980 lines
44 KiB
Plaintext
980 lines
44 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 38 6 October 1986
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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| _ |
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| / \ |
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| /|oo \ |
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| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
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| _`@/_ \ _ |
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| International | | \ \\ |
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| FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) |
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| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
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| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
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| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
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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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ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1.
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Copyright (C) 1986, by the International FidoNet Association.
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All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted
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for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
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please contact IFNA.
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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. ARTICLES
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GOOD NEWS FOR FIDO SYSOPS & USERS !!!
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At last, FrontDoor FIDO Interface!
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Curbing Shareware Vendor Abuses [Welch]
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Dealing with Seagate
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A Proposal for the Funding of IFNA
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2. COLUMNS
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Data Files to dBASE Files
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A request for files
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3. WANTED
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Device Driver needed
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4. FOR SALE
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DataCare Hard Disk Utility
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Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
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The Structured Programming Language for PC/MS DOS Dennis Baer
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5. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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Fidonews Page 2 6 Oct 1986
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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ON-LINE MAIL ORDER BBS
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----------------------
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Logical Technologies
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5430 F Lynx Lane
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Suite 342
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Columbia, MD 21044
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>> Fido 109/640 <<
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(301) - 964 - 8088
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Hello there fellow sysops and users! I guess you are
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wondering what this article is REALLY all about. Well my
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company, Logical Technologies (LT), has established a fido BBS
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in Columbia, MD. There are MANY purposes to our bulletin board.
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These "purposes" are listed below in an outline format.
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1 - To allow the FREE exchange of information and public
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domain software.
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2 - To allow LT to recieve orders for computer products via
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an ol-line user.
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3 - To give Fido Sysops & Sysops to be a place to get:
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a - Fido utilities
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b - The Latest version of Fido (all formats)
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c - All the Newsletters On-line to D/L
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Please Note that this bulletin board system does have many
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features other that just ordewring product. Now I'm sure you are
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all asking... "Why Should I Buy From You???". The Answers are
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sort of simple but complex too.
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1 - All Purchases By A Fido Sysop or Fido Users Ends up in
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a $5.00 or 2% (whichever is greater) to IFNA.
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2 - There Are Monthly specials to Fido Users & Sysops.
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THESE ARE ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THE BBS!!!
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3 - NOTE: Fido Sysops are MAY be entitled to a Greater
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Discount. Please Call To See If You Qualify!!
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4 - All Of OUR Products Are Guarenteed For A period of
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1 year or MORE. NO QUSTIONS ASKED To Fido Sysops &
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Users.
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5 - All Shipments are shipped Fedral Express!!!
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(Shipments Leave Our Warehouse withing 5 working days)
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How Does All This Sound To You? Good? Great? Incredible?
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Fidonews Page 3 6 Oct 1986
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If Any Of There Above answers is YES then call TODAY!!!
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Now Comes The REAL Tease! Our Normal Price On A FULLY HAYES
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Compatible 2400 Baud Internal Modem Is $349.00. If you Call and
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mention this Article You Will recieve an additional $20.00 off
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your price! That means that the typical Fido user can get a 2400
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Baud HAYES Compatible Modem For $329.00 Complete And with a 1
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year guarrantee. Where can you beat that? If You Can Some where
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else, tell us and If it is a legitimate price we will BEAT it!!!
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So Call Today!!!
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That's...
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LOGICAL TECHNOLOGIES
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Fido 109/640
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(301)-964-8088
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Written By: Brian Walsh
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109/640
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 4 6 Oct 1986
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Butch Walker
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161/1 /2 /4
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Echomail Coordinators
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As you may have heard, several of us met in Chicago to
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discuss ways to improve Echomail topology, decrease the amount of
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time to move Echomail around the country, and to lay some ground
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rules for Echo Conferences. Now we need your help. In order for
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the Echomail Regional Coordinators to provide the needed help, we
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need to know which nodes carry certain conferences.
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Would all of you carrying ANY Echomail conferences please
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send a list of the Conferences that you carry to your Echomail
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Regional Coordinator. Please name the file NET-NODE.ECH, as in
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161-4.ECH. This will help us assist new boards in finding a
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logical link up point to all the Conferences out there.
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The following are the current Echo Reg. Coordinators:
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Region 10 - Butch Walker 161/1 or 161/4:XP
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Region 11 - Mike Bader 120/17:XP
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Region 12 - None Yet
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Region 13 - Gee Wong 107/312:XP
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Region 14 - Alex Hartley 100/500:XP
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Region 15 - David Dodell 114/15:XP
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Region 16 - Bob Hartman 132/101:XP
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Region 17 - Randy Bush 122/6:XP
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Region 18 - Wes Cowley 137/19:XP
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Region 19 - Jon Sabol 124/210:XP
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Also, thanks again to Thom Henderson, Gee Wong, Bob Hartman,
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Don Walker, Mike Bader, Phil Ardussi, and Jon Sabol for going to
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the trouble and expense of flying into Chicago for a one day
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meeting. I have published one brief report on the proceedings, the
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minutes are in the works, and when they are done we will be
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releasing a comprehensive report of what went on. Film at 11:00.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 5 6 Oct 1986
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By Joaquim Homrighausen
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Sysop at Future Hacker Central 501/4609
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September 24th, 1986 at 10:25 pm.
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A couple of weeks ago I just ran into a problem with
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my own FIDO. It was a user who couldn't figure out
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that he had to press RETURN or SPACE a couple of times
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to make FIDO start. So I decided to write this GREAT
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utility. The first thing I did was to call my friend
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Peter Stewart and tell him about this thing we're gonna
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write. He said "No problem, sounds like a piece of cake".
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Done, we started writing this utility last Saturday. And
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now it's ready...what is ready?! FrontDoor v1.0. This is
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a program that you put before FIDO to make FIDO start all
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by itself without any stupid RETURNS or SPACES. What it
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actually does is that it will sit and wait until one of
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two things happens: 1) An event is detected within the
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next 10 minutes. 2) A incoming call at XXXX baud rate is
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detected. If an event is scheduled, FD will exit w/ an
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errorlevel (trapable in a .BAT file) so FIDO will just
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load and wait until the event time comes. If on the other
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hand a incoming call is detected, FD will exit w/ an
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errorlevel depending on the baud rate, telling the user
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that he's connected and the go and get FIDO!
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The program requires a TRULY Hayes compatible modem such
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as the Miracle Tech WS3000 (w/ our modified EPROM in it!)
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and we do not intend to support any other standard.
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It's really a great thing because the screen has got three
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windows in FD. One for all the "program messages" such as
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"Scheduled event in 10 minutes, getting FIDO...", one for
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the modem's response such as "OK" and other stupid messages
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that the modem might send. And finally one for the "action"
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that's happening. It's failsafe even w/ multitasking
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programs. The sysop has got two options, COM1 and COM2.
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Future versions may also support COM3. So all you sysops out
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there: Give me a mail, and I'll send it to ya! So far, it is
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only available from the Swedish Net (501), but I'll start
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uploading it to the US net to...the program was written by
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Peter Stewart (thanks Peter) and me (Happy Birthday to me on
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the 25th of Sep!).
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"Let's keep FIDO running..."
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Regards / Joaquim Homrighausen, Future Hacker Central FIDO
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 6 6 Oct 1986
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From: Mark J. Welch, Fido 161/459 [WelchNet, Berkeley, CA]
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Curbing Shareware Vendor Abuses
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[I've tracked down a bit more information about letters
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being sent by PC-SIG to other vendors, as well as
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additional information, and I am somewhat (!) upset at the
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firm. For background, see FidoNews #336, 22 Sept 1986, p.
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8-9.]
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Shareware authors may recall that in its early days, PC-SIG
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didn't take much care in compiling its library of public-
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domain and Shareware titles. For a while, it seemed as if
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they'd cleaned up their act, but I'm beginning to believe
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that they are now taking many actions that are having very
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serious adverse effects on Shareware authors.
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The first action brought to my attention was the letter sent
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out by PC-SIG to vendors whom it believed were improperly
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using its name and disk numbering scheme. Yes, folks, PC-SIG,
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after selling its printed directory through bookstores and
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allowing other vendors and user groups to use its numbering
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scheme for several years, now says it will sue anyone who
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uses the same numbering scheme or, apparently, mentions their
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name in any way (other than in a disclaimer).
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I have no problem with PC-SIG's interest in protecting its
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name. (PC-SIG stands for PC Software Interest Group, but
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unlike other SIGs in the computer world, PC-SIG is not a user
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group: it is a private, for-profit company whose only
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business is duplicating and selling public domain and
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shareware programs.) However, their method of doing so is at
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best misleading, and at worst deliberately calculated to
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damage the rights of shareware authors.
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In a nine-page threatening letter sent by PC-SIG to several
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vendors, PC-SIG's attorney (Thomas Caudill, 408-298-4844)
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makes a number of statements that by themselves threaten
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shareware authors' copyright and trademark rights:
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I. Three times in the letter, Caudill claims that all of
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the programs in the PC-SIG library are in the public
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domain. Nowhere in the letter is there any
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acknowledgement that most of the programs' authors
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retain copyright ownership. This sort of claim, if
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repeated, has the effect of diluting Shareware authors'
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rights.
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II. Three times in the letter, PC-SIG claims copyright
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ownership of all the disk in the library. In the context
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of the letter, the claim seems to be that PC-SIG owns
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all rights to these disks and programs, or simply that
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PC-SIG owns the copyright to each program in the
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Fidonews Page 7 6 Oct 1986
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library, including mine. However, I presume that they
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are simply claiming that they can copyright the
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arrangment of multiple programs combined on a disk
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(i.e., a "printer utility" disk). The overbroad claim in
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the letter, however, seems to order the recipient to
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stop distributing the programs, not just the programs in
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the same order PC-SIG puts them.
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III. PC-SIG also claims, in the letter, that the recipient
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cannot use the same disk names and titles as PC-SIG, as
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the disk names are copyrights (trademarks?) of PC-SIG.
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This claim is absurd: I own the trademark right to the
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names "GAGS" and "Generic Adventure Game System." I
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believe other shareware authors own their programs'
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titles as well.
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IV. The letter also implies that the program authors somehow
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work for or with PC-SIG; this is unnerving not just
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because I allow many vendors, user groups and BBSs to
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distribute GAGS, but because it implies an affiliation
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that may lead buyers to assume that PC-SIG has paid the
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authors for the programs somehow, thus reducing the
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likelihood of anyone ever sending me money. (I've
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received many registrations, including some from people
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who bought GAGS from other vendors: no one has ever
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registered after buying GAGS from PC-SIG.)
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V. In the letter, PC-SIG also claims that it can collect
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the damages provided in the US Copyright Act, which
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implies that they have registered the disks. If so, they
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would be in big trouble, since I have not given them
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permission to register GAGS as a "derivative work." I
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was assured by PC-SIG owner Richard Peterson that the
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firm has not, in fact, registered the disks. (Of course,
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that means that the list of damages is simply a bluff
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that cannot be asked for.)
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VI. The letter also says that it has filed legal actions
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against other Shareware vendors and that it has obtained
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injunctions against others. (One vendor, National Public
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Domain Software, has sent its own letter out, telling
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its customers that PC-SIG drove it out of business with
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a lawsuit.)
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Now, as I noted above, I can't object to PC-SIG's legitimate
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interest in protecting its name and its directory. However,
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when I read the letter and talked to other Shareware vendors,
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it wasn't clear whether the goal was to protect its rights or
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to drive its competitors out of business. It is using the
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money it has made selling MY SOFTWARE to drive other vendors
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out of business, thus limiting the overall potential of this
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distribution channel. These other vendors, in many cases, are
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individuals who can't afford to hire a lawyer.
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The most offensive fact is that PC-SIG's letter simply
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Fidonews Page 8 6 Oct 1986
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tramples on my legal rights. One vendor, who had obtained my
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permission to distribute GAGS, pulled it (and other programs)
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from his library after receiving PC-SIG's overbroad letter.
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It's back in the library, but both that vendor and I lost
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sales as a result of PC-SIG's aggression. If other vendors
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pull my disk or go out of business because of PC-SIG's
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letter, I lose money so that PC-SIG can have a bigger share
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of a smaller marketplace.
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Of course, if this one letter were the only problem with PC-
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SIG, I'd not be so worked up. But GAGS originally made its
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way into the PC-SIG library before I gave permission. I found
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that it was in the library, and decided to give PC-SIG
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permission to distribute the program despite its discourtesy
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(and the fact that its earlier distribution was illegal). I
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gave them permission, and notified them of each update. They
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never sent me anything. PC-SIG completely ignored my update
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notices, instead insisting four months later that I had to
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mail them the update free in order to get the new versions
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into the library. (What a great idea: their cost of goods is
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ZERO. They buy disks for 39 cents and sell them for $6 each,
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with no costs in between.)
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Other authors' programs have found their way into the PC-SIG
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library without permission, and in at least one case was sold
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despite a clear disclaimer in the program stating that for-
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profit vendors like PC-SIG could not distribute it. (This
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latter incident speaks well for PC-SIG's claim that it
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screens every program carefully.)
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And just a few days ago, I discovered that PC-SIG has begun
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selling a CD-ROM version of its library, and included GAGS on
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that disk in direct violation of the permission letter I gave
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them. Again, it never occurred to them to even write me a
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letter asking for a change to my permission letter. To this
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date, I have never received *anything* by mail from PC-SIG,
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not even a catalog.
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Yesterday, at the PC-Faire in San Francisco, I picked up
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their catalog update/newsletter at their huge booth. In the
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catalog comes yet another slap in the face. I expect
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companies like PC-SIG to make a good-faith effort to
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encourage buyers to pay for their disks. Instead, the firm's
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newsletter seems to suggest that Shareware authors make
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megabucks. Direct quote:
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"Q: Do the authors who ask for a donation or contribution
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really make money? A: The high end of scale for people
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using the Open Software concept to distribute their
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software is $1.5 million to $2.5 million a year. My
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estimate is that the average developer earns about $40,000
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to $50,000 a year per program. Others make less than $500
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a year."
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[I must disagree, Mr. Peterson: the average Shareware author
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Fidonews Page 9 6 Oct 1986
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probably sits a lot closer to your $500 figure, and if the
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average author makes $40,000 I'll eat a floppy disk.] The
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effect of such a quote is to make buyers think there's no
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need to pay Shareware authors, since they already do so well.
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The only folks I know who have large grosses are folks like
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Bob Wallace and Jim Button, who also do hard marketing. It
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looks to me as if most of the money being made in Shareware
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is going into PC-SIG's bank account. By itself, that's not
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too upsetting: I decided to distribute GAGS as Shareware,
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knowing that vendors like PC-SIG may make more money than I.
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But I never expected any company to start firing a gun at the
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authors who are necessary to its very existence.
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Another recent discovery for me is that PC-SIG is in the complete
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distribution business now. Not only do they sell disks by mail order
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and at trade shows, but they have "authorized dealers" in the US and
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even overseas.
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I don't know what the result of all of this ought to be. I've
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sent a nasty letter to PC-SIG, asking that a retraction of
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its letter be sent to everyone who received it, and demanding
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that GAGS be removed from the illegal CD-ROM version of the
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PC-SIG library. I am still awaiting their reply.
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>>>> I'd like to hear from other shareware authors about
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their experiences with companies selling public-domain
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and shareware programs for profit. I'd also like to
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hear from other vendors, and user groups, about their
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feelings about this issue. I'll summarize the response
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in a future issue of FidoNews.
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Mark J. Welch
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P.O. Box 2409
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San Francisco, CA 94126
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(415) 845-2430 [Berkeley]
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Fido 125/459 [private]
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BIX 'mwelch'
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* "GAGS" and "The Generic Adventure Game System" are
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trademarks of Mark J. Welch. "PC-SIG" is a trademark of the
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PC Software Interest Group, Sunnyvale, CA, 408-730-9291.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 10 6 Oct 1986
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|
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Robert A. Rudolph
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Fido 109/628
|
||
|
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|
||
Seagate disk parts revisited...
|
||
|
||
Several weeks ago I wrote a somewhat negative piece for these
|
||
august pages regarding Seagate, small parts for Seagate drives
|
||
and a generally irritated editorial comment about what I think
|
||
of folks who maintain a monopolistic attitude.
|
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For what it is worth, I never heard from Seagate. Apparently
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nobody at Seagate reads FidoNews.
|
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But now I know of at least TWO people who read FidoNews. Bob
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Hartmann does (I am sure nobody is surprised).
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So does Brian Walsh, of Logical Technologies in Columbia, MD
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(Fido node 109/640).
|
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After the article appeared I heard from Brian, who is among
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||
other things a Seagate distributor. Brian shipped me the parts
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||
I needed via Federal Express, and refused to bill me even for
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the express charges.
|
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When I talked to him about the cost, he said that with normal
|
||
discounts the parts (two terminating resistor packs) cost less
|
||
than a dollar and the cost of paperwork to invoice that amount
|
||
was more than the amount was worth.
|
||
|
||
I have changed my mind about Seagate; not about dealing with
|
||
them (I STILL won't deal with them directly), but about the
|
||
continued use of their products. I'll buy Seagate again one
|
||
day. From Brian Walsh, at Logical Technologies. Even if Father
|
||
Seagate does not care, Brian Walsh does.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 11 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Kilgore Trout, 107/7
|
||
FidoNet Study Group
|
||
|
||
A Proposal
|
||
for the
|
||
Funding of IFNA
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
This is a proposal for one method of providing basic funding to
|
||
the International FidoNet Association (IFNA). It is assumed that
|
||
the reader already feels that providing funds for IFNA is a
|
||
worthwhile objective.
|
||
|
||
In short, this proposal outlines a method whereby IFNA can obtain
|
||
funds by charging dues to its members in a fair and equitable
|
||
manner.
|
||
|
||
Membership in IFNA is determined primarily by ones presence in
|
||
the node list. Therefore, I propose that each node be charged a
|
||
small, fixed amount for every week that it is in the node list.
|
||
I would suggest a fixed fee of one dollar per week. At this
|
||
level I would estimate that approximately half of the existing
|
||
nodes would drop out, leaving IFNA with total revenues of $25,000
|
||
per year. With luck, we would be back to our present 1,000+
|
||
nodes by the middle of 1987, giving revenues of $50,000 per year.
|
||
|
||
The mechanism to accomplish this can be largely automated. The
|
||
current MAKENL system would need to be enhanced to make use of an
|
||
accounting database. The database would contain a credit balance
|
||
for every node, and MAKENL would deduct the weekly fee from the
|
||
account for each node for every week that it is in the node list
|
||
and neither down nor on hold. If the balance for a given node
|
||
goes negative, then MAKENL could remove that node from the
|
||
generated node list. Human intervention would be reduced to
|
||
entering credits as dues are recieved, and entering changes when
|
||
someone changes their node number.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Bells and Whistles:
|
||
|
||
We will need some mechanism to notify sysops when their credit is
|
||
running low. Either MAKENL or, more probably, a separate utility
|
||
could generate messages with canned text to remind sysops when
|
||
they have 15, 10, 5, 2, 1, and 0 weeks left. We assume here a
|
||
one week "grace period", where a sysop is still "in" if he has a
|
||
zero balance, and doesn't get dropped until his balance goes
|
||
negative. This might, in fact, be left as a program parameter to
|
||
allow the grace period to be varied.
|
||
|
||
Hosts and hubs are generally (always?) duplicate entries. They
|
||
are also involved, active sysops. At the very least a host or
|
||
hub should not be required to pay for the alternate node number.
|
||
We may also wish to make his primary node number free as well.
|
||
This could be accomplished (albeit at some difficulty) by
|
||
Fidonews Page 12 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
comparing phone numbers.
|
||
|
||
We would not want to start out by hitting everyone at once. It
|
||
is also to our advantage to spread out people's payment
|
||
schedules. This can be accomplished by giving each node now in
|
||
the system a credit, randomly chosen between, say, 20 and 50
|
||
weeks worth.
|
||
|
||
While we should have a minimum, it should be very low. Given the
|
||
example of charging $1/week, we could set the minimum at $5, thus
|
||
allowing a new sysop to join for a relatively brief period to
|
||
check things out. We might also offer a discount for longer
|
||
signups (such as $50 per year, saving $2) in order to encourage
|
||
sysops to sign up for longer periods.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Objections:
|
||
|
||
We long ago stated that we would continue to provide existing
|
||
services for free, and only charge for new services which would
|
||
be optional. Hence, this proposal, if pushed by IFNA, would be
|
||
rightly seen as a breach of promise. Attempting to establish a
|
||
system such as this by fiat would be unethical, immoral, and
|
||
(more to the point) would not work.
|
||
|
||
The systems which choose to drop out rather than pay dues might
|
||
form their own network. I would imagine that the majority of
|
||
such systems would be those which are not actively involved with
|
||
or interested in network mail, so I regard this possibility as
|
||
slight. Still, since it would most probably result in the
|
||
destruction of FidoNet, it is one which we must consider.
|
||
|
||
Many sysops, while perhaps not actively objecting, will fail to
|
||
pay their dues in time, and be dropped from the list. A few of
|
||
these will then pay their dues, but most will not. This will
|
||
include sysops who actually agree with our objectives.
|
||
|
||
This will cause a definite and drastic drop in the size of
|
||
FidoNet. System growth will also be slowed. If the reaction is
|
||
bad enough, we may actually start to loose systems over the long
|
||
haul. FidoNet may end up condemned to a slow, wasting death.
|
||
|
||
One way or another, a great many people will raise bloody hell
|
||
about it.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 13 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
COLUMNS
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
DBASE BASICS
|
||
or
|
||
BEHIND THE BLINKING DOT
|
||
|
||
|
||
The first question the curious ask about Dbase II is "Why
|
||
bother?" And first acquaintances may be put off by the program's
|
||
silence: Instead of an inviting menus of choices there is only
|
||
the eternally blinking dot. In what will probably be an
|
||
irregular series in our newsletter, I'll try to take you "behind
|
||
the Dbase dot" to show some of the power of Dbase II and drop
|
||
some hints that may make it easier to use.
|
||
|
||
The blinking dot is really a kind of question mark. Dbase is
|
||
waiting for you to type in a command telling it what to do (the
|
||
first four letters will do--that's Hint #1). That means you have
|
||
immediate access an astounding amount of power. Dbase lets you
|
||
use the information in your files in ways Perfect Filer never
|
||
dreamed of--but you do have to know what to ask for.
|
||
Fortunately, the commands are words you'd expect: LIST, DELETE,
|
||
APPEND, LOCATE, FIND, etc. The manual is hardly a great one, but
|
||
its tutorials are a decent introduction to these basic commands.
|
||
|
||
The most-asked question is "How can I get the files I already
|
||
have into Dbase II?" It's simple. Take your Christmas card list
|
||
as an example; each entry has a First Name, Last Name, Street,
|
||
City, State, and Zip. The entire entry is called a RECORD, and
|
||
each item is called a FIELD. The first step is to CREATE a Dbase
|
||
file with specifications something like this--call it
|
||
XMASLIST.DBF:
|
||
|
||
Field name Field Type Field width
|
||
-----------------------------------
|
||
FIRSTNAME - CHARACTERS 10 spaces
|
||
LASTNAME - CHARACTERS 10 spaces
|
||
STREET - CHARACTERS 15 spaces
|
||
CITY - CHARACTERS 10 spaces
|
||
STATE - CHARACTERS 2 spaces
|
||
ZIP - CHARACTERS 5 spaces
|
||
|
||
To get your list into Dbase II, you need to make an ASCII text
|
||
file of your data. Let's call it MYFILE.TXT. The "ASCII" simply
|
||
means "letters & numbers only" --no control codes. Another way
|
||
of saying this is to make a list of your data that your word
|
||
processor can read (in the NON-DOCUMENT MODE for Wordstar users).
|
||
|
||
Dbase II accepts text data in two forms:
|
||
|
||
1) In the first form, the spacing is critical. To match the
|
||
Dbase file above, you'd want a document that looked like this:
|
||
|
||
Santa Claus Icy Way
|
||
Fidonews Page 14 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Sally Doe 101 2nd Ave. --->
|
||
|
||
12345678901234567890123456789012345
|
||
|
||
Toytown NP01225
|
||
New York NY10101
|
||
|
||
12345678901212345
|
||
|
||
(the numbers are for reference only--don't put them in your
|
||
file.)
|
||
|
||
Notice that each piece of information occupies exactly the
|
||
number of spaces specified in the database, and there's a
|
||
Carriage Return at the end of each record. Your present
|
||
database can probably create a document like this with its
|
||
Report or List function.
|
||
|
||
2) In the second method, spacing is unimportant, although the
|
||
data items can't be longer than specified in the Dbase file or
|
||
they'll be chopped off. This time the data would look like
|
||
this:
|
||
|
||
Santa,Claus,Icy Way,Toytown,NP,01225,
|
||
Sally,Doe,101 2nd Ave,New York,NY,10101,
|
||
|
||
Now each piece of information is separated from the next by a
|
||
comma. And there's another comma as well as a Carriage Return
|
||
at the end of each line or record. This form might be easy to
|
||
produce with a word processor.
|
||
|
||
To get the data from these forms into the Dbase File, get to the
|
||
infamous dot prompt. (I'll let you fill in the appropriate A: or
|
||
B: depending on your system in these examples.) At the prompt
|
||
enter "USE XMASLIST" which makes that file active. Then, for
|
||
form 1, say "APPEND FROM MYFILE.TXT SDF". SDF means Standard
|
||
Data Format. For form 2, say "APPEND FROM MYFILE.TXT DELIMITED"-
|
||
-DELIMITED tells Dbase to look for comas between each field.
|
||
Dbase II will read your text file and fill the database with your
|
||
information.
|
||
|
||
The next question is "Now What?!" The real power of Dbase lies in
|
||
the fact that you can write a sequence of the commands in a file-
|
||
-which makes it a programming language. That's how Dbase II is
|
||
used for so many business applications, custom-tailored to
|
||
specific needs. In my own work, a Dbase program of these
|
||
commands keeps track of business contacts, writes my letters,
|
||
keeps track of my appointments, and even dials my phone.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 15 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
Jerry Hindle
|
||
123/6
|
||
Memphis TN
|
||
|
||
|
||
I am making a request from all authors of Fido clones, support
|
||
programs, and utility programs associated with the running of Fido.
|
||
|
||
I am setting up my system to be the "first??" all Fido support
|
||
system in the net. I will be adding files related to the operation of
|
||
or configuration of Fido in all available formats (ie DEC, SANYO,
|
||
etc) and am attempting to set up a file area for utilities, another
|
||
for Fido software, yet another for modem help including made to order
|
||
"fidomdm.bbs" files and last but not least messagebases for use as a
|
||
central information point for suggestions, ideas or what-have-you
|
||
concerning our illustrious dog.
|
||
|
||
I have also acquired ALL back issues of FidoNews and have these
|
||
available for d/l along with as many Fido related files as I could
|
||
possibly locate. I have been robbing systems from coast to coast
|
||
amassing these files and would like to invite you to call, look
|
||
around, take what you want and Upload anything you have that I don't
|
||
!
|
||
I am doing this without any consultation with national (although
|
||
I don't think they will mind too awfully much (please Ken, can I ,
|
||
huh, can I PlEEEEEEEASEEEEEE). I would like to try to set up a system
|
||
that anyone can call and find what they need for operating Fido. This
|
||
would end a great amount of confusion as to where to locate any
|
||
utility needed for operation of your system. I mean after all, one
|
||
call does it all, right?
|
||
|
||
I will keep the latest versions on-line where possible and ask
|
||
that if you have a later version then mine, upload it. I will be
|
||
assembling a list of the files each week and placing it in area 1
|
||
under the name ALLFILES.ARC so that you may call and d/l it, peruse
|
||
it, call back and get what you want.
|
||
|
||
Authors......you got something you want distributed...LET ME
|
||
HAVE IT ! You got an update to one of my files. LET ME HAVE IT ! You
|
||
wanna make a suggestion for a new utility, TELL ME. Looking for ideas
|
||
for yet another utility, LOOK HERE FIRST !
|
||
|
||
I can't offer much in the way of physical support for INFA and
|
||
what they stand for but I have a computer, a phone line, and the
|
||
desire to help out. And if this will help, GREAT !
|
||
|
||
Jerry Hindle
|
||
123/6 123/0
|
||
MemphisNet
|
||
Memphis Tn.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 16 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
WANTED
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
|
||
Michael Klein
|
||
109/610
|
||
|
||
Does anyone out there know of a device driver or other resi-
|
||
dent program that I can use in place of a "CTTY COM1:"? The
|
||
goal is to have standard output simultaneously redirected to
|
||
both the console AND the modem, thereby making it possible for
|
||
me to see what my users are doing while they're O)utside Fido.
|
||
It's a simple concept, but having little knowledge of
|
||
device drivers and even less of the internal BIOS of my IBM
|
||
XT clone, I'm finding that capturing standard output for re-
|
||
direction to two places at once isn't as easy as I thought.
|
||
Please send replies/suggestions to me at 109/610. Any help
|
||
in this matter would be GREATLY appreciated.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 17 6 Oct 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 also appeared in FidoNews
|
||
Volume 3 Issue 29, written by the Sysop of Fido 109/628, the
|
||
Reindeer Shed in Reisterstown, who uses and loves the product.
|
||
|
||
DataCare is published by:
|
||
|
||
Ellicott Software, Inc.
|
||
3777 Plum Hill Court
|
||
Ellicott City, MD 21043
|
||
|
||
(301) 465-2690
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 18 6 Oct 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 66 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 166/1
|
||
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...
|
||
|
||
The following format choices are available:
|
||
|
||
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
|
||
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
|
||
- DSBackup
|
||
- Fastback
|
||
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format (Requires a 1.2m floppy
|
||
drive and PC-DOS 3.2)
|
||
- 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, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 19 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Structured Programming Language is a SHARE WARE free format
|
||
block structured programming language that runs on MSDOS and
|
||
PCDOS computer systems. It may be obtained by calling a bulletin
|
||
board system at 516 334 8221. Download SPLLIB.ARC at 1200 or 300
|
||
baud. It takes only 20 minutes to download at 1200 baud. It is
|
||
also available from PC BLUE in New York City. If you like the
|
||
software I strongly recommend that you REGISTER and PAY for the
|
||
software because I would like to make an honest living just like
|
||
you do. There is no need to be validated on the bbs to download
|
||
files. For software support call Electronic Digital Computer
|
||
Systems at 516 694 5872. In the near future look for the
|
||
language on net.micro.pc conference on USENET.
|
||
|
||
Some major features and advantages of SPL
|
||
|
||
o SPL is an alternative to the PASCAL and C languages
|
||
o SPL programs can be run on MACINTOSH,AMIGA,ATARI ST,CP/M
|
||
o The SPL processor will run on MSDOS emulators on MACINTOSH,
|
||
AMIGA,ATARI ST
|
||
o PROCEDURES
|
||
o WHILE loops
|
||
o FOR loops with REAL and INTEGER indicies and increments
|
||
o REPEAT loops
|
||
o Powerful IF THEN ELSE constructs
|
||
o Powerful RANDOM and SEQUENTIAL INPUT/OUTPUT including
|
||
formatted OUTPUT
|
||
o GRAPHICS statements PSET DRAW LINE CIRCLE PRESET SCREEN .....
|
||
o BEGIN END blocks
|
||
o ERROR trapping
|
||
o Statement labels (multiple labels supported)
|
||
o Strong data types INTEGER REAL STRING scalars and arrays
|
||
o Names of variables and labels up to 40 characters upper and
|
||
lower case
|
||
o Supports mathematical functions SIN COS TAN LOG EXP .....
|
||
o STRING functions MID$ LEFT$ RIGHT$ STR$ VAL$ ASC$ .....
|
||
o Your compiled BASIC programs do not become obsolete link
|
||
them together
|
||
o SPL programs run faster than PASCAL programs
|
||
o SPL programs can take advantage of an entire 640k IBM PC
|
||
o The SPL processor will work on an IBM PCjr with 128k and
|
||
1 drive
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Fidonews Page 20 6 Oct 1986
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|