396 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
396 lines
16 KiB
Plaintext
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F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 9 No. 25 (22 June 1992)
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The newsletter of the |
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FidoNet BBS community | Published by:
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_ |
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/ \ | "FidoNews" BBS
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/|oo \ | (415)-863-2739
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(_| /_) | FidoNet 1:1/1
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_`@/_ \ _ | Internet:
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| | \ \\ | fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org
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| (*) | \ )) |
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|__U__| / \// | Editors:
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_//|| _\ / | Tom Jennings
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(_/(_|(____/ | Tim Pozar
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(jm) |
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| Newspapers should have no friends.
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| -- JOSEPH PULITZER
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----------------------------+---------------------------------------
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Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international
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amateur network. Copyright 1992, Fido Software. All rights reserved.
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Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes
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only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews.
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Electronic Price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . free!
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Paper price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.00US
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For more information about FidoNews refer to the end of this file.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL ..................................................... 1
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Editorial: Remotely yours ..................................... 1
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2. ARTICLES ...................................................... 3
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How To Find That File ......................................... 3
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Netmail the same as Echomail .................................. 4
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3. LATEST VERSIONS ............................................... 7
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Software Versions List ........................................ 7
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4. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .......................................... 8
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 1 22 Jun 1992
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======================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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======================================================================
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Editorial: Remotely yours
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My electronic world is deteriorating. I have to call in at 300 baud to
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edit this rag (sic) due to problems with the phone line here at my
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(new) boyfriends house here in the Pacific NorthWest.
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I have to admit that I'm not doing a particularly good job this week;
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I've fallen terribly in love with a wonderful punk boy, and won't be
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back at the end of the month like I said. Don't worry, I wont inflict
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lovey-dovey garbage on FidoNews readers. People in love are sooo
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disgusting to be around (just ask his roommate).
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This issue contains more on the lost-mail subject. Amazing what a
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strong interest it has generated... I hope budding FidoNet
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investigative journalists consider documenting chronic netmail dead
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ends.
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I received an interesting message on FidoNews policy, that I think is
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worth including:
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> From: Alan Powell, 1:240/1
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> Subj: BIZYNET IN FIDONEWS?
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[regarding: CAUCUS echo announcement in last week's Snooze.]
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> Greetings Tom,
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> I'm just a lowly FidoNet user who,
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> amongst other things, enjoys reading
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> FidoNews regularly.
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> While you may get a number of
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> different responses to this FidoNews
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> announcement (above), mine is simply
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> to question your acceptance of other
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> nets announcements through FidoNews?
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To tell the truth, I hadn't given it any thought. While FidoNews is a
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component of the FidoNet, I think there's other factors. It's not "us
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vs. them" situation. The notice-author is a also FidoNet member.
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Promoting communications is a good thing in general, and
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modem/BBS/FidoNet technology more specifically.
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If the percentage of non-FidoNet oriented stuff grew large, I'd have
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to reconsider.
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 2 22 Jun 1992
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Besides, I wasn't even aware of BIZYNET, so probably others are not
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either. It probably serves some peoples needs better than FidoNet. The
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more the merrier, I say; by cooperating we can only gain.
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Genuinely, thanks for the message Alan. The parameters of this thing
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are not fixed, and there are a lot of unspoken assumptions. Dialog is
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always good.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 3 22 Jun 1992
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======================================================================
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ARTICLES
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======================================================================
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by John A. Vink
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1:250/318
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JVArcServ - a server to locate specified archives.
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JVArcServ V1.00 is now under beta testing and seems to be running well
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with a release version to be out soon. JVArcServ eliminates your woes
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in trying to find a certain file, and eliminates the "does anyone have
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such and such for file request" questions in the echos.
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JVArcServ is based on the InterNet utility Archie designed at McGill
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University in Canada. This utility allows users to locate programs
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available via anonymous FTP from sites around the world. Since there
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are thousands of anonymous FTP sites around the world, each one
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holding several gigabytes of software, this utility was a great sigh
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of relief. There are now eight Archie servers in operation today.
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FTN networks can sometimes give operators the same problems. There is
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lots of software out there available via file requests. The question
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is just "where?".
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The server keeps a specially formatted version of each system's file
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list in the network. Users can then ask questions such as "Where is
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this filename," "Find this description," and "Does anything match this
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keyword?".
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Some other interesting commands are also available such as "List nodes
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and zones covered by this server" and other such questions.
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JVArcServ is as automated as possible. It will allow new nodes to
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join automatically through netmail, and new file lists will be
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automatically requested each month. The sysop running the server will
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only have to set it up once and then forget that it exists.
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The idea behind JVArcServ is that one node in each network will run
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the server and maintain file lists from every other node in the
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network. The server will only be useful with the cooperation of all
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the sysops in the network to register with the server and keep undated
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versions of the formatted file lists.
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JVArcServ and the file compiler also implements a routing system in
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the event that a node is long distance from the server. When the node
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registers, it can ask that its file list be requested from a different
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node. In this case, the node creating the file lists would send its
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file lists to this second node where it is to be requested from.
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 4 22 Jun 1992
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An echo for beta testers and technical support for JVArcServ has been
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created and it is available from 1:250/318.
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JVArcFC, the program which creates the specially formatted file lists,
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is now available as a general release. It can be file requested from
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1:250/318 as JVARCFC.
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If you are interested in JVArcServ, if you have any questions, or if
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you want to set it up for your network, just send me netmail and I'll
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be happy to help you out. The server is now running at 1:250/318. To
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try it out, send netmail to "JVArcServ", and in the body of the text
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include the line "HELP".
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Paul J. Henry 1:221/279@fidonet.org
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A reply to Glenn Caleval's article in Fnews 9-24
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None is more timely than Mr. Caleval's article. Recently my NEC decided
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to go on a holiday, and forgot to give us all keys to his house
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(understandably). About a week ago all mail stopped. The NEC's system
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is dead, and he's somewhere, out there. NO MAIL. Nada. Nihil. None.
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Mr. Caleval's article therefore struck a cord. I know why my mail isn't
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being delivered, but Mr. Jennings, as he said in his editorial, doesn't.
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I therefore disagree with the article on several points. I hate to
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quote Policy (Lord knows Policy has its limits), however the following
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sections of Policy4 are applicable in this situation:
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=== cut here ===
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2.1.7 Not Routing Mail
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If you do not forward a message when you previously agreed to perform
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such routing, the message must be returned to the sysop of the node at
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which it entered FidoNet with an explanation of why it was not
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forwarded.
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9.9 Echomail
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Echomail is an important and powerful force in FidoNet. For the
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purposes of Policy Disputes, echomail is simply a different flavour of
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netmail, and is therefore covered by Policy.
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=== cut here ===
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Echomail, to me then, entails the same responsibilities as netmail. They
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are the same thing. When netmail enters a routing point it is separated
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from echomail. It IS NOT simply part of the package. It goes into a
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different area (for less than a minute mind you) before being packaged
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up again for delivery, but it is the same thing. Par example, if "Fred"
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on InterNet sends me a message, it enters the world at 1:114/15, gets
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packaged up with the days echomail, and gets transferred to 13/13. It
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is then unpacked, and packed up again for transfer to 12/12. From 12/12
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it is picked up by my NEC who unpacks it, and packs it up again for
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 5 22 Jun 1992
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transfer to my hub, who does the same thing, and voila, it gets picked
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up by my system and I read it and reply, which effectively begins the
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process again. While they are separate things to my Routing Software
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(in this instance Squish) they are the same 'kind' of thing and deserve
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the same kind of respect.
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While it is assumed that netmail is 'free' when packaged up with
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echomail, it is actually being covered by the cost of the echomail. I
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believe it is estimated that a months netmail going through 13/13 costs
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around a dime. It is not an add-on, it is and was the original purpose
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of FidoNet. (To send messages to people in other areas of the world.)
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It costs in the same fashion as echomail costs.
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While the time for delivery of a piece of netmail may vary it is to be
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assumed that it WILL be delivered. If it is not, as Mr. Jennings said,
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something is rotten in Denmark. (Or STEREO (()) WHERE AVAILABLE -- take
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your pick.) If it is not, it is the responsibility of those who are in
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the routing structure to let the sysop who sent the message (so long as
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they are still in the nodelist) know WHY it was not sent.
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It is hoped that the problems, with time, will disappear. Routing
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problems, I've found, have a tendency to work themselves out. But if we
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are all doing our jobs, they shouldn't appear in the first place.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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by Joshua Lewis, 1:163/505
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The Introduction of two nets looking for expansion.
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Of course there is FIDO net, SIGNet, EchoNet and EggNet.
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And many more, to numerous to name here.
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All well respected nets who's size is not quite as big
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as FIDO but still as good.
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I live in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I represent two nets which
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you have probabbly never heard of. The Homeboy Net, and the
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Digital Net. They are both looking for expansion outside of
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Ottawa. We are looking for any system located any where in
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Canada, U.S. or the world. And one note of importance:
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All mail/files will be at our expense. You will not have to
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make any long distance calls. We feel you are doing us a
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favor by joining, not the other way around. This is why
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we have accepted that policy.
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Let me explain each net. The Homeboy Net (THBNet) is deicated
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to music, and the weird and unusual things that other nets
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didn't quite seem to offer. We have discussions and message
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traffic is quite heavy for our current size. There are polictal
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echo's,talk about dating echo's and chatting echo's. Suggestions
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for new echo's are always welcome.
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 6 22 Jun 1992
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The Digital Net (DIGINet) was formed to help people with
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problems. Any kind of problems, not nesscerily computer realted
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however this is our main focus right now. There are echo's for
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help with general computing, programming, bbs software, mailers
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and echo mail tossers. We also have a shrink echo for those
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who are feeling down. Suggestions for new echo's are always
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welcome.
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If you are wishing to join either net, please contact 1:163/505
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,50:5613/104 or 102:613/3. If you apply, your connection will
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be setup ASAP and if no one else is active in your area you will
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more than likely become the new network host for your region.
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And remember, all of this mail will be at our expense. You can't
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do better than that.
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If you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact
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those addresses above or file request THBN for the Homeboy Net
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information or DIGI for the Digital Net information from
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1:163/505.
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Thank You FIDO for coming up with the technology which allows
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us all to be free. Until Later,
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Joshua Lewis (1:163/505, 50:5613/104, 102:613/3)
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 7 22 Jun 1992
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======================================================================
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LATEST VERSIONS
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|||
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======================================================================
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|||
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|||
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Software Versions List
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|||
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|||
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Please refer to the article in this issue...
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|||
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|||
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 8 22 Jun 1992
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======================================================================
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FIDONEWS INFORMATION
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======================================================================
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|||
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------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
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|||
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Editors: Tom Jennings, Tim Pozar
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Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello
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"FidoNews" BBS
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|||
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FidoNet 1:1/1
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|||
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Internet fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org
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|||
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BBS (415)-863-2739 (9600 HST/V32)
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(Postal Service mailing address)
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FidoNews
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Box 77731
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San Francisco
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CA 94107 USA
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Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international
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amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual
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articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The
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contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the
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rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those
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of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews.
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FidoNews is copyright 1992 Fido Software. All rights reserved.
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Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes
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only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews (we're
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easy).
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OBTAINING COPIES: FidoNews in electronic form may be obtained from
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the FidoNews BBS via manual download or Wazoo FileRequest, or from
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various sites in the FidoNet and via uucp. PRINTED COPIES mailed
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may be obtained from Fido Software for $5.00US each PostPaid First
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Class within North America, or $7.00US elsewhere, mailed Air Mail.
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(US funds drawn upon a US bank only.)
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BACK ISSUES: Available from the following sources (and possibly
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others), via filerequest or download (consult a recent nodelist for
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phone numbers). Back issues are *NOT* available from FidoNews 1:1/1.
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FidoNet 1:102/138 (All issues)
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FidoNet 1:216/21 (All but 18 issues)
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Internet ftp.ieee.org, in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonew/fidonews
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SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
|
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FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
|
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ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable
|
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from 1:1/1 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC".
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FidoNews 9-25 Page 9 22 Jun 1992
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"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
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trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco
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CA 94107, USA and are used with permission.
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Asked what he thought of Western civilization,
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M.K. Gandhi said, "I think it would be an excellent idea".
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-- END
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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