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fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:46:32 Page 1
Volume 1, Number 4 24 Dec 84
+----------------------------------------------------------+
| _ |
| / \ |
| - FidoNews - /|oo \ |
| (_| /_) |
| Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ |
| Users Group | | \ \\ |
| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
| ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
+----------------------------------------------------------+
Editor: Tom Jennings
Publisher: Fido #1
Chief Procrastinator: Tom Jennings
HOT NEWS
Happy holidays and all that stuff ... at least
FidoNet is so far pretty immune to overdose advertising!
This is the fourth issue of FidoNews, and it is
finally taking shape. Send articles on any subject, please
Bumper stickers will be ready in Jan. They will be
cheap, and totally meaningless to those unfamiliar with the
little doggie. I'll take a dozen.
If you are reading this (? pointless and
paradoxical, but grammatically correct recursive, followed
by a note referencing the phrase and the note itself ...
never mind, it's late) you are are part of FidoNet, so
please send articles!
The first intercontinental FidoNet message was sent
from Jakarta Indonesia (Fido #117, Jim Filgo) to St. Louis
(Fido #51). It may have been routed through Maui, Hawaii, I
don't know, I get everything second hand. See the article
below.
Fido is now running on the Sanyo 555, and the TI
Professional version is being tested. The Sanyo version
isn't released yet, it's awaiting testing on other MSDOS
versions available for the Sanyo. (The MSDOS implementation
from Sanyo is so bad, there are aftermarket versions!) In
any case, it cannot be downloaded from Fido #1 until I get
it replaced. (Dead disk drive.)
Note that last weeks FIDOLIST is included this
issue; my single floppy filled up while receiveing the
latest mailed from St. Louis, and I didn't get a chance to
get a new copy. Next issue will have the latest, I promise.
(Unless I still haven't replaced my broken machine, and the
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:46:40 Page 2
disk fills up again ...)
EUROPEAN FIDO
There are nodes in England, one or two in Japan, and
some raring to go guys in Sweden that should be up soon.
There are three main problems in FidoNetting across the
oceans; modem compatibility, extreme time differences, and
cost.
Modem compatibility may be fixed by sticking to Bell
103A 300 baud (what the Hayes, etc does). The time
differences can be handled easily with two schedules; at a
convenient time (for Europe) mail is sent from Europe to the
US; at a convenient time (for the US, probably around the
current 1:00 AM) mail is sent to Europe, who runs receive-
only. The times are chosen for the lowest cost for the
sender.
Cost ... well, no way around that, though with the
extreme connect charges (I'd guess $1.00 to $3.00 per
minute) FidoNet will be much cheaper than calling direct! If
the optimum four or five messages were sent at once, the
cost would be about 60 cents max, not bad for an overnight
intercontinental letter ...
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:46:43 Page 3
NEWS
ARTICLE SUBMISSION
The format of this thing is totally ad hoc; please
make recomendations as to formats, sections needed, liked,
or hated, columns you'd like to see, or see removed,
anything at all. If you want to submit something regularly,
we can start a column for you.
You are ENCOURAGED to send things in for the
newsletter. ANYTHING is fit for the newsletter, such as a
description of your board, problems found, questions, jokes,
fixes, horror stories about wrong FidoNet numbers, things
for sale, etc etc etc.
SUBMITTING AN ARTICLE
An article should have your name, node number (if
applicable), followed by the text. Text can be any ASCII
derivative; WordStar, soft paragraphs, 8th bit set, etc are
all OK.
Articles can be uploaded at either Fido #1 or #51,
into the NEWS File Area, or by sending it by FidoNet. There
is a convention for naming the files, so that the newsletter
can be published automatically.
ARTICLE FILENAMES
file.ART For article type things
file.SAL Things for sale
file.NOT Notices
file.MSC Miscelaneous things
file.EDT an Editorial
file.NEW News items
file.WNT Wanted items
Make sure the name is unique, especially if you send
it by FidoNet, so you dont overwrite another article.
-------------------------------------------------------
IBM Software Digest Allen Miller Fido 85
-------------------------------------------------------
Fido 85, Allen's BOARD, in Cincinnati is an IBM based
Fido, interested in public domain software of all
types. I have amassed a fair collection of software
over the last 2 years, but I am always interested in
knowing what new and useful programs are being
developed.
I will provide the support effort in two areas for
those of you that are interested in participating in
an experiment. The two areas are:
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:46:48 Page 4
1. Compile a list of Fido's that are IBM.
This will be useful to Fido's that are IBM
since there is currently no way of knowing
which Fido's share your interests.
2. Act as clearing house for a 'national'
collection and catalogue of IBM personal
computer software. All the IBM Sysops can
contribute and I will compile and organize
their program contributions and
comments/descriptions.
If you think you are interested, send me a FidoNet mail
message saying you want to participate and stating any
particular categories of software you are interested in
(C, graphics, assembler, etc.). I will assemble a list
of the people that respond and distribute the list to
all of you. You can use this list to streamline your
searching for software in the future.
If you want to participate in phase #2, send me a few
of your favorite programs with good comments if they
are not thoroughly documented. I will compile a
library and listing and make it available to you.
If you have any additional suggestions, please let me
know.
-------------------------------------------------------
IBM Software Digest Allen Miller Fido 85
-------------------------------------------------------
Dallas, Texas (FNM) - A Dallas-area Fido sysop has taken Tom
Tcmpidis' dilemma to heart. After reading a FidoNews
article describing the continuing plight of Mr. Tcmpidis,
the realization that "open" bulletin board systems can be an
invitation to would-be software pirates and other
traffickers in illegal information led him to implement a
security system to ensure that callers to this particular
board were not "perfect strangers."
The means of "getting to know your callers" already exists
within the current release of the Fido software, with the
ability of Fido to screen callers who do not yet have a
valid password, and to request information from new callers
prior to the granting of full access to the features of the
board. This is described in "Fido's Operating Manual,"
release 10, as the Private Message System.
Most Fido sysops are aware that the capability for
generating a "private" system exist, by simply adding the
"/M" flag to the command line that starts the Fido software.
However
[Ed note: HOWEVER ... the rest of the text was missing from
the original file!]
Helpful? tip for Sysops from Ben Baker, Fido 51, St. Louis
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:46:55 Page 5
Users tend to think of FidoNet nodes in terms of location
rather than node numbers. It is convenient to maintain and
distribute NODELIST in node number sequence, but this is
awkward at best for our users.
On Fido 51, once the node list has been edited for Fido
consumption, I run the following batch file against it:
SORT <NODELIST.BBS >NODELIST.TMP /+55
SORT <NODELIST.TMP >NODELIST.BBS /+69
DEL NODELIST.TMP
The first (minor) sort orders the node list by city. The
second (major) sort orders by state and city within state.
This is far more useful to a user who wants to send a message
to someone in Podunk Idaho, but can't think of the node
number.
One added step may be beneficial. The sort should group
the local nodes together. You may want to use your editor to
move them to the front of the file.
-30-
Remote Contol of Fido Allen Miller Fido 85
I run a Fido system at my office and also have a PC at
home. It has been very frustrating when I wanted to
dial up my own Fido system from home and could not get
through.
There is a now device on the market that will enable
you to take control of your system, from a remote
location, even if a user has it tied up. This device is
referred to as the BSR SYSTEM X-10, marketed by Radio
Shack, Sears, and I suppose others. The system
consists of a control module that plugs into the house
circuit and small modules that go between wall plugs
and appliances. Through the house current, the control
module is able to switch the appliance modules off or
on.
One of the different control modules that are available
has the added function of being able to 'answer' the
phone and respond to a hand held remote transmitter
tone generator. So, if you have an extra phone line at
the Fido location and one of these devices set up, you
can call the control module when the Fido line is busy
and 1) turn the modem off and back on or 2) reboot the
system. Once you have done this, it should be easy to
get through to your system.
Cost of the control module is about $50 and the
appliance module is $10-$15.
Remote Contol of Fido Allen Miller Fido 85
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:47:02 Page 6
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Ben Baker - Fido 10
I recently called AT&T to inquire about the cost of inward WATS
service, and was astounded by the result. A 2-line nationwide
inward WATS line in Missouri or Illinois would incur these charges:
One-time installation $367
Monthly access charge (both lines) $75
Connect charges (11PM-8AM)
6 second increments $5.40/hr
Let's say we had a "national Fido" supported by a network of 50 of
the more than 100 current Fidos. What would it cost per board?
One-time installation $7.33
Monthly access charge (both lines) $1.50
Connect charges (11PM-8AM)
6 second increments $5.40/hr
I have talked with TJ about this. (It was his suggestion I write
this.) He would be willing to make the necessary changes to Fido
to support this concept. A using Fido would call the 800 number with
FidoNet and deposit out-going and pick up in-coming mail. Two calls
per night would guarentee overnight service in both directions,
however the Sysop of a low-traffic board might elect to call only
once a week.
Charges could be arranged so that the sending node paid for both
legs of the transfer. Lets say a board averages 20 out-going
messages per week at an average of 18 seconds transmission time
per message. His average monthly charge would be:
Access 1.50
Connect 1.08
Total 2.58
Cost/Message 0.13
The more messages you send, the less the per message cost. The more
participating Fidos, the less the fixed cost per Fido and the less
per message costs. For instance, with 100 nodes participating and 50
messages per month the costs would be:
Access 0.75
Connect 2.70
Total 3.45
Cost/Message 0.07
The first per message cost above is competetive with any available
alternate method of sending FidoNet mail. You can't beat the second
per message cost with a stick!
There are nine hours a night plus all day Saturday and much of
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:47:08 Page 7
Sunday available at this rate. If this board operated two 1-hour
mail schedules each night that would leave a lot of hours that it
could be operated as a national Sysops only Fido Board, with connect
charges lower than CompuServe's!
I am not prepared to say at this time that we will do this, but
it is certainly inviting to think about. I do solicit your responses
on the subject. Please send all comments via FidoNet mail to
Ben Baker, Fido 10. Include suggestions, constructive criticism,
willingness or unwillingness to participate, etc..
Oh, by the way -- Happy Holidays!
Messages as Attached Files
by Ben Baker - Fido 10
It is sometimes convenient to mail a message from one Fido to another
as an attached file. For instance, lets say that one of my users
leaves a messae to Sysop with a good suggestion for a change to Fido.
I'm in no position to make changes to Fido, but Tom Jennings is.
However, Tom hasn't logged onto my board since last May and I have
no reason to believe he will do so any time soon. I have three
options. I can send a message to Tom, carefully relating the
suggestion (42 lines or so), I can ignore it altogether or I can send
Tom the original message as an attached file.
The latter is the best choice for me, but when he gets it, how does
Tom read the message? It's not clear text, and only Fido or another
program that understands message structures can read it easily.
Since Fido is already written it's the obvious candidate, but the
message must be in a message area for Fido to read it and it is in
the mail files area.
I solved this dilemma on Fido 10 by creating a new area with Sysop only
priveledges. In it both the message and the files paths point to the
FidoMail files area. If someone sends me a file, I can preview it in
this area before making it available in another area for my users.
If the file happens to be of the form nn.MSG, it is a message and I can
read it in the message section in this special area.
It's simple and direct, but very useful when you recieve messages as
files.
NOTICES
FOR SALE
WANTED
WANTED TO BUY: One used Gavilan computer.
Send details (accessories, condition and price) to:
Andy Meyer, FidoNet, Fido #317 - or contact Sysop of
fidonews.man -- 24 Dec 84 22:47:14 Page 8
SMC-70 Citadel: (201) 930-6483 [24 hours, 300 baud]

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