959 lines
46 KiB
Plaintext
959 lines
46 KiB
Plaintext
F I D O N E W S -- Vol.10 No.28 (12-Jul-1993)
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+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
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| A newsletter of the | |
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| FidoNet BBS community | Published by: |
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| _ | |
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| / \ | "FidoNews" BBS |
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| /|oo \ | +1-519-570-4176 1:1/23 |
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| (_| /_) | |
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| _`@/_ \ _ | Editors: |
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| | | \ \\ | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 |
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| | (*) | \ )) | Donald Tees 1:221/192 |
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| |__U__| / \// | Tim Pozar 1:125/555 |
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| _//|| _\ / | |
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| (_/(_|(____/ | |
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| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
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| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
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+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
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| Submission address: editors 1:1/23 |
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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| Internet addresses: |
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| |
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| Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
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| Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
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| Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com |
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| Both Don & Sylvia (submission address) |
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| editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
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| obtaining copies and other boring but important details, |
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| please refer to the end of this file. |
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+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
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========================================================================
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Table of Contents
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========================================================================
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1. Editorial..................................................... 2
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2. Articles...................................................... 3
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Hello Again!................................................ 3
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Regarding the FidoNet nodelist preamble..................... 3
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The R24 Blues............................................... 4
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MAD DOG RC!................................................. 8
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Policy and Privacy.......................................... 10
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Confidential User Records................................... 12
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A LISTING OF MACINTOSH ECHOMAIL CONFERENCES................. 13
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Teen Net Should Grow Up..................................... 16
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3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 16
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 2 12 Jul 1993
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========================================================================
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Editorial
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========================================================================
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I am in a bit of a rage this morning. I woke up in a good
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mood, puttered arround for a few minutes, and then logged onto
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the BBS. Scanned my netmail ... nothing new. Went to the
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netmail area to read through the two or three Snooze articles
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that I knew were there: It was empty! What the hell, though I,
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and moved over to the server with its' tape drive. The tape
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(twice a day automatic backup) was empty as well.
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I solved that one fast enough. Three days ago I put a new
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tape in the drive, and I managed to put in a write protected
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tape. So much for failsafe backup methods, and so much for
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those articles. If you mailed us something, and it is not in
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this issue, please send it again.
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Where did my netmail go? Well, it seems that someone has
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decided that netmail is easier to work with than echomail. They
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hooked into Usenet, and asked the software to forward 40 or 50
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Usenet echos as routed mail. Since I am a hub, it went through
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this system. My netmail last night, according to the logs, was
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12,757 messages. The area was only (ONLY) set up to handle 5000
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messages. Of course, since it is pass-through, they were all
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nicely deleted by the time I got up.
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That brings up a lot of issues. We pay for echos in this net,
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but netmail is free. The long and the short of it is that Usenet
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echos are free, but Fidonet echos are pay as you go. Something
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seems skewed there. I a member of *Fidonet*.
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Echomail and net mail are separate, right? Nope. They are
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not. Not when sysops route echos disguised as netmail.
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It seems that this is quite common, and in my opinion it is
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a threat to the entire network. Most Fido software *will simply
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not handle* all echo traffic in one area. Routing vast volumes
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of echomail as netmail will break the system in short order. It
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will also destroy most cost-sharing schemes in existance. Those
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schemes are, after all, mostly based on a cost-per-echo basis.
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I have nothing against inter-connectivety. In fact, I think
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it the way of the future, and I quite happy to see it happening.
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However, the software cannot be quite so crude as to just whack
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everything into the bitstream and hope for the best. Those
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technical standards are not there just for fun. Programmers
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of gateways should at least know the difference between echo
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mail and net mail.
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 3 12 Jul 1993
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========================================================================
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Articles
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========================================================================
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Hello Again!
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by Keith Wood, BRASS CANNON BBS 1:304/8
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Last week I asked if I would have to say farewell to Fido, due to
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problems with my NEC/NC, and the response was literally overwhelming!
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In TWO DAYS I have received dozens of reponses, ranging from various
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levels of feed offers to a couple of critical messages.
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One sysop said that "...you and the R24 sysops' rebellion are both in
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violation of Policy 4, which prohibits such requests and actions in
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no uncertain terms...maybe it's time to revise Policy 4."
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Or maybe it's time for a new echo ("ALT_FEED"?) for sysops in similar
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straits.
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To the critics who took me to task for "trying to avoid paying for
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what you are using," let me say that the problem was not cost recovery --
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it was that I could not afford cost recovery, PLUS high in-state toll
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fees, PLUS having to feed at 9600, PLUS having an unreliable feed. Those
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problems are not, by and large, the fault of the new NC/NEC; it was just
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a combination that, taken as a whole, would have put Fido echos out of
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financial reach for a small rural free BBS such as BRASS CANNON.
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Thanks to EVERYONE who took the time to Netmail me. Special thanks to
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the sysops who offered to feed me from outside the country (South Africa
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is a bit more "outside of Arizona" than I had hoped for)!
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I HAVE found a feed (thanks, Brian), and will be "back in the loop" by
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the time this hits the Snooze. The responses I got restored my faith
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in the whole concept of Fido -- sysops helping sysops, who could have
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imagined it? Thanks to the Snooze editors for spreading the word for
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me, and for my users (who are, after all, the reason we're here in the
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first place)!
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Regarding the FidoNet nodelist preamble
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by Tom Jennings
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tomj@wps.com
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Observant FidoNet members noticed the rather odd change to the
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NodeList legal notice a week or two back. Hopefully you've noticed
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that it has been removed. (Hmm... I better check.)
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Ignoring the arrogance and probable illegality of the contents, it
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was done by one or very few people for who knows what ends (don't
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tell me, I do not want to know -- REALLY).
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Just a reminder -- the nodelist is copyright Tom Jennings, eg. me,
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and I try to maintain it in the best interests of the FidoNet at
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 4 12 Jul 1993
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large. Which of course I get to define, but all I can say is look
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at history.
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I am open to the possibility that changes might be needed to the
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nodelist notices; however two things to keep in mind. One, I use
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the services of an excellent computer lawyer. Nothing involving
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legalities will be done without his involvement. He is not cheap
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and I am poor. Two, all changes of substance, short of technical
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stuff, or weekly status, nodelist flags, etc, must pass by me, with
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advanced notice. This is not a change, it has worked this way since
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1986, no need to get alarmed.
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The FidoNet works just fine with "no one in charge" (sic) and to
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those who claim it isn't do not understand how large social
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orgnizations work -- they do not run like military groups or prisons
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-- they are chaotic and undergo *constant* change and friction.
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(Anyone around for more than a few years knows that "the sky is
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falling!" has been sounded more than a few times.)
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FidoNet working means: the nodelist has incredible accuracy; netmail
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from point A to point B is delivered reliably, new people can join
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the network without restriction, no person or group can control
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the content of a persons communications nor prevent any person from
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communicating with any other FidoNet member, everyone carries their
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own weight, technologies and social systems continue to grow and
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"improve."
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Anyone who tells you your ability to communicate with FidoNet
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depends on the good will or actions or rulesheet of another is a
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conniving shit up to no good. Plain enough?!
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PS: the idea that people with 0's in their FidoNet address are
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somehow different from everyone else is nonsense. What they have
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is added work, not "power". And for anyone who believes in that
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they have control over how they run their systems: THE /0'S DO
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NOT RUN FIDONET. NO ONE PERSON OR GROUP IS IN CHARGE.
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Most of the /0's themselves are quite reasonable, and realize this
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themselves. It's nothing new.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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The R24 Blues
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by Juergen Hermann (war correspondent),
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NL.169 2:241/7554 (49-721-826310, V.32bis),
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Internet jh@ccave.ka.sub.org
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+++ news flash +++ news flash +++ news flash +++ news flash +++
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FidoNet lost 500 nodes - first major disruption of so-far constant
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growth - more losses to come - keep your lines open for the next HUGE
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nodediff - a great step towards enforcing THE POLICY
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+++ news flash +++ news flash +++ news flash +++ news flash +++
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In the following article, we'll first see some comments on articles
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 5 12 Jul 1993
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from the last two issues, up-to-date information from the trenches of
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the on-going bigger-than-ever Fight-O-Net war, and, last but not least,
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comments on the take-over and its (non-)justification by THE POLICY.
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Stay tuned...
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First, I like to thank John R. Pickens for his wonderful article (I
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simply love that "stray bit of tissue" metaphor). What's life without
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the occasional laughter, especially in troubled times like this. John,
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NOW you know what other regions are like, and you also know you're a
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lucky guy. A lazy RC is a (mostly) harmless RC. The hyper-active ones
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are those we have to keep an eye on.
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Pablo, I don't have to say much about your article. You always were,
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since the beginnings of WorldPol, a tiny little voice of reason and
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democracy in the large technocratic realms of FidoNet. Your comment
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comes pretty close to the feelings of most "anti-putsch" sysops in
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Germany.
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Regarding the "Current Policy Interpretation" topic, well, some German
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sysops claimed they'll take the *Cs to court, one guy wrote his lawyer
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said that "the odds of winning are not so bad". IANAL, but their
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arguments sounded strange enough to give them a chance at court. :->
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I don't think that law suits are a good idea (at this time or at all),
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but at least under German law they have a right to their own opinion
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and also a right to possibly make a fool of themselves. The funny thing
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is that this threat about threats appeared in the *Z1* list, even
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funnier is that all the R24 changes made it to Z1 within a few days,
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and the funniest thing of all are the words "Current Policy
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Interpretation" themselves, if you think real hard about it (for the
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people among us that aren't so gifted by nature - I'm heading for the
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"current(!) interpretation" combo of words).
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Finally to Jeremy Dailey, be assured that this madness will continue.
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THE POLICY and its high priests will see to it. BTW, mail routing *has
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been* successful in R24, and in the alternative R24, it was one of the
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first things that was re-established. You can't have low-noise echos
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otherwise, can you?
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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"In nature, there are neither rewards nor
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punishments - there are Consequences." (R.G. Ingersoll, 1833-1899)
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Now to the news (as of 06-Jul-1993): the alternative region is up and
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running, more alive than ever, the first chaotic days are over. Chaos
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in the official R24 segment shows a little more resistance, double
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entries (i.e. the very same system listed in different nets), two HUBs
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in Koeln (Cologne) with <20 nodes each and five Cologne nodes listed
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under the Essen HUB, ... you name it. All that in a so-called regional
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net, and of course that's cost-efficient, because THE POLICY and its
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high priests can't be wrong.
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Traffic in the echos is not what it was, most people aren't very eager
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to write msgs if they have to fear that those msgs are routed into a
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 6 12 Jul 1993
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black hole. It's improving, though, some conferences are even "gated"
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between R24.169 and R24.183. The coordination echo R24-COORD sees a
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flood of msgs, freshly connected nodes saying hello, various calls for
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votes (the most important being the impeachment of the R24C),
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discussions about the future (how to build POLICY-conformant regional
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nets in an orderly fashion and whether we want to keep at least one
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sympathy net), and of course a good part of gibberish that's an
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integral part of every FidoNet echo.
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Considering snippets from "ENET.SYSOP" (European sysop echo), Ron
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Dwight (the Z2C) seems pretty uninformed about the actions of the
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so-called GCC ("German Complaint Council", and don't search for it in
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THE POLICY, you won't find that institution) and their future plans.
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His arguments consist mainly of rhetorical perls like "HOGWASH",
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"that's not the truth", "you're not informed" and the like. He even
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claimed that such a thing as a GCC doesn't exist (have you read the
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nodelist lately, Ron?). Well, NODEDIFF.183 has introduced a NCC (see
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2:245/3, "Network Complaint Crusher"?), maybe they've seen to many Star
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Trek episodes.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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"It works for me
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It's you and me babe - against the world
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All night long
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It works for me
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Let's cross the bridge" (Kate Bush, from "Burning Bridge")
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Now to my comments and observations:
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- the new nets are MONSTERS as they were planned, and even with 500
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nodes missing they're awfully big. Ooops, I must exclude Bavaria,
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since that net lost 270 nodes and now has about 80 nodes (that's
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75% for those which slept during math lessons). I'm eager to get
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the next ND, anyone taking bets on the biggest loser of ND.190? On
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the highest percentage? On the continuing existance of something
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which is worth to be called a FidoNet region?
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Apropos losses, which part of THE POLICY covers complaints against
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*Cs that refuse to delete your nodelist entry? Any help in finding
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it is appreciated...
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- the new nets are built on the basis of the German states, which are
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not "an area of convenient telephone calling". Fact is, in each and
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every of this new nets there are many nodes with LD connections to
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their host. Fact is, Net 246 has THREE echomail servers, so why not
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THREE nets. If you read section 8 and 8.3 of THE POLICY, you know
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why.
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- if you ask yourself why everyone is calling the take-over a
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"putsch", this is what the GCC members called their action
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themselves ("putsch from the top", which is pretty redundant).
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- the "rebellion from the bottom" consists of at least 30% (500/1720)
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of the former R24, with more nodes that weren't removed by
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 7 12 Jul 1993
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NODEDIFF.183 against their expressed wishes. I call that a large
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minority, if not a majority; so much for statements like "a few
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rebels making trouble".
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- the whole "plan" was made up by 15 people imposing their point of
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view on 1700+ German sysops.
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- having a local routing with local echos, the Karlsruhe area tried
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to found a new net two weeks before the big bang, a net defined by
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the local telecom cost structure (i.e. a true geographical net).
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The request was declined for reasons we didn't understand at that
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time.
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- the net I would've been a member of had an own net policy that was
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presented together with the new node number. "Absurd" is a nice
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description for that pile of crap, they force you to get echomail
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only from your HUB (no private links), and echos you get from your
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HUB you have to pay for (the net result is forced contribution).
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Any points you have are mandatorily registered, gateways are
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"verboten".
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You have to be online from midnight till six o'clock, ZMH-only
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nodes have no right to be part of FidoNet, right? The official
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language in Net 246 isn't English any more; I understand that, most
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German *Cs have only a basic understanding of English (if they
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speak it at all), which sheds a light on their interpretation of
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THE POLICY.
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- in the anouncement planned for Wednesday before ND.176, the R24C
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claimed that all *Cs would resign after "an adequate time" and hold
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public elections. The new NC of Net 246 denied having such plans on
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the phone (there were witnesses overhearing the conversation, the
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NC was informed of that fact).
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- lunatics from both sides resolve to personal threats on the phone,
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mail bombs and viruses are uploaded to various systems (f.x. dieter
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soltau's, ex-Z2EC, ex-2:2/254), echos are cluttered with personal
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insults (more than before). GREAT! Fight-O-Net at its best!
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- FidoNews "is an important medium by which FidoNet sysops
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communicate with each other". Did YOU see any
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anouncement/comment/explanation by the Godfathers of the new R24
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here. Did I miss something? Did THEY miss something?
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- Henk Wevers, coming back from holiday, told us how delighted he was
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about the "wholly internal" R24 affair: "Thanks, your actions
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costed me $$$ that could be used for a lot better purposes than
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paying the PTT for a lot of connections with password errors. I was
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on the losing side here, with absolutely no chance to prepare or
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react."
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There'd be much more to say, but I think you got the general
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impression.
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Happy and unoppressed communications, Juergen
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FidoNews 10-28 Page: 8 12 Jul 1993
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MAD DOG RC!
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Rick Haburne (NC3655) 1:3655/20.0
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DERANGED MAD DOG RC RUNS AMOK!!
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NCs and SysOps are under siege in Region 18 by a power-wielding and
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control-crazed RC! Christopher Baker quells dissenters by removing
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NCs and threatening to disband Nets!
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Now, the rest of the story.....
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Not long ago, Chris Baker issued a ruling that nodelist entries were
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not the domain of NCs and that there was no limitation on the length
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of nodelist entries nor their content. Even after dozens of NCs told
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him of the problems that such a ruling would cause, Chris Baker
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ignored the learned advice of the NCs throughout the Region and
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responded with only "like it or resign". He did not care that
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automated nodelist producing software and mailers would be "broken" by
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unlimited line lengths in the nodelist and that his edict of "anything
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goes" in BBS name fields would assuredly bring about entries that
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would press the bounds of decency by allowing even profanity to be
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included in nodelist entries. His only concern was that he had made
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an "official" ruling (allegedly with the blessing of the ZC - Bob
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Satti) and that his ruling would be abided by unquestionably by every
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NC in the Region and that anyone meeting this edict with opposition
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would be asked to resign or be removed.
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Knowing that Chris was blinded by his power of his position as RC, I
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felt that maybe even he would be swayed by a real-time demonstration
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of the effects of his new ruling. I submitted a nodelist segment
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update with a node listing exceeding 200 characters. Chris soon
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discovered that he was dead wrong on his nodelist entry length ruling
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as the software that he uses to maintain the Region's nodelist
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segments (Ben Baker's MAKENL), flat-out choked on the extended
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nodelist entry. He immediately issued a new ruling. That being that
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nodelist entries would be limited by MAKENL's limitation of 157
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characters per line. At the same time, he demands that I resubmit my
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nodelist segment update so that it is compliant with the new 157
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character ruling or he would remove me as NC (making sure that he CC'd
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this demand to ZC Bob Satti)! Immediately after reading the message
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that this threat came in with, I resubmitted my entry. The entry fell
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far below the new 157 character limitation.
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His demand of me was ok in itself as I did not want to do anything
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that would provide him with justification for my removal. I felt that
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I had proven one of the points that I and numerous NCs had made at the
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beginning of all this. That being that he could not seriously expect
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to allow unlimited nodelist entries and not have someone send one
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through and that many software processors would be "broken" if such a
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ruling was allowed. One point made and one to go.
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My updated (and now compliant) nodelist entry was submitted. It was
|
||
now time to show him how ridiculous his "anything goes" ruling as far
|
||
as BBS name field nodelist entries. He was asked that if a NC
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 9 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
received an entry that contained ",99,The_Penis_BBS,....", would the
|
||
NC be obligated under his new ruling to allow the request to go
|
||
through. His response was "there is no limitation on the content of a
|
||
nodelist entry" and that if a NC refused to allow such an entry, the
|
||
NC would be open for a policy complaint that Chris would uphold.
|
||
Again, doing only what the RC had mandated I do, I submitted a
|
||
nodelist entry thusly:
|
||
|
||
"20,THE_FUCK_YOU_CHRIS!_BSS_:Home_Of_Bytes_&_Pc's_Rbbs,....."
|
||
|
||
Imagine my surprise when I heard nothing from him on this. I thought
|
||
that he would indeed back his ruling on this as he had said he would.
|
||
Chris called my BBS direct, made numerous screen captures and sent
|
||
them to the ZC Bob Satti. Still, I was not contacted by him
|
||
concerning my new nodelist entry. Imagine my continued surprise when
|
||
he finally did contact me and no mention of my last entry was made.
|
||
Nothing was said about it's compliancy or it's content. The only
|
||
thing he had to say to me that he was removing me as NC of Net 3655.
|
||
Stating that I had failed to carry out my duties as NC, he was
|
||
removing me and that my Net had until the 7th of July to inform him of
|
||
a replacement.
|
||
|
||
I asked him in what manner had I failed to carry out my duties as NC
|
||
when I have complied with every demand that he had ever made of me
|
||
since I became NC, that I submitted nodelist segment updates when our
|
||
Net's nodelist entry required changing in a timely manner and that per
|
||
his own policy, my system polls his on a weekly basis. I asked him
|
||
what section of Policy did I violate to justify his removal of me.
|
||
After he told me that Policy did not matter and that I only need
|
||
concern myself with what is told "from RC to NC", I continued to press
|
||
him for his "official" reason. He eventually quoted P4 on
|
||
"excessively annoying" behavior. Ignoring his own past ruling that
|
||
excessively annoying was based on purely technical reasons, this is
|
||
what he was justifying my removal on.
|
||
|
||
Keep in mind that from the first communication with me, Chris had CC'd
|
||
every message to the ZC (as was I). I had even netmailed Bob Satti
|
||
directly, asking him to intervene in this matter. To date, I have yet
|
||
to receive a return message from Bob Satti. I can only assume that in
|
||
his silence, he is in agreement with Chris Baker on this issue.
|
||
|
||
What does all this mean? It means that any RC has the blessing of the
|
||
ZC to do as he/she wishes regardless of the opinions of the NCs and
|
||
end nodes in their Regions. It means that any RC has the blessing to
|
||
remove anyone in their Region without real justification. It means
|
||
that any RC can hand down edicts at any time and can change them just
|
||
as easily when it suits them. To most, this is not news. It is
|
||
something that has been pointed out time and time again. Only now is
|
||
it significant as a case has finally come to light that proves what
|
||
has been said all along. That being that an RC can do whatever he
|
||
wishes whenever he wishes and to whomever he wishes and the upper *C
|
||
will support him to the hilt. Policy is something that they are able
|
||
to twist and "interpret" in any manner they desire in order to
|
||
substantiate their actions. Who will be next? If you openly disagree
|
||
with your RC, it could be you.
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 10 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
Policy and Privacy
|
||
By De Skud uh 1:MyNet/Mynode Aka xxx/0
|
||
|
||
De followin' info'mashun be 100% facshunal. De dojiggers
|
||
howeva' gots' been changed t'hang de innocent and uh course
|
||
protect da damn guilty. Slap mah fro! Dese 3 messages gots'
|
||
been little mo'e dan fo'matted and censo'ed t'make everyone
|
||
anonymous. Dese here messages gots' been JIBEd, fo' yo'
|
||
sucka'al entertainment...
|
||
|
||
(19) Fri 2 Jul 93 23:36 Sent, dig dis: Fri 2 Jul 23:36
|
||
By, dig dis: De Skud NC
|
||
To, dig dis: Despuh'te node (1:yyy/somenode)
|
||
Re, dig dis: So'ry
|
||
St, dig dis: Pvt Crash Local Sent
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------
|
||
@PID: FM 2.02
|
||
|
||
Just so's ya' know, ah' routed some copy uh dis drough yo' NC.
|
||
Figured as much some busybody as he is, he diserved it. <g>
|
||
|
||
As ya' received some copy uh de message statin' dat I
|
||
would check wid Our RC God prio' t'makin' de number
|
||
puh'menent, ah' finally gots some hold uh him. 'S coo',
|
||
bro. I'm so'ry t'say dat he be right dat based on
|
||
Geographic boundaries ya' cannot join dis net, and gots'ta
|
||
be removin' yo' node number next week. ah' would also likes
|
||
t'point out dat aldough yo' NC may be some control freak who
|
||
enjoys bein' "annoyin'", de results uh any policy complaint
|
||
gots'ta mo'e dan likesly be returned in his favo' on dis
|
||
issue, based on "geographic boundaries". De fact dat yo' NC
|
||
gots'ta no oda' life oder dan t'f*** wid oda' sucka's's
|
||
mail, and butt in whenever de h*** he f****** sheeit pleases
|
||
gots'ta no bearin' on dis decision. 'S coo', bro.
|
||
|
||
Skud.
|
||
Net xxx NC.
|
||
|
||
And in advance t'yo' NC who's probably already eyeball dis
|
||
message. What it is, Mama!
|
||
|
||
'Sup, dude...
|
||
@Via MsgTrack 1:MyNet/Mynode, Sat Jul 03 1993 at 06:43 UTC
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------
|
||
(26) Fri 2 Jul 93 15:58 Rcvd, dig dis: Sun 4 Jul 8:12
|
||
By, dig dis: Busybody NC (1:yyy/0)
|
||
To, dig dis: De Skud NC
|
||
Re, dig dis: So'ry
|
||
St, dig dis: Pvt Crash Rcvd
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------
|
||
In some msg on <Jul 03 00:36>, De Skud uh 1:MyNet/Mynode@Fidonet
|
||
scribbles, dig dis:
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 11 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
TS> As ya' received some copy uh de message statin' dat I
|
||
TS> would check wid Our RC God prio' t'makin' de numba'
|
||
TS> puh'menent, ah' finally gots some hold uh him. 'S coo',
|
||
TS> bro. I'm so'ry t'say dat he be right dat based on
|
||
TS> Geographic boundaries ya' kinnot join dis net, and
|
||
TS> gots'ta be removin' yo' node numba' next week. ah'
|
||
TS> would also likes t'point out dat aldough yo' NC may be
|
||
TS> some control freak who enjoys bein' "annoyin'", de
|
||
TS> results uh any policy complaint gots'ta mo'e dan likesly
|
||
TS> be returned in his favo' on dis issue, based on
|
||
TS> "geographic boundaries". De fact dat yo' NC gots'ta no
|
||
TS> oda' life oda' dan t'f*** wid oda' sucka's's mail, and
|
||
TS> butt in wheneva' de h*** he f****** sheeit pleases
|
||
TS> gots'ta no bearin' on dis decision. 'S coo', bro.
|
||
|
||
TS> Skud.
|
||
TS> Net xxx NC.
|
||
|
||
TS> And in advance t'yo' NC who's probably already
|
||
TS> eyeball dis message. What it is, Mama!
|
||
|
||
TS> 'Sup, dude...
|
||
|
||
Sheeit, based downon de RC's opinion, ah' believe dat in
|
||
fact dere be a bearin' here. What it is, Mama! Continued
|
||
encroachment into anoder area dan de area net xxx be
|
||
sdownposed t'serve undercuts our abilities t'offa' echomail
|
||
at some reasonable cost. Dis becomes some self-puh'petuatin'
|
||
cycle. What it is, Mama! As echomail becomes mo'e and mo'e
|
||
'espensive t'handle on de basis uh a dwindlin' numba' of
|
||
nodes, mo'e and mo'e sucka's would choose t'go wid de
|
||
netwo'k dat offered da damn best "deal". While I sucka'ally
|
||
aint in favo' uh strict geographic 'slusivety, I recon' net
|
||
xxx be gettin' out uh hand in its size and reach. It may
|
||
sheeit be da damn case dat da damn ova' 300-mile reach of
|
||
net xxx be havin' some chillin' effect on de creashun of new
|
||
netwo'ks.
|
||
|
||
Dis wuz whut ah' dought wuz at da damn heart uh a compromise
|
||
on echo cost sharin'. I'm distressed t'see ya' reso't to
|
||
dojigger-callin'. ah' aint called ya' o' anyone in yo'
|
||
netwo'k dojiggers, eida' in public o' in private. What it
|
||
is, Mama! ah' duzn't see da damn need fo' ya' t'lowa' dis
|
||
t'dis level. ah' aint speculatin' on yo' motives o' whut
|
||
radical "freak" ya' may be, eider. Ah be baaad...
|
||
|
||
In de future, ya' may direct-route mail ya' wish t'be
|
||
private. What it is, Mama! It be de only security ya' gots'
|
||
in dis regard. If ya' wish t'route mail drough dis system as
|
||
some routin' convenience, ya' kin assume it gots'ta be
|
||
inspected as be all mail goin' drough dis system. 'S coo',
|
||
bro. Dis system duz not puh'mit encrypted mail.
|
||
|
||
@Via MsgTrack 1:MyNet/Mynode, Sun Jul 04 1993 at 02:27 UTC
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 12 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------
|
||
(30) Sun 4 Jul 93 15:38 Sent, dig dis: Sun 4 Jul 15:38
|
||
By, dig dis: De Skud NC
|
||
To, dig dis: Busybody NC (1:yyy/0)
|
||
Re, dig dis: Privacy and policy
|
||
St, dig dis: Pvt Crash Local Sent
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------
|
||
@MSGID: 1:MyNet/Mynode@Fidonet 5c8f9558
|
||
@PID: FM 2.02
|
||
|
||
cc, dig dis: Despuh'te Node, Local In-de-middle NEC
|
||
|
||
2.1.6.1 No Disclosho' nuff uh in-transit mail
|
||
|
||
Disclosin' o' in any way usin' info'mashun contained in
|
||
private netmail traffic not addressed t'ya' o' written by
|
||
ya' be considered annoyin' behavio', unless de traffic
|
||
gots'ta been released by de audo' o' de recipient as some
|
||
part uh a fo'mal policy complaint. Dis duz not apply
|
||
t'echomail which be by definishun some broadcast medium, and
|
||
where private mail be often used t'keep some sysop-only area
|
||
restricted.
|
||
|
||
@Via MsgTrack 1:MYnet/MyNode, Sun Jul 04 1993 at 22:46 UTC
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Confidential User Records
|
||
|
||
The sysop need for confidential user information
|
||
|
||
Written by: Derek M-K Wong I
|
||
FidoNet (1:221/281.0)
|
||
UseNet (dwong@dcity.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca)
|
||
|
||
In the previous FidoNews, there was an article entitled BBS Rape
|
||
about releasing confidential information to a person who you have never
|
||
met. (It would appear that the Caller ID controversy is starting all
|
||
over again).
|
||
|
||
As a user, I can understand the need for anonymity, as in this
|
||
case, someone was killed after the so-called "confidential" information
|
||
was released. However, the majority of BBS's out there are a lot more
|
||
secure than the one used as an example. I know that I don't feel
|
||
entirely secure about telling a complete stranger my home address,
|
||
telephone number, etc, but as a sysop, I understand why some systems
|
||
demand this information. For example, if there was a user who kept
|
||
crashing your BBS, wouldn't you like to have his/her information so
|
||
that you can warn other sysops of the problem? Also, back to the
|
||
Caller ID controversy, I had a caller on my BBS who claimed that he was
|
||
an SPA freelancer and was going to shut down my Shareware/PD BBS.
|
||
Granted, there are sysops out there who use such information and
|
||
devices for other means, but in all cases, there is always a good use,
|
||
and a bad use. However, I am presently looking into installing the
|
||
Caller ID feature on my BBS line to eliminate software pirates,
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 13 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
hackers, and multiple-account users. Depending on the sysop, the
|
||
amount of private information requested in the New User questionnaire
|
||
varies drastically. Almost all BBS's ask for Name, Address, Zip Code,
|
||
City, Province, and Telephone number, but recently, I was on a system
|
||
which requested Occupation, Ethnic Background, Marital Status,
|
||
Driver's License #, and many other things. Now, I believe that phone
|
||
number and mailing address are required, but that's it. I don't
|
||
understand the need for "Ethnic Background" at all. On my system
|
||
I ask only for mailing address, telephone #, and birthdate (as I
|
||
restrict some message areas to over-16 and over-18's). I can
|
||
justify the need for the information as well. I ask for the phone #
|
||
so I can voice-validate all new users. I ask for mailing address
|
||
in order to establish whether or not the user is eligible for
|
||
long-distance access, and I have already stated why I ask for
|
||
birthdate. To wrap up, I just wanted to express my views on the
|
||
New user questionnaire after reading the article in the last edition
|
||
of FidoNews. Sometimes, people don't understand that it is a
|
||
priviledge to be on a BBS, not a right. After all, the sysop has sunk
|
||
much cash, and much time into his/her system, and the least the users
|
||
can do is tell us truthfully who they are, and where they live.
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
A LISTING OF MACINTOSH ECHOMAIL CONFERENCES
|
||
|
||
Ralph Merritt
|
||
SysOp, The MACnetic BBS
|
||
(908)469-4603
|
||
Fidonet 1:2605/611
|
||
FamilyNet 8:72/27
|
||
|
||
The following is a listing of known Macintosh-oriented echomail
|
||
conferences. This is certainly not a comprehensive listing, but
|
||
it should give an idea of "what's out there". It is presented
|
||
as an information sharing experience; I have limited the list
|
||
to those echos distributed on a somewhat national/international
|
||
basis (MUG-specific, beta-test and restricted distribution echos
|
||
have been excluded). If you have any comments, please contact
|
||
me at 1:2605/611 aka 8:72/27 (FamilyNet).
|
||
|
||
My BBS, The MACnetic BBS, has been operating as an informal mail
|
||
hub for many of the "non-backbone" areas for a number of years.
|
||
There are many additional systems that link to MACnetic and also
|
||
hub these non-backbone echos; some major sites are listed below:
|
||
|
||
Sysop State Address BBS Phone # Supports
|
||
-------------- ------ ---------- ------------- -------------
|
||
Ralph Merritt NJ 1:2605/611 (908)469-4603 14.4 H14/V32b
|
||
Louis Oaken FL 1:135/292 (305)238-2880 16.8 H16/V32b
|
||
Raul Almquist MN 1:282/105 (612)546-2490 14.4 HST/V32b
|
||
Richard Bollar CA 1:125/110 (415)589-5411 14.4 H14/V32b
|
||
|
||
[NOTE: This distribution channel applies only to the NON-BACKBONE
|
||
areas listed below. Backbone echos are subject to local policies]
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 14 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
While several conferences are non-backbone by moderator choice (for
|
||
various reasons, one being a desire freely distribute the echo as
|
||
needed, vs. complying with sometimes restrictive regional echomail
|
||
policies), this informal distribution network has been helpful in
|
||
placing new mac echos on the "official" Fidonet echomail backbone.
|
||
|
||
Many of these echos are currently distributed on portions of the
|
||
Fidonet backbone on an informal basis. Check with your network
|
||
echomail coordinator (NEC) for availability. If you cannot find a
|
||
link, please contact one of the sysops above, and we can either
|
||
provide a link or refer you to a closer node.
|
||
|
||
The MACnetic BBS is located in Bridgewater, New Jersey, on Fidonet
|
||
node 1:2605/611 aka FamilyNet 8:72/27, (908)469-4603. The system
|
||
runs Front Door, Remote Access and GEcho, with a US Robotics 14.4
|
||
HST w/V32b & V42b modem. The MACnetic BBS supports users, points
|
||
and Fidonet sysops who have an interest in Macintosh echos/files
|
||
(and recently, Windows 3.1/NT and OS/2).
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------
|
||
Macintosh - Echos on the Fidonet Backbone
|
||
-----------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
ECHOMAC National General Macintosh Conference
|
||
HERMES_SYSOPS Hermes BBS Support Conference
|
||
MAC4SALE Macintosh Wanted/For-Sale Conference
|
||
MACCOMM Macintosh Communications
|
||
*MACDEV Macintosh Developers
|
||
MACFSALE Macintosh For Sale Echo
|
||
MACHW Macintosh Hardware Topics
|
||
*MACHYPE Macintosh Hypercard-related Topics
|
||
MACSW Macintosh Software Topics
|
||
MACSYSOP Macintosh Sysop-only Conference
|
||
*MACWOOF MacWoof Support Conference
|
||
MAC_GAMES Macintosh Games and Entertainment
|
||
MAC_TELEFINDER Telefinder BBS Support Conference
|
||
MANSION Software Design Support Conference
|
||
SYSTEM7 System 7.X Discussion Echo
|
||
|
||
[A '*' indicates the echo is currently listed in the FIDONET.NO file,
|
||
as there is no EchoList entry for the conference].
|
||
|
||
---------------------------------------------
|
||
Macintosh - Echos Not on the Fidonet Backbone
|
||
---------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
ALTERMAC AlterMac General Mac-oriented Echo
|
||
BBB BMUG Guide to Bulletin Boards & Beyond
|
||
CPOINT COUNTERpoint Support Echo
|
||
FIRSTCLASS FirstClass BBS Support Echo
|
||
MAC_ADS Macintosh Advertisements/For Sale Echo
|
||
MAC_HELP Macintosh Help for Beginners
|
||
MAC_SCIENCE Macintosh Scientific Applications
|
||
MACDTP Macintosh Desktop Publishing
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 15 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
MACFILES Macintosh Files for FREQ (No Points)
|
||
MACFREQS Macintosh Files for FREQ (Points Allowed)
|
||
MACNOV Macintosh Novice Programming
|
||
MACPB Macintosh PowerBook Echo
|
||
MACUK Macintosh United Kingdom-U.S. Conference
|
||
MACVIRUS Macintosh Virus Prevention
|
||
MSDNSYSOP Macintosh Software Distribution Network
|
||
MUGADMIN Macintosh User Group Administration
|
||
NOVALINK Novalink BBS Support Conference
|
||
PCMAC PC-to-Mac Connectivity Echo
|
||
PUBADD Public Address BBS Support Echo
|
||
RRH Second Sight BBS Support Echo
|
||
SIMCITY Discussions of the SimCity Game
|
||
TABBY Tabby (Macintosh Mailer) Support Echo
|
||
TBBSMAC TBBS Conference for Mac Sysops
|
||
WWIVMAC World War IV BBS Support Echo
|
||
|
||
[Some of the above echos have very low traffic volume]
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------
|
||
Macintosh - Usenet NewsGroups
|
||
-----------------------------
|
||
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.ADVOCACY Macintosh Advocacy
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.ANNOUNCE Macintosh Product Annoucements
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.APPS Macintosh Applications
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.COMM Macintosh Communications
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.DATABASES Macintosh Databases
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.DIGEST Macintosh Digest
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.GAMES Macintosh Gaming
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.HARDWARE Macintosh Hardware
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.HYPERCARD Macintosh Hypercard
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.MISC Macintosh Miscellaneous
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.OOP.MACAPP3 Macintosh MacApp Programming
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.OOP.MISC Macintosh Object-Oriented Programming
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.PROGRAMMER Macintosh Programming
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.SYSTEM Macintosh System Software
|
||
COMP.SYS.MAC.WANTED Macintosh Want Ads/For Sale
|
||
COMP.BINARIES.MAC Macintosh Files in BinHex Format
|
||
COMP.LANG.LISP.MCL Macintosh LISP Programming
|
||
COMP.PROTOCOLS.APPLETALK Macintosh AppleTalk
|
||
COMP.SOURCES.MAC Macintosh Source Code
|
||
COMP.UNIX.AUX Macintosh Unix
|
||
|
||
[Local naming conventions may apply to the Usenet conferences)
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 16 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
Teen Net Should Grow Up
|
||
|
||
A response to the founding of "Teen Net"
|
||
by Billy Cash, 1:226/70.0
|
||
|
||
I had to stop to laugh when I read this article in FidoNews 10-27.
|
||
|
||
Ever get mad at the world of FidoNet today, and say 'if I were any
|
||
older, they wouldn't treat me this way'... Well If you are, join Teen
|
||
Net, the Network exclusivly for teens.
|
||
|
||
In this net we'll discuss the everyday life of teenagers, school,
|
||
love, problems, etc.
|
||
|
||
Let's face it, probably at least 35% of FidoNet is made up of teens,
|
||
like myself. And, I would feel more at home, if FidoNet weren't so
|
||
grown up. Not to flame FidoNet, it's Great, but some teens don't
|
||
want to look stupid to the rest of the world.
|
||
|
||
Teen Net one rule, don't be annoying. By this I mean: Don't make fun
|
||
of people just because it's different, Don't close your mind, and be
|
||
open to other ideas (Whoa!)
|
||
|
||
In an article almost completely devoid of grammar, the author Matt
|
||
Riedel says teenagers are treated differently just because of their
|
||
ages. Rubbish! Do the spelling errors, capitalization mistakes and
|
||
missing verbs mean anything? And what's wrong with being "grown up?"
|
||
I'd hate to be in this network. (Imagine City Council run by a bunch of
|
||
pimply high school kids!)
|
||
|
||
I have nothing against other networks. They deserve to exist and usually
|
||
are good supplements to FidoNet itself. But FidoNet should be an
|
||
example to teens. Our quasi-democratic style of "government" and
|
||
instant communication are good tools to learn about how adult society
|
||
work. Kids need to see responsible adults acting responsibly -- and
|
||
whining about everybody else acting too much like adults won't help
|
||
them. I wonder why Matt Riedel bothers with this hobby at all.
|
||
|
||
Billy Cash, 1:226/70.0
|
||
Age 15
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Fidonews Information
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
|
||
------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
|
||
|
||
Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, Tim Pozar
|
||
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello,
|
||
Tom Jennings
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 17 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address of the FidoNews BBS has been
|
||
changed!!! Please make a note of this.
|
||
|
||
"FidoNews" BBS
|
||
FidoNet 1:1/23
|
||
BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS)
|
||
Internet addresses:
|
||
Don & Sylvia (submission address)
|
||
editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
|
||
|
||
Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
|
||
Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
|
||
Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com
|
||
|
||
(Postal Service mailing address) (have extreme patience)
|
||
FidoNews
|
||
172 Duke St. E.
|
||
Kitchener, Ontario
|
||
Canada
|
||
N2H 1A7
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
|
||
copyright 1993 Sylvia Maxwell. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or
|
||
distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in
|
||
other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or FidoNews
|
||
(we're easy).
|
||
|
||
|
||
OBTAINING COPIES: The-most-recent-issue-ONLY of 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 Internet.
|
||
PRINTED COPIES may be obtained from Fido Software for $10.00US each
|
||
PostPaid First Class within North America, or $13.00US elsewhere,
|
||
mailed Air Mail. (US funds drawn upon a US bank only.)
|
||
|
||
BACK ISSUES: Available from FidoNet nodes 1:102/138, 1:216/21,
|
||
1:125/1212, (and probably others), via filerequest or download
|
||
(consult a recent nodelist for phone numbers).
|
||
|
||
A very nice index to the Tables of Contents to all FidoNews volumes
|
||
can be filerequested from 1:396/1 or 1:216/21. The name(s) to request
|
||
are FNEWSxTC.ZIP, where 'x' is the volume number; 1=1984, 2=1985...
|
||
through 8=1991.
|
||
|
||
INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.ieee.org, in
|
||
directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. If you have questions regarding
|
||
FidoNet, please direct them to deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org, not the
|
||
FidoNews BBS. (Be kind and patient; David Deitch is generously
|
||
FidoNews 10-28 Page: 18 12 Jul 1993
|
||
|
||
volunteering to handle FidoNet/Internet questions.)
|
||
|
||
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 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it.
|
||
|
||
"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
|
||
trademarks of Tom Jennings, and are used with permission.
|
||
|
||
Asked what he thought of Western civilization,
|
||
M.K. Gandhi said, "I think it would be an excellent idea".
|
||
-- END
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|