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Volume 3, Number 23 16 June 1986
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| _ |
| / \ |
| - FidoNews - /|oo \ |
| (_| /_) |
| Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ |
| Users Group | | \ \\ |
| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
| ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (C) Copyright 1986 by IFNA (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International FidoNet
Association, and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1.
You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
FNEWSART.DOC, available from node 1/1.
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
Everything here is subject to debate.
Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL
The Faceless Community
2. ARTICLES
Lets help FIDO make it!
Some comments on Fido and Time
The Final Word
MAILCOST - OutBound Host Accounting Program
PCjr's Unite!
3. COLUMNS
Fido's Bug Report - or How to Kill Fido's Fleas
4. FOR SALE
HP150 System For Sale
Entertainment Software for your PC!
Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
5. NOTICES
Looking for Cromenco Computer
The Interrupt Stack
Deaf TTY service for the Fido network?
Fidonews Page 2 16 Jun 1986
=================================================================
EDITORIAL
=================================================================
The Faceless Community
There are quite a lot if us here. About a thousand sysops, and
at least ten times that many users. Many of us have gotten to
know each other quite well. This is quite amazing; especially
when you consider that few of us have ever met.
We know each other by the words we type. We see each other as
little dots of light forming text on our screens. Sometimes
those words are misleading. Sarcasm doesn't carry well through
modems, and bit streams don't carry facial expressions.
None of this is new. We all know it (though we may forget from
time to time).
The difference is that now we can change that. At least a bit,
for a little while.
The Colorado PC Users Group is sponsering the second annual
International FidoNet Conference. This one's a bit less
convenient for our friends over in Europe, but handier for those
of us in the United States. This one's in Colorado Springs.
I've been checking; even from New York the air fare isn't that
expensive. The rooms are only $60 a night for single or double
occupancy, making it $30 a night if you get a roommate. All in
all, it's a cheap way to meet the people you've been talking
with, and to make new friends in the FidoNet community.
There will be all sorts of things going on. There will be
seminars and panel discussions, a banquet, even a Wild West Show.
And some hardware manufacturers will be there to show off their
stuff. (If you work with computers, maybe you can even get your
company to pick up the tab.) There will be announcements of new
things, and explanations of old things. And best of all, the
conference will be swarming with FidoNet people.
We'll be there, and we're looking forward to meeting you.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 3 16 Jun 1986
=================================================================
ARTICLES
=================================================================
Amnon Nissan, 158/100
Let's help FIDO make it!
I have been running a BBS for the last 4 years, and a FIDO for
the last 5 months. As a supporter of the User Supported software
I went ahead and sent $25.00 to the Fido Administrators, and
later found out that only 5 percent of sysops send anything!!!
If you have been running your Fido for a short (or better yet
long) time, then you know how expensive it can get. We have key
people doing a hell of a job keeping us in business (node lists
and newsletters) and most off us are taking them for granted.
WHY?
Being the treasurer for two users groups in my area, I know
how good we are going to do when we have the funds, and how bad
it is going to be when we are low. I am sure we will have much
better service from our key people if they knew they don't have
to dip into their pockets (at times real deep too, I am sure) to
get these services to us when we expect them.
SO..... how about this.
We all spend a dollar on junk each month! Why don't we send
this dollar to the National FidoNet Administrators once a month,
and see what happens. Just ONE DOLLAR a month can do miracles
when it comes from all the nodes. Sooner or later it's going to
come down to the point of live or die (FidoNet), and I for one
will hate to see all my efforts go to waste because of ONE
DOLLAR.
I even went a little further and figured out how to solve the
problem of hundreds of ONE DOLLAR checks, dropping on St. Louis
each month. Hosts can collect from nodes, deposit in their
account, and send one check to their regional coordinators, who
will do the same and send one check to St. Louis. Of course it
will be better if we all sent $12.00 to begin with for the whole
year.
Let's do something for ourselves!
Let's keep FidoNet going strong!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 4 16 Jun 1986
Rob Elliott, 115/100
Patching Fido
Use any disk image patcher (such as the Norton Utilities on the
IBM, or PATCH.EXE on the DEC Rainbow) to find these locations and
patch accordingly.
To fix the File Area change bug in 11w:
At location C273 in FIDO_IBM.EXE (C203 in FIDO_DEC.EXE), you
will see the hex string: 3B 5E 08 7E 9C. Change the 7E to
7C.
Nearer to the top of the file this string, with 7C in its
proper place, does exist. This is probably the Message menu,
which works correctly.
To fix the Kermit transfer time inaccuracy in 11w:
At location D2EC in FIDO_IBM.EXE (D1FD in FIDO_DEC.EXE), you
will see the hex string: B9 03 00 F7 E1. Change the 03 to
01.
It seems Fido was estimating the correct time and then
multiplying it by three before displaying it.
Thanks to William Bogartz of Fido 102/901 for locating and
publicizing both of these wonderful patches.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 5 16 Jun 1986
Randy Bush, 122/6
Some comments on Fido and Time
Recent discussions of the problems (and proposed solutions)
caused by time zones, daylight savings time, and similar natural
disasters have confused me in many ways; and I fear that I am not
alone.
I do not propose solutions. This would be unwise without a surer
grip on the problems. I do want to explore some of the needs and
requirements so that I might better understand the problems and
evaluate proposed solutions. Excuse some of the formalities in
the early steps, but I like a firm base.
0 - Who are the concerned parties? I guess the following two
consumers and two providers.
o SYSOPs of the myriad Fidos out there in the world,
o Local USERs of all those Fidos,
o COORDINATORs of the network, and
o AUTHORs of Fido software.
1 - What is their level of expertise?
o SYSOPs vary radically, but _each and every one_ must
install and use whatever it is that the providers provide.
Therefore, Fido time management for SYSOPs _must_ be
addressed to the lowest level of computer understanding.
Low maintenance is the only thing which may be more
important than ease of installation.
o Local USERs are _amazingly_ naive. They are the most
fragile of beings and must not be jarred in any way lest
they shatter. I relearn this weekly.
o COORDINATORs and AUTHORs seem to be professional level
computer users if not professional implementors. They
should bear the brunt of any changes, confusion, or tricky
design.
2 - What is the presumed Fido SYSOP's machine environment?
o MSDOS machine (though one hopes that future ...)
o Hardware clock (can one safely run a Net machine without
one?)
o Auto Answer/Dial modem
o Exclusively Fido, part time Fido, or Fido in 'background'.
3 - What are the Fido and FidoNet environmental constraints?
o All public nodes are known to all other nodes. A random
node may try to contact any other (unpredictable) node
during any published net window.
o There is no central knowledge or coordination of the event
lists by which an individual Fido schedules, nor the
routings set up for each mail schedule.
o Fido schedules state a time, but not what zone that time is
in. It is currently wall clock time, but some suggest that
it be UST. Ben Baker suggests that an unused field of the
scheduler record be used to indicate which time zone, and
Fidonews Page 6 16 Jun 1986
either be supported.
Also interesting, but seeming irrelevant
o There are privete nodes and nets of which the public net is
unaware.
o Routing is known by the net as opposed to the sender (a la
Usenet)
4 - Who cares what time it is or when events occur?
o Local USERs expect Fido to think the time is what their
watches say. Commercial mail servers tend to speak of
messages in terms of the sender's local time, though some
speak of it as the readers local time. None speak of it in
some third (abstract) time.
o FidoNet software has to to keep things synchronized
worldwide.
o MSDOS programs running between Fido runs or concurrently
with Fido may be time of day dependent. They often need
correct wall clock time.
o COORDINATORs want to speak in UST when talking globally,
but in local time when speaking of a local net. This is
human and should be indulged if reasonably easy. SYSOPs
have this problem too.
o SYSOPs often maintain text files describing their Fido's
schedules so their users will be able to read about local
system availability.
5 - When and why will the time or the timing of an event change?
o Subsets of the FidoNet continually renegotiate topology and
timing. Nets and chedules change. This will probably
continue for some time.
o The wall clock is occasionally adjusted (usually by one
hour). These adjustments _tend_ to clump in time (Spring
and Autumn) and by region.
o The algorithms for determining if a particular Fido is to
move on any particular day in a particular direction would
require continued maintenance _if_ they were even
determinable at one point in time. This precludes total
automation, period.
o A Fido's hardware clock will be adjusted occasionally to
correct for drift.
o A Fido switches time zones; either by being moved, or the
SYSOP decides to run on UST, or switches sides near an
inter-time zone border.
6 - What information is required to adjust a local Fido?
o What different times might be adjusted?
- The local time
- The difference between local time and UST
- A schedule negotiated with other Fidos
- The time a local batch process is to be run
o When the adjustment is to be done?
o In what direction?
o By what amount or to what value?
o If adjusting to an absolute time, is it UST or local?
Fidonews Page 7 16 Jun 1986
7 - What are the seeming problems?
o Is a Fido thought of as on its local time, local standard
time, or UST? For the moment, consider daylight/standard
as equivalent to switching time zones. It also helps, but
is not necessary, to consider a Fido to be schizophrenic,
and able to think in local and UST simultaneously.
o When a SYSOP checks schedules for correctness, some events
should be expressed in local time (Yell, local nets, ...)
and some in UST (National Mail Hour [Public FidoNet
Window?]). Displaying in both forms and sort options may
help here.
o When the time is changed due to wall clock adjustment
(moving or day/std, one must remember that scheduled events
then divide into two sets:
- Those which will stay at the same local time are not
adjusted with respect to the local time. They must be
adjusted with respect to UST, in the same direction as
the clock is adjusted. Yelling and local net schedules
are likely to be in this category.
- Events which stay at the same UST, must be adjusted with
respect to the local time in the same direction as the
clock is being adjusted. The UHT of National Mail Hour
does not move when a Fido is moved or when day/std
changes are made.
o Schedule renegotiations also fall into two classes: those
expressed in local time and those expressed in UST. In
either case, it is only one schedule being affected, and it
may be considered in relative isolation. Neither the wall
clock nor UST are being moved. One might like to move a
group of schedules together.
o When the hardware clock is corrected for drift, no
schedules change, but Fido must be restarted or otherwise
made aware of the change.
So, have I gotten it correct so far? If so, I do not feel that
the above seriously hampers a solution. What seems to be missing
is
o A clear metaphor for speaking locally in terms of the wall
clock and globally in UST.
o An intuitive classification of event types and adjustment
types with respect to time. To start we must differentiate
between
- Events which are 'on' (ie expressed in terms of) UST and
are 'fixed'
- Events which are on local time and move with the wall clock
- Changing an event's (or group of events) time(s) do to
external renegotiations
- Changing the local time due to Fido motion or day/std
changes
- Correcting clock drift.
Given clear differentiations here, what may be most useful
is(are) a tool(s) for
o Easily stating the event schedules and their external
attributes (ie fixed [UST?] or local)
Fidonews Page 8 16 Jun 1986
o Easily moving events in time (either local or UST)
o Inserting, deleting, and moving events within the event list
(as Fido is sensitive to the order of the list)
o Moving the wall clock and having the events stay correct by
knowing which are fixed and which are movable
o Viewing (and PREviewing) event schedules and changes in a way
that exposes incorrect (ie. conflicting) schedules. Moving
local time may place movable events in conflict with UST
fixed events
If I have still not drifted too far from reality, Let me propose:
o Fido needs do nothing. It runs on local time and everybody
locally thinks in local time.
o The only time they talk UST is when they mark an event as
being a fixed UST event. The Sysop must clearly
differentiate between fixed and movable (with respect to UST,
they are fixed with respect to local) events.
o If Fido need not know fixed from movable, the differentiation
could be made in an auxilliary file (eg. Ben's SCHED.REM).
o A program such as Ben's EVENT.COM needs to
- Differentiate the two event types
- Provide for moving the system clock
- Adjust appropriate events with or against clock motion
Well, by now I must have strayed sufficiently far or affronted
enough folk to quit for the evening.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 9 16 Jun 1986
Mike Ringer
Ex-sysop of Elite Software 117/1262
Future sysop of Ollies's Mail Board.
The Final Word
Here's my last paper for awhile (at least till August) I'm going
out on the Texas A&M Clipper this summer, so I won't really have
much of a chance to send articles to FidoNews. If anyone in
Helsinki reads this I'll be there from the 14th of June till
about the 18th of June, and I would like to trade freeware. This
article deals with the Breakup of AT&T, it's my research paper.
I hope you find it interesting. I almost forgot, I'll be setting
up a Mail-only board in Commerce Texas, so until then "Good
Computing!"
Divestiture of American Telephone and Telegraph, AT&T,
forced the world's largest monopoly out of local telephone
business, but AT&T has been allowed to stay as a long distance
carrier. Corporations such as Microwave Communications
Incorporated, MCI, have entered the market place offering an
alternative to AT&T. This has given customers a choice of other
long distance carriers. Because of the breakup of AT&T, the
customer should take into consideration telephone rates, billing
of customers and service before choosing a long distance carrier
company. The users can now decide which service meets their
needs. Will AT&T survive the challenge of MCI and the competition
of the spin-off telephone companies?
The reason AT&T was broken up is simple. AT&T had a monopoly
in the telephone market, and divestiture was imminent. The
people who caused the divestiture wanted more competition in the
long distance market (Hacker, 1985, 153). AT&T owned twenty-two
local Bell Operating Companies, which were formed into seven
telephone companies, such as Southwestern Bell and Ameritech.
AT&T had to divide its 150 billion dollars in assets among the
newly formed companies (Marback 55). Upon doing this AT&T lost
control over all local telephone call business because the local
companies assumed all local service. Local telephone operating
companies have lost all long distance revenues. Due to the loss
of these revenues, local service rates will be low enough for all
to afford (Seelman 14). AT&T will be able to sell and rent
telephone equipment, but so will any other company. AT&T has
also kept the right to continue producing the Yellow Pages. The
Yellow Pages have attracted 150 million users and have doubled
the advertising income. This increase has been from 8% to 10%
annually for the last five years (Business Week, 23 January 1984,
132).
Regional companies have planned on gaining 75% of the mother
company's 150 billion dollars in assets (Tunstall 57). Right
after the breakup shareholders were not sure what to do with
their AT&T stock. AT&T management planned to give share holders
one share of common stock in the new Bell companies for every ten
shares of AT&T stock (57). Fingleton claims "damage to the stock
Fidonews Page 10 16 Jun 1986
price would be minimal although asset value per share will be
reduced." (41). Many analyst feel that share holders will be
better off and that AT&T revenues are likely to rise. (U.S. News
& World Report, 25 January 1982, 58) A meeting was held where
AT&T shareholders could voice their opinions on the divestiture.
The purpose of this meeting was to help the shareholders under-
stand what was happening to their stock (Time, 23 April 1984,
66). Although AT&T is no longer a monopoly, it will be regulated
in each state by local officials (Sloan 80). Due to the
divestiture agreement, AT&T will be able to enter new fields,
such as computer and data processing. It has already unveiled
six new computers, which will compete with International Business
Machines, IBM (Demott 67).
MCI, Microwave Communications Incorporated, was formed in
1968, "and since then they have been chipping away at AT&T,
trying to get a foot hold in the long distance carrier world"
(Time, 23 February 1981, 99). MCI's original purpose was to give
businesses cheaper long distance rates for calls between Chicago
and St. Louis. MCI filed an application with the FCC, requesting
the right to run specialized voice and data communications
(Shooshan 32). In an attempt to undercut AT&T even more, MCI
released Execunet in 1975. Execunet linked twenty-four cities
across the United States. The Execunet prices were about one
half of AT&T's rates. But, the customer had to dial a twenty-two
number sequence code to make one long distance call (Kleinfield
157).
MCI started a campaign blitz in the media to make the
company name a "common household word" (Business Week, 13
February 1984) and "sparked a rebuilding of business commu-
nications" (Business Week, 17 February 1986, 86). "Bill McGowan,
Chairman of MCI, looks too mean to work for AT&T" states
Kleinfield (171). McGowan says that "AT&T is so big it's almost
impossible for you or me to understand how big it is.... if you
count from the day when Christ was born.... counting at one count
per second, it would take until 1902 to count out the annual
revenues of AT&T" (171). Though they lost 40% of their customers
due to a complicated access code (Time, 11 June 1984, 47), in
1984 MCI was a major long distance carrier. MCI made an alliance
with IBM, which stunned the long distance carrier world (Business
Week, 17 February 1986, 88). This alliance enabled them to gain
an even bigger foothold in the world of long distance telephone
calls, by giving them access to bigger and better satellite
dishes (Business Week, 17 February 1986, 88). Another alliance
that MCI made was with American Express and Sears card holders.
This alliance allows the card holders to make credit calls using
MCI (U.S. News & World Report, 30 January 1984, 56). Even though
MCI has had poor carriers in the past, they get better and better
every year. Soon they might have as strong a long distance
network and service as AT&T does. Within the next few years MCI
will offer directory assistance as AT&T does now (Consumer
Reports, September 1984, 493). Other new long distance companies
will double their holdings (Business Week, 13 February 1984, 106)
but will fold or merge with other long distance companies (108).
Fidonews Page 11 16 Jun 1986
At first people did not understand the full impact of what
was about to happen to AT&T. Many people did not realize that
AT&T was going to be divided and no longer provide local service.
There where many people who thought the telephones would go dead
on that fateful New Year's Eve in 1982, when AT&T no longer
controlled the local telephone service and the regional telephone
companies no longer controlled the long distance telephone
business. For nearly 100 years the Bell Systems controlled the
central nervous system of the United States (Seelman 16). Many
people claim the new telephone companies are less friendly and
much slower (Demott 66), but AT&T officials claim that there is
nothing to fear.
You can still buy or rent your telephone, and they (AT&T)
have set up a toll free number for people who have questions
about the breakup (Demott 53). One major problem AT&T will have
is their billing service. Some people are going to be receiving
some outrageous telephone bills. A few AT&T customers in the
Northeast received nine page bills covering months of service
(53). The reason these bills are so high is because AT&T is
trying to catch up on old service provided during the lawsuits
(54). Customers will probably be receiving large bills for the
next two years. AT&T plans on combining long distance service
bills and rental bills (Business Week, 30 September. 1985, 50).
To help lower these bills AT&T has made a 10.5% cut in rates
(Demott 52). Even though AT&T does not plan on losing a majority
of the telephone business (Business Week, 13 February. 1984, 106)
they plan on making rate cuts while MCI must make increases in
rates, due to an FCC ruling (Business Week 17 February 1986, 86).
Another threat to AT&T is the Baby Bells, the new companies
formed when the AT&T monopoly was broken up. The seven new
companies dubbed "Baby Bells" (Rudolph 49), are Ameritech, Bell
Atlantic, Pacific Telesis, Southwestern Bell, Nynex, and U.S.
West. The Baby Bells are entering other fields besides
telecommunications. Nynex, the New York Baby, bought eighty-one
of IBM's computer stores, then merged them with their own
computer store, Datago, to create the seventh largest computer
chain in the states (49). Bell Atlantic has entered into the
computer business. Bell Atlantic repairs computers, and runs a
financing operation which accounts for 427 million dollars of the
company's 9.1 billion dollars in assets (49). At the moment Baby
Bells are lobbying to loosen the legal noose around their necks,
in hopes of expanding into even more fields (49). AT&T is
striking back, they have offered a long distance service to
businesses that bypass the Baby Bells. This service uses
satellites and fiber optics to bypass the local telephone
companies, therefore eliminating access charges. Last year this
process netted AT&T 21 million dollars (49).
In 1984 AT&T had a fairly firm grip over long distance
calls. They had a large number of competitors taking only 8% of
AT&T's long distance calls (Business Week, 13 February 1984,
102). AT&T advertises that they have faster customer service
compared to MCI, which takes days to correct a wrong number. AT&T
also claims to be the only long distance company which has
Fidonews Page 12 16 Jun 1986
operators to help you with every type of service you want, such
as reverse charges, and person to person calls (U.S. News &
World Report 11 June 1984, 91). MCI claims to save you up to 40%
over AT&T. But, AT&T has dropped their rates by 6.1 percent since
May 1984 (U.S. News and World Report, 11 June 1984, 90). One way
AT&T is striking back at MCI is by offering credit for long
distance calls. The credit will help you save money on items
such as GE blenders or a night at a Howard Johnson Motel.
Local telephone companies are looking for new ways to
generate revenue. One idea is an access charge and the other is
an usage or service rate based on the number of times a customer
uses the system. The FCC approves of both these ideas (Seelman
20). Access charges would be a flat rate the customers would pay
to their local telephone companies. It would be a minimum charge
each month even though the customer does not use the system (20).
The other charge is called a limited service or usage rate. The
customers are charged a rate based on how much they use the
system for local and long distance calls. When using this type
of rate schedule the cost of the service does not have a monthly
minimum charge unlike the access charges, but both are costing
the consumer (20).
Two advantages MCI has over AT&T are (1) in the near future
they will have their own long distance network (Money, January
1984, 80), (2) and over the last two years they have paid 45%
less for using the long distance network than AT&T has paid
(Business Week, 13 February 1984, 106). The majority of AT&T's
profits have been generated from old telephone business rather
than their new computer business (Demott 67). AT&T has been able
to keep their rates fairly competitive with MCI's rates. Another
problem facing AT&T is that by 1986 all long distance carriers
will have equal access to switching and transmission facilities
(Money, August 1984, 109). AT&T is not concerned by equal access
because they have had 100% of the direct access business. They
feel they will not be loosing money or business when direct
access is expanded to other companies (Forbes, 21 May 1984, 204).
AT&T customers will be able to use other long distance carriers
even if they decide to keep AT&T. All the customer needs to do
is dial one-zero and a three digit access code to get the company
they want (Business Week, 26 August 1985, 31). MCI does have an
advantage of not billing for short or unanswered calls.
Considering they do not have the computer device that regulates
short time calls, you do not get billed for them. (Consumer
Report, November 1983, 618).
The strengths of AT&T are immediate correction of numbers
dialed incorrectly, operator assistance, and one hundred years of
service. Both companies are excellent, but MCI has some distinct
advantages over AT&T such as lower cost, owning its own long
distance network, and expanding its long distance market to other
U.S. cities and overseas as it grows. Being able to use an
American Express Card to charge telephone calls means card
holders can use MCI easily anywhere the caller can find a
telephone, and this is a big advantage when traveling, because
American Express is a commonly owned card. MCI showed a profit
Fidonews Page 13 16 Jun 1986
of 13 million dollars in 1985 on two and a half billion dollars
in revenues (Business Week, 17 February 1986, 86). MCI is
smaller and younger than AT&T, and MCI feels the customer can get
to know the company better. A majority of MCI employees came
from Bell Labs, an AT&T company, which gives them the same
technical knowledge found in AT&T (Kleinfield 170), but the new
company may allow its employees more freedom to do research and
therefore be able to cause technical advances not held by AT&T.
MCI is the company of the future and will definitely move ahead
in the world of telecommunications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 14 16 Jun 1986
David Dodell, 114/15
MAILCOST
OutBound Host Accounting Program
One of our resident programming gurus here in Phoenix, Tim Evans,
has written a program to handle outbound host accounting. In the
Phoenix net we wanted to organize into a inbound/outbound host
system to keep national mail flowing into and out of the net at a
efficient pace.
We also wanted to take advantage of sharing costs on long
distance netmail. We figured, if two boards in Phoenix had mail
going to the same inbound host, why make two separate phone calls
that take 15 seconds each and pay twice when they could be
packeted together into one phone call. Therefore, each node
would split the cost. We did not have the advantage here as in
other nets where the outbound host was located at a company that
would absorb the long distance phone charges. Therefore,
MAILCOST and MAILRPT were developed.
Basically, MAILCOST scans the Fido MAILER.LOG, searchs for the
specified long distance schedule, and outputs a summary of all
packets actually sent to other nets. Each node's cost is
calculated on a pro-rated share of the number of messages sent.
MAILRPT totals all costs for each sending node, and outputs a
listing of the total cost for each node.
As the outbound host for the Phoenix net, I run the report each
month and send each node a netmail message telling them their
netmail costs for the month.
The national time slot is becoming quite busy - I find I have
days go by trying to get through to some inbound hosts. If more
nets would implement an outbound host program, there would be
fewer nodes actually making the calls during the national slot,
and hopefully traffic would flow smoother and faster. Now each
net has no excuse not to implement an outbound host program due
to this accounting lacking within FIDO.
For those of you running SEAdog - Tim is working on a switch in
the control file to change and search the SEAdog format for the
same information.
For those running SEAdog - MCOST12.ARC can be requested from
114/15 24 hours a day using GET or the File Request utility
in MAIL.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 15 16 Jun 1986
Phil Kaiser, 104/904
PCjr's Unite!
I think the heading just about says what I want. I want to make
up a listing of ALL boards that are totally PCjr specific or have
PCjr Message or File areas on them.
Send me a note if your board supports the PCjr. You can also
advise me of other Fido's, since all don't receive FidoNews, in
your area (city, state, and country). Now, I know a lot of PCjr
boards are not Fido's (Colossus, PC-Board..etc..) and I would
like to know about them also. These MUST be confirmed current
boards. Not ones that you've "heard" about!
This is the info I would like to have: Board Name (and net/node
if Fido), Sysop Name, City, State, Country, Phone #, High Baud
Rate, hours.....i.e.
PCjr-NET 104/904 Phil Kaiser Englewood,CO.USA 3037894610 2400 24
I am NOT trying to set up another net. My users deserve to know
about other PCjr BBS's around the country (world?). And, I'm
just plain curious! Finally, if YOU would like a copy of the
final listing be sure to let me know. I should be able to get it
out in about 4 weeks.
Send all replies to: 104/904 - PCjr-NET .
Or, you can call the board direct at 303-789-4610 - up to 2400
bps and 24 hours a day.
Thank you for your help.
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Fidonews Page 16 16 Jun 1986
=================================================================
COLUMNS
=================================================================
David Dodell, Fido Bugs West, 1/98
Marvin Shelton, Fido Bugs East, 1/99
Well the reports keep flying in. Fido Bugs East 1/99 has been
down for the last couple of weeks but should be up and running by
the time you read this. Also Fido Bugs West is now running the
SEAdog front-end for Fido and can receive bug reports at any
time, not just regular mail times.
The only bug that we can report this week with any solution is as
follows:
Many users were complaining that their normal level users could
not access Message/File area #1 when selecting a area from the
expanded menu. They could beat this problem by going into
another area and use the short-hand notation "A 1".
I spoke to Tom Jennings on the phone and the problem seems to be
a "bug" in the way Fido handles the SYSTEMx.BBS files. What you
have to do to correct the problem is make the greatest number of
SYSTEMx.BBS (the last SYSTEMx.BBS created) at a privilege level
equal to or less than what you want access into area #1.
To everyone who submits a report, we read them all but can not
answer them all. If a report can be duplicated at either BUG
node or appropriate test node then it is forwarded to T.J. -
otherwise we will contact you back for more information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 17 16 Jun 1986
=================================================================
FOR SALE
=================================================================
HP 150 SYSTEM
Hewlett-Packard HP 150 with 9134XV 15 Mbyte hard disk, 9121 dual
microfloppy disks, 82906A external printer, and Hayes 1200 modem.
Software includes WordStar, MailMerge, SpelStar, PCF, HP
Graphics, VisiCalc, GW Basic, Microsoft Fortran, Microsoft
Pascal, Turbo Pascal, Dsnlink, BPI Accounting, Dbase, and the HP
Programmer's Tool Kit. A large number of public domain programs
are also included, along with approximately 100 microfloppy
disks.
This complete system can be yours for only $3450. Reply to Jim
Cannell on FIDO 128/13, (303) 635-5468.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 18 16 Jun 1986
ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE FOR YOUR PC!
SUPERDOTS! KALAH!
Professional quality games include PASCAL source! From the
author of KALAH Version 1.6, SuperDots, a variation of the
popular pencil/paper DOTS game, has MAGIC and HIDDEN DOT
options. KALAH 1.7 is an African strategy game requiring
skill to manipulate pegs around a playing board. Both games
use the ANSI Escape sequences provided with the ANSI.SYS
device driver for the IBM-PC, or built into the firmware on
the DEC Rainbow. Only $19.95 each or $39.95 for both
exciting games! Please specify version and disk format.
These games have been written in standard TURBO-PASCAL and
run on the IBM-PC, DEC Rainbow 100 (MSDOS and CPM), CPM/80,
CPM/86, and PDP-11. Other disk formats are available, but
minor customization may be required.
BSS Software
P.O. Box 3827
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
For every order placed, a donation will be made to the Fido
coordinators! Also, if you have a previous version of KALAH
and send me a donation, a portion of that donation will also
be sent to the coordinators. When you place an order, BE
CERTAIN TO MENTION WHERE YOU SAW THE AD since it also
appears in PC Magazine and Digital Review.
Questions and comments can be sent to:
Brian Sietz at Fido 107/17
(609) 429-6630 300/1200/2400 baud
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 19 16 Jun 1986
Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
Public Domain collection - 400+ "ARC" archives - 15 megs of
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size! When
unpacked, you get approximately 21 megabytes worth of all kinds
of software, from text editors to games to unprotection schemes
to communications programs, compilers, interpreters, etc...
This collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
downloads from just about 150 or more BBS's and other sources,
all of which have been examined, indexed and archived for your
convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board System? Want to add on
to your software base without spending thousands of dollars? This
is the answer!!!
To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check,
postal money order or company purchase order) to:
Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 103/511
Post Office Box 4296
200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296
Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.
Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain
software in this collection. The price is applied entirely to
the cost of downloading the software over the phone lines,
running a BBS to receive file submissions, and inspecting,
cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the files. Obtaining this
software yourself through the use of a computer with a modem
using commercial phone access would cost you much more than what
we charge for the service...
Please specify what type of format you would like the disks to be
prepared on. The following choices are available:
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
- DSBackup
- Fastback
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format (Requires a 1.2m floppy
drive and PC-DOS 3.2)
- Plain ol' files (add $50)
Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more
expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling charges.
California residents add 6% tax.
For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 20 16 Jun 1986
SERVTECH
by
Rylos Technologies
10213 Heron Pond Terrace
Burke, Virginia 22015
(c) 1986 Rylos Technologies
o SERVTECH is designed specifically to work with your IBM
PC/XT, COMPAQ Deskpro, or COMPAQ Plus
o SERVTECH will assist you in initial computer setup !
- Guidelines for computer disassembly
- Pictorial Guide to switch settings
(You tell us what you have in your computer, we
SHOW you how to set the switches)
o SERVTECH deciphers error messages !
- You tell us the problem, we assist you in fixing
it. Wherever possible, we show you the exact
componant causing the problem !
- Through a series of questions and answers we will
give 'probable cause' suggestions to try.
o SERVTECH is easy to use !
- Employees at General Motors say "SERVTECH is
perfect for the person who has to support
their own XT, a must for every software
library."
To order SERVTECH, send a check or money order for $ 49.95 To :
RYLOS TECHNOLOGIES
10213 Heron Pond Terrace
Burke, VA. 22015
********* SPECIAL NOTICE FOR FIDO USERS *********
Order a copy of SERVTECH today, mention you saw the ad on a FIDO
system or newsletter, and Rylos will donate $ 5.00 to the IFNA !
A demonstration version of SERVTECH is available on FIDO # 603,
accessible through the PC PURSUIT system. Call (703) 689-3561
to download a copy.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 21 16 Jun 1986
=================================================================
NOTICES
=================================================================
Leo Bores, 114/14
The Bores Eye Institute needs your help. If you know of anyone
who has access to a Cromenco computer with a modem we can use
that person's assistance. We have some important patient data
files on 8" Cromenco disks that need conversion to 5 1/4" and
MS(PC)-DOS format. This is research data and is very important.
Our budget cannot afford the heavy cost of direct conversion.
We'd like to transfer them by phone if possible. We can pay
expenses and a gratuity for the service.
Please help.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Interrupt Stack
20 Jul 1986
St. Louis Area Sysops Meeting, to be held at Baker's Acre.
Net 100 sysops please contact Ben Baker at 100/76 for details
and directions.
14 Aug 1986
Start of the International FidoNet Conference, Colorado
Springs, Colorado. Contact George Wing at node 1/10 for
details. Get your reservations in NOW! We'll 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Duff Smith, 109/624
Deaf TTY service for the Fido network?
I hope to generate interest in accommodating the Deaf citizens
owning a TTY (teletype device).
I believe there is a huge market of fairly isolated deaf people
who could greatly benefit from Fido service - and the hardware is
basically compatible, though it runs slower than the 300 Baud
lower limit.
The only necessary modification to Fido is that it recognize the
Fidonews Page 22 16 Jun 1986
lower Baud rate.
Hardware modification to any Fido board that supports 300 Baud is
unnecessary, as the bell 300 baud standard provides 0-300 Baud.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hello, I am an unemployed geophysicist/computer programmer
looking for work. If you know of any companies that might need
someone or know of a good employment agency feel free to leave me
a message, call, or write:
BILL
(303) 344-2513
1198 Yost Street
Aurora, Colorado 80011
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Microcomputer Managers Association may be reached at:
333 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632-2705
800-922-0324 or 201-569-8542
Steven I. Gross is the Communications Coordinator. Annual
membership is $40.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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