872 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
872 lines
38 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 20 19 May 1986
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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| _ |
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| / \ |
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| - FidoNews - /|oo \ |
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| (_| /_) |
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| Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ |
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| Users Group | | \ \\ |
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| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
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| ______ |__U__| / \// |
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| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
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| (C) Copyright 1986 by IFNA (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
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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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FNEWSART.DOC, available from node 1/1.
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The contents of the articles contained here are not our
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responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
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Everything here is subject to debate.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STEVE LEMKE
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL
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Whiz Kids and Communications
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2. ARTICLES
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Defending the Amiga
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Born Again
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Fido and Fidonet computer and modem compatibility.
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Happy Birthday to ... Dolores????
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Employment Opportunities Listings
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Fido & Novell Advanced Netware
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Creating a Fido Interest Index
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Electrical Fires
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Comparison of Utilities
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3. FOR SALE
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Entertainment Software for your PC!
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4. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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Daylight Savings Time and the Mail Schedules
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Fidonews Page 2 19 May 1986
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=================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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=================================================================
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Whiz Kids and Communications
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by Richard P. Wilkes
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During the past eight years, I have been heavily involved with
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"bulletin board" systems running on micros and mainframes. I'd
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like to give a few examples of the destructiveness of many of
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these "kids."
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Most have probably heard of or called an RCP/M. Five years ago,
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I wrote a similar type system for a TRS-80. This software ran
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for 3.5 years without a problem. But now, as more and more
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potential crackers have access to communications equipment, this
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system has been crashed repeatedly.
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When I was back in high school, the big thing was to find a bug
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in the OS. But, once we found it, instead of using it to keep
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the system flat on its back, we documented it and sometimes even
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fixed it. Doesn't seem like that is the case anymore...
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On this system, some caller breaks in, deletes all the files, and
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then writes a program which keeps the drives selected; this burns
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out the motors on 5.25" drives, especially when they run all
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night. This was done so often, the system was brought down for a
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long time (until a trace could be put on the dial-up).
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I run my own system and publish software that turns a TRS-80 into
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a mail and message system. I have sat and watched callers
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SYSTEMATICALLY attack the system. This takes several forms:
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1) All commands, series of commands, and options are tried.
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2) The system is assaulted with all manners of control sequences,
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trying to get some unexpected result.
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3) I have even seem someone drop and then re-initiate carrier to
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see if they could get somewhere.
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If that doesn't work, they begin to crack passwords. They know
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what they are doing... in one case, I watched as someone went
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through what looked like the beginning of the Webster's
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Dictionary trying to get superuser status. Since most people use
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words, not a bad idea, right? Less intelligent ones start with A
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and just try and try and try.
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Oh, by the way, they are definitely using auto-dial modems and
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software to do this.
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If all else fails, they simply tie up the system. They choose
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the most obviously disk intensive command, and execute it again
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and again. Since many systems only timeout after inactivity,
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this could tie up the system for many hours (not to mention the
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wear and tear on the equipment).
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Fidonews Page 3 19 May 1986
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These little bastards certainly aren't doing anything
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constructive.
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Seven years ago, I called up MIT-MC and got a tourist account
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which I kept for three years until I got an authorized one. It
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was a free account on an open system; the only strings were that
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I use it after hours and not tie up too many resources. But
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things have changed. You can't have totally open systems anymore
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without many precautions and almost constant supervision. For
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example, I have had to add many security features to these small
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systems:
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1) Three attempts and you lose the connection. Nine illegal
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attempts at a user name without a correct login causes a
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suspension. Anyone trying to login under that name is
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immediately suspended (with some exceptions).
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2) Connection limited use.
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3) Application process reviewed by sysop before someone can use
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all features, or even use the system.
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4) Isolate the user completely from all operating system
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functions, even to the point of modifying the DOS to hang or
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reset when necessary.
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I do have one little "joke" up my sleeve. There is an account on
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these systems called SYSOP. Now, if I was going to break in,
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that is where I would start. I've put a little patch into my
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host. After 39 incorrect tries on that account, IT ALLOWS THE
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CALLER THROUGH. He gets a welcome message and Sysop command:.
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He can renumber messages, change the date and time, even delete
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from the directory, change user names and passwords. He can do
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all the things that a sysop can do. Of course, he isn't *really*
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doing anything (he he he!) After, oh say, 10 minutes, output
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stops. 24 linefeeds are issued and the following appears (slowly,
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as if from a TTY):
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HELLO INTRUDER! Gee, I want to thank you for hanging around
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for the past ten minutes while we had a chance to trace your
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call. It is too bad that some people just can't live
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responsibly. But, I guess that is the reason we have the
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police and FBI, right? {disconnect}
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I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that treating this
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type of behavior casually must be stopped. There will always be
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people who will try to circumvent all security measures,
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sometimes out of curiosity, but recently more often with the
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intention of doing something destructive.
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It's too bad that the days of the unsecured systems is coming to
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a close, but with hundreds of people scanning the exchanges with
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their auto-dial modems looking for carriers, armed with 10 pages
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of pirated MCI access codes, we don't have much choice.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 4 19 May 1986
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Matt Gertner, 141/320
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Defending the Amiga
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While the article by Mike Roberts (Fido 120/5) in FidoNews #314
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certainly pointed out some of the Amiga's weak points, I don't
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think it did credit to what I am increasingly inclined to believe
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is one hell of a machine. While it certainly can't compete with
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the IBM XT in terms of software, or with the Atari ST in terms of
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price, it can compete with both on an the basis of a
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price/performance comparison.
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The complaint that the Amiga does not have as much software as
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the XT is, of course, legitimate. However, it also applies to
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EVERY other computer on the market, bar none (even 100%
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compatibles have some problems). No computer who doesn't try to
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be compatible with the XT can even come close. However, Commodore
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has done a very good job a) encouraging software developers with
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some excellent technical manuals and b) bridging the gap between
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the Amiga and the XT with a very well designed emulator package.
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I cannot agree that the emulator is overpriced. The lastest quote
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I have heard is $500 with accelerator hardware and IBM drive.
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Compare this to the over $1500 that is charged for MacCharlie,
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the Mac/IBM link. Now if someone can show me where to get an IBM
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compatible for that kind of price, I will happily send the check
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off today! In fact, my major complaint with the emulator is its
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late release date. While I don't think the term "vaporware" is
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accurate in this case, I do think CBM has been a bit sluggish
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with the emulator release. As always, we'll see.
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Whether the Amiga should or should not have been aimed at the
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market place already occupied by the IBM is rather a shaky
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question. The fact is, no one can expect to beat IBM on its own
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territory. The Amiga, however, does offer some features the XT
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can't hope to match. The graphics are superlative and FAST (three
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dimensional animation so fast you'll think its really happening),
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and the 4-channel stereo sound has to be heard to be believed. As
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far as I can tell, almost as many Amigas are being bought for
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artistic purposes (by musicians or artists) as for home use. And
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while I have yet to see some really good business software for
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the Amiga, that does NOT mean it doesn't exist, as I haven't
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tried to get my hands on any. Some packages sound very nice
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(notably VIP Professional), and claim (wheeze) to be shipping
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now.
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As far as the Amiga's price is concerned, I have to admit that it
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was rather overpriced. However, the monitor is now free with the
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system, which the brings the 512k system price down to $1495.
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This is compared to $995 for the color 512k Atari ST. But it
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doesn't stop there - the Amiga also multitasks, has drives of
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twice the capacity of the Atari and the sound and graphics are
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Fidonews Page 5 19 May 1986
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indisputably better.
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While the Amiga is by no means a sure success, I don't believe a
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cursory glossing over it (well, IBM has more software and the ST
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is cheaper) does justice to the machine. My exposure to the ST
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side of things is VERY limited (I have no idea what the Atari
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software scene is like), but looking through either of the two
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Amiga magazines I have seen (AmigaWorld and Amazing Computing) I
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feel more and more confident of the Amiga's success. After heated
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debate with a Tecmar employee over the price of their hardware, I
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saw the T-Disk (20 meg drive) and T-Card (1 meg of memory,
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clock/calendar, serial port) advertised for nearly one half of
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list price. What this means is that a 1 1/2 meg Amiga is now
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available for a little over $2000. I have no idea what Atari
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offers in terms of expandability, but it's hard to beat that;
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especially when the next step is an $850 20 meg hard drive. As
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with all new products in the computer arena, time and software,
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not initial impressions, will be the final test.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 6 19 May 1986
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Mike Hamilton, 103/501
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Born Again
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Following is a reprint by permission of a message left in the
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Bible message/discussion area on my board giving some ideas on
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defining Born Again. I thought some others might gain some
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pleasure from reading it.
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MESSAGE:
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There are several terms that we hear today which are synonymous.
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Among these are "born again", "saved", "trusting in the Lord",
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"the new birth", etc. One thing you'll find when you read the
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Bible is that there are only two kinds of people in the word. It
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is not broken down into the good and bad or the right and wrong
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or me and them. It is simply broken down between those "born
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again" and those not born again.
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In John 3 the Lord Jesus gave the most concise and simple answer
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to your question. We enter into this physical life through an
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experience called 'birth', the act of which we call being "born".
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If we wish to enter into a spiritual relationship with God then
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we have to experience a "re-birth" or be "born again". In Acts
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16 someone asks the question: "What must I do to be saved?" The
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reply was simple: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. " But it
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goes further than just a mental assent that He lived or was a
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good guy.
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In Romans 3 we see our inadequacies from GOD'S STANDPOINT (not
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our dealings with our fellow man). It is not so much an
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indictment of our CHARACTER as it is our CONDITION. That's why
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we can't just quit doing 'bad' and start doing 'good' to be O.K.
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We can clean up the outside but we can't touch the inside - it
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virtually takes a 're-birth'.
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If your interested I can go farther into this. I haven't talked
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about being redeemed by the "precious blood of Christ"; the gift
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of God; the forgiveness of sin; our mediator with God - the Lord
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Jesus, etc.
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If you want a little more let me know.
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Ron
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 7 19 May 1986
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Bill Allbritten, 11/301
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Fido and Fidonet Computer and Modem Compatibility
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The following systems and modems have been found by users to work
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with FIDO. The author takes no responsibility for support or
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accuracy. On a more positive note, please keep the compatibility
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information coming to Bill Allbritten on 11/301. I have decided
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to keep this list up to date on a rolling basis; so if you obtain
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new hardware not specifically discussed in the original Fido
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documentation or in this listing, please drop me a message on
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11/301 so I can keep this list going. I will publish it from
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time to time; the two files containing the information are in
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file area 5 of 11/301 as FIDOCOMP.TXT and FIDOMODM.TXT. Several
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users in England are desperate for compatibility information.
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Just use a format similar to the report that follows. Bill
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Allbritten, sysop, 11/301
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Compatible Computers
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BRAND NAME AMT 86
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DEALER NAME AMERICAN MICRO TECH.
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DEALER ADDR 1322 E.EDINGER SANTA ANA CA. 92705
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DEALER PHONE 714-972-2945
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RAM AVAILABL 1024
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ACCES BDS 1 QUADRAM EGA+
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ACCES BDS 2 AMI SER/PAR
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VIDEO CARD QUADRAM EGA+
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MULTTASKING DOUBLEDOS
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COMMENTS1 USES ATronics motherboard-can
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use IBM ROMS to run BASICA
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YOUR NAME JUAN JIMENEZ
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YOUR ADDR PO BOX 4296 BALBOA CA 92661-4296
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PHONE 714-675-7106 DATA
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BRAND NAME MINDSET PC
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DEALER NAME MINDSET CORPORATION
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DEALER ADDR SUNNYVALE CA 94086
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RAM AVAILABL 256
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ACCES BDS 1 RS-232C (2)
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ACCES BDS 2 SASI HD INTER.
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VIDEO CARD BUILT IN
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COMMENTS1 GRAPHIC COMPUTER DESIGNED FOR VIDEO OVERLAYS
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COMMENTS2 Sysop of MINDSET FMUG Fido 16/635
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YOUR NAME JAMES PALLACK
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YOUR ADDR BURLINGTON VT 05401-4759
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PHONE 802-658-2494 DATA
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BRAND NAME ZENITH Z-148
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DEALER NAME ANY ZENITH DEALER
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RAM AVAILABL 640
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ACCES BDS 1 NOVELL ADV.BD
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VIDEO CARD BUILT IN
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MULTTASKING NONE
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COMMENTS1 PURCHASED THROUGH VOLUME PURCHASE AT WORK
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Fidonews Page 8 19 May 1986
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COMMENTS2 NOVELL BOARD DOESNT WORK WITH FIDO_IBM YET
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YOUR NAME TIM RAND
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YOUR ADDR #8 HILL-N-DALE ST. LOUIS MO 63132
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PHONE 314-658-2158
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BRAND NAME LAZER DIGITAL
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DEALER NAME THE SOFTWARE STORE
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DEALER ADDR MEMPHIS TN 38118
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DEALER PHONE 901-362-7926
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RAM AVAILABL 640
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ACCES BDS 1 WEST.DIG HD CON
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ACCES BDS 2 IO+ MULTI FUNC
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VIDEO CARD MONO AND COLOR
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MULTTASKING DOUBLEDOS
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COMMENTS1 SEAGATE ST 225 AND IBM DOS 3.1
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YOUR NAME JOHN PELLICCIOTTI
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YOUR ADDR 1717 DENISON MEMPHIS TN 38111
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PHONE 901 761 3614 DATA
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BRAND NAME Turbo PC
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DEALER NAME Texas Computer Systems
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DEALER ADDR Box 531198 Grand Prarie TX 75053
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DEALER PHONE 800-433-5184
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RAM AVAILABL 640
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ACCES BDS 1 multifunction
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VIDEO CARD monochrome
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MULTTASKING DESQview
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COMMENTS1 Ask for Tim Proctor at TCS
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COMMENTS2 Have not tried computer in Turbo Mode
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Compatible Modems
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BRAND NAME FOUNTAIN M12
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DEALER NAME THE SOFTWARE STORE
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DEALER ADDR MEMPHIS TN38118
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PROTOCOLS 212A V.22BIS
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MODEM MASK 128
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COMMENTS1 SWITCH SETTINGS 1U 2D 2D 4U 5U 6U 7U 8D
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COMMENTS2 FULLY HAYES COMPATIBLE
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COMMENTS3 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL MODELS
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YOUR NAME JOE R. PELLICCIOTTI
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YOUR ADDRESS 1717 DENISON, MEMPHIS TN
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YOUR PHONE 901-761-3614 DATA
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BRAND NAME Volksmodem 12
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DEALER NAME Texas Computer Systems
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DEALER ADDR Grand Prarie TX
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PROTOCOLS 300/1200 Bell
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MODEM MASK 128
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SWITCH SET all down
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COMMENTS1 All switches down give Hayes emulation.
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COMMENTS2 Modem takes longer to identify
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baud rates and switch than Hayes
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BRAND NAME Prometheus PRO 1200 modem
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DEALER NAME 1st. Place Computer
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Fidonews Page 9 19 May 1986
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DEALER ADDR Phoenix, AZ
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PROTOCOLS 300/1200
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MODEM MASK 128
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SWITCH SET ++-+-+--+-
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COMMENTS1 +=on, -=off
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COMMENTS2 /1 1/j 5/s /u 128/v other switch
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settings in command line
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COMMENTS3 Hayes Compat.Command Set
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YOUR NAME Thomas Kenney
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YOUR ADDRESS 107/316
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YOUR PHONE 201-286-2546
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Again, let's keep this list going by sending new information to
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Bill Allbritten on 11/301, (502) 762-3140 24 hrs.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 10 19 May 1986
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Tom Smith, 14/619
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Happy Birthday to ... Dolores????
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Ever had a birthday that went by without anybody noticing? Well,
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I have a friend, a very close friend, with that problem. She's
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about to turn 27, thinks she's getting old, kinda lonely as all
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her friends keep getting married. Anyway, she *claims* that she
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never gets any cards for her birthday, so she might as well quit
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having them. I'd like to help her out, and you can help.
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Why not send her a card? Yes, you! I tried a similar thing on
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another friend a few years back in college. Called all my
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friends around the country and enlisted their aid; they called
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their friends etc. Total turnout: over 250 birthday cards for a
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young lady who said she never got anything for her birthday. She
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loved it! And that was without the power of FIDONET!
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So how 'bout it? Make her day, and make her believe all the
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things I've told her about the nice people running around on
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bulletin boards. Send that card to:
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Dolores
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6097 Westbrook
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Brook Park, OH 44142
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Her birthday is May 21. Tell your friends, tell everybody.
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Let's make this a birthday she'll never forget!
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 11 19 May 1986
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W.R.Hunter/E.S.Hunter, 109/626
|
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||
On-Line Employment Opportunities
|
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|
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After joining the FidoNet BBS system in March of this year,
|
||
we have been at a loss as to how best serve our user's and other
|
||
Fido Sysop's. Finally after drifting along rather aimlessly for
|
||
a few months, we decided that perhaps the best way was with what
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||
we do best, providing timely, extensive, complete employment
|
||
vacancy information dealing with the Computer Industry.
|
||
|
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Currently we do produce regular employment newsletters which
|
||
are utilized by other businesses, and made available to people
|
||
via libraries and colleges. We thought perhaps some of the
|
||
people associated with FidoNet could make use of the same
|
||
information. Employment listings available immediately are
|
||
placed in two files, as follows:
|
||
|
||
EMPLOYJR.??? - Entry/Mid-level positions
|
||
EMPLOYSR.??? - Senior level positions
|
||
|
||
File extensions will be .TXT for text files that can be
|
||
viewed while on-line, or .ARC files that can be downloaded and
|
||
reviewed at your own convenience (much better for long distance
|
||
calls.) The positions will include vacancies nationwide, although
|
||
admittedly more from the Washington, D.C. area (due to the vast
|
||
influx of new businesses in the Metro area), and will be updated
|
||
on a weekly basis (each Sunday).
|
||
|
||
There is no charge associated with this service, instead it
|
||
is to be run via the "contribution if-it-works-for-you" idea.
|
||
Should you benefit from any information, such as finding gainful
|
||
employment, all we ask is for a donation of any amount you deem
|
||
appropriate. The same applies to companies or recruiters, should
|
||
they wish to have any openings included in any issues, there is
|
||
no charge directly. Should any respondents prove to be "well
|
||
received" and they feel the listing worked well, any contribution
|
||
deemed appropriate will be greatly appreciated. Please note, 25%
|
||
of all contributions received will be sent to Tom Jennings, in
|
||
thanks for the very wonderful FidoNet BBS system we all enjoy
|
||
using today.
|
||
|
||
If any in the FidoNet would like to have these listing sent
|
||
to then via FidoNet Mail, please contact us via netmail to
|
||
NOVA_WEG 109/626 or directly at:
|
||
|
||
WEG Systems
|
||
P.O. Box 5072
|
||
Springfield, Va 22150
|
||
|
||
If the "requests for listings to-be-sent" is large enough we
|
||
will investigate the best way to set-up and coordinate that type
|
||
of activity. This information may prove most valuable (again) to
|
||
colleges or networking hobbyists where individuals are "looking"
|
||
for that perfect position. Do let us know your thoughts.
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 12 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
We do hope that in providing this information we can
|
||
contribute in a meaningful way to the "upward pursuits" of all of
|
||
you involved in the Computer field.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 13 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Kurt Vanderwater, 147/5
|
||
Netware_HELP, 1/103
|
||
|
||
Fido & Novell Advanced Netware
|
||
|
||
Well, for any of you out there with these two pieces of software
|
||
I suppose you may have tried to put them together and had a bit
|
||
of a problem. I know I did when I tried. However, for me there
|
||
was little choice. If I wanted to run a Fido, I had to have them
|
||
working together. You see, we had just put a second network in-
|
||
house and my AT is the file server. So... head scratching time.
|
||
After watching the symptoms for a few minutes the problem began
|
||
to look kinda familiar. Then I remembered seeing somewhere in
|
||
the documentation (don't ask me where) that Fido was linked using
|
||
Plink86 and that overlays were being used. BINGO. It is a known
|
||
problem that I have had with some other software. The fix is
|
||
quit simple. Below you will find a generic version of it as I am
|
||
not sure but that the location of the fix will change from
|
||
version to version.
|
||
|
||
This assumes some knowledge of IBM's Debug utility. If you do
|
||
not have any knowledge of it I suggest you look in the
|
||
documentation.
|
||
|
||
1). Locate a four byte Hex sequence as follows:
|
||
B4 EF CD 21
|
||
|
||
For your information this translates to:
|
||
MOV AH,EFH
|
||
INT 21H
|
||
|
||
2). Change these 4 bytes to hex 90. This replaces the two
|
||
instructions above with 4 NOP instructions.
|
||
|
||
3). Save the file
|
||
|
||
That's all there is to it.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 14 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Christopher Baker, 135/14
|
||
|
||
This is a reprint of an article that appeared in these pages last
|
||
year. I am submitting it again to stimulate more responses. This
|
||
will be NEW to many new Nodes.
|
||
|
||
ON THE INTERESTS OF FIDO:
|
||
A COLLECTION PROPOSAL TO ALL
|
||
|
||
|
||
Kurt Reisler's idea of centralizing the collection of information
|
||
on where various versions of the Fido system can be found has
|
||
spawned an imitator (the SINCEREST form of flattery, Kurt) with a
|
||
similar plan to collect a different bunch of information.
|
||
|
||
When I show someone the FidoList, their first reaction is
|
||
amazement. The next question they ask is "What do all those
|
||
people do on all those systems?". I give them the general low-
|
||
down on Fido and how the Net operates, but they want to know what
|
||
each node is into, specifically.
|
||
|
||
There is a small amount of information to be gained from perusing
|
||
the titles of the nodes but what would the uninitiated make of
|
||
'YAFIP' (109/610), for example? For that matter, what would the
|
||
seasoned Fidoite make of it?
|
||
|
||
With this info as background and for the sake of idle curiosity,
|
||
I propose the following:
|
||
|
||
1. Any and all members of the Network send a FidoMail message to
|
||
me with a capsule summary of the main thrust of their board
|
||
and a list of the types of computers they support with files
|
||
and/or message areas.
|
||
|
||
2. All nodes submitting this info also include any unique or
|
||
specialty areas of interest they support, i.e., Fire/Rescue,
|
||
Amateur Radio, Equestrians, Antique Autos, U.F.O.
|
||
Observations, etc.
|
||
|
||
In turn, I will compile all the info that comes in and make the
|
||
resulting file available to FidoNews or other Fidos by FidoMail
|
||
or download.
|
||
|
||
So, send those cards and letters folks and let's find out what
|
||
kind of resources we really have in this Network. FidoMail your
|
||
responses to: Metro-Fire Fido, 135/14, (305) 596-8611; the more
|
||
the merrier.
|
||
|
||
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
|
||
|
||
* * * * * *
|
||
|
||
This article generated a very small response (thirteen, to be
|
||
exact) when it was first published. I have received several
|
||
requests for the results in recent days and don't have much to
|
||
send out. So...I am soliciting responses, once again, from any
|
||
Fidonews Page 15 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
and all Nodes everywhere. If you would like to have other people
|
||
know what your Node offers, send a Net message to: Sysop, 135/14.
|
||
Include a list of message and file areas and a brief statement of
|
||
why your Node exists. It doesn't matter whether you are a public
|
||
or commercial node, large or small, send in a description and you
|
||
will be included. If you have any special access requirements, be
|
||
sure to include them in the message. If you are a SEAdog capable
|
||
Node, include that info too. After I receive at least 50
|
||
responses, I will generate a Fido Interest Index and send it out
|
||
to all Region Coordinators and requesting Nodes.
|
||
|
||
Don't put it off, this time!
|
||
|
||
By the way, YAFIP stands for "Yet Another Fido In Potomac".
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 16 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Louis Davidson
|
||
Fido 135/14
|
||
|
||
Electrical Fire Prevention.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Many fires are caused by loose electrical wire connections in
|
||
factories, hotels, and homes. I have made a prototype and tested
|
||
a circuit that will trip a convenience outlet circuit if a loose
|
||
connection develops.
|
||
|
||
The method that I have developed works fine. However the
|
||
installation cost is too high for it to be a marketable product.
|
||
The idea is sound, and warrants pursuit. As some may know, a
|
||
circuit breaker, that is now used as a circuit protector, only
|
||
trips if there is a short across the circuit wiring. If there was
|
||
no breaker the wires would over heat from excessive current and
|
||
burn, causing a fire. There is no protection for a loose joint,
|
||
that can also cause a fire. The loose joint arcs like a small
|
||
electrical welder. If there is a load on the line, this arcing
|
||
causes the joint to deteriorate rapidly, and become a hot spot.
|
||
|
||
There is some protection as the wire should be enclosed in a
|
||
metal box. However, if the load is not released the heat becomes
|
||
intense enough to cause a fire. The circuit draws less current
|
||
as the arc increases, so the breaker will not trip. My device
|
||
trips and closes down the circuit. I am open to suggestions, and
|
||
ideas that I will experiment with. If interests are aroused,
|
||
then contact me via Fidonet. Many lives will be saved if this
|
||
system can become an inexpensive product.
|
||
|
||
Anyone with any ideas or suggestions, can contact:
|
||
|
||
Louis Davidson
|
||
Via
|
||
Fidonet 135/14
|
||
Thanks.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 17 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Robert Friesen, 10/26
|
||
|
||
Utility comparison
|
||
|
||
|
||
Many good utilities are available on bulletin boards around the
|
||
country. Most of these are useful, some are indispensable a few
|
||
can cause real harm.
|
||
|
||
With several utilities providing the same function the question
|
||
is, which one will work best in a given situation? An example
|
||
are utilities which move files from one sub directory to another.
|
||
|
||
In the files section of Fresno Micro Fone AT I found 4 such
|
||
utilities:
|
||
|
||
Cmove - File move utility - rev 1.4 5-15-85
|
||
(C) 1985 Daniel Doman
|
||
|
||
REDirect (C) 1985, Dickinson Associates Inc.
|
||
|
||
MV - Move or Rename Files/Sub-directories
|
||
Version 2.03 - June 9, 1985
|
||
For PC-DOS Versions 2.0 and Above
|
||
(C) Copyright 1985 Harry G. McGavran, Jr.
|
||
|
||
MOVE.COM - Allows you to actually move a file from one
|
||
directory to another without an intermediate copy.
|
||
(C) Copyright SoftWorks Development, 1985, 1986
|
||
|
||
Included are copyright, version, date and author information
|
||
where this was available with the software.
|
||
|
||
I would like to know if you use any of these utilities and which
|
||
one you use. I suspect there may be other similar programs out
|
||
there, if you use something else I'd like to know about that
|
||
also. If you have tried more than one of these, tell me why you
|
||
chose the one you using. If any of these have created problems,
|
||
I would like to know that also.
|
||
|
||
I know this survey will be of interest to those of you who
|
||
respond. If I receive a good responses, I will publish these in
|
||
a future issue of Fido News. If there is enough interest in this
|
||
type of information, I will conduct similar surveys for other
|
||
types of utilities.
|
||
|
||
Let me hear from you.
|
||
|
||
Robert Friesen 10/26
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 18 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
FOR SALE
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE FOR YOUR PC!
|
||
|
||
SUPERDOTS! KALAH!
|
||
|
||
Professional quality games include PASCAL source! From the
|
||
author of KALAH Version 1.6, SuperDots, a variation of the
|
||
popular pencil/paper DOTS game, has MAGIC and HIDDEN DOT
|
||
options. KALAH 1.7 is an African strategy game requiring
|
||
skill to manipulate pegs around a playing board. Both games
|
||
use the ANSI Escape sequences provided with the ANSI.SYS
|
||
device driver for the IBM-PC, or built into the firmware on
|
||
the DEC Rainbow. Only $19.95 each or $39.95 for both
|
||
exciting games! Please specify version and disk format.
|
||
These games have been written in standard TURBO-PASCAL and
|
||
run on the IBM-PC, DEC Rainbow 100 (MSDOS and CPM), CPM/80,
|
||
CPM/86, and PDP-11. Other disk formats are available, but
|
||
minor customization may be required.
|
||
|
||
BSS Software
|
||
P.O. Box 3827
|
||
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
|
||
|
||
|
||
For every order placed, a donation will be made to the Fido
|
||
coordinators! Also, if you have a previous version of KALAH
|
||
and send me a donation, a portion of that donation will also
|
||
be sent to the coordinators. When you place an order, BE
|
||
CERTAIN TO MENTION WHERE YOU SAW THE AD since it also
|
||
appears in PC Magazine and Digital Review.
|
||
|
||
Questions and comments can be sent to:
|
||
|
||
Brian Sietz at Fido 107/17
|
||
(609) 429-6630 300/1200/2400 baud
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 19 19 May 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
14 Jun 1986
|
||
The Next Occasional MetroNet Sysop Meeting, to be held in West
|
||
Milford, New Jersey. Contact The Wizard at node 107/16 for
|
||
details and directions.
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Ben Baker, 100/76
|
||
|
||
Daylight Savings Time and the Mail Schedules
|
||
|
||
|
||
We have again entered our semiannual Period of Confusion. I
|
||
had hoped this year would be easier, since FidoNet mail times
|
||
didn't really change, but, alas. . .
|
||
|
||
For the record, if when the country shifts it clocks you do
|
||
nothing, your mail schedules will be right! If you prefer to
|
||
reset your system clock to match "wall clock" time, then move
|
||
your mail schedules in the same direction and your still right.
|
||
|
||
The following table lists the start time for the national
|
||
mail event for the "contiguous 48." and is correct year 'round:
|
||
|
||
|
||
Pacific Standard Time 1:00
|
||
Pacific Daylight Time 2:00
|
||
|
||
Mountain Standard Time 2:00
|
||
Mountain Daylight Time 3:00
|
||
|
||
Central Standard Time 3:00
|
||
Central Daylight Time 4:00
|
||
|
||
Eastern Standard Time 4:00
|
||
Eastern Daylight Time 5:00
|
||
|
||
Just pick out the time by which you set your clock, and set
|
||
your mail schedules so that the start or your national mail event
|
||
corresponds to the time in the table.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|