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F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 9 No. 12 (23 March 1992)
The newsletter of the |
FidoNet BBS community | Published by:
_ |
/ \ | "FidoNews" BBS
/|oo \ | (415)-863-2739
(_| /_) | FidoNet 1:1/1
_`@/_ \ _ | Internet:
| | \ \\ | fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org
| (*) | \ )) |
|__U__| / \// | Editors:
_//|| _\ / | Tom Jennings
(_/(_|(____/ | Tim Pozar
(jm) |
----------------------------+---------------------------------------
Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international
amateur network. Copyright 1992, Fido Software. All rights reserved.
Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes
only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews.
Paper price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.00US
Electronic Price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . free!
For more information about FidoNews refer to the end of this file.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL ..................................................... 1
Editorial: Elvis has left the building ........................ 1
2. ARTICLES ...................................................... 4
Havoc with the EList .......................................... 4
SASA vs Fidonet ............................................... 5
Announcing R14Con ! ........................................... 7
SAM The Hardware Watchdog; New Product Review ................. 8
The Springtime of My Discontent ............................... 9
Introducing The Hack Report ................................... 11
3. LATEST VERSIONS ............................................... 15
Software List ................................................. 15
4. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .......................................... 21
FidoNews 9-12 Page 1 23 Mar 1992
======================================================================
EDITORIAL
======================================================================
Editorial: Elvis has left the building
by Tom Jennings (1:1/1)
It's ONE TWO THREE items this week:
ITEM ONE:
Finally! Famous homosexuals in FidoNet revealed!!
PERSON NUMBER ONE: Those whispering rumors you hear? (Psst. I heard
Tom Jennings is gay...) I hate whispering rumors. Sneaky accusations
and whatnot.
Look -- it's no secret, I'm as out as can be, and the reason you don't
hear about it more is that people are afraid or something to repeat
it. Why, I have no idea. It's merely fact, like I'm tall & skinny.
And yes, it *does* absolutely and directly pertain to FidoNet. FidoNet
is based upon anarchist principles of self-reliance and self-
determination, with a healthy distrust of power over others (see item
THREE). Precisely influenced by my experiences in life. It doesn't
matter if you don't like it, it's still fact. So there. I don't mind
that most of you are heterosexual, as long as you don't bother me with
it. OK? (Truly, it hasn't generally been a problem.)
PERSON NUMBER TWO: OK, put your mirror shades on for this one. Ready?
Wymm Wagner III is Famous Fag Person #2. It's hardly been a secret,
but so many people have this absurd idea (based upon years of
traditional oppression) that it's Not To Be Talked About. Get over it!
Isn't it odd that two of the first three FidoNet mailer programs, and
the first two BBS programs, were produced by gay people? (Damn, my
nice neat blackmail ideas shot to hell!) Actually, again, it really
shouldn't be such a surprise. The desire and energy to communicate is
stronger in those that need it the most. Poor Thom Henderson! Left out
again! (We still like you Thom. :-)
Who will be #3? Why wait til National Coming Out Day (sometime in
October)? Become famous immediately! Change your life for the better!
On a more serious note -- coming out is IMPORTANT. I hate the concept
of "role model", but people, especially young people who think they
have no options, need to see that WE ARE OUT THERE. My only complaint
with being a homo is the CRAP I get from bigots. The bigotry is the
problem, period. Actually, I think it's kinda cool to have close and
sometimes physical relationships with my best friends, and to be
friends with women on a level that many hetero men can't acheive.
(It's not inherent in the homo part, but in the radical socialization
FidoNews 9-12 Page 2 23 Mar 1992
process you get to go through, if you don't somehow avoid it (some do
(but I digress))).
I'm sure there'll be more on this subject in upcoming FidoNews',
sigh...
ITEM TWO:
Once again, trouble in FidoNews. Disagreements between two regular
contributors, Jack Decker and Steve Winter, has escalated to the point
where I believe it would expand out of control.
I've had to decline including some files submitted to FidoNews. It has
been building for some time, and it is partly my fault, as editor, for
not catching it sooner. I apologize to all, including or especially to
Jack and Steve, for cutting it off abruptly.
In the interests of fair play, I replied to both parties, sent
netmail, which is also available to anyone by filerequesting file
"WINTDECK" from 1:1/1 (also available by manual download). This file
contains the article in question as well.
I will post pertinent changes in this column, and all all
communications from both parties to the WINTDECK file if I receive
any. I don't wish to supress communication, but I don't want to see
FidoNews filled with what I believe to be personal communications.
I don't do this lightly. This was the very problem plaguing FidoNews
when I took over editorship. I believe this method is fair to all
involved. Suggestions gladly accepted.
ITEM THREE:
Occasionally you've probably heard complaints that the "nodelist is
too big" and/or that information within it is not necessary. The
redundancy within the nodelist is intentional, and an important basic
design feature, intentionally retained.
For instance, all those phone numbers. Who needs them even locally,
never mind other zones? Most mail is echomail these days anyways --
and you really only need to contact the nodes around you. Right?
Oh, I bet if you ask a few of the multiple-hundred people about to be
viciously cut from the nodelist for not following the arbitrary
machinations of a small, greedy power elite, you might find some of
them starting to appreciate that redundancy. If they had been relying
on their neighbors for connectivity (and they upon their neighbors,
etc) they'd find themselves *completely* at the mercy of the holders
of the lists. If the worst happens, as it appears is about to in zone
2, all they have to do is retain the last nodelist they are in,
regenerate the net fragments (if necessary), and generate a new
nodelist. Hopefully displacing the idiots trying for the power play.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 3 23 Mar 1992
Consider also that the list fragments are COPYRIGHTED TO THE LOCAL
NETS.
To make this country-simple: with merely a copy of the nodelist, YOU
CAN COMMUNICATE WITHIN FIDONET BY YOURSELF. *That* is a powerful
thing, and very few other computer networks have this feature. And one
I would NOT GIVE UP WILLINGLY!!!
When we've reached various nodelist-size milestones in FidoNet, just
as we thought the sky was about to fall, the problem simply went away.
St. Louis mailing out nodelists to all nodes (local distribution);
nodelist became 64K (Thom Henderson's compression); nodelist size
again (nodediffs); nodelist size again (20meg drives < $200); and so
on. Even at the current 1.25M it's simply not that big. And it's a
hell of an inexpensive insurance package...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 9-12 Page 4 23 Mar 1992
======================================================================
ARTICLES
======================================================================
By Rick Chartrand of 1:243/26
The EList Incident
A few days ago one of the echos I carry, which was very popular by
many standards, called PARENTS was interrupted by a message from the
interim ZEC(?) requesting that this echo's moderator Elist this echo
or see it taken off the backbone. Now this was fine and nothing came
of it. I doubt this echo had a moderator until then. What I saw ensue
was a person we all know, Steve Winters, connect his system and
overtake the echo while the users were trying to organise a moderator
election to elist this echo. Now I realize that to Steve, this might
not have seemed the fastest way to save the echo but his way was
worse. He Elisted the echo and took over the echo; which, until his
interference was running smoothly. Now Mr. Winters keeps insisting he
was moderator since the begining of this echo. But before the Elist
incident no one had HEARD of Mr. Winters in this echo much less SEEN a
message posted by him!
Now Mr. Winters has decided to cut feeds because people do not
like him overtaking this echo and are trying to hold an election while
Mr. Winters threatens to cut feeds. Is he allowed to do this? Yes!
Why? Because Mr Winters is listed has being the moderator of this
echo! Something is DEFINATELY wrong when someone who no one in this
echo knows exists can overtake an echo when EVERYONE in this
echo is against him being moderator. His recent actions and articles
in Fidonews promoting his HOLY_BIBLE echo, as well as his echo
FIDO_MOD - which he claims is for the purpose of helping moderators
to not lose their echoes - leave me to wonder how ethical he is when
he comes and does exactly what he does not want to see happen! What
has this world come to? I witnessed the whole event including him
threatening to cut feeds. At this point I am not sure if he has
cut a feed, because someone disagreed with his method of declaring
himself moderator.
In the same breath I witnessed this happen in
several other echos I carry, On_Line_Games for one. But at least the
person who elisted it there had enough sense to then declare an
election for all users to partake in, and for this I congratulate him.
So we now have an echo, that before Mr. Winters stuck his nose in was
running smoothly and without a hitch, being over run by his ruff-house
methods and he CAN get away with it. Why is there no way to oust
moderators? He does NOT belong there. According to all I have heard no
one may argue with a moderator and he holds all the cards in the echo.
So what now? Do we start an echo because of Mr. Winters tactics or
stick it out? Since we as users of this echo have no say we must do
one or the other - there is no middle ground. Why not?
FidoNews 9-12 Page 5 23 Mar 1992
Well Fidonet as a whole *IS* a good idea. but because of its growth
many holes are left. The perfect example is this Elist fiasco. Elist
IS a good idea. So what happens? Why do they leave it until the last
minute like this? Why not just force the moderator at its birth to
make an elist entry and if the case is that he does have to then why is it
that I have seen on more then 5 echos I carry on my system get a
message from the interim ZEC stating they must be elisted? What is the
solution? I do not kow at this point. In the case of PARENTS if all
goes the way I think it is going the echo will die at the hands of Mr.
Winters and his croneys that will eventually show up through his
gating of his PRIME network. The only solutions I see are
A) start your own echo
B) get him ousted some way or
C) live with him and his methods
Left up to me I will choose option A and create an echo like PARENTS
*USED* to be until Mr Winters showed up. Point of this whole babbling?
It's simple. Elist, although a good idea, has flaws in the way it was
handled. Someone out there left a hole a mile wide for abusers to walk
in and they did!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
A Public Request for Echomail Policy Clarification
by Al Kaufmann @ 1:134/13
The reason for this article is that I would like some feedback
and support preferably from persons with some authority in Fidonet
regarding the following statments:
1. There can only be one 'official' route of echomail from the
backbone/stars to the net level and the eligible nodes.
(A possible exception may be a net that spans several long
distance zones)
2. The node hubbing the Fidnet backbone echoes, whether it is
the NEC or someone appointed by the NEC is required to
distribute the echoes to all eligible nodes as defined by
Fidonet echomail policy.
3. The NEC or HUB appointed by the NEC to hub the Fidonet
backbone echoes in the net must follow Fidonet echomail policy
with regard to charging for distribution.
4. There is no requirement to be a 'member' of any other
organisation besides Fidonet to get Fidonet echomail from any
official Fidonet echomail hub.
Now for a little background information as to why I am asking
for such information. Most everyone here knows the basic fidonet
echomail policy where echomail is distributed from the top level to
the net level and then to all eligible Fidonet nodes. Also many nets
have a cost sharing arrangement to recover the telephone toll costs
incurred by the node bringing the echomail to the net level. This is
all spelled out in the echomail policy if you want more details.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 6 23 Mar 1992
Years ago Net-134 wanted to help the NEC and started a donation
drive to provide a hard drive. Over several years Net-134 has
through donations and echomail billings 20% in excess of costs
accumulated a complete system which acts as the echomail hub for the
net. Now they have formed a non-profit society called Southern
Alberta Sysops Association (SASA) which will run this system. They
will bring in the echomail from the backbone, distribute it to
members of SASA and bill for whatever.
Sounds fairly good so far, its just like any other hub helping
to move the mail but this SASA has its own policy and if you don't
like it or what they charge you, well, you are free to get your
echomail yourself. They go even further, they'll decide whether or
not they want to provide echomail to you. Rock the boat and you may
find your echomail cut. Now you may think that the NEC would be
excessively annoying for not making available any conference which
the Sysop is entitled to receive, but it is not the NEC bringing in
these echoes and by that reasoning not supposed to be his problem.
Further, this can really turn into a very weird situation where the
NEC gets his echoes from SASA and they don't allow the NEC to
distribute them.
SASA seems to feel that a net can have more than one official
feed from the backbone. If they refuse you service you can go to the
NEC and he'll tell you to get it yourself. If this is true then I
think that echomail policy must be changed, it certainly is not cost
effective to have two or more hubs in the same net importing the
same echoes because one node will not distribute the echoes according
to Fidonet echomail policy. Any *EC that allows that to happen
should be declared excessively annoying and replaced.
A second problem is charging for distribution, that whole
section in the policy should be clarified or maybe at the end of the
paragraph add, "And we really mean it!" Sasa has and is still
charging for the following:
Tolls and line rental for the Echomail hub.
Tolls for the NC for Fidonews, Nodediffs, etc.
Plus 20% on top of all this for the equipment fund or
anything else they approve of paying.
As you can see what SASA is presently charging for echomail
seems to violate policy. I have always considered the 20% surcharge
and various other non-policy items as a 'voluntary' contributions
and I have told them this. No formal complaint has ever been filed
because it is fairly reasonable and everyone getting echomail from
SASA was able to vote on the expenditures. Also it was mentioned
more than once that the entire net could be excommunicated if anyone
filed a complaint and no one really wants that to happen. If that
weren't enough you were told that the RC gave them his unofficial
blessing. (Whether or not this is true I have no idea) Now however
there has been a slight change, SASA seems to feel that the term
'non-profit society' are magic words and that they can now charge
for whatever they want to charge because they won't personally be
making a profit and again if you don't like it you can always go get
the echoes yourself.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 7 23 Mar 1992
The Fidonet echomail policy seems to be very clear on what can
be charged for echomail however it is obviously not clear enough for
many sysops. If a hub is allowed to charge for equipment or a fee
for distributing or other things besides telephones tolls for the
echomail then Fidonet must place some sort of control and limits on
these charges. Also if allowed why should it be limited to
non-profit societies? That would mean that the ordinary Fidonet
sysop could never compete. There must not be two policies, one for
sysops and another for non-profit societies or groups of sysops.
I was content to get echoes from them, pay the bills and
and generally ignore their internal politics, but hearing from my
NC that SASA will decide which nodes they will service was the last
straw. Someone needs to make it very clear to them that if they are
appointed the official echomail hub by the NEC (which our NC has
unilaterally decided will be elected by SASA members) they must still
follow Fidonet policy for distribution and cost recovery. Fidonet
echomail should be for the benefit of Fidonet.
On the other hand maybe this is the direction that Fidonet
wants to take, having large commercial nodes hub the echomail to
insure reliability of service? If so then its time to get to work
and change policy rather than trying to do things like this through
a backdoor. I'll be very interested in seeing some feedback and
support. (How about it Butch or George? ;-) )
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Announcing R14Con ! (Fidonet Region 14 get-together)
April 24 - 26, Omaha
Sponsored by the sysops of Fidonet Net 285.
Although this is primarily intended for the sysops and users of
Region 14, it's open to all. (In fact, we'd be tickled pink if
just one sysop from out of region would fly in for this. ;-)
R14Con is being held the weekend of April 24 - 26. It's being
presented in cooperation with the Omaha User Group Association's
Spring Computer Faire.
The R14Con schedule is being firmed up at this time. Here is
what is on the slate:
Friday evening: Welcome get-together
BBQ 'pig-out'
Informal discussion
Saturday morning: Introductory roundtable
Brunch
Saturday afternoon: OUGA Computer Faire
FidoNews 9-12 Page 8 23 Mar 1992
Presentations, demonstrations, workshops, etc.
Saturday evening: Dinner with sysops & users followed
by libations and informal discussion.
Sunday morning: Presentations, etc.
Farewell brunch
Wrap-up roundtable.
Presentation topics have not yet been finalized, but will most likely
be selected from the following:
. Current legal aspects of BBSing.
. A cooperative echomail plan that WORKS !
. Overview of the Ivgate Project
(Usenet / Internet for Omaha BBS systems.)
. An experimental method for delivering echomail using low-power
license-free radio transmissions.
. Introduction to Unix.
. BBS systems and 'Ma Bell'.
A featured portion of R14Con is the Omaha User Group Association's
Spring Computer Faire and Swap Meet. This will feature exhibits by
most of Omaha's user groups, area vendors, and will include the
featured exhibit 'Information At Your Fingertips' exhibit which is
being presented by several of Omaha's BBS sysops.
The good news is that R14Con is FREE, meaning there is no registration
charge. Each participant pays only for meals and accommodations.
Suggestions for accommodations will be provided on request.
For further information about R14Con, please send netmail to
Jack Winslade at 1:285/1.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW PRODUCT REVIEW
by: Ted Kyte, Western Canada DATA LINK 1:134/85 (403) 549-2284
OVERVIEW:
I would like to bring to your attention a new product that I have
just recently tested. It is called a "System Activity Monitor", or
"SAM" board, and will monitor your complete system for inactivity
(it is called a Hardware Watchdog by the developers). If your
computer or modem hangs then "SAM" will do a hardware reset for
you. If there is ANY reason at all for inactivity, be it hardware,
software or modem, the system will re-boot. I have "SAM" installed
on both my network machines for the BBS and to date have found it
faultless. "SAM" is designed for use in PC-XT/AT's and compatibles
and fits any 8 bit slot.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 9 23 Mar 1992
DETAIL:
"SAM" is a half card that comes packaged complete with
documentation and can be installed in a very few minutes. If you
have an empty slot and know where your reset switch plugs in, you
can install "SAM" yourself. "SAM" has one connector that parallels
your reset switch and a second connector if you want to add a
manual switch to turn it off. "SAM" also has a potentiometer to
adjust the amount of time you want your system to remain idle
before it performs the re-boot. It can be set from just a few
minutes up to approximately 15 minutes. There are status lights on
the card for monitoring activity.
If you have a system un-attended and DON'T want "SAM" to re-boot,
you can use the switch and shut it off or simply run a clock or TSR
that updates the screen.
TESTING:
Being an experimenter, I end up with system crashes or hangs every
once in a while, and being in a rural situation, I also have
terrible power problems that raise havoc, but, "SAM" has never
failed me yet. I have purposely and repeatedly hung my systems
from remote access and every time I call back after the allotted
time, the system has reset and is running fine. "SAM" recovers
flawlessly from critical OS errors like "Abort, Retry, Fail" etc...
CONTACTS:
For more information or availability you can contact one of these
4 sysop's below that originated the "SAM" board, or write to:
Logical Design Associates
28 Castleglen Cr. N.E.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
T3J 1N3
SYSOP FIDONET ADDRESS DATA PHONE
Tim Bellaart 1:134/17 (403) 285-7338
Bill Boogaart 1:134/14 (403) 280-9900
Henning Johansen 1:134/40 (403) 280-4938
Norbert Lange 1:134/12 (403) 293-5129
SUMMARY:
"SAM" is the greatest hardware invention for the BBS sysop that I
have seen to date. I can now sleep when I have to go away for a
few days and leave my system un-attended.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Springtime of My Discontent
by Alan M. Kaplan
1:379/5 fidonet, 8:926/3 rbbsnet
snail mail: 301 S. McDowell St., Ste. 208, Charlotte, NC 28204
FidoNews 9-12 Page 10 23 Mar 1992
Why is it that nothing on my computer works exactly as I planned? And
why, after spending a ton of time and money, do I continue to fool
with this stuff?
I am a lawyer and am widely regarded among my peers as a
computer nerd. This means I fearlessly open up my computer (and
theirs) and own a couple of good utility programs that can give me
godlike powers in the eyes of the uninitiated. I am the author of a
popular collection of shareware macros for WordPerfect.
QEMM is great. I could not live without it. Or its exception
messages. (T)erminate or (R)eboot? calls my secretary from across
the office. Does it really matter? Why can't the program report,
"Crash-o-rama, dude. Add x=afff-c7ff to your command line".
Super PCKwik is great cache program. It does not work
well with QEMM, though. My notebook does not support QEMM's suspend
function. QEMM does not support WIN3 worth a spit, no matter what
_you_ say. I have included, excluded, denuded, tweaked and twiddled
for hours just to get QEMM just right. For now. For this
application.
I bought NetWare Lite. It works great. Except when I want to
print large documents in WP 5.1. I happen to do this fairly
regularly. The documents go into the black hole known as the print
*?/%!, never to be seen again. Yes, I applied the patches. Now the
network fails in new ways that I did not have problems with before.
I'd really like to be using DesqView. I like it. It now runs
Windows 3.0. I hate WIN3. It was great for my hardware compulsion,
though. Got a 386/33 (before the 486's were out), with the Diamond Star
SSVGA card. With the Edsun chipset, they told me. Well, Edsun
went belly-up after the advertisements went out. I wanted those
Edsun drives. Super VGA leaves my squinting a my new Multisync 4D -
-- WIN3 lacks sufficient intelligence to scale everything up at
higher resolutions. The Multisync makes a clicking sound when it
switches modes. Annoying.
So why not Desqview? It won't run with Netware Lite. And the
one WIN3 program - Omnipage Pro - that I really want to use
requires Windows in Enhanced mode. No cand do. Bummer.
I hear that OS/2 2.0 will have the same problem.
My laser printer does not handle envelopes properly. It is the
Panasonic 4450. I bought it before the 4450i was released. It
requires a TSR to have saleable fonts. When the TSR misses its
printer port hook, my letterhead looks like Sanskrit. I'd like to
have a printer with two paper trays, and envelope feeder and
scaleable fonts. Why must it cost $2,500.00 or more?
Remember the scanner used by Omnipage Pro? Found out this morning
that it does not work. ScanManager reports that the interface
card does not work. So, my secretary has spent the day retyping a
15 page will for a friend going into the hospital tomorrow.
Had the blasted thing worked, it would have been a 15 minute job, tops.
It's 3:00 and she just finished.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 11 23 Mar 1992
I'll leave out the boring details about Binkley, OMMMMMMM, Parselist,
and the like. I'll especially leave out ZONEs, for I am sure that you
are all painfully aware of this swamp. I have (mostly) figured out echo
and conference mail, but am still seeking volunteers to clarify the Zone
thing. And I have 2 addresses. Sigh.
Last words. My neighbor told me to get a Mac. I, being a DOS pig, told
him
that I do not wish to own "a Commodore for yuppies". [Please, no
letters on
this remark] Of course, we discovered today that his has Nvir virus.
I think I'll pass on switching to the Mac. I am having too much fun.
Gotta get back to doing some legal work.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
by Lee Jackson
Co-Moderator, FidoNet International Echo SHAREWRE (1:382/87.4)
Introducing The Hack Report
Around the first of this year, I made a small suggestion to the
Moderator of the SHAREWRE echo, Kent Anderson (1:382/87). The echo
was being deluged with traffic about several shareware files which had
been "hacked." Someone would ask if version X.X of a popular file was
a hack, and fifteen people would respond. I suggested to Kent that he
post a list of all known hacked programs along with the echo rules.
Little did I know that this would change my life.
Before I knew what happened, I was "appointed" (drafted? Shanghaied?)
as Co-Moderator in charge of hacks. My job was to respond to
hack/Trojan Horse/hoax/pirated software questions, keep a list of
those that had been reported, and post this list every Friday. With
this appointment, The Hack Report was born.
The Hack Report is a weekly post that lists hacked files, hoax
programs, Trojan Horses, and known pirated commercial software that
have been seen on BBS systems. The report is written by "The Hack
Squad" (consisting of a staff of one - me <g>), and is compiled from
reports by participants in the FidoNet International Echo SHAREWRE and
other echoes that I monitor (29 at the latest count). The report is an
attempt to help users and SysOps avoid fraudulent software.
The Hack Report is distributed in three ways: through the SHAREWRE
echo, as a file that I send to my BossNode, and, most recently,
through the SDNet/Works! file distribution system. The filename is
HACK???.LZH (or .SDA/.SDN), where ??? is the Julian date of the
report. I am trying to use the same date that is used on the
NodeList/NodeDiff updates. The "file version" of the report is
available from any SDNet/Works! site, and by F'Reqing the magic name
HACK from The ECS BBS (1:382/87, 0500-0200 Central Time).
FidoNews 9-12 Page 12 23 Mar 1992
I have received reports from all over Zone 1, and feedback from other
zones. I try to verify every report, either through personal
experience or phone contact with the author of the legitimate
file. If I can't verify it, I ask for user input in the SHAREWRE
echo. Every verified report of a fraudulent file is listed with full
credit to the reporter and the reporter's origin. The response has,
to date, been overwhelming: the last un-archived report was over 20k
in size.
>>>>> The Report - What's In It? <<<<<
The report is divided into five sections:
1. Hacked Programs
2. Hoax Alert
3. The Trojan Wars
4. Pirated Commercial Software
5. ???Questionable Programs???
Programs like the infamous TheDraw v5.00 are listed in section 1.
Section 2 lists programs that claim to do something but are useless
(and harmless). Programs in section 3 are very nasty ones - these are
"droppers" (like the MDBF-infected Macintosh games) and Trojan Horses
(programs that claim to be utilities, games, etc., that do nothing but
destroy data on your system). Section 4 is a list of commercial
programs that have been uploaded to someone's system as "shareware"
(like the recent SimCity incident). Finally, section 5 lists programs
that seem suspicious, but I haven't been able to verify as legitimate
or frauds. I ask for user input on these files, and usually receive a
very prompt response. One person actually sent me a copy of the file
in question!
>>>>>Spreading the Word<<<<<
The best way to combat frauds like these is to spread the word about
them as widely as possible. Therefore, I allow and encourage readers
to distribute The Hack Report to any system or conference they use. I
do place some "common sense" restrictions on this, though:
1) The latest version must be used.
2) It must be posted in its entirety.
3) It must not be altered in any way.
The Hack Report (file version) may be freely uploaded to any BBS,
subject to the above conditions, and only if the filename is not
changed. I do allow archive type conversion, but the original
HACK???.* format must be preserved.
The idea is to make this information available freely. However,
I ask that users refrain from cutting out the disclaimers and other
"legal" information in the report, and from confusing the issue by
spreading the file under different names.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 13 23 Mar 1992
>>>>>Conclusion<<<<<
From the feedback I've received, the report seems to be quite useful.
Several SysOps who received the file "scored hits" when they compared
it to their file lists, and are now F'Reqing the file on a regular
basis. The report has been ported to the RIME network (with full
FidoNet credit!), readers have asked to quote it in newsletters, and,
according to Nemrod Kedem, it is a big hit in Israel.
My goal is to see the day that this report is no longer necessary. I
personally fell victim to the TheDraw 5.00 scam, and I have "crusaded"
against hacks ever since. The Hack Report is not an outlet for my
wrath, however: instead, it is an attempt to keep others from falling
into the trap that caught me.
With this in mind, I have made the report absolutely free to anyone
who wants it. My only pay comes from the feeling I get when someone
reports that it helped them to avoid a bogus file.
Please take a look at the report, either by requesting the file or by
tuning in to the SHAREWRE echo. I think you'll enjoy it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
* The New NFL Echo
Kent Ogle
1:286/777
Robert Petersen
1:286/709
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\ Are You Ready For Some FOOTBALL??! /
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
There are echos on the backbone for general SPORTS, Baseball
Cards, Fantasy Sports, and Major League Baseball, but not
FOOTBALL!! We need an echo dedicated to this great sport.
So, recognizing the need for the new echo, the moderators
(listed above) are attempting to get this echo on the back-
bone.
The NFL echo is now available from John Johnson's echo at
fidonet 1:283/657, and also Dan Buda (what IS his address?).
We already have one REC request to go backbone, only two
more and our goal is acheived!
The NFL echo will discuss various aspects of Pro Football,
from the draft, to trades, to statistics. For more info,
contact the echo moderators, or refer to the echolist.
FidoNews 9-12 Page 14 23 Mar 1992
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 9-12 Page 15 23 Mar 1992
======================================================================
LATEST VERSIONS
======================================================================
Latest Greatest SoftWare Versions
Latest Update: 01/27/92
----------------------------------------------------------------------
MS-DOS Systems
--------------
BBS Software NodeList Utilities Compression
Name Version Name Version Utilities
-------------------- -------------------- Name Version
ADTBBS 1.50@ EditNL 4.00 --------------------
Aurora 1.32b FDND 1.10 ARC 7.12
DMG 2.93 MakeNL 2.31 ARJ 2.20
DreamBBS 1.05 Parselst 1.33 LHA 2.13
Fido/FidoNet 12.21 Prune 1.40 PAK 2.51
Genesis Deluxe 3.2 SysNL 3.14 PKPak 3.61
GSBBS 3.02 XlatList 2.90 PKZip 1.10
Kitten 1.01 XlaxNode/Diff 2.53
Lynx 1.30
Maximus-CBCS 2.00
Merlin 1.39n Other Utilities(A-M) Other Utilities(N-Z)
Opus 1.73a* Name Version Name Version
Oracomm 5.M.6P@ -------------------- --------------------
Oracomm Plus 6.E@ 2DAPoint 1.50* Netsex 2.00b
PCBoard 14.5a 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 OFFLINE 1.35
Phoenix 1.07* ARCAsim 2.31 Oliver 1.0a
ProBoard 1.20* ARCmail 3.00* OSIRIS CBIS 3.02
QuickBBS 2.75 Areafix 1.20 PKInsert 7.10
RBBS 17.3b ConfMail 4.00 PolyXarc 2.1a
RemoteAccess 1.11* Crossnet 1.5 QM 1.00a
SimplexBBS 1.05 DOMAIN 1.42 QSort 4.04
SLBBS 2.15C* DEMM 1.06 RAD Plus 2.11
Socrates 1.11 DGMM 1.06 Raid 1.00
SuperBBS 1.12* DOMAIN 1.42 RBBSMail 18.0
SuperComm 0.99 EEngine 0.32 ScanToss 1.28
TAG 2.5g EMM 2.11* ScMail 1.00
TBBS 2.1 EZPoint 2.1 ScEdit 1.12
TComm/TCommNet 3.4 FGroup 1.00 Sirius 1.0x
Telegard 2.7* FidoPCB 1.0s@ SLMail 2.15C
TPBoard 6.1 FNPGate 2.70 SquishMail 1.00
TriTel 2.0* GateWorks 3.06e StarLink 1.01
WildCat! 3.02* GMail 2.05 TagMail 2.41
WWIV 4.20 GMD 3.10 TCOMMail 2.2
XBBS 1.77 GMM 1.21 Telemail 1.5*
GoldEd 2.31p TGroup 1.13
GROUP 2.23 TIRES 3.11
Network Mailers GUS 1.40 TMail 1.21
Name Version Harvey's Robot 4.10 TosScan 1.00
-------------------- HeadEdit 1.18 UFGATE 1.03
BinkleyTerm 2.50 HLIST 1.09 VPurge 4.09e
D'Bridge 1.30 IMAIL 1.20 WEdit 2.0@
Dreamer 1.06 InterPCB 1.31 WildMail 2.00
FidoNews 9-12 Page 16 23 Mar 1992
Dutchie 2.90c ISIS 5.12@ WMail 2.2
FrontDoor 2.02 Lola 1.01d WNode 2.1
InterMail 2.01 Mosaic 1.00b XRS 4.99
Milqtoast 1.00 MailBase 4.11a@ XST 2.3e
PreNM 1.48 MSG 4.5* YUPPIE! 2.00
SEAdog 4.60 MSGED 2.06 ZmailH 1.25
SEAmail 1.01 MsgLnk 1.0c ZSX 2.40
TIMS 1.0(mod8) MsgMstr 2.03a
MsgNum 4.16d
MSGTOSS 1.3
OS/2 Systems
------------
BBS Software Other Utilities(A-M Other Utilities(N-Z)
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
Kitten 1.01 ARC 7.12 oMMM 1.52
Maximus-CBCS 2.00 ARC2 6.01 Omail 3.1
SimplexBBS 1.04.02+ ConfMail 4.00 Parselst 1.33
EchoStat 6.0 PKZip 1.02
EZPoint 2.1 PMSnoop 1.30
Network Mailers FGroup 1.00 PolyXOS2 2.1a
Name Version GROUP 2.23 QSort 2.1
-------------------- LH2 2.11 Raid 1.0
BinkleyTerm 2.50 MSG 4.2 Remapper 1.2
BinkleyTerm(S) 2.50 MsgEd 2.06c SquishMail 1.00
BinkleyTerm/2-MT MsgLink 1.0c Tick 2.0
1.40.02 MsgNum 4.16d VPurge 4.09e
SEAmail 1.01
Xenix/Unix 386
--------------
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
ARC 5.21
C-LHARC 1.00
MsgEd 2.06
|Contact: Willy Paine 1:343/15,| MSGLINK 1.01
|or Eddy van Loo 2:285/406 | oMMM 1.42
Omail 1.00
ParseLst 1.32
Unzip 3.10
VPurge 4.08
Zoo 2.01
FidoNews 9-12 Page 17 23 Mar 1992
QNX
---
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
QTach2 1.09 QMM 0.50s Kermit 2.03
QCP 1.02
NodeList Utilities Archive Utilities QSave 3.6
Name Version Name Version QTTSysop 1.07.1
-------------------- -------------------- SeaLink 1.05
QNode 2.09 Arc 6.02 XModem 1.00
LH 1.00.2 YModem 1.01
Unzip 2.01 ZModem 0.02f
Zoo 2.01
Apple II
--------
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
DDBBS + 8.0* Fruity Dog 2.0 deARC2e 2.1
GBBS Pro 2.1 ProSel 8.70*
ShrinkIt 3.30*
|Contact: Dennis McClain-Furmanski 1:275/42| ShrinkIt GS 1.04
Apple CP/M
----------
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
Daisy 2j Daisy Mailer 0.38 Filer 2-D
MsgUtil 2.5
Nodecomp 0.37
PackUser 4
UNARC.Com 1.20
Macintosh
---------
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
FBBS 0.91 Copernicus 1.0 ArcMac 1.3
Hermes 1.6.1 Tabby 2.2 AreaFix 1.6
Mansion 7.15 Compact Pro 1.30
Precision Sys. 0.95b EventMeister 1.0
Red Ryder Host 2.1 Export 3.21
Telefinder Host Import 3.2
FidoNews 9-12 Page 18 23 Mar 1992
2.12T10 LHARC 0.41
MacArd 0.04
Mantissa 3.21
Point System Mehitable 2.0
Software OriginatorII 2.0
Name Version PreStamp 3.2
-------------------- StuffIt Classic 1.6
Copernicus 1.00 SunDial 3.2
CounterPoint 1.09 TExport 1.92
MacWoof 1.1 TimeStamp 1.6
TImport 1.92
Tset 1.3
TSort 1.0
UNZIP 1.02c
Zenith 1.5
Zip Extract 0.10
Amiga
-----
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
4D-BBS 1.65 BinkleyTerm 1.00 Areafix 1.48
DLG Pro. 0.96b TrapDoor 1.80 AReceipt 1.5
Falcon CBCS 1.00 WelMat 0.44 ChameleonEdit 0.11
Starnet 1.0q@ ConfMail 1.12
TransAmiga 1.07 ElectricHerald 1.66
XenoLink 1.0 Compression FFRS 1.0@
Utilities FileMgr 2.08
Name Version Fozzle 1.0@
NodeList Utilities -------------------- Login 0.18
Name Version AmigArc 0.23 MessageFilter 1.52
-------------------- booz 1.01 Message View 1.12
ParseLst 1.66 LHARC 1.30 oMMM 1.50
Skyparse 2.30 LhA 1.10 PolyXAmy 2.02
TrapList 1.40 LZ 1.92 RMB 1.30
PkAX 1.00 Roof 46.15
UnZip 4.1 RoboWriter 1.02
Zippy (Unzip) 1.25 Rsh 4.07a
Zoo 2.01 Tick 0.75
TrapToss 1.20
|Contact: Maximilian Hantsch 2:310/6| Yuck! 2.02
Atari ST/TT
-----------
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
FIDOdoor/ST 2.5.1 BinkleyTerm 2.40n9 ApplyList 1.00@
FiFo 2.1v The Box 1.95* Burep 1.1
LED ST 1.00 ComScan 1.04
MSGED 1.99 ConfMail 4.10
QuickBBS/ST 1.06* NodeList Utilities Echoscan 1.10
FidoNews 9-12 Page 19 23 Mar 1992
Name Version FDrenum 2.5.2
-------------------- FastPack 1.20
Compression ParseList 1.30 Import 1.14
Utilities EchoFix 1.20 oMMM 1.40
Name Version sTICK/Hatch 5.50 Pack 1.00
-------------------- Trenum 0.10
ARC 6.02
LHARC 2.01i
PackConvert
STZip 1.1*
UnJARST 2.00
WhatArc 2.02
Archimedes
----------
BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
ARCbbs 1.61 BinkleyTerm ARC 1.20
Odyssey 0.37 2.06f-wimp !AskFor 1.01
RiscBBS 0.9.85m BatchPacker 1.00
DeLZ 0.01
MailED 0.95
NetFile 1.00
ParseLst 1.30
Raul 1.01
!Spark 2.16
!SparkMail 2.08
!SparkPlug 2.14
UnArj 2.21
UnZip 3.00
Zip 1.00
Tandy Color Computer 3 (OS-9 Level II)
--------------------------------------
BBS Software Compression Utility Other Utilities
Name Version Name Version Name Version
-------------------- -------------------- --------------------
RiBBS 2.02+ Ar 1.3 Ascan 1.2
DeArc 5.12 AutoFRL 2.0
OS9Arc 1.0 Bundle 2.2
UnZip 3.10 CKARC 1.1
UnLZH 3.0 EchoCheck 1.01
FReq 2.5a
LookNode 2.00
ParseLST
PReq 2.2
FidoNews 9-12 Page 20 23 Mar 1992
RList 1.03
RTick 2.00
UnBundle 1.4
UnSeen 1.1
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Key: + - Netmail Capable (Doesn't Require Additional Mailer Software)
* - Recently Updated Version
@ - New Addition
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
NOTE: 8 Mar 92
FidoNews versions list update process is about to change, once again.
It will be taken over by someone else. In the mean time hold onto
your hats (and programs).
Watch for an announcement within a week or two.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews 9-12 Page 21 23 Mar 1992
======================================================================
FIDONEWS INFORMATION
======================================================================
------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
Editors: Tom Jennings, Tim Pozar
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Periello
"FidoNews" BBS
FidoNet 1:1/1
Internet fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org
BBS (415)-863-2739 (9600 HST/V32)
(Postal Service mailing address)
FidoNews
Box 77731
San Francisco
CA 94107 USA
Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international
amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual
articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The
contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the
rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those
of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews.
FidoNews is copyright 1992 Fido Software. All rights reserved.
Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes
only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews (we're
easy).
OBTAINING COPIES: FidoNews in electronic form may be obtained from
the FidoNews BBS via manual download or Wazoo FileRequest, or from
various sites in the FidoNet and via uucp. PRINTED COPIES mailed
may be obtained from Fido Software for $5.00US each PostPaid First
Class within North America, or $7.00US elsewhere, mailed Air Mail.
(US funds drawn upon a US bank only.)
Periodic subscriptions are not available at this time; if enough
people request it I will implement it.
SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable
from 1:1/1 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC".
FidoNews 9-12 Page 22 23 Mar 1992
"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco
CA 94107, USA and are used with permission.
-- END
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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