516 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
516 lines
24 KiB
Plaintext
F I D O N E W S -- Vol.11 No.11 (14-Mar-1994)
|
||
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|
||
| A newsletter of the | |
|
||
| FidoNet BBS community | Published by: |
|
||
| _ | |
|
||
| / \ | "FidoNews" BBS |
|
||
| /|oo \ | +1-519-570-4176 1:1/23 |
|
||
| (_| /_) | |
|
||
| _`@/_ \ _ | Editors: |
|
||
| | | \ \\ | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 |
|
||
| | (*) | \ )) | Donald Tees 1:221/192 |
|
||
| |__U__| / \// | Tim Pozar 1:125/555 |
|
||
| _//|| _\ / | |
|
||
| (_/(_|(____/ | |
|
||
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
|
||
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
|
||
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|
||
| Submission address: editors 1:1/23 |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| Internet addresses: |
|
||
| |
|
||
| Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
|
||
| Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
|
||
| Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com |
|
||
| Both Don & Sylvia (submission address) |
|
||
| editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
|
||
| obtaining copies and other boring but important details, |
|
||
| please refer to the end of this file. |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Table of Contents
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
|
||
1. Editorial..................................................... 1
|
||
2. Articles...................................................... 3
|
||
The History of Fidonet another progress report.............. 3
|
||
Reply to an Article in FidoNews............................. 5
|
||
COUNTRY Echo - Message with your friends in low places...... 7
|
||
ANNOUNCEMENT: NoSnail v1.10 for RBBS....................... 8
|
||
3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 9
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Editorial
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 2 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
|
||
I had a longish arguement/discussion/thread with a local
|
||
bussinessman on one of the local echos this week. It started
|
||
with the intervention of the moderator to a new user, progressed
|
||
quickley to the standard clash of power-tripping vs
|
||
Free-Speech thread number 6, and then nicely evolved into a
|
||
disscussion of Fido philosophy, and why the echos had been set
|
||
up like they have been.
|
||
|
||
Several things occured to me during the whole thing. First
|
||
of all, Fidonet is growing up. I see far less flames, and far
|
||
more literate and interesting posts. The crowd seems to be
|
||
older. Secondly, there are a lot of people that are new to the
|
||
net, and do not understand the beginnings of Fido, or why
|
||
things are set up the way they are.
|
||
|
||
Fido is ten years old this year.
|
||
|
||
Marge Robbins @ mrobbins@wps.com is writting a book on Fido's
|
||
history, and portions of that research will be published
|
||
here. I would like to ask some of the old-timers to start
|
||
thinking of articles. We want to hear why you got involved, and
|
||
what you want the net to look like. What you think the
|
||
strengths and weaknesses are. What you think we should do about
|
||
them.
|
||
|
||
enditorial by me: 1:1/23
|
||
|
||
hello. i was supposed to reply to last week's plea for lack of
|
||
expletives now, but i can't because i'm lying, passed out, on the
|
||
couch. i should mention what i might have said, anyway, for fun.
|
||
I'm only dreaming, though, so this doesn't count as part of our
|
||
argument game.
|
||
|
||
i'm becoming <bemused> somewhat paranoiac, bopping around amidst the
|
||
electric <sic.> community because i do not know what is real anymore.
|
||
i used to see by-lines, serious looking news announcers in suit
|
||
jackets, and recognizable titles of journals with academic reputations.
|
||
I don't see those things much, on the net. I no longer have a
|
||
preconceived, subconsciously accepted and exclusive list of sources for
|
||
"truth" which i could always depend upon to provide me with a framework
|
||
for telling differences between "normality" and "otherwise". Hence i'm
|
||
lible to believe anything.
|
||
|
||
i'm writing this with a pen on the back of an envelope which was used
|
||
to convey an issue of ANIMADVERSE, an anarchist journal with a box
|
||
number address and no names on anything. Why should i believe any of
|
||
the news in it? I can't point a finger at a writer and hold them to
|
||
their version of truth. [Actually, i like this kind of publication
|
||
because it has a personal style to it, like net mail and unlike big
|
||
media stuff. I'd rather learn from people than from spewing robots.]
|
||
|
||
How can i tell the difference between urban myth and real statements
|
||
of facts? I need to know the difference between those things, so i
|
||
can know what things require action and judgements and which things
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 3 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
should inspire only laughter, right? Don't i need to know this? Do
|
||
i need semeone to tell me which is which? Before the net made so
|
||
much information instantly available, i had institutions and figures
|
||
to lend credence to stuff, right?
|
||
|
||
K, so, maybe i am suspicious of how good a job such entities have been
|
||
doing of thinking for me, but at least i didn't have to be personally
|
||
responsibe for my beliefs if i didn't want to be liable for them. And
|
||
i don't have those any more! I have no more excuses. Now i have to be
|
||
my own institutions and everything. The net makes me NEED to hone
|
||
whatever facilities i might innately discover for making choices about
|
||
what to believe.
|
||
|
||
oh - about the "expletive".. Which expletive?
|
||
|
||
The only true curse on the net is untruth.
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Articles
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
The History of Fidonet another progress report
|
||
By Marge Robbins
|
||
1:283/120 or mrobbins@wps.com
|
||
|
||
So many exciting things have happened since last I wrote for the
|
||
snooze I scarcely know where to begin. Tom Jennings <Who I don't
|
||
think knows how to say no> has sent me a whole box of items from
|
||
Fidonet's past. Some have, compliments of NC283 Keith Sippy, been
|
||
turned into JPGs and will eventually become available to all
|
||
interested parties.
|
||
|
||
NC107 Burt Juda has made available diskspace on ftp.fidonet.org as a
|
||
permanent home for the files I have been accumulating. Some files
|
||
are there now, available by anonymous FTP, and others are on their
|
||
way. Once they are approved by TJ I will be uploading some of the
|
||
JPGs to that site. I would also like to make the collection available
|
||
via freq from several Fidonet systems around the country. If anyone
|
||
who has lots of disk space would like to volunteer please contact me.
|
||
You must be willing to commit at least 30mg to be on the safe side.
|
||
The snoozes alone are 10.
|
||
|
||
You can keep track of what is new in one of several ways. FTP there
|
||
of course change to pub/fidonet/history and issue the directory
|
||
command. OR gopher to ftp.fidonet.org and see what's in my directory.
|
||
On the Gopher menu the item you want is Fidonet History.
|
||
|
||
Due to Mr. Jenning's generosity and earnest desire to help in any
|
||
way<he really has been wonderful folks>, I have a more or less
|
||
permanent account on WPS.COM. This morning I spent a considerable
|
||
amount of time playing <read that fighting> with his mail program and
|
||
now have a functional fake mailing list set up for this project.
|
||
Anyone who wants to keep up to date on this project can be added to
|
||
my mailing list. Just contact me on WPS.COM.
|
||
|
||
I suppose since the Internet tends to be very confusing to most of us
|
||
<Me included and I've been romping on it for almost a year now> it
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 4 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
might be a good idea for me to digress and give some basic
|
||
instructions. If you have an internet address, use it and skip this
|
||
paragraph. I'm at mrobbins@wps.com. If you are stuck with a
|
||
Fidonet address and want to receive my progress reports send a netmail
|
||
message in the following fashion... To: UUCP at 1:1/31. ON THE
|
||
FIRST LINE in the body of the message put to: mrobbins@wps.com. And
|
||
yes, I do get mail at 283/120 but am not as likely to act on it in as
|
||
timely manner as I am something that shows up on WPS.COM.
|
||
|
||
My current project is slogging through a 1 mg+ file of articles I
|
||
have culled from back issues of the snooze. sorting and indexing.
|
||
Some are historical, some of just human interest. Here's one of my
|
||
favorites. Fidonet's first baby.
|
||
|
||
Fido227 8/19/85
|
||
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
The First FidoBaby
|
||
|
||
Ken Kaplan (Fido 51) and his wife Sally now have the first
|
||
official FidoBaby, named Eric Samuel Kaplan. Sally wants to
|
||
wait for awhile before she'll let Ken assign him a node
|
||
number.
|
||
|
||
We'd like to welcome Eric as the newest and youngest member
|
||
of the growing Fido family, and offer him our best wishes.
|
||
We'd also like to extend our congratulations to Ken and
|
||
Sally.
|
||
_________________________________________________________________
|
||
|
||
And just as a fire won't burn in a vacuum, this project would be
|
||
going nowhere fast without lots of good help. All of the folks in the
|
||
following list have contributed in some way, from helpful
|
||
suggestions, to donations of files, to sharing of memories to Burt
|
||
and Tom contributing time, disk space and memories. My thanks to
|
||
all. If you have helped in any way and are not on this list, please
|
||
accept my apologies and contact me so I can add you.
|
||
|
||
FIDONET HISTORY PROJECT CONTRIBUTORS
|
||
|
||
Tom Jennings, Burt Juda, Keith Sippy, David Drexler, Dan Buda, Butch
|
||
Walker, Bob Davis, Bob Morasvik, Jack Winslade, Michale McCabe, Peter
|
||
Stewart, Terry Mueller, Bert Happel, Joshua Lee and probably many
|
||
others whose names I neglected to safely store.
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 5 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
|
||
Reply to an Article in FidoNews
|
||
by Darren Ryall 1:153/822@fidonet.org
|
||
Date: 11 Mar 94 13:38:57
|
||
|
||
What did Robert Robertson say again? Oh yeah...
|
||
|
||
RR> Unnecessary Expletives.
|
||
|
||
RR> I was reading the February 21, 1994 (Vol 11 No 8)
|
||
RR> edition of Fidonews and was shocked to see the use of
|
||
RR> an inflammatory word in the editorial. If you're
|
||
RR> wondering what word, go back and read it for yourself.
|
||
RR> There are many young users who read Fidonews. I've
|
||
RR> always enjoyed reading Fidonews, but this type of
|
||
RR> language is totally unnecessary. On our board, we try
|
||
RR> to maintain a family type atmosphere and when a young
|
||
RR> user or anyone else can go to the bulletin menu and
|
||
RR> read this type of trash does not give Fidonet and the
|
||
RR> BBS community a very good image. I hope that in the
|
||
RR> future that the editors will delete these unnecessary
|
||
RR> expletives.
|
||
RR>
|
||
RR> Robert Robertson 1:3607/5
|
||
RR> eobytes!robert@vulcan.com
|
||
|
||
Okay Robert....now that we've started in on Fidonews...let's
|
||
start in on American television. And then American radio.
|
||
Now, let's go after the satellite feeds to require that all
|
||
messages be pure and wholesome. Now, let's go after all
|
||
international sources of profanity. Okay, now let's go
|
||
after the American Constitution, and while we're at it...all
|
||
constitutions everywhere amending such with a clause saying
|
||
that all thought, actions and words must be bunnies and
|
||
light...without coarse or rough language. Now, define
|
||
coarse or rough language. Now try to enforce it. And while
|
||
we're at it, define unnecessary expletives. I know some
|
||
people that think the word "Gee Whiz" is the height of
|
||
profanity. I know others who use terms regularily that
|
||
would probably make my father blush.
|
||
|
||
What is unnecessary and vulgar to you does not apply to
|
||
the world, Robert. And also, please keep in mind that you
|
||
are also reading what is essentially a public newsletter
|
||
sent out by two private individuals who have the right to
|
||
really print anything that they see fit to print. And
|
||
speaking from personal experience, they probably are really
|
||
tired of seeing all these messages telling them what they can
|
||
or cannot print.
|
||
|
||
If you think that what they are printing is vulgar, then
|
||
fine...delete the Fidonews or else make it unavailable for
|
||
public viewing. Or complain to your higher's up...you have
|
||
that right. I personally see nothing wrong in what the
|
||
FidoNews prints...and have watched the editors bend over
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 6 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
backwards to ensure that every party in FidoNet is equally
|
||
represented. No matter how distasteful that taste may have
|
||
been to themselves personally at times...their
|
||
responsibilities to their readers is upheld, and they stick
|
||
by what they print. If you have a problem with that idea,
|
||
then by all means...censor what goes into your BBS so that the
|
||
BBS world for your users conforms to what you feel it should
|
||
be.
|
||
|
||
Again, that is your right.
|
||
|
||
But with a world full of seedy dives, and seedier
|
||
characters...you're never going to get rid of vulgarity and
|
||
you're white-washing the world to attempt to cover the cracks
|
||
that will always be there. And setting up anyone who sees
|
||
only that Care Bears and Teddy Ruxpin view of the world for a
|
||
really nasty fall someday. Because by not educating those
|
||
that have less knowledge of the world than yourself...you
|
||
leave them open to exploitation and manipulation by those
|
||
who may not have their best interests at heart, as you
|
||
yourself undoubtedly do. And let me tell you Robert...
|
||
there's nothing sadder to see than a glassy-eyed follower
|
||
who traipses along lemming-like behind some god-like figure.
|
||
|
||
You probably remember a similar incident that happened in
|
||
Waco, Texas, right? An entire compound of people followed
|
||
one man to their deaths.
|
||
|
||
Therein lies the danger of control Robert...we have free
|
||
speech and freedom of expression to help prevent another
|
||
Stalin, or another Hitler. It leaves us open to those
|
||
that would try to exploit others, surely. And it leaves
|
||
us open to any sicko that wants to walk along the street
|
||
and proclaim that their view of the world is the only True
|
||
One. But it also allows you free to say what you have to
|
||
say...and for me to reply to that opinion. Whether you
|
||
agree with me or not is totally irrelevant...at least our
|
||
messages get across to others. And be careful of who you
|
||
judge...you also fall short of other's standards. As do I.
|
||
As does the FidoNet itself, and the FidoNews. As does every
|
||
creation of man on this planet or beyond it. Because we're
|
||
HUMAN, and have human weaknesses and faults.
|
||
|
||
And that's why we here I guess...to learn to live with our
|
||
faults and to strive to overcome them. To attempt to
|
||
become a more perfect being through religion, through
|
||
self-learning, through whatever method is right for that
|
||
person. And you have the chance to do it Robert...thanks
|
||
to your history, your country, and your upbringing. Not all
|
||
are lucky enough to be able to say that in the sphere that
|
||
FidoNet encompasses. Thank your blessings, and learn to
|
||
love others for their faults...as for their blessings. And
|
||
the world will come a lot closer to being that bunnies and
|
||
light picture that you always wanted it to be. Because the
|
||
key to freeing the world is to win the battle inside first
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 7 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
and foremost.
|
||
|
||
...And I thought this was going to be simple....
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
COUNTRY Echo - Message with your friends in low places
|
||
COUNTRY Echo - Message with your friends in low places
|
||
by John Cosper (1:123/302)
|
||
|
||
Problem:
|
||
You like Country music (no, this is not the problem). The first
|
||
couple of bars from any song by Reba, Garth, or Dwight sends chills
|
||
down your spine and threatens to knock off your cowboy hat and spurs
|
||
(this is not the problem either). But, if you look at the national
|
||
echo listing, there is not a national echo available to talk about
|
||
your favorite singers (at last, we get to the problem!). You've
|
||
already been chased out of the CD_ECHO, MUSIC, and even
|
||
60S_70S_PROG_ROCK echos by Tori-Amos-worshipping, Axl-Rose-imitating,
|
||
alternative-listening metal maniacs. What do you do??
|
||
|
||
Solution:
|
||
Pick up the COUNTRY echo!
|
||
|
||
The COUNTRY echo is now available from John Cosper at 1:123/302. It
|
||
is already on the official backbone of Net 123 echos and is wanting
|
||
to expand its borders beyond the Memphis area. Now is YOUR chance to
|
||
help a future national echo get off the ground and talk about Country
|
||
music with people who have actually seen the furniture at Graceland
|
||
and lived to tell about it!
|
||
|
||
Here are the requisite particulars...
|
||
|
||
Tag: COUNTRY
|
||
Purpose: The discussion of Country music
|
||
Moderator: John Cosper
|
||
|
||
Rules:
|
||
1. This echo is for the discussion of all aspects of Country music.
|
||
"SOME" chatter is expected and allowed, but too much will result
|
||
in a message from the moderator. Which brings us to #2...
|
||
|
||
2. Let the moderator moderate. Just because you may not see an
|
||
official message from the moderator to a particular person
|
||
does not mean the situation isn't being handled. Your response
|
||
to an off-topic message is also considered off-topic.
|
||
|
||
3. The discussion of bootlegs or the unlawful copying or
|
||
distributing of copyrighted material is forbidden.
|
||
|
||
4. Flames are not permitted at any time.
|
||
|
||
5. These rules are subject to change at any time.
|
||
|
||
So what are you waiting for?? Drop me a line at 1:123/302 today and
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 8 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
start dissing Wynonnah's weight problem tomorrow!! :)
|
||
|
||
This brings an end to my sales pitch. Thanks for your time.
|
||
|
||
John
|
||
The Music Room, 1:123/302
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
ANNOUNCEMENT: NoSnail v1.10 for RBBS
|
||
|
||
ANNOUCEMENT: NoSnail v1.10 for RBBS
|
||
by Eddie Rowe @ Fidonet#1:136/1.0
|
||
|
||
(Monroe, LA USA) Just over a year after its initial release,
|
||
WER Development unveiled its latest update of its Fidonet & Internet
|
||
connectivity add-on for the RBBS-PC Bulletin Board System, NoSnail
|
||
version 1.10.
|
||
|
||
The NoSnail utility allows RBBS-PC sysops to grant OUTGOING netmail
|
||
access to Fidonet technology domains to their users without incurring
|
||
undo economic hardship from delivering the mail to the remote systems
|
||
scattered throughout the world. Internet connectivity is possible by
|
||
utilizing a Fidonet to Internet gateway -- some users of NoSnail
|
||
operate such gateways themselves, while others use Fidonet connectivity
|
||
to move to remote gateways. Since exported netmail may be written to
|
||
the *.PKT FTS-0001 standard or to the *.MSG format, NoSnail works with
|
||
virtually any Fidonet compliant mailer as well as the current range of
|
||
Fidonet compatible mail products.
|
||
|
||
New in the 1.10 release of NoSnail:
|
||
|
||
Ported to the "C" programming language from PDS 7.x
|
||
Enhanced Internet addressing for Fidonet <-> Internet traffic
|
||
External language file for non-English systems
|
||
Optional explicit OverMail support
|
||
Optional Domain addressing support
|
||
Solved random problems for OS/2 users (DOS Box)
|
||
|
||
Availability:
|
||
|
||
Submitted on 03/10/94 to the Simtel Archive Site (oak.oakland.edu)
|
||
for the ~pub/msdos/rbbs_pc/ directory as NOSN110.ZIP for those with
|
||
FTP access. As of this writing it is not yet been posted to the
|
||
rbbs_pc directory for download.
|
||
|
||
Fidonet members may File Request NOSN110.ZIP from any Planet Connect
|
||
or Filebone downlink participating in the RBBS File Distribution
|
||
Network (RBBSMAIL area).
|
||
|
||
Any FTN capable system may File Request from the WER Development
|
||
Support BBS @ Fidonet#1:136/1.0 at v.32bis & ZyXEL 19.2k speeds,
|
||
or Fidonet#1:136/2.0 at v.32bis and HST 16.8k speeds using the
|
||
complete filename NOSN110.ZIP
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 9 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
|
||
The WER Development Support BBS may be accessed at 318-325-6608
|
||
where NoSnail may be downloaded on anyone's first call without any
|
||
complicated registration process.
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Fidonews Information
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
|
||
------- 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
|
||
128 Church St.
|
||
Kitchener, Ontario
|
||
Canada
|
||
N2H 2S4
|
||
|
||
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 1994 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
|
||
FidoNews 11-11 Page: 10 14 Mar 1994
|
||
|
||
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.)
|
||
|
||
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
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|