2653 lines
117 KiB
Plaintext
2653 lines
117 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 8, Number 21 27 May 1991
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+---------------------------------------------------------------+
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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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| 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 1991, 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. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
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It's been Real ........................................... 1
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2. ARTICLES ................................................. 4
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The GATEWAY Complaint - the NC's side .................... 4
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WorldPol: Second Act ..................................... 7
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Why do we need a WorldPol? ............................... 20
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Zone 1 Coordinators on Notice ............................ 22
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Response to Henry Clark's Comments on "Joggraphy" ........ 23
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A Cautionary Tale ........................................ 27
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Telephone-Call Cost-Reporting Program .................... 31
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GateWorks Release! ....................................... 34
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And more!
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 1 27 May 1991
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=================================================================
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EDITORIAL
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=================================================================
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This is my last Editorial.
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I have resigned as FidoNews Editor. We are currently working our
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way through a "short list" of replacement candidates, and the new
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Editor will be on the job next week.
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Be kind to the poor soul.
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I've just been looking though the indexes for the past two years.
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It's really amazing what we have been through. It's even more
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amazing that we are still here to talk about it.
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For example, when I took over Dale's job as Editor, the current
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version of FidoNet Policy was Version 3. David Dodell was the
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current International Coordinator. IFNA was still trying to
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figure out what, if anything, could be made of its existence.
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I was running my system on a DEC Rainbow. It worked great, too.
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A few other hardy souls were doing similar things on Sanyo and
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Tandy PC's (the ones from before Tandy became the PC-Clone hawker
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that they are today). Hardly anyone is doing THAT any more!
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POLICY4 was declared to be in force in FidoNews Volume 6, Number
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24, on June 12, 1989. This created a stir because in the absence
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of a formal procedure in POLICY3 for replacement, David used the
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method described in the POLICY4 draft to determine whether he
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should declare it to be in force. Boy, what a stir! There was
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that article in Volume 6, Number 26, entitled "Policy 4: FidoNet
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now a Nazi Dictatorship?". To the best of my knowledge nobody has
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been gassed or blitzed (except metaphorically) in the almost two
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years since.
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David quit at the end of July. I quit two weeks later, then
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changed my mind (with some coercion from friends). It was an
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exciting time to be the Editor. Because the Great IFNA Mandate
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Plebiscite was taking place.
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This was IFNA's final answer to the people who had claimed that
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the simple majority who chose IFNA were not representative. The
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voting rules were simple: if you were in the nodelist running a
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public access system, you were eligible. And a majority of all
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eligible nodes was required to endorse IFNA. If IFNA won the
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election, the critics would be silenced forever. And in a high
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stakes gamble, IFNA agreed to disband if not ratified.
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Did IFNA ever have a chance? Was it the right idea? Who really
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can say anymore? In any event, apathy won the election and IFNA
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was out, as reported in FidoNews Volume 7, Number 1.
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 2 27 May 1991
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As I look back to 1989, what's really fascinating is that Pablo
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Kleinman was already at work on Worldpol in the immediate
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aftermath of the Policy4 adoption. And he's still at it. He is
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showing signs of getting it right, too. It's just going to take
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some more time.
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Remember Hurricane Hugo? Remember what it did to Mike Ratledge
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and many others in his area? FidoNet reached out and touched
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him in a very special way, and FidoNews was there, starting with
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an article in Volume 6, Number 39 entitled "Let's give Mike
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Ratledge a hand". One of our finest hours. I am proud to have
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been here to see it.
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FidoNews has had its critics too. There was an article in Volume
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6, Number 40 entitled "FidoNews: What IS Its Purpose ?". I have
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my own ideas about that. Fortunately for my peace of mind, it
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will soon be someone else's problem to define that role.
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When the Internetwork Gating Policy was published, there was a
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lot of comment. Mostly negative. I think (speaking as one of
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the people who had some input in the process) that if the
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criticism was directed at alternative solutions to the problems
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addressed in the Policy rather than direct attacks on the entire
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idea of HAVING such a document, we might have accomplished
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something. As things stand, the original document is still in
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force but not strongly enforced. In other words "If you want to
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connect to FidoNet, you could refer to this document and get it
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right -- or just do it any old way". Sigh. What happened to
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the idea of you don't go wee-wee in my garden and I won't go
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poo-poo in yours?
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We at FidoNews had a great moment in everyone's spotlight too.
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The way things were progressing, it was getting really hard to
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attract your attention anymore. But we found a way. On July 30,
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1990 lots of you woke up to find FidoNews sitting on your system
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in a file compressed with LHARC. Yup, you sure DID notice. I
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think it was probably the most popular topic in FidoNews that
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year. Even with the late start.
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It really pissed off Saddam Hussein too. In less than a week he
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had taken over Kuwait in an attempt to capture the responsible
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parties. After being told that the dirty deed had been done by
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an American, he is reported to have said "An American? OK. I'll
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wait here for him."
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I never made it over there. A lot of very brave folks did. And
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they did a great job. FidoNet was involved too, in its own unique
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way. An article in FidoNews Volume 7, Number 45 announced "The
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Saudi Connection". Numerous articles about the war were
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published. A healthy exchange of opinions ensued. People were
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engaged. It was great.
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 3 27 May 1991
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We had ZC, RC and EC elections in Zone 1 and elsewhere, as the
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idea of democracy flowered in the Net. Then of course we had the
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great turnout in the Worldpol ratification vote. Electing NC's
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is an idea whose time has come. It should be easier to throw out
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the old slugs than it presently is.
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I sure wish I knew where FidoNet is going these days. The only
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consolation I have is that nobody knows. If anybody tells you
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that he or she DOES know, you can safely call that person a liar.
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Boy, there are some great memories here. And some not so great
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memories. It's been a lot of fun. But I won't miss it. I'll be
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too busy with other things.
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Well, maybe I will miss it. But I promise not to make a scene.
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Best regards,
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Vince
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 4 27 May 1991
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=================================================================
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ARTICLES
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=================================================================
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Glen Johnson
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1:269/101@fidonet.org
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The GATEWAY Complaint - the NC's side
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I'm just writing this little blurb to clear up any
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misunderstanding about the "Gateway Complaint" filed by Bob
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Moravsik, and finally ruled on by the International
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Coordinator. First, a very brief summary of what it was all
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about. This text is by Matt Whelan, in Fidonews 819:
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"In essence, Bob complained that a directive from his
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then-NC, Glen Johnson, contradicted the FidoNet<tm> Gateway
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Document adopted by me last year."
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"The NC directive, to his hub coordinators, insisted they
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pass on all mail for their nodes, regardless of origin. It
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also insisted they should accept calls from any system,
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whether or not it was a FidoNet node."
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"Bob complained this forced the Hub Coords to act as Gateway
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systems under FidoNet policy. Thus they would be required to
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provide outbound gating facilities as well, despite the
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technical complications this involved."
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"The decision at all levels was made more difficult by the
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complaint's somewhat unclear intent: was it a protest at the
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NC's imposition of a policy at all, or at the content of the
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policy?"
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Got it?
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Ok. As the person that drafted the HC policy that Bob filed
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his complaint about, maybe I should explain what that policy
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was all about, and why I drafted it.
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My policy, which was a directive issued to all the hub
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coordinators in our net, was that they were to accept calls,
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and accept mail from wherever it came from, and forward it to
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the addressee *IF* the addressee was a listed system in their
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hub. This was to be done regardless of the origin of the
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message. I basically directed all the hub coordinators to not
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give a hoot if the message came from a Fidonet system or not,
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but to pay attention to whom it was ADDRESSED. I did not
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require hub coordinators to gate replies back. That's what the
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policy was all about.
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 5 27 May 1991
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Bob immediately complained that this modus operandi
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contradicted the GATEPOL document that was dumped on the
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network by Matt Whelan. His complaint first went to RC13, who
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rejected it, then to Z1C, who also rejected it. It finally
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went to Matt, and Fidonews 819 contains his decision.
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Now WHY did I invent this HC policy to begin with? Well, I
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actually didn't INVENT it. My hub coordinator's policy was
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merely a written document that reflected STANDARD OPERATING
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PROCEDURE in Region 13. I had been told by RC13 that this was
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how systems were to operate in Region 13. Whether or not I
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agree with that is irrelevant. I felt that if I were required
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to operate my system as the net host in a particular fashion,
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then all of the HCs under me are merely extensions of me, and
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that they too, should be required to operate the same way. So
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I "put it in writing" and shipped it off to the hub
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coordinators.
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My HC policy in no way deviated from what had always been
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the normal day to day method of operation within region 13,
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and it reflected my interpretation of how the RC wanted things
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done.
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Furthermore, I want it to be known that the complaint filed
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about my HC policy was by no means an adversarial one. Bob and
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I BOTH were anxious to see it resolved, as we BOTH wanted to
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see the *C structure, from the top down, speak the same
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language. Had my policy been overturned by the IC, that would
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have been fine with me. I was much more interested in seeing
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that all the coordinators in the "chain of command" knew,
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without any doubt, what the score was.
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In any case, since this issue came up, you couldn't possibly
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imagine the amount of juvenile mud slinging that has gone on
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about it. ALL of the parties involved have been acting like a
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bunch of whining crybabies, but that's a story for another
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day. Its also not my problem :)
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On April 1, 1991 I retired as NC 269, and I appointed (with
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the RC's approval) Mike Brandt, 1:269/201 to serve as interim
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NC until the net coule democratically elect a replacement. I
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was elected NC twice, served two consecutive terms, and I felt
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that passing the torch would give someone else the unique
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opportunity to experience first hand, all of the nitpicking
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HORSESH*T that some NCs have to deal with. Mike wasn't in
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"office" for a week before he found out about that BIG TIME.
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Personally, I find the GatePol document to be repulsive. But
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that's just my opinion. And you know what they say about
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opinions. But the most mind boggling thing about this whole
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mess (which has been dragging on for months, and just
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escalated to the boiling point a few weeks ago) is just how
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crazy some people are when it comes to this stuff. Acting like
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Fidonet is something incredibly IMPORTANT. When are people
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going to use Fidonet for the purpose it was INTENDED... to
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ENHANCE your damn BBS, instead of trying to make an EMPIRE out
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 6 27 May 1991
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of the thing and play lawyer, judge and jury like a bunch of
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three year olds watching LA LAW?
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So there you have it. My policy, the complaint, and the
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decision. As far as I'M concerned, the case is closed. But I'm
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sure SOME people will find ways to beat it to a pulp and whine
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about it for months to come. Maybe its not so bad. It'll keep
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'em off the streets.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 7 27 May 1991
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A BETTER POLICY FOR FIDONET
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(The Odyssey Continues)
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The recent vote on WorldPol version 1h is over. Results, as we
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have seen, were 39.5% in favour of adoption, 48.7% against
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adoption, and WorldPol version 1h was not adopted as a policy for
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FidoNet. But considering that only the coordinators can vote, I
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must admit that the figures were not disillusioning at all for
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those of us that promote WorldPol.
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Since the last known version of WorldPol was released last
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December, suggestions continued arriving, different points of
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view were exposed on FidoNews, and I got a few new ideas that I
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added to the document.
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The current FidoNet policy document, Policy4, is unquestionably
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impossible to enforce in a great portion of the world as well as
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opposed by a considerable number of the network's members. The
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debate created by the WorldPol election was effective in proving
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the fact that Policy4 MUST be changed.
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Support for WorldPol in Zone 4 was unanimous, in Zone 2 was 46 to
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12. There was also a great number of abstentions, primarily in
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North America where most of the coordinators did not participate
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in the referendum.
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A wise friend once told me: "if you are sure you are following
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the right path, keep on going". This is precisely what, God
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willing, I aim to do. I aspire to see improved outcome on this
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second occasion.
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This is a second opportunity not only for WorldPol, but for you
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that voted against it: participate so the next time you find it
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acceptable! When the second WorldPol referendum is held, no
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excuses will be accepted from those that deliberately decide not
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to participate. If someone is allowed to make a change and
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voluntarily rejects the opportunity, he shall have no right to
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complain later.
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A multi-zone echomail conference will be freely available to all
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those interested in participating in WorldPol 2. In the meantime,
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net-mail participation will be also welcome, as it has been since
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1989. Be sure to write as soon as possible to node 4:4/50 if you
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are interested in carrying the WorldPol echomail conference,
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which will be headquartered in Zone-1.
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Changes made to WorldPol with version 2: (a) different
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requirements for admittance to FidoNet and provisions for cases
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of discrimination; (b) adjustment in the roles of the ZCC and the
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IC; (c) definition of point systems and their rights; (d)
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FidoNews requirement modified; (e) election procedures described
|
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and elimination of "democratic by western standards". In addition
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to this, wording has been modified throughout the document, some
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grammar was corrected or changed.
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 8 27 May 1991
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Here is the complete WorldPol 2:
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W o r l d P o l
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The FidoNet Worldwide Policy Document
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Version 2, 23 May 1991
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This Worldwide Policy document has been released for vote by the
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members of FidoNet and is not yet in force.
|
||
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1 FidoNet
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This document establishes an international (inter-zonal) policy
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for sysops who are members of the FidoNet organization of
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||
bulletin board systems worldwide. FidoNet is defined by a list
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||
of nodes (NodeList) issued on a weekly basis by each of the Zone
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Coordinators, on behalf of the International Coordinator.
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||
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||
A node is understood to be a "member system" of FidoNet. The
|
||
collection of nodes is classified into Zones, Regions and
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||
Networks.
|
||
|
||
Each FidoNet Zone is entitled to issue its own policy document,
|
||
according to its own needs and customs. This International
|
||
Policy, determines general rules which must be specified -and may
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||
not be contradicted- by the Zone Policies.
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Regions and Networks may also issue their own policies according
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||
to the provisions stated on the corresponding Zone Policy.
|
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1.1 Overview
|
||
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||
FidoNet is an amateur electronic mail system. As such, all of its
|
||
participants and operators are unpaid volunteers. From its early
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||
beginning in 1984, as a few friends swapping messages back and
|
||
forth mainly in North America, it consists now of an
|
||
International community of more than ten thousand systems all
|
||
over the world.
|
||
|
||
FidoNet is not a common carrier or a value-added service network
|
||
and is a public network only as much as the independent,
|
||
constituent nodes may individually provide public access to the
|
||
network on their system.
|
||
|
||
FidoNet exists to provide electronic mail services to its
|
||
member sysops. To efficiently provide such services, various
|
||
structure and control mechanisms are essential. The structure is
|
||
organized into multiple nets, with decentralized administration.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 9 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
This document delineates all of the procedures at the
|
||
international level of FidoNet, as well as some general rules for
|
||
the lower levels (intra-zonal), developed to manage the network.
|
||
|
||
Authorities in the international level not defined by this
|
||
document, shall be defined by the Zone Coordinators Council and
|
||
the International Coordinator.
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2 Language
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||
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||
Each zone has the right to determine its own official language.
|
||
|
||
At the international (inter-zonal) level, for practical purposes,
|
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FidoNet adopts English as its official language. All the FidoNet
|
||
documents issued at the international level must exist in
|
||
English. Translation into other languages is encouraged.
|
||
|
||
|
||
3 Admittance to FidoNet
|
||
|
||
FidoNet membership is open to everyone fulfilling the technical
|
||
standards described on a document released by the network's
|
||
Technical Standards Committee (FTS-0001 at this writing).
|
||
Lower-level policies may issue additional restrictions only if
|
||
specifically authorized by the Zone Coordinator Council.
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.1 Anti-discrimination Policy
|
||
|
||
Discrimination is strictly forbidden within FidoNet.
|
||
This means that any type of restriction imposed to a member of
|
||
the network that has no technical justification is illegal and
|
||
unacceptable.
|
||
|
||
No technical requisites will be demanded to any member of the
|
||
network than those specifically authorized by this or lower-level
|
||
policy documents.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4 Organization
|
||
|
||
The organizational structure of FidoNet, has been developed to
|
||
distribute the administration and control of FidoNet, to the
|
||
lowest possible level, while still allowing for coordinated
|
||
action over the entire system.
|
||
|
||
Effective administration is made viable by operating in a
|
||
top-down manner. This means, that a person at any given level is
|
||
responsible to the level above, and responsible for
|
||
administrating the level below.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 10 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
If a person at any level above sysop is unable to properly
|
||
perform their duties, the person at the next level may replace
|
||
them. For example, if a Region Coordinator fails to perform, the
|
||
Zone Coordinator may cause the Coordinator to be replaced.
|
||
|
||
Coordinators may also be removed by a majority vote of the level
|
||
below. For example, if network Coordinators in a region lose
|
||
faith in the ability of a Region Coordinator to effectively
|
||
perform, they may vote to have a new Coordinator elected.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.1 Zone Coordinator Council
|
||
|
||
The Zone Coordinator Council (ZCC) consists of the Zone
|
||
Coordinators and the International Coordinator.
|
||
|
||
Each Zone Coordinator has one vote at the ZCC. The International
|
||
Coordinator may only vote in the event of a ZCC vote tie, but
|
||
does not regularly have voting power.
|
||
|
||
The Zone Coordinator Council is the legislative body of FidoNet,
|
||
it represents each of the zones in FidoNet. It is the highest
|
||
authority of the network's Top-Down organization.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.2 International Coordinator
|
||
|
||
The International Coordinator (IC) is the Executive Officer of
|
||
FidoNet and coordinates the joint production of the master
|
||
nodelist by the Zone Coordinators. The International Coordinator
|
||
is responsible for creating new zones in FidoNet, but can only do
|
||
so with the approval of a simple majority of the members of the
|
||
Zone Coordinator Council.
|
||
|
||
The International Coordinator is selected by unanimous vote of
|
||
the Zone Coordinators, and removed by a majority vote of the Zone
|
||
Coordinators. In the case of absence of the International
|
||
Coordinator, the Zone Coordinator Council replaces him by voting
|
||
on all IC resolutions to be approved by a simple majority.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.3 Zones and Zone Coordinators
|
||
|
||
A zone is a defined geographic area containing one or many
|
||
regions, covering one or more countries.
|
||
|
||
The Zone Coordinator is the Executive Officer of the Zone, and
|
||
the zone's representative to the other zones.
|
||
|
||
The Zone Coordinator compiles the nodelists from all of the
|
||
regions in the zone, creates a master nodelist and a difference
|
||
file, which is then distributed over FidoNet within the zone. A
|
||
Zone Coordinator does not perform message-forwarding services for
|
||
any nodes in the zone, whereas the Zone Coordinator is
|
||
responsible for the formation and/or administration of one or
|
||
more zone-gates to provide inter-zone mail facilities.
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 11 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
The method used for selection of Zone coordinators is left to
|
||
the discretion of the relevant Zone Policy. In the absence of a
|
||
Zone Policy selection method, Zone Coordinators are elected and
|
||
removed by a simple majority vote of the Region Coordinators in
|
||
the Zone.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.4 Regions and Region Coordinators
|
||
|
||
A Region is a defined geographic area containing nodes which
|
||
may or may not be combined into networks. A typical Region will
|
||
contain many nodes in networks, and a few independent nodes which
|
||
are not part of the network.
|
||
|
||
The Region Coordinator maintains the list of independent nodes in
|
||
the region, and accepts nodelists from the Network Coordinators
|
||
in the Region. These are compiled to create a regional nodelist,
|
||
which is sent to the Zone Coordinator. A Region Coordinator is
|
||
encouraged to perform message-forwarding services for nodes
|
||
within the region, but is not forced to, unless the appropriate
|
||
Zone or Region policy imposes such a requirement.
|
||
|
||
The method used for selection of Regional coordinators is left to
|
||
the discretion of the relevant Zone or Region Policy. In the
|
||
absence of such a policy selection method, Region Coordinators
|
||
are elected and removed by a simple majority vote of the Ncs in
|
||
the Region.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.5 Networks and Network Coordinators
|
||
|
||
A network is a group of nodes, normally but not exclusively in a
|
||
local geographic area. Networks coordinate their mail activity to
|
||
decrease cost.
|
||
|
||
The Network Coordinator is responsible for maintaining the list
|
||
of nodes for the network, and for forwarding netmail sent to
|
||
members of the network from other FidoNet nodes. The Network
|
||
Coordinator may make arrangements to handle outgoing netmail, but
|
||
is not required to do so, unless the appropriate Zone, Region or
|
||
Net policy imposes such a requirement.
|
||
|
||
The Network Coordinator is responsible for assigning each and
|
||
every petitioner within his own geographic area, a valid node
|
||
number within 10 days. A node application can solely be rejected
|
||
on technical grounds and if that is the case, the petitioner and
|
||
the rest of the local network must be informed by the NC of the
|
||
requirements that will allow the node number to be assigned.
|
||
|
||
The method used for selection of Network coordinators is left to
|
||
the discretion of the relevant Zone/Region/Net Policy. In the
|
||
absence of such a policy selection method, Network Coordinators
|
||
are elected and removed by a simple majority vote of the Nodes in
|
||
the Network.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 12 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.5.1 Network Routing Hubs
|
||
|
||
|
||
Network Routing Hubs exist only in some networks. They may be
|
||
appointed by the Network Coordinator, in order to assist the
|
||
management (especially routing tasks) of the network.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.6 Individual systems (Nodes)
|
||
|
||
The smallest subdivision of FidoNet is the individual system,
|
||
corresponding to a single entry in the nodelist. The system
|
||
operator (SysOp) formulates a policy for running the board and
|
||
dealing with the users. The sysop must mesh with the rest of the
|
||
FidoNet system to receive and send mail, and the local policy
|
||
must be consistent with other levels of FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.6.1 Points
|
||
|
||
A point is a system that is not in the nodelist, but communicates
|
||
with FidoNet through a node defined to as bossnode.
|
||
|
||
A point operator is generally regarded in the same manner as a
|
||
node operator, but does not have right to vote and shares
|
||
responsibility of his actions with his bossnode.
|
||
|
||
The bossnode operator is responsible for all mail originating at
|
||
the point. All mail sent to a point is addressed to the
|
||
bossnode's address.
|
||
|
||
A point operator is granted full rights under this policy
|
||
document as an associate (co-sysop) of the bossnode operator
|
||
listed on the nodelist.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.6.2 Users of an individual system
|
||
|
||
The sysop is responsible for the actions of any user when they
|
||
affect the rest of FidoNet (i.e. if the user is annoying, the
|
||
sysop is annoying). The users have no rights under this policy
|
||
document.
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.7 The FidoNet Technical Standards Committee
|
||
|
||
The FidoNet Technical Standards Committee, abbreviated as the
|
||
FTSC, exists for the purpose of establishing minimum requirements
|
||
in software and hardware to be able to interface with FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
These minimum requirements must be obeyed at every level. Nodes
|
||
not meeting these requirements are ineligible for a node number
|
||
(see section 5.9). These requirements are subject to change at
|
||
any time by the FTSC.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 13 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
5 General Procedures for All Coordinators
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.1 Making Available Difference Files and Nodelist
|
||
|
||
Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making
|
||
available for file request, on a weekly basis, nodelist
|
||
difference files and complete nodelists.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.2 Making Available FidoNews Documents
|
||
|
||
FidoNews is the Official Newsletter of FidoNet. Each
|
||
Coordinator is responsible for obtaining and making available
|
||
for file request on a weekly basis, FidoNews Documents.
|
||
|
||
This requirement may be waived in the event that a majority of
|
||
the Sysops served by the Coordinator have no desire to read or
|
||
receive FidoNews.
|
||
|
||
If a Zone Coordinator is not able to get FidoNews into his Zone,
|
||
he should immediately request help to the FidoNews Editor. If the
|
||
Editor can arrange a way to have it delivered to the Zone
|
||
Coordinator, FidoNews must be necessarily available to the rest
|
||
of the Zone. Otherwise, the Zone Coordinator may unilaterally
|
||
waive this requirement.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.3 Processing Nodelist Changes and Passing Them Upstream
|
||
|
||
Each Coordinator is responsible for obtaining nodelist
|
||
information from the level below, processing it, and passing the
|
||
results to the level above. The timing of this process is
|
||
determined by the requirements imposed by the level above.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.4 Ensure the Latest Policy is Available
|
||
|
||
A Coordinator is responsible to make the current version of the
|
||
International Policy available to the level below, and to
|
||
encourage familiarity with it.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.5 Minimize the Number of Hats Worn
|
||
|
||
Coordinators are persuaded to limit the number of FidoNet-related
|
||
Coordinator functions they perform. A Coordinator who holds two
|
||
different positions, compromises the appeal process. For example,
|
||
is the Network Coordinator is also the Region Coordinator, sysops
|
||
in that network are denied one level of appeal.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 14 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Multiple hats are also discouraged due to the difficulty of
|
||
replacing services when a coordinator leaves the net.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.6 Be a Member of the Area Administered
|
||
|
||
A Coordinator must be a member of the area administered. This is,
|
||
a Network Coordinator must be a member of the network he is to
|
||
coordinate. A Region Coordinator must be either a member of a
|
||
network in the region, or an independent in a region.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.7 Encourage New Sysops to Enter FidoNet
|
||
|
||
A Coordinator is encouraged to operate a public bulletin board
|
||
system which is freely available for the purpose of distributing
|
||
Policy and Nodelists to potential new sysops. Dissemination of
|
||
this information to persons who are potential FidoNet sysops is
|
||
important to the growth of FidoNet, and Coordinators should
|
||
encourage development of new systems.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.8 Tradition, Precedent and Technical Management
|
||
|
||
A Coordinator is not bound by the practices of predecessor.
|
||
However, it must be clear that Coordinators are bound by all
|
||
requirements of this document, both as FidoNet sysops and as
|
||
Coordinators. The holding of a Coordinator title does not grant
|
||
license to annoy others or to flaunt policy.
|
||
|
||
The primary responsibility of any Coordinator is technical
|
||
management of network operations. Decisions MUST be made only
|
||
on technical grounds. A Coordinator has the responsibility to act
|
||
as objectively as possible; objectivity must be considered an
|
||
essential factor when making a decision.
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.9 Exclusivity of Zone Mail Hour
|
||
|
||
Zone Mail Hour is the heart of FidoNet, as this is when network
|
||
mail is passed between systems. Any system which wishes to be a
|
||
part of FidoNet must be able to receive mail during this time
|
||
using the protocol defined in the current FidoNet Technical
|
||
Standards Committee publication (FTS-0001 at this writing). It
|
||
is permissible to have greater capability (for example, to
|
||
support additional protocols or extended mail hours), but the
|
||
minimum requirement is FTS-0001 capability during this one hour
|
||
of the day.
|
||
|
||
This time is exclusively reserved for netmail. Many phone
|
||
systems charge on a per-call basis, regardless of whether a
|
||
connect, no connect, or busy signal is encountered. For this
|
||
reason, any activity other than normal network mail processing
|
||
that ties up a system during ZMH is considered annoying behavior.
|
||
User (BBS) access to a system is prohibited during ZMH.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 15 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Zone Mail Hour will be defined by each Zone Policy. In the
|
||
absence of a Zone Policy, it will be defined by the Zone
|
||
Coordinator.
|
||
|
||
|
||
6 Election and Referendum Procedures
|
||
|
||
Any election or referendum at any level of FidoNet, must comply
|
||
with the standards described in this chapter.
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.1 Democratic Qualities of the Election
|
||
|
||
All sysops in FidoNet have a vote and must be allowed to
|
||
participate in an election or referendum.
|
||
|
||
All sysops in FidoNet are entitled to be candidates to any
|
||
elective position, provided that the requirements for each
|
||
position described on this and lower-level policy documents are
|
||
satisfied.
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.2 Particular election mechanisms
|
||
|
||
Each zone will issue its own election procedures, which may
|
||
involve direct participation or indirect participation (electoral
|
||
college approach).
|
||
|
||
In any case, all the sysops in the zone must be allowed to vote.
|
||
In the case of an indirect elections, the electors must be chosen
|
||
by direct vote of the sysops.
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.2.1 Coordinators acting as Electors
|
||
|
||
Coordinators will automatically be qualified as electors
|
||
representing their network or region in an indirect election only
|
||
if they have been chosen by direct vote of the sysops in the
|
||
administered area.
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.4 Worldwide elections and referendums
|
||
|
||
In worldwide elections and referendums with the participation of
|
||
all zones, the Zone Coordinator Council will determine the
|
||
election procedures and whether vote will be direct or indirect.
|
||
This will be done in each particular case by form of a ZCC
|
||
resolution.
|
||
|
||
|
||
7 Policy Referenda
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 16 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1 International Policy
|
||
|
||
A referendum on International Policy modification is invoked by
|
||
the International Coordinator at the direction of a majority of
|
||
the Zone Coordinators, or a majority of the Region Coordinators
|
||
of all zones, a majority of the Network Coordinators of all
|
||
zones, or by one third of all the sysops in all zones.
|
||
|
||
All the members of FidoNet are entitled to vote on an
|
||
International Policy referendum, which is to be held according to
|
||
the procedures described by the Zone Coordinator Council before
|
||
the election is called.
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.2 Zone Policy
|
||
|
||
A referendum on Zone Policy modification is invoked by the Zone
|
||
Coordinator, by a majority vote of the Region Coordinators in the
|
||
zone, by a majority vote of the Network Coordinators in the
|
||
zone, or by one third of all the sysops in the zone.
|
||
|
||
All the members of the zone are entitled to vote on a Zone
|
||
Policy referendum, which is to be held according to the
|
||
procedures described on the Zone Policy. If such document does
|
||
not exist, the procedures will be determined by the Zone
|
||
Coordinator with the approval of the Zone Coordinator Council.
|
||
|
||
The formulation of Region and Network Policy documents is
|
||
encouraged, and must be regulated by the Zone Policy documents in
|
||
each zone.
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.3 Transition to a 'Worldwide Policy environment'
|
||
|
||
After the approval of this Worldwide Policy, the previously
|
||
existing policy will still be in effect for the Zone level until
|
||
the approval of a new Zone policy, according to the methods
|
||
provided in this document.
|
||
|
||
All the procedures introduced by this Worldwide Policy document
|
||
adjourn the procedures existing in the previous policy document.
|
||
|
||
|
||
8 Resolution of Disputes
|
||
|
||
The FidoNet judicial philosophy can be summed up in two rules:
|
||
|
||
1) Thou shalt not excessively annoy others.
|
||
|
||
2) Thou shalt not become excessively annoyed.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 17 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
The parties involved in a dispute are encouraged to solve their
|
||
problems directly, without the intervention of a Coordinator.
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.1 Mediation Requests
|
||
|
||
Any of the parties involved may request the intervention of the
|
||
respective Coordinator: Network Coordinator if a dispute between
|
||
members of the same network, Region Coordinator if a dispute
|
||
between members of different networks on the same region; Zone
|
||
Coordinator if a dispute between members of different regions on
|
||
the same zone; International Coordinator if a dispute between
|
||
members of different zones.
|
||
|
||
The Coordinator requested as "mediator", will ask each party to
|
||
provide all the information before two weeks from the request and
|
||
will make a decision within forty-five days after he received all
|
||
the information from the involved parties.
|
||
|
||
A Coordinator, unable to resolve a dispute, may name a third
|
||
party to act as "mediator", provided the parties involved in the
|
||
dispute agree.
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.2 Appealing to a Mediator's Decision
|
||
|
||
A mediator's decision may be appealed to the immediately superior
|
||
level if considered unfair: Region Coordinators handle appeals
|
||
from decisions made by Network Coordinators; Zone Coordinators
|
||
handle appeals from decision made by Region Coordinators; The
|
||
International Coordinator handles appeals from decisions made by
|
||
the Zone Coordinators; and the Zone Coordinator Council will
|
||
handle appeals from decisions made by the International
|
||
Coordinator, being the Zone Coordinator Council's resolutions,
|
||
unappealable.
|
||
|
||
For appealing to a decision made by a third person named by a
|
||
Coordinator to act as mediator, it will be as if the Coordinator
|
||
made the resolution and the previously enumerated sequence of
|
||
appealing will be appropriate.
|
||
|
||
For appealing to a decision made by a mediator, the same terms
|
||
and procedures as for any Mediation Request apply.
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.3 Statute of Limitations
|
||
|
||
A mediation request may not be filed more than 60 days after the
|
||
date of discovery of the source of the infraction, either by
|
||
admission or technical discovery of the source of an infraction,
|
||
either by admission or technical evidence. Mediation requests may
|
||
not be filed more than 120 days after the incident, unless they
|
||
involve suspected unlawful behavior, in which the legal statute
|
||
of limitations of the country involved shall apply.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 18 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.4 Echomail and File Distribution Networks
|
||
|
||
Each FidoNet Zone is encouraged to establish in it's Zone
|
||
Policy, the manner of handling Echomail and File Distribution,
|
||
and the resolution of disputes arising from both distributions.
|
||
|
||
No sysop may be required to carry an echomail conference or a
|
||
File Distribution a as a condition of joining or remaining in
|
||
FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
|
||
9 "CCC": Comments, Credits and Copyright!
|
||
|
||
This section will be automatically removed upon approval of this
|
||
document.
|
||
|
||
|
||
9.1 Comments on Implementation
|
||
|
||
This document is not final. No FidoNet policy is or will ever be.
|
||
|
||
WorldPol is an open enterprise where every member in FidoNet is
|
||
encouraged to participate. It is a unique experience, so far
|
||
successful.
|
||
|
||
If you disagree with any point of this document, you have a real
|
||
opportunity of have your voice be heard and contribute to the
|
||
future of FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
All FidoNet sysops are encouraged to make suggestions for
|
||
changes, as well as comments, which can be addressed to FidoNet
|
||
node 4:4/50 (WorldPol Project).
|
||
|
||
This World Policy will be adopted according to the mechanisms
|
||
provided on the present policy document.
|
||
|
||
|
||
9.2 Credits
|
||
|
||
WorldPol has received either directly or indirectly, input from
|
||
the following individuals (in alphabetical order): Raul Artaza,
|
||
Bill Bolton, Steve Bonine, Randy Bush, Billy Coen, Jack Decker,
|
||
Daniel Docekal, Ron Dwight, Hector Gomez, Tomas Gradin, Rob
|
||
Hoare, Jesse David Hollington, Alejandro Hopkins, Tom Jennings,
|
||
Glen Johnson, Daniel Kalchev, Raymond Lowe, Rick Moore, George
|
||
Peace, Vince Perriello, Bob Satti, Jan Stozek, Erik Van Riper,
|
||
Matt Whelan, and Gustavo Zacarias.
|
||
|
||
Thank you all.
|
||
|
||
Special thanks are hereby given to Thomas Jefferson whose ideas
|
||
were still in the 1990s an important source of inspiration for
|
||
this document.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 19 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
9.3 Temporary Copyright
|
||
|
||
This document is Copyright (C) 1991 by Pablo Kleinman.
|
||
Todos los Derechos Reservados / All Rights Reserved.
|
||
|
||
This document is protected under international copyright laws.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 20 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Don Benson
|
||
Tribute Test Point 1:157/603
|
||
|
||
Why do we need a WorldPol?
|
||
|
||
I have read with interest the debate in Fidonews since the
|
||
publication of WorldPol. The arguments fly back and forth, and
|
||
both sides seem set in their decisions, yet one issue that I
|
||
think is important has yet to come up. Do we need an
|
||
international "Policy" like WorldPol or Policy4?
|
||
|
||
Fidonet has grown to encompass most of the world. In doing so,
|
||
it has absorbed people and technologies from many cultural and
|
||
technological backgrounds. To ask for one policy document which
|
||
will satisfy all is an insurmountable task. Yet this is what is
|
||
being attempted in WorldPol.
|
||
|
||
There are only two directions to move with such a document,
|
||
either toward anarchy or dictatorship. Some people complain that
|
||
Policy 4 was too much like a dictatorship. The opposite side
|
||
claims the proposed WorldPol is too vague, and will promote
|
||
anarchy. A prime example of this is the debate over "western
|
||
democratic standards." If left in its vague form, it would
|
||
prmote anarchy as people interpreted it as they liked. However,
|
||
changing the language to specific operational procedures would be
|
||
forcing some people to adopt methods which aren't ideal for them.
|
||
|
||
The crux of the situation seems to be that WorldPol tries to do
|
||
too much. Policy 4 had the same problem as Zones 2 through 6
|
||
developed and flourished. What needs to be done is to simply
|
||
throw out anything that is not necessary on an international
|
||
level.
|
||
|
||
For example, the issue of geographical nets comes to mind. What
|
||
difference does it make to Joe Sysop in Anytown, USA if Jurgen
|
||
Sysop in Jeneburg, Germany is not in a geographical net?
|
||
Especially when sending netmail? This is something that should
|
||
be decided on the zone or even regional level, not
|
||
internationally.
|
||
|
||
Concerning elections, perhaps WorldPol should only decree how the
|
||
IC is elected. It should have no say or take any position on how
|
||
any other *C's are elected. This still leaves room for debate,
|
||
since the specific method of an IC election will never please
|
||
everyone. However, it also doesn't place any weight on elections
|
||
at lower levels.
|
||
|
||
The trickiest area I see in defining a WordPol is handling
|
||
international disputes. In fact, this should be the main body of
|
||
WorldPol, and have the most meaning. Everything else should only
|
||
be minimal procedural definitions for the sake of structure, which
|
||
is necessary to keep the organization together.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 21 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
One final point for anybody who is or wants to have an input on
|
||
WorldPol. I never knew one was being developed (mostly because I
|
||
am a fairly new Fidonet node) until I saw it in the Snooze. For
|
||
those who are sending in suggestions, how about this one: Try to
|
||
make any Policy reflect how things are actually working.
|
||
|
||
In sum, I think that WorldPol could probably be reduced to a
|
||
third of the current size, and we would end up with a smaller,
|
||
more effective document. Take a few moments and look at WorldPol
|
||
again. Ask yourself if each section is absolutely necessary to
|
||
be controlled at the international level? If not, why include
|
||
it?
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 22 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Zone 1 Coordinators on Notice
|
||
George Peace
|
||
1:1/0
|
||
|
||
I expect each Network and Region Coordinator in Zone 1 to review
|
||
section 8 of FidoNet Policy. I'll do the same. In particular,
|
||
the second paragraph of 8.3 is critical...
|
||
|
||
"Network coordinators are expected to assess the opinions of
|
||
members of their network, and to vote accordingly..."
|
||
|
||
The word "expected" does not mean "hope" or "if you have time".
|
||
It means EXPECTED. As in REQUIRED, as interpreted here in
|
||
FidoNet Zone 1. Coordinator excuses for failure to read FidoNews
|
||
or the NodeDiff comments and failure to cast a vote in a Policy
|
||
referendum are sad and embarassing. The Zone 1 Region
|
||
Coordinators are on notice that each of them is EXPECTED to
|
||
issue appropriate notices to Network Coordinators in their
|
||
respective regions. And EXPECTED to follow up to assure that
|
||
excuses of ignorance or apathy are not substituted for duty to
|
||
represent the SysOps of FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
My thanks to Don Dawson, R16C, and the NCs and SysOps of Region
|
||
16 for their 100% turnout in the recent WorldPol referendum. They
|
||
proved it could be done in one Region. Let's ALL show them it can
|
||
be done in 9 more Zone 1 regions.
|
||
|
||
Thanks for listening and helping
|
||
George Peace, Z1C
|
||
|
||
|
||
--- via AutoNews 0.3
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 23 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Jack Decker
|
||
1:154/8 Fidonet
|
||
|
||
Response to Henry Clark's Comments on "Joggraphy"
|
||
|
||
In Fidonews 8-20 Henry Clark made the following comments:
|
||
|
||
"All you folks who live for echomail will soon conclude
|
||
that I'm crazy as Emily but I'm telling everyone anyway.
|
||
Electronic mail is on the whole, a fine way to communicate with
|
||
someone you know, but echomail and other public access
|
||
'everybody sees everybody else' type forums is not social
|
||
interaction. It's like having everybody watch TV and calling
|
||
that our educational system. Nothing is going to replace
|
||
direct face to face contact.
|
||
|
||
"And that's why I think Geography is important to Fidonet.
|
||
Geographic boundaries, and particularly NETS, align folks into
|
||
groups which are physically close to each other, and best able
|
||
to get together. In my net, we have a monthly Pizza Party. In
|
||
our Region, we have a yearly Lake Party. You probably have
|
||
these kinds of meetings in your parts of the world. That's the
|
||
really good part."
|
||
|
||
Henry makes some good points, but I think he is losing
|
||
sight of the forest for the trees here. In the first place
|
||
"close to each other" is a relative concept.
|
||
|
||
For example, I live in Region 11. If you measure the
|
||
distance between one side of the region and the other, you find
|
||
that the distance in some places (e.g. northwest Wisconsin to
|
||
southeast Kentucky) is approximately a thousand miles. Even if
|
||
you could have a gathering in the exact center of this area, it
|
||
would still mean a 500 mile trip for some folks. Those of you
|
||
who jet to Europe for vacations may think of this as nothing,
|
||
but 500 miles is a considerable distance for some folks to
|
||
travel.
|
||
|
||
This difference in perception of distance and ease of
|
||
travel is what causes a lot of the conflicts in Fidonet. For
|
||
example, a couple of years ago there were some folks who were
|
||
quite seriously stating that any sysop that did not attend
|
||
Fidocon did not really care about Fidonet (and, by implication,
|
||
had no right to comment on anything taking place in Fidonet).
|
||
Presumably the people making such comments could afford to jet
|
||
about the country, but many sysops (not just the younger ones,
|
||
either) put together systems on a shoestring to try and tap
|
||
into this wonderful information source that we have and can't
|
||
afford to just pick up and travel halfway across the country or
|
||
further to participate in a hobby.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 24 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
The other difference in perception is between those who
|
||
live in major metropolitan areas and those who do not. If you
|
||
live in a city where there are 100 Fidonet nodes, and probably
|
||
three or four alternate Fidonet technology networks
|
||
represented, you probably don't have to worry too much about
|
||
the cost of getting echomail. I only wish that some of these
|
||
folks who are so hung up on geography had to go live for a
|
||
couple of years in a place where you were required by policy
|
||
and politics to get your echomail feeds from an in-state feed
|
||
200 miles away, at your expense, while knowing that there is an
|
||
interstate feed only 20 miles away but because it's in another
|
||
region, you're not allowed to belong there, or get your echoes
|
||
there.
|
||
|
||
You see, Henry, you're thinking only in terms of clusters
|
||
of sysops in cities, without giving any consideration to sysops
|
||
in rural areas that are often told "where to go" in Fidonet
|
||
without any consideration at all being given to the notion that
|
||
they might wish to pick up echoes from the least costly source.
|
||
|
||
Now, I do have to admit that I also differ with you on the
|
||
notion that a sysop should be forced to belong to a particular
|
||
net that's in his local area, even if he can get free echomail
|
||
there for only the price of a local call, because I believe in
|
||
the principle of freedom of association. Simply put, in an
|
||
organization such as Fidonet, I see no good reason why a sysop
|
||
should be FORCED to be part of a particular net if they don't
|
||
want to. I also can't imagine why a net would want to force a
|
||
sysop to join their net if he doesn't want to, since this only
|
||
invites future conflicts.
|
||
|
||
Let's put one notion to rest: If the IC declared tomorrow
|
||
that geography was no longer a consideration in Fidonet, and
|
||
that any node could join any net they please, 98% of the nodes
|
||
would probably stay right where they are. Another 1.9 percent
|
||
might switch nets because it is less costly for them to get
|
||
echoes from the net they join... for the most part, these would
|
||
likely be nodes located near a region or net boundary. In my
|
||
opinion, switching nets to save money on toll calls makes a lot
|
||
of sense, but there are a few in Fidonet (who, obviously, are
|
||
NOT in that type of situation) who can't see that. Finally,
|
||
MAYBE 0.1 percent would switch nets for political reasons, or
|
||
because of personality conflicts... so what? Suddenly someone
|
||
who was not happy (and who perhaps was flooding the echoes with
|
||
messages telling everyone why they were not happy) is now happy
|
||
and content... why should that bother anyone, except maybe some
|
||
power-hungry idiot who somehow takes it personally whenever a
|
||
node leaves his fold (did Jim Jones get reincarnated as a
|
||
*C?!).
|
||
|
||
Then there are the folks who say that if you allow
|
||
special-interest nets in Fidonet, you'll have them formed along
|
||
racist lines or some such malarky. Well, if that's your REAL
|
||
worry and not just a "red herring", the put something in Policy
|
||
that says that no special interest nets may be formed that
|
||
promote racial hatred, etc. Simple. As it is, such groups
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 25 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
could be formed in "other" nets or in a private net, so you're
|
||
not really stopping such a thing from happening, you're just
|
||
driving it underground where it's less detectable, like
|
||
termites in the woodwork. My personal opinion is that "special
|
||
interest nets" would not last long anyway due to the costs
|
||
involved... the only special interest nets that would make any
|
||
sense would be for those few who live in places where it would
|
||
be cheaper to pick up echomail via PC Pursuit rather than
|
||
through the nearest local net. Remember, there are still
|
||
good-sized cities that have access to packet switching networks
|
||
but where there are either no Fidonet nodes, or only a lone
|
||
node or two.
|
||
|
||
Let me give you but one real life example. Ever heard of
|
||
Duluth, Minnesota? What you may not know is that there are
|
||
actually two cities in the Duluth metropolitan area: Duluth and
|
||
Superior, Wisconsin. These two are a local call from each
|
||
other, and there is access to packet switching nodes in Duluth.
|
||
However, according to the nodelist there are NO Fidonet nodes
|
||
in that area at present. But Minnesota is in Region 14, while
|
||
Wisconsin is in Region 11. If a net ever formed in that area,
|
||
which region would it be in? Or would the Duluth nodes have to
|
||
call long distance to get their echoes from a source in Region
|
||
14, while the Superior nodes have to call to get the same
|
||
echoes from a Region 11 source? And would nodes in the two
|
||
cities be forever barred from holding pizza parties together
|
||
because they are in different regions, or would they be
|
||
permitted to do it only after "special dispensation" from the
|
||
ZC ant the two RC's involved? You're probably thinking that
|
||
I'm being totally ridiculous here and I AM... but only to prove
|
||
my point, which is that drawing artificial boundaries based on
|
||
geography IS ridiculous in an electronic mail network. The
|
||
people who live near these artificial boundaries, and
|
||
especially those who don't live in major cities are fully aware
|
||
of how stupid this is, but those who live nearer the center of
|
||
a region (or in an area NOT bordering another region, such as
|
||
near an ocean) don't really appreciate the hardship that these
|
||
artificial boundaries can cause for some.
|
||
|
||
Henry, my point is that in places where it makes sense for
|
||
sysops to group together because of geographic boundaries or
|
||
telephone exchange boundaries, they will continue to do so even
|
||
if we DON'T mandate it. Where it DOESN'T make sense for them
|
||
to group together, it is WRONG for others to demand that they
|
||
do so... particularly when those others would not be adversely
|
||
affected in any way if those few who would really benefit from
|
||
the freedom to change nets were given it.
|
||
|
||
Please keep in mind that Fidonet (or at least Fidonet
|
||
technology) is somewhat unique in that it may be the ONLY
|
||
cost-effective means of electronic communications for those
|
||
that live in rural areas. Think about it a minute... if
|
||
Fidonet disappeared tomorrow, those who live in the cities
|
||
where packet switching nodes are accessible would probably sign
|
||
up for GEnie (or, if they were truly desperate, Prodigy), or
|
||
perhaps try to find a local link into UseNet. Most folks in
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 26 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
rural areas simply don't have those options available (at least
|
||
not at anything approaching a reasonable cost), since in the
|
||
United States the packet networks have been alllowed to "cherry
|
||
pick" the larger cities and ignore the rural areas. And folks
|
||
who live in rural areas and who may be forced to spend more
|
||
money than they would otherwise have to in order to pick up
|
||
echoes, just because of some political lines that have been
|
||
drawn by city folks, probably have a whole different
|
||
perspective on this problem than you do.
|
||
|
||
Finally, if you're going to argue that face to face
|
||
contact between sysops is desirable and important, then to be
|
||
consistent you should at least be arguing for more, smaller
|
||
regions. Regions that cover a 1000 or 2000 mile radius are
|
||
just too large. Look at the size of Region 17 (Alaska, British
|
||
Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Washington, Oregon,
|
||
Idaho, Montana, and Hawaii)... can you stand there with a
|
||
straight face and tell me that a good percentage of the sysops
|
||
from that region would show up at a regional get-together,
|
||
regardless of where in the region it might be held? I'm sorry,
|
||
Henry, but while I agree that face to face contact between
|
||
sysops is a good idea, I don't think that you need to enforce
|
||
regional boundaries to achieve that goal. Why not just throw
|
||
parties in various parts of the country and say that they're
|
||
open to all Fidonet sysops that can make it there? Why put a
|
||
regional restriction on the gatherings at all?
|
||
|
||
I still contend that geographic restrictions in Fidonet
|
||
DON'T MAKE SENSE, that they were first enforced for political
|
||
reasons and now mostly due to inertia and fear of change, but
|
||
they have never made sense and never will.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
--- via AutoNews 0.3
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 27 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
A Cautionary Tale
|
||
|
||
by Charles Herriot (1:163/110)
|
||
|
||
|
||
In was a bright sunny day in Washington,D.C, as Jim
|
||
"Billy-Bob" St. Packer strode up the steps of the Supreme
|
||
Court building. Following closely on his heels, was Waldo
|
||
Tosser. These esteemed lawyers were arriving for what was
|
||
judged by the media to be a clash of titans. Almost
|
||
forgotten in the media glare were the names of the plaintiff
|
||
and the defendant in the action which was finally to be
|
||
resolved before the justices. More completely forgotten was
|
||
the issue upon which the original litigants had disagreed.
|
||
|
||
Moving up the steps, in waves like sharks at a
|
||
slaughterhouse effluent pipe, were legions of other lawyers.
|
||
The pin-striped legions represented an incredible diversity
|
||
of interests who had all successfully petitioned the court
|
||
for the right to be heard. In no particular order, lawyers
|
||
representing all the major telecommunications companies, the
|
||
major commercial bulletin board systems, several large
|
||
software houses, the FCC, the FBI, the NSA, the Teamsters,
|
||
my ex-wife's divorce lawyer, and a scattering of religious
|
||
organizations whose presence was inexplicable.
|
||
|
||
One media pundit, after being asked for the hundredth time
|
||
by Dan Rather: "So, what's the mood of the people down there
|
||
on the sidewalk?" had noted that there was at *least* seven
|
||
hundred thousand dollars per hour of billable time oozing up
|
||
the steps. The defendant looked out of place as he emerged
|
||
from a taxi and brushed the lint from his plastic pocket pen
|
||
protector. The plaintiff adjusted the wad of black
|
||
electrical tape which held his glasses together and
|
||
staggered up the steps under the weight of his "laptop".
|
||
|
||
Anyone who misunderstood how these processes took on their
|
||
own compelling momentum might have been bemused by the
|
||
nature of the original complaint. It was an issue of genuine
|
||
triviality, an issue so ludicrous and picayune that no
|
||
reasonable nor sane person would ever have dreamt that it
|
||
would gather a vast hornet's swarm of legal devotees and
|
||
become a potential landmark decision. It had started as a
|
||
FidoNet policy complaint. In fact, it had started over the
|
||
fact that the defendant had failed to insert *exactly* one
|
||
space after the word "Origin" in his BBS mailer software.
|
||
|
||
That one misplaced space had already resulted in a cost of
|
||
four hundred thousand dollars worth of billable time to be
|
||
generated by the bovine herd of lawyers as they traversed
|
||
the steps of the court building. Another million dollars
|
||
worth of billable time would have elapsed before the Chief
|
||
Justice banged the gavel to commence proceedings. The costs
|
||
to the various interlocutors in preparing the case would
|
||
have paid off the national debt of most third world
|
||
countries.
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 28 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
The plaintiff, being ever-mindful of the *need* to ensure
|
||
that FidoNet policy was followed as closely as the
|
||
decolletage on a Miss America Beauty Queen aspirant, had
|
||
complained about the extra space inserted by the defendant's
|
||
mailer. As luck would have it, the NC of their net, A. Nal
|
||
Retentive, saw the issue as akin to motherhood, good
|
||
government and the preservation of innocent children
|
||
everywhere. He unloaded both barrels at the hapless
|
||
defendant, upheld the policy complaint and banished the
|
||
defendant from FidoNet. The defendant's entire reason for
|
||
living was centered on his BBS. The decision caused the
|
||
gelatin in his spine to harden into something that passed
|
||
for resolve among serious technodweebs. In a stirring
|
||
declaration of outrage he muttered "Well heck, this just
|
||
ain't right".
|
||
|
||
Quicker than you can say "Please pass me that piano", the
|
||
defendant had launched an appeal to the RC. Ill fortune
|
||
plagued this issue because the RC had staggered into his den
|
||
after a night of serious power-drinking to discover the
|
||
message containing the plaintive bleatings of the appellant.
|
||
The RC savagely threw himself (and part of his lunch) into
|
||
the reply message which not only denied the appeal, but
|
||
further sentenced the appellant to a week in Chicago.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Disheartened, the defendant soldiered on, opening yet
|
||
another multi-tasking window and cranked out an appeal
|
||
destined for the ZC. Seven months later... when the ZC
|
||
finally read his netmail, the issue seemed to be a clear
|
||
violation of a new Echomail policy which the *EC structure
|
||
had recently posted as the new, improved, revealed word of
|
||
God, Herself. The ZC had no desire to trifle with the
|
||
religious state-within-a-state which had grown up around the
|
||
*EC structure (and besides, they'd promised to let him wear
|
||
one of those hats with the really neat sheep horns if he
|
||
turned a blind eye to their ravening efforts at
|
||
Intergalactic domination). The ZC denied the appeal, and
|
||
added an even more cruel and inhumane punishment... the
|
||
defendant was further sentenced to memorizing all the FTSC
|
||
specifications.
|
||
|
||
The defendant, in one of those rare moments of insight which
|
||
change the world, muttered "Golly, this sure ain't gettin'
|
||
no better. I got rights just like everyone else." Now, it
|
||
has been suggested that merely whispering the word "rights"
|
||
will cause an infestation of lawyers to congregate like
|
||
moths at a bug-zapper, and this exclamation of the word was
|
||
no exception. Faster than the defendant could say "Yep, I
|
||
reckon I could get another mortgage on the house and sign
|
||
over my firstborn", a small pack of lawyers were filing what
|
||
was to become an avalanche of legal mayhem. The plaintiff,
|
||
having had his door wallpapered with enough summons,
|
||
requests to attend discoveries, show cause notices, and
|
||
other legal blackmail, engaged his own lawyer.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 29 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
After seventy three delays, rescheduled hearings, and
|
||
improper service of motion hearings, both the judge and the
|
||
two lawyers had one of those rare simultaneous moments when
|
||
their connections had failed to deliver their daily intake
|
||
of cocaine, in short; they were all lucid and able to
|
||
proceed with the matter. The judge, after noting that the
|
||
double-knit trousers of the defendant made him look like the
|
||
kind of geek who would vote Democrat, rendered a decision
|
||
which was incomprehensible but gave no joy to the defendant.
|
||
|
||
The appeal hearing might have gone unnoticed and the matter
|
||
might have died had another quirk of fate not intervened.
|
||
The court stenographer was renowned for the brevity of her
|
||
skirts, and thus the court was always well attended by the
|
||
lascivious, but generally esteemed big guns of the law
|
||
cartel. In hopes of having to "further review the
|
||
transcript", one lawyer generously offered to take the
|
||
appeal to the Divisional court level. This lawyer, noted
|
||
neither for brains nor his knowledge of the law, was a
|
||
master at media relations. Between commercials on the
|
||
evening news the world soon learned that this was not
|
||
*simply* an issue between two hapless sysops... no indeed,
|
||
this was an issue involving the First Amendment Right to be
|
||
a real moron. It was an issue that would change the very
|
||
fabric of telecommunications, keep the world safe from
|
||
democracy, and provide a framework for some new and dubious
|
||
military adventurism on the part of The President.
|
||
|
||
The NRA, in their usual bone-headed fashion, issued a press
|
||
release that said: "Computers don't start NukeMail, people
|
||
do." The telecommunication giants waded into the fray with
|
||
their own pricey advertisements paid for by a special per
|
||
call levy charged against BBS systems. The Greenpeacers and
|
||
all the others in the "I brake for whales" crowd expressed
|
||
their outrage that stray electrons from VDTs were mutating
|
||
the last known breeding colony of Smurfs in Shuckmagosh,
|
||
Ohio. The Teamsters, upon hearing that something moved
|
||
without their efforts, mobilized to establish inter-state
|
||
"transportation tariffs" on non-union movement of echomail.
|
||
The FBI followed the Teamsters and mistakenly produced a
|
||
"Most Wanted" TV segment which re-enacted the original
|
||
Fidonet crime...complete with Barry Manilow background music
|
||
played ominously on a pipe organ, and a tuba quartet.
|
||
|
||
The situation became an international incident when some
|
||
underwhelmingly bright individual in the Canadian Department
|
||
of Fisheries spotted the word "net" within "Fidonet" and
|
||
sent legions of heavily armed game wardens to the Canada/US
|
||
border to interdict any travelers smelling of fish. Madonna
|
||
was *not* pleased at the unpleasant hour she spent in
|
||
detention as a result.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 30 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
As the first lawyer staggered to his feet to begin the
|
||
Supreme Court arguments, both the plaintiff and the
|
||
defendant looked unhappily at the scene... and wished
|
||
fervently, as most of us do, that they'd had the wit to
|
||
settle their differences with Nerf bats.
|
||
|
||
-30-
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 31 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Fredric L. Rice
|
||
1:102.901.0
|
||
|
||
An old program has been dusted off, re-written in C, and then
|
||
made available for the general public: COST.ZIP. - This file
|
||
contains the executable, document file, sample configuration
|
||
file, and both the BASIC source code and the C source code
|
||
for the same program.
|
||
|
||
o What does COST do?
|
||
|
||
This program scans through the raw nodelist and offers a report
|
||
detailing those systems which are within your free and ZMU
|
||
calling zones. It also looks up the phone number you offer it
|
||
and will tell you if it's free, and if not, what the first
|
||
minute will cost and what each extra minute will cost. After it
|
||
offers this information, it reminds you what discount rates are
|
||
offered within specific times.
|
||
|
||
o Who would use this program?
|
||
|
||
SysOps could use this program to acquire an automatically-
|
||
generated listing of FidoNet systems that are free or very
|
||
cheap to call. This information could be placed into a banner
|
||
or other menu-requestable file so that Users could find systems
|
||
to call in your area.
|
||
|
||
Users could use this program, of course, and by-pass the SysOps
|
||
system all together though it makes sense for a SysOp to
|
||
provide it.
|
||
|
||
o How is this information found?
|
||
|
||
A configuration file provides all of the area codes and
|
||
exchanges your system may call for free and those they may call
|
||
to be charged as a Zone 2 or Zone 3 connection. This
|
||
information is provided by the phone company in the beginning
|
||
of your phone book under the title 'Local and ZMU calling.' The
|
||
entry of this data isn't exhausting. I'd like to offer a bit
|
||
of my configuration file for an example:
|
||
|
||
- - -
|
||
|
||
; Calling from Azusa, Glendora, Clairmont, San Dimas, Covina
|
||
; Baldwin Park, Monrovia, San Gabriel Canyon.
|
||
;
|
||
; Local 818 that are directly dialable and no charges apply
|
||
; Keywords required are: LOCAL XXX
|
||
|
||
Local 818
|
||
301 303 305 331 332
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 32 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
579 580 306
|
||
|
||
; Local 714 that are directly dialable and no charges apply
|
||
; Keywords required are: LOCAL XXX
|
||
|
||
Local 714
|
||
397 469 620 622 623
|
||
629 865 868
|
||
|
||
; Zone 2, area code 818. Charges do apply. Dial direct.
|
||
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
|
||
|
||
Zone 2 818
|
||
964 965 968
|
||
|
||
; Zone 3, area code 213. Charges do apply. Dial Direct.
|
||
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
|
||
|
||
Zone 3 213
|
||
945 946
|
||
|
||
; Zone 3, area code 818. Charges do apply. Dial Direct.
|
||
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
|
||
|
||
Zone 3 818
|
||
793 794 795 796 797
|
||
798 799
|
||
|
||
; Zone 3, area code 714. Charges do apply. Dial Direct.
|
||
; Keywords required are: ZONE X XXX
|
||
|
||
Zone 3 714
|
||
985 986 987 988 989
|
||
990
|
||
|
||
; Zone 2 cost .08 cents for the first minute and .02 cents
|
||
; for each additional minute. Cost based on May/1991 prices.
|
||
; Keywords required are: COST ZONE X XXX AND XXX
|
||
|
||
Cost Zone 2 .08 and .02
|
||
|
||
; Zone 3 cost .10 cents for the first minute and .04 cents
|
||
; for each additional minute. Cost based on May/1991 prices.
|
||
; Keywords required are: COST ZONE X XXX AND XXX
|
||
|
||
Cost Zone 3 .10 and .04
|
||
|
||
; Various discounts apply at various times. Use 24 hour clock.
|
||
; Keywords required are: FROM XX TO XX XXX%.
|
||
|
||
From 08 to 17 100%
|
||
From 17 to 23 030%
|
||
From 23 to 08 060%
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 33 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
- - -
|
||
|
||
I've displayed only a fraction of the exchange codes that I
|
||
could list under each section for my calling areas; because
|
||
FidoNews is big enough some times. Regardless, it's
|
||
descriptive enough, I think, to show the information required.
|
||
|
||
o Where is it?
|
||
|
||
This file is File Requestable as COST.ZIP from 1:102.901.0. The
|
||
magic file name of COST will also work. The BASIC source code
|
||
is provided for old-times sake... The C code, however,
|
||
represents a mid-sized effort in that it's written and
|
||
commented so that a programmer learning C could use it as a
|
||
reference for pointer manipulation and maintenance of linked
|
||
lists of data structures.
|
||
|
||
o Next Update
|
||
|
||
This programs next revision will be able to update the 'cost'
|
||
field of *.MSG-type header files, and then offer a report on
|
||
the total cost to send the mail broken down by system address
|
||
based upon direct origination-to-destination routing. Long
|
||
Distance mail will not be added to the accumulation though the
|
||
report will describe how many there are.
|
||
|
||
With some minor work, and some major cooperation, systems could
|
||
know enough about billing to provide least-cost-routing across
|
||
systems by determining common free nodes between systems; in an
|
||
automated manor by modifying the route for specific packets.
|
||
|
||
Fredric
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 34 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Jamie Penner
|
||
1:153/1025@fidonet
|
||
24:24/0@signet
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
GateWorks is Finally Released!
|
||
------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
After a whole lot of work, GateWorks is finally available to the
|
||
general public!
|
||
|
||
|
||
WHAT IS IT?
|
||
|
||
GateWorks is a sophisticated echomail gating system. It allows
|
||
you to gate echomail conferences from up to 20 different nodes
|
||
into a single network. Unlike other gating software, GateWorks
|
||
is complete.
|
||
|
||
- GateWorks will strip foreign seen-bys and paths, inserting
|
||
only the gateway system information.
|
||
|
||
- GateWorks uses strict error checking so that messages that
|
||
come into the network can not go back out.
|
||
|
||
- GateWorks can retag echos as they come into the network.
|
||
|
||
- GateWorks can log processed and non-processed mail so that you
|
||
can see what and when comes into your system.
|
||
|
||
- GateWorks adds a small GateOrigin line to each message gated
|
||
in or out with the original address and domain so that the
|
||
true message origin is never lost, regardless of how many
|
||
gateways it passes through.
|
||
|
||
- GateWorks works with nearly any front-end mailer. It is
|
||
standardized on using *.MO? bundles and can be run immediately
|
||
after mail comes in before being tossed.
|
||
|
||
Best of all, GateWorks is fast!
|
||
|
||
It is available for freq 24 hours a day from:
|
||
|
||
1:153/1025@fidonet 604-873-6625
|
||
24:24/0@signet 9600HST
|
||
99:99/25@eggnet
|
||
8:7501/103@the_network
|
||
|
||
Use the magic filename GATEWORKS for the latest version.
|
||
Support for the software is available via the GATEWORKS echo.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 35 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 36 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Jack Decker
|
||
1:154/8 Fidonet
|
||
|
||
ENTREPRENUER ECHOTAG SPELLING CORRECTION DAY IS JUNE 12
|
||
|
||
As many of you are aware, there is an echo called
|
||
ENTREPRENUER which is echo for those who are in business for
|
||
themselves, or who would like to be. One of the more galling
|
||
problems is that whoever started the echo didn't bother to look
|
||
up the spelling of the word ENTREPRENEUR in the dictionary and
|
||
thus the tag is misspelled, as shown above. This invariably
|
||
leads to comments from newcomers to the echo, asking why the
|
||
word ENTREPRENEUR is misspelled.
|
||
|
||
To put an end to this, as current moderator I have
|
||
arbitrarily picked June 12, 1991 as ENTREPRENUER ECHOTAG
|
||
SPELLING CORRECTION DAY. On that date I am asking everyone
|
||
that carries the ENTREPRENUER echo, but especially the backbone
|
||
nodes, to correct the spelling of the echo tag. I picked June
|
||
12 because it is a Wednesday and therefore is in the middle of
|
||
a week, when echo hub operators are less likely to be out of
|
||
town, and also because it's far enough in the future to get the
|
||
news to everyone via Fidonews.
|
||
|
||
I realize we may lose a few messages in the switch, but it
|
||
will be worth it to get this problem corrected, and it's much
|
||
easier than trying to start another echo with the correct
|
||
spelling and then get everyone to migrate to it.
|
||
|
||
If you run an echomail processor that allows it, you may
|
||
wish to do something like this to help guard against lost
|
||
messages:
|
||
|
||
C:\MSG\ENTREPRE ENTREPRENUER
|
||
C:\MSG\ENTREPRE ENTREPRENEUR net/node net/node ... etc.
|
||
|
||
(Note the same directory is used for both the old and new tags)
|
||
|
||
This will cause any messages that happen to come in with
|
||
the old tag to be properly tossed to the correct area, but when
|
||
they are scanned out they will have the correct tag. You would
|
||
only need to do this for a few days after June 12, and I'm not
|
||
insisting that you do it at all, only that you can if you want
|
||
to.
|
||
|
||
One other request. One of the other most galling
|
||
complaints that we get is the number of messages related to
|
||
Multi-Level Marketing in the ENTREPRENEUR echo. A few months
|
||
ago I started a separate echo called MLM for those messages,
|
||
which is also carried on the backbone, but for some reason a
|
||
majority of the MLM messages still seem to wind up in
|
||
ENTREPRENEUR. This seems to bother some folks who would rather
|
||
talk about other kinds of business enterprises so in order to
|
||
help keep these topics separated, I am requesting that those
|
||
boards that carry ENTREPRENEUR also carry MLM. I am not so
|
||
foolish as to try and make this a requirement, but I AM nicely
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 37 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
asking everyone that carries ENTREPRENEUR to PLEASE consider
|
||
also taking MLM, since it will only improve the quality of both
|
||
echoes if we can migrate the MLM-related messages to the MLM
|
||
echo.
|
||
|
||
But in any event, if you carry ENTREPRENUER, please
|
||
remember to correct the spelling of the echo tag to
|
||
ENTREPRENEUR sometime during the day on June 12. Thank you for
|
||
your assistance.
|
||
|
||
Jack Decker, moderator of ENTREPRENEUR and MLM.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
--- via AutoNews 0.3
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 38 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Robert Johnson
|
||
FidoNet 1:327/1
|
||
|
||
SoundNet Has Arrived!
|
||
|
||
Yes! A new files network has been born. It has no fancy or
|
||
flashy acronym, and is simply known as SoundNet. It's a net
|
||
whose time has come.
|
||
|
||
More and more, computer users are outfitting their units with
|
||
some sort of sound board or MIDI interface. Tandy and Amiga
|
||
users have always known the joys of a good sounding computer.
|
||
Now IBM users are forsaking the old beeper speaker for the more
|
||
sophisticated sounds that eminate from the likes of AdLib,
|
||
SoundBlaster or MIDI interface boards.
|
||
|
||
With so many users getting into this technology, it has been
|
||
decided that a file sharing network of FidoNet bulletin boards,
|
||
was exactly what was needed, to promote and enhance this music
|
||
medium.
|
||
|
||
We'd like to support, not only files that pertain to
|
||
the current music systems out there, but also anything that
|
||
pertains to music. Musical Database programs as well as
|
||
programs that print music manuscripts. In other words if it is
|
||
related to music, we'd like to carry the program or file.
|
||
|
||
Currently there are 40 FidoNet Systems in Zone 1, and 1 node
|
||
in Zone6: Japan, who are a part of SoundNet. We would like to get
|
||
more units involved! Zone 3, Zone 2...EVERYONE!
|
||
|
||
So consider this an open invitation, to join the newest files
|
||
network on the bitstream. For more information File Request
|
||
SOUNDPAK.ZIP at 1:327/1. The more systems involved, the better
|
||
we can support the fine efforts of authors and composers out there.
|
||
|
||
I Hope to hear from you real soon!
|
||
|
||
Bob Johnson
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 39 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Z1C Election Status
|
||
Harry Lee (1:321/202)
|
||
(AKA Stupid One Who Volunteered To Count)
|
||
(AKA Person With Sufficient Fingers For The Task)
|
||
|
||
There are three candidates for the position of Z1C. They are,
|
||
in the order I was made aware of them:
|
||
George Peace
|
||
Jesse David Hollington
|
||
John Summers
|
||
|
||
Voting commenced 5/24, and continues until June 1. Z1RC's
|
||
should send votes directly to 321/202, with a password. The
|
||
regions that have voted and the passwords will be published
|
||
in RegCon and Z1_Election as they are received, once daily.
|
||
|
||
Individual votes will be EXPLICITLY acknowledged via direct
|
||
netmail by me.
|
||
|
||
A majority (50% + 1) of votes cast is required to elect.
|
||
If no candidate receives a majority of the votes, a runoff
|
||
will be held between either the top two candidates, or, in
|
||
the event of a tie in second place, all the candidates in
|
||
the first and second vote positions. The voting period for
|
||
this runoff will be one week. If necessary, this process
|
||
will be repeated until the RC's reach a consensus.
|
||
|
||
The following is the current state of the voting for Z1C:
|
||
|
||
Rgn Pwd
|
||
10
|
||
11
|
||
12
|
||
13
|
||
14
|
||
15
|
||
16 AnotherTerm
|
||
17 Eileen
|
||
18
|
||
19
|
||
|
||
No password indicates that no vote has been received at 321/202
|
||
for that region.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 40 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
COLUMNS
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
|
||
Paul Knupke, Jr.
|
||
Florida Telecom Central
|
||
Largo, Florida USA
|
||
|
||
1:3603/130.11 and soon to be assigned a real node number :-)
|
||
|
||
One early morning, sometime after midnight, after getting home
|
||
from work, I decided to start writing a general column for
|
||
Fidonews. This monthly column is going to be a mishmash of my
|
||
thoughts, ideas and observations. So here goes ...
|
||
|
||
Here it is a rainy, humid Florida evening and I'm sitting here
|
||
getting ready to head out to The DreamLand Express BBS'
|
||
(1:3603/30) weekly "Pit Crew" at the local Denny's restaurant.
|
||
I guess there isn't a better time to start.
|
||
|
||
Fidonet is large (now isn't that an understatement!) Anyone
|
||
who meets the basic FidoNet technical standards and can
|
||
operate duringZone mail hourcan be assigned a node number.
|
||
You can run IBM (MS-DOS or OS/2), Commodore Amiga, Atari ST,
|
||
Apple 8 bit and Macintosh, UNIX based system or a Tandy Color
|
||
Computer. Most of us have a large selection of frontend
|
||
mailers, bbs programs, and utilities.
|
||
|
||
With more than 11,000 members, Fidonet is by far the largest
|
||
bulletin board based network. The closest "competitor" barely
|
||
has one tenth the membership of Fidonet. This large size has
|
||
its advantages and disadvantages.
|
||
|
||
Advantages:
|
||
|
||
Most people don't have to call long distance to connect to a
|
||
hub system.
|
||
|
||
Costs can be split among several to many people to cut down
|
||
the amount of money hubs spend to bring echomail in.
|
||
|
||
If you have a software or hardware problem there probably is
|
||
someone who has a similar configuration that can assist you.
|
||
|
||
You are not limited in the usage to a single program to handle
|
||
your network mail. (This is also a disadvantage.)
|
||
|
||
Many computers have Fidonet compatable software.
|
||
|
||
Disadvantages:
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 41 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
The nodelist is approaching a one megabyte!
|
||
|
||
With such a wide variety of programs used by nodes, updating
|
||
Fidonet technology has become a very difficult task without
|
||
suddenly shutting out a segment of the network.
|
||
|
||
(and I am sure all of you can think of others)
|
||
|
||
I am not sure how to address these disadvantages exactly ...
|
||
|
||
Last week Aaron Goldblatt introduced the Ft. Worth Nodelist
|
||
format. His concept has its merits. I'd like to know how
|
||
large the nodelist would be using the Ft. Worth Nodelist.
|
||
Could the nodelist be imported into a database program to
|
||
create a sample Ft. Worth nodelist? If so we could see what
|
||
the size savings would be.
|
||
|
||
There are some problems with the Ft. Worth nodelist. It would
|
||
work fairly well in the United States and Canada but not in
|
||
other parts of the world. The deletion of the area code in
|
||
most cases would not cause a problem. In cases where a node
|
||
is outside the area code of his network coordinator and not to
|
||
mention Europe where the phone numbers, city codes and so
|
||
forth don't follow any set format would certainly cause
|
||
problems. I think removing area codes and so forth would
|
||
cause untold problems.
|
||
|
||
Instead of removing the the "X" mail flags, remove the X and
|
||
just use A, B, C, P, X, and W and so forth because some
|
||
smartmailers do make use of them (ie Frontdoor 2.00+) I agree
|
||
on removing all redundancy as well as dropping the ending
|
||
zeros on the baud entry.
|
||
|
||
In light of things maybe we could move to Zone nodelists
|
||
instead. Sysops would receive Z1DIFF, Z2DIFF etc and proccess
|
||
the nodelists they need producing Z1LIST etc.
|
||
|
||
On to other things...
|
||
|
||
GroupMail or not GroupMail ...
|
||
|
||
GroupMail has many advantages as pointed out in previous
|
||
shnoozes. The problem is not every platform has a GroupMail
|
||
processor and all mailers are not capable of update requests.
|
||
Unfortunatly by moving to Groupmail my recent purchase of
|
||
TosScan will become obsolete <sigh>.
|
||
|
||
Now a geography lesson ...
|
||
|
||
In North America geographic nets are to our advantage cost
|
||
wise. Its been said many times that if geographic boundaries
|
||
were dropped a NC could deny a node number to someone knowing
|
||
that they can't afford to join a net outside of their local
|
||
area. Let zone polices address this issue.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 42 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Speaking of policy ...
|
||
|
||
Well WorldPol has been defeated and apathy is at an all time
|
||
high. Something is wrong when only 3 of 40 networks in a
|
||
certain region even cast votes. Hey net coordinators lets get
|
||
with it! Net Coordinator isn't just a title, you have duties
|
||
under Policy. I'm not speaking to ever NC, just some of you.
|
||
Our illustrious editor, Vince, said reciently that those
|
||
coordinators who didn't do their job should be removed. Let
|
||
the nodes decide ... and have a yearly election of net
|
||
coordinators across the board.
|
||
|
||
Confused yet? Well ...
|
||
|
||
Here it is Friday and I was thinking of how confused I've been
|
||
lately. I'm working with two local Atari ST sysops setting up
|
||
BinkleyTerm-ST. I didn't know anything about Binkley (I'm a
|
||
Frontdoor user...) and then I'm working on an Atari ST. We're
|
||
getting close and with the help of plenty of BinkleyTerm-ST
|
||
&BBS Express ST sysops. (Thanks guys!)
|
||
|
||
Politics ... Shmolotics ...
|
||
|
||
Well I'd rather not talk about this, but at least some zones,
|
||
regions and nets are doing things democratically! Thanks to
|
||
all those who have pushed for a democratic Fidonet (Fred
|
||
Niemczenia, number of regional coordinator, the grunt sysops,
|
||
and especially Pablo Kleinman in Buenos Aires).
|
||
|
||
Oh well till next month ....
|
||
|
||
Happy Summer (or Happy Winter ..)
|
||
and for those in the United States, Happy Memorial Day.
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 43 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Henry Clark
|
||
1:124/6120
|
||
|
||
|
||
The 4th Annual Poor Man's Fidocon and Lake Party --
|
||
|
||
After three eventful years, the 1991 PMFC&LP was hard pressed
|
||
to find a spot until our own native son John Summers volun-
|
||
teered to combine our event with his own wife's 2nd Annual
|
||
Birthday Lake Party.
|
||
|
||
Diana is a saintette and deserves a big present from everyone.
|
||
I mean, what would your wife say if 700 sysops showed up at
|
||
your door ? "No way!" "Way!" "No way!" "Way!" I can't
|
||
exactly print what Honey would say.
|
||
|
||
The following is a quote from an early announcement by John :
|
||
|
||
Plan to attend another fun filled weekend at Cedar Creek
|
||
Lake. There is plenty of room to pitch a tent, picnic, and
|
||
party! The lake during the summer months is great for
|
||
swimming or boating (boats are welcome) or just laying
|
||
around visiting with friends.
|
||
|
||
Those who attended last year can tell you that all had a
|
||
good time and enjoyed -
|
||
|
||
Boating
|
||
Beer
|
||
Sailing (thanks Dewey)
|
||
Beer
|
||
BBQ Chicken
|
||
Beer
|
||
An EXCELLENT Cat fish fry
|
||
Beer
|
||
AND Many other activities!!
|
||
|
||
Mark your calendar, tell your wife/husband and/or girl/boy
|
||
friend to plan on it, bring the children and come on out!!!
|
||
|
||
Date - Friday the 14th of June thru Sunday the 16th
|
||
(come spend whatever time you like)
|
||
|
||
Where - John & Diana Summers place on Cedar Creek Lake
|
||
|
||
Directions -
|
||
|
||
From anywhere in the metroplex (Dallas/Ft. Worth), find your
|
||
way to I-30 and LBJ Freeway on the EAST side of Dallas. Take
|
||
635 LBJ South until you see the sign "Kaufman - 175". Take US
|
||
Highway 175 toward Kaufman. Continue on US 175 thru Crandal,
|
||
curving around Kaufman and just past Kemp. There is a big sign
|
||
there that says Hwy. 274 - Seven Points. There is an Exxon
|
||
station at this intersection.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 44 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Take Texas Highway 274 to the light in 7-Points (there is only
|
||
one light). Turn Left at the light. Come down the road just
|
||
over a mile and turn Left on Nob Hill Rd. This road is just
|
||
after the crest of the hill, just after the H&R Block on the
|
||
left and just before the Chamber of Commerce on the Right. If
|
||
you go past the "China Wok" restaurant or come to the Shell
|
||
station/marina, you have just passed the corner, turn around
|
||
and come back up the hill!
|
||
|
||
Follow Nob Hill Road almost all the way to the lake until you
|
||
see a white sign with Black letters that says "Oak Landing".
|
||
Turn Left! Almost immediately (less than a city block) turn
|
||
Right. Again, almost immediately, turn left. Come up to the top
|
||
of the hill and our place is the first place on the left. The
|
||
name is on the mail box!
|
||
|
||
For those of you in the rest of the Region, buy a Texas road
|
||
map. Locate the LBJ Freeway (635) around Dallas and on the
|
||
South East corner of Dallas, Locate Hwy. 175. Take your finger
|
||
and follow Hwy. 175 to Kemp and find Cedar Creek Lake.
|
||
|
||
Now that you have found the lake on the map, determine the best
|
||
route for you from wherever you are!
|
||
|
||
And NOW, in the current spirit of Fidonet, I bring you
|
||
|
||
|
||
Lake Party Policy 1.0 --
|
||
|
||
1. Any computing device discovered within 200 yards of the
|
||
Lake Party will be summarily tossed, along with it's owner,
|
||
into the Lake. ( Masterson -vs- Army Corp. of Eng., 1988 )
|
||
|
||
In a 1990 appeal, a higher court affirmed, but with the
|
||
landmark desenting opinion :
|
||
|
||
He/she who brings the most toys wins.
|
||
|
||
2. Emphasis on beer, I mean, Beer, is purely political and is
|
||
only intended to remind you of the "don't be annoyed" clause.
|
||
( Texas Code, 1836 ) Don't be annoyed clause follows.
|
||
|
||
Don't be annoyed clause : Don't be annoyed. Experience has
|
||
shown that it is impossible to be "excessively annoying" at a
|
||
Lake Party. Annoying behavior is encouraged for the purpose of
|
||
providing Fidonews material.
|
||
|
||
3. Assumed risk and liability for damages ( including but not
|
||
limited to dented fenders ) is expressly limited to the price
|
||
of admission. ( Allstate -vs- Theissen, 1990 )
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 45 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
4. Alternative nodelists on restroom walls may be erased only
|
||
when inaccurate. ( Teel -vs- Acme PortaClump, 1988 )
|
||
|
||
5. Snakes in lakes make Danes abstain.
|
||
( Honey -vs- Henry, 1989 )
|
||
|
||
Speaking of policy...
|
||
|
||
|
||
RC For a Day --
|
||
|
||
( As reported in FidoNews 7.41 : )
|
||
|
||
I actually ran for the RC position, garnering the fewest votes
|
||
of any candidate. The whole election was rigged because the
|
||
incumbent RC decided to run for re-election. It'll cost me a
|
||
bundle in psychiatric fees to get over this one.
|
||
|
||
( Remember that ? I thought not. )
|
||
|
||
Well, it so happens that our illustrious ex is now bent on
|
||
cleaning up echomail as the Z1EC. And who ends up in the RC
|
||
slot ? Ah ha ha. You guessed it.
|
||
|
||
Honey was real POed about it too, figuring on all the extra
|
||
time I'd be spending handling 'Police Complaints'. She didn't
|
||
want the neighbors to see police cars parked outside !
|
||
|
||
Now let me get this straight :
|
||
I am the RC for life.
|
||
I can appoint whomever I choose as REC.
|
||
I can replace all the NCs.
|
||
If you don't like it, you aren't in the nodelist.
|
||
|
||
I believe that about covers it.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Single Threaded --
|
||
|
||
Oh. I'm boring you to death with this 'idle time'. Suppose you
|
||
received 4 hours worth of mail from your feed each day, and you
|
||
in turn fed 5 other systems. ( Hmm, let's see, uh, 4 times 1+5
|
||
is 24 hours. ) Ok, next line. This full load situation is
|
||
somewhat understated because there will be upstream mail as
|
||
well ( you receive from downstream and send upstream ).
|
||
|
||
Taking this scenario to the extreme, that's 12 hours in and 12
|
||
hours out. All the mail is passed along a single chain, and it
|
||
takes an average of 10000 days to get a reply. Don't laugh, the
|
||
file nets are getting bigger than the mail.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 46 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
So the distribution network splits up, say, along lines of
|
||
'interest boundaries'. We are learning to do that today,
|
||
before any technological limit forces us to.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Homemaker Extra-ordinaire --
|
||
|
||
Remember your mom's schedule ? No, your mom didn't run a
|
||
mailer, she ran your house ! Yours truly, mild mannered 9 to
|
||
5'er, encountered radioactive muffin fan lint and became :
|
||
SuperHouseSpouse. Faster than a coupon expiration date. More
|
||
powerful than a 4 H.P. Electrolux. Able to leap mounds of dirty
|
||
clothes with a single bound. Up in the sky, aaaah shutup!
|
||
|
||
Young co-sysop Kevin will start school in the fall, but I have
|
||
this great opportunity to spend the summer with him, all for
|
||
the measly price of a few 'chores'. Then he starts school.
|
||
Right now, his backpack is loaded for the Lake Party and his
|
||
new water gun looks cool. I can't wait, either.
|
||
|
||
Frankly this household stuff is pretty easy.
|
||
( but don't tell Honey ! )
|
||
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 47 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Steve Winter
|
||
FidoNet 1:151/208 209
|
||
|
||
Now I beseech you, brethern, mark them which cause divisions
|
||
and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned;
|
||
and avoid them.
|
||
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but
|
||
their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches decieve
|
||
the hearts of the simple.
|
||
(Romans 16: 17-18)(written to the apostolic church at Rome)
|
||
|
||
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
|
||
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you,
|
||
let him be ACCURSED. Galatians 1:8 (written to the apostolic
|
||
Christians in Galatian church)
|
||
|
||
SO WHAT DID THE APOSTLES TEACH?
|
||
|
||
1) Acts 2:1-4..."And they were ALL filled with the Holy
|
||
Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
|
||
gave them utterance."
|
||
|
||
(This was in the upper room where 120, including MARY the
|
||
mother of Jesus, were gathered Acts 1:14-15). Many false
|
||
preachers teach that "tongues were just for the 12 apostles".
|
||
|
||
2) Acts 2:38. "Then Peter said unto them, repent and be
|
||
baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
|
||
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost".
|
||
|
||
The next verse mentions that this promise is to "as many as
|
||
the Lord our God shall call."...most false preachers do not
|
||
baptise in Jesus NAME they just use "titles"
|
||
|
||
3)Acts 8: 15-17 (Samaria) "Who, when they were come down,
|
||
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
|
||
(For as yet he was fallen on none of them: only they were
|
||
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then they laid their
|
||
hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."
|
||
|
||
Many false preachers teach that you automatically have the
|
||
Holy Ghost when you first "believe on the Lord"
|
||
|
||
4) Acts 10: 44-48 (First gentiles saved) "And they of the
|
||
circumcision (Jews) which believed were astonished, as many
|
||
as came with Peter, because that on the gentiles also was
|
||
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. FOR THEY HEARD THEM
|
||
SPEAK WITH TONGUES, and magnify God. Then answered Peter.
|
||
Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptised
|
||
which have received the Holy Ghost as well as well as we?
|
||
And he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord."
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 48 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
False preachers teach people that they allready have the Holy
|
||
Ghost even though they don't even believe in tongues.
|
||
|
||
5) See also Acts 19:1-6...Galatians 3:27...Acts 22:16
|
||
"As we said before, so say I again, If ANY MAN preach any
|
||
other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be
|
||
ACCURSED."(Galatians 1:9)
|
||
|
||
Steve Winter - [moderator HOLY_BIBLE]
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 49 27 May 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 12t+ QuickBBS 2.66 TBBS 2.1
|
||
GSBBS 3.02 RBBS 17.3B TComm/TCommNet 3.4
|
||
Lynx 1.30 RBBSmail 17.3B Telegard 2.5
|
||
Kitten 2.16 RemoteAccess 1.01* TPBoard 6.1
|
||
Maximus 1.02 SLBBS 1.77A Wildcat! 2.55
|
||
Opus 1.14+ Socrates 1.10 WWIV 4.12
|
||
PCBoard 14.5a SuperBBS 1.10 XBBS 1.17
|
||
|
||
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 2.00 Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00
|
||
InterMail 2.01* SysNL 3.14 Crossnet v1.5
|
||
PRENM 1.47 XlatList 2.90 DOMAIN 1.42
|
||
SEAdog 4.60* XlaxDiff 2.40* EMM 2.02
|
||
TIMS 1.0(Mod8) XlaxNode 2.40* 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18
|
||
Gmail 2.05
|
||
GROUP 2.16
|
||
GUS 1.30
|
||
HeadEdit 1.18
|
||
IMAIL 1.10
|
||
InterPCB 1.31
|
||
LHARC 1.13
|
||
MSG 4.1
|
||
MSGED 2.06
|
||
MSGTOSS 1.3
|
||
Oliver 1.0a
|
||
PK[UN]ZIP 1.10
|
||
PolyXarc 2.1a*
|
||
QM 1.0
|
||
QSORT 4.03
|
||
ScanToss 1.28
|
||
Sirius 1.0x
|
||
SLMAIL 1.36
|
||
StarLink 1.01
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 50 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
TagMail 2.41
|
||
TCOMMail 2.2
|
||
Telemail 1.27
|
||
TMail 1.21
|
||
TPBNetEd 3.2
|
||
TosScan 1.00
|
||
UFGATE 1.03
|
||
XRS 4.10*
|
||
XST 2.3e
|
||
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 2.1a*
|
||
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
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 51 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
C-Lharc 1.00
|
||
Omail 1.00b
|
||
|
||
|
||
Apple II
|
||
----------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
GBBS Pro 2.1 Fruity Dog 2.0* ShrinkIt 3.23
|
||
DDBBS + 7.4* ShrinkIt GS 1.04
|
||
deARC2e 2.1
|
||
ProSel 8.69*
|
||
|
||
|
||
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 0.41
|
||
Hermes 1.5 StuffIt Classic 1.6
|
||
FBBS 0.91 Compact Pro 1.30
|
||
Precision Systems 0.95b* TImport 1.92
|
||
TeleFinder Host 2.12T10 TExport 1.92
|
||
Timestamp 1.6
|
||
Tset 1.3
|
||
Import 3.2
|
||
Export 3.21
|
||
Point System Software Sundial 3.2
|
||
PreStamp 3.2
|
||
Name Version OriginatorII 2.0
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 52 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
AreaFix 1.6
|
||
Copernicus 1.0 Mantissa 3.21
|
||
CounterPoint 1.09 Zenith 1.5
|
||
Eventmeister 1.0
|
||
TSort 1.0
|
||
Mehitable 2.0
|
||
UNZIP 1.02c
|
||
Zip Extract 0.10
|
||
|
||
Amiga
|
||
-----
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
|
||
|
||
Name Version Name Version Name Version
|
||
|
||
Falcon CBBS 0.45 BinkleyTerm 1.00 AmigArc 0.23
|
||
Paragon 2.082+ TrapDoor 1.50 AReceipt 1.5
|
||
TransAmiga 1.07 WelMat 0.44 booz 1.01
|
||
ConfMail 1.12
|
||
ChameleonEdit 0.10
|
||
ElectricHerald1.66
|
||
Lharc 1.30
|
||
Login 0.18
|
||
MessageFilter 1.52
|
||
oMMM 1.49b
|
||
ParseLst 1.64
|
||
PkAX 1.00
|
||
PolyxAmy 2.02
|
||
RMB 1.30
|
||
Roof 44.03
|
||
RoboWriter 1.02
|
||
Rsh 4.06
|
||
Skyparse 2.30
|
||
Tick 0.75
|
||
TrapList 1.12
|
||
UNZIP 1.31
|
||
Yuck! 1.61
|
||
Zippy (Unzip) 1.25
|
||
Zoo 2.01
|
||
|
||
Atari ST/TT
|
||
-----------
|
||
|
||
Bulletin Board Network Node List
|
||
Software Version Mailer Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
FIDOdoor/ST 2.2.3* BinkleyTerm 2.40l 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 sTICK/Hatch 5.50*
|
||
LED ST 1.00
|
||
MSGED 1.96S
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 8-21 Page 53 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
Archiver Msg Format Other
|
||
Utilities Version Converters Version Utilities Version
|
||
|
||
LHARC 0.60 TB2BINK 1.00 ConfMail 4.03
|
||
LHARC2 3.18* BINK2TB 1.00 ComScan 1.02
|
||
ARC 6.02 FiFo 2.1m* Import 1.14
|
||
PKUNZIP 1.10 OMMM 1.40
|
||
Pack 1.00
|
||
FastPack 1.20
|
||
FDrenum 2.2.7*
|
||
Trenum 0.10
|
||
|
||
|
||
Archimedes
|
||
----------
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
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FidoNews 8-21 Page 54 27 May 1991
|
||
|
||
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
NOTICES
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
|
||
The Interrupt Stack
|
||
|
||
|
||
15 Aug 1991
|
||
5th annual Z1 Fido Convention - FidoCon '91 "A New Beginning"
|
||
Sheraton Denver West August 15 through August 18 1991.
|
||
|
||
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 Nov 1991
|
||
Area code 301 will split. Area code 410 will consist of the
|
||
northeastern part of Maryland, as well as the eastern shore.
|
||
This will include Baltimore and the surrounding area. Area 301
|
||
will include southern and western parts of the state,
|
||
including the areas around Washington DC. Area 410 phones will
|
||
answer to calls to area 301 until November, 1992.
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
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