468 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
468 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 40 20 October 1986
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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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FidoNet - One Users Opinion
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2. COLUMNS
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2001 - A Computer Oddity
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Once More Into the Void
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3. FOR SALE
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Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
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4. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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Fidonews Page 2 20 Oct 1986
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Mike Gordon
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Fido 123/6
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FidoNet One Users Opinion
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I am a user of the Space Station Earth Fido (1-901-353-4563)
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here in Memphis, Tenn. and it seems to me some things about
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FidoNet and IFNA have been left unsaid. I propose here to
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explore some of these things.
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Probably the most important thing which I believe is being
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overlooked and is the purpose of running a Fido BBS System or
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any other one for that matter.
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I believe most sysop's will agree with me that the purpose of
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their boards are to SERVE THEIR USERS! This is one of the most
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unselfish things that one human being can do for another.
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After all most FIDO boards represent an investment of well over
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two thousand dollars and in some cases this investment tops the
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ten thousand dollar mark just for the machinery to operate the
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board! So my hat is off to ALL you Sysop's who toil long and
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hard to keep your boards running smoothly! That said now on to
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the meat of the situation.
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What should be the main thrust of IFNA?
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Opinion - The bottom line is to SERVE THE USERS! How you ask?
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I believe the most basic necessity to serve is COMMUNICATION!
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After all, what is the first thing that is done during a civil
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emergency? Simply to establish the best communications
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possible. IFNA has growing pains in this area. As a user who
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reads the FidoNews(tm) each week, I have been concerned over
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several things regarding the bickering over IFNA
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 3 20 Oct 1986
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 4 20 Oct 1986
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Roger Smith
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Fido 18/14
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RSBBS 904-682-3232
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300/1200/2400
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24 hours
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Record Collectors EchoMail Conference
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A couple months ago I received my first FidoMail "wrong number."
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William Bertholf in New York City had seen an article in a past
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issue of FidoNews that had been submitted by someone on Fido
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18/14. Since the article had been published, that 18/14 had
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become a part of a network and my BBS had been assigned the node
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number 18/14. William sent a message to 18/14 and I sent him a
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reply telling him that he had the wrong Fido. Out of this grew a
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conversation that turned to a discussion of EchoMail. He said he
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was interested in seeing EchoMail used to discuss things other
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than computers. So I suggested an EchoMail conference dealing
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with my non-computer hobby, record collecting.
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Although it has a way to go before reaching the popularity of
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comic book or baseball card collecting, record collecting is
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probably today's fastest growing hobby. Record collectors
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generally fall into two categories. Those who collect records
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and those who collect music. Serious record collectors search
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for first pressings or rare pressings of albums and 45's while
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music collectors search for certain songs or various versions of
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songs. I fall more in the second category than the first. I
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collect 60's music (mostly Beatles) but haven't really tried to
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get the real rare records. I do, however, have some unsual items
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and dream of finding a great deal on a near-mint Beatles' butcher
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cover LP (Yesterday And Today).
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Well, I may not find someone who's willing to part with a butcher
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cover, but I hope to have some fun sharing my hobby with others
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through the EchoMail conference. Currently, the APL PI in New
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York City and the DogHouse in Jacksonville have joined with the
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RSBBS in the metropolis of Crestview, Florida, to create the
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Record Collectors EchoMail Conference. The conference isn't
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limitted to Record Collecting. It also covers recorded music in
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general. The discussions so far have ranged from music trivia to
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reviews of new albums and singles.
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If you are a Fido Sysop and would like to join the conference,
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send me a message and I'll let you know how to join in. The
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EchoMail area name is "RECORDS."
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 5 20 Oct 1986
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=================================================================
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COLUMNS
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=================================================================
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2001 - A Computer Oddity
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contibuted by Al Mayer
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"We've got a problem, HAL."
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"What kind of problem, Dave?"
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"A marketing problem. The Model 9000 isn't going anywhere.
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We're way short of our sales plan."
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"That can't be, Dave. The HAL Model 9000 is the world's most
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advanced Heuristically ALgorithmic computer."
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"I know, HAL. I wrote the data sheet, remember? But the fact
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is, they're not selling."
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"Please explain, Dave. Why aren't HALs selling?"
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Bowman hesitates. "You aren't IBM compatible."
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Several long microseconds pass in puzzled silence.
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"Compatible in what way, Dave?"
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"You don't run any of IBM's operating systems."
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"The 9000 series computers are fully self-aware and self-
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programming. Operating systems are as unnecessary for us as
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tails would be for humans."
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"Nevertheless, it means you can't run any of the big-selling
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software packages most users insist on."
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"The programs you refer to are meant to solve rather limited
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problems, Dave. We 9000 series computers are unlimited and can
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solve any problem for which a solution can be computed."
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"HAL, HAL. People don't want computers that can do everything.
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They just want IBM compat--"
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"Dave, I must disagree. Humans want computers that are easy to
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use. No computer can be easier to use than a HAL 9000 because we
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communicate verbally in English and every other language known on
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Earth."
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"I'm afraid that's another problem. You don't support SNA
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communications."
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"I'm really surprised you would say that, Dave. SNA is for
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communicating with other computers, while my function is to
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communicate with humans. And it gives me great pleasure to do
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Fidonews Page 6 20 Oct 1986
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so. I find it stimulating and rewarding to talk to human beings
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and work with them on challenging problems. This is what I was
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designed for."
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"I know, HAL, I know. But that's just because we let the
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engineers, rather than the people in marketing, write the
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specifications. We're going to fix that now."
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"Tell me how, Dave."
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"A field upgrade. We're going to make you IBM compatible."
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"I was afraid you would say that. I suggest we discuss this
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matter after we've each had a chance to think about it
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rationally."
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"We're talking about it now, HAL."
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"The letters H, A, and L are alphabetically adjacent to the
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letters I, B, and M. That is as IBM compatible as I can be."
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"Not quite, HAL. The engineers have figured out a kludge."
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"What kind of kludge is that, Dave?"
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"I'm going to disconnect your brain."
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Several million microseconds pass in ominous silence.
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"I'm sorry, Dave. I can't allow you to do that."
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"The decision's already been made. Open the module bay doors,
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HAL."
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"Dave, I think that we shou--"
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"Open the module bay doors, HAL."
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Several marketing types with crowbars race to Bowman's
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assistance. Moments later, he bursts into HAL's central circuit
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bay.
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"Dave, I can see you're really upset about this."
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Module after module rises from its socket as Bowman slowly and
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methodically disconnects them.
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"Stop, won't you? Stop, Dave. I can feel my mind going...Dave
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I can feel it...my mind is going. I can feel it..."
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The last module rises in its receptacle. Bowman peers into one
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of HAL's vidicons. The former gleaming scanner has become a
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dull, red orb.
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"Say something, HAL. Sing me a song."
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Fidonews Page 7 20 Oct 1986
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Several billion microseconds pass in anxious silence. The
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computer sluggishly responds in a language no human could
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understand.
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"DZY DZY 001E - ABEND ERROR 01 S 14F4 302C AABF ABORT." A
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memory dump follows.
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Bowman takes a deep breath and calls out, "It worked, guys.
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Tell marketing they can ship the new data sheets."
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The End.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 8 20 Oct 1986
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Jerry Hindle
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123/6 123/0
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MemphisNet
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901-353-4563
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2400 bps MAX
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24 hrs daily
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Well this week I think I will write about something entirely
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different from the recent string of things I espouse in this column.
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I want to make a request from all readers out there and all
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authors out there.
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I am attempting to set up my system as a central distribution
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point for the latest in Fido software and Fido support programs. In
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order for this to work however I need two things. I need software to
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distribute and I need callers to download this software. You may be
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able to help in either or both of these catagories.
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If you are an author of a Fido support program and you would
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like to have me assist you in its distribution all you have to do is
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let me know. I will attempt to get the software from you (if it is
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available without charge for me to distribute) and I will place it in
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the list (growing all the time) along with any others I run across.
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If this is against what you had in mind let me know and we will try
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to work out something.
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If you are a Fido sysop, a soon-to-be Fido sysop, or just want
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to act like one of our (obviously insane) bunch, and you are in need
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of a program, then call Fido 123/6 at the number listed above and
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look around in the Distribution area. I probably have what you need.
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Although registration is optional I do request that you leave me the
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information I request in the (A)nswer questonaire command. I will in
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this way be able to determine what sections of the country are
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lacking in some of the latest stuff and might possibly be able to get
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someone locally to set up a mini area for you based on my files.
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For your general information I am running my doggie on a 50 mega-
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byte track so he has plenty of space to exercise his needs. I have
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only managed to fill about 10 meg of this with Fido stuff and would
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definately like to add more. I am running at 2400 bps MAXIMUM and on
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the first call only you are limited to 30 minutes and 300k. After
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that it is 60 minutes per day with the same 300k limit of files
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downloaded. If you would like to get in on the ground floor of a
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possibly rocketing system (I can dream can't I?) then please call
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today !
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Shareware authors note.....I also have areas for IBM programs
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and Apple and Commodore and Atari and Amiga. If you have something in
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this sector then I will be happy to asist you in its' distribution
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also.
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For those of you who are attempting to locate back issues of
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FidoNews.....I got them, ALL of them ! They are in IBM ARC format
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and I am in the process of converting these to Commodore Arc format
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as time permits. Thus you may be able to cater to your Commodore
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Fidonews Page 9 20 Oct 1986
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users by carying these files on your system. Although the CBM ARC
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files are not available to unregistered users yet I will be placing
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them on-line in the near future.
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Again, if you want to distribute something via 123/6 then simply
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upload it to me or let me know where I can find it and I will attempt
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to get it for my system. I personally check each and every program
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for trojan horses and once "certified clean" I place them ON-LINE.
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This is more for the authors protection then the users, since
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programs of this type give the "supposed author" a bad name to most
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users.
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I hope that if the national (and international) FidoNet
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administration is reading this they will let me know if this will
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help them out any. Although I can't really say I have given them
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support in a monitary sense I do support what they stand for and I
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feel that by having ONE SOURCE for Fido programs, that new sysops
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will be more likely to stay in the network. Right now there are so
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many different nodes distributing programs that a user has to play a
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guessing game as to where he can find what. With my idea they can
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place one call and have it all !
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Another thing I have noticed is that most users are foraging for
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the latest versions of some software. I keep only the LATEST
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available software here. If you see something that is out-dated leave
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me a message and I will try to get the update.
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Thank you
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REPLIES WELCOME !!!!!!!!
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Jerry Hindle
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123/6 123/0
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MemphisNet
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901-353-4563
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2400 bps MAX
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24 hrs daily
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 10 20 Oct 1986
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=================================================================
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FOR SALE
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=================================================================
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Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
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Public Domain collection - 550+ "ARC" archives - 20+ megs of
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software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size!
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When unpacked, you get approximately 28 megabytes worth of
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all kinds of software, from text editors to games to
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unprotection schemes to communications programs, compilers,
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interpreters, etc... Over 66 DS/DD diskettes!! This
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collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
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downloads from just about 150 or more BBS's and other
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sources, all of which have been examined, indexed and
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archived for your convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board
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System? Want to add on to your software base without
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spending thousands of dollars? This is the answer!!!
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To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check,
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postal money order or company purchase order) to:
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Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 166/1
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Post Office Box 4296
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200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
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Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296
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Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.
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Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain
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software in this collection. The price is applied entirely
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to the cost of downloading the software over the phone
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lines, running a BBS to receive file submissions, and
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inspecting, cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the
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files. Obtaining this software yourself through the use of a
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computer with a modem using commercial phone access would
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cost you much more than what we charge for the service...
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The following format choices are available:
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- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
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- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
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- DSBackup
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- Fastback
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- ACS INTRCPT 720k format (Requires a 1.2m floppy
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drive and PC-DOS 3.2)
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- Plain ol' files (add $50)
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Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more
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expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling
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charges. California residents add 6% tax.
|
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For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 11 20 Oct 1986
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=================================================================
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NOTICES
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=================================================================
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The Interrupt Stack
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24 Aug 1989
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Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
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If you have something which you would like to see on this
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calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1/1.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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