textfiles/bbs/FIDONET/FIDONEWS/fido1147.nws

F I D O  N E W S --                   Vol.11  No.47    (21-Nov-1994)
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|  A newsletter of the       |   ISSN 1198-4589 Published by:          |
|  FidoNet BBS community     |   "FidoNews" BBS                        |
|          _                 |       +1-519-570-4176                   |
|         /  \               |                                         |
|        /|oo \              |   Small animal psychology and           |
|       (_|  /_)             |   Spiritual guidance Department:        |
|        _`@/_ \    _        |        Rev. Richard Visage  1:163/409   |
|       |     | \   \\       |                                         |
|       | (*) |  \   ))      |   Editors:                              |
|       |__U__| /  \//       |        Donald Tees      1:221/192       |
|        _//|| _\   /        |        Sylvia Maxwell   1:221/194       |
|       (_/(_|(____/         |        Tim                              |
|             (jm)           |     Newspapers should have no friends.  |
|                            |                    -- JOSEPH PULITZER   |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|               Submission address: editors 1:1/23                     |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|  MORE addresses:                                                     |
|                                                                      |
|     Don -- don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca                         |
|     Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca                      |
|     Tim Pozar -- pozar@kumr.lns.com                                  |
|     David Deitch -- 1:133/411.411, deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org         |
|    submissions=> editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca                |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|       For  information,   copyrights,   article   submissions,       |
|       obtaining copies of fidonews or the internet gateway faq       |
|       please refer to the end of this file.                          |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
========================================================================
                          Table of Contents
========================================================================

1.  Editorial: e-cult<s>ure.......................................  2
2.  Articles......................................................  3
      FTS-0005 Nodelist Flag Additions............................  3
      Dear Reverend Visage,.......................................  3
      The Problems in Zone 6's Net 700............................  5
      Fido in Sherbrooke,Quebec,Canada............................  5
      Clumsy and Rude FidoNews Formatting.........................  6
      Fidonet Echomail Security and Policy........................  7
      From: Luke Kolin............................................ 10
      Feedback/Article your pick.................................. 11
      audio and/or visual 'alarm'................................. 12
3.  Fidonews Information.......................................... 14
FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  2                    21 Nov 1994


========================================================================
                              Editorial
========================================================================
some body                          ...   ...   ...   ...  ...
some where                         ...   ...   ...   ...  ...
told her to say, "NO!"             .....................  ...
like a li'l rebel,                 ...   ...   ..............
like a li'l trouper.               ...   ...   ...   ...   .

On page seven is an article about Fidonet echomail security which
elucidates the point of the satellite dish intrigue.  Session Level 
Passwords!  Session Level Passwords, rather than "which *C do i 
complain to?"

An interesting consideration, dear Jesse Tharin, about how a screen 
reader makes some of fidonews sound garbled.  However, i like ascii 
art, since it's the haiku of computer graphics.  But then, i don't
have to listen to everything through a screen reader.  ?  .  

i like the dog with the diskette logo.  i like it so much that i'm
_almost_ ready to get it tattooed on the inside of my ankle.  AND
there's an article on the nodelist.  Nodelist articles.
                                     nod
                                     no del

i suppose i should make file-requestable a readable-word text only 
fidonews file, but i've got to finish all the progects i'm already WAAAY 
late with before i take on more.  projects, i meant.  Perhaps i should 
wait to see if NT comes out with Andrew Freeman's reminder option, before
i do anything ? 

office gossip:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Rev. Visage has apparently disappeared <this CAN be done
in cyberspace> so i had to resort to Rune's Rag of 1:2601/522 to find
him.  But don't worry.  i charged LD to his expensive account.
~
Ms. Labamba has been directed by Doc Logger towards zone 7 as a
liason officer, to attempt to solve the mysterious question of the
multiple *C's, but she has been waylaid during her journey and will
be filing her report late.
~
Madam Emilia, aka the editrix has temporarily changed her origen
line to "dominatrix", since there's another editrix doing
"Aladrisa's Cauldron", at 1:221/221.  Has anyone copyrighted an
alias?  Or a BBS name?  
~

Q:  if you pay all of your attention to  e-cult<s>ure
    do you have a body?

A:  what is more real:  blood, or electrons ?

Q:  what's the dif ?


FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  3                    21 Nov 1994

========================================================================
                               Articles
========================================================================
FTS-0005 Nodelist Flag Additions
George Peace
FidoNet International Coordinator
1:1/1000

FidoNet Technical Standards Committee (FTSC) document FTS-0005
is 'The Distribution Nodelist'. That document defines the format
and content of the Nodelist for the FidoNet Network. It also
accommmodates interim or temporary changes to the document in
order to reflect contemporary useage trends.

Quoting from the current (5 Feb 89) document...

"FTSC recognizes that the FidoNet International Coordinator is
the ultimate authority over what appears in the FidoNet
nodelist. Also, FTSC is by definition a deliberative body,  and
adding or changing a flag may take a considerable amount of
time.  Therefore,  the FidoNet International Coordinator may
temporarily make changes or additions to the flags as defined in
this document.  The FidoNet International Coordinator will then
consult with FTSC over the changes needed to this document to
reflect these temporary changes."

Two 'U' or User flags have achieved widespread use in the FidoNet
Nodelist over the past 12 month, reaching what can only be
characterized as Standard Practice. As a result these two modem
flags are now authorized for use without the 'U' prefix.

 VFC    V.Fast Class
 V32T   V.32 Terbo

Although the protocols are each implemented by multiple
manufacturers neither is an CCITT or ITU approved standard. They
represent only base protocols in a manner similar to PEP or HST
or ZYX.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
Swamp Swine Magazine,
Dynamo Hum School of Nunnery,
Shuckmagosh, Ohio


Dear Reverend Visage,

I have just returned from the monthly net163 bunfest so you
must forgive me if the ringing in my ears causes untoward
effects upon my typing. Why is it, I wonder, that after five
or ten double-malts, the decibel level of conversations
FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  4                    21 Nov 1994

approaches pain thresholds? Your presence was missed, as
usual, and even Annabelle wore her special eye-sparkles in
hopes that you would arrive. She has promised to decorate
hockey arenas with her poetry and I believe her.

I fear that net250's recent Netwar will grace the pages of
Sylvia & Don's esteemed organ. After last week's rampant
bout of Quotaholism by Lesley-Dee, young Barry "Tourette's
Poster Child" Carter has promised to add his insights to the
issues. One hopes that he succeeds in writing more than one
sentence without his traditional usage of the "F" word. I
fear that you may have to investigate more railroad
accidents when they discover that the inhabitants of the
Metro Zoo have all been issued net250 nodenumbers.

We are all still burning incense and sacrificing suitable
quantities of wildlife, waiting for Bob Satti ( cue the
squirrels. The squirrels? What kinda Biblical plague are
squirrels?)... anyway, waiting for Bob Satti to issue his
policy decision on the Lukester's banishment to the
wilderness. Bob can be forgiven his tardiness since he
recently had to participate in kicking someone upstairs into
the ZEC position. The election was conducted by vote,
followed by the throwing of appropriate Mah Jong pieces to
select the winner. If we still have a tanker truck full of
curare you might want to keep it handy in case the new ZEC
follows the traditional downhill trajectory and starts
insane ravings about the requirement for more policy.

I note from the fact that you submitted a petty cash voucher
for drycleaning Fawn Hall's underwear that you have been
probably bending elbows with Ollie North again. Can't you
just give Ollie a few John Denver eight-tracks and tell him
to go away? We've got serious newts to deal with in the
government and it would be an act of kindness if you could
procure the ingredients from that MacBeth cooking recipe.

I must go Visage, your secretary is out of sorts again, and
this has really nothing at all to do with the fact that the
walrus has taken station under her desk and has become
amorous. I really think that as a good and decent gesture,
we should send her to net700 where the cloacally challenged
NC might find congress with her.

Regards,
Doc Logger
Montana School of Kelp Ranching,
Anaconda, Montana


FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  5                    21 Nov 1994


The Problems in Zone 6's Net 700

by Patrick McCoy (FidoNet 1:153/974)
Zone 6's Net 700

After reading about the plights of the "excommunicated" SysOps in Hong
Kong, I feel that I must ask why this has been allowed to carry on for
so long!

As a ZC myself, I don't see why FidoNet Admin would needlessly stand-by
and watch 600 nodes drop off the face of the nodelist, and not question
the *Cs involved in it.

Sure, I suppose that with the 35,248 nodes in Fido as of the last
nodelist, I guess 600 nodes isn't really noticed ... but still!  What of
the plight of those SysOps?  They worked and maintained Fido addresses
for so long, to be terminated in one foul stroke.  Even a "3 month"
warning for new applications isn't justified IMHO as a good enough
reason to allow such a purging.

I don't profess to be an expert on this situation, I learned about this
"problem" as some would call it, at the same time that everyone else did
(about 3 FidoNewses ago).

I also don't profess to be an expert on FidoPolicy, considering I
probably look at Policy4 as much as I jump off bridges ... but I cannot
believe that FidoNet would turn a blind eye to these 600 nodes that were
there a few months ago, but now aren't ... if anything, I think a new NC
for the net should be elected ... Fido is supposed to be a democracy
last time I looked, or does that just count for the ZCs?!?

In conclusion, I hope to see Net 700 running back up at full par in
future.

Enough babbling, time to get back to work ... just my 2 cents worth!
                               ___
  Patrick McCoy       ___..---'---`---..___
   SysOp: SFHQ    .-=========================-
  _______________/ :.::.:.---..___..---~~~
 (___________(_||_)_____/
  /____/___:..::.:::.::/  Star Fleet HQ [1:153/974@FidoNet]
           \__________/   (604)584-5964 (14400bps - V.32/V.42BIS)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Francois Goulet (31:100/3080)

Fido in Sherbrooke,Quebec,Canada.

Hello!

My name is Francois Goulet of Sherbrooke,and am not speek
english. (Sorry).(Just a little little bit).

FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  6                    21 Nov 1994

Voici pourquoi que j'ecrit ce message

Pour nous qui sommes dans la Region de Sherbrooke,Quebec,Canada.
La personne qui est responsable de la distribution du reseau FidoNet
et qui se nomme Francois Menard,ne veut pas nous donner d'adresse pour
FidoNet.
Nous sommes quelques dizaines de BBS,qui voulons avoir une adresse
et il n'y a pas moyen de rien faire avec cette personne la.

Est-ce-qu'il y aurais un moyen quelconque,de lui faire savoir de votre
part,que les adresse sont faites pour etre distribuer et qu'il doit les
distribuer.

Moi j'ai 5 reseau de messagerie sur mon BBS,et je voudrais faire entrer
FidoNet mais il y a pas moyen a cause de cette personne.

J'ai meme un reseau qui m'appartiend et qui se nomme SexNet
Reseau de messagerie baser uniquement sur le sexe.Mais ce que je
voudrais c'est un moyen d'avoir FidoNet,et ce sans passer par
Francois Menard.

Pouvez-vous regler notre probleme ?

                             Merci Beaucoup!
Alp!
                                 Francois Goulet
                      31:100/3080 Absolu
                      40:100/0    SexNet
                      93:190/4    SagNet
                      75:164/1160 E-LINK
                      79;250/12   SolutioNet


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Clumsy and Rude FidoNews Formatting

Clumsy and Rude FidoNews Formatting
by Jesse Tharin 1:300/7

I just read ARTSPEC.DOC, a guideline written three and a half years ago
for this newsletter, an organ designed for line printers yet read
nearly universally on screens. The specs jogged loose an old irritation
about FidoNews. Both the specs and the rag need some changes.

My particular bit of whining is a complaint about the abysmal
formatting of our weekly reader. It's very pretty on paper since it
has footers, boxes, page numbers, dotted index leaders, a pretty
ASCII dog, and 94 lines of fat, verbose, egoistic, unchanging, unread
boilerplate that ends the last page and a half of every issue. There
are perhaps six people throughout the world who actually take the time
to run this excessive prettyprinting off and admire how snazzy it
looks, and I'd like to call on them now to stand up and be recognized.

Hello?

FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  7                    21 Nov 1994

Most of the rest of us (I won't speak for YOU, Babe) who read FidoNews
scroll through it on screen, where footers, cute words made with
asterisks, and other noises are ugly and distracting. More on the noise
in the next paragraph. Some of us fools, aside from listing it as a
downloadable file, make it available on our boards as some equivalent
of a bulletin to be read straight, 24 or so lines at a time. Again, all
the formatting is intrusive and a bit of a chore to remove for those
of us with some pride in our boards. On line, a straight unformatted
ASCII file is the only thing that makes sense to offer. I will admit
that the little dog is cute. Once.

The thing that really chaps my hide, though, is the ASCII "graphic"
junk that the various authors think is so unbelievably snazzye. Little
dudes and dudettes, some on bicycles, smiley faces enough to gag a
little dude or dudette, wondrous capital letters made up of slashes,
backslashes and parens, and that ubiquitous little dog. Many people,
usually visually impaired to some degree, use screen readers, software
and hardware that voices the screen out loud, as a way of translating
the pixels into brain fodder. This pretty little box from ARTSPEC.DOC:
                             +-------+
                             | A Box |
                             +-------+
translates as "plus minus minus minus minus minus minus minus plus bar
a box bar plus minus minus minus minus minus minus minus plus". A
wonderful little graphic, eh? Throw in a footer in the middle of a
sentence and the author's well-reasoned arguments tend to get muddled
in the "noise". Another reason to curse that dog is this: just one
representative line from the cute little thing reads: "bar open-paren
underscore slash open-paren underscore bar open-paren underscore
underscore underscore underscore slash bar TIM bar". See if you can
find it!

How about not being so passively rude to our blind readers? Fix the
formatting; it isn't the least bit impressive and it almost always
gets in the way in one way or another. Edit ARTSPEC.DOC to discourage
ASCII "graphics" too. Get rid of all the beginning and ending
boilerplate that only increases the noise-to-content ratio. Help us
make up our minds when deciding whether or not to trash the thing.

And make the cute little dog available on the anniversary issue only.

Jesse Tharin
Net 300 Blowhard
1:300/7
Tucson Arizona USA

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Fidonet Echomail Security and Policy

 Bill Dirks
 1:385/17
 Fidonet Echomail Security and Policy and Why It's Not Working

FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  8                    21 Nov 1994


      Let me begin by saying that I've always been happy with Fidonet
 overall. No matter what the arguments and problems have been in the
 past, I've always supported the net and its hierarchy. That is until
 recently.

      Starting about a month or so ago, a handful of people decided
 that certain echos were not worthwhile but their new echo was. To
 make this point, these same people have since rammed mail packets
 containing hundreds of messages containing, porn and virus code text
 into these echos in an effort to disrupt and discredit them. The
 known affected echos have been DIRTY_DOZEN, VIRUS, and VIRUS_INFO.
 Rumor control also has it a similar echo in another network has also
 fallen victim.

      Please keep one thing in mind while reading this. The affected
 echo moderators can't due anything because of apathy on the part of
 the *C & *EC structure currently in place. These folks are not
 backing up the moderators!

      Now here is where it gets interesting. The moderators of the
 affected echos have attempted to get the feeds cut to those ramming
 in the garbage. They've asked for excommunication of those doing
 this. Unfortunately, the _entire_ *C structure and *EC structure is
 aware of the problem but everyone keeps referring the decision to the
 ZC. This is because of the methods being used to create and introduce
 this mail leaves almost no proof short of a confession to prove who
 actually did it. The ZC while aware of who is actually doing the
 ramming has done nothing. He has been given as much proof as possible
 but still hasn't acted. Please write him asking why. It would be
 interesting to see what if anything is done.

      Anyway, I titled this article to talk about echomail security
 and will now present that portion as it pertains to this situation.
 In otherwords, lets talk about how anyone with bad intentions can
 disrupt and discredit any echo or system they want and have the *C
 structure do nothing.

      Step 1. From someone in the computer underground, get a program
 called Bogus. More on it in a moment.

      Step 2. Find a system anywhere in the nodelist that carries the
 echo you want to hit, preferably a hub. This is easy. Carry the echo
 yourself for about a week or so. Look at the path info on the
 messages and make a list. Now compare that to the nodelist.

      Step 3. After finding out the potential systems (echomail hub),
 find one of them that you can poll and send mail to that will also
 forward it. Naturally this is done using your mailer configured as if
 a legit node in the net you are going to use. This system will be one
 without a session password established. It will ideally not use
 passworded bundles either. Unfortunately, there are a lot of systems
 like this out there that are hubs. You can see the general idea here.
 It's not a lot of work.
FidoNews 11-47                 Page:  9                    21 Nov 1994


      Step 4. After finding the potential victim and their address we
 now use Bogus. Bogus will take the To, From, and Subject, of legit
 messages in the echo you have targetted and create custom messages
 given certain information. Bogus will then insert and create bogus
 messages with the content desired down to the binary header info of
 the system you want to fake and kludge line info. All is totally
 faked.

      Step 5. Send your bogus mail bundle to the unsecure echomail hub
 you found. That systems mailer software will now dutifully send it on
 its way since the bundle and messages are correct in all respects due
 to Bogus. You have done this anonymously from anywhere because you
 had your mailer software configured to act like node X's so it seems
 like a legit call.

      Now why did I tell everyone how to do this?? Well, this is so
 you can get a very good idea of the problems here. Anyone desiring to
 disrupt echomail can do it. It is being done and the *C structure
 will not act on reliable information to cut off the offending
 systems. You can see how hard this is to prove and that's why the
 offending systems get away with it. Once they ask the *C structure to
 prove the allegations, they can't. e.g. "their" mailer address didn't
 show in the log, etc. Remember, this is even after the *C structure
 receives reliable information from known trusted people and from
 disinterested parties that have nothing at stake in the matter.

      The solution to this entire problem is fairly simple. First, the
 entire *C and *EC structure need to give an order that no one wants
 to because it's not in Policy 4. They forget they can set local rules
 providing they don't conflict with policy. The following is
 reasonable and not excessively annoying. To the contrary, anyone not
 following the order would be because they open the network up to
 exploitation.

      That order is that anyone acting as an echomail hub in any
 respect will only do so only under the following conditions:

        A. A unique session password will be established between all
 nodes and the echomail hub or they can not pick up or send echomail
 from the echomail hub. All mailer software should be able to do this.

        B. To the extent possible, all nodes using mail packing and
 unpacking software that allows it, need to implement passworded mail
 bundles too.

      This is all that's required. This has been a big security hole
 in Fidonet and networks using Fido style mailers. Until recently, it
 has never posed a problem beyond the local level. The problem is now
 national and international in scope.

      Another problem here again lies with the *C structure dealing
 with these disruptive nodes. When they excommunicate a person or cut
 an echo feed after it has been proven what they are doing. They let
 the same people back into the network! Yup, the same NC's and RC's
FidoNews 11-47                 Page: 10                    21 Nov 1994

 that said you are persona non grata to satisfy the rest of the net
 allow the same people back in under different names and new address
 in the nodelist. In other cases, to satisfy the echo moderators
 request for a feed cut, the NC and or RC will simply give the node a
 new address and name and leave the feeds intact.

      To every rule there is an exception or two. This is a case where
 the ZC and the rest of the *C structure need to make those hard
 decisions. If they're not willing to, replacements should be found if
 they can't understand what is happening to the network and continue
 to let it happen.

      Before everyone falls asleep, let me point out the other
 disruptions caused by this handful of people. Several nets who have
 been the victims of these have had their reputations tarnished
 because most don't understand mail can be faked to the degree it can
 be. Individual nodes and users have been tarnished in these echos
 because people believe these people are posting the bogus messages.
 This is because the bogus message contains that persons legit origin
 line. Planet Connect (PC) mad a very unpopular decision in an effort
 to help curb the problem and caught untold grief. That was the
 decision to use NoBogus' dirty-word filter. The problem wasn't as
 wise spread when they did but they were forced to turn it back off
 and the problem appears again. Overall, this is a problem all
 everyone using Fidonet needs to be aware of.

      I don't condone censorship which some people may construe from
 this article. I do condone taking positive action against nodes that
 have been proven to be excessively annoying though. I urge you to
 write your *C structure, in particular the ZC to take action on this
 matter. He is aware of the problem and the perpetrators yet is not
 doing anything to resolve it except allow hundreds of bogus messages
 on an almost daily basis to disrupt echomail.

 Bill Dirks
 Safe Hex Central
 1:385/17


----------------------------------------------------------------------


From: Luke Kolin                           (1:250/714)

In case you decide to publish Barry's article, could you be so kind as
to post this in the issue as well:

"It has been drawn to my attention that a Mr. Barry Carter (250/888)
will be posting a highly derogatory article about myself in this week's
Snooze, in response to an article written about him last week by a
third party. It alleges that I am a gay-basher and a thief.

I have no desire whatsoever to engage in a shouting match with Mr.
Carter in FidoNews. I consider his actions to be repugnant and they
completely undermine any claims of concern for FidoNet's well-being
FidoNews 11-47                 Page: 11                    21 Nov 1994

that he may have.

I will address his accusations this far and no further: anyone
interested in them may ask the people who should be most affected by
Mr. Carter's accusations, the members of our EchoMail Cost Recovery
Plan, and the gay sysops in Net 250. I am confident of their support."

Luke

---

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: James Ankuda                         (1:101/665)

Feedback/Article your pick.

Dear Editor Of Fidonews,

        You may put this in the newsletter if you like, or just take it
as I put it out.  Or, you can edit it in any fashion you choose
including correcting my spelling.  8*)

        Anyhow, this is in regards to your statement in Fidonews
editorial Vol. 11  No. 46, where you state:

"  I do not know about the rest of you, but I am tempted at
times to just say anything that quotes echomail is cut.  The
articles that are nothing more than a bunch of mail quotations
are invariably long, disjointed, and nearly unreadable unless
one is a participant.  (Probably then as well).       "

I must say I had really no idea WHAT you were talking about, or what
would cause you to write this, as usually something does cause you to
make statements like this.  I tend to read your Editorial before
reading anything else, and I also tend to skip right to anything you
find interesting enough to mention in your editorial.

Anyhow, I proceeded thru your newsletter and found an article where it
seems just two people calling each other names and arguing about IN
CHARGE type stuff.  I then got your point, and agree with you, this
type of arguing, <while I don't mind the profanity> has taken up
bandwidth on Fidonet enough already, and then to be copied into your
newsletter seems like a big waste to me.  Now, if either Idividual
wanted to actually write an article about why or how they were screwed
and what they think should be done about it, that would be a good idea.

I too am getting tired of the same old "IN CHARGE" type complaints etc.
I call them IN CHARGE, because it seems to be this big struggle to run
Fidonet. To me this Network is about sharing information and allowing
communication over long distances at a very low cost if not anything at
all.  I really enjoy my Echo Coordinator and think as long as he's
happy I am.  Sure, sometimes he takes awhile to get my nodes right in
the nodelist, or he doesn't send me a .diff ontime.  So what?  I'm
still able to get my echos and he has never told me "your not
FidoNews 11-47                 Page: 12                    21 Nov 1994

important".  My Echo Coordinator is Stephen Mcrae at 1:101/336.0 and
if anyone needs lessons about how to be nice, try asking Stephen for
some advice!

Anyhow, I would like to mention at the end here that I think Fidonet
needs to stay away from people making Money from it!  And as long as
places like Planet Connect don't run Fidonet I don't care who does.

          James Ankuda
          1:101/665.0

---
Dyslexics of the world, untie!

--- CNet/3
 * Origin: Crazy Coota's BBS (1:101/665)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

   From: Andrew Freeman                       (3:620/243)

ATTENTION: Editors, Fidonews

18 November 1994

SENDER: Andrew Freeman
Electronic mail (from anywhere in the world):
      Fidonet:    Andrew Freeman at 3:620/243
      E-mail:     Andrew.Freeman@pcug.cbr.fidonet.org

I recently wrote to Microsoft about the need for a reminder
option in Windows 95. I feel
that this matter is of interest to BBS users, in a context where
many spend long periods of time on their computers. I would
encourage others who agree with my suggestion to communicate
their support to Windows 95 development team at Microsoft
headquarters:
Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond,
WA 98052-6399, USA.
Tele: +1 (206) 936-8661
Fax: +1 (206) 93 MS FAX
or via the local subsidiary you normally deal with, with a
request that they pass on your communication to the corporate
headquarters of the company.

"I recently purchased DOS version 6.2 for my home computer. I note
that it does not have a reminder option in it. I would appreciate
it if Microsoft could include a reminder option in Windows95
("Chicago").

A reminder option includes the following sorts of features:

an audio and/or visual 'alarm' after a time period set by the
user (for example, after 15 minutes) - you should have the option
FidoNews 11-47                 Page: 13                    21 Nov 1994

for audio and visual prompting separately (one or the other), and
both;
* the option to repeat, renew or cancel the reminder period (for
example, option to be reminded again in 15 minutes, not be
reminded in 15 minutes, or to change the period)
* a message displayed after that period, in a format set by the
user (for example, 'Rest').

Such an option is easy to include in the software (I suggest you
include as an enhancement in the calendar software which you
already have in Windows), and will make the software upgrade
option more attractive for employers who already use Windows and
who are concerned about minimising Repetition Strain Injury
amongst its employees, and to home users as well. It will also
have the advantage for Microsoft of showing corporate
responsibility in this regard.

My employer recently paid nearly $100 (Australian) to put similar
software on the computer system I use at work (which has Windows
on it, but not the above option).

The software could be enhanced with possible exercises being
displayed after the fixed time period, with an appropriate
disclaimer that before using any of them a user should consult
his/her own doctor, but this is not essential to my proposal -
given the limited time before Windows95 is to be released, I
suggest you just start with the basic proposal I put above, and
sell initially purely as an enhancement to the calendar option in
Windows, rather than as an aid in preventing Repetition Strain
Injury (RSI) . You could fund ergonomic experts to study how
helpful it is as a prevention to RSI over the next couple of
years, and publicise their results as appropriate.

I specifically disclaim any responsibility for this suggestion
should Microsoft decide to implement, in a context where I do not
have expertise in the issue of software design or ergonomics. I
am putting it forward purely as a user of Microsoft software. I
suggest Microsoft obtain expert advice before implementation.

I would be happy to assist Microsoft to consider this option
further, should Microsoft request this.

In any event, I would appreciate advice from Microsoft on what
action it proposes to take on this suggestion."


Andrew Freeman
 
--- Blue Wave/RA v2.12

FidoNews 11-47                 Page: 14                    21 Nov 1994
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