1821 lines
77 KiB
Plaintext
1821 lines
77 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 6, Number 13 27 March 1989
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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| / \ |
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| /|oo \ |
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| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
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| _`@/_ \ _ |
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| International | | \ \\ |
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| FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) |
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| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
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| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
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| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
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| (jm) |
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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Editor in Chief: Vince Perriello
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Editors Emeritii: Dale Lovell
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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. 1:1/1 is a Continuous Mail system, available for
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network mail 24 hours a day.
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Copyright 1989 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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Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
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Fido Software, 164 Shipley Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 and
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are used with permission.
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We don't necessarily agree with the contents of every article
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published here. Most of these materials are unsolicited. No
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article will be rejected which is properly attributed and legally
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acceptable. We will publish every responsible submission
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received.
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Table of Contents
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1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
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Bimodem: Yet Another File Transfer Protocol ............. 1
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Hackers Are Human ........................................ 3
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ZOW, Yet Another Fantastically New File Packer! (Part 1 .. 6
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2. COLUMNS .................................................. 8
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A new column: The Veterinarian's Corner! ................. 8
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Rogel's Corner: Panasonic Laser Partner, LaserTORQ ....... 10
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3. LATEST VERSIONS .......................................... 24
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Latest Software Versions ................................. 24
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4. NOTICES .................................................. 25
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And more!
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 1 27 Mar 1989
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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John Whitson
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1:160/200.0
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BiModem: A testimonial
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While snooping around the network a few days ago (looking
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for PD/ShareWare software fonts for a lucky friend with a new
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LaserJetII), I came across a curious entry in a file list:
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BIMOD103.PAK Full Duplex Xfer Protocal (Sd/Rcv at same time)
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(^sic)
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Naturally, I was curious, so I downloaded it and looked at
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the documentation. The .DOC file promised even more than the BBS
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listing.
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"Imagine the time savings if you could upload with
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Zmodem(tm) and YmodemG efficiencies while downloading
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at the same efficiency at the same time."
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Right. No way. Zmodem is pushing the limits of technology
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as it is. Where are we going to do this other transfer, another
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phone line? But wait, there's more!
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"If that feature is not enough to get you really
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excited, how about the ability to chat while the
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transfer is going on? Chatting, of course, will impact
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your throughput, but since most of us are slow typists,
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when compared to the speed of even a 1200 baud modem,
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the impact is usually minimal."
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Right. This sounds like some of the vaporware you read
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about in the funny pages of Byte or Dr. Dobb's. Erik Labs wanted
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$25.00 for registration. Sounds about par for ShareWare. The
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claims so far:
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1) Two way transfer
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2) Zmodem(tm) or YmodemG transfer efficiency BOTH WAYS
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3) Chatting while this goes on with 'minimal' effect
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4) And it would only cost $25.00
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By following the instructions, I installed it (in a period
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of about 5 minutes) to run with Binkley. So far, it was too
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easy.
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They claimed there was a protocol for Opus that allowed Opus
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SYSOPS to support BiModem users. If so, the source BBS should
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have it. So I found out where it came from, Sun Valley BBS in
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Phoenix, AZ (1:114/42.0), and I called them. I found B)iModem as
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an option under the F)iles menu, and hit Alt-J to jump to DOS. I
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entered BIMOD, and things happened.
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It asked me what I wanted to do: U/D. I chose U. It asked
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 2 27 Mar 1989
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for a file, so I picked a big one. No use sending a little file,
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since I wanted some big ones. I entered my description, then hit
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<PgDown>. That was easy.
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I selected U, and downloaded BIMOD107.ARC and BIOPUS16.ARC,
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then chose Alt-X to continue. A few seconds later, a window
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popped up offering two chat and three transfer status sub-
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windows. It informed me that this (roughly) 140K file would take
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nearly 10 minutes (9:46 sec) to upload at 2400 baud. It did,
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but it did so while simultaneously downloading 94K in two other
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files. Total transfer time, 9 min, 54 sec (including file name
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overhead).
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Very impressive. I wouldn't have believed it if anyone had
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told me. In fact, a friend of mine STILL doesn't believe me. I
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believe though, and I've already sent my $25.00.
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For more information, and the latest versions of all the
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BiModem software, contact:
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Valley of the Sun. Fido 1:114/42.0.
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Tell them you read about it here and don't believe them.
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Download BIMOD107.ARC, set it up, and call back for a test run.
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BIMODEM currently comes with scripts for Procomm+, Telix,
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and Qmodem. Batch files are included for other terminal
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emulators such as Binkley, which can shell to DOS.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 3 27 Mar 1989
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Wes Brewer
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The Think Tank, Memphis TN
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OPUS 1:123/7
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Random notes at a HAH Party
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by
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Trixie Highborn
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as told to Wes Brewer
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I answered the phone. It was Wes. "Would you like to go with
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me to a HAH party Saturday?" he asked.
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"What's a HAH party?" I asked.
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"A Dutch treat for members of HAH," he told me. "A bunch of
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computer friends getting together for a little fun."
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Nothing would please me less than getting together with
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computer people all talking in that strange out-of-space
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language that they use. But I could not tell Wes this. He is so
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firmly stuck in his mistaken belief that computers are here to
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stay that if I said anything against computers or their users his
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feelings would be hurt. So I said "yes".
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I knew that I was in for a rough time, but I did not realize
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just how rough until we arrived at the Pizza Hut where the party
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was to be held. In addition to the HAH party, they had booked two
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other parties to be held in this building which was about the
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size of my walk-in closet.
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After fighting our way to the cashier's station, Wes
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screams "Hey, where's the HAH party?"
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"Dunno exactly," the cashier replied. "Either over there or
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back yonder, I think."
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We fought our way over there, but these were obviously not
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computer people. They were carrying on intelligent conversations.
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So we fought our way to "back yonder". "See anyone you
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recognize?" I asked.
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"Never saw any of them before in my life," Wes replied.
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"We have come to the wrong Pizza Hut," I suggested. "Let's
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get out of here."
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"No, this is it. Let's find a spot of wall to lean against
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and order something to eat."
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We squeezed in and waited until a couple with chairs had to
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go to the bath room and grabbed their chairs. Soon a young man
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came by, extended his hand and said, "Welcome, strangers. I am
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Harry Blake."
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Wes grabbed his hand and replied, "Hi Harry. I'm Wes Brewer.
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Glad to see you. How are things in school?" What could have led
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Wes to believe that this young man was a student? But Blake began
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to tell about things at school. "How did you get here?" Wes
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continued.
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"I drove," Harry replied.
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"Last I heard, you were grounded until you pull your grades
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up."
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"I pulled them up," Harry replied. Then the two of them
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started discussing conversations that they had had two or three
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years ago. Several others came by and introduced themselves with
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similar results. Somehow this did not seem right.
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"Wes," I finally said "What are you trying to pull? These
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 4 27 Mar 1989
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are all old friends but you said that you had never seen any of
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them before."
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"Yes, it is true that these are old friends and it is
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equally true that I have never seen them before. We met and
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talked on bulletin boards and became friends, but this the first
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time we have seen one another."
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"Bulletin boards?" I asked. He tried to explain this to me,
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but I am still in the dark. I have a mental picture of a
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landscape dotted with cork boards with hundreds of notes pinned
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to them and people willy nilly walking from one board to another
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reading the notes and posting their own boards. I was reminded of
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my schoolroom sixty years ago when boys would hit girls in the
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head with wadded mash notes. And Wes thinks that this will get me
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interested in computers.
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I asked several people what HAH stood for and got several
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different answers. The answer that I got most often was "Hackers
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are Human."
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"What's a hacker?" I asked Wes.
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"A hacker is a computer. . ."
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"Now, there you go, trying to endow those infernal machines
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with human personalities," I said.
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"Before I was so rudely interrupted, I was saying, "A hacker
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is a computer buff," Wes replied.
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"Now, there you go, trying to endow those infernal people
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with human personalities." I said.
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While Wes was occupied with his friends (strangers), I saw a
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little boy wandering around. "Sonny," I asked, "Is your daddy a
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computer buff?"
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"Nah, He hates computers."
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"Then your mommy is a computer buff?"
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"Nah, she's scared of computers."
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"Oh, I see. You are not part of this party. You just got
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separated from your parents and ended up in here," I said.
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"Nah. I belong in here."
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"How could you if neither of your parents are computer
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buffs?"
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"I'm a computer buff," he informed me.
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Next, I engaged an attractive young lady in conversation. "I
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hear a lot about this beautiful lady who is scheduled to perform
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a table top dance. All the men seem to be excited about it." I
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said. "I didn't hear about this until we got here. I wonder when
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the lady will arrive."
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"I also didn't hear about it until I got here. Yes, the lady
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has arrived. I am the lady. I hope these dirty old me do not hold
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their breaths until I dance," she told me.
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Well, obviously the table top dance was canceled, but the
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party was not entirely without its exciting moments. The
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highlight of the party was probably when this matron with two
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hungry and crying children finally reached the conclusion that
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Pizza Hut was never going to serve her and her hungry children.
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So she went to the phone and called Domino's Pizza and ordered
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three pizza to be delivered to her at Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut's
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manager took a dim view of this solution to her problem.
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A great time was had by all.
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 5 27 Mar 1989
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 6 27 Mar 1989
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Jeff Sheese, JStek BBS
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Fidonet 1:109/116 (Netmail HOST routed via 1:109/100)
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EggNet 99:9200/1 (Netmail HOST routed via 99:9200/0)
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ZOW, Yet Another Fantastically New File Packer! (Part 1 of 2)
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Yes, yet ANOTHER fantastically new file packer is about to hit
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the public domain software scene! But before I describe this new
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file packing software package I'll talk about the events that led
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up to my discovery of it's algorithms. The teaser is that I
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offer it free of charge, the formats are public domain, and I
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PERSONALLY will allow anyone to duplicate it's structure. Just
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don't steal my source code.
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I check the spelling of comments. ;-)
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After reading the SYSOP conference, which I co-moderate, I was
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sort of disgusted with the politics of all these packing
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programs. I remembered the days of CP/M which brought the old
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gems of SQUEEZE (SQZ files) and Library (LBR files). Remember
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the one program, NULU, which combined them both, AND allowed you
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to work with the individual members of the library file? I don't
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currently know of a packer that does this. Mine doesn't. ;-)
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At any rate, we all know the packer politics (no reference to
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Green Bay intended). So whilst laying awake late at night, I
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tried to think of a way to pack a file, regardless of size, down
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to the barest minimum allowed on a 360k IBM 9 sector, DSDD floppy
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disk. 2048 bytes!
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The next morning it dawned on me! I finally figured it out!
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The result was ZOW. The current version (in alpha test) does
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this, but it only works on floppy disks. Yes, I know. But you'd
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have to see the source code to know why. It's not crippleware.
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It makes low level DOS calls to the floppy disk controller.
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Strange but true, it will take any file (less than 200k) copied
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to a formatted floppy disk and reduce it to a ZOW formatted file
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that takes up only one disk cluster!
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Sounds to good to be true? Well you have to see it to believe
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it. There's another catch. You can only put one data file in
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each ZOW file. And if you copy the ZOW file off the floppy disk
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it won't work. You can ZOW as many files on a floppy as the
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floppy can hold.
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Aha, another question from someone out thar' in bbs land. Why
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did I announce this new breakthrough in Fidonews instead of
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echomail? Well I just want to demonstrate my unwillingness to
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participate in the packer politics. The other packers are VERY
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fine software products and do represent a lot of good hard work!
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However I refuse to discuss my new product in the echomail forum.
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I've seen too many arguments from different people regarding the
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performance of the different packers, using different test files
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and different hardware. I will, however, discuss it in netmail.
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 7 27 Mar 1989
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I'll again mention the pluses and minuses of the current alpha
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test version of ZOW. These are:
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Good Points:
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1. A ZOW format file only takes up ONE cluster of a 360k,
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formatted 9 sector DSDD floppy disk, regardless of the size
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of the original data file.
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2. You can have as many ZOW files on a floppy disk as it will
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*hold*.
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3. It does NOT use Huffman coding or Lempil Zev W packing.
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4. Because of the previous point, I am IRREVOCABLY going to
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release ZOW's algorithms and formats into the public domain.
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5. I do not plan on using the shareware concept to distribute
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ZOW.
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Bad Points:
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1. Only one data file may be packed into a ZOW formatted file.
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But who cares, the ZOW file only takes 2k!
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2. The current size limit for a data file is about 200k.
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3. The current version of ZOW will only work on floppy disks.
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4. Files may not be packed across drives, I.E. source data
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files to be packed MUST be on the same disk as the
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destination ZOW file.
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5. ZOW formatted files will not work when copied to another
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disk. That means until I figure out how to get past a few
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problems it CANNOT be used in any mailers.
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6. It won't be released until *after* I make sure that it will
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cause no harm to other disk drives on the system. During
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the development stage I ran into this problem a lot. But
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there are already a lot of people helping me with this, so
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beta testers are NOT needed.
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7. Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware).
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In next week's article, I'll reveal the exact algorithms used in
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order to pack the data file and retrieve it. Again, the formats
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and algorithms are public domain. Irretrievably public domain!
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In the meantime, happy packing!
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 8 27 Mar 1989
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=================================================================
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COLUMNS
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=================================================================
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The Veterinarian's Corner
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Excerpts from the ANIMED GroupMail Conference
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by Don Thomson, 1:102/1005
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Chocolate and Animals
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"A springer spaniel weighing 46 lbs developed generalized
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seizures and died about 15 hours after ingestion of two pounds of
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cholocate.... Serum samples.... pointed to this.... as the cause
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of death..." [excerpt taken from Journal American Animal Hospital
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Assoc. Mar/Apr 1983]
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Over the past several years, chocolate poisoning has been
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increasingly recognized as a source of pet poisoning, even death,
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in the US. The caffeine-like principle in chocolate, Theobromine,
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is the agent responsible for these severe reactions.
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In man, theobromine is rapidly metabolised and removed from the
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circulation. While most of the theobromine is removed from the
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bloodstream of people within 8-10 hours, in the dog it takes much
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more than SIX DAYS, and possibly up to more than two WEEKS!
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Ever had your heart race, or develop tremors, even diarrhea from
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too much coffee? Imagine a racing heart, jittery muscles, and
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diarrhea cramps for a week. That racing heart, prolonged for days
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on end, may easily result in a fatal arrhythmia. Those muscle
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jitters may actually progress to convulsions. Yes, dogs die from
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getting into that Easter basket. Worse yet, some well meaning
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owners actually give chocolate to their pets!
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Please be careful over the coming Easter Holidays with that
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chocolate. If you do find that your pet has gotten into it,
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please see you veterinarian IMMEDIATELY. The time to treat this
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poisoning is BEFORE the chocolate is digested and absorbed. By
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inducing vomitting, and placing activated charcol in the dogs
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stomach we can limit the amount of theobromine absorbed into the
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bloodstream and hopefully head the problem off..... Treating the
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symptoms after the chocolate is absorbed.... Well.... My fingers
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are crossed.....
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----------
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On a lighter note:
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A dog's nails should be kept short enough so that they do not
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touch the ground when walking. If you hear the nails 'clicking'
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||
as your pet walks across a hard floor or surface then they are
|
||
too long. Untrimmed nails are a potential source of a number of
|
||
problems: splayed feet, sore nailbeds, or even a torn nail
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exposing the nail bed itself! Ouch!
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 9 27 Mar 1989
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Make sure too, that you regularly check the dewclaws (or "thumb
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claws") as they do not wear and may grow so long they actually
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curl and dig into the paw itself. If unsure of how to trim
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nails, ask your vet or groomer, it really is simple to do. And
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makes life so much more pleasant for your pet.
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DB Thomson, DVM
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1:102/1005
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9:871/16
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 6-13 Page 10 27 Mar 1989
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----------------------------------------------
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Rogel's Corner
|
||
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December, 1988 Electronic Edition
|
||
----------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Panasonic's Laser Partner:
|
||
A Dual-Bin Wunderwerk
|
||
|
||
No question about it, the Hewlett-Packard
|
||
LaserJet II is the standard in laser printers.
|
||
Perhaps that is why I was so surprised to
|
||
learn that the LaserJet II comes equipped with
|
||
only one paper bin.
|
||
|
||
Any serious business use of a laser printer
|
||
requires two paper bins: one bin for the
|
||
letterhead and a second bin to hold the
|
||
non-letterhead stationery. True, you could
|
||
print your own letterhead with a laser printer
|
||
but the quality (at 300 dpi) is just not the
|
||
same as you will get with commercially printed
|
||
stationery (at 600, 1,250, or 2,450 dpi).
|
||
|
||
An alternative suggested by some merchants
|
||
stacking simply is not practicable in a busy
|
||
office. What happens to your stack if two
|
||
pages instead of one get pulled through the
|
||
printer? Pages that should have printed on the
|
||
letterhead paper will instead print on your
|
||
non-letterhead stationery and vice-versa. How
|
||
do you stack if you are sharing printers?
|
||
Besides, who has the time to lay out stacks?
|
||
|
||
Surely a second paper bin must be available as
|
||
an option for the LaserJet II. Well, I asked
|
||
several dealers and they were unaware of such
|
||
an option. I then called Hewlett- Packard and
|
||
learned that while they don't offer a second
|
||
bin option, there are one or two third-party
|
||
vendors who sell such a device at about the
|
||
same cost as the LaserJet II, itself. [HP
|
||
recently rolled out the HP LaserJet IID, which
|
||
comes with 2 200-sheet paper trays and
|
||
features duplex printing; it's list price is
|
||
$4,295 and there is an optional envelope
|
||
feeder for $350]
|
||
|
||
So I took my search for a laser printer
|
||
elsewhere. That's when I met the Panasonic
|
||
Laser Partner.
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Paper Tale
|
||
--------------
|
||
On paper, the Panasonic Laser Partner looks
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 11 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
terrific (pun intended). It comes standard
|
||
with a two-bin sheet feeder and a 500-page
|
||
capacity compare this with 200 pages for the
|
||
HP LaserJet II and the Brother HL-8, and 400
|
||
pages for the HP LaserJet IID.
|
||
|
||
The Laser Partner is a speed demon. It is
|
||
rated at 11 ppm and, according to the October
|
||
31, 1988 issue of PC Magazine, was timed at
|
||
``10.1 high enough to place it in the top
|
||
ranks of all tested machines regardless of
|
||
price.'' The LaserJet II and IID as well as
|
||
the Brother HL-8 are rated at 8 ppm. This is a
|
||
heavy duty machine, with a high duty cycle of
|
||
5,000 pages per month. Even the life span of
|
||
its consumables (i.e., toner, drum, developer)
|
||
is higher than that of the LaserJet II
|
||
standard-bearer; compare: 5,000 sheets for
|
||
Panasonic's toner, 13,000 sheets for the drum,
|
||
and 20,000 sheets for its developer vs. 4,000
|
||
sheets for the LaserJet II's
|
||
toner/developer/drum cartridge.
|
||
|
||
When Panasonic's toner runs out, you simply
|
||
replace the toner (available for about $35);
|
||
when the LaserJet II's (or IID's or Brother
|
||
HL-8's) cartridge runs out, you must replace
|
||
the entire cartridge (at a cost of from
|
||
$85-$115; you also can recharge the cartridge
|
||
about 2 times, at a cost of approximately $45
|
||
each time). Also consider that when the
|
||
Panasonic's toner is running low, a light on
|
||
the control panel advises you of this status;
|
||
when the LaserJet II's toner runs low, it
|
||
leaves an ugly and very noticeable streak
|
||
across your paper.
|
||
|
||
The Panasonic's specifications list a number
|
||
of other goodies: it features 5 emulations
|
||
(including the HP LaserJet Plus); 11 resident
|
||
fonts; and all of the printer's controls are
|
||
located on an accessible and easy to use front
|
||
panel (there are no dip switches), which
|
||
includes a 15-charac- ter LCD display for
|
||
plain English status and error messages.
|
||
|
||
Finally, the price was right. It lists for
|
||
$2,595 but can be purchased for less than
|
||
$1,500.
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Proof is in the printing
|
||
----------------------------
|
||
So how did the Panasonic fare? Quite honestly,
|
||
I purchased the Panasonic with substantial
|
||
reservation. Above all else, I needed a
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 12 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
reliable printer for my legal practice. Judges
|
||
and clients simply will not wait for
|
||
ill-tempered prin- ters. Dare I choose
|
||
something other than the LaserJet II?
|
||
|
||
My concerns were heightened by several mixed
|
||
reviews of the Laser Partner. As discussed in
|
||
more detail below, most of the criticism is
|
||
simply unfounded and one of the Panasonic's
|
||
big selling points, the dual-bin paper trays,
|
||
was given far less credit than it deserved.
|
||
|
||
My first experience with the Laser Partner was
|
||
horrifying. The output was inconsistent some
|
||
pages were great and, then, other pages would
|
||
contain garbage and distorted fonts. I noticed
|
||
that the problems became particularly severe
|
||
when I tried to print more than one page where
|
||
multiple fonts were present. Then there were
|
||
the error messages; these messages were not
|
||
even explained in the manual's error message
|
||
section.
|
||
|
||
I tried contacting Panasonic's toll-free
|
||
customer support but their telephone was
|
||
incessantly busy. When I finally got through,
|
||
I was greeted by a friendly support
|
||
representa-tive. He suspected that my
|
||
printer's memory board was malfunctioning but
|
||
was unable to recommend a means for quickly
|
||
remedying this problem.
|
||
|
||
I then spoke with Customer Support Manager Joe
|
||
Carney a true gem of a human being who
|
||
enlisted the aid of the Panasonic marketing
|
||
group in having a replacement printer sent to
|
||
me by express delivery. Panasonic's prompt
|
||
help and courtesies are sincerely appreciated
|
||
but I wonder what would have happened if an
|
||
ordinary professional or businessman (i.e.,
|
||
someone who was not writing a review of the
|
||
Laser Partner) had called and reported the
|
||
problems I was experiencing. By copy of this
|
||
review, I am inviting Panasonic to respond to
|
||
this inquiry.
|
||
|
||
[Panasonic's Laser Partner Product Manager
|
||
responded as follows: He believes that if you
|
||
cannot get the kind of service that the
|
||
Panasonic name implies, then perhaps Panasonic
|
||
does not deserve your business. Consistent
|
||
with this philosophy, Panasonic has approached
|
||
customer service from several angles. They
|
||
have increased the number of full- time
|
||
customer support personnel. Xerox Americare
|
||
Service Centers are available to Panasonic
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 13 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
customers (an on site service agreement also
|
||
is available from Xerox for $150). Dealers and
|
||
resellers are also encouraged to make service
|
||
available. Finally, if you live out in the
|
||
sticks or are otherwise dissatisfied with the
|
||
service you are receiving, Panasonic will do
|
||
whatever it reasonably takes to help you out
|
||
this might entail flying a field engineer out
|
||
to your place or, as in my situation, sending
|
||
a replacement unit by express delivery. He
|
||
also pointed out that whether a person is
|
||
reviewing the Laser Partner or owns several of
|
||
these units should not make a difference in
|
||
the type of service they receive; he proceeded
|
||
to offer anecdote after anecdote of
|
||
extraordinary service provided mom & pop
|
||
outfits with one Laser Partner. You know what?
|
||
I believe this guy. He was very candid about
|
||
the Laser Partner's pros and cons. He also was
|
||
very proud of the Laser Partner. It's his baby
|
||
and he speaks as a man determined to see that
|
||
the Laser Partner be well received in this
|
||
world, regardless of how much work it takes.]
|
||
|
||
I do not hold my first printer's
|
||
malfunctioning against Panasonic. Rocks are
|
||
hard, water is wet, and malfunctions will
|
||
happen to the best of us. The real question is
|
||
how does a properly functioning Panasonic
|
||
Laser Printer operate? The answer: like a
|
||
wonderful dream come true.
|
||
|
||
Let's start with setting the printer up.
|
||
Panasonic's manual contains a simple
|
||
installation section, complete with helpful
|
||
illustrations and well written and concise
|
||
instructions. Following their
|
||
paint-by-the-numbers approach, I was able to
|
||
complete installation and get my Laser Partner
|
||
operational in about 15 minutes.
|
||
|
||
According to PC Magazine's October 31, 1988
|
||
review of the Laser Partner, the installation
|
||
was criticized because
|
||
|
||
``when it comes time to add the
|
||
toner, you are confronted with a
|
||
large bottle that is topped with a
|
||
spring-loaded cap. You hold the
|
||
top open while gently waving the
|
||
bottle over the toner bin, rolling
|
||
the bottle back and forth in the
|
||
air, until all the toner is in the
|
||
bin.''
|
||
|
||
I suppose that if you experience difficulty
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 14 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
putting toothpaste on your toothbrush, then
|
||
adding the toner would be a problem. As to the
|
||
spring-loaded cap, we are talking here about
|
||
the dexterity required to light a butane
|
||
lighter and not to move mountains. But this
|
||
is academic since Panasonic has replaced the
|
||
spring-loaded cap with a plain vanilla cap (I
|
||
saved my spring-loaded cap).
|
||
|
||
The remaining consumable items the drum and
|
||
developer come in cartridges and are easy
|
||
to install, even for the weak-thumbed among
|
||
us.
|
||
|
||
The front panel contains push buttons for each
|
||
printer operation. It is well thought out and
|
||
intuitive. Although the printer manual rarely
|
||
is needed, it is a model of clarity and
|
||
organization. The manual not only contains a
|
||
general index but also includes an index for
|
||
each printer emulation.
|
||
|
||
WordPerfect 5.0 and the Panasonic Laser
|
||
Partner work well together (Panasonic advises
|
||
me that most major programs now have a Laser
|
||
Partner driver). The output is superb. The
|
||
printed edition of this review, for instance,
|
||
was printed on my Panasonic.
|
||
|
||
Today one of my clients even complimented me
|
||
on the print quality of a document I had
|
||
prepared for his company (something that has
|
||
never happened to me before) and wanted to
|
||
know what I used to accomplish this (he
|
||
guessed that I used a MacIntosh and PostScript
|
||
printer).
|
||
|
||
Some reviewers have complained about the Laser
|
||
Partner's inability to properly print varying
|
||
degrees of gray scale. Panasonic advises me
|
||
that this was due to a bug in the pre-
|
||
production models supplied reviewers.
|
||
|
||
Try as I might, I simply could not duplicate
|
||
these supposed gray-scale problems and,
|
||
accordingly, must assume that Panasonic is
|
||
correct in claiming that their production
|
||
models have corrected this problem. Set out
|
||
below are graphics boxes with gray-scale
|
||
ranging from 10% to 100% [unfortunately I
|
||
cannot duplicate these graphics boxes for
|
||
those of you who are receiving the electronic
|
||
version of this column]:
|
||
|
||
|
||
One well-founded criticism concerns
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 15 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
Panasonic's lack of a manual feed and the
|
||
absence of a straight-through paper path for
|
||
transparencies, other heavy stock, and
|
||
envelopes. The Laser Partner's Product Manager
|
||
explains that the lack of a manual feed is the
|
||
result of a necessary trade off for the
|
||
Panasonic's many other features and its low
|
||
price; as long as the print material meets
|
||
spec, the Laser Partner can handle it.
|
||
|
||
I have not tried printing with transparencies
|
||
yet and must therefore wait to see if this
|
||
will be a problem. I also am waiting for an
|
||
optional envelope cassette, which I suspect
|
||
will provide an acceptable alternative to the
|
||
straight-through paper path, at least for
|
||
envelopes.
|
||
|
||
The Panasonic Laser Partner has several
|
||
options available, such as a 1 MB RAM
|
||
expansion, legal paper cassette, en-
|
||
velope cassette, and two font cartridges
|
||
(KX-P470 & 471; compatible with the HP "F" &
|
||
"T" cartridges, respectively).
|
||
|
||
I am using the 1 MB RAM expansion, giving my
|
||
Panasonic 1.5 MB of RAM. Each day I initialize
|
||
my printer through WordPerfect 5.0 by
|
||
downloading approximately 1.3 MB of fonts. It
|
||
takes some time and surely is overkill but
|
||
then I am able to use various fonts in the
|
||
many documents I must produce and still have
|
||
each document print within seconds of issuing
|
||
the print command. When I was limited to 512
|
||
K, each print job would generally take several
|
||
minutes in order for the necessary fonts to be
|
||
downloaded into the printer's limited memory.
|
||
The expansion saves a substantial amount of
|
||
time in this regard and would be a real plus
|
||
for a busy office.
|
||
|
||
I have not yet had an opportunity to review
|
||
the cassettes or Panasonic's recently released
|
||
font cartridges. Due to an unexpected demand
|
||
for the envelope cassette, Panasonic was
|
||
caught with an inadequate supply but has
|
||
assured me that they will be able to meet
|
||
demand in December. I will over these options
|
||
as well as provide a follow-up in a future
|
||
Rogel's Corner.
|
||
|
||
Panasonic Laser Partner's top-of-the-line
|
||
features and low price make it the perfect
|
||
choice for automating a business. Indeed, if
|
||
Panasonic can untangle their customer support
|
||
problems, I suspect that the Laser Partner
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 16 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
will become the laser printer standard.
|
||
|
||
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Rogel's Wrap-Up # 1
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Product: Panasonic KX-P4450 Laser Partner, v.2
|
||
Price: $2,595 list
|
||
Product description: Laser printer
|
||
Features
|
||
Cartridge slots: 1
|
||
Consumables/Life: Toner: 5,000 sheets
|
||
Drum: 13,000 sheets
|
||
Developer: 20,000 sheets
|
||
Dimen (HWD): 14.5" x 28" x 17"
|
||
Duty Cycle: 5000 pages per month
|
||
Emulations (5): HP LaserJet+
|
||
Diablo 630
|
||
Epson FX-286
|
||
IBM Proprinter
|
||
Panasonic KX-P1092i
|
||
Fonts (resident)(11): Courier & Courier
|
||
Italic (10, 12, 15, & 16.66 cpi);
|
||
Courier 20 cpi (sub- & superscript);
|
||
and Century 702 & Century 702 italic
|
||
Max. Paper Size: 8.5" x 14"
|
||
Paper capacity: 250 sheets x 2 bins
|
||
RAM: 512 K
|
||
Resolution: 300 dpi
|
||
Speed: 11 PPM (text)
|
||
Warranty: 1 yr./printer;
|
||
90-days/consumables
|
||
Weight.: 59.6 lb.
|
||
|
||
Options: Legal cassette; envelope cassette; 1
|
||
MB RAM expansion; Font Cards KX-P470 & 471
|
||
(compatible with HP "F" & "T" cards,
|
||
respectively)
|
||
|
||
Comments: Panasonic's Laser Partner
|
||
represents an unbeatable value for the office:
|
||
an affordable price, dual-bin sheet feeders,
|
||
well-written documentation, easy operation,
|
||
and excellent output make this the printer of
|
||
choice for business applications. On the
|
||
negative side, it lacks a manual feeder and a
|
||
straight- through paper path. The most serious
|
||
criticism: they have toll-free customer
|
||
support but it is largely inaccessible.
|
||
|
||
For more information, contact: Panasonic
|
||
Industrial Co., 2 Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ
|
||
07004 (800) 742-8086; (201) 348-7000
|
||
==============================================
|
||
==============================================
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 17 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
LaserTORQ
|
||
---------
|
||
|
||
There is nothing new about print spoolers or
|
||
buffers. Rather than wait for your printing
|
||
task to be completed before resuming use of
|
||
your computer, you dump your print job into a
|
||
software or hardware buffer, which then prints
|
||
in the background, so that you can proceed
|
||
with your foreground computing.
|
||
|
||
Unfortunately, in the past there were
|
||
significant trade-offs: hardware systems
|
||
offered excellent performance but at a
|
||
preimium; software systems cost less but also
|
||
offered lesser performance. All of that has
|
||
changed, thanks to LaserTORQ, a software print
|
||
spooler/accelerator from LaserTools.
|
||
|
||
Using LaserTORQ with WordPerfect 5.0, I
|
||
regained my cursor almost immediately after
|
||
issuing the print command. Then, while my
|
||
document printed at an accelerated speed in
|
||
the background, I resumed computing without
|
||
any degradation of foreground performance.
|
||
|
||
LaserTORQ does its thing through a combination
|
||
of an efficient use of your computer's
|
||
interrupt system and high-speed buffering. The
|
||
interrupt-based printing feature sends
|
||
characters to the printer as soon as the
|
||
printer is ready to receive them. This means
|
||
that you can print in the background without
|
||
suffering any noticeable slowdown of your
|
||
foreground processing speed and, as an added
|
||
bonus, the actual printing speed will be
|
||
accelerated. The buffering feature allows you
|
||
to regain use of your keyboard almost
|
||
instantly after giving the "print" command.
|
||
|
||
According to LaserTools, there are several
|
||
print spooling benchmarks:
|
||
|
||
1. Buffering speed: the rate at which a
|
||
device (printer; spooler; LaserTORQ) can
|
||
accept data to be printed.
|
||
|
||
Performance: The developers of LaserTORQ
|
||
claim that its product accepts data at
|
||
over 100,000 cps versus 2,000 cps for
|
||
other print spoolers versus 500 cps for
|
||
laser printers (text) and 200 cps for
|
||
dot-matrix printers (draft). They
|
||
further claim that it took competing
|
||
print spookers 5.3 minutes to accept a
|
||
full page of 300 dpi graphics whereas
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 18 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
LaserTORQ took only 7 seconds.
|
||
|
||
2. Printing speed: the rate at which
|
||
printed pages are produced.
|
||
|
||
Performance: LaserTORQ's developers
|
||
claim that competing print spoolers take
|
||
7.4 minutes to print a full page 300 dpi
|
||
graphics file where LaserTORQ required
|
||
only 1.9 minutes.
|
||
|
||
3. CPU overhead: the percentage of your
|
||
PC's time required to use the printer
|
||
utility (i.e., spooler; LaserTORQ).
|
||
|
||
Performance: LaserTools claims that
|
||
competing print spoolers have a 40% CPU
|
||
overhead factor versus 2% for LaserTORQ.
|
||
|
||
4. Ease of use
|
||
5. Costs
|
||
|
||
Operation
|
||
---------
|
||
The documentation is short, sweet, and
|
||
helpful. Frankly, installation is so simple
|
||
that you don't need the documenta-tion.
|
||
LaserTORQ allows you to set up a print buffer
|
||
on your conventional RAM memory, hard disk,
|
||
expanded memory (LMS or EEMS), or extended
|
||
memory.
|
||
|
||
Once installed, LaserTORQ operates
|
||
transparently and efficiently. If you want to
|
||
make adjustments (i.e., activate the graphics
|
||
compression feature), hit the hot-key and then
|
||
point-and-shoot. It's as simple as that.
|
||
|
||
I did have one problem, initially. The
|
||
installation test of my printer did not work.
|
||
LaserTORQ informed me that the problem was
|
||
with my parallel port: early IBM parallel
|
||
ports and those of several clones cannot
|
||
generate the signal LaserTORQ needs.
|
||
LaserTools sells a $15 parallel-port adaptor
|
||
that corrects the problem (you could also
|
||
command LaserTORQ to operate on a timer basis
|
||
rather than on an interrupt basis but this
|
||
results in a degradation of both printing and
|
||
foreground processing speeds). I tried the
|
||
adaptor; it fully corrected the problem.
|
||
|
||
Another nice LaserTORQ feature is its
|
||
flexibility. Unlike a hardware buffer which
|
||
requires you to choose the buffer size at the
|
||
time of purchase, you can adjust the LaserTORQ
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 19 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
buffer to suit your changing needs and you can
|
||
even change the type of buffer LaserTORQ uses
|
||
(i.e., expanded or extended memory) so that
|
||
you can use LaserTORQ to take full advantage
|
||
of your growing computer needs without any
|
||
additional costs.
|
||
|
||
Downloading fonts typically takes a
|
||
considerable period of time. Users have
|
||
reported that their downloading time of over
|
||
10 minutes has been reduced, when using
|
||
LaserTORQ, to under 10 seconds.
|
||
|
||
Another problem is an inadequate amount of
|
||
printer memory to produce full page 300 dpi
|
||
graphics. Printers such as the Hewlett-Packard
|
||
LaserJet Plus, LaserJet II, and Panasonic
|
||
Laser Partner, which come standard with 512K
|
||
memory, can only print 1/3 page of 300 dpi
|
||
graphics. There are memory boards for these
|
||
printers but they typically cost between
|
||
$300-$400. LaserTORQ's nifty
|
||
graphics-compression feature allows HP
|
||
compatible laser printers with only 512K to
|
||
print a full page of 300 dpi graphics.
|
||
|
||
Let's not forget price. There are many
|
||
hardware and software fixes for the slow
|
||
printer blues but they ordinarily cost much
|
||
more and offer less flexibility than
|
||
LaserTORQ, which costs $99 and there is no
|
||
shipping charge. What's more, LaserTORQ comes
|
||
with a 30-day unconditional, money-back
|
||
guarantee.
|
||
|
||
Finally, there is toll-free technical support.
|
||
When I called their support staff, I was
|
||
greeted by an answering machine. However my
|
||
calls were almost always returned within 1-2
|
||
hours and I find the support staff to be
|
||
courteous, informed, and helpful.
|
||
|
||
Although not reviewed here, mention should
|
||
also be made of TORQ, LaserTools' version of
|
||
LaserTORQ for dot-matrix, daisywheel, and
|
||
inkjet printers. TORQ is a memory-resident
|
||
program, requires 15K RAM, and you need an IBM
|
||
PC, XT, AT, or compatible as well as DOS 2.0+.
|
||
Lasertools recently released another software
|
||
product, Trading Post, which makes
|
||
non-PostSript speaking software (i.e., dBase
|
||
III, Lotus 1-2-3) compatible with PostScript
|
||
printers. Trading Post, which is not reviewed
|
||
here, sells for $79.00. Both programs have the
|
||
same consumer benefits offered with LaserTORQ:
|
||
no shipping charge, toll-free technical
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 20 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
support, and a money-back guarantee.
|
||
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Rogel's Wrap-Up # 2
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Product: LaserTORQ Version 1.04
|
||
|
||
Price: $99 list price (with free 2-day
|
||
shipping). TORQ and Trading Post, which are
|
||
not reviewed here, each list for $79}
|
||
|
||
Product description: Laser printer print
|
||
spooler/accelerator
|
||
|
||
System Requirements: 19K free ram; 128K
|
||
system; HP-compatible or PostScript laser
|
||
printer; DOS 2.0+
|
||
|
||
Comments: This program pays for itself every
|
||
day. I regain use of my keyboard within
|
||
seconds after I issue the print command.
|
||
Perhaps more important, I am able to resume
|
||
the use of my computer while my documents are
|
||
printing and there is no noticeable
|
||
degredation in either the background printing
|
||
or the foreground processing. In the past my
|
||
work would be interrupted while I impatiently
|
||
waited on my printer to complete its task; now
|
||
my printer must wait on me. I wonder if
|
||
Lasertools has any solution for that problem.
|
||
|
||
For more information, contact: LaserTools
|
||
Corp., 3025 Buena Vista Way, Berkeley, CA
|
||
94708; (800) 346-1353; (415) 843-2234
|
||
==============================================
|
||
==============================================
|
||
|
||
Books
|
||
-----
|
||
|
||
I often find that the quality of a book
|
||
reflects the exacting standards (or lack
|
||
thereof) of the publisher. Peachpit Press is
|
||
no exception: they have published the two gems
|
||
reviewed here. For those who are interested,
|
||
Peachpit Press also publishes: Ventural Tips
|
||
and Tricks, 2nd Edition by Ted Nace ($22.95;
|
||
448 pp.); The Macintosh Font Book by Erfert
|
||
Fenton ($21.95; 300 pp.); IBM AT Clone Buyer's
|
||
Guide and Handbook ($24.95); and, 386 Computer
|
||
Buyer's Guide and Handbook ($29.95). To
|
||
order, you may contact the publlisher at the
|
||
address or telephone number set out in Rogel's
|
||
Wrap-Up # 3 or # 4 below.
|
||
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 21 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
LaserJet Unlimited, Edition II
|
||
by
|
||
Ted Nace & Michael Gardner
|
||
|
||
The authors do an excellent job of covering
|
||
everything you need to know about laser
|
||
printers, including: setting up and
|
||
maintaining a laser printer; operating the
|
||
control panel as well as printer commands (for
|
||
more advanced users); coordination of the
|
||
printer with word processing software,
|
||
spreadsheets, databases, and forms; desktop
|
||
publishing, graphics, and fonts; special
|
||
effects and tricky operations like
|
||
envelope/label printing; and laser printer
|
||
upgrades. I particularly liked the individual
|
||
sections the authors devoted to special
|
||
hardware and software (including shareware &
|
||
public domain) utilities for the subjects
|
||
under discussion.
|
||
|
||
Don't let the title fool you. There is very
|
||
little in this book that does not apply to all
|
||
HP LaserJet compatible printers. Considering
|
||
that any serious non-PostScript laser printer
|
||
will emulate the LaserJet, the book has a wide
|
||
application, indeed. Armed with this book even
|
||
a novice can quickly and easily learn to use
|
||
the laser printer proficiently.
|
||
|
||
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Rogel's Wrap-Up # 3
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Product: LaserJet Unlimited, Edition II by
|
||
Ted Nace & Michael Gardner
|
||
|
||
Price: $24.95 list
|
||
|
||
Product description: Book re laser printers
|
||
and, in particular, the HP LaserJet
|
||
|
||
Comments: This book is a must for people who
|
||
use or are considering the use of a HP
|
||
LaserJet compatible printer. It is well
|
||
written, thoroughly covers the fundamentals of
|
||
using a laser printer, and offers countless
|
||
suggestions on how to get the most out of a
|
||
laser printer.
|
||
|
||
For more information, contact: Peachpit
|
||
Press, 1085 Keith Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708
|
||
(415) 527-8555
|
||
==============================================
|
||
==============================================
|
||
WordPerfect 5: Desktop Publishing in Style
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 22 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
by
|
||
Daniel Will-Harris
|
||
|
||
Daniel Will-Harris covers every conceivable
|
||
aspect of desktop publishing with WordPerfect
|
||
5.0 in exacting but easy to understand detail.
|
||
In short, this book demystifies WordPerfect's
|
||
formidable desktop publishing features.
|
||
|
||
My only criticisms deal more with style than
|
||
substance. First, the author provides the bare
|
||
minimum of information about the keystrokes
|
||
required to perform a certain operation. I
|
||
would have preferred a bit more explanation so
|
||
that I would not have to go to my computer to
|
||
see what the author meant by "ALT-F9 T C".
|
||
Second, the author is rather heavy handed in
|
||
his use of humor. Humor can be nice as a
|
||
seasoning for a technical book but becomes
|
||
annoying, at least to me, when it becomes one
|
||
of the main courses.
|
||
|
||
This is probably the best technical book I
|
||
have ever read. There is hardly a paragraph
|
||
that does not contain some new and innovative
|
||
suggestion. In fact, I was so eager to learn
|
||
what marvellous suggestions the author would
|
||
make next, that I found it difficult to put
|
||
the book down.
|
||
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Rogel's Wrap-Up # 4
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Product: WordPerfect 5: Desktop Publishing in
|
||
Style by Daniel Will-Harris
|
||
|
||
Price: $21.95 list (476 pp.). A supplementary
|
||
"Designer Disk 5 for WordPerfect", containing
|
||
30 style sheets duplicating all of the
|
||
examples in the book, is available directly
|
||
from the author for $35.95 (not reviewed
|
||
here). To order: write Will-Harris Designer
|
||
Disks, Box 480265, Dept B, LA, CA 90048
|
||
|
||
Product description: Book re WordPerfect 5.0
|
||
and desktop publishing
|
||
|
||
Comments: Will-Harris' book should be
|
||
required reading for anyone using WordPerfect
|
||
5.0. I have never read a book so packed with
|
||
truly helpful suggestions. In fact, there is
|
||
hardly a paragraph that does not contain some
|
||
new and exciting idea. Once you open this book
|
||
up, it's hard to put down.
|
||
|
||
For more information, contact: Peachpit
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 23 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
Press, 1085 Keith Ave., Berkeley, CA 94708
|
||
(415) 527-8555
|
||
==============================================
|
||
==============================================
|
||
Do you have any comments or questions about
|
||
anything covered in Rogel's Corner? Are there
|
||
any subjects you would like to see covered in
|
||
future Rogel's Corner columns? Let me and
|
||
the other readers hear from you.
|
||
|
||
Please send your letters to:
|
||
|
||
Rogel's Corner
|
||
c/o Todd S. Rogel
|
||
5418 Wayne Street
|
||
Raleigh, North Carolina 27606
|
||
|
||
You can reach me by telephone at the following numbers:
|
||
|
||
Office 851-2103
|
||
Home 851-2103
|
||
|
||
You also may leave a message for me on the
|
||
BBSs listed below:
|
||
|
||
MMS 779-6674 [151/102]
|
||
NCC 851-8460 [151/100]
|
||
Z-Board 833-7435
|
||
|
||
Sincerely,
|
||
Todd S. Rogel
|
||
Raleigh, North Carolina
|
||
November 24, 1988
|
||
|
||
Copyright @ 1988, by Todd S. Rogel.
|
||
[Permission is granted to copy this article
|
||
for noncommercial purposes only. Any other
|
||
reproduction or use is strictly prohibited
|
||
without the express written permission of the
|
||
author, Todd S. Rogel]
|
||
|
||
==============================================
|
||
January, 1989 Rogel's Corner
|
||
Review of
|
||
Softview's FormSet
|
||
==============================================
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 24 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
LATEST VERSIONS
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
Latest Software Versions
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
Fido 12k* Opus 1.03b TBBS 2.1
|
||
QuickBBS 2.03 TPBoard 5.0 TComm/TCommNet 3.4*
|
||
Lynx 1.22 Phoenix 1.3 RBBS 17.1D
|
||
|
||
|
||
Network Node List Other
|
||
Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
Dutchie 2.90C* EditNL 4.00 ARC 6.01*
|
||
SEAdog 4.50* MakeNL 2.12 ARCmail 2.0*
|
||
BinkleyTerm 2.10* Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00
|
||
D'Bridge 1.18* XlatList 2.90* TPB Editor 1.21
|
||
FrontDoor 2.0 XlaxNode 2.32* TCOMMail 2.1*
|
||
PRENM 1.40 XlaxDiff 2.32* TMail 8901*
|
||
ParseList 1.30 UFGATE 1.02*
|
||
GROUP 2.04*
|
||
EMM 1.40
|
||
MSGED 1.99*
|
||
XRS 1.2*
|
||
|
||
* 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 6-13 Page 25 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
8 May 1989
|
||
Digital Equipment Corporations User Society (DECUS) will be
|
||
holding its semi-annual symposium in Atlanta, GA. Runs
|
||
through May 12. As usual sysop's will get together and chat.
|
||
|
||
19 May 1989
|
||
Start of EuroCon III at Eindhoven, The Netherlands
|
||
|
||
24 Aug 1989
|
||
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
|
||
|
||
24 Aug 1989
|
||
FidoCon '89 starts at the Holiday Inn in San Jose,
|
||
California. Trade show, seminars, etc. Contact 1/89
|
||
for info.
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Tim Pozar
|
||
Fido 1:125/406
|
||
|
||
|
||
Telebit Trailblazer Modem Offer
|
||
|
||
|
||
Due to the UFGATE project and our registration of FidoNet as an
|
||
INTERNET domain (fidonet.org), FidoNet qualifies for this offer.
|
||
If you are interested in applying, you need to supply your INTERNET
|
||
domain name. For FidoNet it is:
|
||
|
||
<your.name>@p<Point>.f<fidoNode>.n<Net>.z<Zone>.FIDONET.ORG
|
||
|
||
For example, my FidoNet node number is 1:125/406. My INTERNET
|
||
domain address is:
|
||
|
||
Tim.Pozar@f406.n125.z1.FIDONET.ORG
|
||
|
||
If you are interested in further info on the INTERNET or UFGATE,
|
||
drop me a line at 1:125/406.
|
||
|
||
- Tim
|
||
---
|
||
==================================================================
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 26 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
Telebit Corporation Revision 1.00 01 JAN 1989
|
||
==================================================================
|
||
|
||
/*** TELEBIT/UUNET INTERNET DOMAIN NAME DISCOUNT PROGRAM ***/
|
||
(IDNDP)
|
||
|
||
The Telebit Corporation, in conjunction with UUNET Communications
|
||
Services, is offering a special 50% promotional discount off the
|
||
list price of TrailBlazer Plus modems to qualified organizations
|
||
using Internet domain names. Networks like Usenet and BITNET where
|
||
domain names may not be the precise addressing scheme may also
|
||
qualify.
|
||
|
||
Telebit has demonstrated its commitment to the UNIX marketplace
|
||
with its specific support for the UUCP protocol and the support of
|
||
TrailBlazer modems on the USENET. This announcement signals
|
||
Telebit's extended support for the use of its products in dialup
|
||
TCP/IP environments.
|
||
|
||
UUNET Communications Services will be assisting Telebit with the
|
||
program's administration as well as the distribution of dialup
|
||
TCP/IP software.
|
||
|
||
/***********************
|
||
* WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?
|
||
***********************/
|
||
|
||
Any autonomous organization legitimately participating on the
|
||
Internet by use of Internet domain names can qualify. The
|
||
organization must be physically located within the 50 United States
|
||
or Canada. One or two Telebit TrailBlazer Plus modems may be
|
||
purchased at a 45% or 50% discount off the US or Canadian list
|
||
price. Discount levels are determined by payment method and will
|
||
be explained below.
|
||
|
||
PTT restrictions and distribution contracts prohibit Telebit from
|
||
directly selling modems outside the United States. Telebit
|
||
Technologies of Canada, has agreed to extend the terms of the
|
||
Internet discount program to all Canadian sites. Other
|
||
international users are encouraged to contact Telebit Inc. for
|
||
local distributor information. A similar program may be offered
|
||
through local distribution on a per country, per demand basis.
|
||
|
||
For the sake of this program, Internet participation will be
|
||
defined by an organization's participation in the Domain Name
|
||
Service. Any organization with a registered domain name advertised
|
||
by a network name server will be immediately qualified to purchase
|
||
a total of two Telebit TrailBlazer Pluses.
|
||
|
||
In addition all UUNET members immediately qualify to purchase
|
||
modems as long as they have not previously purchased 2 modems on
|
||
the Telebit Usenet Discount Program.
|
||
|
||
Autonomous organizations residing as third level sub-domains, nodes
|
||
or some other form of demarcation not directly reachable via an
|
||
Internet Domain Name Server may also qualify for the program by
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 27 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
demonstrating on their applications the nature of their autonomy
|
||
and their relationship to a second level domain reachable via a
|
||
domain name server.
|
||
|
||
/*************
|
||
* For example:
|
||
**************/
|
||
|
||
A large university may list a single second level domain (foou.edu)
|
||
as the only way to reach all campus machines. However, within that
|
||
campus domain there potentially exist multiple autonomous
|
||
organizations, i.e. College of Computer Science (cs.foou.edu),
|
||
Dept. of Engineering (eng.foou.edu), Department of Foo
|
||
(foo.foou.edu), etc.
|
||
|
||
In the case of a very large company with internal, autonomous
|
||
divisions, each could qualify under the program rules. However, it
|
||
must be shown that the division operates as a completely separate
|
||
entity. For instance, the Chevrolet and Pontiac divisions of
|
||
General Motors, (chevrolet.gm.com, pontiac.gm.com).
|
||
|
||
Two pseudo domains exist on the Internet that do not fit exactly
|
||
into the Domain Name structure. They are Usenet (UUCP) and BITNET.
|
||
|
||
In the case of BITNET, individual node sites that constitute an
|
||
autonomous organization would qualify under the program.
|
||
|
||
In the case of Usenet, organizations that HAVE NOT previously
|
||
purchased 2 modems on the Telebit Usenet Discount Program may
|
||
qualify by reporting their existing domain name or by registering a
|
||
domain name for their site. UUNET provides a low, fee based
|
||
service for the the registration of a domain name. If you are a
|
||
UUCP site without a domain name and would prefer registration be
|
||
taken care of for you, contact UUNET at the below addresses.
|
||
|
||
The program is designed as a promotion. This allows individual
|
||
organizations an opportunity to experience Telebit's TrailBlazer
|
||
Plus high speed modems at an attractive price. It is not designed
|
||
as a mechanism to fulfill an organization's entire modem
|
||
requirements.
|
||
|
||
If your organization resides as a third or lower level domain and
|
||
gains access to the Internet indirectly via a higher level
|
||
organization you must supply the nature of your organization's
|
||
autonomy and describe the relationship to that higher level domain.
|
||
|
||
A brief explanation of your organization's autonomous relationship
|
||
to a second level domain should suffice. Telebit reserves the
|
||
right to validate each application using the criteria described
|
||
herein, granting or refusing sale accordingly. A total limit of
|
||
four (4) modems per second level domain may be enforced if it is
|
||
deemed by Telebit that all autonomous organizations within that
|
||
domain have been satisfied.
|
||
|
||
/******************************
|
||
* THE TELEBIT TRAILBLAZER PLUS
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 28 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
*******************************/
|
||
|
||
The Telebit TrailBlazer is the most advanced dialup communications
|
||
technology on the market today. TrailBlazer offers compatibility
|
||
at 300, 1200 (V.22 and Bell 212), and 2400 bps. In high speed (PEP
|
||
mode), the TrailBlazer can operate at 18,000 bps on ordinary dialup
|
||
phone lines, (over 16,000 bps throughput). TrailBlazer's patented
|
||
multicarrier technology dynamically adapts to phone line quality
|
||
and delivers the highest throughput possible for each individual
|
||
line. In August 1987, Telebit announced enhanced features that are
|
||
designed to allow the TrailBlazer to work optimally with UUCP,
|
||
Kermit, XMODEM, and YMODEM protocols.
|
||
|
||
In addition, the modem may be configured, by use of an S register,
|
||
to perform the compress/decompress algorithms (based on Unix's 4.0
|
||
compress) in real time, WITHIN the modem.
|
||
|
||
/************************
|
||
* Standard Dialup TCP/IP
|
||
*************************/
|
||
|
||
With the release of Berkeley 4.3, a framing protocol known as
|
||
Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP) has spread throughout the
|
||
Internet. Several System V, VMS, MAC and PC vendors have picked up
|
||
on the protocol and are supporting it as well. The protocol is
|
||
documented in RFC 1055.
|
||
|
||
Basically the protocol specifies a method for framing IP packets
|
||
with a magic character and escaping that character and the escape
|
||
character in the data stream. The protocol does not address issues
|
||
of connection establishment, host authenticity, or things like data
|
||
integrity or data compression techniques.
|
||
|
||
However, execution of SLIP across high speed dialup modem links has
|
||
proven very useful to a number of IP users. FTPs can deliver
|
||
1000-1600 characters per second (cps). Performance depends on your
|
||
system and the version of TCP that you are running. SMTP runs
|
||
quite well. Interactive applications, telnet and rlogin, perform
|
||
with noticable character delay, the result of very large packet
|
||
sizes associated with each character typed.
|
||
|
||
/*******************
|
||
* New Dial Up TCP/IP
|
||
********************/
|
||
|
||
The good news accompanying this announcement is about the recent
|
||
work to produce a new dialup IP protocol that employs header
|
||
prediction and compression techniques. This code dramatically
|
||
reduces the packet overhead associated with small, interactive
|
||
packets like those produced by telnet or rlogin.
|
||
|
||
At the time of Release 1.0 of this document the public availability
|
||
of this new code is undefined. However, it is the intention of
|
||
Telebit and UUNET to make available all known working versions of
|
||
standard SLIP. In addition it is our intention to demonstrate and
|
||
serve to distribute all new dial-up IP source code as soon as it
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 29 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
becomes available.
|
||
|
||
Further we will provide documentation and installation instructions
|
||
for all versions that we distribute. Please mail to Telebit or
|
||
UUNET as instructed below to acquire the latest information
|
||
regarding these developments.
|
||
|
||
/**************************************************
|
||
* TRAILBLAZER PRICES, DISCOUNTS AND RESTRICTIONS:
|
||
***************************************************/
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
PRODUCT NAME MODEL# LIST PRICE PREPAY/COD PRICE NET 30 PRICE
|
||
|
||
TrailBlazer Plus T2SAA $1345 $672.50 $739.75
|
||
|
||
Those purchasing the modems on COD or pre-payment terms are
|
||
eligible for a 50% discount off the list price. Those who wish to
|
||
pay on 30 day payment terms will receive a 45% discount off list
|
||
price.
|
||
|
||
Each autonomous site may purchase a maximum of two (2) units at
|
||
this special promotional price.
|
||
|
||
Government or Educational institutions with tax exempt status will
|
||
be excused from sales taxes. However, as these units are not
|
||
designed for resale, no resale numbers can be accepted in lieu of
|
||
sales tax.
|
||
|
||
Sales tax must be collected in all states where Telebit has sales
|
||
offices. These include MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK, VIRGINA, GEORGIA,
|
||
ILLINOIS, MICHIGAN, TEXAS, and CALIFORNIA.
|
||
|
||
A $20.00 shipping and handling charge per unit is added to all
|
||
orders. Delivery is 30 days ARO.
|
||
|
||
Telebit reserves the right to substitute functionally equivalent
|
||
products for those ordered on this program.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
/*****************************************************************
|
||
******************************************************************
|
||
************ THIS OFFER WILL EXPIRE APRIL 30, 1989 ************
|
||
******************************************************************
|
||
******************************************************************/
|
||
|
||
/************************
|
||
* HOW TO PLACE YOUR ORDER
|
||
*************************/
|
||
|
||
Orders are accepted by filling out the enclosed order form along
|
||
with one of the following:
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 30 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
1) your purchase order indicating Net 30 terms
|
||
|
||
OR
|
||
|
||
2) your purchase order and indication of type of prepayment
|
||
(check, credit card or indication to pay C.O.D.)
|
||
|
||
This option enters the order, but if it is not C.O.D., the
|
||
modem(s) will not ship until prepayment has been received. OR
|
||
|
||
3) your prepayment or indication to pay C.O.D.
|
||
(this option enters the order and will ship as soon as modems
|
||
are ready)
|
||
|
||
and mailing it to:
|
||
|
||
Telebit Corporation
|
||
ATTN: IDNDP Program Coordinator
|
||
1345 Shorebird Way
|
||
Mountain View, California 94043-1329
|
||
Voice phone: (415) 969-3800
|
||
FAX Number: (415) 969-8888
|
||
|
||
or sending a copy of the form below, via email, to:
|
||
|
||
Internet mail address: idndp@telebit.com
|
||
UUCP mail address: {uunet,sun,pyramid,ames,hoptoad}!telebit!idndp
|
||
|
||
Orders will be shipped 30 days ARO.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
ORDERS SHOULD NOT BE SENT TO UUNET COMMUNICATIONS.
|
||
|
||
However, information about this program or other UUNET services may
|
||
be requested from:
|
||
|
||
UUNET Communications Services
|
||
P.O. Box 2685
|
||
Fairfax,VA 22031-0685
|
||
+1 703 876 5050
|
||
idndp@uunet.UU.NET or uunet-request@uunet.UU.NET
|
||
uunet!idndp or uunet!uunet-request
|
||
|
||
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
INTERNET DOMAIN NAME DISCOUNT PROGRAM (IDNDP)
|
||
ORDER FORM
|
||
|
||
|
||
COMPANY NAME:________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
YOUR NAME: __________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
STREET ADDRESS: _____________________________________________
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 31 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
CITY: _____________________STATE:_______________ZIP:_________
|
||
|
||
VOICE PHONE NUMBER:_____________________________
|
||
|
||
|
||
CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ADDRESS AND PHONE (if different from above)
|
||
|
||
STREET ADDRESS: _____________________________________________
|
||
|
||
CITY: _____________________STATE:_______________ZIP:_________
|
||
|
||
VOICE PHONE NUMBER:_____________________________
|
||
|
||
|
||
YOUR ORGANIZATION'S
|
||
INTERNET DOMAIN NAME:_____________________________________________
|
||
|
||
(If not a second level domain, please provide a brief
|
||
explanation as to your organization's autonomy and relationship
|
||
to the second level domain).
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
|
||
YOUR INTERNET MAIL ADDRESS (for email):
|
||
|
||
__________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
|
||
METHOD OF PAYMENT:(Check one) C.O.D.____ Prepay ____ Net 30____
|
||
|
||
Product Name Model# Qty. IDNDP Price Total Price
|
||
|
||
_____________________ ________ ____ ___________ ____________
|
||
|
||
_____________________ ________ ____ ___________ ____________
|
||
|
||
|
||
Tax ____________
|
||
|
||
Shipping (Qty x $20.00) ____________
|
||
|
||
Total Balance Due ____________
|
||
|
||
--------
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 32 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
|
||
|
||
Mort Sternheim 1:321/109 Chairman of the Board
|
||
Bob Rudolph 1:261/628 President
|
||
Matt Whelan 3:3/1 Vice President
|
||
Bill Bolton 3:711/403 Vice President-Technical Coordinator
|
||
Linda Grennan 1:147/1 Secretary
|
||
Kris Veitch 1:147/30 Treasurer
|
||
|
||
|
||
IFNA COMMITTEE AND BOARD CHAIRS
|
||
|
||
Administration and Finance Mark Grennan 1:147/1
|
||
Board of Directors Mort Sternheim 1:321/109
|
||
Bylaws Don Daniels 1:107/210
|
||
Ethics Ivan Schaffel 1:141/390
|
||
Executive Committee Bob Rudolph 1:261/628
|
||
International Affairs Rob Gonsalves 2:500/1
|
||
Membership Services David Drexler 1:147/1
|
||
Nominations & Elections David Melnick 1:107/233
|
||
Public Affairs David Drexler 1:147/1
|
||
Publications Rick Siegel 1:107/27
|
||
Security & Individual Rights Jim Cannell 1:143/21
|
||
Technical Standards Rick Moore 1:115/333
|
||
|
||
|
||
IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
|
||
|
||
DIVISION AT-LARGE
|
||
|
||
10 Courtney Harris 1:130/732 Don Daniels 1:107/210
|
||
11 Bill Allbritten 1:11/301 Mort Sternheim 1:321/109
|
||
12 Bill Bolton 3:711/403 Mark Grennan 1:147/1
|
||
13 Irene Henderson 1:107/9 (vacant)
|
||
14 Ken Kaplan 1:100/22 Ted Polczyinski 1:154/5
|
||
15 Scott Miller 1:128/12 Matt Whelan 3:3/1
|
||
16 Ivan Schaffel 1:141/390 Robert Rudolph 1:261/628
|
||
17 Neal Curtin 1:343/1 Steve Jordan 1:206/2871
|
||
18 Andrew Adler 1:135/47 Kris Veitch 1:147/30
|
||
19 David Drexler 1:147/1 (vacant)
|
||
2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 David Melnik 1:107/233
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 6-13 Page 33 27 Mar 1989
|
||
|
||
|
||
__
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|