992 lines
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Plaintext
992 lines
50 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 8, Number 1 7 January 1991
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| /|oo \ |
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| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
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| _`@/_ \ _ |
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| FidoNet (r) | | \ \\ |
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| International BBS Network | (*) | \ )) |
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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: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell
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Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
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Copyright 1990, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication
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and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only.
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For use in other circumstances, please contact Fido Software.
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FidoNews is published weekly by and for the Members of the
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FidoNet (r) International Amateur Electronic Mail System. It is
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a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors
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or authorized agents of the authors. The contribution of articles
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to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors.
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You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
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FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
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ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1:1/1. 1:1/1 is a Continuous
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Mail system, available for network mail 24 hours a day.
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Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
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Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA and are
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used with permission.
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Opinions expressed in FidoNews articles are those of the authors
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and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of Fido Software.
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Most articles are unsolicited. Our policy is to publish every
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responsible submission received.
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Table of Contents
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1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
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Order versus Orders ...................................... 1
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ANIMAL RIGHTS CONFERENCE ................................. 4
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Fidonet in 1991 .......................................... 5
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Radio Related Publications ............................... 10
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The Year in Review ....................................... 11
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Women in Fidoland ........................................ 13
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2. LATEST VERSIONS .......................................... 15
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Latest Software Versions ................................. 15
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3. NOTICES .................................................. 20
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The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 20
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 1 7 Jan 1991
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Thom Henderson
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520/1015@AlterNet
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Order versus Orders
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I ran across an interesting quote lately that I'd lake to share
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with you. I'm sure that the author didn't have anything like us
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in mind, but what he has to say may well apply to us better than
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many would think.
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"In the world of daily life, the world which we perforce
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inhabit, there is much talk about order, particularly from
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statesmen and politicians. They tend, however, to confuse
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order with orders, just as they confuse creation with
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regulations. Order, I suggest, is something evolved from
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within, not imposed from without; it is an internal
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stability, a vital harmony, and, in the social and political
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category, it has never existed except for the convenience of
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historians."
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E. M. Forster
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We have more than our share of "statesmen and politicians" in
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amateur networking. I can say with some confidence (having been
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there, as you know) that most, if not all, of them are acting
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from a sense of what they feel is right. We've all seen plenty
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of people shouting about "control! control! control!" (though
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never with a good explanation about why anyone would WANT
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control) that we're probably all sick of the subject. But what
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gets lost in all the noise and smoke is that many people see a
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need for some sort of order, some sort of organization, some sort
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of overall plan to keep everything working.
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The problem is that sysops are not temperamentally suited to
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anything of the sort. Trying to organize sysops would be like
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trying to organize anarchists (or perhaps worse). Let's face it,
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one of the "bennies" in being a sysop is the feeling of total
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control over your own board and hence your own destiny. Sysops
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will not give that up lightly, or without a fight. Sysops expect
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to be, and DEMAND to be, independant.
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We are, to a large extent, saddled with a basic network
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technology that implies a large amount of central organization
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and control. Someone has to keep that nodelist accurate, after
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all! But fortunately, mechanisms are evolving to give sysops
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back a lot of the independence that joining a network took away
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from them. To name two prominent examples:
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 2 7 Jan 1991
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1) Domain addressing technology; Many sysops are in it for the
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netmail. Domain addressing makes it possible (easy, even)
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for many disparate networks to co-exist peacefully. Domain
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addressing makes it easy for multiple amateur networks to co-
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exist and share mail, which in turn allows the sysop to "shop
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around" for one or more networks that suit his needs and/or
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desires. We no longer live in a world of "one FidoNet --
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Love it or go away!" If you don't like it, there are plenty
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of alternatives.
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2) GroupMail conferencing; Most sysops are in it for the
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conferences. But echomail technology presupposes (and
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generally demands) that all participants are in the same
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network. Worse than that -- it predates zone and point
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addressing and thus presupposes that everyone is in the same
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zone! This is manifestly untrue even in the "FidoNet"
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network, and last time I checked this one assumption was good
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for a rousing argument among the various developers any time
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it was mentioned. GroupMail, on the other hand, makes no
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such assumption. As long as your system knows where to get a
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conference from and where to send any messages you may have,
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it'll all work.
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This really ought to be the model for future amateur network
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software development, not to mention the development of future
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social structures to deal with interactions between sysops. What
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types of organization that can work with sysops realistically are
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those which:
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a) Allow sysops to maintain their own freedoms of choice and of
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personal destiny, and
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b) Provide sysops with significant benefits observably in excess
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of anything they may have to give up to attain them.
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I used to believe in intangibles. I don't anymore. Sysops are
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not going to go along with anything that they (we) do not see as
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providing a solid, real, practical benefit on a day to day basis.
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The proposed gateway policy is an excellent counter-example. On
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the one hand it is remarkably easy to ignore, and on the other it
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provides no obvious benefit to the sysop who follows it. The
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proposed echomail policy is similar for similar reasons. Even
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the current Policy4 document in many places goes outside the
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bounds of anything that the average sysop can see any benefit to.
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ALL policy statements in ALL amateur networks need to realize
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what their intended audience will or will not accept, and be
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written accordingly. By and large, sysops are going to do what
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they're going to do, and if anyone tells them to do anything
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else, they'll either be ignored, sidestepped, or avoided.
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 3 7 Jan 1991
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In time social mechanisms will evolve to deal with issues that
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are important to sysops in ways that sysops will accept. And in
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a little more time those methods will be documented. But the
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documents that will work, that will be meaningful and accepted,
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will not be like Policy4 or the gateway policy or echopol. They
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will not be imposed from without by a few well-meaning
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individuals. They will be more like Policy3 and its
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predecessors; they will be written to document existing practice
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as sysops have already worked out among themselves.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 4 7 Jan 1991
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Doris Marsh - Moderator
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FidoNet 1:125/20
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A n i m a l R i g h t s C o n f e r e n c e
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-----------------------------------------------
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While the number of people committed to animal rights is
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growing every day, many people are unaware of how humans exploit
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animals for their own gain or goals, or they do not know how to
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successfully initiate effective changes for the animals.
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Animal activists are needed to factually inform the public of
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atrocities being inflicted on animals in the scientific,
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commercial, and entertainment fields, as well as by individuals,
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but unfortunately, the public's image of the average animal
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activist is with a spray can of paint in one hand and a shotgun
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in the other. This image needs to be changed, for it is only
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through rational, calm and non-violent discourse that changes
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take place. While emotionalism, self-righteousness, and demands
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for instant changes may make the individual feel better, animals
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are still being painfully exploited, tortured and killed.
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While picketing a company that tests their products on
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animals attracts attention, effective changes can take place
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through such activities as writing protest letters, joining an
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animal rights groups whose philosophies you agree with, and
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refusing to purchase products that are tested on animals.
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Withholding your consumer dollars sends a strong message to the
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companies that you don't want their products tested on animals.
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The purpose of the ANIMAL_RIGHTS CONFERENCE is to educate and
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to be a forum for the exchange of ALL viewpoints and opinions on
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the issue of animal rights as well as suggesting ways to get
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involved with the animal rights movement. Animal rights is not
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only about medical research, but it also encompasses animal
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cruelty and exploitation from the clothing industry to the
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entertainment field to the pet trade, and discussions regarding
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all aspects of animal rights should take place. All sides of
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this emotional issue need to be represented, so I urge all
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users, whether pro or con on the animal rights issue, to join
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this conference and freely express their opinions. I also urge
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all sysops to consider carrying this conference. The
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Animal Rights conference is listed in ELIST, and available
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from the FidoNet BackBone as ANIMAL_RIGHTS.
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Thank you.
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Doris G. Marsh
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Moderator - ANIMAL_RIGHTS
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 5 7 Jan 1991
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Jack Decker
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1:154/8
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FIDONET IN 1991
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Well, here we are at the start of a new year. What will 1991
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bring for Fidonet?
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This could turn out to be an interesting year. Perhaps the
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biggest event may go almost unnoticed by most. It came in the
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form of a news release from the Federal Communications
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Commission:
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December 13, 1990
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FCC ESTABLISHES NEW CODELESS CLASS OF AMATEUR OPERATOR LICENSE
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(PR DOCKET 90-55)
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The Commission has revised the examination requirement for
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the Technician Class operator license, thereby creating a new
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codeless class of amateur operator license. After these
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revisions have become effective, an examinee will not be required
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to prove that he or she can send and receive texts in Morse code
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telegraph signals to qualify for a Technician Class amateur
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operator license.
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The amateur service currently consists of five classes of
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licenses having increasing privileges and each being
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progressively more difficult to obtain. The classes are Novice,
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Technician, General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra.
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The FCC noted that offering a codeless class of license that
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authorizes control operator privileges at stations which transmit
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exclusively above 30 MHz, provides an entry level opportunity to
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otherwise qualified persons who find telegraph a barrier to
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pursuing the purposes of the amateur service.
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Therefore, the FCC has established the Technician Class as
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the codeless class of license. This license includes all amateur
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privileges above 30 MHz. The Commission also amended the rules
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to grandfather frequency privileges below 30 MHz to current
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Technician Class licensees.
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In addition, the Commission decided to retain the Novice
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Class operator license in order to provide an alternate entry
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level operator license opportunity to persons who desire to
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pursue the purpose of the amateur service and who can pass a
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telegraphy requirement in place of the more comprehensive written
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examination requirement for the codeless Technician Class
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operator license.
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 6 7 Jan 1991
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Action by the Commission December 13, 1990, by Report and
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Order (FCC 90-///). Commissioners Sikes (Chairman),
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-FCC-
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[end of news release]
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What does this mean, and why is it important? Well, for the
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first time folks in the United States will be able to get into
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the hobby of amateur radio without taking a morse code test.
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It is impossible to know how many will take advantage of this
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opportunity, but it could make a difference if those with an
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interest in technology are drawn into amateur radio. As you
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are probably aware, amateur packet radio technology allows data
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communication via radio that are very similar in many ways to
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what we do via phone lines.
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I'm not an amateur (not yet, anyway), but as I see it there are
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four noteworthy things to keep in mind about amateur radio:
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1) They use protocols similar to those used by the Internet
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(e.g. AX.25 which is a takeoff on the X.25 protocol). Thus,
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folks who get into amateur radio will probably be more at home
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in the UseNet environment than in Fidonet.
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2) There are no long distance charges in amateur radio. Thus,
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it may have great appeal to those in rural areas. Those using
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amateur radio for data transmission need not be quite so
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concerned with shaving every last byte off of a transmission in
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order to save phone charges (I'm not saying that efficient
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protocols should not be used, but it's simply not going to be
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quite as big a concern). The fact that phone charges are not
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an issue may mean that there are fundamental differences in the
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way traffic is moved via amateur radio.
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3) No commercial traffic may be carried over amateur radio.
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Thus, certain types of conferences that are routinely carried
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on Fidonet could not be carried via amateur radio (at least not
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without significant changes in content).
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4) Again, I must point out that I'm not an amateur, but it
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seems that one of the problems with amateur radio is that many
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hams seem to want to talk only about amateur radio, and nothing
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else! We have those types in Fidonet, too, of course - the
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folks that participate only in the computer- and
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communications-oriented conferences. But in Fidonet, there are
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conferences on a fairly wide range of other subjects as well.
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I'm not sure if amateur radio has this diversity now, but if it
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doesn't it probably will.
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Those of you that are hams may find some glaring errors in what
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I've stated above; if so, please understand that I don't claim
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any expertise on the subject. My only point in commenting on
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this at all is to point out that while amateur radio will never
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completely replace Fidonet, it could certainly affect us.
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Indeed, it has already (some have commented that the now
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defunct IFNA [International FidoNet Association] was intended
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 7 7 Jan 1991
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to be to Fidonet what the ARRL [American Radio Relay League] is
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to amateur radio. Since the ARRL seems to be the organization
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that many hams "love to hate", I'd say that IFNA at least
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partially achieved its goal!). But now that the psychological
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barrier of the code has been removed, it's quite possible that
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many more of the technologically-knowledgeable people in
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Fidonet will be inspired to bone up on small amount of
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electronic theory knowledge required to get a ham license.
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This cross-pollination of the two technologies could ultimately
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affect us in ways we don't yet realize.
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The technology used in Fidonet is badly in need of overhaul.
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The software we use for moving echomail is based on a
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technology developed when there were only a few nodes in
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Fidonet with any interest in the concept of echomail. It
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simply is not an adequate design for a network that has
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literally thousands of nodes participating. In addition, it
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makes no provision for fully-moderated conferences, wherein a
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message entered in any conference is first sent to the
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conference moderator for possible review before being sent out
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to everyone else. Fidonet technology does not support this,
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and to my knowledge is the ONLY major conference mail type
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system that does not. This makes it difficult for us to
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properly gate conferences from other networks that do have this
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feature (in particular, moderated newsgroups from UseNet) and
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as a result, we miss out on a lot of useful information.
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Since UseNet has obviously superior conferences to Fidonet (or
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so I'm told by everyone I've ever met that's been exposed to
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both), I think Fidonet is either going to interconnect with
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UseNet or die. There is already software available for both
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the IBM and Amiga platforms (and possibly others) that can
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handle UseNet conferences in their native format, so if Fidonet
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is unable to gate conferences to UseNet we may start seeing
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Fidonet nodes leave the network in order to run software that
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has full UseNet capability.
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Unfortunately, it seems that one of the things that Fidonet
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software developers do best is argue with each other. In the
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last year or so we've seen software hit the network that is
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only partially Fidonet compatible (or with other programs
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already in common use in the net), and this has caused problems
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in the net. Those of you who read some of the conferences that
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I participate in are probably fed up by now with my occasional
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diatribes on the FTSC [Fidonet Technical Standards Committee]
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but the point is that we need some type of organization in
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Fidonet that can perform two functions:
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1) Identify software that purports to be compliant with Fidonet
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standards but which is not, and publish a list of the actual
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deficiencies in such software (both as a way to encourage
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software authors to fix the problems, and to warn potential
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users of the problems they might expect). This would be more
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of a "consumer report" type function than an attempt to "ban"
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non-compliant software from the network (personally, I'd be in
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favor of the latter in some circumstances, but many seem to
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 8 7 Jan 1991
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fear that if an actual ban were proposed then legal action
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could result. But the last I knew, you could still review
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products, and offer reviews and comparative reports without
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getting sued, and a report that a certain product does not seem
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to adhere to Fidonet technical standard FTS-nnnn would
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certainly be useful information to have).
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2) Move the process of development of new standards forward by
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actually setting dates for comment periods, then (when
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appropriate) holding votes on the proposals received. As it
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is, some of the discussions in NET_DEV and similar software
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development echoes drag on for literally MONTHS with nothing
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resembling agreement being reached. It's no wonder that
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software developers go out and "do their own thing" because
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there really is no functional formal mechanism by which new
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standards can be proposed, considered, commented and voted
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upon, and then formally adopted (or rejected).
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It appears that the FTSC doesn't see itself in this role...
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instead, the present chairman seems to see the FTSC's role more
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as one of simply collecting and distributing documents (and
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occasionally making declarations to the effect that existing
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standards are "cast in stone" and cannot ever be changed... or
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at least that's the impression I'm left with).
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Yet in my opinion, the lack of any organization that performs
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the above-mentioned functions in Fidonet is what has caused
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software development in Fidonet to grind to a snail's pace. If
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the FTSC doesn't want to perform these functions, then perhaps
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we should set up some organization that will.
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Or, maybe we should just throw our hands up and say that
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Fidonet is total anarchy and it's only pure dumb luck if your
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mailer can talk to my mailer, or your echomail processor can
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properly unpack and toss bundles created by my echomail
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processor. Because, folks, that's just about where we're
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headed now.
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Please don't get me wrong, I DON'T want to see another IFNA
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formed. All I want is to see some way to promulgate new
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Fidonet TECHNICAL standards, and to possibly identify software
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that is deficient in meeting those standards. Just that,
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nothing more.
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Once we have a way to get new standards formally adopted, then
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we can really get to work on a superior method of conference
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distribution... one that is impervious to "dupe" messages,
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that does not contain ten or twelve lines of SEEN-BY's, and
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that allows (but DOES NOT REQUIRE) conferences to be truly
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fully moderated. (For those who may be wondering - yes, I'm
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quite familiar with GroupMail, but for whatever reason, it's
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simply not being widely used in Fidonet at the present time.
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This article is already pretty long so I'm not going to comment
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on that situation now). We can also finally settle on a new
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nodelist format that not only contains more information, but
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that also uses a more efficient format for update (DIFF) files.
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FidoNews 8-01 Page 9 7 Jan 1991
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And that's only a couple of the things that need to be
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accomplished.
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Nothing lasts forever, of course, and eventually Fidonet will
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be just a memory anyway, but we can hasten that day by
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providing an atmosphere where technical stagnation is the rule.
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The bright and gifted among us will eventually figure out that
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their talents can be put to better use in other areas, where
|
||
there is not so much uncertainty abounding (and fewer folks
|
||
ready to flame them at every turn!).
|
||
|
||
Well, that's my opinion, anyway. Hope 1991 is a good year for
|
||
all of you!
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 10 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Brian Murrey - KB9BVN
|
||
Node 1:231/0
|
||
|
||
The first issue of the third volume of the Fidonet Ham/Packet
|
||
Digest is just around the corner. I have been compiling these
|
||
Digests now for just about two years.
|
||
|
||
I'd like to thank the readership for all of the fine input that
|
||
I have received over the last two years. I have received survey
|
||
sheets from all over the Fidonet world (when's that lunar node
|
||
going online anyway?) and that is the encouragement I need to
|
||
keep cranking the things out.
|
||
|
||
If you are interested in Amateur Radio, then the "Digest" is for
|
||
you. It is a compilation of notes and news culled from numerous
|
||
online sources from all over the world. With the new "No Code"
|
||
Technician license finally becoming a reality, I am sure we will
|
||
see the ranks of radio amateurs swell.
|
||
|
||
A big thanks to Tom Jennings for giving me permission to use the
|
||
term FIDONET in the masthead. Since most of the information in
|
||
the Digest comes from the Ham and Packet echo mail areas, it
|
||
just makes sense. There is no charge for the Fidonet Ham/Packet
|
||
Digest, and there is not to be any charge for distributing the
|
||
files to other systems. In other words, this information is to
|
||
be freely distributed.
|
||
|
||
A new "digest" has now been placed under construction to cater
|
||
to the shortwave listeners in the network. The name of this new
|
||
publication is "Shortwave Schedule Digest" as it is a
|
||
compilation of the latest and most up to date english broadcast
|
||
schedules that I can find. This newsletter will be published on
|
||
a every other month basis.
|
||
|
||
The first issue is now available for file request. Just ask for:
|
||
|
||
SKED0101.ARC
|
||
|
||
The Ham/Packet Digest is also available. The latest issue is:
|
||
|
||
HAM0211.ARC (Vol 2 No. 11)
|
||
|
||
All comments/articles can be submitted to Brian Murrey via
|
||
netmail to 1:231/0, 1:231/30 or to MURREY on GEnie.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 11 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Year in Review
|
||
by Kwityer Bychin
|
||
------------------------
|
||
|
||
Hi Ho, folks. The first Snooze of '91! Are we impressed or
|
||
WHAT?? Another year of useless, mindless drivel distributed
|
||
all over the globe. Especially when one of MY articles is in
|
||
it.
|
||
|
||
So, let's start the new year off right by rehashing some of
|
||
the things that really got us all riled up in '90. Sound good?
|
||
Hey, the holidays are OVER. No more fun and merriment. Time to
|
||
get p.o.'d at me again. That is, after all, my JOB you
|
||
know...
|
||
|
||
Let's see... Ok, I'm not going to go in chronological order,
|
||
because I either don't remember the dates, or they weren't
|
||
important, or both. So here we go...
|
||
|
||
One of the significant events of 1990 was the Snooze
|
||
changing its compression format to LHarc. Boy, we sure had a
|
||
lot of fun with that one! Crybabies 'round the world wailed
|
||
and stomped their feet, held their breath, and puked strained
|
||
peas all over Vince Perrier and Lighthorse Harry Lee for that
|
||
stunt. Blood-curdling cries of "WAAAA!! YOU BROKE MY BATCH
|
||
FILE" were heard all over Fight-O-Net. Geez, gimme a break.
|
||
|
||
Then there was FidoCon '90 or Conclave '90 or whatever it
|
||
was called. Lotsa interesting stuff went down there. IFNA
|
||
packed it in, Big fight about whether AlterNet sysops got or
|
||
didn't get a $50 break, The keynote address lasted about six
|
||
days, during which, some guy dressed in a Santa Claus outfit
|
||
started laughing uncontrollably while everyone kinda just
|
||
looked at him ... Some drunk planted some rebel newsletters in
|
||
a few magazines ... Hotel had to be evacuated because the air
|
||
conditioning caught fire .... Noone attended "The Fidonet
|
||
Meeting"... you had to be there, it was fun.
|
||
|
||
GEORGE PEACE became Z1C. Echopol followed a few months
|
||
later. Think there's a connection there?
|
||
|
||
The International Coordinator (aka The BIG DOG), came up
|
||
with this thing called GATEPOL, which noone had heard of, and
|
||
paid no attention to ...
|
||
|
||
Mahatma Ravsik broke the single-conference posting record by
|
||
posting approximately six billion messages in the SYSOP
|
||
conference ...
|
||
|
||
Front Door 1.99c came out early in the year, minus SEAlink,
|
||
plus a new handshake called EMSI, Which stands for Eat My
|
||
Shorts, Idiot ...
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 12 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Ed McMahon (a.k.a. The Sweepstakes Fairy) was on TV every 12
|
||
seconds seconds plugging the American Family Sweepstakes. Top
|
||
Prize is ten million dollars and the phone number for Dbridge
|
||
support ...
|
||
|
||
Binkleyterm came out with the new Janus Joplin protocol...
|
||
OD's on line noise, and drops dead...
|
||
|
||
Also in 1990, Eggnet .... nah... who cares about Eggnet ...
|
||
|
||
Another network was formed. APInet. Stands for Another
|
||
Ph***in' International Network. If you want a node number,
|
||
send a netmail to 69:6969/0. If you can't send the netmail
|
||
because you don't have an APInet nodelist, well, tough...
|
||
|
||
As the year closed, a guy named Ralph Merritt was running
|
||
for EC #2 in Eggnet. Vote for Ralph and vote for him often. HE
|
||
cares about Eggnet, I suppose. If you're not in Eggnet, vote
|
||
for him anyway...
|
||
|
||
|
||
Well, I guess I just about insulted everyone I could think
|
||
of. If you feel that I left someone or something out, by all
|
||
MEANS, write us a letter! We aim to please.
|
||
|
||
Happy New Year.
|
||
|
||
K.B. '91
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 13 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Cheryl Buzzell
|
||
101/200
|
||
|
||
|
||
Women in Fidoland
|
||
|
||
Hi ya all. Been wanting to write this for some time now
|
||
but have not had the guts to do so untill now. For those of
|
||
you who do not know me, my name is Cheryl Buzzell. I run the
|
||
TC-Trader BBS in Mass. I am the author of a couple of door
|
||
programs for OPUS and recently Whouped, another program for
|
||
Opus sysops.
|
||
|
||
I have been into computers since 1977 when my brother
|
||
first purchased his TRS-80 Model I computer. I used to hang
|
||
out at the local Radio Shack store and bug the salesman there
|
||
to let me play with it. His customers got a big kick out of it.
|
||
This little girl playing with this fancy computer (oh sure back
|
||
than the thing was fancy and the price tag would sink ya a few
|
||
to prove it hahahaha). Back than I was only a kid and I
|
||
certainly wasn't gonna argue over the attention, even if it was
|
||
for no reason other than I was a "GIRL" playing with a computer.
|
||
|
||
I started running my BBS in 1983. I was the only female
|
||
sysop I knew who was running a "SERIOUS" bbs. Back than women
|
||
ran bbs's like "MATCHMAKER" and other such things. I guess so
|
||
men could get there kicks talking dirty to alot more women eh??
|
||
Women had names like "CANDY" and "LOOSE LUCY". Quite a put down
|
||
to the female species wouldn't you say????
|
||
|
||
When I started my bbs it was with software called "TOWNE
|
||
CRIER" (you out there Stew???). I know some of you are familiar
|
||
with it as some of you were also running it back then. Back
|
||
when we had our TRS-80 Model III's and IV's. We had a pretty
|
||
small close knit crew who ran this software. I was the only
|
||
femal (at least that I had gotton aquainted with). Back than a
|
||
female sysop was welcomed at ANYONE's bbs. A guy sysop finds
|
||
out you are a female running a bbs you get free totall access
|
||
to his system. I think this was so they could show off how
|
||
great they were since shortly after, it would be followed by a
|
||
"why don't you do this or why not do that to your bbs".
|
||
|
||
Things went downhill from there. I moved into the IBM
|
||
world of bbs'ing. I ran from bbs software to bbs software
|
||
trying to find a nitch where a women could fit in. Back then
|
||
"FIDO" was the software to run. Not to put any sysops down but
|
||
for a women to be part of that group would be the toughest
|
||
thing to do. Talk about the good old boy network. I had one
|
||
sysop be so bold as to tell me that the reason I didn't want
|
||
to run "FIDO" was that as a female I was incapable of setting
|
||
it up. I mean talk about degrading....
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 14 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Well It has been 14 years since I started a bbs and one
|
||
would think that in that amount of time things would have
|
||
come around alot. Now I am not saying that things have not
|
||
changed, but we have got a LONG LONG way to go yet babe. Now
|
||
women don't get that special attention of being a women sysop.
|
||
That much I think is good by the way. BUT they just get TOTALLY
|
||
ignored. Seems a female sysop is not "GOOD ENOUGH" for
|
||
certain things. A women cannot be "One of the boys" I guess.
|
||
"Hay why are there not many women around".
|
||
|
||
Well I am one female sysop and I know there are many more
|
||
out there somewhere and I am sure I can speak for the rest of
|
||
the women out there that we are not gonna sit by and take it.
|
||
We are gonna stand up and be counted. We DESERVE to be
|
||
recognized and we have earned RESPECT and we are not gonna
|
||
stop untill this is a free system where women have as much
|
||
rights as men...................
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 15 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
LATEST VERSIONS
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
Latest Software Versions
|
||
|
||
MS-DOS Systems
|
||
--------------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
DMG 2.93 Phoenix 1.3 TAG 2.5g
|
||
Fido 12s+ QuickBBS 2.66 TBBS 2.1
|
||
GSBBS 3.01 RBBS 17.3A TComm/TCommNet 3.4
|
||
Lynx 1.30 RBBSmail 17.3B Telegard 2.5
|
||
Kitten 2.16 RemoteAccess 0.04a TPBoard 6.1
|
||
Maximus 1.02 SLBBS 1.77A Wildcat! 2.55
|
||
Opus 1.14+ Socrates 1.10 WWIV 4.12
|
||
PCBoard 14.5 XBBS 1.15
|
||
|
||
Network Node List Other
|
||
Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
BinkleyTerm 2.40 EditNL 4.00 ARC 7.0
|
||
D'Bridge 1.30 MakeNL 2.31 ARCAsim 2.30
|
||
Dutchie 2.90C ParseList 1.30 ARCmail 2.07
|
||
FrontDoor 1.99c Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00
|
||
PRENM 1.47 SysNL 3.14 Crossnet v1.5
|
||
SEAdog 4.51b XlatList 2.90 DOMAIN 1.42
|
||
TIMS 1.0(Mod8) XlaxDiff 2.35 EMM 2.02
|
||
XlaxNode 2.35 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18
|
||
Gmail 2.05
|
||
GROUP 2.16
|
||
GUS 1.30
|
||
HeadEdit 1.15
|
||
InterPCB 1.31
|
||
LHARC 1.13
|
||
MSG 4.1
|
||
MSGED 2.06
|
||
MSGTOSS 1.3
|
||
PK[UN]ZIP 1.10
|
||
QM 1.0
|
||
QSORT 4.03
|
||
Sirius 1.0x
|
||
SLMAIL 1.36
|
||
StarLink 1.01
|
||
TagMail 2.41
|
||
TCOMMail 2.2
|
||
Telemail 1.27
|
||
TMail 1.15
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 16 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
TPBNetEd 3.2
|
||
TosScan 1.00
|
||
UFGATE 1.03
|
||
XRS 4.00*
|
||
XST 2.2
|
||
ZmailH 1.14
|
||
|
||
|
||
OS/2 Systems
|
||
------------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
Maximus-CBCS 1.02 BinkleyTerm 2.40 Parselst 1.32
|
||
ConfMail 4.00
|
||
EchoStat 6.0
|
||
oMMM 1.52
|
||
Omail 3.1
|
||
MsgEd 2.06
|
||
MsgLink 1.0C
|
||
MsgNum 4.14
|
||
LH2 0.50
|
||
PK[UN]ZIP 1.02
|
||
ARC2 6.00
|
||
PolyXARC 2.00
|
||
Qsort 2.1
|
||
Raid 1.0
|
||
Remapper 1.2
|
||
Tick 2.0
|
||
VPurge 2.07
|
||
|
||
|
||
Xenix/Unix
|
||
----------
|
||
|
||
BBS Software Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
BinkleyTerm 2.30b Unzip 3.10
|
||
ARC 5.21
|
||
ParseLst 1.30b
|
||
ConfMail 3.31b
|
||
Ommm 1.40b
|
||
Msged 1.99b
|
||
Zoo 2.01
|
||
C-Lharc 1.00
|
||
Omail 1.00b
|
||
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 17 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Apple CP/M
|
||
----------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
Daisy v2j Daisy Mailer 0.38 Nodecomp 0.37
|
||
MsgUtil 2.5
|
||
PackUser v4
|
||
Filer v2-D
|
||
UNARC.COM 1.20
|
||
|
||
|
||
Macintosh
|
||
---------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
Red Ryder Host 2.1 Tabby 2.2 MacArc 0.04
|
||
Mansion 7.15 Copernicus 1.0 ArcMac 1.3
|
||
WWIV (Mac) 3.0 LHArc 0.33
|
||
Hermes 1.01 StuffIt Classic 1.6
|
||
FBBS 0.91 Compactor 1.21
|
||
TImport 1.92
|
||
TExport 1.92
|
||
Timestamp 1.6
|
||
Tset 1.3
|
||
Import 3.2
|
||
Export 3.21
|
||
Sundial 3.2
|
||
PreStamp 3.2
|
||
OriginatorII 2.0
|
||
AreaFix 1.6
|
||
Mantissa 3.21
|
||
Zenith 1.5
|
||
Eventmeister 1.0
|
||
TSort 1.0
|
||
Mehitable 2.0
|
||
UNZIP 1.02c
|
||
|
||
Amiga
|
||
-----
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
Paragon 2.082+ BinkleyTerm 1.00 AmigArc 0.23
|
||
TransAmiga 1.05 TrapDoor 1.50 AReceipt 1.5
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 18 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
WelMat 0.42 booz 1.01
|
||
ConfMail 1.10
|
||
ChameleonEdit 0.10
|
||
ElectricHerald1.66
|
||
Lharc 1.30
|
||
MessageFilter 1.52
|
||
oMMM 1.49b
|
||
ParseLst 1.30
|
||
PkAX 1.00
|
||
PK[UN]ZIP 1.01
|
||
PolyxAmy 2.02
|
||
RMB 1.30
|
||
RoboWriter 1.02
|
||
Skyparse 2.30
|
||
TrapList 1.12
|
||
Yuck! 1.61
|
||
Zippy (Unzip) 1.25
|
||
Zoo 2.01
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Atari ST
|
||
--------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Network Node List
|
||
Software Version Mailer Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
FIDOdoor/ST 2.10BT4* BinkleyTerm 2.40jr* ParseList 1.30
|
||
QuickBBS/ST 1.02 The BOX 1.20 Xlist 1.12
|
||
Pandora BBS 2.41c EchoFix 1.20
|
||
GS Point 0.61
|
||
LED ST 1.00*
|
||
MSGED 1.96S
|
||
|
||
Archiver Msg Format Other
|
||
Utilities Version Converters Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
LHARC 0.60 TB2BINK 1.00 ConfMail 4.02
|
||
ARC 6.02 BINK2TB 1.00 ComScan 1.02
|
||
PKUNZIP 1.10 FiFo 2.01b Import 1.14
|
||
OMMM 1.40
|
||
Pack 1.00
|
||
FastPack 1.20
|
||
FDsysgen 2.13
|
||
FDrenum 2.10BT3
|
||
Trenum 0.10
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Archimedes
|
||
----------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-01 Page 19 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
BBS Software Mailers Utilities
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
ARCbbs 1.44 BinkleyTerm 2.03 Unzip 2.1TH
|
||
ARC 1.03
|
||
!Spark 2.00d
|
||
|
||
ParseLst 1.30
|
||
BatchPacker 1.00
|
||
|
||
|
||
+ Netmail capable (does not require additional mailer software)
|
||
* 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 8-01 Page 20 7 Jan 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
16 Feb 1991
|
||
Fifth anniversary of the introduction of Echomail, by Jeff Rush.
|
||
|
||
31 Mar 1991
|
||
Jim Grubs (W8GRT) was issued his first ham radio license forty
|
||
years ago today. His first station was made from an ARC-5
|
||
"Command Set" removed from a B-17 bomber.
|
||
|
||
12 May 1991
|
||
Fourth anniversary of FidoNet operations in Latin America and
|
||
second anniversary of the creation of Zone-4.
|
||
|
||
8 Sep 1991
|
||
25th anniversary of first airing of Star Trek on NBC!
|
||
|
||
7 Oct 1991
|
||
Area code 415 fragments. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
|
||
will begin using area code 510. This includes Oakland,
|
||
Concord, Berkeley and Hayward. San Francisco, San Mateo,
|
||
Marin, parts of Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay
|
||
Islands will retain area code 415.
|
||
|
||
1 Feb 1992
|
||
Area code 213 fragments. Western, coastal, southern and
|
||
eastern portions of Los Angeles County will begin using area
|
||
code 310. This includes Los Angeles International Airport,
|
||
West Los Angeles, San Pedro and Whittier. Downtown Los
|
||
Angeles and surrounding communities (such as Hollywood and
|
||
Montebello) will retain area code 213.
|
||
|
||
1 Dec 1993
|
||
Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release.
|
||
|
||
5 Jun 1997
|
||
David Dodell's 40th Birthday
|
||
|
||
|
||
If you have something which you would like to see on this
|
||
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|