pozar@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Pozar) (05/31/88)
Volume 5, Number 22 30 May 1988
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| FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) |
| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
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Editor in Chief Dale Lovell
Editor Emeritus: Thom Henderson
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
Contributing Editors: Al Arango
FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet
Association as its official newsletter. 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.
Copyright 1988 by the International FidoNet Association. All
rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for
noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
please contact IFNA at (314) 576-4067. IFNA may also be contacted
at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141.
Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
Fido Software, 164 Shipley Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 and
are used with permission.
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
Everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING
received.
Table of Contents
1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
To FidoCon or not to FidoCon ............................. 1
Computers and Kids ....................................... 2
The ChessLine System: .................................... 4
Networking. What the hell is it, and what's in it for ... 6
NODELIST Crisis -- Past, or Coming? ...................... 12
2. COLUMNS .................................................. 15
Are You Afraid! .......................................... 15
Top Downloads 5/13/88 - 5/20/88 .......................... 17
3. FOR SALE ................................................. 19
4. NOTICES .................................................. 20
The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 20
FidoCon'88 Special ....................................... 20
And more!
FidoNews 5-22 Page 1 30 May 1988
=================================================================
ARTICLES
=================================================================
Tim Sullivan
108/62
Those of you still sitting on the fence about attending this
year's FidoCon in Cincinnati lend me your ears (eyes in this
case).
[guilt trip on] [tongue in cheek]
Here we sit in Cincinnati working ourselves way too hard planing
for the BEST conference this group has ever seen... and for
what! Where are the registrations? Where's the commitment from
our FidoNet compatriots? I see people in echos talking about how
this, that or another thing can be resolved at FidoCon. Frankly
I don't know how anything can be resolved if no one shows. 50
vendors are going to have a great time talking to 20 attendees!
At least I know I have a one in twenty chance of winning the
airline ticket we are giving away!
wait....hmmm.... on second thought don't register... don't come!
I have that much more likelihood of winning one of the modems
too! hehehe this is great... I could use another modem and a
trip to California...... bye.
[tongue out of cheek] [guilt trip off]
See you here in August.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 2 30 May 1988
Claude Witherspoon
Fido 100/525
Kids Echo Conference and the KidsNews NewsLetter
I got aquainted with the computer field about a year ago
while serving this great nation with a career in the U.S.
Army at an aviation unit. I was at my desk minding my own
buisness when this little guy with a big truck dropped three
Zenith Z-248's in front of my desk. I had never seen a
computer up close till then.
The computers sat there for a few days awaiting
instructions. Finally, my curiosity getting the best of me,
we decided to pull them out of the box. They were impressive
in relation to the old typewriter. I dug through some
manuels and found an operators book and finally got the
things plugged in and making noises. One thing led to
another and I found that I was not watching the clock like I
used to do. I began to get home later and later each night.
This continued for months. Each day something new would pop
up on the screen. Then one day it happened. I learned to
operate the modem!... I was really hooked then.
My brother, Paul Witherspoon, who is also my technical
advisor, took me by the hand one day and showed me the
wonderful world of the Bulletin Board System. I knew right
then that I was a goner. I began to ask millions of
questions about the possible use of these bulletin boards. I
began driving my brother crazy with my innocent curiosity of
what these things could do and what "I" could make them do.
While all this was going on, I was constantly proding my
entire family with the thoughts of a home system of our own.
Once the kids were involved with the games, it wasn't to
hard to convince "Moma" (Instant sitter, ah ha!).
That day finally happened and things started going pretty
fast then. We got a Net/Node number which is like seeing
your name in the phone book. Your somebody now!... Our new
system was a joy to behold. Loaded with a BBS.
Time went on and I noticed the children were always on the
computer when I would arrive home. They were constantly
burried in one game or the other and just as excited as I
was when I started. They were very forceful in their joy
about their new discoveries. Much like I was. I noticed a
little of myself in what they were doing. This led me to the
thoughts of possibly letting the kids run the BBS. Then a
kids area was developed and the more I spoke with my
brother, the more things started to grow. I got my daughter,
Brandy Witherspoon, involved in publishing a KidsNews
Newsletter all on her own. This started to take on more and
more shape as time passed. Contributions to the newsletter
were sent in and published with recognition to the the
sender. Also, birthdays and special events went into the
newsletter. Kids and adults were requesting the newsletter
FidoNews 5-22 Page 3 30 May 1988
through messages in the echo. Distribution was very limited
due to the audience which it was targeted for and the lack
of knowledge on my part on exactly how to get it
distributed. Still have problems there!...
One day I was reading through my messages and there was one
from Don Daniels, President of the International FidoNet
Association, Melville, NY. He informed me of IFNA's interest
in promoting the use of FidoNet for various endeavors that
should accrue to the common good of mankind. He suggested
that I contact David Drexler, Net/Node 147/1, to possibly
combine our efforts with what David was doing with the
"International Pen Pals". I checked with my brother and off
the message went. David answered and was very pleased that
someone else shared his interest in the children. David also
mentioned a possible connection to Australia through the
Telenet. This may be a reality sometime in the future?
Somewhere in California there is a connection to Australia.
David, your a saint. Please continue with us and we can rest
assured that computing and children can lead us to a future
of unlimited possibility.
The KIDS Echo Conference is now on the Region 19 Backbone
run by Tony Davis, 147/9, in Oklahoma City. So look for it
to be a developing concept with International interest. I
would like to thank all those involved with the development
of a tool to insure this great nation's growth through our
children. I feel certain that the best interest of our kids
is being looked after through your efforts. The kids may not
say it sometimes. But we can see it through thier eyes and
actions. They too are pleased with you.
I plan to write future articles if this one is accepted with
the kids best interest in mind. I will also keep you updated
on the growth of the KIDS Echo either through this
newsletter or the kids newsletter. Thanks for your time in
reading this. My kids thank you also. Hopefully we have
generated a spark of interest in what the echo is all about.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 4 30 May 1988
Edward Hawes
Fast-BBS 106/132
I wanted to let all sysops know about our new CHESSLINE
system available for bbs operations. The ChessLine will give
your BBS that extra feature which will attract the kind of users
you want. Do you ever get tired of seeing users call in, skim
the message base, then go to the files section? The ChessLine
makes your board more interesting by giving them something else
to do. Chess has been around for centuries, and unlike other
past times, has not been harmed by the computer age. In fact,
have you ever noticed that of the people you know who are
interested in computers, probably more of them play chess than do
not? While the game does not require a genius to play, it does
attract people who are at least interested in exercising their
intellectual dexterity. This is a prerequisite to personal
computing and goes hand in hand with the users of a bulletin
board system.
The ChessLine operates in a fashion similar to 'postal chess'. A
user will call your BBS, enter The ChessLine, make his move, and
exit. His opponent will call later, enter The ChessLine, make
his move, and then exit. What makes The ChessLine more
interesting than postal chess is that you don't have to wait on
the US mail. The ChessLine will store all moves and when your
user calls, will set up an on-screen chessboard with the last
played position shown. All moves entered are checked for their
legality, as The ChessLine will permit no illegal moves. All
legal moves including castling, enpassents, and pawn promotions
are allowed. The ChessLine will terminate the game as soon as
one player check-mates the other or if the game becomes
stalemated or a player resigns.
We have also added some other options to Chesline for you and
your users enjoyment :
1.. The ability to leave short comments to the other player
2.. Sysop chat mode (with auto word-wrap)
3.. Sysop online play with user
4.. Netmail play (see Netmail doc's)
5.. List of all moves
6.. The ability to take back moves
7.. View other games in progress
8.. Online Help
FUTURE ADDITIONS (Already under developement)
1.. U.S. CHESS Federation ranking system..
2.. Node to Node interactive play..
CLMAIL.EXE
This utility is the most exciting aspect of Chesline.. Clmail is
the Net-mail utility that will send moves to any board
in the E-Mail Network that has ChessLine installed.
Let me explain. You see Clmail creates a outbound
message with the record enclosed.. So if you wanted to play a
game with a user in Washington D.C.,you make your move and clmail
will send it across the wire to the Node in Washington then the
FidoNews 5-22 Page 5 30 May 1988
move applied to chesline on that board.. The next day the user in
Washington would send his move to your board through Clmail
and so on and so on... Now that i have you confuzed
lets make it worse... Say you have 20 games going on and
3 of them are network games to 3 different nodes,
Clmail will automatically create the outbound messages with the
node numbers there going to. (Have I got your attention?)
This is a great concept because you can now play National Chess
without having to call another board with procomm or whatever
and sign on and go through lond distance networks just to
make a move.. Now with CLmail you make all your moves
locally and your mail system handles the rest..(NEAT HUH?)
We are presently working on a player list utility that will list
all Chessline players nationally and rank them according to
U.S. Chess Federation rules and regulations then create a
listing that will be distributed to all Chesline nodes so the
users can select by player and ranking!! (Exciting HUH?)
Well Im sure you can see how this could grow into a Chess Net!
We are very excited about the possibilities this could bring...
The program Clmail was written by James Brown at Brown BBS in
Houston. Many Thanks to his hard work and dedication to the
expansion of Chesline and the idea for the Net-Mail application.
This concept has broken new ground in the E-mail Network and
blazed a new path for bbs games..
THANKS James Brown.. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK!!
Notes:
Chesline is a very high quality program designed with the sysop
in mind. It is written in assembler and uses ansi graphics for
the display. It also uses RAM for file processing so the speed
is kept to a maximum. It monitors the carrier and has it's own
ansi interpreter so you don't have to load ansi.sys and you can
still see everything on your screen that the user sees. It will
allow a max of 200 games and is set up to run under multiple
nodes. It will automatically get the user's name and will run at
2400/1200/300 even 9600 baud. Thise version will have the
ability for the sysop to play online with user and has a
chat mode as well.
This program was specifically designed for opus but will run
on PCBoard,Quik-BBS,GTPowercomm,RBBS.
For more information on Chesline call Edward V. Hawes voice=
713 392-7801 data=713 392-0093 or James Brown voice=713 485-4993
BHC SOFTWARE
3120 SOUTHWEST FRW #400
Houston Texas 77098
Call my data number to check it out! see ya
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS PRODUCT SO WE CAN GROW THE CHESS-NET!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 6 30 May 1988
Networking
What the hell is it, and what's in it for me?
By David Rice
(1:103/506.0)
714-662-2294
The LAN (Local Area Network) is currently one of the
fastest growing computer products in the business world today.
In 1987 the Office Computing Group (one of the first to
mass-market Net products) installed 420,000 LANs, 75% of which
were in the United States. There are currently plans to place
another 400,000 in 1988. The conservative estimate stands at
over 3,000,000 PCs currently connected to LANs in the U.S.
business world. Latest forecasts expect from 40% to 60% of
business in the U.S. will have some sort of LAN set up and
running by 1992.
But what's a LAN? A LAN (Local Area Network) can
include anything (and everything) from a large collection of dumb
terminals hooked up to a controller via interfaces, to massive
mainframe corporate computers sharing a common data base.
For our purposes I will define a LAN as a collection of
PCs in an office (or home) environment, all connected together
over high-speed cables for the sole purpose of sharing common
equipment, data bases, and message bases. These devices may
include printers, hard (or floppy) disk drives, specified paths
on a specified drive, and even modems. The methods of
accomplishing these tasks are many and varied.
Since there are so many different types of commercial
hardware and software to set up a LAN, I will have to limit this
article to the "Big Three", with side mentions of the Biggest
Fourth, which is the most common. Why I'm not going to cover
this most common LAN will become apparent later on. First I will
cover the major TYPES of LANs.
The first type of LAN to arrive, from "Corvus
Constellation and Nestar Systems" in 1979 was/is what's known as
a "Linear Bus Topology." That is, a main cable ("Bus Cable") is
routed from one end of the building to the other, with the "Work
Stations" (more about them later) hooked up by just dropping a
line from this Bus to the "Network Interface Card" (NIC) in the
PC. The Following Figure 1 is an example of Linear Bus.
With this configuration, each Work Station listens to
the main bus line, waiting for something addressed to it to come
along. When the Work Station discovers that the bus is quiet, it
may make a request by introducing information to this bus line.
For instance, Work Station 1 may want a file from Work Station
2's hard disk. Work station 2 will be listening to the bus line,
as well as Work Station 1. When Work Station 1 hears that the
bus is quiet, it sends a message to Work Station 2 saying "Send
Me ORGY.EXE" please. Since all the WS (Work Stations) are
listening, WS 2 will see that the message was meant for it, and
FidoNews 5-22 Page 7 30 May 1988
if the passwords are correct, it will send the file.
What if two or more WS attempt to use the bus at the
same time? A collision occurs. This is why this type of LAN is
called a "Contention" type. When the bus is contended, both WSs
wait a random number of nanoseconds and then try again.
The well known, and excellent LAN, "Ethernet" is this
type of LAN. The Ethernet is very fast, at 10,000,000 Bits Per
Second data transmission. "StarLAN" is also this kind of LAN, and
it runs at 1,000,000 BPS.
We'll call Ethernet Top 1, as it is one of the best
sellers of Net products.
The second topology is called "Star Wire Ring," as it
has a common "file server" at the center, with multiple WS
running off of it. Novelle NetWare uses this topology under the
ArcNet Protocol, which runs at 2,500,000 BPS. ArcNet is very easy
to set up and run, uses coax, and is low cost ($250 approximately
per NIC (Network Interface Card)). We'll call this Top 2.
No doubt you have heard of the third best-seller. IBM
Token Ring uses the Token Passing Protocol, under the Star Wire
Ring or Distributed Star topology. "Ring" means that, unlike the
bus cable that terminates at both ends, the main cable is
connected in a circle, with the WS connected parallel to this
main ring.
The ring is quite different than the bus method. As
the bus method, each WS listens in on the ring, but one at a
time! What happens is that the file server passes a "Token" to
one WS. That is, the server says "Ok, Work Station 1, you have
the Token. What, if anything, would you like to do with the
network?" If WS 1 doesn't have anything it wants to do, IT
PASSES THE TOKEN to WS 2, and it is now up to WS 2 to figure out
if it wants to do anything on the net. If not, it in turn passes
the Token. This way, each WS waits its turn, and collisions are
not possible. The IBM Token Ring Network runs at 4,000,000 BPS
and is high cost. A connector alone costs $25.00, with the NIC
around $450. The cable connecting the NIC to the wall connector
costs $79.90 when I called IBM. The prices WILL be lower if one
buys from a distributor instead of IBM directly.
However, IBM Token Ring is very dependable and
predictable. It uses "Type 1" cable, which is two pairs of
twisted 12 gauge solid wire, in a sturdy casing. Each pair is
tied together, so in essence the cable is "two conductor" even
though there are four wires in it. This double duty makes it an
excellent problem-free cabling system, though an expensive one.
The Token Ring Connectors are gender-generic (a term I just made
up), in that there is no male or female. Every connector will
plug into every other connector. The money you save on gender
changers you will spend on these damn connectors (!) but they are
very handy and extremely reliable.
FidoNews 5-22 Page 8 30 May 1988
Coax cable systems can handle very high data
transmission speeds, which is why Ethernet uses Coax. There is a
problem with some coax, as it may not meet the fire safety
standards in some areas. Whoever installs the coax had damn well
better know ahead of time. Burning coax can be deadly. The nice
thing about the older version of Ethernet is that they use their
own cable, as IBM does, and it meets fire safety standards and
exceeds them in some specs. The cable of Ethernet, however, is
thick, bright yellow, and a swatting pain in the ass to lay down!
Coax cables may be terminated very cheaply, but the reliability
is subject to wild fluctuations depending on how you do it.
There are coax connectors that just screw on, after the
installer strips back the jacket to expose the shield and cuts
back the center tap. These should be avoided, but are
serviceable. That is, if it were MY Net, I'd shoot the person
who hands them to me. They work fine, true, but just yank on the
cable, or look at it mean-like, and see what happens! My
suggestion is that if one (perhaps you) are using these, set up a
schedule to re-terminate them one at a time. It doesn't need to
be done all at once, that is. Please note that this is a
personal opinion.
The better coax connector will crimp on. I suggest
again that the right tool be used for the job, so invest in a
REAL coax stripper. These will usually remove the jacket, cut
the shield, and expose the center tap, all to desired dimentions
(!) all at the same time. If you are using coax, you owe it to
yourself, and the person paying for your time, to get one of
these strippers! At $100 to $135, the time you save will very
quickly pay for the cost of the stripper. This one tool will do
more for making a reliable coax based LAN than any secondary
component. A sharp knife is what I used to use, and though this
method works fine, I'd fire any employee I saw using it. How
much is your employee's fingers worth to you? Please, get the
right tool.
There are many coax crimpers available. AMP sells excellent
ones. The crimper MUST be for the right "class" of coax. Using
a type 1 crimper on a type 2 coax cable won't work well, if at
all.
That said, I will mention that there is a third type of
LAN. This is called RS-232c or "Zero Slot LANs." That is, it is
a software package that runs the comports on your PC as if it was
an NIC. A very good, cheep LAN of this sort is made by EasyLAN,
which supports from 2 to 18 users, runs at 19,200 baud on a PC
and 56,000 baud on an AT. The price for two users is $220, with
an additional $120 for each additional user.
The Zero Slot LAN is excellent for home use, though it
may be very good in the business environment. If you wish to
hook up your two computers at home together, as in hooking up
your bulletin board on the kitchen table to the PC in the study
to use the study computer's hard disk for more storage, this is a
FidoNews 5-22 Page 9 30 May 1988
very low cost way of doing so. At 19,200 baud it may take awhile
to transfer the proper file from the study to the BBS, but what
the heck? The user is running at 2,400 baud any ways so she/he
isn't waiting for your LAN to catch up!
If 19,200 baud isn't fast enough for you, that's ok,
too. For $149.50 per work station you may get 115,200 BPS for up
to 6 work stations. This is from Knowledge Network, and may be
ideal for the home, or in the small office environment. This
system is perfectly serviceable, cheep, and easy to set up, but
compared to the NIC based LANs, the speed is crippling.
The Zero Slot LAN is the lowest cost one. It is a
Contention type LAN.
LANs encourage sharing and communication. Many
businesses have standard operating procedures (SOPs) that one
must follow to be productive in their environment. The LAN
forces the user to follow set procedures for every user, with no
excuses. The Vice President must follow the same SOPs as every
person who uses the LAN, so the rouge employees who insist on
using Word Star when MultiMate is the corporate standard, or the
employees who use DbaseIII when everyone else wants the files in
R:Base System V, will have to bear the responsibility to learn
the standards set by Those Who Rule. That's tough, guys, but
productivity is the issue, and after all the employee will
benefit by the extra training.
Most LANs support a user message base, where every user
may communicate with any and every other user. The manager who
broadcasts a message to her/his supervisors can get feedback
immediately. Some users may abuse this by passing jokes, dirty
gossip, and hate mail. They must remember that the LAN manager
may have a message log running, and that anything they say can
and will be held against them. That means you should send stuff
like "The boss is a real great guy, ain't he?" to a dummy work
station, so that the boss will think highly of you. The dummy
work station is so that no one else reads your message and thinks
your a butt-kissing clown.
Many software development houses offer LAN version of
their single-user products. Lotus 1-2-3 is a good example of
this. Word Perfect also provides this. Expect to pay more for
the LAN version than the single-user version, and you may have to
pay a licence fee for every user who uses the LAN version. Few
offer site licences.
The LAN Version is important, as they check the status
of files before they access them. One may use a single-user
version of Lotus 1-2-3 on the net, but what happens if two users
are running 1-2-3 and want the same file? When the smoke clears
you'll see a three-foot crater where your file server used to be
(i.e. a missing or corrupt file). Heads will roll, and the Lotus
Development Corporation WILL have you tossed in jail.
The way around this problem is called "File Locking."
FidoNews 5-22 Page 10 30 May 1988
The LAN version of the application software will "lock" the
currently reading file, and no one else may use it. The whole
file may be locked, or just parts of it. R:Base System V will
lock records, but not the whole data file. Lotus will lock the
whole spreadsheet, and no one may use it until the first user is
finished with it.
Version 3.0 and 4.0 of Microsoft's QuickBASIC supports
file locking! If one opens a file for Read, Write, or Random,
all or parts of that file may be locked. The software author
does not have to program around the locking problem, therefore,
because QuickBASIC handles that problem! That's why my Space
Battle game for our network at work is being written in
QuickBASIC.
There are two types of LANs. The first is
"peer-to-peer," and the second is "file-server-based."
Peer-to-peer. As the name implies, each and every work
station is considered equal. One may share devices freely or
not, as the user wishes. If the LAN manager approves, one may
share one's hard disk files with anyone, and one may get files
from any other WS. This method requires that each WS be
individually configured.
File-server-based LANs use a central file base, which
other WS use to store and retrieve files. All workstations slave
to the file server. This is great for standardizing files,
schedules, and memos, as there is only one copy of the document,
file, or what-have-you at one time. If one trashes a file, head
will roll, and the blood will run freely through the halls.
Back up your LAN. If you have a file server based
system, this is a must, as every WS DEPENDS on the server. If
peer-to-peer, a trashed file isn't as major a problem.
Some networks will run over existing telephone lines.
The phone lines installed in most businesses have from 4 to 6
connectors, but only two are used. The other wires may be used
for the network. Think of the money saved by not buying cable,
and not having to route it through the building! The VAX often
uses this method.
Cabling distance is a consideration. Every cable has a
maximum range it may be run before it requires a bootster. It's
about 4,000 feet for coax, and perhaps 3,000 for IBM Type 1.
Check the manufacturer before you buy. This is very important,
as the type of cable and the distances involved will tell you if
a repeater is required.
Never run a memory resident program on the file server.
That's just asking for trouble. Remember to protect the file
server first, as it's an important link (the most) in the LAN.
This includes a battery backup system in case of power failure.
With many users using the same hard disk, the hard disk
FidoNews 5-22 Page 11 30 May 1988
on the file server will require defragmenting now and then. A
few Networking program will perform this function during lax
(idle) time! Otherwise, there are many programs available to
"optimize" the hard disk for you. Remember that many copy
protection schemes resort to terrorist tactics, and if you
optimize a hard disk after installing this software, this
software may not run! Examples are Lotus 1-2-3, Chart Master,
Map Master, Sign Master, Harvard Total Project Manager, just to
name a very few.
There are several ways to connect two LANs together.
One is called a "bridge," which connects two like LANs. That is,
connecting two Token Ring Nets, or two Ethernets.
A "Router" will connect two LANs with similar network
level protocols, but differing informational packet formats.
The "Gateway" will connect just about any kind of LAN
to just about any other. It is extremely costly, though.
The following is some information you may wish to look
into if you plan on starting a LAN.
EasyLAN, mentioned above. Phone (408) 738-8377. Their
package is Zero Slot LAN type, through the comports. Currently
supports from 2 to 18 users.
Knowledge Network. Supports up to 6 users, phone (408)
739-6800.
3+ is supplied by 3Com, from Mountain View, California.
The price is around $900.00 for from 1 to 5 users, and around
$1800 for unlimited users. It is file-server-based. NICs it
supports are 3Com Ethernet, IBM Token Ring, StarLAN, and
Appletalk.
VINES & VINES/286, by Banyan Systems in Westboro, MA.
Suggested price is $1,895.00 per file server. NICs supported are
IBM Token Ring, 3Com Ethernet, SMC ArcNet, Proteon Pronet, Corvus
Omninet, and others. It is a very good system, but limited in
RAM accessing.
PC Network Program by IBM, Armonk Yew York. The price
is $125 per user and requires 3.1 DOS or higher. It supports the
IBM Token Ring Adapter NIC only.
As far as I know, the IBM Token Ring Adapter NIC will
NOT work with the OS/2 model 50 or higher.
Oh. The single most common LAN in use today? It's
called "Sneakernet," where one puts on a good pair of running
sneakers, picks up a floppy, and carries it to another PC. It is
the cheapest LAN available to date, and presumably the slowest.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 12 30 May 1988
NODELIST Crisis -- Past, or Coming?
by Ben Baker -- 44/76
I'm sure most of you are aware of the recent minor crisis
with the FidoNet nodelist. Let me first explain what happened.
In order to generate a difference file, MakeNL must first
perform an analytic comparison of last week's nodelist and the
one it just created. Traditional programs to perform this task
have been notoriously slow because of the inordinate amount of
I/O required to resynchronize the input files once a difference
has been detected. MakeNL uses an algorithm which allows it to
resynchronize in memory, without performing any I/O, thus speed-
ing the process significantly. But when an algorithm depends on
a limited resource, such as system memory, the limits of the re-
source translate to limits on the algorithm.
Two bad assumptions conspired to precipitate the "crisis."
I thought MakeNL's difference analyzer was limited to between
9,000 and 10,000 lines of input, or more than 4,500 lines per
file. And I was not keeping close track of the nodelist size,
but thought it was around 3,500 lines, yielding about a 25%
safety factor. Actually , the two numbers collided at just over
4,000 lines! And at a time when another "minor crisis" was oc-
curring with another of my utilities! "When it rains. . ."
Version 2.11 of MakeNL has now been released which corrects
the problem by dividing large input files into segments of man-
ageable size and analyzing differences of the segments indepen-
dently. Some clever (if I do say so myself) resynchronizing of
the segment boundaries in the input files results in difference
files of near optimum size. From the point of view of MakeNL's
difference analyzer at least, nodelists may now grow arbitrarily
large!
As an aside, while working on the difference analyzer, I
discovered a benign, but annoying bug which can, under unusual
conditions, cause unnecessarily and unreasonably large difference
files to be generated. (Take a close look at the back end of
NODEDIFF.134.) While only ZCs need the correction described
above right away, this bug could affect ALL MakeNL users who pro-
duce difference files. For that reason, I recommend all users
update to V2.11.
Thus, the present "nodelist crisis" has been put to bed, but
as my title suggests, there is another on the horizon. Consider
this. In April, 1985 (was it really only three years ago?!) a
group of us met in St. Louis to resolve another nodelist crisis.
An assignment freeze was artificially holding the number of nodes
at about 250. We solved the problem, TJ modified Fido, we re-
leased the freeze, and by August we had doubled our size to 500
or so.
The following August (1986) we met at Silicon Mountain
FidoNews 5-22 Page 13 30 May 1988
FidoCon, facing another crisis. We had some 1,000 nodes and were
rapidly approaching Fido's 1,200 node limit. Last August the net
stood 2,000 strong(?) and I forget which software had just hit a
limit.
By the time we get to Cincinnati this August, the net will
probably have passed the 4,000 node mark. Notice the pattern --
500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000! With tens of millions of PCs and hun-
dreds of millions of phone lines in America alone, I see no rea-
son for the growth rate to slow, so by extrapolation, in August,
1990 we can expect FidoNet to have around 16,000 nodes, the
nodelist will be about 1.25 megabytes BIG, and the difference
file will be running in excess of a hundred kilobytes!
Now, let's play some number games. To keep current, each
node must receive each difference file exactly once. Assume that
in 1990, 6,000 nodes can arrange to do that at 9600 baud and the
rest support 2400 baud. 6,000 * 2.5 + 10,000 * 10 is 115,000
minutes or 1,917*4 hours or 80 days of connect time, much of it
toll, just to distribute nodelist updates EVERY WEEK. Assuming
50% toll time at ROA rates, that's more than $7,500. No wonder
AT&T likes FidoNet! Now, let's assume that each system, once it
gets the difference file, spends an average twenty minutes doing
nodelist processing. That's 5,333.33 hours, or 222.22 days, or
over seven months of computer time. That translates to several
days of 3080 time. Got any idea how much that would cost?
Did these stats startle you? Did I get your attention? I
hope so. Folks, we do indeed have a looming crisis! It is un-
likely, but there may actually be network software out there
which, through clever design, has no systematic limits, but all
software is limited by the availability of resources it relies
on; time, memory and disk space. The burgeoning nodelist is
straining all three.
A recent FidoNews article "proposed" a first step toward the
"phone book" concept Thom Henderson has been championing for more
than a year. Jeff Sheese would have the nodelist distributed as
separate zone lists. I would suggest an immediate, more radical
shift to region lists. It would permit operators of smaller sys-
tems with modest communications needs to pick and choose only
what is needed. But even that does not solve the (not very) long
term problem.
The "fully coupled" network, in which the software at each
node has full knowledge of all other nodes, is a good concept for
small networks. But far from being the necessity Tom Jennings
insists it is, it is fast becoming a luxury we can't afford. For
FidoNet to survive exponential growth, it MUST become a decoupled
network. To achieve that end, software will have to change -- a
lot of software. The fundamental concept of network addressing
is involved here. And the software will have to change in a co-
ordinated manner. The sooner, the better! If you think a mas-
sive update of 4,000 nodes running at least six different mail
servers will be traumatic, imagine the trauma of updating 16,000
FidoNews 5-22 Page 14 30 May 1988
nodes and perhaps twenty mail servers!
I appeal to the netware developers. FidoNet's growth is
setting your priorities for you. At this time it is not too im-
portant how you connect reply chains or adjust seen-bys in echo
mail. Nor do the relative elegance or utility of Wazoo vs. Bark,
or Zmodem vs. SEAlink matter very much. We must first figure out
how to handle growth gracefully, or it may all simply collapse.
I appeal to the net administrators. FidoNet's growth will
inevitably place increasing pressures on you, and let's face it,
the pay is not that good. Yours is the role of the coxswain.
You must provide the leadership to get us techies stroking to-
gether, and in the right direction.
Finally, I appeal to all sysops. FidoNet's growth is, in
the final analysis, your problem. It will become more and more
difficult, and require more and more of your time to operate a
FidoNet system. Believe me -- without change, in another year or
so, you will be seriously considering giving it up. I'd hate to
see that happen. What can you do? Gentle (or if necessary, not-
so-gentle) pressure from you will help get your administrators
off their duffs and us techies off TDC!
The shoes are starting to pinch. Let's find a replacement
for them before they become crippling.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 15 30 May 1988
=================================================================
COLUMNS
=================================================================
Jake Hargrove
Fido 301/1
High Mesa Ranger's
Does your Hair Stand On End
If your hair stands on end it may not be because you are afraid,
it may be because of high static electricity in your area. In
the past few weeks, I have experienced several problems related
to this. After moving to New Mexico in early February, I started
noticing when I touched the light switch I would get a mild
shock. Knowing this was caused by low humidity, I purchased some
static guard. Which helped a little.
Then the morning of 25 April, after having worked all night, I
came back into the house, and turned on the monitor. Well for
some reason it did not want to come on. So being the kind of
person who figures he can fix anything that is broken if it is
simple enough, I opened the case on the monitor, and in a matter
of minutes had parts scattered all over the counter of the
cabinet.
After several attempts to locate the problem I took my
Multitester and sent 200 OHMS through the on and off switch. It
checked out OK. I then touched the positive end of my tester to
the plug on the cord, and the end where it went into the monitor.
The first result was positive, but the second was negative. I
had found my trouble, 'NO POWER.' I then started checking for
fuses. I finally found them, both of them. An one was scorched,
so I knew what I had to do.
The next morning being saturday, we drove all over town to find
the little devil. An being the wise guy, I only bought 1 package
of 2. Upon getting back to the house, I put one into the slot
and plugged in the monitor. Well I had to tear it all down
again, walk over and ground myself on my static mat before
putting the 2nd one in. This worked for all of about 2 hours.
Around 3am I returned from work again, reached over and touched
the monitor, and ZAAAPPPPPP. Down it went again.
After replacing it 4 times, I figured out what was wrong, and
raised the AMPS from 2.5 to 3.15. This should not harm it
according to my electronic friend. It is not good for it but
what it does is gives me a buffer of .65 amps before it blows.
If by now you have not guessed what was causing the problem. An
you may be Afraid to Ask. I will let you in on the problem.
1. Friday 24 April. My wife purchased some anti static
carpet cleaner. 1800 hours she vacummed the floor.
FidoNews 5-22 Page 16 30 May 1988
2. With the anti-static stuff all over the carpet, the
static electricity had no place to go. An even the static pad I
was using to sit on did not displace the static from the monitor,
which is highly staticy any any. An with it having no place to
go when I turned it on it had just enough juice to fry my fuse.
Yes I hope I have solved the problem til I can afford to purchase
a swamp cooler or humidifier. I now have the monitor sitting on
a static pad also which we all touch before we turn the monitor
or for that fact the computer ON. This is just a little added
precaution. Because this area is full of static electricity, and
even the slightest jolt or volt from STATIC Electricity, can
knock you on your can so imagine what it can do to your circuts
or for matter, your data.
Don't be afraid to ask. If you have questions, there is always
someone out here who is willing to provide you with good helpful
advice. An what is really nice about it, is most of it is FREE.
Jake Hargrove
Net Coordinator
Net 301
High Mesa Net
===============
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 17 30 May 1988
Top Downloads: 5/13/88 - 5/20/88
A weekly report of the most popular downloads
from contributing FidoNet systems. Report created
on May 23, 1988.
There is sometimes a one or two issue delay in items submited
to FidoNews so this column may occassionaly reflect statistics
from one or two weeks ago.
Contributing systems:
135/1, Unidentified Region 18 board
Total downloads: 410
Total callers: 362
Average Utilization: 43.75%
File Download Report -- Top 20
Rank Area\File Name # DL's
------------------------------------------------------------
1. *GAME\frigate.arc 7 Sea battle game
2. GAME\lotto.exe 6 Jackpot's at $10mil this week
3. GAME\lotto.arc 5 Rnd # generator for lotto
4. MISC\blkleter.arc 4 Draw block letters
5. UTIL\moreram.arc 4 Increase ram
6. MISC\bigchar.arc 3 Draw big chars
7. MISC\bigtype.arc 3 Show big characters
8. LANG\bmenu.arc 3 Create BASIC menus
9. MISC\dmbanner.arc 3 Print banners on printer
10. COMM\gt1400-2.arc 3 Comm program
11. COMM\gt1400-4.arc 3
12.*GAME\hoax.arc 3 Pretend to access NORAD
13. UNPT\kq2.arc 3 Unprotect
14. UTIL\moredos.arc 3 Use more Ram
15. MISC\planet.arc 3 Detailed astronomy program
16. COMM\tandem.arc 3 Ctrl computer via modem
17. COMM\gt1400-1.arc 2 Comm program. Vers 14
18. COMM\gt1400-3.arc 2
19. COMM\gt1400-5.arc 2
20. UTIL\chk4bomb.arc 2 Check pgms for trojans
*File(s) available on only one of the participating systems
Selected Files of Interest
Area\Name #DL's
--------------------------------------------------
BBSP\cal_110.arc 2 Bob Hartman's Netmail reminder sys
BBSP\colossus.arc 2 Bulletin board program
UTIL\edenv16.arc 2 Edit environment from keypad
UTIL\egaeps.arc 2 Print screen from EGA to epson
MISC\govtbbs.arc 2 List of Govt. BBS
BBSP\o_struct.arc 2 Opus structures
COMM\pcplus11.arc 2 ProComm+ (V 1.1)
COMM\poe.arc 2 ProComm outside environment pgm
COMM\qm31ext.arc 2 Qmodem additional files
BBSP\quickeco.arc 2 QuickBBS echomail pgms
MISC\setvid.arc 2 Set EGA mode for game compat.
FidoNews 5-22 Page 18 30 May 1988
SWLH\swllog.arc 2 Keep track of Shortwave stations
INFO\teapot.arc 2 EGA drawing of Teapot
INFO\thegrin.arc 2 View macpain files and print them
LANG\ada-tutr.arc 1 ADA language tutorial
ARCS\arcm240.arc 1 ARCmaster arc utility
LANG\crt43.arc 1 Replacement CRTINIT modules TC 1.5
LANG\d86a.arc 1 Debugger for A86 assembler
LANG\d86b.arc 1
UTIL\ddos-aid.arc 1 Utils for DoubleDos
BBSP\do280-30.exe 1 Nodelist editor for Dutchie
SWLH\sfl-eng.txt 1 Shortwave stations heard here
Transfer methods total (rank)
------------------------------------
Xmodem download/upload: 190 (1)
SEAlink download/upload: 112 (2)
Zmodem download/upload: 81 (3)
Telink download/upload: 29 (4)
Ymodem download/upload: 26 (5)
External download/upload: 3 (6)
If there are any other systems interested in being a part of
this weekly column, please send me your system stats in a similar
format via net-mail at 135/1. The system report from LogRpt
would be ideal. If at all possible, include a description of
files with unusual names. If there is a file you particularly
want me to list, let me know. I MUST have the information by
Monday's Net-mail time in order to get the stats compiled. Please
keep your reports at 7 or 8 days, Friday to Friday if possible
and no longer than 10 days. (We can accept net-mail anytime of
the day and are PC-Pursuitable).
James Gilbert
RAM-SOFT Archive Library (9600HST)
1:135/1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 19 30 May 1988
=================================================================
FOR SALE
=================================================================
TECHbooks<tm>: The Computer Book Specialists
3646 SE Division Street (800) TECH-BKS
Portland, OR 97202 (503) 238-1005
FidoNet Address #1:105/4.4 Message-only BBS: (503) 760-1473
Selected Books
_Using PC-DOS_, 2nd Edition, by Chris Devoney. Jerry Pournelle
recently said it's the best book on DOS he's seen. We agree. It
starts at a pace suitable for the beginner, but by the time
you're through all 850+ pages, you'll be an expert. Covers up to
DOS 3.3, and is TECHbooks priced at $20.65.
_The C Programming Language_, 2nd Edition, by Brian Kernighan and
Dennis Ritchie. Ten years ago, they defined the C language in
their first edition. This book, based on the draft of ANSI C,
may define the language for the next ten years. $26.05
_C: A Reference Manual_, 2nd Edition, by Samuel Harbison and Guy
Steele. Recommended over and over as the best book on C. $23.35
_Public-Domain Software_, by Rusel DeMaria and George Fontaine.
PC Week liked it because it grouped software together by
category, then gives the good and bad points of each program.
Also includes $15 of CompuServe time. $17.95
New Books
_Turbo C: The Complete Reference_ by Schildt (v 1.5) $22.45
_Mastering Paradox_, 3rd Ed., by Alan Simpson (v.2 & 386). $19.75
_MS-DOS Bible_, 2nd Ed., by Steven Simrin (up to 3.3) $20.65
_Programmer's Guide to Windows, 2nd Ed. (version 2 & /386) $22.45
_PC-Write Simplified_, by Howard Frazier (version 2.7). $15.25
_Mastering AutoCAD_, 2nd Ed., by George Omura (Release 9) $26.95
_Microsoft Word: The Complete Reference_, (version 4) $22.45
_HyperCard Power: Techniques & Scripts_, Carol Kaehler $16.15
_Working with Word_, Kinata & McComb (Mac Word 3.02) $19.75
_Inside the Amiga with C_, 2nd Ed, Waite Group (WB 1.2) $22.45
Our policies:
We sell computer books for 10% off the list price every day. All
books are returnable within 30 days. We accept Mastercard,
Discover, American Express, and Visa, personal or company checks,
and approved purchase orders. If we don't have the particular
book you need in stock, we can usually ship it in ten days and
we'll pay the freight for making you wait. We will ship your
book(s) via UPS anywhere in the United States for a $2.00
shipping charge on the first book, $.50 per additional book.
Prices shown reflect the 10% discount.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 20 30 May 1988
=================================================================
NOTICES
=================================================================
The Interrupt Stack
5 Jun 1988
David Dodell's 31st Birthday
18 Jun 1988
Area Code 407 takes effect in East/Central Florida. All Sysops
should adjust their Nodelist entries immediately.
25 Jun 1988
EuroCon II starts in Tiel, Holland. Sponsored by the Dutch
Hobby Computer Club. Will run for 2 days. Contact Hans
Lichthelm at 2:2/999 for information.
16 Jul 1988
A new areacode, 508, will form in eastern Massachusetts and
will be effective on this date. The new area code will be
formed from the current areacode 617. Greater Boston will
remain areacode 617 while the rest of eastern Massachusetts
will form the new areacode 508.
25 Aug 1988
Start of the Fifth International FidoNet Conference, to be
held at the Drawbridge Inn in Cincinnati, OH. Contact Tim
Sullivan at 108/62 for more information. This is FidoNet's big
annual get-together, and is your chance to meet all the people
you've been talking with all this time. We're hoping to see
you there!
24 Aug 1989
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
If you have something which you would like to see on this
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------
Alamo Offers Special Rates For FidoCon'88
-----------------------------------------
If you need a car while in Cincinnati for FidoCon this August,
Alamo car rental is making you a special offer.
SPECIAL RATES: Daily Weekly
------------- ----- ------
Economy $26 $ 99
Compact $28 $119
Mid-Size $31 $139
FidoNews 5-22 Page 21 30 May 1988
Full-Size $34 $159
Luxury $36 $119 <- not a misprint
For more information or to take advantage of this special offer
just call: 1-800-732-3232. Be sure to request group I.D. #31592
Plan Code "G3". These rate are good 8/18/88 - 9/4/88. All
rentals include UNLIMITED FREE MILEAGE.
(other restrictions may apply)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
New Echo : Role Playing Games Conference.
For discussion of all aspects of role playing games.
For a link, contact East Coast : Mike J, 150/199
West Coast : Robert Plamondon, 143/12
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Latest Software Versions
BBS Systems Node List Other
& Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
Dutchie 2.81 EditNL 4.00* ARC 5.21
Fido 12h* MakeNL 2.10* ARCmail 1.1
Opus 1.03b Prune 1.40 ConfMail 3.31
SEAdog 4.10 XlatList 2.86 EchoMail 1.31
TBBS 2.0M MGM 1.1
BinkleyTerm 1.50*
QuickBBS 2.01*
* 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 5-22 Page 22 30 May 1988
OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
Ken Kaplan 100/22 Chairman of the Board
Don Daniels 107/210 President
Mark Grennan 147/1 Vice President
Dave Dodell 114/15 Vice President - Technical Coordinator
Tom Marshall 107/524 Secretary
Leonard Mednick 12/1 Treasurer
IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DIVISION AT-LARGE
10 Steve Jordan 102/2871 Don Daniels 107/210
11 Bill Allbritten 11/301 Hal DuPrie 101/106
12 Leonard Mednick 12/1 Mark Grennan 147/1
13 Rick Siegel 107/27 Brad Hicks 100/523
14 Ken Kaplan 100/22 Ted Polczyinski 154/5
15 Jim Cannell 128/13 Kurt Reisler 109/74
16 Vince Perriello 141/491 Robert Rudolph 261/628
17 Rob Barker 138/34 Greg Small 148/122
18 Christopher Baker 135/14 Bob Swift 140/24
19 Vernon Six 19/0 Larry Wall 15/18
2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 Gee Wong 107/312
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 23 30 May 1988
__
The World's First / \
BBS Network /|oo \
* FidoNet * (_| /_)
_`@/_ \ _
| | \ \\
| (*) | \ ))
______ |__U__| / \//
/ Fido \ _//|| _\ /
(________) (_/(_|(____/ (tm)
Membership for the International FidoNet Association
Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that
pays a specified annual membership fee. IFNA serves the
international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to
increase worldwide communications.
Member Name _______________________________ Date _______________
Address _________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________________________________
State ________________________________ Zip _____________________
Country _________________________________________________________
Home Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
Work Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
Zone:Net/Node Number ____________________________________________
BBS Name ________________________________________________________
BBS Phone Number ________________________________________________
Baud Rates Supported ____________________________________________
Board Restrictions ______________________________________________
Your Special Interests __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
In what areas would you be willing to help in FidoNet? __________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Send this membership form and a check or money order for $25 in
US Funds to:
International FidoNet Association
c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
700 Bishop Street, #1014
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-4112
USA
Thank you for your membership! Your participation will help to
insure the future of FidoNet.
Please NOTE that IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization
and Articles of Association and By-Laws were adopted by the
membership in January 1987. The first elected Board of Directors
was filled in August 1987. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been
established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your
input to this Conference.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-22 Page 24 30 May 1988
INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
ORDER FORM
Publications
The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido
1:1/10 or other FidoNet compatible systems, or by purchasing
them directly from IFNA. We ask that all our IFNA Committee
Chairmen provide us with the latest versions of each
publication, but we can make no written guarantees.
Hardcopy prices as of October 1, 1986
IFNA Fido BBS listing $15.00 _____
IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs $10.00 _____
IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs $10.00 _____
SUBTOTAL _____
IFNA Member ONLY Special Offers
System Enhancement Associates SEAdog $60.00 _____
SEAdog price as of March 1, 1987
ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member
Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet $100.00 _____
Fido/FidoNet price as of November 1, 1987
ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member
International orders include $10.00 for
surface shipping or $20.00 for air shipping _____
SUBTOTAL _____
HI. Residents add 4.0 % Sales tax _____
TOTAL _____
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER IN US FUNDS:
International FidoNet Association
c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
700 Bishop Street, #1014
Honolulu, HI. 96813-4112
USA
Name________________________________
Zone:Net/Node____:____/____
Company_____________________________
Address_____________________________
City____________________ State____________ Zip_____
Voice Phone_________________________
Signature___________________________
-----------------------------------------------------------------
--
=======================================================================
| ...sun!hoptoad!\ Tim Pozar |
| >fidogate!pozar Fido: 1:125/406 |
| ...lll-winken!/ PaBell: (415) 788-3904 |
| USNail: KKSF 77 Maiden Lane San Francisco CA 94108 |
=======================================================================