888 lines
41 KiB
Plaintext
888 lines
41 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 5, Number 9 29 February 1988
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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 Dale Lovell
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Editor Emeritus: Thom Henderson
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Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
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Contributing Editors: Al Arango
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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 1988 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. IFNA may also be contacted
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at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141.
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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. We publish EVERYTHING
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received.
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Table of Contents
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1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
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Southern Colorado gets new Area Code ..................... 1
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DASNet - Linking FidoNet to Commercial E-Mail Systems .... 2
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Delta Airlines Supports Fidocon '88 ...................... 4
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Treasurer's Report of IFNA for 1987 ...................... 5
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What's in a Name? ........................................ 7
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Informed Consent BOR crap for those willing to listen .... 9
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TRAIN A New Echo for Model Trains ........................ 10
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2. COLUMNS .................................................. 11
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The Apple Core - Security: Intro, Session ................ 11
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Let's YACK about AlterNet ................................ 14
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3. NOTICES .................................................. 16
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The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 16
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Latest Software Versions ................................. 16
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 1 29 Feb 1988
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Richard Evers
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Node 128/11 Host for Net 128
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Colorado splits into two area codes
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(303 and 719)
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On March 5th, the state of Colorado will be split into two
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area codes. The current area code of 303 will remain with
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the city of Denver, the North and Western parts of the state.
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The new area code of 719, will be assigned to the Southeastern
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parts of Colorado. The cities of Colorado Springs, Pueblo will
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be in the new area code. Please consult your telephone directory,
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or you local phone company for more information.
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Since Net 128 is directly effective by this change, the Nodediff
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on March 4th will reflect this change. If you are using a modem
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program to directly call Southern Colorado, you need to note, and
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make this change.
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Since area code 303 has all but run out of prefixes, it is likely
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that calls to area code 303 will only work for 30 days after the
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change, if you are calling the new code area. After which, you may
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be surprised if you get a wrong number, or a non working number.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 2 29 Feb 1988
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DASNet - Linking FidoNet to Commercial E-Mail Systems
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David Dodell
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FidoNet 1:114/15 or 1:1/0
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I have been in contact with a commercial firm which links up
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various electronic mail systems with each other. They have
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expressed an interest in linking into FidoNet. This would give
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commercial electronic mail users the ability to send and receive
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mail from FidoNet addresses.
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While many would say that FidoNet should not be exploited for
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commercial gain, it would allow FidoNet users the ability to send
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mail to commercial e-mail systems without having to subscribe to
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the multiple various systems out there.
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I am not saying that we should do so, but rather soliciting
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comments if we should pursue this further. If you are interested
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please send mail to either myself or to the marking manager of
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the DASNet system, Anna Lange.
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Anna can be contacted via my node by sending mail to the user
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"Usenet" at FidoNet node 114/15 and placing the following in the
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first line of the body of the message:
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To: asuvax!noao!decvax!sun!11.DAS.NET!AnnaB
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Below is a description and information I received about their
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system. Again, I am only interested in comments at this time.
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The DASnet(R) Network--DASnet Subscriptions:
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WHEN YOU ASK SOMEONE FOR AN ELECTRONIC MAIL ADDRESS, YOU CAN
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PROBABLY REACH THEM--REGARDLESS OF THE SYSTEM THEY USE !!
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A DASnet Subscription allows you to exchange electronic mail (e-
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mail) with anyone on more than 20 systems and networks,
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INCLUDING:
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ATT Mail, DASnet(R) Network, DCMETA, Dialcom(SM), EIES,
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EasyLink(R), Envoy 100(TM), FAX, GeoMail, MCI Mail(R), NWI(R),
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PeaceNet/EcoNet, Portal Communications(TM), The Source(R),
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Telemail(R), ATI's Telemail (Japan), Telex, TWICS (Japan),
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UNISON(R), UUCP, The WELL, Domains e.g. ".COM" and ".EDU".
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If you currently use one of the systems mentioned above, you can
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order a DASnet Subscription now. For more information, please
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call 408-559-7434.
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ADVANTAGES:
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* NOTHING NEW TO JOIN OR LEARN. You continue to use the e-mail
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or conference system you already use on a regular basis--your
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home system. There's no need to join another system for e-
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 3 29 Feb 1988
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mail. All you need is your DASnet Subscription.
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* EXCHANGE E-MAIL with nearly 3 MILLION people--even if they
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use systems to which you are not a member.
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* JUST CHECK ONE MAILBOX--EVER. Your e-mail is delivered to
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your mailbox at your home system on a daily basis (on some
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systems, more often). Your home system is the only one you
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ever need to check for electronic mail.
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To send e-mail through DASnet, you send the message to the DASnet
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account on your home system. You receive e-mail at your mailbox,
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as you do now.
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YOU ALWAYS USE YOUR HOME SYSTEM, with which you've become
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familiar and comfortable. You never need to learn new menus,
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editors, or commands.
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HOW MUCH DOES A SUBSCRIPTION TO THE DASnet NETWORK COST?
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A Subscription costs only only $4.50/month ($5.50/mo. for hosts
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located outside of the U.S.).
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You are also charged for each message that you send. If you are
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corresponding with someone who is not a DASnet Subscriber, you
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also pay to receive e-mail they send you. (Sorry, it costs us so
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we have to bill you. This is the only way that we could offer
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you the service of making all of these systems available to you.)
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For example, here are charges for a couple of messages.
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1. Jane (on UUCP) sends a 2000-character message to John (who
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uses The Source). The message will cost her 74 cents.
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2. Robert (on MCI Mail in the U.S.) sends a 2000-character
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message to Rachel (using GeoMail in England). The message
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costs only $1.70.
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- Also, consider the value of receiving e-mail on a daily basis
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at your home system--no more worry about urgent messages
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waiting for you at the system you check only weekly.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 4 29 Feb 1988
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--+-- FIDOCON '88 NEWS FLASH --+--
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Cincinnati - DELTA Airlines in cooperation with The
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International Fidonet Association announced today they will
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provide special air travel rates to the meeting August 25-28 here
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in Cincinnati. "Travelers can expect to save 40%-75% off
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regular coach fares", Delta spokesperson Laverne Wright said.
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"Delta has set up a toll free 800 registration number for the
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event".
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"We are very excited about Delta's commitment", said Tim
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Sullivan, Chairperson of this year's conference. "I think that
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this will help to make Fidocon more accessible to Fidonet
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members".
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Delta is offering a 5% discount off ALL Delta's published
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round-trip fares INCLUDING SUPER SAVERS. Delta also said for
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those passengers NOT qualifying for any published discounts, a
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40% discount will be offered on Delta's domestic system for
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travel to Fidocon '88.
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To take advantage of all these discount conference attendees need
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only follow these simple steps:
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1. Call 1-800-241-6760 for your reservations 8:00am-8:00pm
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eastern time - Daily. Refer to FILE NUMBER N0059.
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or
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have your travel agent call Delta's tool free number to
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obtain the same advantages for you.
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2. Travel within the USA and San Juan only. (a 35% discount is
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applicable for travel from Canada)
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Delta noted that in order to take advantage of these discounts
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reservations must be made at least seven days in advance and must
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be made through Delta's toll free number.
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For more information contact your travel agent, Delta airlines at
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the toll free number, or Tim Sullivan at 108/62. Cincinnati has
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also set up a special registration node 1/88 for information and
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on-line registration.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 5 29 Feb 1988
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INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
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The accompanying treasurer's report of International FIDONET
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Association as of December 31, 1987 has been prepared by me.
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This report is the representation of the International FIDONET
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Board of Directors. I have not audited or reviewed this report
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and, accordingly, do not express an opinion or any other
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assurance on it.
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The International FIDONET Association Board of Directors has
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elected to omit substantially all of the disclosures (the
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Statements of Financial position, Results of Operations and
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Changes in Financial Position) required by generally accepted
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accounting principles. If the omitted disclosures were
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included in this report, they might influence the readers'
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conclusions about the association's financial position, results
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of operation, and changes in financial position. Accordingly,
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this report is not designed for those who are not informed
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about such matters.
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Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
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February 25, 1988
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INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
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TREASURER'S REPORT
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YEAR ENDING 12/31/87
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RECEIPTS/DEPOSITS
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Membership fees, sales, 17,515.59
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Interest earned 8.11
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Purchases (5,108.50) See Note 1
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Returned Checks (50.00)
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------------
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NET RECEIPTS/DEPOSITS 12,365.20
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DISBURSEMENTS
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Telephone 3,182.79
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Postage & Freight 590.96
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Legal & Accounting 2,210.50
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Bank Service Charges 156.28
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Office Expenses 499.56
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Meetings & Travel 3,471.40 See Note 2
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Licenses, Dues, etc. 259.95
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Refund of Overpayments 65.00
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Total Disbursements 10,436.44
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------------
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EXCESS OF RECEIPTS OVER DISBURSEMENTS 1,928.76
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ADD: BEGINNING BALANCE OF ACCOUNT 2,749.28
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------------
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BALANCE 4,678.04 See Note 3
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============
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 6 29 Feb 1988
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Note 1 - Item includes purchases of FIDO (tm) & SEAdog (tm)
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Software
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Note 2 - Item includes all disbursements for FidoCON4
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Note 3 - Balance in St. Louis Account $2,019.93
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Balance in Honolulu Account 2,658.11
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-----------
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$4,678.04
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===========
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---------------------------------------------------------------
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Any questions regarding the above report should be directed
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to IFNA at 1:1/10 or at P.O Box 41143, St. Louis MO 63141.
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All questions received become the property of IFNA and may
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be published by IFNA, at will, in its various forums.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 7 29 Feb 1988
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Greg Glynn
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The Airlock Hermitage
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3:712/502
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What's in a Name?
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*HOT MUDDY DUCK* Now there's a great name for a bulletin board! I
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don't know who he is but he gets my vote for Most Original Name for a
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bulletin board. Mind you, he's got plenty of competition in the
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originality department. I had a browse through the Nodelist recently
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(a little light reading) and found about 200 names which really
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standout as 'Above Average' in my opinion. Here's what I found.
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Some of these guys sound as if they had read headaches in trying to
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get their boards going! The Nervous System; Pipe Dream; The Town
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Cryer; Nightmare; Wits End; Krash #2; Mental Ward and Apocalypse.
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Once these next guys got started it seems that they formed their own
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secret societies: The Magic Unicorn; The Gathering; The Inner Circle
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and Magic Forest.
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These next names were a bit hard to classify. In one sense they're
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pretty obvious and in another way they're quite clever, I like the
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first one though: "I Have Decided"; Another Node; The Other BBS.
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A couple of these systems sound as if they're running MVS/XA rather
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than DOS 3.1: Deep Thought (Now there's a big computer!); Colossus;
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The Forbin Project; The IO Board; Mega Systems Online; Project Forty-
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Two and The Mega Monster. No shortage of MIPS there!
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Some quite clever "Play on words" too: The Ozone; Opus Pocus;
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Kat(h)'s Meow; NetMeg; Little Blue; Castle Opustein; Mobius Trip; Now
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& Zen; Log-on-the-Tyne and the Last Byte to name a few.
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And with a little imagination, a guy could get really carried away
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withthe next catagory - Dare I say it, Erotica: LoveLine; Sensual
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Encounter; Opus Orgy; Anything Goes; The Blow Torch; Pain Frame and
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finally The Gas Passer. Sounds like an episode of Dynasty.
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No shortage of Sci-Fi either! Forget about ALTERNET & SOUTHERNET,
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here comes CYBERNET: Cyber Zone; Cyber Space; Cyber Punk City; Cyber
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Babble; Cyber Foundation and CyberCom. A few more "cybers" and
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they'll have enough nodes to start Zone 4!
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Other Sci-Fi names too, like: Cygnus; House Adtreides; Moon Shadow;
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Forbidden Planet; SpaceNet; Starship Excalibur; Starlink; Entropy;
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Mind Meld; Time Traveller and Wally World (which isn't really Sci-Fi,
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I just wanted to see if you were paying attention).
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There are many BBS names which conjure up great mental images too.
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These are the boards which you might dial from 3,000 miles away out
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of shear curiosity: Dr Lizardos (expect an International Call in the
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near future Doc!); Family Skeletons; Whack!; The Bat Cave; The Toilet
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Seat (Great name! Gave *HOT MUDDY DUCK* a run for its money); The
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Fort Knox Files (If thats not a challenge to all you Hackaholics out
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there then I dont know what is!); 99 miles to somewhere; Ole Tin
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 8 29 Feb 1988
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Brain; This End up; Quagmire; Hard Weird; Radio KAOS and the Poison
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Door.
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There's no shortage of "Animal SysOps" either: Swamp Buzzard; Shark
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Sandwich; Big Black Poodle; The Sleeping Gnome; Old Frogs Swamp;
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Stallion Data (A "Hung" System?).
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I've always had my own mental picture of what Fido (the dog) looks
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like in real life. It seems from the next set of names that my
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opinion is not universally shared by other users of the net: Mad Dog
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Fido; Green Fido; Orange Fido; Warped Dog; Soft Fido. But we do learn
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some interesting things about or four-legged friend: Fido's Kennel
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(Well at least he's got somewhere to sleep); Fido's Partner (and
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someone to sleep with); Poor Mans' Fido ; Fido's One Dish (but gets
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hungry alot); Fido's Dawn Patrol (and gets plenty of exercise);
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Bionic Dog (by doing a lap of the block at 60 miles per hour);
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DogStar (and gets three or four movie offers each week).
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 9 29 Feb 1988
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Ben Mann
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151/2
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Informed Consent
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To say a bill of rights is needed in FidoNet
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is like saying a drain plug is needed in the
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swamp. "Sir, I have no time to drain the swamp,
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I'am to busy fighting the aligators." Region 18
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has a new EchoMail coordinator. Located in a non-
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PCP city. Good thinking. At least he has a 9600
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baud HST and a sence of humor. The sence of humor
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is more important.
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Every NC in Region 18 cast their vote (pun intended)
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and the outcome was a new EC.
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Can anyone anywhere tell me why and how this happens?
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Does a friend of a friend call someone late in the night
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and make the change? Are there greater forces (farses)
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at work?
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Maybe I'am just missing the whole point. I'am sure
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there will be those who quickly agree. I'am having fun,
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right? I'am doing it out of love of my community and
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country, right? There must be some big dark echomail
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alley where good sysops fear to tread. In this alley
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big decisions are made late at night. This is done
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to keep from confusing the lowly sysop.
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Can someone humor me? Can I have a vote on something?
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The color of the FidoNet T-shirt? What the letters IFNA
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really mean? Anything would be a start. How about a
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dollar a vote? That way you get my dollar, I get a vote and
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all is right with the world. [offer limited to the state
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of North Carolina, February 20th. between the hours of
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midnight and 00:00:01 in the morning] Or more in keeping
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with tradition. You pay me a dollar for my vote.
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Come on you sysops. Do you want a vote? Do you even care?
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"Landrew lead me..." This beast we call FidoNet is neither
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fish or fowl. Let's make decisions based on information.
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"Informed Consent" is what it's called.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 10 29 Feb 1988
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Jonathan Rickard
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151/2
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TRAIN Echo
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I am starting this new Model Railroad Echo in the interest
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of providing help to Model Railroaders and furthering the
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interest in Model Railroading. TRAIN will be supported
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partially by members of the Carolina Model Railroad club
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in Greensboro, NC. It will also, hopefully, be picked up by
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The Train Board in Ohio wich will provide enourmous help to
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users.
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I will work hard as the TRAIN echo's coordinator to make
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sure that it is run properly and I will be as helpful as
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possible.
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I hope that you will pick up this Echo on your node and
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allow the Model Railroaders of the world to help each other
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in this field. It can be picked up through REDCON at
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151/1000 and will be hosted out of Alert Data TBBS, 151/2,
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in Greensboro, NC. I will try to get information published
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in a few newsletters and magazines which should get Model
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Railroaders to ask their sysops for it.
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Please give it a try on your BBS.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 5-09 Page 11 29 Feb 1988
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=================================================================
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COLUMNS
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||
=================================================================
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The Apple Core, Number 2
|
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Alan Applegate
|
||
The Short Line, 1:104/36 (Fido 11w/BinkleyTerm)
|
||
|
||
Security Series: Introduction, Session-Level Security
|
||
|
||
Security is a growing concern within FidoNet. Security can take
|
||
many different forms, and mean many different things to different
|
||
people. In this and in future columns, I'll talk a little about
|
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security related issues.
|
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||
Sysops everywhere are concerned with destructive software
|
||
(viruses, trojans, worms, tapeworms, et al), breaches of password
|
||
security, system infiltration by crackers/hackers, and so on. Of
|
||
more focused concern within FidoNet is session-level integrity of
|
||
mail transmissions, packet integrity, and the like. This column
|
||
addresses those concerns localized to FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
Opinions within FidoNet differ about how severe the problem is,
|
||
how much potential there is for increased problems, and how to
|
||
handle the situation now and in the future. Some people are very
|
||
passive, with the attitude "it won't happen to me." Some people
|
||
insist on going to great extents to protect everything -
|
||
borderline paranoia. But to say that the problem doesn't exist
|
||
today, right now, is to fool yourself.
|
||
|
||
The increased availability of NetMail interface packages such as
|
||
BinkleyTerm and Dutchie has much to do with the problem. The
|
||
positive effect is that FidoNet is getting closer to becoming the
|
||
tool of free and open communication that it was initially
|
||
envisioned to be. Widely distributed software, available with
|
||
little or no charge, is encouraging the creation of FidoNet
|
||
systems, broadening our reach and resource base, and increasing
|
||
awareness of our network.
|
||
|
||
The negative side effect is that this software is more openly
|
||
available to people who are ready to abuse and misuse it to cause
|
||
harm and wreak havoc upon other FidoNet systems. Don't get me
|
||
wrong - as part of the team behind BinkleyTerm, I strongly
|
||
believe that the positives far outweigh the negatives with the
|
||
wide and open availability these packages offer. In addition,
|
||
the potential for abuse has existed since the inception of
|
||
FidoNet; the "new generation" of FidoNet software cannot be
|
||
blamed for this problem.
|
||
|
||
The key here is to identify the potential for abuse, make an
|
||
intelligent decision based on our own situation, and use the
|
||
powerful tools that our software provides to avert possible
|
||
violation of our systems and breaches of the confidential
|
||
information which can often be found there.
|
||
|
||
Session level security is the most important of the protection
|
||
FidoNews 5-09 Page 12 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
methods available to FidoNet, and it guards against what is
|
||
probably the most pernicious of the violations that can occur.
|
||
|
||
The ability exists today for someone to set-up their system to
|
||
"look" like a system with which you regularly transact mail. The
|
||
bogus system polls you for mail that may be waiting for the real
|
||
system, and unless the session requires a password, the mail is
|
||
handed over to the bogus system without hesitation. Your
|
||
outgoing mail, which may well be of a confidential nature, has
|
||
been effectively, privately and quietly "stolen."
|
||
|
||
Most modern FidoNet implementations provide some method of
|
||
password protecting NetMail sessions. With the packages that I
|
||
am personally familiar with, the protection methods are available
|
||
and compatible with one another.
|
||
|
||
Obviously, the system with which you transact mail will need to
|
||
support session-level passwords, and will need to have the same
|
||
password implemented on both ends. This requires advance
|
||
planning on the part of both sides, and some synchronization of
|
||
"cutover" times.
|
||
|
||
Security is a smaller concern with systems with which you only
|
||
sporadically transact mail. The chances of someone knowing the
|
||
information and timing required are very slim. There has been
|
||
talk about implementing some sort of public/private key
|
||
encryption system within FidoNet. This would be nice, but
|
||
normally systems don't send mail on a regular basis except to a
|
||
handful of other systems. Sufficient protection is currently
|
||
afforded by existing password protection schemes.
|
||
|
||
With so many systems operating continuous mail, mail doesn't sit
|
||
around as much as it used to. This reduces risk, but it does NOT
|
||
eliminate it. In addition, in most cases the worst damage that
|
||
can occur is that the perpetrator snags an EchoMail packet, but
|
||
occasionally, personal mail can also fall into the wrong hands.
|
||
|
||
Implementing password protection of NetMail sessions with
|
||
regularly contacted systems is simple and painless. The work
|
||
involved is easily offset by the peace of mind that will result
|
||
from knowing that your mail is much safer protected by a
|
||
password, rather than open and available to a "cracker."
|
||
|
||
One of the keys to successful passwording is changing the
|
||
password periodically. Doing so reduces the chance that someone
|
||
casually attempting to "guess" the password will be successful.
|
||
Make the password something cryptic, not something common. Use a
|
||
random array of characters, instead of using a word or name.
|
||
|
||
How big is this problem? Right now, it's limited. The more
|
||
broad-based cases of breaching system integrity, viruses and
|
||
trojans for example, are a much bigger problem for FidoNet (and
|
||
other) Sysops. But with FidoNet awareness growing, availability
|
||
and spread of FidoNet interfaces also growing - this problem will
|
||
get worse before it gets better.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 5-09 Page 13 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
Security tools are not provided on someone's whim. They are
|
||
provided to solve real world problems. These tools can be of no
|
||
help if they are not used. You may believe that you'll never get
|
||
hit; all it takes is once for someone to "steal" your private
|
||
mail to someone else, and you'll be sold. Protect yourself now.
|
||
|
||
In my next column, I'll deal with two more security related
|
||
issues. See you in another couple weeks...
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 5-09 Page 14 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
YACK
|
||
Yet Another Complicated Komment
|
||
|
||
by Steven K. Hoskin
|
||
( STEVE HOSKIN at 1:128/11 )
|
||
|
||
Episode 2: AlterNet
|
||
|
||
|
||
Yes, I'm still beating around this old thing about AlterNet.
|
||
I can see that there is a massive diversity of opinion about what
|
||
to do about AlterNet and all that happy stuff, so I figured I
|
||
might as well be a good columnist and get in on the action.
|
||
|
||
AlterNet is a FidoNet spin-off; the same technology with
|
||
new ideals in administration and management. Somehow, new ideas
|
||
are never taken well and always meet with resistance. Even when
|
||
they're better than whatever is currently available.
|
||
|
||
I'm not saying AlterNet is right. Personally, I think they
|
||
were wrong to leave FidoNet. Going multi-net is only going to
|
||
cause problems in communication, and communication is what it's
|
||
all about. Or, at least, that's the rose-colored picture I have
|
||
of FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
I base this article on the assumption that we (Fido/Alter
|
||
Net) want to communicate. We WANT to provide services that
|
||
include communication between the nets. We WANT to be
|
||
reasonable. But we're having problems.
|
||
|
||
FidoNet is run by PolicyX (at time of writing, Policy3).
|
||
So procedures to accomplish this desired link with AlterNet is
|
||
currently limited. Policy3 covers no policy concerning linking
|
||
with other Nets; FidoNet is the highest entity recognized by
|
||
Policy3.
|
||
|
||
Side note: Perhaps Policy4 should recognize the World as
|
||
the largest entity, followed by individual Networks, followed by
|
||
FidoNet as one of the many...
|
||
|
||
In any case, FidoNet MUST be run under current PolicyX. So
|
||
how do we communicate with AlterNet?
|
||
|
||
Either selected individuals will have to go dual-identity
|
||
and act as "gateways", making it fairly incumbent on the user to
|
||
select the closest gateway to AlterNet, or everybody in AlterNet
|
||
will have to go dual identity as FidoNodes, making for some
|
||
serious changes to SysOp setups. This would also have to be
|
||
done by all SysOps into AlterNet in order to provide a FULL
|
||
two-way communication link.
|
||
|
||
I don't think ALL FidoNet SysOps are going to go through
|
||
the hassle of going dual-identity. Besides, what happens when
|
||
another Net breaks away? Everybody goes tri-identity? I think
|
||
not.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 5-09 Page 15 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
If you read my recent article on linking with AlterNet, you
|
||
understand that you were reading a dreamer's hope. Making cheap
|
||
calls is beneficial, but administrative work involved in
|
||
implementing that plan isn't something I see an easy fix for.
|
||
That was merely a technical viewpoint for others to expand upon.
|
||
I was hoping others would take that idea further, perhaps to a
|
||
workable point in the FidoNet structure.
|
||
|
||
There is a way I see that might make the Fido/Alter Net link
|
||
work on that level, but it would require cooperation of NodeList
|
||
structure between the two organizations. A program could be
|
||
written (perhaps Xlatlist does this already) to read in
|
||
AlterNet's NodeList and convert all those nodes into a zone
|
||
inside the FidoNet NodeList. It COULD be done - it's TECHNICALLY
|
||
possible. If Policy4 permitted it, it would be ADMINISTRATIVELY
|
||
possible. And then there wouldn't be a lot of work for anybody,
|
||
as the NodeList compilation procedures should be NEARLY automatic
|
||
by now. This takes a little of the hassle out of the link, and
|
||
perhaps this would make it even more feasible.
|
||
|
||
This is a technical tidbit. But the point of my article is
|
||
quite simply this:
|
||
|
||
AlterNet should never have broken away; they should have
|
||
stayed here and helped to clear up this jungle. But they did
|
||
break away, and I feel that FidoNet has a responsibility to its
|
||
users to try to make a connection to AlterNet, and a
|
||
responsibility to its SysOps to make this connection without
|
||
requiring a change in software or setup. I feel these problems
|
||
can be overcome, and I, for one, want to see it.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 5-09 Page 16 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
16 Jul 1988
|
||
A new areacode, 508, will form in eastern Massachusetts and
|
||
will be effective on this date. The new area code will be
|
||
formed from the current areacode 617. Greater Boston will
|
||
remain areacode 617 while the rest of eastern Massachusetts
|
||
will form the new areacode 508.
|
||
|
||
25 Aug 1988
|
||
Start of the Fifth International FidoNet Conference, to be
|
||
held at the Drawbridge Inn in Cincinnatti, OH. Contact Tim
|
||
Sullivan at 108/62 for more information. This is FidoNet's big
|
||
annual get-together, and is your chance to meet all the people
|
||
you've been talking with all this time. We're hoping to see
|
||
you there!
|
||
|
||
24 Aug 1989
|
||
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
|
||
|
||
|
||
If you have something which you would like to see on this
|
||
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Latest Software Versions
|
||
|
||
BBS Systems Node List Other
|
||
& Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
Dutchie 2.80 EditNL 3.3 ARC 5.21
|
||
Fido 12e* MakeNL 1.10 ARCmail 1.1
|
||
Opus 1.03a Prune 1.40 ConfMail 3.31*
|
||
SEAdog 4.10 XlatList 2.86* EchoMail 1.31
|
||
TBBS 2.0M MGM 1.1
|
||
BinkleyTerm 1.30*
|
||
QuickBBS 1.02
|
||
|
||
* 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 5-09 Page 17 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
__
|
||
The World's First / \
|
||
BBS Network /|oo \
|
||
* FidoNet * (_| /_)
|
||
_`@/_ \ _
|
||
| | \ \\
|
||
| (*) | \ ))
|
||
______ |__U__| / \//
|
||
/ Fido \ _//|| _\ /
|
||
(________) (_/(_|(____/ (tm)
|
||
|
||
Membership for the International FidoNet Association
|
||
|
||
Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that
|
||
pays a specified annual membership fee. IFNA serves the
|
||
international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to
|
||
increase worldwide communications.
|
||
|
||
Member Name _______________________________ Date _______________
|
||
Address _________________________________________________________
|
||
City ____________________________________________________________
|
||
State ________________________________ Zip _____________________
|
||
Country _________________________________________________________
|
||
Home Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
|
||
Work Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
|
||
Zone:Net/Node Number ____________________________________________
|
||
BBS Name ________________________________________________________
|
||
BBS Phone Number ________________________________________________
|
||
Baud Rates Supported ____________________________________________
|
||
Board Restrictions ______________________________________________
|
||
Your Special Interests __________________________________________
|
||
_________________________________________________________________
|
||
_________________________________________________________________
|
||
In what areas would you be willing to help in FidoNet? __________
|
||
_________________________________________________________________
|
||
_________________________________________________________________
|
||
Send this membership form and a check or money order for $25 in
|
||
US Funds to:
|
||
International FidoNet Association
|
||
c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
|
||
700 Bishop Street, #1014
|
||
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-4112
|
||
USA
|
||
|
||
Thank you for your membership! Your participation will help to
|
||
insure the future of FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
Please NOTE that IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization
|
||
and Articles of Association and By-Laws were adopted by the
|
||
membership in January 1987. The first elected Board of Directors
|
||
was filled in August 1987. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been
|
||
established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your
|
||
input to this Conference.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 5-09 Page 18 29 Feb 1988
|
||
|
||
|
||
INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
|
||
ORDER FORM
|
||
|
||
Publications
|
||
|
||
The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido
|
||
1:1/10 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.
|
||
|
||
Hardcopy prices as of October 1, 1986
|
||
|
||
IFNA Fido BBS listing $15.00 _____
|
||
IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs $10.00 _____
|
||
IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs $10.00 _____
|
||
|
||
SUBTOTAL _____
|
||
|
||
IFNA Member ONLY Special Offers
|
||
|
||
System Enhancement Associates SEAdog $60.00 _____
|
||
SEAdog price as of March 1, 1987
|
||
ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member
|
||
|
||
Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet $100.00 _____
|
||
Fido/FidoNet price as of November 1, 1987
|
||
ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member
|
||
|
||
International orders include $10.00 for
|
||
surface shipping or $20.00 for air shipping _____
|
||
|
||
SUBTOTAL _____
|
||
|
||
HI. Residents add 4.0 % Sales tax _____
|
||
|
||
TOTAL _____
|
||
|
||
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER IN US FUNDS:
|
||
International FidoNet Association
|
||
c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
|
||
700 Bishop Street, #1014
|
||
Honolulu, HI. 96813-4112
|
||
USA
|
||
|
||
Name________________________________
|
||
Zone:Net/Node____:____/____
|
||
Company_____________________________
|
||
Address_____________________________
|
||
City____________________ State____________ Zip_____
|
||
Voice Phone_________________________
|
||
|
||
Signature___________________________
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|