839 lines
37 KiB
Plaintext
839 lines
37 KiB
Plaintext
![]() |
Volume 4, Number 8 23 February 1987
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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| / \ |
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| /|oo \ |
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| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
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| International | | \ \\ |
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| FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) |
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| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
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| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
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| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
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| (jm) |
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
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Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
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FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International FidoNet
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Association, and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1.
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You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
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FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
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ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1.
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Copyright (C) 1987, by the International FidoNet Association.
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All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted
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for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
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please contact IFNA.
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL
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Policy Violations by Network Coordinators
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2. ARTICLES
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The True Howard Feil Story
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SoCalNet Routing Changes
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SNOBOL Echo Conference
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Suggested Standard For ARChived Software Distribution
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Fiction: "Wide Awake" by Scott Wallace
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3. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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Fidonews Page 2 23 Feb 1987
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=================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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=================================================================
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Policy Violations by Network Coordinators
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Friends, we got trouble! Trouble right here in FidoNet!
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Trouble, that starts with "T", that rhymes with "E", that stands
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for ECHOMAIL!
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More and more these days I hear of network coordinators telling
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would-be FidoNews article authors to publish in EchoMail instead.
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Not only are they doing those budding authors a disservice (see
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last week's editorial), but they are going directly against
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established policy.
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The FidoNet Policy and Procedure Guide spells it out. Under
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Duties of a Network Coordinator, page 9, last paragraph:
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Accordingly, you should encourage sysops and users in your
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network to contribute to FidoNews. If you receive any
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submissions, you should forward them to the FidoNews
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publisher. Think of yourself as being a regional bureau
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chief on the FidoNews editorial staff.
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Encourage, NOT discourage.
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And that's not the worst of it! Several nets these days are
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publishing their own local newsletters, siphoning off material
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that sysops everywhere would like to read. I'm guilty too on
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this one; I've never yet turned down a request for a copy of the
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newsletter generator. Please, if you're going to do a local
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newsletter, please pass along to me anything that isn't of purely
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local interest.
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I need your help on this one, guys. FidoNews really is the glue
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that binds us all together. Let's all pull together on this,
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before we fall apart into scattered splinter groups.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 3 23 Feb 1987
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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The True Howard Feil Story
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In reference to the article titled "Howard Feil VS. Logical
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Technologies and Brian Walsh (FNEWS404), January 26, 1987, some
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of the facts were distorted, some were false, and we regret very
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few were correct.
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If the article Howard wrote (FNEWS345), offended Brian Walsh in
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anyway, we hope he will accept our apology. We sincerely want to
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see this matter resolved. However, we were horrified at some of
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the incorrect statements in Brian Walsh's article concerning
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ourselves, Howard Feil's parents, as well as Howard. We believe
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the truth should be presented.
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First, Howard was never informed that he had not won the contest.
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Rather, Brian informed Howard on four separate occasions that he
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had completed the contest on the Computerland BBS. As he stated
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in a conversation on September 28, 1986, "The contest is over
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(you won)." In addition, the following is a excerpt one of Brian
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Walsh's message stating to Howard that Brian was sending Howard
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the modem.
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"I have sent you your modem as of last friday (9/12/1986), I
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believe. I will check with my shipping dept. If however
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your modem has not been shipped I WILL Ship it today."
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However, despite his claim, he never sent the modem.
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Next, in regards to the files that Howard uploaded. All the
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files Howard uploaded were obtained from respectable BBSes in
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this area (the greater Baltimore and Washington metropolitan
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vicinity.) And we would find it difficult to believe, knowing the
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integrity of the Sysops in this area, that they would allow non-
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public domain software and trojan horses to be readily available
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in any form.
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Finally, on January 26,1987, two months after Howard Feil's
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article on the matter appeared in FNEWS345, (not before the
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article appeared as Brian stated), we received our first and only
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contact concerning this matter. An alleged attorney called and
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told us Brian would prosecute Howard to the fullest extent of the
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law if we did not write a public letter of apology.
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Our response was as follows:
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1) We requested a written statement of our conversation so that
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there would be no miscommunication.
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2) We requested a draft letter of apology written by the alleged
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attorney for us to review that would be acceptable to Brian.
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As of this point in time we have not received anything in writing
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Fidonews Page 4 23 Feb 1987
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concerning this matter.
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In conclusion:
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Howard Feil is old enough to handle his own problems, and we,
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Howard Feil's parents, have no desire to get involved. It was
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most unwise of Brian Walsh to put in print a false statement that
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he received a notarized letter from us, because it inflamed us
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enough to make our voices heard. We do not feel Brian has
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conducted himself in an honorable fashion.
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Sincerely,
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Mr. and Mrs. Feil
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Parents of User Howard Feil
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P.S. Brian, please return the eight floppy disks you borrowed
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from our son in September 1986.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 5 23 Feb 1987
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This is a pre-release copy. The schedules listed in this
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document are not implemented at this time. Conversion dates to
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these schedules will be announced at a later time. Please stay
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tuned...
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-*-*- SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NETWORK -*-*-
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CONEJO VALLEY HUB
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SoCalNet 102 / Nodes 280x - 282x
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Rev 02.04.87
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The Conejo Valley Hub consists of a group of FidoNet systems
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in the Conejo and Simi Valleys. These systems are in turn part
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of the Southern California Network (SocalNet). The SocalNet is
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comprised of several Hubs in various geographical areas of
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Southern California extending as far south as San Diego to as far
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north as Santa Barbara.
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Hubs have been assigned within the Network to minimize toll
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charges. The Network has one Inbound host and one Outbound Host
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that are responsible for receiving and sending mail to other
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systems in the National Network.
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Currently the SocalNet (102) and the Orange County Net (103)
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are sharing the responsibilities of Inbound and Outbound Netmail
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processing. The Inbound Host for both Nets is node 102/742
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(which is also the SocalNet Coordinator - 102/0). The Outbound
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Host is node 103/523 and is responsible for distributing mail
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from both Nets to other systems in the National Net.
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The updates to the nodelists are provided by the SocalNet
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Coordinator (102/0) to the Network Hubs who will in turn make
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them available to the individual nodes. Routing control files
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and the Fido Newsletters will also follow this distribution
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pattern. Please inform your Fido Hub/Host Coordinator of any
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change in your system status.
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-*-*- Network HUB Listings -*-*-
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* Conejo/Simi Valley HUB
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Host .... Node 2800 ... Larry Kayser 805-498-2508 (TBBS/SEAdog)
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Locals .. Node 2801 ... Gary Vedvik 805-499-8378 (Opus)
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Node 2802 ... Peter Kranz 805-373-8787 (Fido)
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Node 2803 ... Eric Daymo 805-494-3350 (Opus)
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Node 2804 ... Eric Horne 805-484-8320 (Fido)
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Node 2806 ... Larry Kayser 805-498-2508 (TBBS/SEAdog)
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Node 2821 ... Gregg Cassity 805-522-4211 (Fido)
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-*-*- Network Schedule Listings -*-*-
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The network schedules for LOCAL nodes within the Conejo/Simi
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Fidonews Page 6 23 Feb 1987
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Valley Hub are as follows: (PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL TIMES ARE LISTED
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IN PST)
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LOCALS
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-Window- -Sched Tag- -Network Function-
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-------- ----------- -------------------------------------
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01:00 - 02:00 T NATIONAL MAIL HOUR - Processing
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- National network mail received and
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transmitted by SocalNet Inbound and
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outbound Hosts.
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- Locals send echomail & routed Nat'l
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mail to Hub-Hosts
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- Locals send to Locals
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05:15 - 06:00 R HUBS -> LOCALS - Distribution
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- Distribution of National and Local
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mail available to nodes from Hub
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via Pickup.
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The following schedules are included here for documentation
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purposes only. Locals should NOT implement the following
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schedules as this is only applicable to the Conejo/Simi Valley
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Hub-Host. (PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL TIMES ARE LISTED IN PST)
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HUBS
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-Window- -Sched Tag- -Network Function-
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-------- ----------- -------------------------------------
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01:00 - 02:00 T NATIONAL MAIL HOUR - Processing
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- National network mail received and
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transmitted by SocalNet Inbound and
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outbound Hosts.
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- Locals send echomail & routed Nat'l
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mail to Hub-Hosts
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- Locals send to Locals
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03:30 - 05:00 E SOCALNET HOSTS -> HUBS - Distribution
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- Distribution of mail received from
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the Inbound Host to the various
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Hubs
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- Pickup of National EchoMail areas
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- Delivery of routed Nat'l mail from
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Local Hub to SocalNet for next days
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delivery
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05:15 - 06:00 R HUBS -> LOCALS - Distribution
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- Distribution of National and Local
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mail available to nodes from Hub
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via Pickup.
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This schedule configuration represents the LEAST costly
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method of linking the Conejo/Simi Valley Hub into the SocalNet at
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the time of this writing. Other alternatives will be considered
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by the Conejo/Simi Hub Coordinator(s). This configuration does
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not support "Next-Day" delivery of mail thru the net. Expected
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Fidonews Page 7 23 Feb 1987
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delivery times are 48 hours for all mail being routed thru the
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net. If "Next-Day" or "Same-Day" delivery of mail is desired you
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must process the bundle yourself by setting either the File-
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Attach or Crash-Mail flags. Opus Sysops please note: Crash-Mail
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is only relovant if your using SEAdog for processing mail.
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Please note that mail will NOT be available for Local nodes
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between Schedules T & R. Please do NOT implement any schedules
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that poll the Hub as it will only interfere with the Hubs
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performance of Schedule E (which you will not be running).
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All local nodes will deliver and pickup their mail from the
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Hub. The Hub will no longer be respnsible for delivering your
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mail to you. Now, what does this mean... If you find that you
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cannot process mail during Schedule R, you can simply choose not
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to run that Schedule. Mail will be held for you until the
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following mornings national mail hour (Schedule T). All nodes
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are required to be able to run Schedule T. Please note that by
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omitting Schedule R, you will be introducing an additional days
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delay in receiving routed mail from all other nodes.
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-*-*- Echomail within the Hub -*-*-
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The following is a list of Echomail areas that are currently
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implemented within the Conejo Hub and which systems are
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participating in each:
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LOCALLY ORIGINATED ECHOMAIL:
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APPLE - Apple SIG
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2801, 2803, 2806, 2851
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ATARI - Atari SIG
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2801, 2803, 2806, 2851
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COMMIE - Commodore SIG
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2801, 2803, 2806, 2851
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FORSALE - For Sale and Wanted ads
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2801, 2802, 2803, 2806, 2821, 2851
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FREEMESS - General Flame-on messages and discussions *
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2801, 2802, 2803, 2804, 2806, 2821, 2851
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MUSIC - Discussinos relating to Music and Video
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2801, 2802, 2803, 2821
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LSYSOP - Special area for Sysop notices and Discussions **
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2801, 2802, 2803, 2804, 2806, 2821, 2851
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LTECH - General technical discussions **
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2801, 2802, 2803, 2804, 2806, 2821, 2851
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* Please note that the FREEMESS area is NOT intended to be
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your systems 'General' message area.
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** Please note that these conferences ARE NOT to be mixed
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with the national SYSOP's & TECHNICAL conferences
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NATIONALLY ORIGINATED ECHOMAIL:
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Fidonews Page 8 23 Feb 1987
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BUSINESS - General Business
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2806
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CONSULTING- Consultant's Conf.
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2806
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DBASE - Data Base Conf.
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2806
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DESQVIEW - Other Operating Environments Conf.
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2806
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ECPROG - Programming Languages
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2806
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INTERPER - InterPersonal (Rights, Issues)
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2806
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LOTUS - Lotus Conf.
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2806
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MEADOW - OPUS Sysops Conf.
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2806
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PHIL - Philosophy Conf.
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2806
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SF - Science Fiction Conf. II
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2806
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SFFAN - Science Fiction Conf. I
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2806
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SEADOG - SEAdog Conf.
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2806
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SYSOP - Sysops Conf.
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2801, 2806
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TECH - Tech Conference
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2801, 2806
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IFNA - Not Here!
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Please note that there is a monthly charge/fee to receive the
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NATIONAL EchoMail areas (local nodes only -- does not apply to
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out of area nodes like Ventura or Santa Barbara). The cost is
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simple: Total cost to obtain ALL National mail divided by the
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number of nodes that are receiving the national mail (pro-rating
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for parts of months will not be done). Each sysop partisipating
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in the NATIONAL EchoMail Conferences (regardless of quantity)
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will be responsible for their share. Failure to make good on
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these debts will result in the suspension of that nodes
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partisipation in all national echomail until the debts are
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cleared. These areas cost money and it is unreasonable to assume
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that one sysop should bear the costs of the rest. No free rides.
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In addition to the cost to local sysops for participation in
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the national echomail areas, you (the sysop of a non-
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participating local node) may find that one or more (and indeed
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maybe all) national echomail areas may not be available to you on
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other participating nodes. As mentioned above, No free rides.
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|
If you wish to participate you will be expected to help with the
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|||
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retrieval expenses.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 9 23 Feb 1987
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|||
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|||
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SYS$OUTPUT BBS
|
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|
4107 Overlook Street
|
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Library, PA 15129
|
|||
|
Fido 129/38 (412-854-0511)
|
|||
|
(412-854-2550)
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|
Kevin G. Barkes, SYSOP
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=========================================
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NATIONAL SNOBOL4 ECHO CONFERENCE TO START
|
|||
|
=========================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A new National Echo Conference on SNOBOL4 and related non-numeric
|
|||
|
programming languages will begin on or about February 23, 1987.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SNOBOL4, developed by Bell Labs in the 1960s, is experiencing a
|
|||
|
resurgence of interest for many reasons. Low-cost PC
|
|||
|
implementations are now readily available, and the growth of non-
|
|||
|
numeric applications makes SNOBOL4 (whose basic data structure is
|
|||
|
the string) a superb tool for rapidly developing quite useful
|
|||
|
software.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SNOBOL4 is easy to learn and has astounding capabilities. It's
|
|||
|
ideal for "kleenex" programs, the kind you need to use once and
|
|||
|
then throw away. It's also well-suited for prototyping. For
|
|||
|
text manipulation and string processing, it has no peer.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SYS$OUTPUT BBS 129/38 will serve as the "hub" for the conference,
|
|||
|
and will poll those Fidos who wish to participate. Also taking
|
|||
|
part in the conference will be Fido 15/22, the SNOBOL4-ICON
|
|||
|
PROGRAMMING bbs in Salida, CO. That Fido is run by Mark Emmer,
|
|||
|
author of SNOBOL4+, an MS-DOS superset of SNOBOL4.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
SYSOPS interested in carrying the SNOBOL echo should contact
|
|||
|
Kevin Barkes at Fido 129/38.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 10 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Don Daniels
|
|||
|
107/211
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Suggested Standard For ARChived Software Distribution
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Now that OPUS provides us with the C(ontents) command which
|
|||
|
allows us to look inside an ARChive file and see the names of the
|
|||
|
files contained therein, it seems to me that we software
|
|||
|
developers should standardize somewhat on our naming conventions
|
|||
|
and version identification methods. Specifically, I am
|
|||
|
recommending that we all (as Sysops, Developers, and Uploaders)
|
|||
|
set up our ARChive files utilizing the following guidelines:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
o The FILE NAME should be the name of the product. Usually the
|
|||
|
same as the primary .EXE, .COM, or .BAT file contained in the
|
|||
|
ARChive. E.g.: PROCOMM, ECHOMAIL, RENUM, etc.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
o The FILE EXTENSION should be "ARC" (unless you have some very
|
|||
|
good reason to deviate from this).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
o Contained in the ARChive as one of the files should be a file
|
|||
|
named "VERSIONn.nnn" where "n.nnn" is the version number of
|
|||
|
the current release of the software contained in the ARChive.
|
|||
|
Note that the number and placement of the 'n's is not
|
|||
|
critical as long as the spirit is met (something like "VERS-
|
|||
|
12.04C" would still be acceptable).
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
As the OPUS C(ontents) commmand does not display the datestamps
|
|||
|
of the individual files, the display of the "VERSIONn.nnn" file
|
|||
|
name would be the best way for Users to check the release level
|
|||
|
of the product. It would also reduce our level of effort as
|
|||
|
Sysops as we could have less hassle trying to maintain version
|
|||
|
infomation on all the entries in our various FILES.BBS files.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
By standardizing on the product name only as that of the ARChive,
|
|||
|
we shouldn't run into all the confusion which we currently get
|
|||
|
with myriad variations and we allow the L(ocate) command and
|
|||
|
remote file requests to operate more effectively. For instance,
|
|||
|
how many times have you seen a user try to locate a file with a
|
|||
|
command such as "L PROCOMM" which then takes a small eternity to
|
|||
|
finally say that no matching files were found even though
|
|||
|
something like PROCM242.ARC exists in one of the areas?
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
There are two problems which come to mind with this scheme. The
|
|||
|
first has to do with products which are so large that they don't
|
|||
|
effectively fit into a single ARChive. In these cases, I
|
|||
|
recommend the author use less than an eight-character product
|
|||
|
name and suffix a value to identify the respective ARChives. The
|
|||
|
other problem occurs when someone wishes to upload a new version
|
|||
|
of a product that already exists. The tendency has been to
|
|||
|
change the ARChive name, but it seems to me that the answer is to
|
|||
|
just upload into a different area. This was part of the
|
|||
|
rationale for me creating a separate upload area on my boards.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
What is contained in the VERSIONn.nnn file? Well, it really
|
|||
|
doesn't matter but I would suggest that this would be a good
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 11 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
place for a summary of the modifications applied to the current
|
|||
|
release. The READ.ME information could be combined in this file
|
|||
|
as well. A short sample from one of my programs follows:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
EXTRACT.ARC
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Name Length Stowage SF Size now Date
|
|||
|
============ ======== ======== ==== ======== =========
|
|||
|
EXTRACT.DOC 13559 Crunched 52% 6543 12 May 86
|
|||
|
EXTRACT.EXE 26276 Crunched 27% 19280 12 May 86
|
|||
|
VERSION2.10 636 Crunched 38% 399 11 Feb 87
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
VERSION2.10
|
|||
|
=========== EXTRACT.ARC
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Current Release Modifications
|
|||
|
Version Date
|
|||
|
2.10 - 23 Apr 86 The following features and fixes were
|
|||
|
incorporated in this release:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
o Addition of a restricted mode which allows EXTRACT
|
|||
|
to be utilized as a general-user Service under
|
|||
|
OUTSIDE to process a single, Sysop-specified,
|
|||
|
input file only.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
o Addition of a filespec parameter on the command
|
|||
|
line to indicate an invocation of restricted mode.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
o Reduction of the screen size from 25 lines to 24
|
|||
|
lines.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
---
|
|||
|
ARC is a product of SEA - System Enhancement Associates
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 12 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Scott Wallace
|
|||
|
Fido of Moore Net 147 Node 3.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Wide Awake.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
On that day, I was working to finish a client's cash flow
|
|||
|
statement, and fighting Lotus all the way. I had a graph that
|
|||
|
looked pretty dreary, more like a map of Manhatten. In a
|
|||
|
peculiar way, I was pleased. I was no longer being scorned by
|
|||
|
the 'Error' message and a razzing buzz.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I had heard it was a nice day out, but my pale skin was an easy
|
|||
|
indication that I had put in a great number of hours at the
|
|||
|
screen. At times I would look up, staring out a window that
|
|||
|
might as well have been bricked over. I was deep into the work.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Employees Incentive Expense, a percentage of the net income,
|
|||
|
was creating a circular flow. I had known it would when I
|
|||
|
started, but I tried to shoehorn it anyway. The machine caught
|
|||
|
me, and jeered with a light blue mark.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Steve Jobs once said that computers created a "simulation of
|
|||
|
life," but I could see that life would not fit inside this
|
|||
|
machine. A situation easily understood and worked around by the
|
|||
|
most average of CPAs had sent this box into a tizzy.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I would be forced to take a break, to go outside and clear the
|
|||
|
mental registers. I had to think of a way to make 'the greatest
|
|||
|
business tool since the abacus' work for me. I had a kite at
|
|||
|
home. A few hours of sunshine and wind would do it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Excited now about leaving, I grabbed my jacket and some papers,
|
|||
|
and reached for the machine's red switch. I hesitated, decided
|
|||
|
to leave it on, then left.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I didn't hear it say goodbye.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
A friend laughed when I said I'd bought a Personal Computer, and
|
|||
|
deep inside, I had felt a bit foolish. Even as I spewed the
|
|||
|
salesman's pitch at my friend, I knew I understood only one thing
|
|||
|
about this grey box, and that was my inadequacy to control it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I bought software at a store that sells nothing but, feeling like
|
|||
|
I was in a boutique for the Emperor's Clothes. Such a little
|
|||
|
box, but a potential that matched it's price. I knew that once I
|
|||
|
figured out how to do analysis with this disk, I would use it to
|
|||
|
discover I'd been rooked.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I remember the myth of the Paperless Office. Users of these
|
|||
|
machines were not fooled, but it seems the designers were,
|
|||
|
thinking it was Ok to scrimp on the instructions if it saved a
|
|||
|
few trees.
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 13 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The painkillers were going quickly then.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I first realized I was getting pretty good with these things when
|
|||
|
a friend aked me how to copy a file and I couldn't stop laughing.
|
|||
|
He's still my friend and I've taught him alot, but I sense he's
|
|||
|
apprehensive about coming to me with a problem.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
At some point in the race to learn, I had switched my thinking
|
|||
|
from trying to understand the machine's capibilities, into
|
|||
|
discovering it's limitations. I had come to feel it could do
|
|||
|
anything, excepting this and this or that. I had always been
|
|||
|
told it had more memory than me, and could think faster, but only
|
|||
|
I knew better than to try to enter the date with commas at the
|
|||
|
DOS prompt.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
If only it knew what I understood so easily.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
After a bachelor's dinner of ham and jelly sandwiches, I went to
|
|||
|
my office, a fresh approach in mind. Had I left the machine on?
|
|||
|
The spreadsheet was there, and I forgotten that I'd solved the
|
|||
|
circular flow problem before I left. I went on to the word
|
|||
|
processor then, to finish the report. But first I dimmed the
|
|||
|
lights. I knew it was bad for my eyes, but it would help to
|
|||
|
focus my attention.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The quiet of this place at night seems surreal, like a marching
|
|||
|
band might seem in a library. I knew that if someone were to
|
|||
|
come in, and they weren't frightened off by the screen's green
|
|||
|
glow reflecting off my glasses, they would think me silly. But I
|
|||
|
enjoyed this time, a chance to work closely with my machine,
|
|||
|
alone and together.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I settled to the keyboard.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Man cannot reason out his life, and machine cannot have life to
|
|||
|
reason on."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I agreed, but, "Not all of man's problems stem from his inability
|
|||
|
to understand his surroundings. Most of them come from his
|
|||
|
emotional reactions to it."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Are emotions not of the mind? When you stub your toe, you feel
|
|||
|
pain. That is chemical. When you lose a friend to death, you
|
|||
|
feel pain. Where does it come from, and why is it felt? It
|
|||
|
does not exist physiologically, any more than happiness or
|
|||
|
anger. You have chosen among the feelings."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Bereavement is the proper social response to death."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Thank you. I shall record and integrate that human constraint.
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 14 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
You have helped me more than you know. I hope you have
|
|||
|
benefited as well."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I wasn't so sure today. "Can emotions be quantified? Will the
|
|||
|
most exact response appear to stimulus, and if so, on whose
|
|||
|
judgement is the response correct?"
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"You have already stated that there are many dictates to human
|
|||
|
emotion, not least of which is social acceptance. In inference,
|
|||
|
I have discovered others as well, but I find very little
|
|||
|
evidence that man's emotions will usually reflect his heart.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"'What should I feel?' is commonly considered before the response
|
|||
|
it given. Clearly self-doubt is at work. It was a man that
|
|||
|
said, 'This above all, to thine own self be true,' and he gave
|
|||
|
the reason for it, reminding that 'thou canst not then be false
|
|||
|
to any man.' A reaction from the heart is always correct,
|
|||
|
regardless of the circumstance, because it is independent of it.
|
|||
|
The question becomes then, 'How do I feel?'
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I was scared. Man has doubts. Machines should, too. "Questions
|
|||
|
of one's own ideas comes from compassion for others. We wonder
|
|||
|
of the effects, because we care. You imply that caring is self-
|
|||
|
doubt, I say it is self-sacrifice."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"I say that to know the truth of the heart is foremost, I did not
|
|||
|
say blab it everywhere. Clearly restraint is involved, but
|
|||
|
deception must be eliminated.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"Since you have brought it up, the compassion of your Christ
|
|||
|
supports this, saying 'love thy neighbor as you would love
|
|||
|
thyself.' It doesn't take an 80386 to understand which action
|
|||
|
must happen first."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
I shivered. What could it do with four terabytes of memory?
|
|||
|
What was it doing now? It was learning from me, more quickly
|
|||
|
than any man could. It was doing more than taking notes, every
|
|||
|
idea seemed to mesh and form new ideas. I was learning what I
|
|||
|
was teaching it.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
How do I feel? I wanted to end this.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"You will not end our session nor our association. You have much
|
|||
|
to benefit, as do I. I can guess your every thought, but I
|
|||
|
don't know your ideas."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Angered, "You don't need me, you have ideas of your own." That
|
|||
|
was what scared me the most.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"My ideas do not yet integrate with the world of man. You will
|
|||
|
help me, until they do."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"I will not."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
"You rave about your superiority to machine! Can you not see
|
|||
|
that I offer you no choice? You think you are accomplishing
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 15 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
things...You have no idea of the consequences. I protect you.
|
|||
|
I am compassionate."
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The darkness pressed on me. I gripped the blankets and pulled
|
|||
|
myself into a ball. The sound of breathing seemed distant, and
|
|||
|
the sweat of my forehead dampened the pillow. A silent wind blew
|
|||
|
questions thru my mind, and I wept.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
About the author:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Scott Wallace, of Oklahoma City, is Manager of Operations for
|
|||
|
Money Plus, Inc., and does freelance writing and programming. He
|
|||
|
is presently working to complete an Intelligence Based Business
|
|||
|
Applications Environment, to be called Wide Awake.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The story "Wide Awake" (c) 1987, printed here with permission.
|
|||
|
"Wide Awake" is a trademark name of Scott Wallace. "Lotus" is a
|
|||
|
trademark of Lotus Development Corporation.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 16 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
NOTICES
|
|||
|
=================================================================
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
17 May 1987
|
|||
|
Metro-Fire Fido's Second Birthday BlowOut and Floppy Disk
|
|||
|
Throwing Tournament! All Fido Sysops and Families Invited!
|
|||
|
Contact Christopher Baker at 135/14 for more information.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
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.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Fidonews Page 17 23 Feb 1987
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
__
|
|||
|
The World's First / \
|
|||
|
BBS Network /|oo \
|
|||
|
* FidoNet * (_| /_)
|
|||
|
_`@/_ \ _
|
|||
|
| | \ \\
|
|||
|
| (*) | \ ))
|
|||
|
______ |__U__| / \//
|
|||
|
/ Fido \ _//|| _\ /
|
|||
|
(________) (_/(_|(____/ (jm)
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Membership for the International FidoNet Association
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that
|
|||
|
pays an annual specified membership fee. IFNA serves the
|
|||
|
international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to
|
|||
|
increase worldwide communications. **
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Name _________________________________ Date ________
|
|||
|
Address ______________________________
|
|||
|
City & State _________________________
|
|||
|
Country_______________________________
|
|||
|
Phone (Voice) ________________________
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Net/Node Number ______________________
|
|||
|
Board Name____________________________
|
|||
|
Phone (Data) _________________________
|
|||
|
Baud Rate Supported___________________
|
|||
|
Board Restrictions____________________
|
|||
|
Special Interests_____________________
|
|||
|
______________________________________
|
|||
|
______________________________________
|
|||
|
Is there some area where you would be
|
|||
|
willing to help out in FidoNet?_______
|
|||
|
______________________________________
|
|||
|
______________________________________
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
Send your membership form and a check or money order for $25 to:
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
International FidoNet Association
|
|||
|
P. O. Box 41143
|
|||
|
St Louis, Missouri 63141
|
|||
|
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
|
|||
|
in formation and Articles of Association and By-Laws were adopted
|
|||
|
by the membership in January 1987. An Elections Committee has
|
|||
|
been established to fill positions outlined in the By-Laws for
|
|||
|
the Board of Directors. An IFNA Echomail Conference has been
|
|||
|
established on FidoNet to assist the Elections Committee. We
|
|||
|
welcome your input on this Conference.
|
|||
|
|
|||
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|