinator who holds two
different positions, compromises the appeal process. For example,
is the Network Coordinator is also the Region Coordinator, sysops
in that network are denied one level of appeal.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 14 27 May 1991
Multiple hats are also discouraged due to the difficulty of
replacing services when a coordinator leaves the net.
5.6 Be a Member of the Area Administered
A Coordinator must be a member of the area administered. This is,
a Network Coordinator must be a member of the network he is to
coordinate. A Region Coordinator must be either a member of a
network in the region, or an independent in a region.
5.7 Encourage New Sysops to Enter FidoNet
A Coordinator is encouraged to operate a public bulletin board
system which is freely available for the purpose of distributing
Policy and Nodelists to potential new sysops. Dissemination of
this information to persons who are potential FidoNet sysops is
important to the growth of FidoNet, and Coordinators should
encourage development of new systems.
5.8 Tradition, Precedent and Technical Management
A Coordinator is not bound by the practices of predecessor.
However, it must be clear that Coordinators are bound by all
requirements of this document, both as FidoNet sysops and as
Coordinators. The holding of a Coordinator title does not grant
license to annoy others or to flaunt policy.
The primary responsibility of any Coordinator is technical
management of network operations. Decisions MUST be made only
on technical grounds. A Coordinator has the responsibility to act
as objectively as possible; objectivity must be considered an
essential factor when making a decision.
5.9 Exclusivity of Zone Mail Hour
Zone Mail Hour is the heart of FidoNet, as this is when network
mail is passed between systems. Any system which wishes to be a
part of FidoNet must be able to receive mail during this time
using the protocol defined in the current FidoNet Technical
Standards Committee publication (FTS-0001 at this writing). It
is permissible to have greater capability (for example, to
support additional protocols or extended mail hours), but the
minimum requirement is FTS-0001 capability during this one hour
of the day.
This time is exclusively reserved for netmail. Many phone
systems charge on a per-call basis, regardless of whether a
connect, no connect, or busy signal is encountered. For this
reason, any activity other than normal network mail processing
that ties up a system during ZMH is considered annoying behavior.
User (BBS) access to a system is prohibited during ZMH.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 15 27 May 1991
Zone Mail Hour will be defined by each Zone Policy. In the
absence of a Zone Policy, it will be defined by the Zone
Coordinator.
6 Election and Referendum Procedures
Any election or referendum at any level of FidoNet, must comply
with the standards described in this chapter.
6.1 Democratic Qualities of the Election
All sysops in FidoNet have a vote and must be allowed to
participate in an election or referendum.
All sysops in FidoNet are entitled to be candidates to any
elective position, provided that the requirements for each
position described on this and lower-level policy documents are
satisfied.
6.2 Particular election mechanisms
Each zone will issue its own election procedures, which may
involve direct participation or indirect participation (electoral
college approach).
In any case, all the sysops in the zone must be allowed to vote.
In the case of an indirect elections, the electors must be chosen
by direct vote of the sysops.
6.2.1 Coordinators acting as Electors
Coordinators will automatically be qualified as electors
representing their network or region in an indirect election only
if they have been chosen by direct vote of the sysops in the
administered area.
6.4 Worldwide elections and referendums
In worldwide elections and referendums with the participation of
all zones, the Zone Coordinator Council will determine the
election procedures and whether vote will be direct or indirect.
This will be done in each particular case by form of a ZCC
resolution.
7 Policy Referenda
FidoNews 8-21 Page 16 27 May 1991
7.1 International Policy
A referendum on International Policy modification is invoked by
the International Coordinator at the direction of a majority of
the Zone Coordinators, or a majority of the Region Coordinators
of all zones, a majority of the Network Coordinators of all
zones, or by one third of all the sysops in all zones.
All the members of FidoNet are entitled to vote on an
International Policy referendum, which is to be held according to
the procedures described by the Zone Coordinator Council before
the election is called.
7.2 Zone Policy
A referendum on Zone Policy modification is invoked by the Zone
Coordinator, by a majority vote of the Region Coordinators in the
zone, by a majority vote of the Network Coordinators in the
zone, or by one third of all the sysops in the zone.
All the members of the zone are entitled to vote on a Zone
Policy referendum, which is to be held according to the
procedures described on the Zone Policy. If such document does
not exist, the procedures will be determined by the Zone
Coordinator with the approval of the Zone Coordinator Council.
The formulation of Region and Network Policy documents is
encouraged, and must be regulated by the Zone Policy documents in
each zone.
7.3 Transition to a 'Worldwide Policy environment'
After the approval of this Worldwide Policy, the previously
existing policy will still be in effect for the Zone level until
the approval of a new Zone policy, according to the methods
provided in this document.
All the procedures introduced by this Worldwide Policy document
adjourn the procedures existing in the previous policy document.
8 Resolution of Disputes
The FidoNet judicial philosophy can be summed up in two rules:
1) Thou shalt not excessively annoy others.
2) Thou shalt not become excessively annoyed.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 17 27 May 1991
The parties involved in a dispute are encouraged to solve their
problems directly, without the intervention of a Coordinator.
8.1 Mediation Requests
Any of the parties involved may request the intervention of the
respective Coordinator: Network Coordinator if a dispute between
members of the same network, Region Coordinator if a dispute
between members of different networks on the same region; Zone
Coordinator if a dispute between members of different regions on
the same zone; International Coordinator if a dispute between
members of different zones.
The Coordinator requested as "mediator", will ask each party to
provide all the information before two weeks from the request and
will make a decision within forty-five days after he received all
the information from the involved parties.
A Coordinator, unable to resolve a dispute, may name a third
party to act as "mediator", provided the parties involved in the
dispute agree.
8.2 Appealing to a Mediator's Decision
A mediator's decision may be appealed to the immediately superior
level if considered unfair: Region Coordinators handle appeals
from decisions made by Network Coordinators; Zone Coordinators
handle appeals from decision made by Region Coordinators; The
International Coordinator handles appeals from decisions made by
the Zone Coordinators; and the Zone Coordinator Council will
handle appeals from decisions made by the International
Coordinator, being the Zone Coordinator Council's resolutions,
unappealable.
For appealing to a decision made by a third person named by a
Coordinator to act as mediator, it will be as if the Coordinator
made the resolution and the previously enumerated sequence of
appealing will be appropriate.
For appealing to a decision made by a mediator, the same terms
and procedures as for any Mediation Request apply.
8.3 Statute of Limitations
A mediation request may not be filed more than 60 days after the
date of discovery of the source of the infraction, either by
admission or technical discovery of the source of an infraction,
either by admission or technical evidence. Mediation requests may
not be filed more than 120 days after the incident, unless they
involve suspected unlawful behavior, in which the legal statute
of limitations of the country involved shall apply.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 18 27 May 1991
8.4 Echomail and File Distribution Networks
Each FidoNet Zone is encouraged to establish in it's Zone
Policy, the manner of handling Echomail and File Distribution,
and the resolution of disputes arising from both distributions.
No sysop may be required to carry an echomail conference or a
File Distribution a as a condition of joining or remaining in
FidoNet.
9 "CCC": Comments, Credits and Copyright!
This section will be automatically removed upon approval of this
document.
9.1 Comments on Implementation
This document is not final. No FidoNet policy is or will ever be.
WorldPol is an open enterprise where every member in FidoNet is
encouraged to participate. It is a unique experience, so far
successful.
If you disagree with any point of this document, you have a real
opportunity of have your voice be heard and contribute to the
future of FidoNet.
All FidoNet sysops are encouraged to make suggestions for
changes, as well as comments, which can be addressed to FidoNet
node 4:4/50 (WorldPol Project).
This World Policy will be adopted according to the mechanisms
provided on the present policy document.
9.2 Credits
WorldPol has received either directly or indirectly, input from
the following individuals (in alphabetical order): Raul Artaza,
Bill Bolton, Steve Bonine, Randy Bush, Billy Coen, Jack Decker,
Daniel Docekal, Ron Dwight, Hector Gomez, Tomas Gradin, Rob
Hoare, Jesse David Hollington, Alejandro Hopkins, Tom Jennings,
Glen Johnson, Daniel Kalchev, Raymond Lowe, Rick Moore, George
Peace, Vince Perriello, Bob Satti, Jan Stozek, Erik Van Riper,
Matt Whelan, and Gustavo Zacarias.
Thank you all.
Special thanks are hereby given to Thomas Jefferson whose ideas
were still in the 1990s an important source of inspiration for
this document.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 19 27 May 1991
9.3 Temporary Copyright
This document is Copyright (C) 1991 by Pablo Kleinman.
Todos los Derechos Reservados / All Rights Reserved.
This document is protected under international copyright laws.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 20 27 May 1991
Don Benson
Tribute Test Point 1:157/603
Why do we need a WorldPol?
I have read with interest the debate in Fidonews since the
publication of WorldPol. The arguments fly back and forth, and
both sides seem set in their decisions, yet one issue that I
think is important has yet to come up. Do we need an
international "Policy" like WorldPol or Policy4?
Fidonet has grown to encompass most of the world. In doing so,
it has absorbed people and technologies from many cultural and
technological backgrounds. To ask for one policy document which
will satisfy all is an insurmountable task. Yet this is what is
being attempted in WorldPol.
There are only two directions to move with such a document,
either toward anarchy or dictatorship. Some people complain that
Policy 4 was too much like a dictatorship. The opposite side
claims the proposed WorldPol is too vague, and will promote
anarchy. A prime example of this is the debate over "western
democratic standards." If left in its vague form, it would
prmote anarchy as people interpreted it as they liked. However,
changing the language to specific operational procedures would be
forcing some people to adopt methods which aren't ideal for them.
The crux of the situation seems to be that WorldPol tries to do
too much. Policy 4 had the same problem as Zones 2 through 6
developed and flourished. What needs to be done is to simply
throw out anything that is not necessary on an international
level.
For example, the issue of geographical nets comes to mind. What
difference does it make to Joe Sysop in Anytown, USA if Jurgen
Sysop in Jeneburg, Germany is not in a geographical net?
Especially when sending netmail? This is something that should
be decided on the zone or even regional level, not
internationally.
Concerning elections, perhaps WorldPol should only decree how the
IC is elected. It should have no say or take any position on how
any other *C's are elected. This still leaves room for debate,
since the specific method of an IC election will never please
everyone. However, it also doesn't place any weight on elections
at lower levels.
The trickiest area I see in defining a WordPol is handling
international disputes. In fact, this should be the main body of
WorldPol, and have the most meaning. Everything else should only
be minimal procedural definitions for the sake of structure, which
is necessary to keep the organization together.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 21 27 May 1991
One final point for anybody who is or wants to have an input on
WorldPol. I never knew one was being developed (mostly because I
am a fairly new Fidonet node) until I saw it in the Snooze. For
those who are sending in suggestions, how about this one: Try to
make any Policy reflect how things are actually working.
In sum, I think that WorldPol could probably be reduced to a
third of the current size, and we would end up with a smaller,
more effective document. Take a few moments and look at WorldPol
again. Ask yourself if each section is absolutely necessary to
be controlled at the international level? If not, why include
it?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 22 27 May 1991
Zone 1 Coordinators on Notice
George Peace
1:1/0
I expect each Network and Region Coordinator in Zone 1 to review
section 8 of FidoNet Policy. I'll do the same. In particular,
the second paragraph of 8.3 is critical...
"Network coordinators are expected to assess the opinions of
members of their network, and to vote accordingly..."
The word "expected" does not mean "hope" or "if you have time".
It means EXPECTED. As in REQUIRED, as interpreted here in
FidoNet Zone 1. Coordinator excuses for failure to read FidoNews
or the NodeDiff comments and failure to cast a vote in a Policy
referendum are sad and embarassing. The Zone 1 Region
Coordinators are on notice that each of them is EXPECTED to
issue appropriate notices to Network Coordinators in their
respective regions. And EXPECTED to follow up to assure that
excuses of ignorance or apathy are not substituted for duty to
represent the SysOps of FidoNet.
My thanks to Don Dawson, R16C, and the NCs and SysOps of Region
16 for their 100% turnout in the recent WorldPol referendum. They
proved it could be done in one Region. Let's ALL show them it can
be done in 9 more Zone 1 regions.
Thanks for listening and helping
George Peace, Z1C
--- via AutoNews 0.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 23 27 May 1991
Jack Decker
1:154/8 Fidonet
Response to Henry Clark's Comments on "Joggraphy"
In Fidonews 8-20 Henry Clark made the following comments:
"All you folks who live for echomail will soon conclude
that I'm crazy as Emily but I'm telling everyone anyway.
Electronic mail is on the whole, a fine way to communicate with
someone you know, but echomail and other public access
'everybody sees everybody else' type forums is not social
interaction. It's like having everybody watch TV and calling
that our educational system. Nothing is going to replace
direct face to face contact.
"And that's why I think Geography is important to Fidonet.
Geographic boundaries, and particularly NETS, align folks into
groups which are physically close to each other, and best able
to get together. In my net, we have a monthly Pizza Party. In
our Region, we have a yearly Lake Party. You probably have
these kinds of meetings in your parts of the world. That's the
really good part."
Henry makes some good points, but I think he is losing
sight of the forest for the trees here. In the first place
"close to each other" is a relative concept.
For example, I live in Region 11. If you measure the
distance between one side of the region and the other, you find
that the distance in some places (e.g. northwest Wisconsin to
southeast Kentucky) is approximately a thousand miles. Even if
you could have a gathering in the exact center of this area, it
would still mean a 500 mile trip for some folks. Those of you
who jet to Europe for vacations may think of this as nothing,
but 500 miles is a considerable distance for some folks to
travel.
This difference in perception of distance and ease of
travel is what causes a lot of the conflicts in Fidonet. For
example, a couple of years ago there were some folks who were
quite seriously stating that any sysop that did not attend
Fidocon did not really care about Fidonet (and, by implication,
had no right to comment on anything taking place in Fidonet).
Presumably the people making such comments could afford to jet
about the country, but many sysops (not just the younger ones,
either) put together systems on a shoestring to try and tap
into this wonderful information source that we have and can't
afford to just pick up and travel halfway across the country or
further to participate in a hobby.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 24 27 May 1991
The other difference in perception is between those who
live in major metropolitan areas and those who do not. If you
live in a city where there are 100 Fidonet nodes, and probably
three or four alternate Fidonet technology networks
represented, you probably don't have to worry too much about
the cost of getting echomail. I only wish that some of these
folks who are so hung up on geography had to go live for a
couple of years in a place where you were required by policy
and politics to get your echomail feeds from an in-state feed
200 miles away, at your expense, while knowing that there is an
interstate feed only 20 miles away but because it's in another
region, you're not allowed to belong there, or get your echoes
there.
You see, Henry, you're thinking only in terms of clusters
of sysops in cities, without giving any consideration to sysops
in rural areas that are often told "where to go" in Fidonet
without any consideration at all being given to the notion that
they might wish to pick up echoes from the least costly source.
Now, I do have to admit that I also differ with you on the
notion that a sysop should be forced to belong to a particular
net that's in his local area, even if he can get free echomail
there for only the price of a local call, because I believe in
the principle of freedom of association. Simply put, in an
organization such as Fidonet, I see no good reason why a sysop
should be FORCED to be part of a particular net if they don't
want to. I also can't imagine why a net would want to force a
sysop to join their net if he doesn't want to, since this only
invites future conflicts.
Let's put one notion to rest: If the IC declared tomorrow
that geography was no longer a consideration in Fidonet, and
that any node could join any net they please, 98% of the nodes
would probably stay right where they are. Another 1.9 percent
might switch nets because it is less costly for them to get
echoes from the net they join... for the most part, these would
likely be nodes located near a region or net boundary. In my
opinion, switching nets to save money on toll calls makes a lot
of sense, but there are a few in Fidonet (who, obviously, are
NOT in that type of situation) who can't see that. Finally,
MAYBE 0.1 percent would switch nets for political reasons, or
because of personality conflicts... so what? Suddenly someone
who was not happy (and who perhaps was flooding the echoes with
messages telling everyone why they were not happy) is now happy
and content... why should that bother anyone, except maybe some
power-hungry idiot who somehow takes it personally whenever a
node leaves his fold (did Jim Jones get reincarnated as a
*C?!).
Then there are the folks who say that if you allow
special-interest nets in Fidonet, you'll have them formed along
racist lines or some such malarky. Well, if that's your REAL
worry and not just a "red herring", the put something in Policy
that says that no special interest nets may be formed that
promote racial hatred, etc. Simple. As it is, such groups
FidoNews 8-21 Page 25 27 May 1991
could be formed in "other" nets or in a private net, so you're
not really stopping such a thing from happening, you're just
driving it underground where it's less detectable, like
termites in the woodwork. My personal opinion is that "special
interest nets" would not last long anyway due to the costs
involved... the only special interest nets that would make any
sense would be for those few who live in places where it would
be cheaper to pick up echomail via PC Pursuit rather than
through the nearest local net. Remember, there are still
good-sized cities that have access to packet switching networks
but where there are either no Fidonet nodes, or only a lone
node or two.
Let me give you but one real life example. Ever heard of
Duluth, Minnesota? What you may not know is that there are
actually two cities in the Duluth metropolitan area: Duluth and
Superior, Wisconsin. These two are a local call from each
other, and there is access to packet switching nodes in Duluth.
However, according to the nodelist there are NO Fidonet nodes
in that area at present. But Minnesota is in Region 14, while
Wisconsin is in Region 11. If a net ever formed in that area,
which region would it be in? Or would the Duluth nodes have to
call long distance to get their echoes from a source in Region
14, while the Superior nodes have to call to get the same
echoes from a Region 11 source? And would nodes in the two
cities be forever barred from holding pizza parties together
because they are in different regions, or would they be
permitted to do it only after "special dispensation" from the
ZC ant the two RC's involved? You're probably thinking that
I'm being totally ridiculous here and I AM... but only to prove
my point, which is that drawing artificial boundaries based on
geography IS ridiculous in an electronic mail network. The
people who live near these artificial boundaries, and
especially those who don't live in major cities are fully aware
of how stupid this is, but those who live nearer the center of
a region (or in an area NOT bordering another region, such as
near an ocean) don't really appreciate the hardship that these
artificial boundaries can cause for some.
Henry, my point is that in places where it makes sense for
sysops to group together because of geographic boundaries or
telephone exchange boundaries, they will continue to do so even
if we DON'T mandate it. Where it DOESN'T make sense for them
to group together, it is WRONG for others to demand that they
do so... particularly when those others would not be adversely
affected in any way if those few who would really benefit from
the freedom to change nets were given it.
Please keep in mind that Fidonet (or at least Fidonet
technology) is somewhat unique in that it may be the ONLY
cost-effective means of electronic communications for those
that live in rural areas. Think about it a minute... if
Fidonet disappeared tomorrow, those who live in the cities
where packet switching nodes are accessible would probably sign
up for GEnie (or, if they were truly desperate, Prodigy), or
perhaps try to find a local link into UseNet. Most folks in
FidoNews 8-21 Page 26 27 May 1991
rural areas simply don't have those options available (at least
not at anything approaching a reasonable cost), since in the
United States the packet networks have been alllowed to "cherry
pick" the larger cities and ignore the rural areas. And folks
who live in rural areas and who may be forced to spend more
money than they would otherwise have to in order to pick up
echoes, just because of some political lines that have been
drawn by city folks, probably have a whole different
perspective on this problem than you do.
Finally, if you're going to argue that face to face
contact between sysops is desirable and important, then to be
consistent you should at least be arguing for more, smaller
regions. Regions that cover a 1000 or 2000 mile radius are
just too large. Look at the size of Region 17 (Alaska, British
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, Montana, and Hawaii)... can you stand there with a
straight face and tell me that a good percentage of the sysops
from that region would show up at a regional get-together,
regardless of where in the region it might be held? I'm sorry,
Henry, but while I agree that face to face contact between
sysops is a good idea, I don't think that you need to enforce
regional boundaries to achieve that goal. Why not just throw
parties in various parts of the country and say that they're
open to all Fidonet sysops that can make it there? Why put a
regional restriction on the gatherings at all?
I still contend that geographic restrictions in Fidonet
DON'T MAKE SENSE, that they were first enforced for political
reasons and now mostly due to inertia and fear of change, but
they have never made sense and never will.
--- via AutoNews 0.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 27 27 May 1991
A Cautionary Tale
by Charles Herriot (1:163/110)
In was a bright sunny day in Washington,D.C, as Jim
"Billy-Bob" St. Packer strode up the steps of the Supreme
Court building. Following closely on his heels, was Waldo
Tosser. These esteemed lawyers were arriving for what was
judged by the media to be a clash of titans. Almost
forgotten in the media glare were the names of the plaintiff
and the defendant in the action which was finally to be
resolved before the justices. More completely forgotten was
the issue upon which the original litigants had disagreed.
Moving up the steps, in waves like sharks at a
slaughterhouse effluent pipe, were legions of other lawyers.
The pin-striped legions represented an incredible diversity
of interests who had all successfully petitioned the court
for the right to be heard. In no particular order, lawyers
representing all the major telecommunications companies, the
major commercial bulletin board systems, several large
software houses, the FCC, the FBI, the NSA, the Teamsters,
my ex-wife's divorce lawyer, and a scattering of religious
organizations whose presence was inexplicable.
One media pundit, after being asked for the hundredth time
by Dan Rather: "So, what's the mood of the people down there
on the sidewalk?" had noted that there was at *least* seven
hundred thousand dollars per hour of billable time oozing up
the steps. The defendant looked out of place as he emerged
from a taxi and brushed the lint from his plastic pocket pen
protector. The plaintiff adjusted the wad of black
electrical tape which held his glasses together and
staggered up the steps under the weight of his "laptop".
Anyone who misunderstood how these processes took on their
own compelling momentum might have been bemused by the
nature of the original complaint. It was an issue of genuine
triviality, an issue so ludicrous and picayune that no
reasonable nor sane person would ever have dreamt that it
would gather a vast hornet's swarm of legal devotees and
become a potential landmark decision. It had started as a
FidoNet policy complaint. In fact, it had started over the
fact that the defendant had failed to insert *exactly* one
space after the word "Origin" in his BBS mailer software.
That one misplaced space had already resulted in a cost of
four hundred thousand dollars worth of billable time to be
generated by the bovine herd of lawyers as they traversed
the steps of the court building. Another million dollars
worth of billable time would have elapsed before the Chief
Justice banged the gavel to commence proceedings. The costs
to the various interlocutors in preparing the case would
have paid off the national debt of most third world
countries.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 28 27 May 1991
The plaintiff, being ever-mindful of the *need* to ensure
that FidoNet policy was followed as closely as the
decolletage on a Miss America Beauty Queen aspirant, had
complained about the extra space inserted by the defendant's
mailer. As luck would have it, the NC of their net, A. Nal
Retentive, saw the issue as akin to motherhood, good
government and the preservation of innocent children
everywhere. He unloaded both barrels at the hapless
defendant, upheld the policy complaint and banished the
defendant from FidoNet. The defendant's entire reason for
living was centered on his BBS. The decision caused the
gelatin in his spine to harden into something that passed
for resolve among serious technodweebs. In a stirring
declaration of outrage he muttered "Well heck, this just
ain't right".
Quicker than you can say "Please pass me that piano", the
defendant had launched an appeal to the RC. Ill fortune
plagued this issue because the RC had staggered into his den
after a night of serious power-drinking to discover the
message containing the plaintive bleatings of the appellant.
The RC savagely threw himself (and part of his lunch) into
the reply message which not only denied the appeal, but
further sentenced the appellant to a week in Chicago.
Disheartened, the defendant soldiered on, opening yet
another multi-tasking window and cranked out an appeal
destined for the ZC. Seven months later... when the ZC
finally read his netmail, the issue seemed to be a clear
violation of a new Echomail policy which the *EC structure
had recently posted as the new, improved, revealed word of
God, Herself. The ZC had no desire to trifle with the
religious state-within-a-state which had grown up around the
*EC structure (and besides, they'd promised to let him wear
one of those hats with the really neat sheep horns if he
turned a blind eye to their ravening efforts at
Intergalactic domination). The ZC denied the appeal, and
added an even more cruel and inhumane punishment... the
defendant was further sentenced to memorizing all the FTSC
specifications.
The defendant, in one of those rare moments of insight which
change the world, muttered "Golly, this sure ain't gettin'
no better. I got rights just like everyone else." Now, it
has been suggested that merely whispering the word "rights"
will cause an infestation of lawyers to congregate like
moths at a bug-zapper, and this exclamation of the word was
no exception. Faster than the defendant could say "Yep, I
reckon I could get another mortgage on the house and sign
over my firstborn", a small pack of lawyers were filing what
was to become an avalanche of legal mayhem. The plaintiff,
having had his door wallpapered with enough summons,
requests to attend discoveries, show cause notices, and
other legal blackmail, engaged his own lawyer.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 29 27 May 1991
After seventy three delays, rescheduled hearings, and
improper service of motion hearings, both the judge and the
two lawyers had one of those rare simultaneous moments when
their connections had failed to deliver their daily intake
of cocaine, in short; they were all lucid and able to
proceed with the matter. The judge, after noting that the
double-knit trousers of the defendant made him look like the
kind of geek who would vote Democrat, rendered a decision
which was incomprehensible but gave no joy to the defendant.
The appeal hearing might have gone unnoticed and the matter
might have died had another quirk of fate not intervened.
The court stenographer was renowned for the brevity of her
skirts, and thus the court was always well attended by the
lascivious, but generally esteemed big guns of the law
cartel. In hopes of having to "further review the
transcript", one lawyer generously offered to take the
appeal to the Divisional court level. This lawyer, noted
neither for brains nor his knowledge of the law, was a
master at media relations. Between commercials on the
evening news the world soon learned that this was not
*simply* an issue between two hapless sysops... no indeed,
this was an issue involving the First Amendment Right to be
a real moron. It was an issue that would change the very
fabric of telecommunications, keep the world safe from
democracy, and provide a framework for some new and dubious
military adventurism on the part of The President.
The NRA, in their usual bone-headed fashion, issued a press
release that said: "Computers don't start NukeMail, people
do." The telecommunication giants waded into the fray with
their own pricey advertisements paid for by a special per
call levy charged against BBS systems. The Greenpeacers and
all the others in the "I brake for whales" crowd expressed
their outrage that stray electrons from VDTs were mutating
the last known breeding colony of Smurfs in Shuckmagosh,
Ohio. The Teamsters, upon hearing that something moved
without their efforts, mobilized to establish inter-state
"transportation tariffs" on non-union movement of echomail.
The FBI followed the Teamsters and mistakenly produced a
"Most Wanted" TV segment which re-enacted the original
Fidonet crime...complete with Barry Manilow background music
played ominously on a pipe organ, and a tuba quartet.
The situation became an international incident when some
underwhelmingly bright individual in the Canadian Department
of Fisheries spotted the word "net" within "Fidonet" and
sent legions of heavily armed game wardens to the Canada/US
border to interdict any travelers smelling of fish. Madonna
was *not* pleased at the unpleasant hour she spent in
detention as a result.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 30 27 May 1991
As the first lawyer staggered to his feet to begin the
Supreme Court arguments, both the plaintiff and the
defendant looked unhappily at the scene... and wished
fervently, as most of us do, that they'd had the wit to
settle their differences with Nerf bats.
-30-
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 31 27 May 1991
Fredric L. Rice
1:102.901.0
An old program has been dusted off, re-written in C, and then
made available for the general public: COST.ZIP. - This file
contains the executable, document file, sample configuration
file, and both the BASIC source code and the C source code
for the same program.
o What does COST do?
This program scans through the raw nodelist and offers a report
detailing those systems which are within your free and ZMU
calling zones. It also looks up the phone number you offer it
and will tell you if it's free, and if not, what the first
minute will cost and what each extra minute will cost. After it
offers this information, it reminds you what discount rates are
offered within specific times.
o Who would use this program?
SysOps could use this program to acquire an automatically-
generated listing of FidoNet systems that are free or very
cheap to call. This information could be placed into a banner
or other menu-requestable file so that Users could find systems
to call in your area.
Users could use this program, of course, and by-pass the SysOps
system all together though it makes sense for a SysOp to
provide it.
o How is this information found?
A configuration file provides all of the area codes and
exchanges your system may call for free and those they may call
to be charged as a Zone 2 or Zone 3 connection. This
information is provided by the phone company in the beginning
of your phone book under the title 'Local and ZMU calling.' The
entry of this data isn't exhausting. I'd like to offer a bit
of my configuration file for an example:
- - -
; Calling from Azusa, Glendora, Clairmont, San Dimas, Covina
; Baldwin Park, Monrovia, San Gabriel Canyon.
;
; Local 818 that are directly dialable and no charges apply
; Keywords required are: LOCAL XXX
Local 818
301 303 305 331 332
FidoNews 8-21 Page 32 27 May 1991
579 580 306
; Local 714 that are directly dialable and no charges apply
; Keywords required are: LOCAL XXX
Local 714
397 469 620 622 623
629 865 868
; Zone 2, area code 818. Charges do apply. Dial direct.
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
Zone 2 818
964 965 968
; Zone 3, area code 213. Charges do apply. Dial Direct.
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
Zone 3 213
945 946
; Zone 3, area code 818. Charges do apply. Dial Direct.
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
Zone 3 818
793 794 795 796 797
798 799
; Zone 3, area code 714. Charges do apply. Dial Direct.
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
Zone 3 714
985 986 987 988 989
990
; Zone 2 cost .08 cents for the first minute and .02 cents
; for each additional minute. Cost based on May/1991 prices.
; Keywords required are: COST ZONE X XXX AND XXX
Cost Zone 2 .08 and .02
; Zone 3 cost .10 cents for the first minute and .04 cents
; for each additional minute. Cost based on May/1991 prices.
; Keywords required are: COST ZONE X XXX AND XXX
Cost Zone 3 .10 and .04
; Various discounts apply at various times. Use 24 hour clock.
; Keywords required are: FROM XX TO XX XXX%.
From 08 to 17 100%
From 17 to 23 030%
From 23 to 08 060%
FidoNews 8-21 Page 33 27 May 1991
- - -
I've displayed only a fraction of the exchange codes that I
could list under each section for my calling areas; because
FidoNews is big enough some times. Regardless, it's
descriptive enough, I think, to show the information required.
o Where is it?
This file is File Requestable as COST.ZIP from 1:102.901.0. The
magic file name of COST will also work. The BASIC source code
is provided for old-times sake... The C code, however,
represents a mid-sized effort in that it's written and
commented so that a programmer learning C could use it as a
reference for pointer manipulation and maintenance of linked
lists of data structures.
o Next Update
This programs next revision will be able to update the 'cost'
field of *.MSG-type header files, and then offer a report on
the total cost to send the mail broken down by system address
based upon direct origination-to-destination routing. Long
Distance mail will not be added to the accumulation though the
report will describe how many there are.
With some minor work, and some major cooperation, systems could
know enough about billing to provide least-cost-routing across
systems by determining common free nodes between systems; in an
automated manor by modifying the route for specific packets.
Fredric
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 34 27 May 1991
Jamie Penner
1:153/1025@fidonet
24:24/0@signet
GateWorks is Finally Released!
------------------------------
After a whole lot of work, GateWorks is finally available to the
general public!
WHAT IS IT?
GateWorks is a sophisticated echomail gating system. It allows
you to gate echomail conferences from up to 20 different nodes
into a single network. Unlike other gating software, GateWorks
is complete.
- GateWorks will strip foreign seen-bys and paths, inserting
only the gateway system information.
- GateWorks uses strict error checking so that messages that
come into the network can not go back out.
- GateWorks can retag echos as they come into the network.
- GateWorks can log processed and non-processed mail so that you
can see what and when comes into your system.
- GateWorks adds a small GateOrigin line to each message gated
in or out with the original address and domain so that the
true message origin is never lost, regardless of how many
gateways it passes through.
- GateWorks works with nearly any front-end mailer. It is
standardized on using *.MO? bundles and can be run immediately
after mail comes in before being tossed.
Best of all, GateWorks is fast!
It is available for freq 24 hours a day from:
1:153/1025@fidonet 604-873-6625
24:24/0@signet 9600HST
99:99/25@eggnet
8:7501/103@the_network
Use the magic filename GATEWORKS for the latest version.
Support for the software is available via the GATEWORKS echo.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 35 27 May 1991
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 36 27 May 1991
Jack Decker
1:154/8 Fidonet
ENTREPRENUER ECHOTAG SPELLING CORRECTION DAY IS JUNE 12
As many of you are aware, there is an echo called
ENTREPRENUER which is echo for those who are in business for
themselves, or who would like to be. One of the more galling
problems is that whoever started the echo didn't bother to look
up the spelling of the word ENTREPRENEUR in the dictionary and
thus the tag is misspelled, as shown above. This invariably
leads to comments from newcomers to the echo, asking why the
word ENTREPRENEUR is misspelled.
To put an end to this, as current moderator I have
arbitrarily picked June 12, 1991 as ENTREPRENUER ECHOTAG
SPELLING CORRECTION DAY. On that date I am asking everyone
that carries the ENTREPRENUER echo, but especially the backbone
nodes, to correct the spelling of the echo tag. I picked June
12 because it is a Wednesday and therefore is in the middle of
a week, when echo hub operators are less likely to be out of
town, and also because it's far enough in the future to get the
news to everyone via Fidonews.
I realize we may lose a few messages in the switch, but it
will be worth it to get this problem corrected, and it's much
easier than trying to start another echo with the correct
spelling and then get everyone to migrate to it.
If you run an echomail processor that allows it, you may
wish to do something like this to help guard against lost
messages:
C:\MSG\ENTREPRE ENTREPRENUER
C:\MSG\ENTREPRE ENTREPRENEUR net/node net/node ... etc.
(Note the same directory is used for both the old and new tags)
This will cause any messages that happen to come in with
the old tag to be properly tossed to the correct area, but when
they are scanned out they will have the correct tag. You would
only need to do this for a few days after June 12, and I'm not
insisting that you do it at all, only that you can if you want
to.
One other request. One of the other most galling
complaints that we get is the number of messages related to
Multi-Level Marketing in the ENTREPRENEUR echo. A few months
ago I started a separate echo called MLM for those messages,
which is also carried on the backbone, but for some reason a
majority of the MLM messages still seem to wind up in
ENTREPRENEUR. This seems to bother some folks who would rather
talk about other kinds of business enterprises so in order to
help keep these topics separated, I am requesting that those
boards that carry ENTREPRENEUR also carry MLM. I am not so
foolish as to try and make this a requirement, but I AM nicely
FidoNews 8-21 Page 37 27 May 1991
asking everyone that carries ENTREPRENEUR to PLEASE consider
also taking MLM, since it will only improve the quality of both
echoes if we can migrate the MLM-related messages to the MLM
echo.
But in any event, if you carry ENTREPRENUER, please
remember to correct the spelling of the echo tag to
ENTREPRENEUR sometime during the day on June 12. Thank you for
your assistance.
Jack Decker, moderator of ENTREPRENEUR and MLM.
--- via AutoNews 0.3
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 38 27 May 1991
Robert Johnson
FidoNet 1:327/1
SoundNet Has Arrived!
Yes! A new files network has been born. It has no fancy or
flashy acronym, and is simply known as SoundNet. It's a net
whose time has come.
More and more, computer users are outfitting their units with
some sort of sound board or MIDI interface. Tandy and Amiga
users have always known the joys of a good sounding computer.
Now IBM users are forsaking the old beeper speaker for the more
sophisticated sounds that eminate from the likes of AdLib,
SoundBlaster or MIDI interface boards.
With so many users getting into this technology, it has been
decided that a file sharing network of FidoNet bulletin boards,
was exactly what was needed, to promote and enhance this music
medium.
We'd like to support, not only files that pertain to
the current music systems out there, but also anything that
pertains to music. Musical Database programs as well as
programs that print music manuscripts. In other words if it is
related to music, we'd like to carry the program or file.
Currently there are 40 FidoNet Systems in Zone 1, and 1 node
in Zone6: Japan, who are a part of SoundNet. We would like to get
more units involved! Zone 3, Zone 2...EVERYONE!
So consider this an open invitation, to join the newest files
network on the bitstream. For more information File Request
SOUNDPAK.ZIP at 1:327/1. The more systems involved, the better
we can support the fine efforts of authors and composers out there.
I Hope to hear from you real soon!
Bob Johnson
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 39 27 May 1991
Z1C Election Status
Harry Lee (1:321/202)
(AKA Stupid One Who Volunteered To Count)
(AKA Person With Sufficient Fingers For The Task)
There are three candidates for the position of Z1C. They are,
in the order I was made aware of them:
George Peace
Jesse David Hollington
John Summers
Voting commenced 5/24, and continues until June 1. Z1RC's
should send votes directly to 321/202, with a password. The
regions that have voted and the passwords will be published
in RegCon and Z1_Election as they are received, once daily.
Individual votes will be EXPLICITLY acknowledged via direct
netmail by me.
A majority (50% + 1) of votes cast is required to elect.
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a runoff
will be held between either the top two candidates, or, in
the event of a tie in second place, all the candidates in
the first and second vote positions. The voting period for
this runoff will be one week. If necessary, this process
will be repeated until the RC's reach a consensus.
The following is the current state of the voting for Z1C:
Rgn Pwd
10
11
12
13
14
15
16 AnotherTerm
17 Eileen
18
19
No password indicates that no vote has been received at 321/202
for that region.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 40 27 May 1991
=================================================================
COLUMNS
=================================================================
Paul Knupke, Jr.
Florida Telecom Central
Largo, Florida USA
1:3603/130.11 and soon to be assigned a real node number :-)
One early morning, sometime after midnight, after getting home
from work, I decided to start writing a general column for
Fidonews. This monthly column is going to be a mishmash of my
thoughts, ideas and observations. So here goes ...
Here it is a rainy, humid Florida evening and I'm sitting here
getting ready to head out to The DreamLand Express BBS'
(1:3603/30) weekly "Pit Crew" at the local Denny's restaurant.
I guess there isn't a better time to start.
Fidonet is large (now isn't that an understatement!) Anyone
who meets the basic FidoNet technical standards and can
operate duringZone mail hourcan be assigned a node number.
You can run IBM (MS-DOS or OS/2), Commodore Amiga, Atari ST,
Apple 8 bit and Macintosh, UNIX based system or a Tandy Color
Computer. Most of us have a large selection of frontend
mailers, bbs programs, and utilities.
With more than 11,000 members, Fidonet is by far the largest
bulletin board based network. The closest "competitor" barely
has one tenth the membership of Fidonet. This large size has
its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
Most people don't have to call long distance to connect to a
hub system.
Costs can be split among several to many people to cut down
the amount of money hubs spend to bring echomail in.
If you have a software or hardware problem there probably is
someone who has a similar configuration that can assist you.
You are not limited in the usage to a single program to handle
your network mail. (This is also a disadvantage.)
Many computers have Fidonet compatable software.
Disadvantages:
FidoNews 8-21 Page 41 27 May 1991
The nodelist is approaching a one megabyte!
With such a wide variety of programs used by nodes, updating
Fidonet technology has become a very difficult task without
suddenly shutting out a segment of the network.
(and I am sure all of you can think of others)
I am not sure how to address these disadvantages exactly ...
Last week Aaron Goldblatt introduced the Ft. Worth Nodelist
format. His concept has its merits. I'd like to know how
large the nodelist would be using the Ft. Worth Nodelist.
Could the nodelist be imported into a database program to
create a sample Ft. Worth nodelist? If so we could see what
the size savings would be.
There are some problems with the Ft. Worth nodelist. It would
work fairly well in the United States and Canada but not in
other parts of the world. The deletion of the area code in
most cases would not cause a problem. In cases where a node
is outside the area code of his network coordinator and not to
mention Europe where the phone numbers, city codes and so
forth don't follow any set format would certainly cause
problems. I think removing area codes and so forth would
cause untold problems.
Instead of removing the the "X" mail flags, remove the X and
just use A, B, C, P, X, and W and so forth because some
smartmailers do make use of them (ie Frontdoor 2.00+) I agree
on removing all redundancy as well as dropping the ending
zeros on the baud entry.
In light of things maybe we could move to Zone nodelists
instead. Sysops would receive Z1DIFF, Z2DIFF etc and proccess
the nodelists they need producing Z1LIST etc.
On to other things...
GroupMail or not GroupMail ...
GroupMail has many advantages as pointed out in previous
shnoozes. The problem is not every platform has a GroupMail
processor and all mailers are not capable of update requests.
Unfortunatly by moving to Groupmail my recent purchase of
TosScan will become obsolete <sigh>.
Now a geography lesson ...
In North America geographic nets are to our advantage cost
wise. Its been said many times that if geographic boundaries
were dropped a NC could deny a node number to someone knowing
that they can't afford to join a net outside of their local
area. Let zone polices address this issue.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 42 27 May 1991
Speaking of policy ...
Well WorldPol has been defeated and apathy is at an all time
high. Something is wrong when only 3 of 40 networks in a
certain region even cast votes. Hey net coordinators lets get
with it! Net Coordinator isn't just a title, you have duties
under Policy. I'm not speaking to ever NC, just some of you.
Our illustrious editor, Vince, said reciently that those
coordinators who didn't do their job should be removed. Let
the nodes decide ... and have a yearly election of net
coordinators across the board.
Confused yet? Well ...
Here it is Friday and I was thinking of how confused I've been
lately. I'm working with two local Atari ST sysops setting up
BinkleyTerm-ST. I didn't know anything about Binkley (I'm a
Frontdoor user...) and then I'm working on an Atari ST. We're
getting close and with the help of plenty of BinkleyTerm-ST
&BBS Express ST sysops. (Thanks guys!)
Politics ... Shmolotics ...
Well I'd rather not talk about this, but at least some zones,
regions and nets are doing things democratically! Thanks to
all those who have pushed for a democratic Fidonet (Fred
Niemczenia, number of regional coordinator, the grunt sysops,
and especially Pablo Kleinman in Buenos Aires).
Oh well till next month ....
Happy Summer (or Happy Winter ..)
and for those in the United States, Happy Memorial Day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 43 27 May 1991
Henry Clark
1:124/6120
The 4th Annual Poor Man's Fidocon and Lake Party --
After three eventful years, the 1991 PMFC&LP was hard pressed
to find a spot until our own native son John Summers volun-
teered to combine our event with his own wife's 2nd Annual
Birthday Lake Party.
Diana is a saintette and deserves a big present from everyone.
I mean, what would your wife say if 700 sysops showed up at
your door ? "No way!" "Way!" "No way!" "Way!" I can't
exactly print what Honey would say.
The following is a quote from an early announcement by John :
Plan to attend another fun filled weekend at Cedar Creek
Lake. There is plenty of room to pitch a tent, picnic, and
party! The lake during the summer months is great for
swimming or boating (boats are welcome) or just laying
around visiting with friends.
Those who attended last year can tell you that all had a
good time and enjoyed -
Boating
Beer
Sailing (thanks Dewey)
Beer
BBQ Chicken
Beer
An EXCELLENT Cat fish fry
Beer
AND Many other activities!!
Mark your calendar, tell your wife/husband and/or girl/boy
friend to plan on it, bring the children and come on out!!!
Date - Friday the 14th of June thru Sunday the 16th
(come spend whatever time you like)
Where - John & Diana Summers place on Cedar Creek Lake
Directions -
From anywhere in the metroplex (Dallas/Ft. Worth), find your
way to I-30 and LBJ Freeway on the EAST side of Dallas. Take
635 LBJ South until you see the sign "Kaufman - 175". Take US
Highway 175 toward Kaufman. Continue on US 175 thru Crandal,
curving around Kaufman and just past Kemp. There is a big sign
there that says Hwy. 274 - Seven Points. There is an Exxon
station at this intersection.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 44 27 May 1991
Take Texas Highway 274 to the light in 7-Points (there is only
one light). Turn Left at the light. Come down the road just
over a mile and turn Left on Nob Hill Rd. This road is just
after the crest of the hill, just after the H&R Block on the
left and just before the Chamber of Commerce on the Right. If
you go past the "China Wok" restaurant or come to the Shell
station/marina, you have just passed the corner, turn around
and come back up the hill!
Follow Nob Hill Road almost all the way to the lake until you
see a white sign with Black letters that says "Oak Landing".
Turn Left! Almost immediately (less than a city block) turn
Right. Again, almost immediately, turn left. Come up to the top
of the hill and our place is the first place on the left. The
name is on the mail box!
For those of you in the rest of the Region, buy a Texas road
map. Locate the LBJ Freeway (635) around Dallas and on the
South East corner of Dallas, Locate Hwy. 175. Take your finger
and follow Hwy. 175 to Kemp and find Cedar Creek Lake.
Now that you have found the lake on the map, determine the best
route for you from wherever you are!
And NOW, in the current spirit of Fidonet, I bring you
Lake Party Policy 1.0 --
1. Any computing device discovered within 200 yards of the
Lake Party will be summarily tossed, along with it's owner,
into the Lake. ( Masterson -vs- Army Corp. of Eng., 1988 )
In a 1990 appeal, a higher court affirmed, but with the
landmark desenting opinion :
He/she who brings the most toys wins.
2. Emphasis on beer, I mean, Beer, is purely political and is
only intended to remind you of the "don't be annoyed" clause.
( Texas Code, 1836 ) Don't be annoyed clause follows.
Don't be annoyed clause : Don't be annoyed. Experience has
shown that it is impossible to be "excessively annoying" at a
Lake Party. Annoying behavior is encouraged for the purpose of
providing Fidonews material.
3. Assumed risk and liability for damages ( including but not
limited to dented fenders ) is expressly limited to the price
of admission. ( Allstate -vs- Theissen, 1990 )
FidoNews 8-21 Page 45 27 May 1991
4. Alternative nodelists on restroom walls may be erased only
when inaccurate. ( Teel -vs- Acme PortaClump, 1988 )
5. Snakes in lakes make Danes abstain.
( Honey -vs- Henry, 1989 )
Speaking of policy...
RC For a Day --
( As reported in FidoNews 7.41 : )
I actually ran for the RC position, garnering the fewest votes
of any candidate. The whole election was rigged because the
incumbent RC decided to run for re-election. It'll cost me a
bundle in psychiatric fees to get over this one.
( Remember that ? I thought not. )
Well, it so happens that our illustrious ex is now bent on
cleaning up echomail as the Z1EC. And who ends up in the RC
slot ? Ah ha ha. You guessed it.
Honey was real POed about it too, figuring on all the extra
time I'd be spending handling 'Police Complaints'. She didn't
want the neighbors to see police cars parked outside !
Now let me get this straight :
I am the RC for life.
I can appoint whomever I choose as REC.
I can replace all the NCs.
If you don't like it, you aren't in the nodelist.
I believe that about covers it.
Single Threaded --
Oh. I'm boring you to death with this 'idle time'. Suppose you
received 4 hours worth of mail from your feed each day, and you
in turn fed 5 other systems. ( Hmm, let's see, uh, 4 times 1+5
is 24 hours. ) Ok, next line. This full load situation is
somewhat understated because there will be upstream mail as
well ( you receive from downstream and send upstream ).
Taking this scenario to the extreme, that's 12 hours in and 12
hours out. All the mail is passed along a single chain, and it
takes an average of 10000 days to get a reply. Don't laugh, the
file nets are getting bigger than the mail.
FidoNews 8-21 Page 46 27 May 1991
So the distribution network splits up, say, along lines of
'interest boundaries'. We are learning to do that today,
before any technological limit forces us to.
Homemaker Extra-ordinaire --
Remember your mom's schedule ? No, your mom didn't run a
mailer, she ran your house ! Yours truly, mild mannered 9 to
5'er, encountered radioactive muffin fan lint and became :
SuperHouseSpouse. Faster than a coupon expiration date. More
powerful than a 4 H.P. Electrolux. Able to leap mounds of dirty
clothes with a single bound. Up in the sky, aaaah shutup!
Young co-sysop Kevin will start school in the fall, but I have
this great opportunity to spend the summer with him, all for
the measly price of a few 'chores'. Then he starts school.
Right now, his backpack is loaded for the Lake Party and his
new water gun looks cool. I can't wait, either.
Frankly this household stuff is pretty easy.
( but don't tell Honey ! )
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 47 27 May 1991
Steve Winter
FidoNet 1:151/208 209
Now I beseech you, brethern, mark them which cause divisions
and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned;
and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but
their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches decieve
the hearts of the simple.
(Romans 16: 17-18)(written to the apostolic church at Rome)
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,
let him be ACCURSED. Galatians 1:8 (written to the apostolic
Christians in Galatian church)
SO WHAT DID THE APOSTLES TEACH?
1) Acts 2:1-4..."And they were ALL filled with the Holy
Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance."
(This was in the upper room where 120, including MARY the
mother of Jesus, were gathered Acts 1:14-15). Many false
preachers teach that "tongues were just for the 12 apostles".
2) Acts 2:38. "Then Peter said unto them, repent and be
baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost".
The next verse mentions that this promise is to "as many as
the Lord our God shall call."...most false preachers do not
baptise in Jesus NAME they just use "titles"
3)Acts 8: 15-17 (Samaria) "Who, when they were come down,
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(For as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then they laid their
hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
Many false preachers teach that you automatically have the
Holy Ghost when you first "believe on the Lord"
4) Acts 10: 44-48 (First gentiles saved) "And they of the
circumcision (Jews) which believed were astonished, as many
as came with Peter, because that on the gentiles also was
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. FOR THEY HEARD THEM
SPEAK WITH TONGUES, and magnify God. Then answered Peter.
Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as well as we?
And he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord."
FidoNews 8-21 Page 48 27 May 1991
False preachers teach people that they allready have the Holy
Ghost even though they don't even believe in tongues.
5) See also Acts 19:1-6...Galatians 3:27...Acts 22:16
"As we said before, so say I again, If ANY MAN preach any
other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
ACCURSED."(Galatians 1:9)
Steve Winter - [moderator HOLY_BIBLE]
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 49 27 May 1991
=================================================================
LATEST VERSIONS
=================================================================
Latest Software Versions
MS-DOS Systems
--------------
Bulletin Board Software
Name Version Name Version Name Version
DMG 2.93 Phoenix 1.3 TAG 2.5g
Fido 12t+ QuickBBS 2.66 TBBS 2.1
GSBBS 3.02 RBBS 17.3B TComm/TCommNet 3.4
Lynx 1.30 RBBSmail 17.3B Telegard 2.5
Kitten 2.16 RemoteAccess 1.01* TPBoard 6.1
Maximus 1.02 SLBBS 1.77A Wildcat! 2.55
Opus 1.14+ Socrates 1.10 WWIV 4.12
PCBoard 14.5a SuperBBS 1.10 XBBS 1.17
Network Node List Other
Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
BinkleyTerm 2.40 EditNL 4.00 ARC 7.0
D'Bridge 1.30 MakeNL 2.31 ARCAsim 2.30
Dutchie 2.90C ParseList 1.30 ARCmail 2.07
FrontDoor 2.00 Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00
InterMail 2.01* SysNL 3.14 Crossnet v1.5
PRENM 1.47 XlatList 2.90 DOMAIN 1.42
SEAdog 4.60* XlaxDiff 2.40* EMM 2.02
TIMS 1.0(Mod8) XlaxNode 2.40* 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18
Gmail 2.05
GROUP 2.16
GUS 1.30
HeadEdit 1.18
IMAIL 1.10
InterPCB 1.31
LHARC 1.13
MSG 4.1
MSGED 2.06
MSGTOSS 1.3
Oliver 1.0a
PK[UN]ZIP 1.10
PolyXarc 2.1a*
QM 1.0
QSORT 4.03
ScanToss 1.28
Sirius 1.0x
SLMAIL 1.36
StarLink 1.01
FidoNews 8-21 Page 50 27 May 1991
TagMail 2.41
TCOMMail 2.2
Telemail 1.27
TMail 1.21
TPBNetEd 3.2
TosScan 1.00
UFGATE 1.03
XRS 4.10*
XST 2.3e
ZmailH 1.14
OS/2 Systems
------------
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
Maximus-CBCS 1.02 BinkleyTerm 2.40 Parselst 1.32
ConfMail 4.00
EchoStat 6.0
oMMM 1.52
Omail 3.1
MsgEd 2.06
MsgLink 1.0C
MsgNum 4.14
LH2 0.50
PK[UN]ZIP 1.02
ARC2 6.00
PolyXarc 2.1a*
Qsort 2.1
Raid 1.0
Remapper 1.2
Tick 2.0
VPurge 2.07
Xenix/Unix
----------
BBS Software Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
BinkleyTerm 2.30b Unzip 3.10
ARC 5.21
ParseLst 1.30b
ConfMail 3.31b
Ommm 1.40b
Msged 1.99b
Zoo 2.01
FidoNews 8-21 Page 51 27 May 1991
C-Lharc 1.00
Omail 1.00b
Apple II
----------
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
GBBS Pro 2.1 Fruity Dog 2.0* ShrinkIt 3.23
DDBBS + 7.4* ShrinkIt GS 1.04
deARC2e 2.1
ProSel 8.69*
Apple CP/M
----------
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
Daisy v2j Daisy Mailer 0.38 Nodecomp 0.37
MsgUtil 2.5
PackUser v4
Filer v2-D
UNARC.COM 1.20
Macintosh
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Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
Red Ryder Host 2.1 Tabby 2.2 MacArc 0.04
Mansion 7.15 Copernicus 1.0 ArcMac 1.3
WWIV (Mac) 3.0 LHArc 0.41
Hermes 1.5 StuffIt Classic 1.6
FBBS 0.91 Compact Pro 1.30
Precision Systems 0.95b* TImport 1.92
TeleFinder Host 2.12T10 TExport 1.92
Timestamp 1.6
Tset 1.3
Import 3.2
Export 3.21
Point System Software Sundial 3.2
PreStamp 3.2
Name Version OriginatorII 2.0
FidoNews 8-21 Page 52 27 May 1991
AreaFix 1.6
Copernicus 1.0 Mantissa 3.21
CounterPoint 1.09 Zenith 1.5
Eventmeister 1.0
TSort 1.0
Mehitable 2.0
UNZIP 1.02c
Zip Extract 0.10
Amiga
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Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
Falcon CBBS 0.45 BinkleyTerm 1.00 AmigArc 0.23
Paragon 2.082+ TrapDoor 1.50 AReceipt 1.5
TransAmiga 1.07 WelMat 0.44 booz 1.01
ConfMail 1.12
ChameleonEdit 0.10
ElectricHerald1.66
Lharc 1.30
Login 0.18
MessageFilter 1.52
oMMM 1.49b
ParseLst 1.64
PkAX 1.00
PolyxAmy 2.02
RMB 1.30
Roof 44.03
RoboWriter 1.02
Rsh 4.06
Skyparse 2.30
Tick 0.75
TrapList 1.12
UNZIP 1.31
Yuck! 1.61
Zippy (Unzip) 1.25
Zoo 2.01
Atari ST/TT
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Bulletin Board Network Node List
Software Version Mailer Version Utilities Version
FIDOdoor/ST 2.2.3* BinkleyTerm 2.40l ParseList 1.30
QuickBBS/ST 1.02 The BOX 1.20 Xlist 1.12
Pandora BBS 2.41c EchoFix 1.20
GS Point 0.61 sTICK/Hatch 5.50*
LED ST 1.00
MSGED 1.96S
FidoNews 8-21 Page 53 27 May 1991
Archiver Msg Format Other
Utilities Version Converters Version Utilities Version
LHARC 0.60 TB2BINK 1.00 ConfMail 4.03
LHARC2 3.18* BINK2TB 1.00 ComScan 1.02
ARC 6.02 FiFo 2.1m* Import 1.14
PKUNZIP 1.10 OMMM 1.40
Pack 1.00
FastPack 1.20
FDrenum 2.2.7*
Trenum 0.10
Archimedes
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BBS Software Mailers Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
ARCbbs 1.44 BinkleyTerm 2.03 Unzip 2.1TH
ARC 1.03
!Spark 2.00d
ParseLst 1.30
BatchPacker 1.00
+ Netmail capable (does not require additional mailer software)
* Recently changed
Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by
reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list
all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 8-21 Page 54 27 May 1991
=================================================================
NOTICES
=================================================================
The Interrupt Stack
15 Aug 1991
5th annual Z1 Fido Convention - FidoCon '91 "A New Beginning"
Sheraton Denver West August 15 through August 18 1991.
8 Sep 1991
25th anniversary of first airing of Star Trek on NBC!
7 Oct 1991
Area code 415 fragments. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
will begin using area code 510. This includes Oakland,
Concord, Berkeley and Hayward. San Francisco, San Mateo,
Marin, parts of Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay
Islands will retain area code 415.
1 Nov 1991
Area code 301 will split. Area code 410 will consist of the
northeastern part of Maryland, as well as the eastern shore.
This will include Baltimore and the surrounding area. Area 301
will include southern and western parts of the state,
including the areas around Washington DC. Area 410 phones will
answer to calls to area 301 until November, 1992.
1 Feb 1992
Area code 213 fragments. Western, coastal, southern and
eastern portions of Los Angeles County will begin using area
code 310. This includes Los Angeles International Airport,
West Los Angeles, San Pedro and Whittier. Downtown Los
Angeles and surrounding communities (such as Hollywood and
Montebello) will retain area code 213.
1 Dec 1993
Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release.
5 Jun 1997
David Dodell's 40th Birthday
If you have something which you would like to see on this
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---
Remember Campers!!!
To send mail from an Internet site or smart UUCP Site TO a user
that calls a Fido-Net system.
You need to know the name of the person and node number of the
Fido-Net system that the person uses.
The address of a FidoNode looks like this: 1:105/302.0. Usually
the 1: and .0 are left off, but they are there by default. (In
Europe it is 2: and in the Pacific Basin it is 3:.) That
address can be translated as "Zone 1, Net 105, FidoNode 302,
Point 0." or p0.f302.n105.z1. Add the FidoNet domain of
.fidonet.org to the end of that, chop off the p0 (it is again,
a default) and you have f302.n105.z1.fidonet.org - the "Fully
Qualified Domain Name" of a FidoNode. Another example is
1:105/4.3 which would be written as p3.f4.n105.z1.fidonet.org
(since there is a point number other than 0, we have to specify
it). Note also that we are only using zone 1. This will also
work for zones 2 and 3, just use z2 or z3 as appropriate.
FidoNet uses full names of the callers. Multi-part name folks
(eg. First Last, ie. "Dale Weber") will have a period '.'
seperating their names. So, lets say you wanted to send mail
to Dale Weber at 1:105/55.0, you would address your letter to:
Dale.Weber@f55.n105.z1.fidonet.org.
**********************************************************************
Submissions to comp.org.fidonet should be addressed to
pozar@toad.com
**********************************************************************
--
pozar@lns.com Fido: 1:125/555 PaBell: 415-788-3904
USNail: KKSF-FM / 77 Maiden Lane / San Francisco CA 94108