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Volume 5, Number 46 14 November 1988
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| _ |
| / \ |
| /|oo \ |
| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
| _`@/_ \ _ |
| International | | \ \\ |
| FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) |
| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Editor in Chief Dale Lovell
Editor Emeritus: Thom Henderson
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
Contributing Editors: Al Arango
FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet
Association as its official newsletter. You are encouraged to
submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission
standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from
node 1:1/1.
Copyright 1988 by the International FidoNet Association. All
rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for
noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
please contact IFNA at (314) 576-4067. IFNA may also be contacted
at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141.
Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
Fido Software, 164 Shipley Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 and
are used with permission.
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
Everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING
received.
Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
IMPORTANT NOTICE ON FIDONEWS DISTRIBUTION ................ 1
2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2
A Study of NetMail Traffic ............................... 2
I finally get 'em right! ................................. 4
Take an Echo Breather .................................... 5
Why me, Goddess? ......................................... 7
The ChessLine System: .................................... 18
Improve Your Programs with Named Notation ................ 21
The BIG Picture? Common sense plea on echomail ........... 23
My Daddy is a Veteran .................................... 26
3. COLUMNS .................................................. 29
Bodies Behind the BBS: Bob Swift ........................ 29
And more!
FidoNews 5-46 Page 1 14 Nov 1988
=================================================================
EDITORIAL
=================================================================
IMPORTANT NEWS ITEM!!!!
I am going to be upgrading 1:157/504 to multiline over the next
few weeks. Since 1:157/504 is also 1:1/1, this will be of major
significance to everyone who file requests FidoNews from me. I am
currently running TBBS 2.0S (Single line) and am going to be
upgrading to TBBS 2.1M (Multi line) in order to help satisfy my
user base. File requests will only be accepted from one hour
before National Mail Hour to one hour after National Mail Hour
(08:00-10:00 GMT).
The standard distribution chain on FidoNews is that I send it
directly to the Regional Coordinators. The RCs then forward
FidoNews to the NCs, who distribute it to their own nodes.
FidoNews should reach the RC's no later than the end of National
Mail Hour. FidoNews is also sent to 1:1/0, the international
coordinator.
If you are interested in obtaining the absolute latest edition of
FidoNews direct, your best bet is to file request it just after
National Mail Hour on Monday morning. It will also be available
for downloading on 1:157/504 as soon as it comes back up from
mail processing (around 10:15 GMT).
While I regret the inconvenience this will cause some of you, I
have to put my users first in this matter.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
Dale Lovell
1:157/504, 1:1/1
FidoNews Editor
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 2 14 Nov 1988
=================================================================
ARTICLES
=================================================================
A Study of NetMail Traffic
David Schuetz
1:109/716.101
Hello.
I am a Junior Computer Science major at the University
of Maryland. I am currently working on a proposal/study to
develop the most effective routing for national and, if the
method developed is transferrable, international net mail
traffic. "Most effective" means "least cost and minimal
hassle to the end user." My ultimate goal is to propose a
simple method of routing that will be incorporated into
general FidoNet policy, or, at the least, generally accepted
by all for the good of all, much as our efficient EchoMail
distribution system had developed. This system, ideally, will
allow anyone in the nation to enter a message to anywhere
else, without needing to establish credit with the Sysop of
the originating board, and to be able to have it on good faith
that the message will arrive within a reasonable period of
time.
In order to proceed with my study, I need to know as much
as possible about net traffic in FidoNet. For this reason,
I would like you to answer these questions and send me a
response at 1:109/716, as soon as possible. The survey is
intended to give me an idea of how much NetMail traffic is
actually *out there*, how much there *could be* (if the method
for sending mail were a bit easier), and what most people seem
to think the best method for moving this mail is.
Thank you very much for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
David Schuetz
1:109/716.101
8135 Easton Hall
College Park, MD 20742
(301) 985-9366
(301) 454-3787 (dorm hall phone, leave message)
P.S. I have no connection with IFNA. I am not even currently
running a board. This really is being done for a class.
If the results to my study are promising, then not only
will I have completed a class requirement, but FidoNet
as a whole may benefit.
----------------------------------------
What is your....
1) ...Node address?
2) ...Modem speed?
FidoNews 5-46 Page 3 14 Nov 1988
3) Do you have Continuous Mail capability?
4) Do you use PC-Pursuit, Reach Out America, or a similar
long distance plan?
5) Do you or your company "eat the cost" of long distance
calls?
6) What is your typical number of net-mail messages over a
given period of time? (see also #10)
7) How many of these are within your local net?
8) Within your zone, but outside your net?
9) Outside your zone?
10) What period of time is this data based on (day, week, month)?
11) How do you route Net-mail?
12) How does your net handle net-mail?
13) Echomail?
14) Do you have an outbound host?
15) An inbound host?
16) Do they have backups?
17) Do you have any objections to a routing standard being
dictated to the net if it would mean minimum cost to a
maximum number of users?
18) Do you have any suggestions as to how, if at all,
Net-Mail routing could be improved?
19) What would you be willing to do to improve routing? (Cost
eating, high-speed links, dedicated mail node, etc...)
20) How, in your opinion, *should* (ideally) Net-Mail traffic
work?
Any other comments:
----------------------------------------
Results of this study will be posted in FidoNews, and
should appear in late December/early January.
Again, thank you very much for all your help, it is much
appreciated.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 4 14 Nov 1988
Don Dawson
OPUS 141/730
I finally get 'em right!
Subtitle: I love those utilities, but.........!
Have you ever noticed that most of those neat utilities that
you use to keep OPUS humming along seem to require a
control file of some kind? And often the control file requires
some information that's spread across your hard disk in some
other control file that's used with some other program, maybe
even a file that OPUS uses. Maybe one day, all of the utility
program authors will be able to agree on ONE PLACE to put all
the information that these programs need. But until they do,
enter........
Area Manager by Tom Kashuba (167/1)
Kash, as he's called by many, has created a dandy little program
that actually creates all those little pesky control files.
Yup, his program requires a control file too, but the
information you put in it is used to build the control files
used by those neat utilities. Sound like a ho-hummer? Read
on.
When you last added a new echomail area did you remember all
the control files into which it had to be added?..starting with
the ECHO.CTL file, maybe an AREAS.BBS, then the control file
that your message reader uses and RASMAM and RENUM, and, and...
the list goes on. Of course, I could never get every file
correct and EXACTLY as they needed to be for each. Some of
them use the Area number, some use the Area Name, some need the
complete path.
Well, with AM (Area Manager) you build a control file that has
all of this information in it, then, using powerful commands
that Kash has built into AM, it will generate all of those
pesky control files. AM will even put them on the correct
disk drive into the correct directory.
If you haven't tried it, you should....it's a another fine
piece of programming by the author of OOPS and others. It's
File Requestable from 141/730, 24hrs as: AM_102.ARC...just in
case a newer version shows up here before you do...you might
want to file request AM_*.ARC
One last comment....Kash asks that after you try it, if you
continue to use it, that you register it. The price is small
but the value is BIG!
B-) Don
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 5 14 Nov 1988
Take an Echo Breather
Glen Jackson
REC for Region 14.
or...slow down the eyestrain when reading echomail!
I finally installed a larger drive, so I felt I was deserving
of a few more echos to read. I've changed my mind.
I'd like everyone to know that this article is not written in
ANY kind of "official" capacity, but merely my own observations.
Things that aggravate me in echomail:
1. Questions like "where can I get that whatever.arc" ?
These questions get answered by multitudes. If it is a
piece of network software, I have a solution to keep the
message flow down:
a. read the origin line, and do a file request.
b. look in your nodelist for your closest Software
Distribution node.
c. check in your net to see if someone else has it.
d. as a last resort, netmail the author, and ask him about it.
2. Answering Twits in echomail. Someone posts a message that says
something like "I think so and so's mother wears army boots".
We are then subjected to many messages that look like this:
TWIT> I think so and so's mother wears army boots.
TWIT>
TWIT> * origin The Twit calls here (nnn/nnn)
Hey TWIT! who let THIS guy on??????
Again, I have some helpful hints:
a. ignore him.
b. net-mail the sysop of the originating system and complain.
(if the guy is out of line)
3. Help! What init string do I use for the goofyblatz modem with
Binkley? Again, the question may have been answered many times
before. We all want to be helpful, but...
Would it be out of line for the moderator to step in and say,
"This has been discussed before". Here is what we came up
with. (Don't flog me, please. I see a moderator as one that
keeps track of what goes on with his conference.)
If the moderator can't help, open it up for everyone.
4. Finally, 7 screens (on one message), from one person, repeated
by however many people he has decided to answer. Clear cut
FidoNews 5-46 Page 6 14 Nov 1988
answers can usually be taken care of in a few sentences. And
to all of you others out there that can't stand this, why not
send the guy a netmail message with your complaint?
I don't like to have to keep hitting the [N]ext key whenever I
see a message by a certain author. Those messages cost SOMEONE
(or maybe lots of someones) money to send. If you feel the
need to write a book, either:
a. send it via netmail on your nickle, or
b. write an article for Fido_news.
I did. :-)
Glen Jackson REC for Region 14.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 7 14 Nov 1988
Why me, Goddess?
David Rice
(1:103/503.0)
I'm guilty. I freely admit the fact. I deserve to
hang, and to be left swinging from the highest spreader on
the ship. Yep! Guilty: That's me. Let me begin at the,
er, beginning, and you'll agree, too.
I run an Astrology BBS, with it's related astrology
files, message base STARGAZE Echo, and I provide answers to
astrology students free of any and all charges, if they have
the courage to ask (as if the question is not well thought
out I can be somewhat acerbic with the replies), and if I
know the answers.
I therefore get more than my share of, shall we say,
interesting callers. I get (and don't really welcome)
threats, demands, offers, and law suits thrown at me for
being "that Godless pagan SysOp." As astrologers are used
to being considered somewhat, well, odd, this is not very
annoying.
Until one day. My brother in Christ who was assigned,
presumably, to "monitor" my BBS, often calls once a week to
screen capture the user list, check out the new subversive
material (files) available, and hang up. (I say "hang up"
and not "log off," as that's exactly what he does.) One may
only guess at what he plans on doing with my BBS's user
list, but visions of Jihad come to mind. . . .
But I digress. Until one day, I continue, I got the
Holy Bible from a very kind SysOp in San Jose, and posted it
available for downloading. The Holy righteousness hit the
fan.
Answering an incessant YELL from a user, I was asked
(well, demanded seems to fit better): "Isn't this a New Age
Board!"
I answered truthfully. "No, it is not. If it was 'New
Age' I would have charged you $5.00 a minute for the first
ten minutes, and $2.50 for each additional minute, and a
dime for each character I'm typing at you now." As we all
know, the only thing that "New Age" is good for is to make a
great deal of money from ignorant fools.
"Yes it is!" the reply came back. "What's the Word of
God doing on a Satanist's BBS!"
Hummm. Why me, Goddess? I thought. I don't eat Your
animals. I don't drink, smoke, or screw. I'm a good witch.
Why, then, pick on me? The best answer I could think of
came to me, then, like a revelation, like a prophecy.
FidoNews 5-46 Page 8 14 Nov 1988
"Because my Witch's Coven in San Diego has subtly
altered it in misleading, deceiving ways, to trap the
innocent, and to further our own, evil, unguessed of ends."
I don't much like being called a "Satanist."
Click! the modem went. "Caller Vanished!" OPUS went.
"Sigh," I went.
So you see, I am guilty. I didn't expect any more
trouble after that, but I suppose I should have.
Two weeks later, someone was yelling at me
unremittingly again. It was a new caller, and being a nice
guy I answered the yell.
"GO VOICE!" it demanded. Sure, I thought, why not? I
picked up my phone, and typed: "Pick up your phone and log
off."
"Hi," I said cheerfully, in my best SysOply voice. "How
may I serve you?" Six words, but he only waiting for the
first three before ranting:
"Take the Bible off your BBS!" He raved. I envisioned
some short, scrawny twit spitting in his receiver,
acne-scared of face, wearing a ratty sweater over a
Perma-Press dackron shirt, and three sets of underwear in
case of an "accident."
"Ahumm, what?" I am slow at times. He repeated the
demand, and added for my enlightenment:
"You can't have astrology and The Word of God on the
same BBS!" He said "astrology" like you or I might say
"Richard Nixon" or "Jane Fonda."
Many years ago I learned the art of Not Listening.
Most American kids learn this by age 14, taught by their
parents when they rail against them. One learns to just say
"Uhm, yes" and "Uhm, no" now and then (it doesn't matter
which), to appear that one is listening.
He started on a long, drawn-out, dry, rambling spill
that seemed to begin nowhere, and seemed just as endless as
his capacity for ignorance.
"Uhm, yes," I said over to the phone. I paused. "Uhm,
no," I added next. After the witnessing was over, I was
shocked to find he was waiting for my reply. Gee, I
wondered, what did he said? I only heard the first demand.
"Sure, I'll delete those files. Anything else?" And
off he went again. He mentioned something about killing the
STARGAZE echo and all my astrology programs before I tuned
him out again.
FidoNews 5-46 Page 9 14 Nov 1988
"Uhm, yes. . . Uhm, no. . . Uhm, yes. . . ."
He finally hung up after assuring me that he would pray
for my soul.
The next day I added three more Bible related files,
and an area of "Christian" related text files. Gee, I hope
he doesn't mind.
The whole point of this sad story? Well, I mistreated
a user, slapping him silly with my prankish wit, just
because he was ignorant enough to call me a "Satanist." And
he really didn't deserve it. So It's my fault, and I'm
guilty as, er, Hell, and I'm real sorry.
I have since disabled the YELL option of OPUS for those
under PRIVILEGE level. This isn't fair to other NORMAL
level users, but some had to die.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 10 14 Nov 1988
October 19, 1988
Editor
FidoNews
"Letters to the Editor"
Sir:
I am attaching selected items from both the Articles of
Association and the By-Laws of The International FidoNet
Association which were filed with the State of Missouri
for the expressed purpose of Incorporating the entity known
as IFNA.
I am providing a edited version of these documents along with
comments on each so that I can support the claims that I have
or will be making in this letter:
Excepts from:
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION
for the
INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
Be it known that we, the suscribers, do hereby associate
ourselves as a body politic and corporate pursuant to the
statute laws of the State of Missouri regulating the
formation and organization of corporations without capital
stock and the following are our Articles of Association:
I. The name of our corporation shall be the International
[Text deleted for Space Reasons]
II. The period of duration of the corporation is perpetual.
III. The address of its initial Registered Office in the State
of Missouri is: 120 S. Central, Suite 1400, St. Louis, Missouri
[Text deleted for Space Reasons]
IV. The purposes for which our corporation is formed are the
following:
A) the promotion of interest in telecommunications and
experimentation;
Comment: Ok, if this is true, then why are Networks
other than FidoNet excluded from the
promotion of Telecommunications and
experimentation? Why are there limits
placed upon other International Networks
who wish to communicate with FidoNet?
B) the establishment of telecommunication networks to
provide publicly accessable and publicly available
electronic communications;
FidoNews 5-46 Page 11 14 Nov 1988
Comment: Is this true in today's environment? Can it
be that a person holding a position of
authority within IFNA's structure is denying
access and electronic communications? I
think someone should look at this one real
close!
C) the furtherance of the public welfare;
Comment: Keeping people from diverse backgrounds from
free and easy access to the IFNA regulated
Nodelist (via Zone Gates) is not in the
interest of "public welfare" in my eyes.
D) the advancement of telecommunications art the fostering
of education in the field of electronic communication;
E) the promotion and conduct of research and development
to further the development of electronic communication;
Comment: This is the one which really gets me, you
expect a lot when IFNA does not even live up
to the "promotion" of Inter-Network
development. Promotion and development
occur when two parties (ne Networks) try
to develop a new technology when the old
one doesn't fit any more. To establish a
link and then take it away, because of a
non-delivered piece of paper is really
pushing it to the maximum.
F) the dissemination of technical, educational, and
scientific information relating to electronic communication;
G) the printing and publishing of documents, books,
magazines, newspapers and pamphlets necessary or incidental to
any of the above purposes.
H) No part of the assets or income of our corporation
shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to the
members, the officers, or any of them, or to other private
persons except that our corporation shall be authorized and
empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services
rendered and to make payments and distributions in
furtherance of the purposes set forth herein.
V. The affairs of the Corporation shall be governed by a
Board consisting of Directors as defined in the By-Laws.
Each Director shall be elected for terms of two years by the
members eligible to vote. Half of the Directors shall be
elected for terms beginning on even numbered years and
half shall be elected for terms beginning on odd-numbered years.
[Text Deleted for space concerns]
VI. During the intervals between meetings of the Board of
Directors, the affairs of the Corporation shall be
administered by an Executive Committee consisting of the
[Text deleted for Space]
FidoNews 5-46 Page 12 14 Nov 1988
VII. A vacancy in the Board of Directors shall be deemed to
occur upon the death, resignation, recall, move of permanent
[Text Deleted for Space]
VIII. The officers of the Corporation shall be a President, a
Vice President, Vice President - Technical Coordinator, a
Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be elected by a
majority of the Directors at the Annual Meeting.
Comment: What No International Coordination positon
defined within the limits of the Articles?
IX. These articles may be amended by the three-fourths vote of
all directors, or, provided due notice of the proposed
amendment shall have been sent to each director at least
thirty days in advance, by a two-thirds vote of all
directors.
X. The membership of IFNA shall consist members as defined in
[Text deleted for Space]
XI. No person shall be eligible to serve in any of the
positions or offices of Director, Alternate, President,
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, or Vice President -
Technical Coordinator, whose service in any such capacity would:
A. Violate any applicable law, statute, ruling or
regulation of the State of Missouri or the United
States of America, or of the country of domicile of
such person; or
B. Jeopardize the non-profit or tax-exempt status of
IFNA, as defined by the laws, statutes, rulings or
regulations of the State of Missouri or the United
States of America; or
Comment: Are not, given the above items, the actions
of Mr. David Dodell, about to jeapardize
the Non-Profit/Tax-Exempt status of IFNA?
This providing that the above points are
intrepreted to mean that David's actions
are not in the best interest of IFNA and
the IRS's view on furthuring public
interest/telecommunications on an
international basis. (AlterNet is an
international fraternal organization)
incorporated in the State of Delaware.
C. Amount to, create or continue a conflict of interest
between the activities, aims or purposes of IFNA and such
person's private financial interests or such interests of any
of such person's employer, family or relations.
Each person nominated or elected
[Text deleted for space]
Comment: Has Mr. Dodell obtained the BOD's permission
to react the way that he has? Since the BOD has
not attempted to either restrain Mr. Dodell in the
FidoNews 5-46 Page 13 14 Nov 1988
performance of his duties (which are not defined in
the By-Laws) does this mean that the BOD approves
of his actions? Does his attitude and apparent
disregard for agreements constitute a conflict of
interest when considering the purpose of IFNA and
IFNA's stated aims and Activities?
XII. Upon the dissolution of our corporation, the Board of
Directors shall, after paying or making provision for the
payment of all of the liabilities of our corporation,
[Text Deleted for space]
The following from:
BY-LAWS
for the
INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
DEFINITIONS:
The following terms have meanings as follows for all
purposes of these By-Laws and Articles of Association:
IFNA: International FidoNet Association.
IFNA NETWORK: The current set of systems which have been
certified as FidoNet compatible and conform to policies
established by the Board of Directors.
Comment: Alternate Networks have met and continued to
remain within the operating invironment of
FidoNet compatible, and for the most part
have taken the Network Accepted Policy3.doc
as the basis for their own networks. This
being a given, then Alternate networks should
not be withheld from Zone Gating. There are
after all only 7 Major Continents and I believe
that the software currently provides for up to
13 Zones.
IFNA NODELIST: The list of nodes active in the IFNA NETWORK,
prepared by the IFNA Vice President - Technical Coordinator.
Comment: The IFNA Vice President - Technical Coordinator does
not produce the IFNA Nodelist, David Dodell does not
hold this position although at one time he did hold
the position within IFNA. At FidoCon '88, Ray Gwinn
gave the position of International Coordinator to
Mr. Dodell.
PUBLIC ACCESS: A system that has a telephone number
FidoNews 5-46 Page 14 14 Nov 1988
published in the IFNA Nodelist, and in addition provides
services to the public.
ANNUAL MEETING: A yearly meeting of all members of IFNA with
[Text deleted]
BY-LAWS:
1. The following membership categories are established:
a) Regular Member. To be eligible, an applicant: must be the
system operator in good standing of a PUBLIC ACCESS node;
must have paid any dues required; is entitled to one vote.
b) Associate Member. Any person who is not eligible to be a
Regular Member, but who is interested in electronic
communications, is eligible to be an Associate Member by
paying required dues. Associate Members have all of the
rights of a Regular Member except the right to vote.
c) Commercial Member. Any entity using the IFNA NETWORK for
the conduct of any business is eligible to be a Commercial
Member by paying required dues. Any Commercial Member
also satisfying the requirements to be a Regular Member
shall be entitled to vote.
d) Honorary Member. The Board of Directors may award
Honorary Member status to any entity. Honorary Members
have all of the rights of a Regular Member except the
right to vote.
e) Life Member. Any member may become a Life Member by
paying the required dues.
7. No person shall be an officer or director unless they
qualify under all applicable statutes.
29. The Vice President - Technical Coordinator shall:
a) be responsible for maintenance and distribution of the
master NODELIST;
Comment:
Ok, please inform me as to why the IC's position is
still being held by Mr. Dodell and why it is not a
part of Mr. Gwinn's job. Additionally, Mr. Gwinn is
not provided with the power to delegate his authority
on this one to anyone.
b) creation and distribution of the weekly update file for
the master NODELIST;
See comment above.
c) ensuring the smooth operation of the IFNA NETWORK as
FidoNews 5-46 Page 15 14 Nov 1988
prescribed by the Board of Directors;
d) serve as a member of the Technical Standards Committee.
30. Standing committees:
a) The following standing committees are established:
- Administration and Finance
- Executive Committee
- Nominations and Elections
- By-Laws and Rules
- Technical Standards
- Publications
- International Affairs
- Membership Services
b) Each standing committee shall include among its members at
least one director. Additionally, the Treasurer shall
serve as a member of the Administration and Finance
Committee. Appointments of all standing committee members
shall be made by the President at the Annual Meeting and
shall be for a term of one year. The Chair of the Board
shall designate the chair of each committee. Standing
committees shall make written reports at least 30 days
prior to each regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
Standing committees may originate studies in their fields
and may generate recommendations to the Board on their
own initiative.
36. The Technical Standards Committee shall be responsible for:
a) Providing a rigorous definition of FidoNet and all FidoNet
protocols sufficient to implement a compatible electronic
mail system.
b) Providing IFNA the means to determine whether a system is
compatible with FidoNet. This will allow IFNA to list
compatible systems so Sysops may decide which system to
install.
c) Producing and enhancing standards for:
- Data Transmitted
- Connection
- Protocols
- Nodelist
- Routing
Comment: From this one, since the SysOps in the Alternate
networks are using much the same software as is
being used by the SysOps of FidoNet/IFNA Network
there should be no "Technical" reasons for not
allowing Zone Gates into the IFNA/FidoNet
Nodelist. In fact, the Alternate networks have
kept the same schedules for a "Common" Mail Hour
a "Common" Nodelist Format, a "Common" policy
complaint handling procedure, a "Common"
technical Standard for protocols and have gone
to the trouble of "Dual Identies" in order to
maintain a close relationship with the people
they know and wish to communicate with within
the FidoNet Network.
FidoNews 5-46 Page 16 14 Nov 1988
37. The International Affairs Committee shall monitor the
conduct of international liaison by IFNA staff. They shall
initiate recommendations for IFNA representation at
international meetings. They shall encourage the growth and
strengthening of IFNA, its member societies and
telecommunications worldwide. They shall coordinate and
monitor planning and strategy for improving international
telecommunications.
Comment: IFNA's International Affairs Committee is charged
with the "of telecommunications worldwide", the
last time I looked at a map, the United States,
Canada, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa were
still part of the world. Therefore, are not
networks which are located anywhere in the world
something which IFNA should be working in a
positive manner to promote connectivity with?
Fido and FidoNet are trademarks of Fido Software.
I appologize for the length of this article, but hope that it
will be printed (which I will be surprized if it is), as the
reader will note, IFNA appears free to augment the positions
which it is chartered to have at the drop of the hat. It also
appears as though they are willing to forsake some of their
own By-Laws and Articles of Association to get things done the
way that they want them done. They also have people who
delegate job functions as they see fit without regard for the
fact that they are still responsible for the actions of someone
who is in the delegated job function.
If you intrepret what I have written to be a slam at IFNA, it
is just that. IFNA is supposed to promote communications on an
International basis, they are not doing that, they are busy
playing games with the United Nations, which is not all bad, but
they are unwilling to deal with Alternative Networks within
Zone 1, so why would a "Reasonable Person" believe that they
would treat a network from Siberia any differently?
Many of you know me, I was a FidoNet Sysop for over four years,
having joined FidoNet just after the mighty Multi-Net
implementation. I have served IFNA and FidoNet in many job
functions, I wanted (initially) to see IFNA succeed. I spent
my own money to go to New Hamster to help the committee
understand exactly what a "Grunt Sysop" wanted from them. I
have seen the By-Laws read the way that people wanted them
read, namely to the benifit of those currently in power. I
have also seen many changes in attitude especially from those
who were elected by the people in IFNA to rule over FidoNet.
I have seen you the people who make up FidoNet, let it be
taken over by a few of the "Elected Representatives" of the
people who paid $25.00 to join IFNA. I have been known to
look for Cemetary Plots all over the place, I am not saying
FidoNews 5-46 Page 17 14 Nov 1988
that this is a Plot, I am saying that the IC is the VP-TC and
that the person "Elected" to that position was not elected by
the people who elected their representatives.
Many who will read this, will say that I am simply speaking
"Sour Grapes", but take a look at what has happened since
FidoCon'87, the Network has grown by over 150%, IFNA
membership is still less than 10% of the total Network, the
attempts of the people who grew tired of the garbage which
IFNA was attempting to push down their throats and left
to form their own Networks are not sour grapes. At this time
the Alternate networks have a total membership which is equal
to or slightly greater than the network when I joined it.
The Alternate Networks have taken the things that worked from
FidoNet, the RC structure, the Policy Documents, the Dictator
style of management and created something which works. They
have applied for Zone Gate Numbers following prescribed
procedures, namely asking for one, and were told "NO". How
do you think that the United States was formed, just by the
same type of actions by England!
There is a revolution, now that the die has been cast, as to
which network(s) will be the one to win is unclear, but in
one corner you have FidoNet, represented by IFNA, which is
supposed to be a democracy telling the Alternate Networks
you have to be so large and in place for so long etc.. In
the other corners are the people within the Alternative
networks who don't need an organization to speak for them,
and who for the most part use to want to see IFNA succeed.
If they have lost faith in IFNA/FidoNet then what do you think
is going to happen after all the "Zone Wars"? In general, the
whole idea that Tom Jennings started with Fido/FidoNet is going
to disappear.
Bob Morris
SysOp, 1:141/305.42, 7:46/2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 18 14 Nov 1988
Edward Hawes
Fast-BBS
I wanted to let all sysops know about our new CHESSLINE
system available for bbs operations. The ChessLine will give
your BBS that extra feature which will attract the kind of users
you want. Do you ever get tired of seeing users call in, skim
the message base, then go to the files section? The ChessLine
makes your board more interesting by giving them something else
to do. Chess has been around for centuries, and unlike other
past times, has not been harmed by the computer age. In fact,
have you ever noticed that of the people you know who are
interested in computers, probably more of them play chess than do
not? While the game does not require a genius to play, it does
attract people who are at least interested in exercising their
intellectual dexterity. This is a prerequisite to personal
computing and goes hand in hand with the users of a bulletin
board system.
The ChessLine operates in a fashion similar to 'postal chess'. A
user will call your BBS, enter The ChessLine, make his move, and
exit. His opponent will call later, enter The ChessLine, make
his move, and then exit. What makes The ChessLine more
interesting than postal chess is that you don't have to wait on
the US mail. The ChessLine will store all moves and when your
user calls, will set up an on-screen chessboard with the last
played position shown. All moves entered are checked for their
legality, as The ChessLine will permit no illegal moves. All
legal moves including castling, enpassents, and pawn promotions
are allowed. The ChessLine will terminate the game as soon as
one player check-mates the other or if the game becomes
stalemated or a player resigns.
We have also added some other options to Chesline for you and
your users enjoyment :
1.. The ability to leave short comments to the other player
2.. Sysop chat mode (with auto word-wrap)
3.. Sysop online play with user
4.. Netmail play (see Netmail doc's)
5.. List of all moves
6.. The ability to take back moves
7.. View other games in progress
8.. Online Help
FUTURE ADDITIONS (Already under developement)
1.. U.S. CHESS Federation ranking system..
2.. Node to Node interactive play..
CLMAIL.EXE
This utility is the most exciting aspect of Chesline.. Clmail is
the Net-mail utility that will send moves to any board
in the E-Mail Network that has ChessLine installed.
Let me explain. You see Clmail creates a outbound
message with the record enclosed.. So if you wanted to play a
game with a user in Washington D.C.,you make your move and clmail
will send it across the wire to the Node in Washington then the
FidoNews 5-46 Page 19 14 Nov 1988
move applied to chesline on that board.. The next day the user in
Washington would send his move to your board through Clmail
and so on and so on... Now that i have you confuzed
lets make it worse... Say you have 20 games going on and
3 of them are network games to 3 different nodes,
Clmail will automatically create the outbound messages with the
node numbers there going to. (Have I got your attention?)
This is a great concept because you can now play National Chess
without having to call another board with procomm or whatever
and sign on and go through lond distance networks just to
make a move.. Now with CLmail you make all your moves
locally and your mail system handles the rest..(NEAT HUH?)
We are presently working on a player list utility that will list
all Chessline players nationally and rank them according to
U.S. Chess Federation rules and regulations then create a
listing that will be distributed to all Chesline nodes so the
users can select by player and ranking!! (Exciting HUH?)
Well Im sure you can see how this could grow into a Chess Net!
We are very excited about the possibilities this could bring...
The program Clmail was written by James Brown at Brown BBS in
Houston. Many Thanks to his hard work and dedication to the
expansion of Chesline and the idea for the Net-Mail application.
This concept has broken new ground in the E-mail Network and
blazed a new path for bbs games..
THANKS James Brown.. WE APPRECIATE THE WORK!!
ATTN: This program is still being tested and has not been
distributed yet.. The netmail system will be sent to
you free of charge if you purchase chesline...
Notes:
Chesline is a very high quality program designed with the sysop
in mind. It is written in assembler and uses ansi graphics for
the display. It also uses RAM for file processing so the speed
is kept to a maximum. It monitors the carrier and has it's own
ansi interpreter so you don't have to load ansi.sys and you can
still see everything on your screen that the user sees. It will
allow a max of 200 games and is set up to run under multiple
nodes. It will automatically get the user's name and will run at
2400/1200/300 even 9600 baud. Thise version will have the
ability for the sysop to play online with user and has a
chat mode as well.
This program was specifically designed for opus but will run
on PCBoard,Quik-BBS,GTPowercomm,RBBS.
If you would like to place an order then feel free to call
106/12 The SoundingBoard and fill out the order form..
Mastercard, Visa and American Express accepted. You can
also call my board in Orlando to order!
For more information on Chesline call Edward V. Hawes voice=
407 774-2511 data=407 660-0005 5pm-9am 7 days a week!
BHC SOFTWARE
3120 SOUTHWEST FRW #400
FidoNews 5-46 Page 20 14 Nov 1988
Houston Texas 77098
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS PRODUCT SO WE CAN GROW THE CHESS-NET!!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 21 14 Nov 1988
John Herro
1:363/6
IMPROVE YOUR PROGRAMS WITH NAMED NOTATION
In the article "THE VERY BEST PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE " in FidoNews
533 (15 August 1988), I said that Ada has new features, not found
in earlier languages, that make programs easier to understand. I
also said that I'd try to give examples in future articles.
When the first high-level programming language (Fortran) was in-
vented in the 1950's, computer time was expensive and programming
time was relatively cheap. Therefore, early languages were de-
signed to generate code that's as efficient as possible, even at
the expense of program readability. Today the situation is re-
versed. Computer time is cheap, but program maintenance is ex-
pensive. (Program maintenance refers to debugging, as well as
making changes to the software and adding enhancements.) There-
fore, the most important consideration today is to make programs
as easy to understand as possible. Thanks to modern software en-
gineering, we've learned to improve program readability without
sacrificing efficiency.
One of the language features new to Ada makes calls to subpro-
grams (procedures and functions) much easier to understand, with-
out affecting efficiency. It's called NAMED NOTATION or NAMED
PARAMETER ASSOCIATION. Suppose, for example, that we write a
procedure (or "subroutine") that computes the volume and surface
area of a cylinder, given its radius and height. In Ada, the
procedure specification might look like this:
procedure COMPUTE_VOL_AND_AREA(RADIUS, HEIGHT : in FLOAT;
VOLUME, AREA : out FLOAT);
Note that the procedure specification tells us the names of the
parameters (or "dummy arguments"), their types, and their modes.
The mode can be "in," "out," or "in out." In this example, all
four parameters are of type FLOAT. RADIUS and HEIGHT are of mode
"in," while VOLUME and AREA are of mode "out."
Except for specifying the modes explicitly, Ada subprogram speci-
fications aren't much different from other languages. For exam-
ple, in Fortran the first line of a subroutine, similar to our
Ada procedure specification, might be:
SUBROUTINE VAREA(RADIUS, HEIGHT, VOLUME, AREA)
Here the subroutine name, VAREA, is a bit cryptic, but standard
Fortran limits us to names of at most six characters. (Many ver-
sions of Fortran allow names longer than the standard.) In Ada,
the names are limited only by the maximum length of a line, and
all characters of a name are significant.
The real advantage of Ada can be seen in the CALL to the subpro-
FidoNews 5-46 Page 22 14 Nov 1988
gram, rather than in the subprogram specification. In all other
languages, the names of the subprogram parameters (or "dummy ar-
guments") aren't known in the calling program. For example, in
Fortran, a call might be
CALL VAREA(1.5, 3.7, VOL, A)
This is called POSITIONAL NOTATION, because the arguments in the
call must appear in the same order as they do in the subprogram,
and there's no reference to the names of the dummy arguments in
the call. When the call occurs in this example, 1.5 in the call-
ing program is associated with RADIUS in the subprogram, 3.7 with
HEIGHT, VOL with VOLUME, and A with AREA. This association is
done by position.
We can use positional notation in Ada, too. In Ada (as in Pas-
cal) the word CALL is omitted and we simply name the subprogram,
but the call otherwise looks about the same as in Fortran:
COMPUTE_VOL_AND_AREA(1.5, 3.7, VOL, A);
However, in Ada the call can be made much easier to read by using
NAMED NOTATION:
COMPUTE_VOL_AND_AREA(RADIUS => 1.5, HEIGHT => 3.7,
VOLUME => VOL, AREA => A);
The symbol => is read "arrow," and the name of the dummy argument
precedes it. With Named Notation, the reader doesn't have to
keep flipping between the page containing the call and the page
containing the subprogram specification to understand what's go-
ing on. Also, the programmer need not remember the order in
which the arguments appear, because with Named Notation, the ar-
guments in the call may appear in any order:
COMPUTE_VOL_AND_AREA(HEIGHT => 3.7, RADIUS => 1.5,
AREA => A, VOLUME => VOL);
As you can see, Named Notation is one feature of Ada that really
improves program readability. In future articles, we'll cover
other Ada features that will improve your programs. For example,
closely related to Named Notation are Default Parameters, which
we'll discuss next time.
If you're not programming in Ada, learn the language and go first
class! There are now several inexpensive Ada compilers available
for the PC. And I've written a Shareware Interactive Ada Tutor
program ADA-TUTR.ARC, available on 363/6. FidoNews 533 contains
a list of many other boards that also have ADA-TUTR.ARC. The
Tutor stresses good program design, not just syntax, so that
you'll learn to take advantage of the special language features
new to Ada. As always, I welcome your comments and suggestions.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 23 14 Nov 1988
Joe Taibi
FidoNet 280/302
Reach out and FLAME someone?
You know the symptoms as well as the multitude of causes behind
the obvious loss of focus evident in our echo areas. Sadly
enough it does not seem there's much likelyhood of things
becoming any better in the near future unless something positive
is undertaken to achieve such a goal. There are a wealth of
moderations and coordinations and watchdog efforts being made
and I feel it time to at least state my own simple case
regarding the effectivity of this approach.
The eventual outcome that can be expected from a moderators
efforts to control the behavior of so many individuals in the
situation as it stands today, is burn out, or worse, the same
irresponsible insensitive behavior that they are in the position
of policing. This is in no way to be interpreted as an attack on
any of these individuals, it is just an observation and an
opinion as is the remainder of this note.
What is needed is a movement lead by those who are already
practicing a common sense method of control and have all along.
We must effect a shift towards a more reasonable approach to the
problem. I am quite certain that there are a great many users
and sysops alike who are already practicing this very method of
control and I take heart in the unsung and unrewarded efforts of
these individuals for they are the reason that FidoNet does not
collapse in a fit of childishness.
The method of which I babble, is the only one that ever actually
works! It is called " SELF " control. It is patently obvious to
any casual observer that we in Fidonet hold our individuality and
freedom to do our own thing in high regard. It is not however, a
reciprocal arrangement by any stretch of the imagination. What do
I mean by this? Glad you asked! I only mean that while we are so
quick to jump up and down at every hint of an attempt to curb the
childish inappropriate and just plain ignorant misuse of echomail
through moderation and such, we are slow to do anything in the
way of suggesting alternative actions!
The part that I am truly amazed at is the majority of those who
abuse echomail are the system operators themselves and not the
users! So we have people who try to do something about it and
they are met with screams and howls from every corner of the
globe. I know that I am merely mirroring the disgust felt by
the majority of those in the Network who wake up daily and sit
bleary eyed at the monitor with mouth agape at the wonderously
idiotic verbeage that spews forth from nearly every echo and I'm
hoping we can try to educate the responsible <?> parties.
The abuses are far too common and all too often perpetrated by
FidoNews 5-46 Page 24 14 Nov 1988
the very people who are most aware of the infractions. The vast
majority are directly attributable to hasty responses. This is
a demonstration of a lack of self control. I fear it is also
indicative of the state of affairs in society as a whole.
It is not necessary to irritate others in order to be an
individual, and adhering to 'mandates of consideration' is not
a loss of freedom. In point of fact it is one of the only ways
to preserve it. Use it or lose it also relates to CONTROL!
So from those of us who practice self control at least most of
the time ( we all have our moments ) here are a few helpful ways
to detect an attack of inappropri-echo-itis or in-flame-o-gramia
idiosys...
You should log off and get some fresh air if at any time you find
yourself typing these words in a message:
" This type of message does not belong in this area "
Or words to that affect, yes there are a myriad of variations...
Please note, this includes all moderators and coordinators etc.
Your control, as necessary as it has become, should be visible
within your given area only to the extent that there are regular
postings of policy or normal related Q&A. There is no excuse
whatsoever for anyone to use an echo to respond to an improperly
posted message no matter what the intent. Anyone who does so is
as guilty of the infraction as the person to whom they are
responding.
I know I am not alone in being absolutely sick of reading the
unending debates over the applicability of a thread to a message
base but let's be calm and think about it a little before
reacting. Then react in a manner such that your need to
communicate does not cost anyone else! Granted there are many
times the message content could not be any less related but the
place to deal with it is the MATRIX. There is also something to
be said for tolerance since after all, we can't create and
support an echo for each and every facet of the human mind.
o Therapeutic excercise
I too, have felt the urge to reach out and flame someone!
On such occasions I find the following method of response to be
quite therapeutic and I only wish I could recall the name of the
sysop from whom I got the idea. I call it the ZEN FLAME.
The process is simple to implement and takes only fractionally
more time than its present day counterpart. You go right ahead
and blast away, do it, jump up and down and scream! After you are
finished and save your message, read it... Out loud if you so
desire, now comes the ingenious part of the procedure, you DELETE
it before you log off! Very simple, very easy. You get the
benefit of releasing the pent up frustration and telling the no
good so and so what you think and then seeing it in print without
burdening all other sysops and users with even more irritation
than their lives already afford them!
FidoNews 5-46 Page 25 14 Nov 1988
All this babbling boils down to a simple plea from myself and the
others who may share my point of view.
Stop and think of the BIG PICTURE each time you begin to post
mail in any echomail area and above all, excercise self control
so that others will not feel the need to impose it upon you! It
has been said that " Freedom is the right to do your best. "
The only true protection of your rights and freedoms lies in your
willingness to govern yourself now before it's too late.
Common sense dictates a network is not a place for selfish
behavior. To become involved in it one must become aware of
the rights of others who are affected.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 26 14 Nov 1988
Brandy Witherspoon
Fido 1:100/525
The Alamo and the Mexican War
"Remember the Alamo", is still a famous saying in Texas
which dates back to the middle 1800's during the time of the
Mexican War. The war was between Texas and Mexico. Texas,
fighting for it's Independance. Mexico, fighting to keep and
rule Texas as part of it's country.
Once, Texas was part of Mexico, and during the time when
the South was depressed and people had depts to pay, they
would move to Texas in order to form a new life. At the time,
Mexico was offering 640 acres of untaxed land to any family
who would turn thier back on America, pledge alliegence to
Mexico and change thier religion to Roman Catholic. But, soon
Mexico began to get worried because too many Americans were
moving to Texas. Within ten years after Stephen F. Austin
established his colony, thirty thousand settlers had moved.
In 1830 the Mexican government passed strict laws saying,
immigrants were no longer allowed to come to Texas. Mexico
patrolled the border very carefully but, were unable to
patroll the long border between Louisiana and Texas.
Stephen Austin, for whom Texas's capitol is named after
arrived in July 1833 to discuss with Mexico the fact that
Texas wanted to secede and form thier own country with thier
own government. Austin sent a letter to the Texans, advising
them to form themselves as a separate state if his appeal
failed. However, he was found out, and arrested in Saltillo
on a charge of treason on January 3, 1834.
Austin was jailed for 18 months before his release. But,
by this time almost all power over the Mexican Government had
been siezed by President Antonia Lo'pez de Santa Anna, who
was elected in late 1833.
In the fall of 1835, Santa Anna sent his brother-in-law,
General Martin Cos in charge of a band of mexican troops into
Texas to patrol the border. On September 21st, Austin
announced that Cos had landed at Copano and Texas prepared.
The Mexican Government was positive that the Texans were on
the verge of rebellion from it's country.
Cos's orders were to sieze the cannon kept there. The
Texans refused to give up the cannon which they had put a
flag on reading, "come and take it". Suddenly, hundreds of
Texans came from the countryside and startled the mexican
army into retreating to San Antonio.
On March 2, 1836, 59 Texas leaders gathered in the tiny
village of Washington, Texas. Together, they wrote the
Texas Declaration of Independance and the Texas Constitution.
The republic of Texas now existed, but the war to keep it was
FidoNews 5-46 Page 27 14 Nov 1988
yet to come.
On February 23, 1836 Santa Anna's army of 6,000 tried to
take on 200 Texans at the Alamo in San Antonio. Over a period
of ten days the brave Texans killed over 1,500 mexicans. The
Texans drove them back twice, before the mexicans finally
killed all the defenders of the Alamo on the third try.
By then, the Texans had put together an army. Led by Sam
Houston they attacked Santa Anna's army during the night,
during there time of slumber, on April 21, 1836, in San
Jacinto.
The left flank of the Texan line was comanded by a thirty
year old Kentucky businessman who came to Texas with
fifty-two volunteers he had found by himself. Colonel Sidney
Sherman was more direct than Houston and rather irritated and
impatient with his commander's Zen-like strategy. When they
were a few hundred yards from the mexican lines he loudly
shouted, "Remember the Alamo!!". Which set imeasurable fury
in the minds of the Texans. Remembering the Alamo, the Texans
were filled with slaughter. Attacking the enemy with bowie
knives, tomahawks, rifle butts, and what little amunition
they had left they brutally killed those who begged for
mercy. Santa Anna then signed a treaty declaring Texas's
independance from Mexico. And as the carnage of that day
receded into history and Texas became a tamer place, The
phrase "Remember the Alamo", began to stand more for
rememberance than vengence.
Seguaro Bulletin Board
Home of KidsNews!
Fido 1:100/525
(618) 656-5447
From the desk of the KidsNews Editor:
Veterans Day is a special time. As Americans gather at
cemeteries and memorials throughout this great land, we
are reminded that fundamentally we are a family. We pause
this day to reflect on the love and commitment of nearly
40 million living veterans who have served that family.
We acknowledge that none have given fuller expression to
that love than those who have died or been disabled in
defense of our nation.
We demonstrate today through our ceremonies and in our
private thoughts and prayers America's lasting gratitude
and admiration for those who have allowed us to prosper
in peace and freedom. We reflect that such blessings are
not universally enjoyed; that tyranny, aggression, and
cruel terrorism challenge what so many Americans have
fought and died to protect.
We honor our veterans in a manner that befits the American
family. Our nation might have chosen the anniversary of a
FidoNews 5-46 Page 28 14 Nov 1988
great battle. Instead, we chose the anniversary od a great
silence; the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the
eleventh month when the guns of World War I at last were
still. We celebrate not war, but the end of war. We are a
people of peace.
As we look with hope toward the day when the guns are
forever silent, let us once again express appreciation to
those whose splended heritage lives on in a new generation
of servicemen and women who have taken their places on the
battlements of American freedom.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 29 14 Nov 1988
=================================================================
COLUMNS
=================================================================
Steve Bonine
115/777
An Introduction of Bob Swift (140/24)
Most of you probably know Bob Swift from his postings of IFNA
news in the IFNA national echo. Bob is an IFNA Director at large
who has been saddled with the job of keeping the membership
informed of what is happening, as well as trying to keep the
Board in line in the Board of Directors' echos. He generates the
formal motions (based on netmail from members of the Board),
collects the votes, posts the results, and generally brings
organization to the whole process.
Bob's "real job" is as a registered Professional Mechanical
Engineer in a coal-fired electrical generating station. He's my
first international personality in this column, living in the
small Saskatchewan city of Estevan. I got out my atlas, and it's
just north of the North Dakota line.
Bob's relative isolation was one of the contributing factors to
getting him going as a BBS sysop. There were no systems
operating in his city of 10,000 people, so he had to cut his
teeth on the BBS scene as a user by calling long distance. To
save others from having to go through this expensive experience,
"Bob's Border BBS" was born. (No, I had never heard of the
original name of Bob's system when I named this column.)
That system lasted for about three years, through two Commodore
64's and three power supplies. When Bob found that he had to
compete with his users to use the computer, he bought an XT clone
with a 10-meg hard disk and a 1200-baud modem. How could anyone
ever need more than that?
Bob joined FidoNet in the Fido 11w days, at about the same time
that echomail was coming on the scene. "Bob's Border BBS" became
"The Power Station", and has grown to 60 megs of disk and 9600
baud, with more expansion planned. Bob became the coordinator of
net 140, and was one of the first elected members of IFNA's
Board.
When he's not watching sysops butt heads, Bob enjoys watching
football, especially the Canadian game. He's a long-time ticket
holder for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. He also enjoys reading,
music, and photography.
I hope you've enjoyed this short glimpse of Bob Swift. Next
week, Bill Albritton is "on tap". If there is anyone you want to
get to know, let me know. If you're a "FidoNet personality",
send me some dirt on yourself!
FidoNews 5-46 Page 30 14 Nov 1988
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 31 14 Nov 1988
YACK
Yet Another Complicated Komment
by Steven K. Hoskin
( STEVE HOSKIN at 1:128/31 )
Episode 16: Network Mail
FidoNet Network Mail is such a neat thing. The ability to
cheaply use this electronic mail media to hold private
conversations, or send letters that are readable and get there
right away is just fascinating.
Oh, sure, it doesn't hold a candle to the glamour of EchoMail.
In EchoMail you get to start, or more likely join, in electronic
mail conversations with people you don't know. Eventually, if
you stick with it, you get to sorta' know some of the regulars
out there, start to feel at home in the conference, and maybe
eventually meet them on vacation or at FidoCon.
But once you know somebody, that NetMail is SO neat for direct
communications. Cheap as SnailMail, fast as FedExpress.
But getting people to recognize this is like pulling teeth. I am
the editor of a NewsLetter that keeps people I worked with in the
Air Force on a special project in touch with each other. I
offered multiple avenues; I'll make the current NewsLetters
available for viewing online, downloading (normal or archived),
NetMail attachments, messages, local messages...whatever. And
I'd continue to mail it to those not taking advantage of the
barrage of electronic alternatives.
I explained for several issues how to use FidoNet to their
advantage. Step by step. Volunteered to send the part of the
NodeList that applied to their area so they could pick a node.
Volunteered to log onto their chosen board and find specific
keystrokes to get at the proper areas. To contact the SysOp and
set up the NetMail account. In short, do everything but send the
money, that massive $5 most SysOps will start an account with.
These are computer folk, too, by the way. Not computer
illiterate.
One called my board and we CHATted about it for 45 minutes about
it before he said, "Now that we've talked about it I can't wait.
Get me that list!". Geesh! What do I have to do, network their
voice lines into their local Net Hosts' boards?
<Slap!>
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FidoNews 5-46 Page 32 14 Nov 1988
=================================================================
NOTICES
=================================================================
The Interrupt Stack
23 Nov 1988
25th Anniversary of "Dr. Who" - and still going strong
24 Aug 1989
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
5 Oct 1989
20th Anniversary of "Monty Python's Flying Circus"
If you have something which you would like to see on this
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Election Notice for Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator
David Dodell, 1:1/0
As most of you know, Butch Walker has resigned as Zone 1 Echomail
Coordinator.
It is Butch's desire to have an election for the new Z1EC, and I
will be assisting by conducting those elections.
The plan is as follows:
(1) Applications for the position need to reach my system by
Monday, November 14th. Any applications for the position should
include a statement from the candidate. This statement can
contain anything the candidate wishes, but I recommend that the
candidate express why he/she would be good for the position, why
he/she should be voted to the position, and/or his/her policy on
echomail.
This statement should be no longer then 80 x 24 (i.e. one
screen).
(2) On the 14th of November, I will mail to the REC a copy of all
of the candidate statements. These should be disseminated to the
NEC's in your region.
(3) Voting will be done by the REC/NEC structure only. It will
be the responsibility of all NEC to get their votes into the REC
by November 30th. The REC's will then get the sub-totals for
their Regions into me by December 4th.
Announcment and notification of the new Z1EC will be done on
December 5th.
FidoNews 5-46 Page 33 14 Nov 1988
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Don Daniels
1:107/200 & 210
Notice Regarding Gene Coppola of 107/131
To: All of you who have responded to Gene Coppola at 107/200
regarding ram chips or his FidoNews survey
Please be advised that Gene's system, which is 1:107/131, is
apparently down. My understanding is that it is in the
process of being removed from the Nodelist due to Policy
violations. Therefore, you should expect no replies to your
messages as they are undeliverable and are being deleted here.
Sorry.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Latest Software Versions
BBS Systems Node List Other
& Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
Dutchie 2.90b EditNL 4.00 ARC 5.32*
Fido 12i MakeNL 2.12 ARCmail 1.1
Opus 1.03b Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00
SEAdog 4.10 XlatList 2.86 EchoMail 1.31
TBBS 2.0M XlaxNode 2.22 MGM 1.1
BinkleyTerm 2.00 XlaxDiff 2.22 TPB Editor 1.21*
QuickBBS 2.03 ParseList 1.20 TCOMMail 1.1*
TPBoard 4.2* TMail 8810
TComm/TCommNet 3.2* UFGATE 1.0
Lynx 1.10*
D'Bridge 1.10
FrontDoor 2.0
* 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 5-46 Page 34 14 Nov 1988
=================================================================
COMMITTEE REPORTS
=================================================================
IFNA Treasurer's Report
October, 1988
Steve Bonine 115/777
This will be a short report. As the saying goes, I have some
good news and some bad news.
The good news is that the new IFNA checking account in Chicago is
now open and usable. The bad news is that the funds are not yet
transferred into it from the Hawaii account.
Thus, I am not in a position to provide real numbers, and that
isn't a great problem because (by definition) they haven't
changed from last month. As soon as I recieve the records and
the funds from the previous treasurer, I will provide a status
report here in FidoNews.
Steve Bonine
IFNA Treasurer
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 35 14 Nov 1988
OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
Hal DuPrie 1:101/106 Chairman of the Board
Bob Rudolph 1:261/628 President
Matt Whelan 3:3/1 Vice President
Ray Gwinn 1:109/639 Vice President - Technical Coordinator
David Garrett 1:103/501 Secretary
Steve Bonine 1:115/777 Treasurer
IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DIVISION AT-LARGE
10 Courtney Harris 1:102/732? Don Daniels 1:107/210
11 Bill Allbritten 1:11/301 Hal DuPrie 1:101/106
12 Bill Bolton 3:54/61 Mark Grennan 1:147/1
13 Rick Siegel 1:107/27 Steve Bonine 1:115/777
14 Ken Kaplan 1:100/22 Ted Polczyinski 1:154/5
15 Larry Kayser 1:104/739? Matt Whelan 3:3/1
16 Vince Perriello 1:141/491 Robert Rudolph 1:261/628
17 Rob Barker 1:138/34 Steve Jordan 1:102/2871
18 Christopher Baker 1:135/14 Bob Swift 1:140/24
19 David Drexler 1:19/1 Larry Wall 1:15/18
2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 David Melnik 1:107/233
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FidoNews 5-46 Page 36 14 Nov 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
PO Box 41143
St Louis, Missouri 63141
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 second elected Board of Directors
was filled in August 1988. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been
established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your
input to this Conference.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 5-46 Page 37 14 Nov 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 _____
MO. Residents add 5.725% Sales Tax _____
TOTAL _____
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER IN US FUNDS:
International FidoNet Association
PO Box 41143
St Louis, Mo. 63141
USA
Name________________________________
Zone:Net/Node____:____/____
Company_____________________________
Address_____________________________
City____________________ State____________ Zip_____
Voice Phone_________________________
Signature___________________________
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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