1301 lines
63 KiB
Plaintext
1301 lines
63 KiB
Plaintext
F I D O N E W S -- Vol.10 No.38 (20-Sep-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...................................................... 2
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Clarification of Maximus Y)ell Problem...................... 2
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The Hypothetical Hypocritical Hypochondriac SysOp........... 5
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Shawn McMahon............................................... 6
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MAIL FROM TOM JENNINGS...................................... 7
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Splitting Area Codes........................................ 8
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Info-ZIP utility - a .ZIP alternative....................... 12
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EPubNet - Electronic Publishing Pioneers.................... 14
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"The Fight for Privacy: The Govt. Raises the Stakes"........ 15
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"ZIP Archivers Update"...................................... 20
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The Joy of FidoNet!......................................... 20
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Replies to FidoNews 10-36................................... 20
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(The Innocents)............................................. 22
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3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 22
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 2 20 Sep 1993
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========================================================================
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Editorial
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========================================================================
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First, a short note of apology to Mr. Scott Dudley. Scott
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points off a system that feeds from us, so there was no excuse
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for us not forwarding last week's article to him ... he should
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have FIRST heard of the problem through mail, not the snooze.
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The article in question, however, has a couple of other
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things that should be brought up. Normally, if we received an
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article that told how to crash a BBS, we would not print it
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until after the author had a fix out. In this case, however, I
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received the notes on the problem from three separate sources.
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One of those was a local BBS which had been crashed, and one was
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through an international file echo. Since the problem had been
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so widely announced, I felt that widely announcing the solution
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was in order. There was, however, no excuse for not forwarding
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a copy to Scott.
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On other fronts, articles are starting to trickle in
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regarding E-zines. Several are included in this week's issue.
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We expect several more over the next few weeks, and are also
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amassing a collection of general information on the subject.
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Perhaps a special issue on e-pubs is in order? Please send MORE
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MAIL, this is great.
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========================================================================
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Articles
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========================================================================
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Clarification of Maximus Y)ell Problem
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Scott Dudley
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1:249/106
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Recently, a message was posted in various echoes (and in
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FidoNews, SOFTDIST, alt.ranting.and.raving, etc.) regarding a
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problem with the Y)ell command under a stock Maximus 2.0/DOS
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system. Some parts of the post were correct, but some other
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parts were incorrect as well, so I would like to clarify a few
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points.
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The stated cause and effect are correct, but the explanation for
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"why" makes the problem sound bigger than it really should be.
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In short, to fix the problem, change the YELLREQ.MEC line to
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remove the "%J" and make it read "User yelled for the sysop".
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For those who are interested in a longer description of the
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problem, read on.
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The following quotes are from the original "the sky is falling"
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post:
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>+-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 3 20 Sep 1993
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>WARNING TO ALL MAXIMUS SYSOPS! READ THIS! VERY IMPORTANT
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>+-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-
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>There is a very easy way for a user to crash your Max board it
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>was brought to my attention by Ming Ho (1:250/526). One a
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>couple of occasions, a Maximus board known as "The OH! Zone"
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>(non-Fido B) was crashed by the user issuing the following
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>commands; first, they would use the yell option, and then for
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>the reason, they put:
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> %16,%f,e.t.c
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Up to here, the message is correct. Max will have problems if
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the user enters the string "%f" as part of a yell request.
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>Although the "e.t.c" part more than likely means nothing, the
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>"%" means a lot to Dos. I have thoroughly tested this on my
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>system. It *does* work. There is a simple solution for it
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>however (which I've also tested).
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[...]
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>The reason you do this is because if you don't, there will be an
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>FPU error. Much like as in a programming language, Dos cannot
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>store the wrong data-type in a wrongfully declared memory
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>region. It has no 'type-caste' precautions built-in to it and
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>consequently doesn't know how to handle a statement such as
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>above, i.e. the reason it's crashing is because the user is
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>making an illegal call to the memory regions of the machine--
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>this is why the system crashes, and you *must* hard-boot it!
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This is not true. The exact cause of the problem is as follows:
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After the user enters a request containing a "%f", the [log]
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MECCA token passes this string to the function that adds a line
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to the Max log file. (The token "%J" is replaced by the string
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entered by the user, and if that string happens to include a %f,
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the problem will appear.)
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As part of the logfile processing, the log() function calls
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printf() on the string entered by the user. This was my mistake,
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since the printf function uses the "%" character as a special
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sequence for embedding user-specified text in the output string.
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The "%" should have been automatically escaped before being
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passed to the log function; this will be done in future versions
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of Maximus.
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However, this would normally not be a problem. Although no
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specific arguments were specified for that user-defined text, the
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printf function would have simply read (NOT write) garbage
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arguments from the stack. This would cause a bit of garble to
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appear on the screen, but other than that, it would be harmless.
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However, the reason that this causes a problem is that the "%f"
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command tells Maximus to display a floating-point number. To
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support floating point, C applications need to be linked with a
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 4 20 Sep 1993
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special library which provides that support. Max does not need
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to use floating point numbers, so that support was not included.
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Consequently, when the format string was interpreted by the
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printf function, it realized that floating point was not
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supported, so it printed an appropriate error message. After
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displaying that message, the printf function terminates the
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program abnormally.
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Again, this would not normally be of concern, except for one
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problem:
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When Max starts up, it hooks a couple of interrupt vectors
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corresponding to the keyboard handler. When Max terminates
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normally, these vectors are set back to their original values, as
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they existed before Max was started.
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However, when Max is terminated abnormally, it does not get a
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chance to restore these vectors. This means that, after Max ends
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and another program is loaded, these vectors will be pointing
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into some random piece of code in the other program. This causes
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a system crash the next time that one of these interrupts are
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executed.
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Other than removing the "%J" in the yellreq.mec file, another way
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to solve the problem is to use "MARK" and "RELEASE" around
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max.exe. As long as MARK is run just before max.exe is called,
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and as long as RELEASE is called IMMEDIATELY after max.exe has
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terminated, your system should not crash. The
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floating-point-not-loaded error will still be displayed, but the
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system should keep on running. This is because the crash problem
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is caused directly by the aforementioned problem in Max's
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interrupt vector management, not indirectly by the string entered
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by the user.
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The problem does not have anything to do with DOS, type-casting,
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or the user making an illegal call to portions of the machine.
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The problem does not allow any users to access anything that they
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should not be able to access, so it is not a security problem.
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However, it is a bug which can cause your system to crash when
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the "magic string" is entered.
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This problem only applies to Max-DOS. Although the user can
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cause a copy of Max-OS/2 to terminate abnormally, since OS/2 does
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not allow the application to modify interrupt vectors, Max-OS/2
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will simply recycle instead of causing a system crash. This does
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not cause much of a problem, other than the fact that it will
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automatically hang up on the user when it does so.
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Please address any concerns about this problem to me by DIRECT
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NETMAIL, which is where the problem should have been reported to
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begin with. Although it is normally a good thing to distribute
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the fix for a problem as widely as possible, I am slightly
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disappointed that the cause of the problem was advertised all
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across the world, without any attempt to contact the author!
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 5 20 Sep 1993
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Even then, advertising the method used to crash the system did
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nothing but create unnecessary problems.
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Scott Dudley (Maximus author)
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1:249/106
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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The Hypothetical Hypocritical Hypochondriac SysOp
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The saga continues...........
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by George Dorn
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Please note that the story that follows is pure fiction, and any
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similarity between the persons described and any persons who are
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currently or have in the past breathed the mixture of gases that
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we generally refer to as the atmosphere of the planet Earth are
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purely coincidental.
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The person described herein may be considered a cowardly,
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hypocritical, hypochondriac, unfit for membership of the human
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race. If any particular SysOp thinks the story applies to them
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in some way, well maybe they're paranoid as well. They could
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also be right ;-) Is mental instability a basis for removal of a
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SysOp I wonder?
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Once upon a time, there was a SysOp out in FidoLand, who
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developed a secondary hobby. Communication, via electronic
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means was deemed to be so powerful that it could be used for the
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imposition of one's own moral standard upon others and if this
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were not succesful then reticent offenders could be brought to the
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attention of the authorities. All the tools were in place, A
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computer, terminal emulator and modem were all that were needed.
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Oh, almost forgot, a total lack of a sense of morality as well
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as total ignorance of one's own cowardice were also needed, but
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these are easy to come by in certain parts of our beloved region
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25.
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So, armed with a handful of aliases, a vindictive attitude and
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an acute sense of superiority, our hero sets out upon his quest.
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Every day, he calls BBSs around the country, logs on and
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attempts to extract as much information as possible about
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suspected wrong-doings, wrong-doings in his (warped) mind that
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is. If anything, ANYTHING boys and girls, even remotely tastes
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of sexual activity then the log files are duly shipped off to
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the local constabulary (police for our American brethren), under
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an assumed name, of course. Our hero is never about to do
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anything under his real name, this would imply taking
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responsibility and this is to be avoided at all costs.
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If this hobby were not enough to keep our intrepid hero
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happy, he has another. Not satisfied with dragging his fellow
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hobbyists into disrepute with his BBS activities (his behaviour
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is widely known in the UK) he has lately taken to writing
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accusatory articles, attacking SysOps in other countries, in
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 6 20 Sep 1993
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FidoNews. For this he has either been anonymous or has used one
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of his favourite psuedonyms.
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If you come across this poor excuse for a human being, in your
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BBS, then take EXTRA care, the slime of humanity could be after
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your blood.
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Names he has used in various BBSs around the UK as well as in
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FidoNet articles are
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Rob Austin Andy Brimson
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Charles Wilberforce Jim/James Weir or Skittle
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Mike Eoman / Goman Richard Perkins
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Stuart Green George Dorn
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No doubt some of you wil recognise some of the above names.
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God! One of them is even mine!
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So, the moral of this story is simple, and is there for all to
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see, do not be fooled boys and girls, there really are arseholes
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around.
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For further information, Paul Dickie may be contacted by NetMail
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on 2:256/62
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George Dorn
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Shawn McMahon
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1:206/1701.666
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This is an open letter of apology to the Fidonews Editors.
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You are indeed correct that your netmail didn't get to me; I'll
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be referring my bossnode to your note in the 'news.
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You are also correct that my articles didn't meet ARTSPEC.DOC.
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I have just FREQed a new copy and refamiliarized myself with it.
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However, you are not correct that the problem was the tables;
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every line in that table was under 72 characters.
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In fact, they were all under 70.
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The individual text lines were over 72, and I'd named the
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article with a .TXT extension instead of the proper .ART.
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I just wanted to clear that up.
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Thanks for the great job you've been doing. See ya on the net...
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 7 20 Sep 1993
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MAIL FROM TOM JENNINGS
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> What is the rainbow crowd?
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The Rainbow Family is a giant (10,000+) nomadic cultural thing in North
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America. They look more or less like "hippies". You don't see to much of
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them usually. They are genuinely nomadic, and hold various Gatherings,
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usually a big annual one. Each year in a different US state. About
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10,000 people show up, sometimes less. They take advantage of US Federal
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homesteading laws, much to the chagrin of authorities. Gatherings are
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free, and everyone pitches in -- or not. They don't worry about it.
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There are communal meals (pretty minimal though, poverty is an
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assumption so far in the background it's startling) made up of
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donated/liberated/dumpster-dived food. They are
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not necesseraily
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vegetarians. They have no or barter or minimal economy. I have an
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ex-roommate who is a Rainbow person now. They are definitely way far
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outside the usual channels. They're quite serious. They tend to be
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vehicle-people, white, babies'n'dogs. They disdain alcohol, smoke lots
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of pot. Usually quite trsutworthy. They are dirty.
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Their methodology for gatherings is unique. They have a "welcome
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committee" up where vehicles come in, who tell you where things are,
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where to park, etc. They also scope people out; if they have alcohol --
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generally the only thing forbidden besides firearms -- instead of a
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lecture or whatever, they say "got any alcohol? Let's drink it! Here's
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some of my pot!" and try to get the owner to consume it on the spot.
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Usually works.
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Two years back, in Nevada, the Great Circle gave Welcome Committee duty
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to the Faerie camp (the gay/lez bunch within the Family) because they
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did an excellent job of (1) defusing a bunch of asshole bigots with fun
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instead of anger and (2) "took over" a small stage devolving into bland
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ordinary faux hippy folksy music and turned it into a big open party. It
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was a great honor, apparently.
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Too much hippy for me, though the gatherings are definitly worth
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checking out. They are always the first week in July.
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A Council of oldtimers (which apparently anyone can attend and provide
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input, listened to or not I know not) picks the next years site, many
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months in advance. A few months before, a seed group goes to the site,
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and chooses a location distractingly near the real site. This draws fire
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from the locals and authorities, if any trouble arises, and keeps eyes
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of the actual site. They usually rent an apt or something an have a
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stable mail address. Word is spread mouth to mouth and hand to hand. No
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advertising of any sort is generally done, and as far as I can tell, is
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frowned upon. They deal with legal issues (more and more every year I
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guess) and all that.
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About a month before the actual event, another seed group populates the
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site and starts to prepare it. In Nevada, it took place partly on
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private land; the worked out a deal with the owner that they would leave
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it utterly spotless and would install a water system based upon a
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 8 20 Sep 1993
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water-hammer ("free" water pump power).
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I can attest to the cleanliness thing. In nevada, I was there and left
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early, so there were only a few thousand people. It was *spotless*. On a
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mian trail, someone had dropped about a half-dozen cellophane candy
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wrappers. It was a Big Deal. It was an issue at the Great Circle, and
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instead of castigation and finger pointing (they the do all this stuff
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internally of course, at big gatherings they tend to be fairly cool cuz
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there's fresh faces and fresh energy) they went on about how important
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it was they left the place clean. Seems to work.
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It's a retty cool thing, iff you like hippies, eating oatmeal as your
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main source of nutrition, walking 6 hours into the woods, carrying
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water, being asked to eat food just cooked as you walk down a trail,
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LSD, get really dirty, dig shitters, keep damnfools from shitting in the
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stream, etc etc. There are some christian hippies. There are more queer
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ones. I hate tie-dye, and mistrust peace and loveism. I own guns and
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like computers. Oh well.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Splitting Area Codes
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Spltting Area Codes
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by David Leibold 1:250/730
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Starting 4 October 1993, Bell Canada will split the area code 416
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in the Toronto region into two area codes: numbers in Metropolitan
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Toronto only will retain the 416 area code, while previous 416 area
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code numbers outside Toronto will have their area code changed to 905.
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There will be a six month period in which the 416 area code will
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continue to operate as before, but with the new 905 area code in
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operation. After 25 March 1994, 416 will no longer be valid for phone
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numbers outside Metropolitan Toronto and the split will be complete.
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Area code splits such as this have been all the rage in North America
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in recent years, adding a challenge to keeping the Fidonet nodelist
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up-to-date. The North American Numbering Plan (NANP), as the format of
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area codes and telephone numbers is known, was quite stable until the
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1980s when a splitting spree began. A list of recent and upcoming area
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code splits in North America can be found at the end of this article.
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Why split an area code?
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To understand what prompts the formation of new area codes, telephone
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numbers in North America consist of a seven digit local number in a
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three digit area code (formally known as a Numbering Plan Area or
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NPA), such as (416) 555.2368. The first three digits of a local number
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are called a prefix, exchange or central office (CO) code (the term
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"CO code" will be used for this article). A finite number of CO codes
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can be assigned to each area code, theoretically 800 maximum
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(8 * 10 * 10, given that the first digit cannot be 0 or 1, due to
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their use for operator, long distance, etc). Since codes like 911 and
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FidoNews 10-38 Page: 9 20 Sep 1993
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411 are used for special services, the maximum will be less than 800.
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When nearly all of the available CO codes are in use in an area code,
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the only way to expand numbering capacity is to create a new area
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code (ie. split the area code).
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Who assigns area codes?
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The assignment of area codes in the NANP is the responsibility of New
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Jersey-based Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), jointly owned by
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the U.S. Bell Operating Companies (e.g. Ameritech, NYNEX, Pacific Bell).
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Bellcore's role as NANP Administrator resulted from the divestiture of
|
||
AT&T in the early 1980s. Recent reports indicate that Bellcore wants to
|
||
abandon responsibility for maintaining the area codes and other aspects
|
||
of the NANP within the next 18 months; at the moment it is unclear how
|
||
the NANP will be maintained if this occurs.
|
||
|
||
The original telephone numbering format...
|
||
|
||
Area codes have 0 or 1 as the middle digit (416, 905, 212, 809, etc).
|
||
Originally, this allowed telephone company equipment to distinguish
|
||
area codes from CO codes. That meant calls within an area code could
|
||
be dialed using just the seven digit number and calls placed to other
|
||
area codes were dialed as 1 + area code + number.
|
||
|
||
New CO codes needed...
|
||
|
||
In July 1973, Los Angeles (area code 213) allowed CO codes with 0 or 1
|
||
as the middle digit, increasing the number of CO codes that could be
|
||
assigned within 213 area, and forestalling an area code split. Other
|
||
area codes were set up with this format where extra capacity was needed.
|
||
When these "interchangeable" CO codes were introduced, dialing changes
|
||
were needed to reflect the loss of distinction between area codes and
|
||
CO codes. In some cases, 1+ indicated a call outside the area code,
|
||
while all calls within the area code were seven digits (without 1+).
|
||
In others, long distance within an area code was changed to require
|
||
1+area code on all calls including those within the area code.
|
||
|
||
New *area* codes needed...
|
||
|
||
With all the splits, there would eventually be no more area codes
|
||
available under the current format. Starting January 1995, the NANP
|
||
format will allow for digits other than 0 or 1 in the middle of an
|
||
area code. The distinction between and area code and a CO code will
|
||
be lost throughout North America at that time. Dialing changes will
|
||
be made in all area codes except those that have the interchangeable
|
||
CO codes. The changes to dialing will depend on the particular phone
|
||
company. The first of the "interchangeable" area codes is reported
|
||
to be 334, to split Alabama's current 205 area code.
|
||
|
||
10 digit local calling...
|
||
|
||
In the 416/905 split, local calls across the 416/905 boundary will
|
||
have to be dialed as ten digits. That is, calls from Toronto to
|
||
local points in 905 will be dialed as 905+number, and calls from
|
||
905 to local points in 416 will be dialed as 416+number. There is
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 10 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
no 1+ dialed before local numbers; just a new ten digit local
|
||
calling format.
|
||
|
||
Bellcore published a document on the future of the NANP recommending
|
||
that ten digit local dialing be made the norm everywhere. In fact,
|
||
there is even a recommendation to remove 1+ as a toll indicator, so
|
||
that all calls, whether local or long distance, are dialed as ten
|
||
digits. This is not an official rule at present, and this plan has
|
||
certain advantages (a common dialing method for North America for
|
||
any NANP call) and certain controversies (consumer acceptance of
|
||
ten digits, complications in determining whether a call is toll
|
||
or local, dialing errors may incur more risks, etc.).
|
||
|
||
The document mentioned above is called "North American Numbering Plan
|
||
Administrator's Proposal on the Future of Numbering in WZ1 - Second
|
||
Edition", letter IL-93/01-008. [The WZ1 means World Zone 1, or NANP].
|
||
Write NANP Administration, Bellcore, 290 West Mt Pleasant Avenue,
|
||
Livingston NJ USA 07039; This was available for free, as an
|
||
openly-distributed industry proposal.
|
||
|
||
Internationally...
|
||
|
||
North America is not the only place having numbering plan overhauls.
|
||
The following is list (not a complete one) of numbering changes in
|
||
other countries.
|
||
|
||
London, UK also had a recent area code split of its own, replacing the
|
||
area code 1 with two new codes 71 (inner London) and 81 (outer London).
|
||
This is nothing compared to the changes proposed in April 1995 where
|
||
almost all geographic area codes will have the digit 1 added at the
|
||
beginning. That means London's 71 and 81 codes will become 171 and
|
||
181, while Birmingham's 21 becomes 121. (Within the UK, long distance
|
||
would be dialed with the 0 in front, as 071, 081, 021; the area codes
|
||
are listed as they would be used to call the UK from other countries).
|
||
|
||
Australia will be changing its area codes in the next few years and
|
||
converting to a new numbering plan. New Zealand already has in place
|
||
a new numbering system with single digit area codes and seven digit
|
||
numbers.
|
||
|
||
Even Eastern Europe is changing its numbering plans:
|
||
|
||
- Last November, Romania overhauled its numbering plan so that
|
||
Bucharest's area code 0 was changed to 1, and all other area codes
|
||
had the digit 9 prepended to them.
|
||
- Country codes are also split to reflect the breakup of nations:
|
||
Yugoslavia was country code 38, but as of 1 October 1993 it will be
|
||
split into 381 Serbia and Montenegro, 385 Croatia, 386 Slovenia,
|
||
387 Bosnia and 389 Macedonia.
|
||
- Some of the former Soviet nations are already operating under new
|
||
country codes. In Germany's case, the old East Germany country code 37
|
||
was taken out of service and country code 49 now serves all of Germany.
|
||
|
||
Implications for Fidonet...
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 11 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
Fidonet sysops should be aware of any upcoming changes to local or
|
||
long distance dialing methods and adjust their dialing strings, config
|
||
files, etc accordingly.
|
||
|
||
When area codes change, the phone company usually has a grace period
|
||
where the old area codes co-exist with the new. There is no need to
|
||
rush with nodelist area code changes; remember that phone companies
|
||
in other areas, even other countries, may not be ready for a new area
|
||
code right away. This should not prevent sysops from testing new
|
||
dialing methods in their own territories; the prime responsibility
|
||
for keeping nodelist phone numbers current would seem to rest with
|
||
the regional nets in any case.
|
||
|
||
Announcement of area code or country code changes could be made
|
||
through the Fidonews or other official Fidonet channels. This would
|
||
help sysops keep dialing and cost tables current.
|
||
|
||
List of area code splits...
|
||
|
||
Carl Moore (Internet cmoore@BRL.MIL) maintains a history of area code
|
||
splits and other changes to the dialing plan in the NANP. Those with
|
||
access to Internet FTP capabilities may obtain the full list from the
|
||
site lcs.mit.edu, go to the "telecom-archives" directory, then the get
|
||
the "history.of.area.splits" file. On Fidonet, this can be F'reqd from
|
||
1:250/730, file name ACSPLIT.TXT. The most recent version is dated
|
||
28 July 1993.
|
||
|
||
The following is an excerpt from that list for the area code splits
|
||
announced or in effect since January 1992:
|
||
|
||
212/718/917 New York, 1 Jan 1992 (917, to be overlaid on
|
||
212 & 718, is to be used for cellular & pagers)
|
||
404/706 Georgia, 3 May 1992 (full cutover 3 Aug 1992)
|
||
512/210 Texas, 1 Nov 1992 (full cutover 1 May 1993)
|
||
714/909 California, 14 Nov 1992 (full cutover 14 Aug 1993)
|
||
(Riverside and San Bernardino counties go into 909;
|
||
Orange County remains in 714)
|
||
416/905 Ontario, 4 Oct 1993 (full cutover Mar 1994,
|
||
postponed from 10 Jan 1994)
|
||
919/910 North Carolina, 14 Nov 1993 (full cutover 13 Feb 1994)
|
||
313/810 Michigan, 1 Dec 1993 (full cutover 10 Aug 1994)
|
||
215/610 Pennsylvania, 1994
|
||
205/334 Alabama, 1995 (the first NNX area code to be announced, on
|
||
July 22, 1993)
|
||
|
||
Finally....
|
||
|
||
Acknowledgements are due to: Bellcore, Carl Moore (cmoore@brl.mil),
|
||
Telecom Digest/comp.dcom.telecom newsgroup, Thomas Diessel
|
||
(diessel@informatik.unibw-muenchen.de) for Yugoslavia information.
|
||
|
||
By way of blatant plug, Fidonet does have a telecom echo called MDF.
|
||
Those interested in telephone system discussions might wish to pick
|
||
this up (it should be available on the backbone). The FCC echo also
|
||
had some numbering plan discussions recently.
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 12 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
For another plug, there are files of the CO codes involved in the
|
||
416/905 split. NEW416.LST and NEW905.LST represent the exchanges in
|
||
416 and 905 area codes as split and may be file requested from
|
||
1:250/730. These files are not mandatory for sysops since the
|
||
nodelists will reflect the splitting area codes anyway; they are
|
||
made available for those interested.
|
||
|
||
Hopefully this article will provide some information about the
|
||
changes to occur and spark some discussion and readiness on the
|
||
part of sysops. Comments and further discussion are encouraged.
|
||
|
||
# # #
|
||
|
||
David Leibold
|
||
Fidonet: 1:250/730
|
||
Internet: dleibold1@attmail.com or djcl@io.org
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Info-ZIP utility - a .ZIP alternative
|
||
|
||
Info-ZIP
|
||
|
||
Introduced by David Leibold 1:250/730
|
||
|
||
The .ZIP format for file archive/compression appears to be the most
|
||
prevalent form of compression in Fidonet. The Info-ZIP project seeks
|
||
to provide .ZIP compression for many types of computers. The programs
|
||
and source code developed under the Info-ZIP banner are also free
|
||
to use and distribute for non-profit purposes.
|
||
|
||
The work on Info-ZIP occurs on Internet. Perhaps a similar support
|
||
and development effort should be started on Fidonet, and/or set
|
||
up the Internet Info-Zip discussions as gatewayed echoes. Support
|
||
and distribution of Info-ZIP can alleviate concerns about .ZIP
|
||
programs being primarily shareware.
|
||
|
||
Info-ZIP's new program release is described below, as announced
|
||
on an Info-ZIP mailing list. Note that the files are available
|
||
through the Internet; they are not available on my node (1:250/730)
|
||
at this time. Those with direct Internet access may get the files
|
||
as described below. Inquiries may be made Internet e-mail to Hunter
|
||
Goatley (goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET).
|
||
|
||
. . . . . . . . . . .
|
||
|
||
X-ListName: Info-ZIP Announcements <Info-ZIP-Announce@WKUVX1.BITNET>
|
||
Errors-To: goathunter@WKUVX1.BITNET
|
||
Sender: goathunter%WKUVX1.bitnet@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU
|
||
Message-ID: <9309141649.AA22241@octave.chorus.fr>
|
||
To: Keith Petersen <w8sdz@tacom-emh1.army.mil>,
|
||
Timo Salmi <ts@uwasa.fi>,
|
||
Ari Hovila <ajh@uwasa.fi>, pc-up@uwasa.fi,
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 13 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
Info-Zip-Announce%WKUVX1.bitnet@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU
|
||
CC: zip-bugs%wkuvx1.bitnet@ukcc.uky.edu
|
||
Subject: Info-zip zip 2.0 is available
|
||
Date: Tue, 14 Sep 93 18:49:47 +0200
|
||
From: Jean-loup Gailly <jloup@chorus.fr>
|
||
Reply-To: Info-ZIP%WKUVX1.bitnet@ULKYVM.LOUISVILLE.EDU
|
||
|
||
The Info-zip group has released zip version 2.0.
|
||
|
||
Zip 2.0 is a compression and file packaging utility. It is compatible
|
||
with PKZIP 2.04g (Phil Katz ZIP) for MSDOS systems. There is a
|
||
companion to zip called unzip (of course) which you should be able to
|
||
find at the same place as zip. Unzip 5.0p1 was released on 12 January
|
||
1993 and can extract zip files created by zip 2.0.
|
||
|
||
This version of zip has been ported to a wide array of Unix and other
|
||
systems including VMS, OS/2, TOPS20, Minix, MSDOS, Windows NT, Atari
|
||
and Amiga.
|
||
|
||
Main changes since zip 1.9p1:
|
||
|
||
- new -i option (include only the following names).
|
||
- new -T option to test zip file integrity before overwriting original
|
||
- new -F and -FF (zipfix) options
|
||
- new -D option (do not create entries for directories)
|
||
- new -S option to include hidden/system files on MSDOS and OS/2
|
||
- new -$ option to include a volume label on MSDOS and OS/2
|
||
- new -ll option for CR LF to LF translation
|
||
- new -p option for zipsplit (pause between diskettes)
|
||
- speed up for the fast options (-1 to -3)
|
||
- support for new systems (Amiga, TOPS 20, Human68k, ...)
|
||
- many portability improvements
|
||
- many bug fixes
|
||
|
||
The following files are available. Some ftp sites may not have
|
||
the executables for all systems. See the file Where in zip20.zip or
|
||
zip20x.zip for details on ftp sites.
|
||
|
||
Sources for all systems (first column is the size in bytes):
|
||
|
||
245012 zip20.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 sources (no crypt support)
|
||
17077 zcrypt20.zip Crypt sources for zip 2.0 and unzip 5.0p1
|
||
|
||
MSDOS executables:
|
||
|
||
176302 zip20x.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 MSDOS exe (no crypt)
|
||
155668 zcryp20x.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 MSDOS exe (with crypt)
|
||
|
||
VMS (Vax and AXP) executables:
|
||
|
||
195590 zip20x-vms.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 VMS exe, VAX & AXP
|
||
|
||
OS/2 executables:
|
||
|
||
119533 zip20x32.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 OS/2 32-bit exe (no crypt)
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 14 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
148267 zip20c32.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 OS/2 32-bit exe (with crypt)
|
||
106085 zip20x16.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 OS/2 16-bit exe (no crypt)
|
||
129689 zip20c16.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 OS/2 16-bit exe (with crypt)
|
||
|
||
Amiga executables:
|
||
|
||
131913 zip20x.lha Info-zip zip 2.0 Amiga executables
|
||
130234 zip20x.zip Info-zip zip 2.0 Amiga executables
|
||
|
||
Important note:
|
||
|
||
The encryption code was written in Europe and can be freely
|
||
distributed from any country except the U.S.A. People outside the
|
||
U.S.A must get the encryption sources and executables from a European
|
||
site such as ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de:/pub/comp/os/os2/archiver
|
||
or garbo.uwasa.fi or ftp.win.tue.nl:/pub/compression/zip.
|
||
|
||
Send problem reports to zip-bugs@wkuvx1.bitnet or
|
||
zip-bugs%wkuvx1.bitnet@ukcc.uky.edu.
|
||
|
||
The info-zip group,
|
||
zip-bugs@wkuvx1.bitnet
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
EPubNet - Electronic Publishing Pioneers
|
||
by Dave Bealer (1:261/1129)
|
||
|
||
As mentioned in last week's FidoNews, I have been publishing an
|
||
electronic magazine for a whole year now. When starting Random
|
||
Access Humor I was on my own; the only electronic publications I had
|
||
been exposed to were FidoNews and ModemNews Magazine. Both these
|
||
publications had their influences on my work, although RAH stands
|
||
alone as a unique publication.
|
||
|
||
As time went by I became aware of other electronic publications such
|
||
as Ruby's Pearls, an "Elec-mag" specializing in short fiction. But I
|
||
was still not aware of how many people around the world were laboring
|
||
over their own electronic publications. I worked alone on RAH for
|
||
about five months before being invited to join the Electronic
|
||
Publishing Network (EPubNet). EPubNet is a group of sysops who use
|
||
their FidoNet node numbers to exchange message and file echoes on
|
||
many topics involving electronic publishing (epub).
|
||
|
||
EPubNet message echo topics include: Publishing electronically;
|
||
Writing for Epubs; Running an Electronic Bookstore; Electronic
|
||
authoring tools/readers. EPubNet file echoes (which reside on the
|
||
Filebone) include such areas as: electronic magazines; electronic
|
||
books; electronic texts (including Project Gutenberg etexts), and
|
||
electronic authoring tools/readers.
|
||
|
||
EPubNet users can communicate directly with some of the leaders of
|
||
the budding epub industry, including the editors of e-mags and the
|
||
authors of publishing tools such as the Readroom BBS Door.
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 15 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
Those interested in epub can obtain the EPubNet information file
|
||
(EPUBINFO.ARJ) from the following hub systems:
|
||
|
||
SYSOP LOCATION NODE NUMBER SPEED
|
||
|
||
ZONE 1
|
||
Tom Almy Tigard, OR 1:105/290 14400 v.32bis
|
||
Dave Bealer Pasadena, MD 1:261/1129 14400 v.32bis
|
||
16800 HST
|
||
Mike Taylor Philadelphia, PA 1:273/937 9600 v.32
|
||
14400 HST
|
||
N.L. Hargrove Los Lunas, NM 1:317/100 9600 v.32
|
||
1:317/317 16800 HST
|
||
John Mudge Shelton, WA 1:352/111 14400 v.32bis
|
||
|
||
ZONE 2
|
||
Franck Arnaud Paris, France 2:320/100 14400 v.32bis
|
||
Henk Ellermann Heerlen, Holland 2:512/62 14400 v.32bis
|
||
|
||
(Sysops can FREQ the info file by name or by the "magic name" of
|
||
EPUBINFO from any of the above sites)
|
||
|
||
Although not generally recognized by the mainstream publishing
|
||
industry, epub has the potential to become the hot small press
|
||
phenomenon of the 90's. Catch the epub wave while it's still in the
|
||
"working out of the garage" phase. Once epub hits the "working out
|
||
of the board room" phase, it will be too late.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
"The Fight for Privacy: The Govt. Raises the Stakes"
|
||
Stanton McCandlish,
|
||
NitV DataCenter 1:301/2 (until Sept. 20)
|
||
mech@eff.org
|
||
|
||
[Apologies for the length of this piece. However the issues, to US
|
||
nodes at least, are far more important than preliminary backbone
|
||
policies or griping about nodelist flags.]
|
||
|
||
The Clipper fiasco has just escalated. A lot. Our "representatives"
|
||
in the Casa Blanca and on the hill have shown their true colours.
|
||
|
||
A bit of background for the few who don't know about this yet: In a
|
||
"proposal" this summer, Clinton announced the creation of the
|
||
Clipper/Capstone/Skipjack "encryption" "standard". This scheme uses
|
||
a secret algorithm, for both voice and data encryption in all
|
||
applications, which has not been reviewed for security publicly by
|
||
cryptography experts. There is no doubt in the mind of the vast
|
||
majority of such professionals that Clipper is intentionally weak and
|
||
has built in "backdoors", in addition to the publicly- announced
|
||
backdoor: Key escrow. This procedure places half of YOUR
|
||
cryptographic key in the hands of one "escrow agency", and half in
|
||
another, so that "law enforcement agencies" (not to metion any
|
||
cracker worth the title) can get their hands on the keys to YOUR
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 16 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
privacy, wire tap you at will, and read all of your files, regardless
|
||
if you have not been convicted of a crime, or even charged. And not
|
||
just the relevant material. ANYTHING you have EVER used this
|
||
"encryption" on will be like a book for the SS and police to leaf
|
||
through at will.
|
||
|
||
"What do I care?" Believe me, you will care. In less than 5 years it
|
||
is expected that most telephones and modems, and a great deal of the
|
||
software we use every day, will have built in encryption. It is
|
||
almost inevitable, as this country's industries lose BILLIONS every
|
||
year to industrial espionage. This totalitarian move by Big Bro will
|
||
set the most horrifying precedent for government invasion of privacy
|
||
this country has ever seen. And do not be fooled by any rhetoric
|
||
from the government about Clipper being "voluntary". Ostensibly the
|
||
purpose of the Clipper chip is to catch "drug dealers, terrorists,
|
||
and child pronographers" (Of course. I mean we ALL know these evil
|
||
minions of Satan himself are lurking on every street corner, and we
|
||
all know they are STUPID enough to use "cryptography" that they know
|
||
is compromised, with the cops listening it. Puh-leeeze. And the
|
||
Reds are coming too, and there really IS a Santa Claus.) The ONLY way
|
||
the Privacy- Clipper could be even imagined to be effective is if ALL
|
||
OTHER CRYPTOGRAPHY IS BANNED. Yes that's right. And we all can see
|
||
QUITE clearly that the real purpose of these chips is to spy upon the
|
||
American populace.
|
||
|
||
Another dire result of this action, should it become law, is that it
|
||
will utterly destroy the cryptography industry in this country,
|
||
literally throwing away many people's jobs. Europe is already in the
|
||
lead in cryptographic applications, unhampered by ludicrous export
|
||
regulations that classify privacy software as dangerous "munitions",
|
||
putting crypto under the purview of our beloved BATF. And we all
|
||
know how much they wish to "serve and protect" by burning women and
|
||
children to death for failing to bow down for the bootheel. In
|
||
addition, ALL US industries will suffer staggering losses, as
|
||
Japanese, Indian, European, Korean industrial spies steal our
|
||
technology, again and again and again.
|
||
|
||
Oh, don't get me wrong, someone will benefit. AT&T is supporting the
|
||
Clipper scheme, since they have an exclusive license to make Clipper
|
||
phones. Yes, the faceless corporate monster that charges you ten
|
||
times what telephone service should cost, that colludes with "law
|
||
enforcement" to tap the phones of anyone they care to tap, are to be
|
||
entrusted with YOUR privacy and rights. PKP/RSADSI (Public Key
|
||
Partners/RSA Data Security, Inc., more commonly known as PKP or RSA)
|
||
will also benefit. Their allies in the government have allowed them
|
||
to claim algorithm patents on almost all cryptography applications.
|
||
Yep you heard right. The government has granted OWNERSHIP of
|
||
PROPERTIES OF MATHEMATICS, POSSESSION of NATURAL PROCESSES OF THE
|
||
UNIVERSE. What next? Will GE be handed a deed to sunlight? Perhaps I
|
||
should apply for a copyright on the laws of physics? This ludicrous
|
||
and reprehensible action has resulted in PKP/RSI gaining an almost
|
||
complete monopoly on crytographic applications in the US. I my self
|
||
have received legal threats (you are welcome to a copy if you like)
|
||
from RSA for daring to use non-RSA freeware cryptography software.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 17 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
Recently, NIST, yet another government four-letter-agency, and more
|
||
or less a branch of the NSA, has attempted to grant RSA an EXCLUSIVE
|
||
license to government cryptography standards such as DSA and DSS.
|
||
This crypto was developed with YOUR tax money, and is now to be given
|
||
to a private company to SELL back to you. Do you like paying for
|
||
things twice? Do you like to see monopolies conspiring with the
|
||
federal government to rape your privacy? This action is in blatant
|
||
violation of federal law, as are NSA's refusals, even in the face of
|
||
repeated direct court orders, to yield up information, as required by
|
||
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) about Clipper and other privacy
|
||
matters (such as their involvement with the FBI's "Digital Telephony"
|
||
wiretap bill, which aimed to cripple all future communications
|
||
technology and hamper development to the point of uselessness, to
|
||
ensure that it will always be as easy to spy on peasants like you and
|
||
me as it is now.) The actions of organizations like the ACLU and EFF,
|
||
and individuals like YOU, defeated the FBI scheme, repeatedly. It
|
||
can also stomp the NIST/PKP scandal, and the Clipper scheme in its
|
||
entirety, but only if you act NOW. Do something about this
|
||
immediately, or your children and grandchildren, perhaps even you
|
||
yourself, will live in a world far less pleasant than that envisioned
|
||
by George Orwell. This is NOT a joke, it will NOT go away, wasting
|
||
your time watching Cheers reruns will NOT protect YOUR rights. This
|
||
is a war. It is bloodless, and behind the scenes, but it is no less
|
||
a battle than the American Revolution, and the reasons are almost
|
||
identical.
|
||
|
||
Are you angry? You should be. Read on. As of this writing, the US
|
||
government has announced who it has chosen to be the "key escrow
|
||
agents" for the Clipper scheme (and please note that NO ONE IN THIS
|
||
COUNTRY got to vote on this matter -- if you really believe you still
|
||
live in a democracy, you have been lied to). Early on in the "game",
|
||
the govt. assured all who were concerned that the key escrow agents
|
||
(nevermind that the vast majority of people who were "allowed" to
|
||
"comment" on the matter, and whose demands were utterly ignored by
|
||
our sneering "representatives", decided that no escrow was needed,
|
||
because no damned crippled crypto from the SuperSpook spy house would
|
||
be tolerated) would be private companies with no connections to the
|
||
govt., so the populace could be assured that corrupt "law
|
||
enforcement" and "anti-terrorist" agents would not misuse the keys to
|
||
our privacy. Did this happen? Of course not. The White House has
|
||
announced that one of the escrow agents is to be NIST itself, who
|
||
have a vested (and conflict of) interest in at once devising and
|
||
spreading insecure communications encryption to make it easy for
|
||
their Big Brothers, NSA, CIA, FBI, and SS, spy upon us, while also
|
||
proposing to protect our rights and privacy from just such voyeurism.
|
||
And the other escrow agent? Try an "unspecified" sub-agency of the
|
||
Treasury department. Yes, that's right. The people that brought you
|
||
the Prohibition, the Waco Massacre, the outright theft of anything
|
||
brought into this country that they do not approve of, the robbing
|
||
and destruction of publishers and BBSs all over the country, and
|
||
(imagine that) legal threats and harrassment of people daring to use
|
||
non-crippled, private cryptography for their own uses. How is all
|
||
this possible? Keep in mind that the Treasury controls:
|
||
|
||
The Secret Service. Responsible for the (by now infamous) Steve
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 18 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
Jackson Games case, and the dreaded and sickening Operation Sundevil,
|
||
resulting in the destruction of several BBSs, and lives, in the cause
|
||
of charging people with the "theft" of a telco document which, in a
|
||
blatant and perjurous lie, was valued at over a hundred thousand
|
||
dollars, but which ANY person in this country can buy directly from
|
||
the phone company for under TWENTY dollars. Perhaps the SS should
|
||
stick to what it does best: catching bullets for the Prez. Then
|
||
again, remembering Kennedy, perhaps they can't even do THAT
|
||
competently. The SJG case resulted in a resounding court victory
|
||
against the SS, and it's not over yet.
|
||
|
||
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Surely a great
|
||
combination, especially coupled with our corrupt Treasury.
|
||
Responsible for a variety of atrocities, but most notably the Waco
|
||
Massacre, in which about 80 US citizens were denied their right to
|
||
bear arms, and their right to freedom of religion. They were burned
|
||
to death, men, women, and children, while the BATF told blatant and
|
||
obvious lies to the media and to YOU.
|
||
|
||
The Customs Department. The agency directly responsible for
|
||
enforcing "export restrictions" on cryptography, in defiance of all
|
||
logic and basic common sense. Encryption packages, unless Govt.
|
||
Approved (TM), even if MADE OUTSIDE THE US AND IMPORTED, cannot be
|
||
exported, lest The Evil Bad Guys (R) get ahold of it. Nevermind the
|
||
simple and inescable fact that in most cases they WROTE it in the
|
||
first place. Almost simultaneous with the announcement of the escrow
|
||
agents, was the issuing of several subpoenas by US Customs, to haul
|
||
in people using PGP encryption, even those LICENSED by the "patent"
|
||
holder, our friendly RSA, to do so.
|
||
|
||
SO, yes the ante has just been upped. But they are bluffing. The
|
||
American people have a royal flush. It's called the United States
|
||
Constitution and the Bill of Rights. WE have the right, the DUTY, to
|
||
ensure that our government serves us, not the other way around. The
|
||
govt. exists because we allow it to, and it answers to us. It will
|
||
answer to us, and to YOU, so DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW. Don't take a
|
||
nap, don't watch Oprah, don't have lunch, don't go out dancing. Sit
|
||
down RIGHT NOW, if you care for your rights at all, and draft a short
|
||
note to your congresspersons, your president, and all of the local
|
||
newsmedia. If you don't feel up to this, or would simply like more
|
||
information before deciding that YOU are responsible for YOUR rights,
|
||
and no one will defend them for you, then call NitV-BBS (+1-505-246-
|
||
8515) [new node number to be announced in October] or Jungle BBS
|
||
(+1-505-275- 2339) 1:301/36 and download BIGBRO?.ZIP (there are 4 of
|
||
them at this writing.) In conjunction with the file EFF8-30.ZIP, also
|
||
available from NitV), you'll find well over a megabyte of
|
||
information, debate, commentary, analysis, reports, articles and
|
||
more, from both sides of the Clipper debate, in addition to sample
|
||
letters to send to your "representatives", hints on how to use the
|
||
media, info on the Electronic Frontier Foundation and related civil
|
||
rights organizations you should belong to or support in any way you
|
||
can, and lots more besides. You can FREQ these files from NitV
|
||
(1:302/2, 369:101/1) as BIGBRO.ZIP, BIGBRO2.ZIP, BIGBRO3.ZIP,
|
||
BIGBRO4.ZIP (or get them all at once with the "magicname" BIGBRO.
|
||
EFF8-30.ZIP must be FREQed separately). If you do not wish to login
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 19 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
with your real name, you may login as ANONYMOUS, password GUEST. You
|
||
may also be interested in the UNcrippled cryptography applications
|
||
available at NitV. Due to our favourite US export restrictions,
|
||
crypto files are unfortunately available only to US and Canadian
|
||
nodes.
|
||
|
||
THE TIME IS *NOW*.
|
||
|
||
Are you scared? You should be. If you are not, read this again, and
|
||
get those files, and read them until you understand. Then you will
|
||
be. Maybe that's what it takes. And it will be worth it. ANYTHING
|
||
will be worth demonstrating to our supposed masters that the American
|
||
people will NOT tolerate a regime of bureacrats that think they are
|
||
above the law and can act as judge, jury and executioner rolled into
|
||
one.
|
||
|
||
DISCLAIMER: At this time I speak ONLY for myself, and my statements
|
||
do NOT represent the Electronic Frontier Foundation or any other
|
||
organization.
|
||
|
||
Area Netmail, Msg#244, Sep-17-93 23:41:50
|
||
From: Stanton McCandlish (1:301/2)
|
||
To: Editor (1:1/23)
|
||
Subject: article
|
||
|
||
"CORRECTION, re: Clipper article"
|
||
Stanton McCandlish, 1:301/2 (until Sept. 23), mech@eff.org
|
||
|
||
I'd like to correct an error in my article concerning the govt's
|
||
"Clipper" scheme. The telco document of importance in the Steve
|
||
Jackson Games case was valued at over $80,000, not over
|
||
$100,000. Sorry about that. This error was pointed out by Bill
|
||
Verant at 1:317/50. Also, an update on the very recent news of
|
||
the Customs subpoenas clarifies that it was not simply
|
||
individuals that are being hassled by the Treasury, but entire,
|
||
legitimate, companies. EFF has issued a public statement in
|
||
defense of those who have been subpoena'd, stating that they
|
||
have done precisely NOTHING that is illegal. In the personal
|
||
opinion of this writer, the actions on the part of
|
||
Customs/Treasury can be viewed as nothing but outright
|
||
harrassment.
|
||
|
||
Don't stand for it.
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 20 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
"ZIP Archivers Update"
|
||
Stanton McCandlish, NitV DataCenter, 1:301/2 until Oct.
|
||
|
||
Those of you wishing to get the latest ZIP format archivers from
|
||
my system, please hold off for a while. I've been offered a job
|
||
in DC, and will be moving out there within the month. My system
|
||
will be back online with a new node number ASAP, and I will post
|
||
a list of the latest ZIPers when they are available again. Some
|
||
of these will include versions for VMS, VAX, and AIX, plus
|
||
updates of the Amiga versions, and some other goodies, including
|
||
some source code for various platforms. If Fido won't
|
||
officially adopt ZIP as the new standard for
|
||
archiving/compression, lets simply make ZIP a defacto standard.
|
||
Where practicality and policy meet, practicality wins. Hands
|
||
down.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
The Joy of FidoNet!
|
||
By: Eric Jones (1:3623/12)
|
||
|
||
I've always read in FidoNews, and on the various conferences on
|
||
FidoNet, that the *Cs were "real jerks." Until just last week, I had
|
||
no intentions of EVER joining FidoNet or a FTN Network. I run VBBS
|
||
(I know, it's not a 'FidoNet' BBS), and so far had been content to
|
||
stick with VirtualNET. But I figured, since VBBS features multi-net
|
||
capabilities (VNET, Fido, WWIV, UUCP), I'd use them, and join the
|
||
local FidoNet here in Daytona (Net 3623).
|
||
|
||
Well, I downloaded the info on DaytonaNet, and filled out the
|
||
info required. I set up my software to toss Fido-style messages and
|
||
netmailed my node request to the NC. When I joined VNET, it took 2
|
||
weeks to get a node number, and after 2 months, I couldn't receive
|
||
certain types of messages, because of a mess up in the VBBS nodelist
|
||
upline from me. Well, about 30 seconds or so after netmailing Brian
|
||
Elia (our NC), I received a phone call from him, telling me that my
|
||
request had been received, and that he had a node number ready for me.
|
||
|
||
I set up the info I got from Brian, and later that night, was
|
||
receiving echomail from his bbs. I guess not everything one reads is
|
||
true, or if it is, it is not widespread. I'm happy with FidoNet, and
|
||
don't think I'll ever give it up.
|
||
|
||
This article was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and I had no
|
||
intention of writing to FidoNews when I joined (even though I read
|
||
every FNEWS). I just figured this was the kind of thing that should
|
||
be told to everyone, and I think our NC should be recognized for his
|
||
great work.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Replies to FidoNews 10-36
|
||
By: Eric Jones (1:3623/12)
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 21 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
This is basically some replies to things from FidoNews 10-36.
|
||
And yes, I know that FidoNews 10-37 has come and gone, (I got both
|
||
10-36 and 10-37 at the same time from ftp.ieee.org, today 9/13).
|
||
Well, here they are, hope they are good enough for you! :)
|
||
|
||
Nodelist Flags: Isn't the nodelist hard enough to use as it is?
|
||
I have a 2-something megabyte file sitting in my netmail directory
|
||
mainly wasting space. And no, I haven't been able to take out the
|
||
irrelevant sections, because QEdit won't load it all. More flags
|
||
just mean more disk space, because, in case you haven't noticed, a
|
||
lot of the flags already in use are not needed for certain entries,
|
||
and they are just overkill on the part of the person who added them
|
||
to the entry in the first place.
|
||
|
||
Compression Utility for Fido Telling people what they NEED to use
|
||
may not necessarily be what they WANT to use. Take me for example.
|
||
My archiver of choice happens to be ARJ (not for speed or
|
||
compression, just because I like the features). So what if you can
|
||
get a ZIP utility for every computer made? Maybe there is a sysop
|
||
out there who has a 1.2GB hard drive who has been on FidoNet since
|
||
the beginning, and who is a die-hard ARC fan. Do you really think
|
||
you are going to force him to use ZIP just because it is the official
|
||
archiver? NOPE! He'll just find someone who will ARC the file for
|
||
him before it is sent. He has the drive space to waste, and he
|
||
probably has a 14.4+ modem too, so the extra few bytes aren't going
|
||
to raise his phone bill much.
|
||
|
||
Democracy and XAB and PCs Democracy? On Fido? From what I have
|
||
seen in the last two years or so of being a user on FidoNet boards, I
|
||
have yet to see democracy. It will always be the person higher up on
|
||
the ladder who has the final say. Just look at the US government (or
|
||
any other government). An example would be something like: a state
|
||
makes a law that someone doesn't like, so they take it to a higher
|
||
court trying to get it overturned, who in turn goes up, until they
|
||
get to the highest court in the land, who strikes down the law.
|
||
Until all, and I do mean all, of the sysops in FidoNet take a stand
|
||
and change POLICY4, nothing is going to happen. From what I
|
||
understand, this is an AMATEUR/HOBBYIST NETWORK, and if it weren't
|
||
for all of us 'lowly' sysops, there would be no FidoNet. It's people
|
||
like us who made this net what it is, and no one person (ZC, RC, NC)
|
||
can take credit for that. It was a collective endeavour over many
|
||
years, and many many man-hours of people trying to enjoy THEIR hobby.
|
||
When you take away their rights, you create anarchy.
|
||
|
||
Also about this XAB thing, it's really annoying! :) All I see is:
|
||
He's annoying! She's annoying! NC, I think this is Annoying
|
||
behavior! Do something about it, or we'll replace you with someone
|
||
who will! Define Annoying Behavior. Everyone is annoying sometime
|
||
during their lives. It's human nature. Excommunicating a node just
|
||
because somebody 'in power' doesn't like people who deviate from
|
||
their norms is taking someone's hobby and throwing it out of the
|
||
window. On other networks, I have seen people say "I decided to use
|
||
this software, because blah-blah-blah is Fido-compatible software,
|
||
and I hate Fido because of their stupid rules about XAB, so I got
|
||
this program to run this net, where people don't mind annoying
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 22 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
people."
|
||
|
||
And finally, the thing about Policy Complaints. Policy 4 sucks!
|
||
Yes, you heard it from me! Flame me, I wanna hear your dumb replies
|
||
:>. I can't understand a word of it. It looks like it was written
|
||
by lawyers and law-makers. Gimme a break, why the hell do we need
|
||
'Congress' to make rules for a bunch of people enjoying the use of
|
||
their computers. Make it easy, and people will obey it. Make it
|
||
hard to decypher, people will ignore it.
|
||
|
||
Ok, I'll quit my verbal diarrhea now. Just wanted to get this
|
||
off my mind, and maybe I'll go away for a while and leave everyone
|
||
alone. (But I doubt it). Direct all flames to the address listed at
|
||
the beginning of the article.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
(The Innocents)
|
||
By: Scott Bernard 1:107/653
|
||
|
||
Have you ever, while writing a game, come across some problem you
|
||
couldn't solve? You probably went posted a little something about
|
||
your problem in a Programming Echo, like C_ECHO, or 80XXX, but
|
||
reponses either had nothing really in particular to do with what you
|
||
asked, or the Moderator told you that your question was Off-Topic,
|
||
and to correspond through Netmail. Thats fine and all, but you doubt
|
||
she/he'd let you get away with it a second time.
|
||
|
||
Its obvious an Echo is needed specifically for the writing of Games.
|
||
The topic just needs to be addressed. There's nowhere you can really
|
||
goto to get help on programming project of this sort. More or less,
|
||
cause is more than just programming. Its more Problem Solving.
|
||
Figuring out how to get what you want out of the PC.
|
||
|
||
Sure this is true for almost every sort of programming project, but
|
||
Game writting is more demanding than most projects. You need to know
|
||
about graphics, about low-level hardware interaction, about
|
||
simulations, etc.
|
||
|
||
An Echo full of this stuff would be a real asset to any programmer.
|
||
So, obviously, one has to be established.
|
||
|
||
I've been trying for a few weeks now to get this echo started. If
|
||
you think this Echo is what you or your users need, then please,
|
||
Netmail me at 1:107/653.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Fidonews Information
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 23 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
|
||
------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
|
||
|
||
Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, Tim Pozar
|
||
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello,
|
||
Tom Jennings
|
||
|
||
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.)
|
||
|
||
INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.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
|
||
volunteering to handle FidoNet/Internet questions.)
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 10-38 Page: 24 20 Sep 1993
|
||
|
||
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
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|