1131 lines
53 KiB
Plaintext
1131 lines
53 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 29 28 July 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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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL
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The Faceless Crowd
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2. ARTICLES
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DataCare Hard Disk backup Utility
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Notes on ConnCentral Fido Sysops Meeting
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Goals of the FidoNet Standards Committee
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EchoMail and Genealogy
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Starting Up Luther_NET
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Z-100 based Fido update
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3. COLUMNS
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Adding RAM is easy!
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Computer Industry Spotlight
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Job Market Research Part IV
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4. FOR SALE
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DataCare Hard Disk Utility
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Entertainment Software for your PC!
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Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
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Special Offer to FidoNet Sysops
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5. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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Starting a Conference for Computer Genealogists
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WATCH OUT
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Genealogical Computing Seminar
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Fidonews Page 2 28 Jul 1986
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=================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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=================================================================
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Who Are You?
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I've been writing to you for over a year and a half now, but I
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can't really say I know you. I've carried on correspondence via
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FidoNet mail with many of you. I've spoken to quite a lot of you
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by phone. But there are only a handful of you that I've ever
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met. Do I really know you?
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Electronic mail is wonderful, I can't deny that. It's given me a
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chance to meet people I'd never have known otherwise. I've
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formed valuable friendships that I'd be much the poorer without.
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But I can only use "meet" in a figurative sense. While I've
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gotten to know many people, I can never be sure just how well I
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really know any of them. There is some quality of face-to-face
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meetings that's missing in electronic mail.
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So much of human communication is undefined. There is so much
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that gets relegated to facial expressions, tone of voice, and so
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forth, that I find myself often sending follow-up messages on the
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order of "I didn't really mean that, I was just trying to make a
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joke!" Perhaps I'm just not that good at making jokes, or perhaps
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(as I suspect) there's a whole spectrum of human communication
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that just doesn't come through in cold, ASCII text.
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I've seen this before. I'm not all that "old" to FidoNet, but
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I've been communicating through computers for quite a long time.
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Two of my best friends today are people I met through a real-time
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conferencing system on the DTSS computer, way back when I was in
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college (hating to reveal my age, but we're going back ten years
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or more). One thing I've found, again and again, is that email
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goes down smoother when you've had a chance to actually meet the
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people you comunicate with.
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In fact, of those two friends, I had a serious problem with one
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of them until we had actually met and found out what each other
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was really like. Things just didn't work out right between us
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over the comm lines until we knew each other.
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This is why I see the upcoming FidoNet Conference as such an
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important event. This is the second conference, and the first
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was rather a closed affair (I wasn't even invited, though I was
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editing FidoNews at the time). That was the one where multinet
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operation was first established as the way to go. This one
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coming up may be equally important, or even more so. FidoNet was
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smaller last year, and didn't seem such a big deal. Now it's
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larger, and has problems that were never envisioned a year ago.
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One may safely assume that equally weighty matters will be
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discussed.
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But even if not, it's still an important event. EchoMail makes
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it even more important, because it makes you interact with that
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Fidonews Page 3 28 Jul 1986
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many more people. So there are all those people you talk (type?)
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with every day; what are they really like? Say you've been
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talking with "Mikey" every day for months. Even if you think now
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that you don't like him, how can you really know? You might feel
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differently once you've actually met him. You might find that
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he's a jerk, as you already thought, or you might find that he's
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really a nice guy once you get to know him. The main point is
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that you CAN'T know until you've met him. Remember, of those two
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friends I'd mention earlier, one of them and I never got along
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until we'd met. We've been good friends ever since.
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So THAT is why this conference is so important. Never mind all
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the stuff about the IFNA business meeting and such. Oh, yeah,
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that's important too. Especially if you're into political type
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maneuvering and such. But the real importance of it all is that
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you get to meet these people you've been talking with. Even if
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you haven't been talking with people, then this is still
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important, because it'll give you a chance to meet interesting
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people to talk with in the future. This isn't some group of
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strangers you've never heard of and will never see again; this is
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a meeting of folks you've talked to or heard of that you can keep
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in touch with for the rest of your life.
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Believe me, this counts. We hope to have a Third International
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FidoNet conference next year, but we can't plan on it. All we
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know for sure is that we're having one this year. It takes money
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to stage one of these things. COSUG has graciously (too
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graciously, it's members might say) offered to sponsor it this
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year, but there aren't that many dues-paying organizations in
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FidoNet. Who else can afford to sponsor a major convention?
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It'd be nice if IFNA could afford to provide the seed money, but
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IFNA is, at least at present, a very cash-poor operation that can
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just barely afford the paperwork involved in being recognized as
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an "official" non-profit corporation. For now we must look
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elsewhere, and elsewhere looks pretty bleak indeed.
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So now might be your last (and only) chance for quite some time
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to come. If you don't make it, I, at least, will be very
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disappointed. I'll be there, and I'm looking forward to meeting
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you. If you can't make it this year, then I don't know when
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we'll ever be able to meet. Like I said, I've been writing to
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you every week for over a year and a half. I can't really say
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that I know you, but I sure would like to.
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Please come. I'll miss you if you don't.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 4 28 Jul 1986
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Robert A. Rudolph, 109/628
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Hard Disk Peace of Mind
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Those of us who operate Fido boards know that the sanctity of
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content of the hard disk on which Fido resides is of utmost
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importance if the BBS is to operate day after day in a manner
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that is reliable and free of trouble. NOBODY wants to make it
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into the doghouse.
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My PC Clone has 2 20-megabyte Seagate drives that I love. These
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are among the most reliable drives in the world. STILL, without
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regard to intrinsic reliability, they have to be backed up to
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some other medium on a regular basis, so that neither lightning
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nor your friendly utility company can scramble your FAT or do
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some other violence to the data that is so precious to proper
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operation of Fido.
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Here at the Reindeer Shed we use DataCare, which just recently
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received a very favorable review from PC Magazine. It is easy to
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use, being either command-line OR menu-driven, is reliable, NOT
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copy-protected, and well documented. It is not as fast as
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FastBack, but is at least as reliable. Because it writes the
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backup diskettes in IBM backup format, no restore utility is
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needed, so no matter what happens, your PC-DOS or MS-DOS disk
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will restore your files, sub-directories or complete disks in
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whatever way you wish.
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DataCare also includes a file compare utility, a revised (and
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much smarter and more useful) DIR replacement, and a file and
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directory RENAMER that even allows INTERNAL DOS commands to be
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renamed.
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As DataCare operates, it creates backup diskettes (if you have
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the good fortune to have 2 floppy drives, it will alternate be-
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tween them) that are labeled, and it will refuse to overwrite a
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diskette that it knows it has just created. It maintains a file
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that can be searched to fine the diskette on which a particular
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file resides, so that you needn't feed 30 diskettes to it to
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restore a file on diskette 31. Its last act is to back up the
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locator file to the last diskette, so the diskettes ALWAYS have
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the index set associated with a given set resident on the last
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diskette in the set.
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DataCare will also do incremental backups, and is smart enough to
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request the last diskette in the series to which files are to be
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appended to be mounted in a drive, at which time it reads off the
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index of files, appending to both the diskette series AND the
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index of files, again backing up the index of files as the last
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file on the diskette set.
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Fidonews Page 5 28 Jul 1986
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DataCare verifies diskettes as written, and does not require that
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diskettes (after the first diskette in a backup series) be
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formatted, being capable of formatting them "on the fly". The
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error checking that is done on both the primary and backup medium
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is exceptional - files that I could not read with any other
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utility DataCare has been able to read. Because it does not
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depend on the error recovery in DOS, it is not subject to DOS
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error recovery flakes, as are some other utilities.
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Another unique feature of DataCare is that each licensed user is
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not only permitted but encouraged to give a limited copy (by
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limited I mean that the program works for three weeks) to a
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friend or acquaintance who wants to try it out. I personally have
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sent more than a dozen copies out to friends, many of whom were
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impressed enough to have paid the old price.
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I have saved the best part for last. The price of DataCare has
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been $129.95 for over a year. The price has been cut to $49.95.
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How long this price will hold I do not know.
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DataCare is published by:
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Ellicott Software
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3777 Plum Hill Court
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Ellicott City, MD 21043
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(301) 465-2690
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Questions may be addressed to me at Fido 109/628, or to the
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publisher at the above address.
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Fido 109/628 has no financial interest in Ellicott Software, and
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receives nothing in return for this review. We just like to see
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someone who has done his homework be rewarded for his effort, and
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the author of DataCare has done his homework well.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 6 28 Jul 1986
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NOTES ON CONNCENTRAL FIDO SYSOPS MEETING, 7/5/86
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A small group of Fido Sysops met at Jim Ryan's office (Presco) in
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Woodbridge to discuss matters pertaining primarily to the
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ConnCentral Net. The following topics were discussed:
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1. Picnic: A picnic will be held on Saturday, July 19, at the
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Lake Quassapaug Amusement Park. The picnic will be open to
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all Bulletin Board people (and their families). Sysops can
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announce the picnic on their boards. Bring your own drinks
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and food to share. Jim Ryan is in charge and will send out a
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file on it.
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2. Responsibilities of Sysops: Chuck Venter made the point that
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although he is the Net Coordinator, it is not his
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responsibility to monitor individual nodes, or provide all the
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answers to everybody questions. The Sysop EchoMail area is a
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good place to leave questions. Chuck feels he doesn't have
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time for everything so decided to delegate some of his
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responsibilities.
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New Users: Bill Lyman volunteered to help new sysops get
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started. He is going to put together an archived disk with
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all the files a new sysop needs to get started, including
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utilities.
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Fido Utilities: Ed Rauh will take charge of keeping a
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collection of all useful Fido Utilities up-to-date. He would
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like all sysops to send him a list of the Utilities they have
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and the version number. The files will be kept on Cheshire
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Fido for convenience. Ed will set up a Server on his board for
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sysops only so they can request files from him. He will send
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around documentation on how to use the server.
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Modem Help: Jim Ryan is available for technical help with
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modems.
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Reorganization of FidoMail: Because of the heavy flow of
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FidoMail and EchoMail through Cheshire Fido, it was decided a
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decentralization of the mail was needed. Based primarily on
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calling areas, the Fidos were divided into four groups each
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with their own hub. Chuck will send mail to each hub and they
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will distribute to their own members. Conversely, each node
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will route all net mail to their hub who will send it on to
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Chuck (or to another node in their own group. This should
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greatly simplify matters and eliminate backlog at Cheshire
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Fido. Bob Morris will be the hub for the Bridgeport and
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Milford area, as he has toll-free calling. The hub
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assignments are as follows ( all net 141 unless otherwise
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noted):
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Hub: 333 215 710 820
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------ ------- ----- ------
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Nodes: 335 9 730 550
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375 42 560
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269 320 810
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Fidonews Page 7 28 Jul 1986
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212 16/209
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485 16/630
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328 16/207
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491 350
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Bill Wonneberger will also receive mail from 333 when he has
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his Fido set up.
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Each sysop should put the new routing files into effect on
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July 15 (for mail the morning of the 16th) This should give us
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a few days to test it and discuss any problems at the picnic.
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4. Connection with Hartford Net: A few sysops from the 142 net
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were present. They were asked if they were interested in
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linking up with our net. Bill Unghire (142/214) said he would
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bring it up with the other sysops. Bob Morris will try hooking
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up with Bill for EchoMail. We do not have a connection to the
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Hartford area now but Bob can manage it somehow.
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5. Arbitration: The question arose how to resolve various
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conflicts that come up between boards. At first an arbitration
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board was suggested, but was considered unnecessary. Problems
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can first be discussed via EchoMail, then if there is still a
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problem, it can be arbitrated at the next sysop meeting. The
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meetings will be held every two months. Problem boards can be
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dropped from the net and the information sent to the Region
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Coordinator.
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6. User problems: Problems with user's are left up to the
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individual sysop. EchoMail should be used to alert other
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Fido's. Ed Rauh mentioned a bogus version of Fido 11u which
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was uploaded to his system which caused it to crash.
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7. Next meeting: The Next meeting is scheduled for Sept. 9 at
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7:30pm at the AT&T office in Hamden. 2750 Dixwell Ave. Bob
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Morris will be host.
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8. New EchoMail: Ed Rauh has version 1.31 which he will
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distribute.
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9. Misc.: Bill Lyman is going to the Fido Conference out west. If
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anyone has anything they want him to bring up, let him know.
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Ray Brand ( sysop of Lido Hotel) wants people to know he does
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NOT work at Computer Factory, so don't ask him prices already.
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Ed Rauh says he is restraining from mentioning his prices in
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EchoMail and others should do so too. All agreed.
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The meeting lasted about 3 hours. The attendees are as follows:
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Jim Ryan Silver Screen 141/9 Woodbridge
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Ellen Snyder B.O.M.C. 141/350 Orange
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Joel Robb Ganymede 141/730 Watertown
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Chuck Venter Cheshire Fido 141/600 Cheshire
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Bill Lyman Compusoft#1 141/810 Wallingford
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Mike Mortell Compusoft#2 141/820 Meriden
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Fidonews Page 8 28 Jul 1986
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Vince Perriello Naugy-Net 141/491 Naugatuck
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Eric Nilsson Eric's Fido 16/645 New Britain
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Bob Morris ASCII Neighborhood 141/333 West Haven
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Pete Rosenthal Fido/First State Net Wilmington,DE
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Ed Rauh BCP Tech 141/215 New Haven
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Bill Unghire Bill's Fido 142/214 Newington
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Bob Beaudoin Dave's Fido 141/xxx Bridgeport
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Dave Beaudoin Dave's Fido 141/xxx Bridgeport
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Raymond S. Brand Lido Hotel 16/630 Hamden
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Bill Wonneberger Calllahan's Stratford
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---- Submitted by Ellen Snyder (141/350)
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 9 28 Jul 1986
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FidoNet Standards Committee
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This article is intended to describe the purpose and goals of the
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||
FidoNet Standards Committee. Your input and feedback will be
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||
very much appreciated.
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The Problems
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------------
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1. Implementors of FidoNet software (Fido itself and the many
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emerging "FidoClones") need a rigorous definition of FidoNet.
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2. When deciding whether to list a class of nodes in the node
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list, the IFNA has no way of knowing if a FidoClone is
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||
sufficiently compatible with FidoNet to be "safe" to list.
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3. Sysops need to know if a particular system will allow them to
|
||
access FidoNet.
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4. There are already two significant FidoNet standards, the one
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||
that is implemented by Fido, and SEAdog's extensions; plus at
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||
least one clone that seems incompatible (not by intent). The
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||
situation is becoming urgent.
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||
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The Goals
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---------
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The goals of the FSC are, of course, primarily aimed at solving
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the above problems.
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Our first priority is to document the existing FidoNet protocol,
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||
as designed by Tom Jennings, sufficient to implement a FidoClone
|
||
without recourse to other sources. We must also provide IFNA
|
||
with some means of quickly and decisively determining the degree
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||
of compatibility of a given FidoClone, thus providing a wider
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range of systems to FidoNet sysops.
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||
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Once this initial task is complete, the next step is to document
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||
the existing extensions to the basic FidoNet protocol,
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||
specifically including the added capabilities of SEAdog.
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||
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Finally, when all of the existing protocols have been documented,
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we may then look at how the standard can be improved.
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We optimistically hope to have the first stage (documentation of
|
||
existing protocol, as implemented by Fido) ready for the
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International FidoNet Conference in Colorado Springs. In any
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event, we will be there and will present a progress report at
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||
that time. We are also, of course, always open to suggestions
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||
and comments, and are available to answer any questions.
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||
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||
Randy Bush 122/6, Chaircreature
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||
Fidonews Page 10 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Ken Kaplan 100/22, IFNA Administration
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Ben Baker 100/76, IFNA Technical
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Tom Jennings 125/1, Fido
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Thom Henderson 107/8, SEAdog
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Gee Wong 107/312, Random techie
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Bob Pritchett 107/414, Neighbor of Colossus
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||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 11 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
David James, 132/104
|
||
|
||
EchoMail Can Help You Find Your Roots
|
||
|
||
More people than ever are barking up the family tree and many are
|
||
using the latest in high tech to do so. Now a Genealogy EchoMail
|
||
Conference has been started to enable those who have computerized
|
||
their family research to take advantage of FidoNet's unique
|
||
message-sharing capabilities.
|
||
|
||
At present, the conference is running on two systems: Commsoft
|
||
Fido (143/26) in Mountain View, California and Downeast Roots
|
||
Fido (132/104) in Rye, New Hampshire. We believe this is the
|
||
first time automatic unrestricted message communication across
|
||
the country has been available for genealogists.
|
||
|
||
Genealogy is the third most popular hobby in America (only coin
|
||
and stamp collecting appearing to have a larger following). But,
|
||
personal computing is rising rapidly as an avocation, and for
|
||
good reason. We've never before had an in-home tool that gives
|
||
us the power to amplify our minds and labors as we go about
|
||
performing intellectual tasks and enjoying the pursuit of our
|
||
hobbies. We hope the new Genealogy EchoMail Conference will be a
|
||
guide to combining the power of the computer with the fascination
|
||
of genealogy.
|
||
|
||
Technology and interest in family origins and relationships are
|
||
the engine and fuel which will drive family research to new
|
||
levels of popularity, adequacy, accuracy, and importance. But it
|
||
is involvement with personal computers which will make each of
|
||
millions of genealogists advocates of better documentation,
|
||
greater standardization, more adequate access to existing (but
|
||
hidden) information, and more sharing of unpublished data.
|
||
|
||
Large numbers of people involved in microcomputing are rapidly
|
||
producing a society as familiar with technology as genealogists
|
||
are familiar with genealogical research methods. The marriage of
|
||
technology and genealogical methodology is ripe and most
|
||
promising. The potential for involving genealogists in computing
|
||
is awesome. The knowledge is dawning on genealogists that the
|
||
computer is a new, affordable, and powerful tool for research and
|
||
records management or book production.
|
||
|
||
For the present, telecommunications is the most untapped area of
|
||
microcomputing and nowhere moreso than in the area of
|
||
genealogical computing. We hope the Genealogy EchoMail
|
||
Conference will begin to change that. If you would like to join
|
||
the conference, contact Ken Whitaker, Sysop of Commsoft Fido
|
||
143/26, via FidoMail. Ken is conference coordinator.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 12 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
by Rev. Brian Hughes, INSIGHT 109/634
|
||
|
||
Hunting Lutherans Amid the Fidos
|
||
|
||
Scattered about out there in the far reaches of Fido's touch
|
||
there must be a few Lutherans. For those of you who don't even
|
||
know what a Lutheran is, well, you may never know just how
|
||
deprived a life you lead, though Garrison Keillor has helped to
|
||
promulgate our reputation. But just in case this message may
|
||
grace the eyes of one of these rare birds, are you interested in
|
||
forming a net? We could co-ordinate the list, might even help
|
||
with some kind of newsletter. As it stands now, Dr. Mau,
|
||
recently of General Secretary fame from the Lutheran World
|
||
Federation is on staff here and he is able to obtain the latest
|
||
news from Geneva via telenet which we've been putting up on our
|
||
board. We've also been putting up selected "hot" news items from
|
||
the World Council of Churches from their Ecumenical News Service,
|
||
but we're not as timely with them. We could pass these news
|
||
releases on through a net, or just help pass around info on
|
||
computer use in the church, lesson plans and materials on faith
|
||
development, ecumenical concerns, i.e.; the dialogues and
|
||
education, sermon helps, Adult Forum ideas, Young Adult ideas (we
|
||
minister with the yuppies of Capitol Hill in Washington - what an
|
||
interesting lot they are), or perhaps you would want to echo mail
|
||
some message areas on ethics or theology.
|
||
|
||
If any of the above sounds at all interesting, send us a line, or
|
||
if someone out there is already invloved in this, send us a line
|
||
too and we'd be happy to join in. Send Fidomail c/o Brian Hughes
|
||
109/634.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 13 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Joseph E Rock, Jr
|
||
Fido 128/15
|
||
|
||
An improved handler for Generic Fido on a Z-100
|
||
|
||
|
||
Hello again. This is just a quick note to let all H/Z-100 owners
|
||
know of an improved version of the Generic Fido interrupt handler
|
||
that I wrote. Being the typical type of person that is not
|
||
satisfied to leave well enough alone, I have added a few features
|
||
to the handler that I think are useful.
|
||
|
||
First, there is now a "watchdog" function for use when someone is
|
||
outside Fido remotely. When activated, it simply monitors the
|
||
modem and reboots the system if the caller hangs up.
|
||
|
||
The second function, and the one that was much more difficult to
|
||
implement, is an "answer and send message" function. The idea
|
||
behind this function is that I wanted to not have incoming
|
||
callers get either a constant busy signal or no answer at all
|
||
when I was using the machine (and therefore Fido was not
|
||
running). This function monitors the modem and when a caller has
|
||
connected it determines the incoming baud rate and then sends a
|
||
message. The message can be set at any time with a simple
|
||
program from the console (or a file) and activated/deactivated
|
||
with two other small programs.
|
||
|
||
The complete set of programs can be downloaded from my system
|
||
(Fido 128/15 -- phone 303-591-4273).
|
||
|
||
One thing I would like to do is to compile a list of all Z-100
|
||
based Fido's. Therefore, I would appreciate it if everyone who
|
||
is running a Z-100 based Fido would leave me a note (easy to do
|
||
if you call to get the new version). I would also like to know if
|
||
anyone has their own version of a Z-100 Fido interrupt handler.
|
||
I think that I have the first Z-100 based Fido and would like to
|
||
confirm or (hopefully not) disprove this thought.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 14 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
COLUMNS
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
INSTALLING COMPUTER CHIPS
|
||
|
||
Guy Pinte
|
||
New York IBM PC Users Group
|
||
|
||
It's no real problem to install chips in your computer. Just a
|
||
little common sense and care are all that is required.
|
||
|
||
TURN OFF THE POWER. Remove the PC cover and any cards, but
|
||
remember which slots the cards were in. [Marking them with tape
|
||
and writing the location is a good idea.] An installation tool is
|
||
not required but a chip extractor, a special tweezers with hooks
|
||
at the tips, is highly recommended when removing chips.
|
||
|
||
NEVER DISCONNECT A CABLE, INSTALL OR PULL EITHER A CARD OR CHIP
|
||
WITH THE POWER ON!!!
|
||
|
||
The three main problems encountered are static electricity,
|
||
broken pins, and carelessness.
|
||
|
||
STATIC. Do not wear synthetic clothes or leather soled shoes.
|
||
Work and stand on newspaper. Discharge yourself before beginning
|
||
[by touching the metal chassis of the computer]. Do =not= use
|
||
aluminum foil as a work surface!!
|
||
|
||
PINS. The pins on most chips are spread apart in too much of a
|
||
"v" shape to align easily with the socket holes. You may need to
|
||
place the chip on its side and press on it gently, bending the
|
||
set of pins resting on the table inward SLIGHTLY to move them
|
||
more near vertical. Do this one chip at a time as you install
|
||
them into the sockets. [Learning to install chips without this
|
||
bending is strongly recommended -- it =can= be done.]
|
||
|
||
Each chip has a "U" shaped notch at one end. This is important!
|
||
This notch should match up with a similar mark on the socket or
|
||
you may have to use other chips of the same type [on the board]
|
||
as a guide. Set each chip into its socket GENTLY and push it
|
||
firmly in with both thumbs. DO NOT RUSH. [Installing a chip
|
||
backwards may be harmful to its health when the power is turned
|
||
on.]
|
||
|
||
------------
|
||
| |
|
||
> |
|
||
| |
|
||
------------
|
||
^
|
||
|
|
||
NOTCH
|
||
|
||
|
||
After the chips are installed, you will need to set the dip
|
||
Fidonews Page 15 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
switches if you are adding memory chips. There are two switch
|
||
units on the PC and one on the XT. Positions 1-4 of switch #2
|
||
reflect the total memory of all the installed memory on the PC.
|
||
The single switch unit on the XT reflects only the total on the
|
||
system board and does not deal with expansion card memory. Some
|
||
switches 'slide' while others 'rock'. Consult the Guide to
|
||
Operations manual or expansion card documentation for the proper
|
||
switch settings. [But read it BEFORE all else fails.]
|
||
|
||
Note: Rocker settings are not always intuitive. The active end
|
||
is pushed down (use a ball point pen). However, some diagrams
|
||
show the raised end of the rocker as black. Black in this case
|
||
is the 'other end'. Confusing? Beware of illustrations.
|
||
Compare the illustration for the pre-upgrade settings to what you
|
||
had before, this will help you determine whether a switch should
|
||
be down or up in the illustration.
|
||
|
||
Some expansion cards have switches to 'switch in' individual
|
||
banks of memory as needed. This should not be confused with
|
||
setting the starting address of the card which is usually equal
|
||
to the amount of memory on the system board. Some cards require
|
||
to be told the total memory on the card itself.
|
||
|
||
Now, reinstall the cards, insert DOS in drive A and turn on the
|
||
power. It will take longer than you are accustomed to.
|
||
|
||
Run CHKDSK and note the total memory at the bottom of the screen.
|
||
this should be your new total memory. If it is not, then the
|
||
switches are set incorrectly.
|
||
|
||
If the memory failed the diagnostic and gave an error message on
|
||
the screen, you may have a bad chip. This is rare but it does
|
||
happen. If you have a special diagnostic that can locate the
|
||
chip use it.
|
||
|
||
The first step is to locate the row of chips with the bad one(s).
|
||
POWER OFF. Set the memory switches to the next lower 64K and
|
||
power on again. If the diagnostic passes, then the bad chip is
|
||
in the last 64K. If it does not pass, reduce the memory (by the
|
||
switches) by another 64K etc. until the row harboring the culprit
|
||
is isolated.
|
||
|
||
Note: Since the XT switches do not deal with expansion card
|
||
memory and therefore the total memory, a different technique will
|
||
have to be used. If the card allows the switching out of
|
||
individual memory banks, use them. Otherwise you may have to
|
||
remove chips a row at a time until the fault goes away.
|
||
|
||
Once the row has been isolated, pull a chip from a good row and
|
||
set it aside. Pull a chip from the bad row and install it in the
|
||
good row. Repeat until you get a failure. Remember when you
|
||
pull and install each chip Power Down first. There could be more
|
||
than one bad chip.
|
||
|
||
After you have tried all the chips from the bad row and not found
|
||
a bad one, things may be okay. If a chip was not fully seated,
|
||
Fidonews Page 16 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
or if oxidation has formed, an undeserved error may point to a
|
||
perfectly good chip. When you moved the chip, you may have
|
||
corrected the fault when it was reseated. Install the chips you
|
||
removed from the good row and install them in the row that you
|
||
removed all the "suspect" chips from. Rerun the diagnostics with
|
||
all the memory switched on again. If all goes well, power off,
|
||
button up, and enjoy.
|
||
|
||
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
|
||
|
||
1) Not all IBM compatibles can be upgraded merely by adding the
|
||
extra RAM. Some may need some other addition. For example,
|
||
the machine I used required a proprietary chip from the
|
||
manufacturer.
|
||
|
||
2) Some IBM compatibles run diagnostics on power up. One way to
|
||
check out new chips is to swap them with original RAM chips
|
||
and run the diagnostics. You may be able to find a bad chip
|
||
this way. Running the diagnostics overnite may help isolate a
|
||
marginal chip. This is suggested as a method only if you
|
||
cannot isolate a new RAM chip as bad any other way. But be
|
||
careful. It means =carefully= removing chips you know are
|
||
good.
|
||
|
||
3) A useful tool to help installing the new chips is a plastic
|
||
(disposable) putty knife available in most hardware stores.
|
||
If it slips, it is less likely to damage the mother board.
|
||
|
||
4) Probably the most common problem in this process is the
|
||
correct setting of the DIP switches. For example, I thought I
|
||
had done everything right, but on first power-up I lost
|
||
graphics capability and could only address 256k. I was SURE I
|
||
had done everything right. But it was a matter of having
|
||
flipped the wrong DIP switch. Not all compatibles follow
|
||
IBM's standards in which switches do what. IF ALL ELSE FAILS,
|
||
TRY READING YOUR OPERATING MANUAL.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 17 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
William/Eunhee Hunter
|
||
Fido 109/626
|
||
|
||
Computer Industry Spotlight on:
|
||
|
||
DATA SYSTEMS DESIGN, INC. -- Data Systems Design, Inc.
|
||
manufactures computer peripheral systems such as mass storage
|
||
subsystems in control boards. Positions are available in
|
||
engineering and sales. There are on-the-job instruction and
|
||
training programs for each field of service.
|
||
|
||
Contact: Dick Krenshaw, Employment Administrator, Data
|
||
Systems Design, Inc., 2241 Lundy Avenue, San Jose, CA 95131.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 18 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
William/Eunhee Hunter
|
||
Fido 109/626
|
||
|
||
THE ALL-IMPORTANT "HUMAN FACTOR"
|
||
|
||
|
||
When you have completed the second phase of your research --
|
||
and have compiled a substantial list of firms that seem likely to
|
||
have current suitable opportunities (including names of hiring
|
||
officials whenever possible) -- then you must prepare a
|
||
customized cover letter for each firm and mail this, together
|
||
with a copy of your resume, to each company. Note that, in
|
||
preparing your cover letter it is extremely valuable if you can
|
||
cite a referral or other contact within the firm. In fact,
|
||
anything you can do to personalize your application -- thereby
|
||
separating it from the daily tide of anonymous applications most
|
||
large firms must deal with -- will greatly help your chances of
|
||
being called in for an interview. Even if you don't know someone
|
||
inside the firm, you may have made some indirect contact with the
|
||
firm or industry that can be mentioned; for example you may have
|
||
attended a lecture or meeting where a company official presided;
|
||
mention this as having sparked your interest in the firm. Use
|
||
your imagination: try to find some way of relating yourself in a
|
||
personal way to the hiring official, his department, his
|
||
occupation, his firm, or his industry.
|
||
|
||
This latter point suggests the great importance that
|
||
virtually all employers attach to dealing with the applicant AS A
|
||
PERSON. Employers, like all human beings, tend to be favorably
|
||
disposed to people who share their own interests and views. Your
|
||
cover letter is only one of many ways you can create a favorable
|
||
personal reaction from an employer. Another way -- probably the
|
||
best way -- is by talking directly with him (or her), or with
|
||
someone he works with. Of course, you may find a personal
|
||
conversation very difficult to arrange, even via telephone.
|
||
Still you should be keenly aware of the importance of personal
|
||
contact with prospective employers. Whenever possible, put aside
|
||
your resume and talk as often as you can, as much as you can, to
|
||
anyone in the industry. Discuss the industry, the company, or
|
||
even yourself. For usually, it's the "human-factor" --
|
||
identifying yourself to the employer as an individual -- that
|
||
makes the difference. Whether you call this "networking,"
|
||
"informational interviewing," or simply "an informed approach to
|
||
job hunting" it is the best way known to land the job you want
|
||
and deserve.
|
||
|
||
Distributed via FidoNet BBS by NOVA_WEG Fido 109/626, W.E.G.
|
||
Systems, P.O. Box 5072, Springfield, VA 22150.
|
||
|
||
For more information regarding the series of articles
|
||
printed here, contact the NOVA_WEG direct at (703)-425-0695,
|
||
1200baud, 24hrs daily. OR contact the FidoNet Host Node nearest
|
||
you carrying the employment listings and download the file
|
||
RESEARCH.TXT which contains all 4-parts in one article.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Fidonews Page 19 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
FOR SALE
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
Ellicott Software
|
||
Fido 109/628
|
||
|
||
DataCare, a PC Magazine choice in its recent review of hard
|
||
disk products, is available at a new low price - $49.95, down
|
||
from $129.95. This is the same product that has been favorably
|
||
reviewed. The price is for a limited time only.
|
||
|
||
This product is used by a number of Fido BBS's in net 109, and
|
||
has found favor with many people that are not SYSOPS in the
|
||
Baltimore - DC - Virginia area.
|
||
|
||
Three-week trials are available from any user of the product.
|
||
The review can be read in the PC magazine issue that had as its
|
||
emphasis EGA boards. A review has been submitted to FidoNews
|
||
for publication, but it is uncertain when it will appear.
|
||
|
||
DataCare is published by:
|
||
|
||
Ellicott Software, Inc.
|
||
3777 Plum Hill Court
|
||
Ellicott City, MD 21043
|
||
|
||
(301) 465-2790
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 20 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
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 21 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
|
||
|
||
Public Domain collection - 550+ "ARC" archives - 20+ megs of
|
||
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size! When
|
||
unpacked, you get approximately 28 megabytes worth of all kinds
|
||
of software, from text editors to games to unprotection schemes
|
||
to communications programs, compilers, interpreters, etc... Over
|
||
55 DS/DD diskettes!!
|
||
|
||
This collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
|
||
downloads from just about 150 or more BBS's and other sources,
|
||
all of which have been examined, indexed and archived for your
|
||
convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board System? Want to add on
|
||
to your software base without spending thousands of dollars? This
|
||
is the answer!!!
|
||
|
||
To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check,
|
||
postal money order or company purchase order) to:
|
||
|
||
Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 103/511
|
||
Post Office Box 4296
|
||
200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
|
||
Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296
|
||
|
||
Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.
|
||
|
||
Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain
|
||
software in this collection. The price is applied entirely to
|
||
the cost of downloading the software over the phone lines,
|
||
running a BBS to receive file submissions, and inspecting,
|
||
cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the files. Obtaining this
|
||
software yourself through the use of a computer with a modem
|
||
using commercial phone access would cost you much more than what
|
||
we charge for the service...
|
||
|
||
Please specify what type of format you would like the disks to be
|
||
prepared on. The following choices are available:
|
||
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
|
||
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
|
||
- DSBackup
|
||
- Fastback
|
||
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format
|
||
- Plain ol' files (add $50)
|
||
|
||
Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more
|
||
expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling charges.
|
||
California residents add 6% tax.
|
||
|
||
For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 22 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
SEAdog Electronic Mail System
|
||
Special Offer for FidoNet Sysops
|
||
|
||
|
||
System Enhancement Associates, the makers of the popular ARC file
|
||
archive utility, are proud to announce the release of the SEAdog
|
||
electronic mail system.
|
||
|
||
SEAdog is a PC-based electronic mail system which is fully
|
||
FidoNet compatible. In addition to all the functionality of
|
||
FidoNet mail, SEAdog adds the following:
|
||
|
||
o User directory support, for automatic lookup of node numbers
|
||
|
||
o Return receipts
|
||
|
||
o Audit trails
|
||
|
||
o Message forwarding, with or without a retained copy
|
||
|
||
o Twenty four hour mail reception
|
||
|
||
o High priority mail for immediate delivery
|
||
|
||
o The ability to request files and updates of files from other
|
||
SEAdog systems.
|
||
|
||
o No route files needed!
|
||
|
||
o A full screen user interface that our beta test sites fell in
|
||
love with!
|
||
|
||
SEAdog is NOT a bulletin board system, but it can be used as a
|
||
"front end" for Fido (version 11q or later), allowing you to add
|
||
the full functionality of SEAdog to your existing system.
|
||
|
||
SEAdog normally sells for $100/node, but for a limited time only
|
||
we are offering SEAdog to registered FidoNet sysops for only $50!
|
||
Orders may be placed by sending a check or money order to:
|
||
|
||
System Enhancement Associates
|
||
21 New Street, Wayne NJ 07470
|
||
|
||
Or by calling (201) 473-5153 (VISA and MasterCard accepted).
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 23 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
1 Aug 1986
|
||
Registration deadline for the International FidoNet
|
||
Conference. Late registrations cost extra, so register now!
|
||
|
||
14 Aug 1986
|
||
Start of the International FidoNet Conference, Colorado
|
||
Springs, Colorado. Contact George Wing at node 1/10 for
|
||
details. Get your reservations in NOW! We'll see you there!
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Ken Whitaker, 143/26
|
||
|
||
|
||
GENEALOGY Conference Using EchoMail
|
||
|
||
I am looking for Fido nodes in the U.S who would like to
|
||
participate in an EchoMail conference dedicated to genealogy.
|
||
This conference would be for the computer genealogist and the
|
||
sharing of genealogical information. Currently we have only one
|
||
other node in Rye, NH (132/104) and we're looking for more.
|
||
|
||
If you are interested in carrying this conference on your board,
|
||
contact me via FidoMail at 143/26.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Doug goens
|
||
Sysop of Node 108/45
|
||
|
||
WATCH OUT FOR THIS
|
||
|
||
I have just discovered that when a user logs on under
|
||
the first name ALL and no second name he has just become
|
||
one of the mose written to users on the board. If he has
|
||
access to the message area (as he does on my system), he
|
||
also has the ability to delete message to that name.
|
||
So all of those messages that were previously written to
|
||
ALL then this person has all the power to delete these
|
||
messages. I hope that this notice doesn't get to you too
|
||
late.
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 24 28 Jul 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
David James
|
||
Fido 132/104
|
||
|
||
Genealogical Computing Seminar
|
||
|
||
The New England Historic and Genealogical Society will sponsor
|
||
another Genealogical Computing Seminar September 20, 1986, at the
|
||
Boston Museum of Science Computer Place. This will be an
|
||
opportunity to learn from qualified professionals in both
|
||
computers and genealogy, to experiment with different
|
||
genealogical computing software and word processing programs
|
||
available, and to gain valuable hands-on experience under expert
|
||
guidance.
|
||
|
||
Familiarity with either and IBM (or IBM-compatible) or an Apple
|
||
personal computer is necessary, and you should be in a stage in
|
||
your genealogical research where you can benefit from
|
||
computerization--you may need a system to organize your own data,
|
||
or you may be working on a book for your family association.
|
||
There will be an advanced class for those ready to try database
|
||
programming, but the seminar is primarily designed for
|
||
intermediate level computer genealogists.
|
||
|
||
The costs since last year's computer seminar have risen
|
||
dramatically, so the seminar fee has been raised accordingly, to
|
||
$85.00 for the day. Hotel accommodations within mass transit
|
||
distance of the museum are available for NEHGS members at a
|
||
discount.
|
||
|
||
Space is limited! For more information, or to register, call or
|
||
write Marian White
|
||
Education Department
|
||
New England Historic Genealogical Society
|
||
101 Newbury Street
|
||
Boston, MA 02116
|
||
|
||
(617) 536-5740
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|