1545 lines
73 KiB
Plaintext
1545 lines
73 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 4, Number 34 7 September 1987
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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 published weekly by the International FidoNet
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Association as its official newsletter. You are encouraged to
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submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission
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standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from
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node 1:1/1.
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Copyright 1987 by the International FidoNet Association. All
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rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for
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noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
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please contact IFNA at (314) 576-4067.
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
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Copyrights ............................................... 1
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2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2
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ONE TO ONE - The Newest Communications Software .......... 2
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IFNA Committee Information ............................... 5
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DIPLOMACY via BBS ........................................ 8
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CORRECTION - Recent Articles on PC-Write ............... 9
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Fido Offer for IFNA Members .............................. 10
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The first INTERNATIONAL user conference .................. 11
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PC-Write Now Checks Spelling! ............................ 12
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IFNA Welcomes Poland to FidoNet .......................... 14
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Tandy User Group Newsletter... September 87 .............. 15
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FidoNet Node ID's: Names or Numbers? ..................... 20
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WaZOO File request available for Fido or SEAdog .......... 22
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3. COLUMNS .................................................. 26
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Origin: Angevin Empire ................................... 26
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4. NOTICES .................................................. 29
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The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 29
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Latest Software Versions ................................. 29
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IFNA Order Form .......................................... 30
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IFNA Membership Application .............................. 31
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 1 7 Sep 1987
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=================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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=================================================================
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Copyrights
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Have you looked at the top of the node list lately? More than
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half of the first page is taken up with jawbreaking legalese
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that's supposed to be our copyright notice. And it just recently
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got worse!
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The original intent was clear enough. We wanted to keep people
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from selling the node list. Somehow in the process we ended up
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forbidding all commercial use.
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What's wrong with that, you ask? Well, what about the various
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product support conferences? What about the various companies
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who transact business, announce new products, and do product
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support over the net? Doesn't that constitute commercial use of
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the node list?
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The Interim Board concluded that it did, and was in the process
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of working out a commercial license. The new Board decided
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otherwise, and chose to amend the copyright notice to allow those
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types of commercial activity that have always taken place on the
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net.
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That's cool. Whatever they want.
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The thing that bothered me is that they ended up with a copyright
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notice even more convoluted than before! Now I realize that it
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was a quicky "band-aid" job to hold us over. I didn't understand
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it myself on a first reading, but I understood what the lawyer
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who wrote it said it meant, and I have no objection to the
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intent. I object to the wording!
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Speaking ex-officio from the Peanut Gallery I objected to the
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language, and suggested that the Board at least have the
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Executive Committee work on something a little closer to English.
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I heard the lawyer who drafted it tell all sysops, in essence,
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"get a lawyer!" I heard a member of the Executive Committee state
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that of course that was one of the many things they would
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continually think about. I did NOT hear anything to make me
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think that we can expect a comprehensible copyright notice any
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time in the forseeable future.
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This thing is supposed to be protecting us sysops, right? So why
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can't it be worded so that we can understand it?
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 2 7 Sep 1987
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Jean Coppola, 107/246
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ONE TO ONE - The Newest Communications Software
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ONE TO ONE is a telecommunications package designed for those of
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us who sometimes call friends with computers. The many
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sophisticated programs that are currently available do a great
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job for accessing bulletin boards, information services, etc..
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HOWEVER, they all are less than desirable when it comes to two
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human beings trying to communicate with each other over the phone
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lines via computers.
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ONE TO ONE is the first communications program available that
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attempts to address the special needs of people that need to
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share data with other people.
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What does ONE TO ONE offer that the others don't? With ONE TO
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ONE, you and your friend can...
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1) Type messages to each other while a file transfer is in
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progress!
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2) Never worry about garbled text caused by two people typing at
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the same time. Incoming and Outgoing text appear in seperate
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windows on screen.
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3) "Share" a text file. You and a friend can be looking at the
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same text file at the same time. Both of you will have
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control over scrolling the files contents in a window. At any
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time, you can pause and type notes to each other about the
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file that you are sharing.
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4) Enjoy the snazziest "user-interface" in all of
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telecommunications.
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System Requirements
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- IBM Compatible Computer
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- PC-DOS Or MS-DOS (version 2.0 or later)
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- One Floppy Disk Drive (hard disk not required)
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- At Least 192k Of RAM.
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- One RS-232 Serial Port
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- A HAYES COMPATABLE modem (must support the Hayes AT
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command set)
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- Someone To Call
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ONE TO ONE works with Monochrome as well as Color video cards. If
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you have an Enhanced Graphics Adapter, ONE TO ONE will use the
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CGA mode.
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 3 7 Sep 1987
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When you install ONE TO ONE, you will be asked whether you have
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Touch Tone or Pulse phone service. ONE TO ONE will work with
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either.
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ONE TO ONE version 2.2 is distributed in an archived form. The
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"ARC" archiving utility by System Enhancment Associates was used
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to compress the files in order to keep downloading time to a
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minimum. ARC has become the standard file compression program
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used for electronic software distribution.
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You should have no problem obtaining a copy of the latest version
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of ARC from your friendly neighborhood bulletin board. Please
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remember that ARC is not free. It will save you money in the long
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run so why not go ahead and pay for it?
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The name of the archived file is 121-V22.ARC. After "un-arching"
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this file you will see the files below:
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121.EXE - The program.
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121.DOC - The documentation for the program.
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121READ.ME - Notes reflecting any last minute changes.
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WHATSNEW.121 - Notes describing improvements in 2.2
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The only file required to start ONE TO ONE is the file named
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121.EXE. When you run the program for the first time ONE TO ONE
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looks for other files and creates them if they cannot be found.
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Terminal Mode And Menu Mode
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ONE TO ONE has somewhat of a split personality. You are either
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in TERMINAL MODE where you are waiting for the phone to ring,
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typing messages to a friend, etc., or you are in the MENU MODE
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where you are pulling down menus and making selections from them.
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The first screen you see when ONE TO ONE executes is the title
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screen. This screen tells what this program is, warns you that
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this is not free software, begs for compensation, tells who wrote
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it, and waits for you to press a key. Just your typical User
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Supported software title screen.
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When you press a key to continue, the modem initialization string
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will be sent to the modem. After this is accomplished, you are in
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TERMINAL MODE. This is where you will spend most of your ONE TO
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ONE life. TERMINAL MODE is where you perform communications with
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your friends. Each key you press will be sent out the comm port
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to whoever's out there. (The exception to this occurrs when the
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keys that you press are menu selections.)
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All of the vital choices from the menus have been mapped to the
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keyboard. You could call a friend (or be called), establish a
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connection,type messages, send and receive files, and hang up
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without ever once pulling down a menu.
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Once the computers have started transferring the file, you can
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just sit back and relax if you like. BUT, if the other person is
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 4 7 Sep 1987
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also using ONE TO ONE, you can continue to type messages to each
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other while the file transfer takes place! In either case you
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will see a status report of the file transfer displayed on the
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Dividing Bar. After the file transfer is complete, you will hear
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a beeping sound indicating that the transfer is complete.
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Share A File - This is a nifty feature! Share A File gives you
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the ability to share a text file with a friend. One of you acts
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as the Sender and the other acts as the Receiver. BOTH USERS MUST
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BE USING ONE TO ONE FOR THIS FEATURE TO WORK PROPERLY. When you
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and a friend Share A File, your screens change into a large area
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at the top two-thirds of the screen. The bottom portion of the
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screen is split into 2 sections so that you may continue to type
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to each other while sharing the file.
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Available on 107/246 as 121-V22.ARC for SEAdog request or
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download.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 5 7 Sep 1987
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Don Daniels, 107/210
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COMMITTEE INFORMATION
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One of the areas in which we have discovered some start-up
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problems is that of Committee Membership. According to the
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Bylaws, the President is supposed to name the various members of
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the standing committees at the annual meeting. However, due to
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the fact that:
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o So many other priorities had to be addressed during the annual
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meeting,
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o We don't have any real track record as to who can do what, or
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who wishes to do what,
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o We wanted to open the committees to as many qualified people
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as possible,
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what we decided to do was to name provisional members of the
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various committees and then provide the opportunity for the
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Chairman of each commmittee (as appointed by the Chairman of the
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Board of Directors, Ken Kaplan) to select more members from the
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additional volunteers.
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What I am also suggesting to the Committee Chairman is that they
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consider a two-tiered arrangement when it comes to membership.
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The reason for this is based on a combination of things: In order
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for each committee to operate in session, it is necessary that a
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quorum be present. With all of us scattered all over not only
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the U.S., but the world as well, this could present difficulties
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if all recommended parties and volunteers are automatically made
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members. In certain cases then, it may be advisable to make up
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the committee of those who do not have constraints of time and
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distance, while at the same time utilizing the services of the
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other volunteers as either "associate members" or as workers on
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special projects.
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The point is to try to open up participation to as many as
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possible, provide opportunities for them all to contribute (and
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receive appropriate recognition), and yet not be encumbered with
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an inoperable arrangement. I hope that the membership will bear
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with us as we all learn how to deal with a new and sometimes
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complex situation.
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Below I am providing the list of those individuals that have
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either voluntereed or been recommended for the various standing
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committees. We expect to add to this list with other volunteers
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from throughout the Net. We hope that each of our supporters
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will consider carefully the opportunities and will volunteer to
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participate in those areas in which they feel they could be most
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productive.
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Please make your request directly to the Chairmen of the specific
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committee(s) in which you are interested. Indicate any
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 6 7 Sep 1987
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constraints you may have and whether you think that you could
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best participate as a full member or as an "associate", perhaps
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handling a special project or requirement. Also, if you have
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been suggested for a particular committee but feel that your
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participation there would not be in our mutual best interests,
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don't hesitate to say so. In any event, please get in touch with
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the Committee Chairmen by September 15th. At that time we want
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the Committee Chairmen to provide the Secretary with a list of
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their recommendations for both full and "associate" members.
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Note: If you volunteered before but we lost your name in the
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hassle, DON'T FEEL BAD - just volunteer again!
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PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP LIST
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The individuals listed below have volunteered or been recommended
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for the following committees (*Current Chairman is listed first):
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ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE
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(We need a good administrator to be Chairman of this Committee!)
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Ken Kaplan* (Acting) 100/22
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Gene Clayton Leonard Mednick Wynn Wagner
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NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
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Dave Dodell* 114/5
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Hal DuPrie
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(Bob Morris has offered to be a 'consultant' to this committee)
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TECHNICAL STANDARDS
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Ryugen Fisher* 220/1
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Chris Baker* (FTSC Sub-committee Chairman)
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Bob Hartman* (9600 Sub-committee Chairman)
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Jim Cannell Mark Grennan Ray Gwynne
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Vince Perriello Tom Jennings Thom Henderson
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Henk Wevers Ben Baker Wynn Wagner
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Randy Bush Steve Sullivan Michael Connick
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Hal DuPrie Mike Johnson Jim Cannell
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Marshall Presnell Gee Wong Bob Morris
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Amnon Nissan
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 7 7 Sep 1987
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INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
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Don Daniels* (Zone 1 Liaison) 1:107/210
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Henk Wevers* (Zone 2 Liaison) 2:500/1
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???????????* (Zone 3 Liaison) 3:?????
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Mark Grennan Joop Mellaart Allwyn Smith
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Raymond Richmond Rob Barker Michael White
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Randy Bush
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BY-LAWS AND RULES
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Steve Jordan* 102/2871
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Dave Drexler David Bodman Gerrie Blum
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Mark Peters
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PUBLICATIONS
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Brian Hughes* 109/634
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Thom Henderson Irene Henderson Brad Hicks
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Kurt Reisler Wynn Howard Wes Cowley
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MEMBERSHIP SERVICES
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Phil Ardussi* 157/1
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Irene Henderson Chris Baker Randy Bush
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Neal Curtain Dave Dodell Brian Hughes
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Chuck Sanders Jim Cannell
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Also, as all Directors are required to be on at least one
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standing committee, the following are available:
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Larry Wall Ted Polczyinski Rick Seigel
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Bob Swift
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 8 7 Sep 1987
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Les Casey, 163/13
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DIPLOMACY via BBS
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Diplomacy, the popular Avalon-Hill boardgame, is now
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available for play in an e-mail format. As of this writing,
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there are two BBS's (163/13 124/109), where games are available.
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163/13 Diplomacy Online Ottawa,Ont Fido (613)225-5836 is the
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only BBS in North America dedicated solely to the play of the
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popular war game. At any time, up to six games are in progress
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at once, thus permitting users to join more than one game, if
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desired. Additionally, several online features enhance the
|
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playability, making, in this writer's opinion, the e-mail format
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the best alternative to "live" play.
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The game is best played in a live, round-table scenario, but
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it is not always easy to obtain seven experienced players, who
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have several hours to participate. Thus, many other formats of
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play have evolved (eg. E-mail, telephone, mail).
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The main feature of playing Diplomacy on 163/13 is
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convenience. Players can login and receive all of their mail
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immeditely, dwell upon the offers and suggestions of the other
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players, then return comments at another time when convenient.
|
||
Assuming a deadline of once per week, the average player will
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||
require 10 - 20 minutes per week per game on the BBS to post
|
||
messages and to receive results from the previous week's orders.
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Add to this approx. 10-20 mins to determine strategy. Thus, 3
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sessions at 10 mins. each is all that is required.
|
||
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||
Other benefits derived from on-line play:
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1. Online help files of strategy
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2. Access to other players, and the sysop for advice
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3. No fees
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4. BBS operates 24 hrs/day - all year
|
||
5. A competitive rating system
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||
6. Access to a N. A. Diplomacy E-mail conference as coordinated
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||
by (124/109)
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|
||
There are other BBS's who host Diplomacy. If you are
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||
interested as either a sysop or player, I suggest you contact the
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||
Diplomacy conference coordinator - Robert Eskridge at THE
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DIPLOMAT BBS (124/109). Those players wishing to participate on
|
||
Diplomacy Online will be pleased to learn that several
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||
individuals in the U.S. presently are regular users on this BBS.
|
||
A diplomacy echomail is available from the 124/109 as well.
|
||
|
||
There is always a gamestart available. Login today and take part
|
||
in the mayhem!
|
||
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 9 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
CORRECTION - Recent Articles on PC-Write
|
||
|
||
John Herro, 1083 Mandarin Dr. NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905
|
||
|
||
Are you wondering why on earth FidoNews 4-32 (24 Aug 1987)
|
||
reprinted a review of PC-Write version 2.6, when 2.7 with its
|
||
spelling checker has been out for some time now?
|
||
|
||
The review must have be re-mailed to FidoNews by mistake.
|
||
Recently I uploaded, to a bulletin board that happens to be a
|
||
Fido node, an archive containing two reviews of PC-Write. These
|
||
were my review of version 2.6 from FidoNews 3-30, and my review
|
||
of version 2.7 from FidoNews 3-48. The Sysop, unpacking the
|
||
archive, probably thought that I wanted these articles mailed to
|
||
FidoNews now. By the time you read this, my review of version
|
||
2.7 may also have been inadvertantly "reprinted" in FidoNews.
|
||
|
||
Interestingly, at the end of my review of 2.6, I mentioned that
|
||
PC-Write lacks two features found on some expensive word pro-
|
||
cessors: it can't handle very large files, and there's no
|
||
spelling checker. We all know that a spelling checker was added
|
||
in version 2.7. The newsletter from Quicksoft says that version
|
||
3.0, now being written, will handle large files.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
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|
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FidoNews 4-34 Page 10 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
Fido Offer for IFNA Members
|
||
|
||
IFNA is proud to announce that it will make Fido version 12.00
|
||
available to its members (limit one per member) for only $65.00.
|
||
|
||
As you may already know. Tom Jennings of Fido Software announced
|
||
at FidoCon 87 that IFNA would be permited to sell Fido version
|
||
12.00 under a special arrangement. So here are the restrictions.
|
||
IFNA must not compete for sales with Fido Software or its
|
||
authorized distributors. This means that we may offer Fido only
|
||
to IFNA members, and only one copy to each registered member.
|
||
|
||
Members must understand and agree that Fido Software is NOT
|
||
prepared to offer technical support to IFNA purchasers. Tom
|
||
Jennings has agreed to participate in an Echomail Conference
|
||
called "FIDO" if a volunteer comes forward to Host it.
|
||
|
||
To order, send $65 (Missouri residents add $3.72 sales tax.
|
||
Overseas members please make payment in US dollars, and include
|
||
$5.00 for surface shipping or $15.00 for air shipping and
|
||
handling) to:
|
||
|
||
IFNA
|
||
PO Box 41143
|
||
St. Louis, MO 63141
|
||
|
||
Sorry we are not prepared to handle credit card or COD orders.
|
||
Only prepaid orders will be accepted. Orders received by Friday
|
||
of each week will be shipped prepaid via UPS-ground the following
|
||
Monday (provided that sufficient inventory is available).
|
||
|
||
If you are not an IFNA member yet, but would like to participate
|
||
in the offer, fill out the membership application at the end of
|
||
this newsletter and include it and an additional $25.00.
|
||
|
||
Fido Software has indicated that this is a LIMITED TIME OFFER at
|
||
this terrific price. Orders postmarked by midnight October 31st,
|
||
1987 will be filled. Orders received on or after November 1st,
|
||
1987 will cost $100 for IFNA members so order TODAY!
|
||
|
||
Ken Kaplan
|
||
1:1/10
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 11 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
Joaquim Homrighausen
|
||
FrontDoor BBS (Opus 1:135/20)
|
||
|
||
The first INTERNATIONAL user conference
|
||
|
||
After all these echo mail areas and debates I got very tired of
|
||
the simple fact that there wasn't any REALLY INTERNATIONAL user
|
||
conference. And I feel that this is one of the major drawbacks
|
||
with the net today, the lack of respect for other nations. Not
|
||
just BY the Americans, not just FROM the Americans, but from a
|
||
lot of other nations as well.
|
||
|
||
So what I did was a very simple thing. I established the first
|
||
truly international user echo mail conference. The first two
|
||
nodes to be included in this were 1:135/20 (my own) and
|
||
2:501/4607 (Mats Knuts, host of Sweden). Then, a couple of days
|
||
ago ... some other sysops seemed to be noticing what was going on
|
||
and requested the conference from me, and the heat was on.
|
||
|
||
If you want to be serious about carrying user echo mail, please
|
||
contact the INTERUSER Zone coordinators for more information on
|
||
where you could pick up this conference. It's very simple ...
|
||
keep the politics, flames and general BULL out of there and we
|
||
all got what we wanted in the first place.
|
||
|
||
Joaquim
|
||
|
||
|
||
Coordinator USA: Coordinator Europe:
|
||
|
||
Joaquim Homrighausen Mats Knuts
|
||
FrontDoor BBS SSF
|
||
Opus 1:135/20 Opus 2:501/4607
|
||
|
||
|
||
(PS. I blame all spelling errors in the above text on my flaky
|
||
power equipment and the fact that it is 3:25 in the morning Ds.)
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 12 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
John Herro
|
||
Fido 107/211
|
||
|
||
NOTE: This article first appeared in FidoNews, Vol. 3, No. 48,
|
||
15 Dec., 1986. The author now lives at 1083 Mandarin Dr. NE,
|
||
Palm Bay, FL 32905, and is a Staff Software Engineer for Grumman
|
||
Aerospace. He is no longer at Fido 107/211.
|
||
|
||
|
||
User's Review of PC-WRITE With Spelling
|
||
|
||
(The author has no connection with Quicksoft, the producers of
|
||
PC-WRITE, except for being a registered user of that Shareware.)
|
||
|
||
The long-awaited version 2.7 of the PC-WRITE word processor is
|
||
out. Since PC-WRITE is Shareware, you can download it and try it
|
||
for free. If you have an older version of PC-WRITE, it will def-
|
||
initely be worth the time to download the latest version. Since
|
||
I recently reviewed version 2.6 in FidoNews 330, I will discuss
|
||
only new features here.
|
||
|
||
The biggest new feature is the spelling checker. This is very
|
||
handy not only for poor spellers, but for bad typists like me.
|
||
|
||
I've used three different spelling checkers from bulletin boards
|
||
before, but none of them compares with the one built into version
|
||
2.7 of PC-WRITE. For one thing, the PC-WRITE spelling checker
|
||
handles words divided by a hyphen at the end of a line, and the
|
||
other spellers I've tried do not. I was tired of being told that
|
||
"tion" is not a word. Also, the dictionary resides in memory, so
|
||
the checking is very fast. Finally, the dictionary is large:
|
||
50,000 words. I'm impressed that the program manages to squeeze
|
||
50K English words into fewer than 110K bytes of memory.
|
||
|
||
Alternate-F2 brings up the spelling menu. You can check spelling
|
||
in three ways. The program can check words as you type them,
|
||
beeping at you like some of the newer typewriters. You can check
|
||
an entire document, or check only the word at the cursor.
|
||
|
||
When you check an entire document, the program highlights the
|
||
first unknown word. You can ignore it, add it to a personal dic-
|
||
tionary, edit it, or ask the program to guess the correct word.
|
||
In the last case, I've found that some of the guesses seem to
|
||
bear little relation to the word typed, while other guesses are
|
||
very useful. After you select one of these four options, the
|
||
program highlights the next unknown word, etc.
|
||
|
||
The same four options are available when you check the single
|
||
word at the cursor, or when you ask PC-WRITE to beep whenever you
|
||
type an unknown word.
|
||
|
||
You can have as many personal dictionaries as you like, but only
|
||
one can be in memory at a time, along with the main 50,000-word
|
||
dictionary. The personal dictionaries are not compressed like
|
||
the main one. A separate program is provided to merge a personal
|
||
dictionary with the main one, producing a new main dictionary.
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 13 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
Dictionaries are lower case; the speller ignores capitalization.
|
||
|
||
Working with a large dictionary in memory is a pleasure. I was
|
||
surprised that the program accepted "Boise," "elaboration,"
|
||
"esc," "Hoover," "identifier," "Qatar," and "Terre Haute." The
|
||
catch is that you can't use the speller if your computer has less
|
||
than 320K of memory.
|
||
|
||
There are a few new features besides the spelling checker. You
|
||
can now define a single keystroke to insert the current date
|
||
and/or time in any format you like. (Date first, spell the day,
|
||
abbreviate the month, two-digit year, 24-hour time, etc.) The
|
||
help file is now loaded only when you need it, giving a fast
|
||
startup. Word wrapping can be disabled without disturbing the
|
||
right margin. More printers are supported, including those with
|
||
XON/XOFF protocol. Finally, PC-WRITE can now "import" text
|
||
placed on the screen by another program.
|
||
|
||
PC-WRITE now includes a pamphlet, ready for you to print out, ex-
|
||
plaining the differences between versions 2.6 and 2.7. This is
|
||
in addition to the familiar tutorial manual and quick reference
|
||
guide.
|
||
|
||
If I may say so, some of you FidoNews authors out there urgently
|
||
NEED a spelling checker! Version 2.7 of PC-WRITE can be found on
|
||
Daniels-Fido 107/211, (516) 367-9626, 300/1200/2400 baud. I
|
||
uploaded the program in two files, PCWRITE1.ARC and PCWRITE2.ARC.
|
||
PLEASE download it and improve the appearance of FidoNews!!
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 14 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
Don Daniels, 107/210
|
||
|
||
The following is the text of my message titled "Welcome to
|
||
FidoNet!" that was sent to our "Fellow Sysops and Users in
|
||
Poland" via the Zone 2 Coordinator Henk Wevers.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
As IFNA's (International FidoNet Association) first elected
|
||
President, it gives me special pleasure as one of my first
|
||
official acts to extend a welcome to those nodes that have
|
||
recently begun operation in Poland.
|
||
|
||
All FidoNet Sysops the world over are dedicated to the free
|
||
exchange of information. That is why we are all so pleased to
|
||
learn of the existence of FidoNet systems beyond the barrier we
|
||
in the West refer to as "The Iron Curtain". We hope that the
|
||
future exchange of information, ideas, and even feelings through
|
||
FidoNet will be an aid to the removal of other barriers that have
|
||
traditionally kept all of us from enjoying a world-wide peace and
|
||
understanding.
|
||
|
||
The other officers and members of IFNA join me in welcoming all
|
||
of you to FidoNet. Many of us here in America and in other
|
||
countries have become personal friends solely through our
|
||
contacts in FidoNet. We look forward to extending such
|
||
friendship to those of you who are joining our Network in Poland.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 15 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
Bill Crawford
|
||
Chattanooga, TN
|
||
OpusNODE 1:362/1.0
|
||
|
||
NEW PRODUCTS
|
||
This month, I'm going to "cop out" to a degree, but I think
|
||
you'll forgive me. With the amount of work to be done to prepare
|
||
for our August 3 product announcement, there just isn't time to
|
||
put together my usual newsletter information. Since the big news
|
||
is our new products, I'm going to reprint our news release on
|
||
these items, with a few comments (( in double parens )).
|
||
|
||
RADIO SHACK ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTS ON
|
||
TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FIRST
|
||
PERSONAL COMPUTER
|
||
NEW YORK, NY - In a "Nationwide Anniversary Celebration",
|
||
today, personal computer pioneer Radio Shack unveiled four new
|
||
and two upgraded PC-compatible Tandy computers, plus three new
|
||
printers, giving the company the industry's most extensive line
|
||
of personal computers. The new computers are additions to
|
||
Tandy's line. No existing models have been discontinued. Also
|
||
introduced were two new cellular telephone models. The
|
||
Waldorf-Astoria press conference was satellite-linked to Dallas,
|
||
Texas and Anaheim, California, where more than 1600 Radio Shack
|
||
managers were attending annual meetings of the company's business
|
||
products and western consumer divisions. (( In attendance in New
|
||
York were a number of industry chief executives including Paul
|
||
Brainard of Aldus, Mark Eppley of Traveling Software, Ed Esber of
|
||
Ashton-Tate, Bill Gates of Microsoft, Fred Gibbons of Software
|
||
Publishing, Trip Hawkins with Electronic Arts, Roger Johnson from
|
||
Western Digital, and Bill Krause and Bob Metcalf of 3-Com.
|
||
Brainard, Gates and Krause spoke.))
|
||
Tandy President, CEO, and Chairman John V. Roach expressed
|
||
Tandy's commitment to product value, unique technologically
|
||
innovative products, and providing compatibility with existing
|
||
and future operating systems, user-interface and connectivity
|
||
environments and applications software. He spoke of key strategic
|
||
directions including simplification of computer use and a
|
||
"building block" selection of system configuration options.
|
||
TANDY 4000 WITH 80386
|
||
Stating, "The 80386 is now an affordable option for all
|
||
users," Roach introduced the new Tandy 4000 personal computer.
|
||
This 16Mhz, 80386-based PC, priced at $2,599, uses software based
|
||
on the latest MS- DOS and UNIX operating systems, and is "OS/2
|
||
ready" for future applications. The 4000 comes with one 3.5-inch
|
||
1.44-megabyte (Mb) floppy disk drive. Two additional storage
|
||
device slots let the buyer choose the options needed from a broad
|
||
range of 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch floppies, hard disks, and
|
||
internal cartridge or tape backup systems.
|
||
Also included are nine expansion slots, 1Mb RAM (expandable
|
||
to 16Mb), serial and parallel ports, and keylock. Currently-owned
|
||
and widely available expansion options are supported through two
|
||
"XT" and six "AT"-compatible slots. One 32-bit slot is dedicated
|
||
to memory expansion.
|
||
TANDY 3000 AND 3000 HL UPGRADED
|
||
The popular 80286-based Tandy 3000 computer received a speed
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 16 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
increase to 12 Mhz, a keylock/chassis locking system, and a lower
|
||
price of $1,999. At $1,499, the lowest priced of Tandy's "OS/2
|
||
Ready", 80286- based 3000 family is the Tandy 3000 HL computer.
|
||
It now includes a 101- key enhanced keyboard, and keylock system.
|
||
(( Although there is no longer officially a "3000 HD", our 1988
|
||
catalog lists system prices for the 3000 and 3000 HL when
|
||
purchased with a 20 or 40 Mb hard drive and controller.))
|
||
Roach revealed reliability statistics (held in confidence by
|
||
most manufacturers) for Tandy's 3000 family, which included a
|
||
calculated Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of over 58,000 hours,
|
||
and end user out-of- box failure rate of less than one percent.
|
||
DYNAMITE SOFTWARE AND NEW LOW-COST NETWORK !
|
||
((This is one you won't find reviewed in the monthly
|
||
magazines... we kept a few things up our corporate sleeve when we
|
||
previewed products to them.))
|
||
Roach announced a new Professional DeskMate integrated
|
||
software product scheduled for bundling with Tandy 3000 operating
|
||
system options in the fourth quarter of this year. It will be
|
||
available for other PC- compatible products as well. This new
|
||
version of a Tandy-designed favorite uses pull-down menus, pop-up
|
||
dialogue boxes, and features mouse, joystick or simple keyboard
|
||
control. New and considerably enhanced features have been
|
||
tailored specifically to office use.
|
||
The most significant change is a utility called DeskLink
|
||
which allows small workgroups to share a common calendar, phone
|
||
directory, an electronic mail system, file transfers, and even
|
||
share a printer. Connectivity options range from a simple RS-232
|
||
cable for two users, to sophisticated networks such as the one
|
||
Radio Shack offers from 3Com Corporation.
|
||
Available along with the Professional DeskMate software will
|
||
be a very low-cost network hardware interface called TandyLink.
|
||
This "twisted-pair" system is ideal for connecting Professional
|
||
DeskMate workgroups. TandyLink is not only compatible with the
|
||
AppleTalk network system but can run three times faster than
|
||
their normal speed. (( Yes, this means using the proper
|
||
third-party software such as TOPS from Centram, Macintosh and
|
||
Tandy computers can network together.))
|
||
Delivering on the company's promise to make networking
|
||
simple ((and inexpensive)) enough for everyone, these products
|
||
provide a "plug in and go" workgroup system, requiring no special
|
||
training or expert user to install, implement and use.
|
||
PC-COMPATIBLE LAPTOP
|
||
The company's entry into the PC-compatible laptop market,
|
||
the new Tandy 1400 LT computer answers a common MS-DOS laptop
|
||
complaint of short battery life by providing a unique, removable
|
||
rechargeable battery pack. The $1,599 unit is based on a
|
||
high-performance NEC V-20 microprocessor and features the latest
|
||
high-contrast "backlit supertwist" liquid crystal display
|
||
technology, two 3.5-inch 720-kilobyte (Kb) disk drives, and 768Kb
|
||
memory. Additional standard features include 76-key keyboard,
|
||
real time clock, parallel and serial ports, input socket for a
|
||
101-key enhanced keyboard, and outputs for RGBI and composite
|
||
video monitors. (( One visiting editor - who happens to be a
|
||
laptop computer devotee - told me our screen is by far the best
|
||
he has seen yet.))
|
||
TWO ADDITIONAL TANDY 1000 COMPUTERS PROVIDE SPEED,
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 17 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
NEW DIMENSION IN EASE OF USE
|
||
Two additions to Tandy's best-selling 1000 family were
|
||
shown. Operating at three times the speed of IBM's latest PS/2
|
||
Model 30, and over six times the speed of the PC/XT, the new
|
||
$1,199 Tandy 1000 TX computer brings 80286 speed to the PC/XT
|
||
market. The TX comes with 640Kb memory, one 3.5-inch 720Kb floppy
|
||
drive plus one open drive slot, joystick, serial and parallel
|
||
ports, enhanced CGA graphics, three-voice sound, headphone jack
|
||
and volume control, MS-DOS and GW-BASIC software, and a new
|
||
enhanced version of Tandy's DeskMate 2 program. The Tandy 1000 TX
|
||
computer offers unmatched speed and value in a low-cost,
|
||
American- made brand name PC. ((One prominent industry analyst
|
||
called the TX an "absolute killer machine."))
|
||
The Tandy 1000 HX computer is a truly functional one-drive
|
||
PC- compatible, designed to provide a new dimension in ease of
|
||
use, without any sacrifice in performance. Tandy executives say
|
||
the $699 HX's unique features represent more technology per
|
||
dollar than any other MS-DOS computer can claim. The MS-DOS
|
||
operating system is contained in read only memory (ROM),
|
||
eliminating the need for an ever-present MS-DOS disk.
|
||
The HX also features an Electrically Erasable Programmable
|
||
(by the user) Read Only Memory (EEPROM), which stores system
|
||
configuration and user-selected start-up information, for "Power
|
||
and Run" operation. The user can specify processor speed, an
|
||
external drive as the primary drive, immediate power-on execution
|
||
of the Personal DeskMate 2 program, a utility menu, or a selected
|
||
application program (in lieu of DOS). A user never has to see the
|
||
MS-DOS "A>" prompt or worry with switch- selected configuration
|
||
options.
|
||
Students can insert a program disk, turn the power on, and
|
||
see their lesson on-screen with no intermediate steps... a unique
|
||
capability available in no other personal computer system.
|
||
Supplied with one 3.5-inch 720Kb drive, the HX will accept a
|
||
second 3.5-inch internal drive, and an external 5.25-inch drive.
|
||
Standard memory is 256Kb, expandable to 640Kb.
|
||
Portions of Personal DeskMate 2 are included in ROM for fast
|
||
operation. The HX also includes printer and joystick ports,
|
||
three-voice sound, headphone jack and volume control, plus
|
||
enhanced CGA graphics.
|
||
80286 UPGRADE FOR 1000 & 1000 SX
|
||
Citing Tandy's commitment to superior value, Roach announced
|
||
a move rarely seen in the PC industry - a technology upgrade for
|
||
existing products. Owners of existing Tandy 1000 and 1000 SX
|
||
computers will be offered an accessory 80286 board which replaces
|
||
their original 8088 processor for faster performance.
|
||
PERSONAL DESKMATE IMPROVED
|
||
Enhanced Personal DeskMate 2 software is included with the
|
||
Tandy 1000 TX and 1000 HX personal computers. Especially when
|
||
used with a mouse, it brings a graphics-oriented user interface -
|
||
rivaling the best available today, yet in color - to low-cost PC
|
||
compatible computers. This multi-function software product takes
|
||
advantage of the 1000 family's "enhanced" CGA graphics.
|
||
Simplified keyboard control of pull- down menus and pop-up
|
||
dialogue boxes has been added, along with a music composition
|
||
program. Also, "Paint" is expanded from four to 16 colors. Cursor
|
||
control options include mouse, joystick, or keyboard.
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 18 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
NEW LASER PRINTER ANNOUNCED
|
||
To fully implement low-cost desktop publishing based on
|
||
Tandy's 3000 family and new 4000, the company introduced the LP
|
||
1000, a $2,199 laser printer. The unit features full-page (1.5Mb)
|
||
memory and on-board controller, and produces six pages per minute
|
||
in Tandy, IBM, and HP LaserJet Plus-compatible modes, with 300 x
|
||
300 dot-per-inch resolution.
|
||
NEW DOT-MATRIX PRINTERS
|
||
Two new dot-matrix printers were shown. The DMP 2120 is a
|
||
$1,599, PC-compatible, 240 character per second letter-quality
|
||
printer with color ribbon option. A 24-wire print head can
|
||
produce a variety of internal or downloaded fonts. A push-type
|
||
"zero tear" tractor is supplied.
|
||
The DMP 440 is a 300 character per second, PC-compatible
|
||
nine-wire 132-column printer, selling for $699. It also accepts
|
||
downloaded fonts in addition to those supplied.
|
||
NEW CELLULAR PHONES INCLUDE HAND-HELD PORTABLE
|
||
Included in the announcement were two new Radio Shack
|
||
cellular telephones, giving the company three versatile models.
|
||
The CT-300 portable cellular telephone is an ultra-small,
|
||
battery- powered, hand-held unit no larger than many cordless
|
||
phones. Advanced features include 40-number memory, one-button
|
||
re-dial, dial lock, and lighted LCD multi-function display. The
|
||
CT-300 is supplied with built-in rechargeable battery pack,
|
||
portable antenna, carrying case and strap, for $1,499.
|
||
The new CT-100 phone is a low-cost, feature-rich mobile unit
|
||
delivering full 3-watt performance. Complete with handset,
|
||
speaker and visor microphone, the CT-100 retails for $799.
|
||
An improved version of Radio Shack's popular 3-watt
|
||
Transportable Cellular Telephone (mobile mount or
|
||
battery-operated portable) continues at $1,199. (Portable adapter
|
||
and batteries optional).
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
So there you have the news. All of the products are detailed
|
||
in our new 124-page 1988 Tandy Computer Catalog & Software
|
||
Reference Guide. It should be showing up in your neighborhood
|
||
stores within the next few days. I think you'll be as excited as
|
||
we are about the line. You'll also see "first looks" in most of
|
||
the major computer trade journals over the next couple of months.
|
||
There is plenty to see in the new catalog. For example,
|
||
there's a 40-Mb internal tape cartridge (backup) system, selling
|
||
for only $699. Most tape systems are pre-configured to either XT
|
||
or AT formats, and are not interchangeable. Ours works with
|
||
either. I don't want to spoil your fun, so that's the only
|
||
additional "teaser" I'll give you.
|
||
Yes, this was an MS-DOS announcement. No, there wasn't
|
||
another version of the CoCo, Model 4D or 6000, but those products
|
||
continue in our 1988 catalog. The only computer not listed in
|
||
this one is the Tandy 2000. See you next month...
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Material contained herein may be reproduced in whole or in
|
||
part in user group newsletters. Please quote source as Tandy
|
||
Corporation/Radio Shack.
|
||
Send questions/topic suggestions to:
|
||
Ed Juge, director of market planning
|
||
Radio Shack
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 19 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
1700 One Tandy Center
|
||
Fort Worth, TX 76102
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 20 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
From: Robert Heller, SysOp of Locks Hill BBS 321/148
|
||
|
||
FidoNet Node ID's: Names or Numbers?
|
||
|
||
1. Introduction.
|
||
|
||
Although I am new to FidoNet, I have had some experience
|
||
using other network mail systems (including local DECNet and
|
||
ARPANet (by way of CSNet)). The big machine mail networks use
|
||
names for nodes at the user level - that is users don't need to
|
||
know the network address numbers for the nodes they send mail to,
|
||
all that is handled by the mailer software at one level or
|
||
another. It seems to me that FidoNet has gotten big enough to
|
||
also move in this direction. I don't mean that we should
|
||
eleminate the nodelist and the node numbers, just to phase out
|
||
the use of raw network node numbers as part of user-visible mail
|
||
headers.
|
||
|
||
2. Motivation.
|
||
|
||
The motivation for going to a named node identification at
|
||
the user level is to help users in understanding the network
|
||
address. It is usually easier to remember someone (and to refer
|
||
to someone) by name rather than by say a telephone number or a
|
||
zip-code. The translation from a person's name to their
|
||
telephone number (needed to call them on the phone) is done with
|
||
a telephone directory. The same can be done with FidoNet node
|
||
names. We already have the directory - the nodelist itself! With
|
||
named-node addressing at the BBS level users can refer to netmail
|
||
destinations by *name* rather than by network node id numbers.
|
||
|
||
3. Proposed Syntax
|
||
|
||
Since there are alot of nodes (more than 2100), we will
|
||
probably still need a multi-part addressing scheme. I propose
|
||
the following syntax (which is much like what is used on
|
||
ARPANet):
|
||
|
||
user-name @ point-name.node-name.net-name.zone-name
|
||
|
||
with the provision that trailing parts can be dropped when they
|
||
are the same as the parts in the local nodes address. That means
|
||
that nodes in the same network only need specify the point and
|
||
node names. Point names can also be dropped if the destination is
|
||
a node rather than a point. For example:
|
||
|
||
Robert Heller @ Locks Hill BBS.MassNet West.USA Canada
|
||
|
||
is the same as
|
||
|
||
Robert Heller @ 1:321/148
|
||
|
||
(There are no points under Locks Hill BBS.)
|
||
|
||
The ".USA Canada" part can be dropped if sent from a node in zone
|
||
1 and ".MassNet West.USA Canada" can be dropped if sent from
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 21 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
another node in network 321 (MassNet West).
|
||
|
||
4. Conclusion
|
||
|
||
This scheme can be implemented in future versions of BBS
|
||
programs. It could even be implemented without changing the
|
||
format of message files as they exist on disk. Fido (or Opus,
|
||
etc.) would simply display the message header with names
|
||
replacing network and node numbers and users entering netmail
|
||
would just enter network and node names, which would be
|
||
translated by the BBS software to *internal* network numbers.
|
||
Users would never see network or node numbers. The numbers would
|
||
still exist, since they are needed to resolve routing and in cost
|
||
accounting and in the mail packets. That is, the software
|
||
involved in transporting the mail message would use numbers and
|
||
users would only see names, with the BBS software performing the
|
||
translatation interface.
|
||
|
||
This is just a idea of mine that I am tossing out to the
|
||
readership of FidoNews. If you have comments on this idea send
|
||
me netmail. Or write a counter-proposal. I am not commited to
|
||
the syntax I proposed. Other syntaxes are certainly posible.
|
||
|
||
Robert Heller
|
||
EMail addresses:
|
||
ARPANet: Heller@CS.UMass.EDU
|
||
BITNET: Heller@UMass.BITNET
|
||
BIX: Heller
|
||
GENIE: RHeller
|
||
CompuServ: 71450,3432 <- CIS uses primitive software!
|
||
FidoNet: 321/148, Locks Hill BBS.MassNet West
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 22 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Dallas Mafia
|
||
Opus 124/xxx
|
||
|
||
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| |
|
||
| Chisolm's Third Law, Corollary 2: |
|
||
| If you do something which you are sure will meet with |
|
||
| everyone's approval, somebody won't like it. |
|
||
| |
|
||
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
|
||
Making File Requests using Fido<tm>
|
||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|
||
|
||
Opus-Cbcs v1.03 allows WaZOO File Requests from non-WaZOO
|
||
systems.
|
||
|
||
For example, if you run a Fido<tm> system, you can now make file
|
||
requests to an Opus system. Naturally, this assumes the Opus
|
||
sysop supports file requests.
|
||
|
||
This file describes the method for making file requests to an
|
||
Opus-Cbcs v1.03+ system. It can be used by any netmail program
|
||
capable of sending/receiving "file attaches".
|
||
|
||
+---------------------------+
|
||
| |
|
||
| "Who's LoTek?" |
|
||
| "Not us boss..." |
|
||
| |
|
||
| --- William Gibson |
|
||
| |
|
||
+---------------------------+
|
||
|
||
It really is simpler than it looks. In a nutshell, you build a
|
||
text file that lists all the files you want. Then you send that
|
||
file to the Opus system using the "file attach" mechanism of your
|
||
netmail software, and Opus will send back the files. There
|
||
really is nothing more complicated than that... nevertheless,
|
||
here are some step-by-step instructions in agonizing detail:
|
||
|
||
1. Create a file called `aaaabbbb.REQ'.
|
||
|
||
`aaaa' is a 4-digit hex number that is the net
|
||
of the Opus system you are calling.
|
||
|
||
`bbbb' is a 4-digit hex number that is the node
|
||
of the Opus system you are calling.
|
||
|
||
EXAMPLES:
|
||
|
||
00010002.REQ ... a WaZOO request for 1/2.
|
||
038493e8.REQ ... a WaZOO request for 900/1000.
|
||
|
||
2. Use a text editor to list the files you are
|
||
requesting. Put one file name to a line, and end the
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 23 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
line with a <cr> or <cr/lf>. The file name should NOT
|
||
contain a drive or path. You can use wildcards in the
|
||
.REQ file.
|
||
|
||
The .REQ file is a garden-variety text file. You can
|
||
create it with any text editor that produces plain
|
||
ASCII files.
|
||
|
||
3. Transmit the file to the Opus system like you would
|
||
any other `file attach'.
|
||
|
||
4. When the session turns around (ie. when Opus starts
|
||
transmitting to you), it will send any files you have
|
||
requested which are available for transmission.
|
||
|
||
NOTE 1: There are two reserved file names. The Opus
|
||
sysop has to support them, but most do. These
|
||
two file names are special signals to Opus,
|
||
and the name of the file you actually receive
|
||
will be called whatever the Opus sysop wants
|
||
to call them.
|
||
|
||
ABOUT ... If you request the file "About"
|
||
you will probably get a short
|
||
summary of the Opus system. You
|
||
will also get the file designated
|
||
as the Opus system's ABOUT file
|
||
if the Opus system can't fulfill
|
||
one of your requests.
|
||
|
||
FILES ... If you request the file "Files"
|
||
you will probably get a listing
|
||
of the files available to file
|
||
requests.
|
||
|
||
NOTE 2: Some files may be password protected. If
|
||
that's the case for the file you want, put
|
||
the password behind a bang character on the
|
||
same line as the file name in the .REQ file.
|
||
Like this:
|
||
|
||
filename !pswrd
|
||
|
||
That's the file name followed by a single
|
||
space, followed by a bang ("!") followed by
|
||
the password followed by a <cr>. A password
|
||
has six or fewer characters.
|
||
|
||
|
||
NOTES
|
||
-----
|
||
|
||
* If your software requires it, don't forget to enable PICKUP.
|
||
|
||
* This only works if you initiate the call. If the Opus system
|
||
is calling you, you cannot make a file request. In other
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 24 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
words, the whole thing has to be on your nickle.
|
||
|
||
* If there is some kind of fatal transmission trouble while
|
||
you are receiving the requested file(s), just call back with
|
||
a "poll." Assuming the .REQ file made it okay, the Opus
|
||
system will remember what files you have requested. You
|
||
should not send the .REQ file more than once... unless
|
||
you want two copies of everything.
|
||
|
||
* There is a utility available that will do the file-attach for
|
||
you, with a proper .REQ file. it is called WZ_SRC.ARC and is
|
||
available from 124/111, 161/1, and 150/1 (as well as other
|
||
places I don't know about.)
|
||
|
||
+-------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| |
|
||
| "Arrogance is the mother of invention." |
|
||
| |
|
||
| --- Guido Palermo |
|
||
| Opus ByLaws & Covert Action Committee |
|
||
| |
|
||
+-------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
|
||
VOCABULARY
|
||
----------
|
||
|
||
OO ........ "Opus outbound"
|
||
|
||
LoTek ..... 1. a street gang in a cyberpunk novel
|
||
2. the netmail method that involves
|
||
XModem and TeLink (or TeLink variety)
|
||
for file transfer.
|
||
|
||
WaZOO ..... "Warp-Zillion Opus-To-Opus", netmail
|
||
system used when one Opus talks to
|
||
another Opus.
|
||
|
||
WaZOO is a collection of protocols.
|
||
Right now, Opus supports two WaZOO
|
||
protocols: DietIfna and ZedZap.
|
||
|
||
DietIfna... A streamlined LoTek available to WaZOO
|
||
systems. In fact, if you are talking to
|
||
an Opus sysop, he/she will probably refer
|
||
to the file request method described here
|
||
as "DietIfna WaZOO File Request."
|
||
|
||
ZedZap..... The WaZOO protocol used most of the time.
|
||
File transfers are done using ZModem.
|
||
|
||
B-) ....... The symbol for a smiling Opus sysop
|
||
wearing mirror shades.
|
||
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| |
|
||
| There are two kinds of people in the world... |
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 25 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
| those that divide things into two catagories, |
|
||
| and those that don't. |
|
||
| |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------+
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 26 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
COLUMNS
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
O r i g i n : A n g e v i n E m p i r e
|
||
|
||
Issue #1: Echomail and PC-Pursuit
|
||
Aaron Priven (1:161/1154)
|
||
|
||
|
||
_Origin: Angevin Empire_ commences as a semi-regular column
|
||
(semi-regular means that I'll try to write it on schedule, but no
|
||
promises) in this issue of FidoNews.
|
||
|
||
Usually, with the start of a work of this sort, the whys and
|
||
wherefores of the work are found, and submitted to public
|
||
display. Sadly, I feel this cannot be the case with this column.
|
||
In looking for a good, logical reason to write a column for
|
||
FidoNews, nothing seems to fit. I would like to entertain; I
|
||
hope to make people laugh; and I wish to be informative.
|
||
Nevertheless, I cannot promise to be any of these things.
|
||
Further, I cannot delude myself that my view is more important
|
||
than, or has special qualities not found in the viewpoints of
|
||
others. And I cannot believe that I am the only one who wishes
|
||
to write. So I leave you without a reason. I hope despite this
|
||
that you find a purpose in my work.
|
||
|
||
_Origin: Angevin Empire_ has no one particular subject. The
|
||
first few columns have already been written, and are about the
|
||
Matrix, but that doesn't mean that a column down the way won't be
|
||
about the shapes of floppy disks, or my high school, or the
|
||
vicissitudes of file cabinet manufacture.
|
||
|
||
In any case, I do hope you enjoy reading _Origin: Angevin
|
||
Empire_, and please, help me to write better columns by giving me
|
||
feedback. In many of my columns (including this one) I will
|
||
write about ideas I have had, and in all probablility many of the
|
||
ideas expressed will be infeasible or simply dumb; please, always
|
||
feel free to tell me in fine language just how dumb they are.
|
||
|
||
-------
|
||
|
||
Do you all remember the commercials for "Reese's Peanut Butter
|
||
Cups," in which chocolate lovers and peanut lovers put them
|
||
together and find that they're better than they were apart? I
|
||
hope I can be in the position of catalyzing the combination of
|
||
PC-Pursuit and echomail.
|
||
|
||
I was reading a bunch of PC-Pursuit ads I found on a BBS the
|
||
other day, when I started to think about how all my local sysops
|
||
are routing things through PC-Pursuit for echomail. I suddenly
|
||
realized that there was a lot of routing going on that wasn't
|
||
really necessary.
|
||
|
||
Take a theoretical example. A local node routes echomail
|
||
through PC-Pursuit to a nearby city (call it Aarongrad); tolls
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 27 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
are $0.08/minute. He gets PC-Pursuit and routes for free -- to
|
||
Aarongrad. Aarongrad routes through Bell lines to Fidoville, who
|
||
routes through PC-Pursuit to Opus City. Opus City routes through
|
||
PC-Pursuit to Seadogtown, on BOC lines to Compaqia, on PC-Pursuit
|
||
to La Computadora ... It's a long, long chain.
|
||
|
||
The problem with the long chain is, of course, that it takes a
|
||
week to get from our "local node" to "Nomansland". Now I know
|
||
that this isn't entirely the case -- we have backbones and other
|
||
such things that make it faster. But nevertheless, one hears of
|
||
the "10-day limit". That's too long! And in the main, the reason
|
||
for this is because PC-Pursuit is not being used to its fullest
|
||
advantage.
|
||
|
||
It seems to me that there is a good alternative to the long
|
||
chain, using PC-Pursuit. A new unit in the Matrix could be
|
||
introduced: the Echomail Distribution Center. There probably
|
||
should be one per echomail conference, although this is not cast
|
||
in stone; the point is that there would be a _lot_ of traffic. An
|
||
EDC would be: a Matrix node, that can both make and receive PC-
|
||
Pursuit calls, that is set up to talk to _all_ PC-Pursuit-able
|
||
nodes carrying the conferences that the EDC supports. The
|
||
following would be done by the EDC:
|
||
|
||
Keep track of all nodes carrying the conference;
|
||
Make outbound calls to _all_ PC-Pursuitable nodes
|
||
carrying the conference; and
|
||
Accept inbound calls from any nodes carrying the
|
||
conference.
|
||
|
||
This way, any node either in a PC-Pursuit city, or who uses
|
||
PC-Pursuit themselves, will have the fastest turnaround possible.
|
||
|
||
And to carry a conference, all one has to do is send a netmail
|
||
message to the EDC; no routing (or weekly pleas in SYSOP), no
|
||
worrying, no hassles.
|
||
|
||
In many areas, even those without PC-Pursuit and outside of a
|
||
PC-Pursuit area will have their service improved; more than
|
||
likely those people get or can get their feeds from PC-Pursuit
|
||
subscribers, and thus will have if not one-day turnaround, two-
|
||
or three-day turnaround. In any case there is nothing stopping
|
||
them from continuing their current routing.
|
||
|
||
There are some drawbacks to this plan. Mainly, PC-Pursuit is
|
||
not always "up" and is rather slow. This is something that has
|
||
already been evidenced; my local node routes things via PC-
|
||
Pursuit and was without TECH, COMM, and ECPROG for quite a while.
|
||
This will happen only rarely, however, and I think will not
|
||
affect the conference all that much; PC-Pursuit is up most of the
|
||
time. As for slowness, that is largely solved by more up-to-date
|
||
transfer protocols and I think will not be a problem in the
|
||
future. Another drawback is that it isn't possible to extend this
|
||
system internationally; still, it doesn't hurt the overseas nodes
|
||
to have fast US service.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 28 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
There is also the fact that for a large conference like TECH,
|
||
it takes a lot of time and disk space to process all that mail.
|
||
If necessary, there could be two or three EDC's for a single
|
||
conference; odd-numbered nodes call EDC #1, and even-numbered
|
||
nodes call EDC #2. The good thing about this plan is that the
|
||
EDC's do not have to be shared geographically, making two EDC's
|
||
in the same city just as valuable as one in New York and one in
|
||
Los Angeles.
|
||
|
||
Finally, there is the $5 packet/switched network charge that
|
||
may come forth in January. I can only reply that if we all try,
|
||
and write letters, it may not happen; and we can always go back.
|
||
|
||
Apologies to all who may have thought of this idea first, and
|
||
of whom I have not heard (which I'm sure is a lot!)
|
||
|
||
(This was written about a month ago, and since then I have
|
||
learned more about how much traffic an Echomail area really
|
||
entails; and more about the "backbone". I don't now believe one
|
||
EDC per conference is really viable for any but the smallest
|
||
conferences. Nevertheless, the major idea of the column --
|
||
geographic irrelevance -- still stands.)
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 29 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
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 1:1/1.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Latest Software Versions
|
||
|
||
BBS Systems Node List Other
|
||
& Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
Dutchie 2.51 EditNL 3.3 ARC 5.21
|
||
Fido 12* MakeNL 1.10* ARCmail 1.0
|
||
Opus 1.03a Prune 1.40 ConfMail 3.00
|
||
SEAdog 4.10* XlatList 2.84* EchoMail 1.31
|
||
TBBS 2.0M MGM 1.0
|
||
|
||
* Recently changed
|
||
|
||
Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by
|
||
reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list
|
||
all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 30 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
|
||
ORDER FORM
|
||
|
||
Publications
|
||
|
||
The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido
|
||
1/10 or other FidoNet compatible systems, or by purchasing them
|
||
directly from IFNA. We ask that all our IFNA Committee Chairmen
|
||
provide us with the latest versions of each publication, but we
|
||
can make no written guarantees.
|
||
|
||
IFNA Fido BBS listing $15.00 _____
|
||
IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs $10.00 _____
|
||
IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs $10.00 _____
|
||
|
||
Special offers for IFNA members ONLY:
|
||
|
||
System Enhancement Associates SEAdog $60.00 _____
|
||
ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member.
|
||
|
||
Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet $65.00 _____
|
||
ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member.
|
||
As of November 1, 1987 price will increase to
|
||
$100. Orders including checks for $65 will be
|
||
returned after October 31, 1987.
|
||
|
||
SUBTOTAL _____
|
||
|
||
Missouri Residents add 5.725 % Sales tax _____
|
||
|
||
International orders include $5.00 for
|
||
surface shipping or $15.00 for air shipping _____
|
||
|
||
TOTAL _____
|
||
|
||
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO:
|
||
IFNA
|
||
P.O. Box 41143
|
||
St. Louis, Missouri 63141 USA
|
||
|
||
|
||
Name________________________________
|
||
Net/Node____/____
|
||
Company_____________________________
|
||
Address_____________________________
|
||
City____________________ State____________ Zip_____
|
||
Voice Phone_________________________
|
||
|
||
|
||
Signature___________________________
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 4-34 Page 31 7 Sep 1987
|
||
|
||
|
||
__
|
||
The World's First / \
|
||
BBS Network /|oo \
|
||
* FidoNet * (_| /_)
|
||
_`@/_ \ _
|
||
| | \ \\
|
||
| (*) | \ ))
|
||
______ |__U__| / \//
|
||
/ Fido \ _//|| _\ /
|
||
(________) (_/(_|(____/ (jm)
|
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Membership for the International FidoNet Association
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Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that
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pays an annual specified membership fee. IFNA serves the
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international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to
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increase worldwide communications. **
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Name _________________________________ Date ________
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Address ______________________________
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City & State _________________________
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Country_______________________________
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Phone (Voice) ________________________
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Net/Node Number ______________________
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Board Name____________________________
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Phone (Data) _________________________
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Baud Rate Supported___________________
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Board Restrictions____________________
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Special Interests_____________________
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______________________________________
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______________________________________
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Is there some area where you would be
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willing to help out in FidoNet?_______
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______________________________________
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______________________________________
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Send your membership form and a check or money order for $25 to:
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International FidoNet Association
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P. O. Box 41143
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St Louis, Missouri 63141
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USA
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Thank you for your membership! Your participation will help to
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insure the future of FidoNet.
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** Please NOTE that IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization
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and Articles of Association and By-Laws were adopted by the
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membership in January 1987. The first elected Board of
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Directors was filled in August 1987. The IFNA Echomail
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Conference has been established on FidoNet to assist the
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Board. We welcome your input on this Conference.
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