380 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
380 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
F I D O N E W S -- Vol.10 No.51 (19-Dec-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..................................................... 1
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2. Articles...................................................... 2
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No UUCP in Sysop Name Field, Please......................... 2
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Usenet Newsgroups for Fidonet Systems....................... 3
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Censorship? Just say NO!................................... 4
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My Viewpoint on the Editor's duties......................... 6
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3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 6
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========================================================================
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Editorial
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========================================================================
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 2 19 Dec 1993
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wow. Am i ever depressed ... just saw somewhere in an echo ...
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some guy totally-pro-free-speach and totally-anti-cencorship,
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who believes so because 'christians" should be allowed to
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discriminate against homo-sexuals, because to be real
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'christians" they must do that, and 'they' shouldn't be
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discriminated against for their traditional views. what a WIERD
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agrument. Who's traditinal views?. dunno. Gotta like that
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variety of opinionations, but there's smething wrong with it.
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can't put my finger on what particular wrong it is, because that
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one's hiding under a rock away from the light of day.
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P.S. Merry Christmass
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========================================================================
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Articles
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========================================================================
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No UUCP in Sysop Name Field, Please
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by Jeff Johnson (1:363/888, !CM)
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An Argument Against Using UUCP in the Sysop Name Field
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A few issues back, Jim Northrup wrote an article stating how he
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felt the use of UUCP in the sysop name field of the nodelist would aid
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those attempting to send UUCP or Internet mail in locating a gateway.
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I think it's more trouble than it's worth. Following is a quote from
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his article:
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Consider the usage of "UUCP" in the sysop name feild, when used
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by many seperate sites in various regions of the nodelist,
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providing a simple choice of gateways for use in an instant if
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there be a nodelist lookup for the name "UUCP".
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In my own eyes, this seems a very simple and straightfoward
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solution to a pile of misdesigned solutions to a simple problem.
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It only comes natural to do what's easiest (speaking for myself
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only).
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[End quote]
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I too wish to do what's easiest, and that is exactly why I am
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against the use of UUCP as a name. Consider this: most of the people
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who will be doing nodelist lookups are sysops, right? I mean, unless
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a sysop has a BBS program which allows nodelist lookups, users aren't
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going to have to worry about which gateway they want to send their
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messages to. More than likely the sysop has a dedicated area for such
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messages which are automatically forwarded to a gateway.
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This brings up my second point: the average sysop (or user) does
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not just sit down and say, "I think I'll send a message through the
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Internet," and fire one off. I know I did a LOT of research before I
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understood the difference between UUCP, Internet, ...!uuvax!joeblow,
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xxx@fyyy.nzzz.zq.fidonet.org, and all that stuff, and one of the
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things I learned was the address of my local Fido/UUCP gateway. There
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shouldn't be that many of them in your area. I live in a medium-sized
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city (Orlando), and we only have two. Granted, if you live near a
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large college, there may be a few more, but you will more than likely
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learn who they are long before you write an Internet-destined
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 3 19 Dec 1993
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message.
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All this leads up to why I think UUCP in the name field is
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cumbersome: when I go to send a message through FrontDoor, I hit
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<Insert> and type UUCP in the To: field. For the longest time, I
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would then immediately type 42 (my gateway) and get on with the rest.
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Then one day a little window popped up. FrontDoor found somebody in
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the nodelist named UUCP! I therefore had to hit <F10> to enter my
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gateway's address. This is an extra step, and not what I consider
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doing "what's easiest."
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In summary, I feel that if you're going to send mail through a UUCP
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gateway, you probably know who that gateway is, and there's no need
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for your editor software to give you a lookup window. Either way
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you're going to have to choose the destination manually, by typing in
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the address or selecting from a window. Typing in the address is the
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quickest from where I stand. Let's leave the sysop name field for
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sysop names.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Usenet Newsgroups for Fidonet Systems
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by: Phillip M. Dampier
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1:2613/228
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USENET NEWSGROUPS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
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FOR FIDONET SYSTEMS
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A group of forward-thinking Fidonet SysOps have developed an
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international echomail distribution system, similar to Fidonet's Zone
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1 Echomail Backbone, which offers usenet newsgroups in Fidonet
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echomail format.
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This system, known as COBRUS, continually receives over 5,250
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newsgroups each day from around the world, on stand-alone, dedicated
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mailservers, converts them into Fidonet echomail format, and
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distributes them to other Fidonet systems that elect to receive them.
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These newsgroups include the seven major hierarchies (alt, comp, misc,
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sci, soc, rec, talk) in addition to many newsgroups from other parts
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of the world like Russia, France, Australia, Germany, etc., and
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regional newsgroups that are usually limited in geographic
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distribution (i.e. ca, tx, ny, etc.). COBRUS automatically receives
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all new newsgroups when they are created. The system also provides
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Internet/uucp mail for Fidonet systems using these newsgroups.
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Members of Fidonet can receive these newsgroups using the same
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software that they use now for Fidonet. All the conversions are done
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by COBRUS. Fidonet SysOps just treat each newsgroup like a Fidonet
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echomail conference. The mailer and tosser/scanner they are currently
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using is all the software needed to read and post in the newsgroups.
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For a list of more than 5,250 newsgroups currently available, file
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request ACTIVE.ZIP from 1:2613/333 or 1:2613/228. A variety of feeds
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are available - ZyXEL modems, USR Dual Standards, 28.8 V.FC modems,
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 4 19 Dec 1993
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etc. Sites utilizing different long-distance carriers are also
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available.
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To establish a feed or for more information, please contact Jerry
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Seward as follows:
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Fidonet: 1:2613/333.0 (mail only, no BBS at this address)
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Internet: jerry@rochgte.fidonet.org
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Voice: 716-594-0943 (0900 - midnight Eastern)
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FAX: 716-594-1222
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Censorship? Just say NO!
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by Bryan Price, Burning Point 1742
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1:226/250
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Daniel Hagan's letter has struck a note with me. To wit:
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>I can understand your reasoning in trying to allow "freedom of the
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>press", but there comes a point where common sense must be exercised.
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Just *who's* common sense?
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>As editor, it is your responsibility to overview the article
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>submissions and *NOT* just to be looking for ARTSPEC.DOC infractions.
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>I'm sure someone could write a program to handle that task if that's
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>all there is to your position.
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>Case in point: Your local newspaper has a "Letter to the Editor"
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>section which is as close as it comes to a Fidonews type delivery.
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>In that area, even though you are free to express whatever thoughts
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>you have on a subject, articles like those published in recent and
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>past Fidonews would never make print. Why? Because it is assumed you
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>should be able to make your point without resorting to the types of
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>terms used in the .A46 release. Freedom of speech, YES...freedom to
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>print whatever arrives merely for "shock" value, NO!
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Shock value *is* a form of expression, and therefore *is* protected
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by Freedom of Expression. The U.S. Constitution does *not* guarantee
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Freedom of Speech, as everybody likes to put it, but Freedom of
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Expression. An important distinction. But enough of the lesson on
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citizenship.
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You point to newspapers as an example. So be it. Here in Columbus,
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OH we have been reduced to one major daily newspaper. Of course, it
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you read the editorials, you're going to find what some people call
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"decent" langauage. Why? Because they cannot afford to get some
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people upset, as you obviously are. But their reasons are *not*
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simply to get the news out. This is a *major commercial* company.
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They can't afford any real controversy, otherwise they may drop both
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readers *and more importantly* advertisers.
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Now, on the other hand, we currently have 3 alternative weekly
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 5 19 Dec 1993
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newspapers. While they're out to make a buck, they are following a
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higher calling, reporting on things that the major paper doesn't want
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to report, such as the major bailout of Ameriflora '92. They also
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have no compunction about using four letter words in letters to the
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editor, news articles, and *even* editorials by the editors! Even the
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advertisers get into the act. "Seriously Headfuct", while being
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somewhat profane is also somewhat profound.
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>As editor(s) of Fidonews, you should consider resigning the position
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>due to malfeasance. Fidonet is supposed to be a community network.
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>Its official publication should also follow suit with its overall
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>appearance and content matter being much like that of a community
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>newspaper or publication. In short, acceptable to all age groups.
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The editors are not public officials, therefore malfeasance really
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doesn't apply.
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In my past example of the weekly newspapers, all three are
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"community" newspapers, available for FREE. You just walk into a
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bookstore, newstand, just about anywhere and pick one up. I haven't
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seen *any* indication that church groups, or anybody else for that
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matter are calling for them to "mend their ways".
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>...
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>As NC for my net, I am
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>required to "make Fidonews available" and that it may even "encourage
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>new sysops to join Fidonet."
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>...
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>If these types of articles are going to continue, I will
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>still "make Fidonews available" as required by Policy 4, however it
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>will be by File Request only and no copies will be available to users
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>off of my system. I will also discontinue collecting back issues as
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>I currently do.
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If that's the way you feel, then go ahead. I'd also make sure that
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you no longer read it, since it offends you so much. That's too bad,
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because I think you'll be missing out.
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As a side note, I reviewed A46 to see just what was so bad. Two four
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letter words. One, I know I've heard many a time from both parents,
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usually in a sentence as "You little ----!" The other one I didn't
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pick up until high school, at least as a curse. Does that make me
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demented? I don't think so, not for being called a little piece of
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defecation. (Does *THAT* make you feel better??) Overall, I
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certainly had no problem with them being in the issue.
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 6 19 Dec 1993
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My Viewpoint on the Editor's duties.
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By Brendan Keyport, 1:138/185 (SuperNet 43:1240/401, Worldnet 62:420/20)
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=========
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Here is my ViewPoint on the editor's duties as relating to FIDONEWS:
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1) It's their job, let them do it. Look at this: Without these folks, There
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may not even be a FIDONEWS to read. Imagine FIDONET without FIDONEWS...
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Because there is not a Global 'Required' Echo, there would be no sounding
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board for your viewpoint. Yes, some may argue that there are international
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SYSOP echos, but, do YOU carry ALL OF THEM?
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2) The Editor(s) should only edit to meet up with accepted standards
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for publication. Accepted standards as far as I'm concerned is (based on my
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local newspapers' standards):
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a) No Obsenity (As Accepted by the public in general)
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b) Written as center to the issue as possible (No one sided articles)
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c) Make your point clearly.
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d) Assure spelling and grammer match the 6th Grade level.
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(6th grade level is where reading is easiest for most folks)
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e) NO CENSORSHIP, unless there is valid reasoning as outlined
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above, and in that case, only editing to meet guidelines.
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3) Publish on a regular basis, and in a format all can read. This currently
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is being only done part-way... FidoNews has a great schedule, but some
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computer platforms cannot read/decompress LZH files. Use of ARC (the Fido
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Standard one) would be preferred.
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Comments are welcome, please write reply articles to FIDONEWS instead of my
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address.
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Thanks.
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Brendan
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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========================================================================
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Fidonews Information
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========================================================================
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------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
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Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, Tim Pozar
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Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello,
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Tom Jennings
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IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address of the FidoNews BBS has been
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changed!!! Please make a note of this.
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"FidoNews" BBS
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FidoNet 1:1/23
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BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS)
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Internet addresses:
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Don & Sylvia (submission address)
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 7 19 Dec 1993
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editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
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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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(Postal Service mailing address) (have extreme patience)
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FidoNews
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128 Church St.
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Kitchener, Ontario
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Canada
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N2H 2S4
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Published weekly by and for the members of the FidoNet international
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amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual
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articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The
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contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the
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rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those
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of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews.
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Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
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copyright 1993 Sylvia Maxwell. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or
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distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in
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other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or FidoNews
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(we're easy).
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OBTAINING COPIES: The-most-recent-issue-ONLY of FidoNews in electronic
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form may be obtained from the FidoNews BBS via manual download or
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Wazoo FileRequest, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet.
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PRINTED COPIES may be obtained from Fido Software for $10.00US each
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PostPaid First Class within North America, or $13.00US elsewhere,
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mailed Air Mail. (US funds drawn upon a US bank only.)
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INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org, in
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directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. If you have questions regarding
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FidoNet, please direct them to deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org, not the
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FidoNews BBS. (Be kind and patient; David Deitch is generously
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volunteering to handle FidoNet/Internet questions.)
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SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
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FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
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ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable
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from 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it.
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"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
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trademarks of Tom Jennings, and are used with permission.
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Asked what he thought of Western civilization,
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M.K. Gandhi said, "I think it would be an excellent idea".
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-- END
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----------------------------------------------------------------------
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FidoNews 10-51 Page: 8 19 Dec 1993
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