1393 lines
63 KiB
Plaintext
1393 lines
63 KiB
Plaintext
F I D O N E W S -- Vol.12 No. 2 (09-Jan-1995)
|
||
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|
||
| A newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
|
||
| FidoNet BBS community | "FidoNews" BBS |
|
||
| _ | +1-519-570-4176 |
|
||
| / \ | |
|
||
| /|oo \ | Small animal psychology and |
|
||
| (_| /_) | Spiritual guidance Department: |
|
||
| _`@/_ \ _ | Rev. Richard Visage 1:163/409 |
|
||
| | | \ \\ | |
|
||
| | (*) | \ )) | Editor: |
|
||
| |__U__| / \// | Donald Tees 1:221/192 |
|
||
| _//|| _\ / | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 |
|
||
| (_/(_|(____/ | Tim |
|
||
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
|
||
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
|
||
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
|
||
| Submission address: editors 1:1/23 |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| MORE addresses: |
|
||
| |
|
||
| Don -- don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
|
||
| Tim Pozar -- pozar@kumr.lns.com |
|
||
| David Deitch -- 1:133/411.411, deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org |
|
||
|
|
||
| submissions=> editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
|
||
| obtaining copies of fidonews or the internet gateway faq |
|
||
| please refer to the end of this file. |
|
||
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Table of Contents
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
|
||
1. Editorial..................................................... 2
|
||
2. Articles...................................................... 3
|
||
An International Aid Campaign for FidoNet!.................. 3
|
||
Dear Reverend Visage,....................................... 4
|
||
Finding Message Bases the Users Will Use.................... 6
|
||
Subject: Gary Wilkerson..................................... 7
|
||
Subject: FidoNet Hong Kong Goes To The Dogs!................ 9
|
||
Backbone Echo Changes [Nov-Dec]............................. 11
|
||
From: tony.seifart@electro.alt.za (Tony Seifart)............ 13
|
||
Reply to Advert of IM_HELP.................................. 14
|
||
Upcoming Area Code changes.................................. 14
|
||
North American Area Code Changes............................ 16
|
||
dr.mdm.em................................................... 24
|
||
3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 24
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 2 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Editorial
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
We have a problem here at 221/192. People send us mail
|
||
under all sorts of names ... letters to "Don", "Max", or
|
||
"Fidonews". Unfortunately, none of those names exist as users
|
||
of this BBS.
|
||
|
||
Before editing the snooze, Ex_Libris BBS operated under
|
||
quite stringent privacy rules. I had it set up so that
|
||
*nobody*, including myself, could read mail not addressed to
|
||
them. With the snooze, I had to change that. Mail was being
|
||
lost as nobody saw letters not addressed to a specific person.
|
||
So I changed it so that the sysop (Max or I) could read all net
|
||
mail.
|
||
|
||
The long and the short of it is that I am changing it back.
|
||
I do not *want* to see anybody elses mail, and for all that one
|
||
says about the enter key, if it is scrolling by you cannot help
|
||
but see the letters. So from this point on, mail to the snooze
|
||
is going to have to be addressed to "Donald Tees", "Sylvia
|
||
Maxwell", or "Editor" for us to get it. "Editor" is set up as
|
||
an alias, and will get to both of us. All three names are as in
|
||
the nodelist. Netmail not addressed to one of the three will
|
||
simply sit in my message base until it scrolls off the end a few
|
||
weeks later.
|
||
|
||
Speaking of the page down key, I have been reading a
|
||
terrible lot of posts over the past few weeks screaming about a
|
||
certain fundamentalist being allowed back into Fidonet. Funnily
|
||
enough, many of them are by the same people that scream loudest
|
||
when someone suggests us censoring the snooze.
|
||
|
||
I am not a fan of Steve Winter. He has been the source
|
||
of much unpleasantness here. Nevertheless, I find that I
|
||
agreed strongly with Mr. Peace, and his statement regarding
|
||
allowing Mr. Winter back in. His statement that inclusion in
|
||
the nodelist is not contingent upon social acceptability rang
|
||
true. It is a statement that truly expresses the spirit of
|
||
Fidonet.
|
||
|
||
Twit filters are common. Dropping an echo is a simple
|
||
thing. Maybe we should all remember just what this net is about,
|
||
and put Mr. Winter behind us.
|
||
|
||
On a final note, I was thinking this week that I keep
|
||
hearing the term "fidogods", used in the sense of "the people
|
||
that run the net". Now anybody that has been around for a bit
|
||
realizes that nobody runs the net: it just keeps going through
|
||
the fudges of 32,000 people. However, it would be nice to learn
|
||
a bit more about the people that do some of the work.
|
||
|
||
I am therefore asking for a volunteer. I want somebody to
|
||
start writing to "fidogods", and start a series of articles
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 3 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
about the people in fidonet. Short bio's. If we can get a
|
||
volunteer, and people are not too shy, then we could start
|
||
running one per week as a feature. Anybody up to it?
|
||
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Articles
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
An International Aid Campaign for FidoNet!
|
||
|
||
You Can Contribute to FidoNet's Growth Worldwide
|
||
A Call for Help
|
||
|
||
Since the day I worked to start up the Latin American franchise of
|
||
FidoNet back in 1987 while living in my home town of Buenos Aires,
|
||
Argentina, I have been involved in numerous projects related to the
|
||
network, from acting as Zone coordinator for two years, to helping
|
||
the network expand throughout numerous countries during the several
|
||
years after I stepped down.
|
||
|
||
Recently, I was able to get in touch with a sysop in the city of
|
||
Guantanamo, Cuba, who wants to join FidoNet and begin a network of
|
||
FidoNet systems throughout the island. However, the financial
|
||
difficulties they face, which he described, are like none I have
|
||
heard before in almost seven years of fidonetting.
|
||
|
||
There is an absolute lack of computer equipment in Cuba to support
|
||
the installation of FidoNet nodes. There are, however, machines at
|
||
the general public's reach, that can be used to communicate with
|
||
bulletin board systems. The BBS in Guantanamo that would like to
|
||
join FidoNet runs on an XT clone with 640K of RAM, a 20 meg hard
|
||
drive and a 2400 baud modem with MNP5.
|
||
|
||
Remembering that the first two 9600 modems we installed in Zone 4
|
||
were donated to us when we couldn't acquire/afford them in
|
||
Argentina (one of them was TJ's old Trailblazer, put to much better
|
||
use after hanging around in his garage for a while), I phoned Gamey
|
||
Garcia (the ZC4) and we decided to appeal to everyone in the general
|
||
FidoNet population who can and wishes to collaborate with the start
|
||
up of FidoNet in beleaguered Cuba.
|
||
|
||
In the first stage of this aid project, what we need is to collect
|
||
equipment to be sent to our contact in Cuba, a researcher and
|
||
pioneer sysop at the National Academy of Science, who is presently
|
||
setting up the first FidoNet node in the island. He will also act
|
||
as a distribution point there to forward whatever material we can
|
||
get to them, to other people who wish to install nodes in the
|
||
island.
|
||
|
||
The kind of equipment we need is in many cases considered outdated
|
||
or "slow" to many of us but would be of immense value to these
|
||
folks in Cuba. Stuff like 286 motherboards and RAM, hard drives,
|
||
modems that you no longer use, are the kind of equipment you could
|
||
donate to help FidoNet get started in Cuba. We will be assembling
|
||
a first batch of hardware in the coming weeks, and will send it to
|
||
them so that they can put it to good use.
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 4 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
|
||
In a second phase of this donation effort, once these guys have at
|
||
least one system with a bit more processing and storage capacity,
|
||
we will try to get a few generous FidoNet software developers to
|
||
donate software to this and other Cuban sysops who really can't
|
||
afford it.
|
||
|
||
It will perhaps be interesting for you all to know that this
|
||
donation campaign is being organized with absolute disregard of the
|
||
politics that may affect Cuba or other countries. FidoNet has been,
|
||
for a decade now, an independent, volunteer-driven organization and
|
||
this will be the same in Cuba as it's being set up. This donation
|
||
campaign is an opportunity for all of us to really show what the
|
||
FidoNet spirit is, of free communication, goodwill and cooperation
|
||
amongst ourselves.
|
||
|
||
As I mentioned before, most Cubans are virtually isolated from the
|
||
rest of the world due to the hard economic conditions they are
|
||
living under. I couldn't help but ask the sysop in Guantanamo, a
|
||
scientist, what he makes for a monthly salary, and it took me a
|
||
little while to understand that the $2.31 he makes are not hourly
|
||
or daily, but MONTHLY. These people have the knowledge and will to
|
||
participate in our electronic community, and there is a way for all
|
||
of us to help them join us!
|
||
|
||
If you're interested in collaborating in any way with helping to
|
||
the installation of FidoNet in Cuba please let us know. You can
|
||
write to me at 2:343/111, or to Gamey Garcia at 4:970/1. Those in
|
||
Zone 1 can also find me at 1:10/100.
|
||
|
||
Thanks a lot for reading this, and hope you can contribute to this
|
||
effort!
|
||
|
||
Pablo Kleinman, 2:343/111@fidonet
|
||
Barcelona, Spain
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Dear Snoozgods,
|
||
|
||
Please indicate that the following article is submitted by
|
||
Charles Herriot of 1:163/110 so that poor Dallas isn't
|
||
confused again. It arrived, reeking of krill and kelp, which
|
||
probably means that it has spent too long floating on the
|
||
tides. Roll 'da flic, Sylvia....
|
||
|
||
Swamp Swine Magazine,
|
||
Shuckmagosh, Ohio
|
||
|
||
Dear Reverend Visage,
|
||
|
||
It has been a slow week for news in this part of Fidoland.
|
||
This is surely just the calm before the storm as we
|
||
patiently count down the deathwatch on Rick "Half of you go
|
||
to that net, half to the other, and the rest of you come
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 5 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
with me" Johnston's last 38 days in office. This, of course,
|
||
assumes that Bob "Bob" Satti doesn't intervene to make
|
||
Johnston RC-For-Life. I would discount the probability of
|
||
this happening were it not for that fact that Bob "Bob"
|
||
Satti clearly needs at least one other person in Fidoland
|
||
who appreciates his lowslung approach to genius.
|
||
|
||
Net250 has refused a nodenumber to a BBS operated by The
|
||
Heritage Front. Who'd had thought that the happy band of
|
||
fanatics in net250 would suddenly become discerning in the
|
||
choice of company they keep? I didn't snicker, really I
|
||
didn't, when I heard that net250 refused admittance on the
|
||
grounds that The Heritage Front was prone to disseminate
|
||
hate literature. This is surely a sign that no one in
|
||
net250 actually reads their own venomous ravings in their
|
||
sysop echo.
|
||
|
||
Since I am already three paragraphs into this puppy, and
|
||
have probably lost the interest of both people who actually
|
||
read the Snooz, it is safe to insert a shameless
|
||
non-commercial plug for the BURL echo. To those who may not
|
||
know this, when we are not dynamiting fish in a barrel in
|
||
the regional echos, occasionally we produce works of fiction
|
||
which are serialized and sent out as echomail. A new epic is
|
||
about to begin on January 15th. Discriminating sysops may
|
||
wish to netmail the sysop of 1:163/110 and insist upon
|
||
receiving a feed. (Special note to Johnny "President of
|
||
Commodore Computer Club" Hart : Dear Heart, even though the
|
||
tagname is BURL, this is *not*, I repeat *not*, an echo
|
||
devoted to reminiscing about the late Burl Ives so please
|
||
withhold your sniveling about off-topic messages.)
|
||
|
||
Dooya think that you could be a bit more selective in your
|
||
choice of xmas presents? I am sure the lawn will be a much
|
||
happier lawn when spring arrives, but the sixteen truckloads
|
||
of sheep manure that were deposited on my doorstep has made
|
||
the neighbours jealous. As a token of my appreciation, I am
|
||
sending over a small flight of Carmelite nuns carrying badly
|
||
tuned acoustic guitars.
|
||
|
||
I must go, Visage, your secretary is keening in a most
|
||
feverish way and this has really nothing at all to do with
|
||
the fact that the three-toed sloth has started to lash her
|
||
with its tongue. Sheesh, you'd think that she would learn to
|
||
be more tolerant towards my smallish collection of pets.
|
||
|
||
Regards,
|
||
Doc Logger,
|
||
Fulaga Island,
|
||
South Pacific
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 6 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
|
||
Finding Message Bases the Users Will Use
|
||
by Kay Shapero 1:102/524
|
||
|
||
Here you've got this big wonderful bbs with nifty graphics,
|
||
multiple lines and message areas from FIDOnet to the Internet,
|
||
covering practically every subject known to mankind, and nobody seems
|
||
to be at all interested. What MORE can you do, you ask? Well...
|
||
maybe you should drop some echoes. Paradoxical as it might seem,
|
||
having to sift through pages and pages of echoes to find one of
|
||
interest is probably more off-putting than simply not finding just the
|
||
right echo available when the potential user first logs on. If you've
|
||
got plenty of echoes available, and people aren't posting much, a bit
|
||
of weeding is probably in order.
|
||
|
||
First, figure out which echoes you are personally interested in
|
||
and involved with (this will usually include those that match the
|
||
theme, if any, of your bbs). These, of course, you keep.
|
||
|
||
Second, track the other echoes for a couple of months and see
|
||
which echoes are getting posts from your bbs. Keep these too.
|
||
|
||
Third, while you're tracking for posts, also check to see which
|
||
of the other echoes people are reading. Keep any of those which are
|
||
read-only, and if there are any other echoes which get a lot of
|
||
readership even though nobody posts, consider keeping them if you have
|
||
room.
|
||
|
||
Fourth, drop any echo that is not getting read by anybody, and
|
||
poll your readership on those that are being read but not posted to.
|
||
Drop any that the users don't really seem interested in. If you guess
|
||
wrong, it's easy enough to get them back.
|
||
|
||
Fifth, now that you're down to those echoes that folks are
|
||
actually USING, you have some idea of the interests of your users.
|
||
(Assuming you're using a phone feed instead of Planet Connect you
|
||
should also have a lower phone bill, less unpacking time, more
|
||
available space and a happier hub who will also have the above gains.)
|
||
If you only have a few echoes left, don't panic but instead take a
|
||
look at whatever echoes are available in the net or nets you use (for
|
||
FIDOnet, try FIDONET.NA or the Elist which includes some things not
|
||
backboned) and see which echoes may be out there that relate to those
|
||
already in use. Pick up a few of them, and try them out over a few
|
||
months. If nobody's reading, get rid of them again.
|
||
|
||
Whatever you do, don't worry that people will call up the bbs,
|
||
then go away because it doesn't offer something they want. They
|
||
aren't exactly flooding that huge selection of echoes now, are they?
|
||
Instead, offer a listing for display or download of the echoes that
|
||
you don't have at the moment, but can get within a few days.
|
||
Encourage users to ask for echoes they'd like to see, then pick them
|
||
up and see what happens over the next month or three.
|
||
|
||
Finally, repeat the weeding process every six months or so
|
||
(experience will teach you how often it is necessary). With any luck
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 7 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
you'll have less work, and more posts!
|
||
Subject: Gary Wilkerson
|
||
From: Charlie Munhollon 1:284/7
|
||
|
||
CC: Edward Arndt, Gary Wilkerson, James Morris, Bob Satti,
|
||
CC: Tim Pearson, John Johnson, Editor, Tom Kirby
|
||
CC: David Bowerman, Harry Spicer, Della Moore
|
||
CC: Mike Walker, John Bodoni, Curtis Finney, Bruce Bodger
|
||
|
||
This is a rather long message, bear with me............
|
||
|
||
Well I can guess you already know the reason for this message. I
|
||
am going to ask that you not pull Gary's Node Number. If this
|
||
cannot be the case then my name will have to be added to the
|
||
excumincation. As the sysop of this bbs, I will accept the
|
||
responsibility for Garys actions. Any diciplinary action should
|
||
be directed towards me. However, I do want to set the record
|
||
straight on a few things. Gary did not lie to you or anyone
|
||
else. And I do not care what or how many 284sysops tell you
|
||
otherwise. The truth is the truth! And I have covered the
|
||
revelant facts in this message, and can provide a few witness's
|
||
as well. However, I simply want this matter closed for good!
|
||
|
||
In regards to the situation of late, there has been no attacks
|
||
upon myself or the system in the last three months. I feel this
|
||
is due to many factors. 1) The new CID system, and call tracing
|
||
I installed on the phone lines. 2) 24 hour virus protection and
|
||
security screening of all incomming mail and files. 3)
|
||
Auto-printing of the system logs and CID information as each
|
||
call is processed. 4) Involvement of the Fido "super-powers".
|
||
While the NC is doing his best, he cannot control certain
|
||
members of this net. And that is not his fault. James simply
|
||
cannot work miracles, he's trying though and maybe he will do it
|
||
yet.
|
||
|
||
Another large part of the problem here is the lack of
|
||
communication, mis- interpetation of the true facts. My net as a
|
||
whole took serious offense at Garys message as it was worded and
|
||
understandably so to a point. The main conflict in all of this
|
||
is the time frame. Many of the 284 sysops took this message to
|
||
mean that these events where taking place at this exact point in
|
||
time. Only the fighting still persist and even it has died down
|
||
recently. A result of recent events I do believe. The fact
|
||
harrassment had happened in the past for extended periods of
|
||
time did not matter to quite a few of these folks. Again, it has
|
||
been over three months since any real problems have arose and I
|
||
am thankful for that.
|
||
|
||
My reasoning for posting the independant node request was
|
||
simple. I am tired of the fighting between certain net 284
|
||
sysops. These folks couldn't even give it a break for christmas.
|
||
Age old blood fueds since before I joined fido still rank
|
||
supreme with no let up at times. And to be honest, after all
|
||
that has happened I am simply weary. A person can only take so
|
||
much. It had been my hope to obtain an independant node status
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 8 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
to prevent further fight and problems. As it turned out that
|
||
started one of the worst situations I have seen to date. Gary
|
||
was highly upset by my actions on this, and was seeking to
|
||
protect my system using every means he could. An act that
|
||
literly brought down the house upon his head. And until
|
||
publication of the fido news, the matter was considered to be
|
||
closed. Many of the local sysops have expressed to me, that had
|
||
not that taken place the matter would have been forgotten. Now
|
||
90% of net feels betrayed or insulted. This is my
|
||
responsibility, not Garys.
|
||
|
||
1. The harrassment. Yes for close to 18 months my system was
|
||
subject of everything from virus attacks, mail bombs and etc. I
|
||
was also subject to remarks made in public "slanderous" in
|
||
nature on many occasions at net-bbs related functions. The
|
||
remarks made by net 284 sysops to users and myself on a few
|
||
occasions. Most of which where unfounded, and with no true
|
||
knowledge. I operate a board that carries gay material so I must
|
||
be gay and far worse comments I assure you. Funny, I carry Law
|
||
enforcement areas as well. No one ever accused me of being in
|
||
that line of work, a fact that would be true in nature as I work
|
||
in the private investigations and security field.
|
||
|
||
2. Discrimination. Yes, this was the cause of the above
|
||
mentioned problems. Various net284 members because of
|
||
personal/religious beliefs/hatred did in effect discrimnate
|
||
against myself and my bbs's users on many occasions in the past.
|
||
|
||
3. The pulling of my node number. This was addressed for two
|
||
reasons. After my little brother died and I took over as sysop
|
||
of this bbs, an (attempt/request) was made to take the number
|
||
away. Another member wanted it because it would place his lines
|
||
in node-step fashion(numerical order). A comment was made prior
|
||
to christmas that it should be explored to also designate
|
||
another 5 or 6 node numbers as "net official" nodes. This raised
|
||
some serious concerns to me. However I was assured that this
|
||
would not happen by the NC, and that my node number would not be
|
||
taken.
|
||
|
||
3. My NC, James Morris. James, a very nice guy caught in a bad
|
||
situation. Had it not been for all of this we might have been
|
||
friends. James did provide my system with a secondary mail feed,
|
||
and has been highly understanding through all of this. Though a
|
||
large quanity of our problem has been to much mis-communication,
|
||
I was under the impression things were working themselves out
|
||
finally. I hope by the time he returns from a much needed
|
||
vacation, this situation will be over. It is true a dupe lupe of
|
||
2500 messages did occur in my absence shortly after James
|
||
provided my feed. My primary feed had came back online during
|
||
the night and my areafix request hadn't been recieved in time to
|
||
prevent it. I had offered to accept a suspension for that
|
||
occurance and James graciously waived it. As I said, James is a
|
||
nice guy in a bad situation.
|
||
|
||
Less than an hour ago, I had a verbal dispute with one of the
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 9 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
few 284sysops that I considered a friend over this situation. I
|
||
was told that I was seeing persecution around every corner, and
|
||
trying to make myself feel important by all of this. BBS'sing is
|
||
only a hobby, I was told once more. Let what happened in the
|
||
past stay in the past. Well, if a dog is repeatedly beaten he
|
||
will fear and/or distrust humans as a whole/group. If trying to
|
||
help others and trying to keep a promise I made means that I
|
||
feel important, ok I suppose in that context I do feel
|
||
important. But once again, this isn't a hobby to me. A hobby is
|
||
something that you enjoy. I like the feeling I get from helping
|
||
others, but that feeling has reached a point where the cost is
|
||
just to high in all regards.
|
||
|
||
Conclusion:
|
||
|
||
If those sysops in net 284 who where not involved in the
|
||
problems will accept it. I do sincerely and respectfully
|
||
apologize. However I will not apologize to those involved, even
|
||
if that refusal means being tossed out of fidonet. And since I
|
||
have recieved nothing from the RC Tim Pearson regarding this, I
|
||
will assume that my Independant Node request is being denied. I
|
||
do however wish to thank Mr. John Johnson for all his assistance
|
||
and patience.
|
||
|
||
Again if excunication/expulsion from fido is warrented, then I
|
||
will accept that action. However I REFUSE to apologize to those
|
||
parties involved, nor will I expect/ask Gary to make any further
|
||
comments regarding this matter. It is my responsibility, not his.
|
||
|
||
Charlie Munhollon
|
||
Sysop 1:284/7
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Subject: FidoNet Hong Kong Goes To The Dogs!
|
||
From: Roger Nie (16:700/200)
|
||
|
||
FidoNet Hong Kong Goes To The Dogs
|
||
==================================
|
||
|
||
Editor : Larry Campbell
|
||
From magazine "DATAPHILE"
|
||
|
||
Of all the electronic bulletin boards listed in the preceding
|
||
few pages, the majority are part of an international network
|
||
called FidoNet. Or should I say "were".
|
||
|
||
Thanks to events that have traspired in the local FidoNet
|
||
community for as long as the past year, there appear to now be
|
||
two local nodes to the network: one small official system and a
|
||
huge network of BBSes getting on to FidoNet via what has been
|
||
term by one insider a "semi-legal kludge"
|
||
|
||
To understand any part of the "big picture", you must first
|
||
have an understanding of FidoNet and how its operates. Think of
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 10 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
FidoNet on the same lines as you would think of the Internet,
|
||
except scale down the concept the concept a thousand times.
|
||
FidoNet is a central hub connected to a clain of PC networks (or
|
||
BBSes) around the world, the main function of which is to pass
|
||
arround store-and-forward free E-mail called Echomail.
|
||
|
||
FidoNet is divided into three areas: zones; regions; and
|
||
networks. Six zones make up the FidoNet world: North America,
|
||
Europe, Australia, Latin America, South Africa and Asia. Each
|
||
Zone is assigned a number, with North America being Zone 1 and
|
||
Asia being Zone 6. Zones are divided into regions, with Hong
|
||
Kong/MAcau, Taiwan and Singapore (plus a few other areas) being
|
||
regions within the Asia "zone". Regions are further divided into
|
||
Networks, and Hong Kong is Net700. Thus, if you were looking at
|
||
a FidoNet node list, a node number of a member in Hong Kong
|
||
would look something like 6:700/344, for example.
|
||
|
||
FidoNet, as any organisation should have, has its management
|
||
heirarchy, with zone, and network co-ordinators, and so on.
|
||
Asia's zone co-ordinator is a gentleman based in Taiwan named
|
||
Honlin Lue. Next down the ladder is Hong-Kong-based regional
|
||
co-ordinator Samson Luk, a man who has been involved in FidoNet
|
||
(if not in his current post) for more than a decade. Under Mr
|
||
Luk are - or were - a number of other co-ordinators. One is
|
||
Roger Nie, who co-ordinates FidoNet echos in Hong KOng, making
|
||
sure each echo is named right so that the proper links can be
|
||
set up between member BBSes. He also maintains a list of echos.
|
||
|
||
A gentleman named Louie Chan was involved in FidoNet for
|
||
just about as long as Mr Luk and had beed happily performing a
|
||
number of tasks, including the tedious and thankless one of
|
||
maintaining the FidoNet Hong Kong node list. Until about a year,
|
||
that is. What appears to have happened is that about a year ago
|
||
Mr Luk received a few complaints from some local FidoNet sysops
|
||
against Mr. Chan claiming the latter had not replied some of
|
||
their mail and in short was not doing his job. So Mr Luk "fired"
|
||
Mr Chan and appointed Chris Leung - a relative newcomer to the
|
||
scene - to do his job... a move that made the majority of the
|
||
local FidoNet community unhappy, to say the least. the reason:
|
||
the network heirarchy is supporsed to be arranged by vote
|
||
involving all members, although admittedly no hard and fast rule
|
||
exists on this score. The result has bcome what can only be
|
||
described as a complete farce, a comedy with the only people
|
||
being hurt being FidoNet's numerous users in Hong Kong.
|
||
|
||
Upon his appointment to his current FidoNet post, Mr Leung
|
||
decided to "clean up" FidoNet Hong Kong, E-mailing memeber
|
||
sysops with requests for forms to be filled out, amoung other
|
||
things. What responses he got were, in on-line speak, flames.
|
||
|
||
Insiders say he then disappeared from Causeway, a
|
||
semi-official message echo set up for FidoNet sysops, only to
|
||
reappear about four months later with the wonderful news that he
|
||
has dissolving network 700 to completely revamp FidoNet Hong
|
||
Kong. And he did, full world of FidoNet. He then asked sysops
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 11 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
interested in rejoining FidoNet to register with him.
|
||
|
||
To date, only about 30 sysops have dones so, and these
|
||
according to sources, are newcomers to the sence.
|
||
|
||
Network 700 did not, however, die quietly. It has not, for
|
||
that matter, died at all. With the majority of sysops loyal to
|
||
him. Mr Chan with the help of Mr Nie, controlled that networks,
|
||
albeit unofficially, and a new zone number has been set up to
|
||
ensure its mail goes back and fourth. BBSes on this network are
|
||
now identified as 16:700/whatever. The power play did not stop
|
||
there.
|
||
|
||
The Chan loyalists then attempted to hold a vote of sorts
|
||
where they could oust Mr. Leung and Mr Luk from their posts.
|
||
However, to do so, they apparently needed the ultimate approval
|
||
of zone co-ordinator Mr Lue, who to-date has been silent on the
|
||
issue..
|
||
|
||
Attempts by local sysops to have the matter resolved by the
|
||
upper echelons of FidoNet in the United States have failed, too,
|
||
which has had a totally detrimental effect on FidoNet.
|
||
|
||
Now, all this is very strange. FidoNet was (is) supposed to
|
||
be a non-commercial on-line group of hobby of hobby BBS
|
||
operators pooling resources to offer low-cost (albeit low-speed)
|
||
E-mail to users. All this infighting has, however, made a
|
||
mockery of the whole concept, and the fact that no one in any
|
||
position of power appears to be taking the slightest bit of
|
||
interest in fixing the situation is not helping either.
|
||
|
||
One of the things I heard was that at one point a few months
|
||
ago, some brilliant mind within the local community had
|
||
suggested the sysops get together and file a classs action suit
|
||
against Mr Luk. What they would have charged him with is a
|
||
mystery. Perhaps with causing loss to their hobbies? What a
|
||
laugh!
|
||
|
||
But then again, maybe it would have worked.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Backbone Echo Changes [Nov-Dec]
|
||
by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/6
|
||
lisa@m2xenix.psg.com
|
||
|
||
Summary of backbone & quasi-backbone echo changes during Nov & Dec.
|
||
|
||
Brought to you courtesy of (unix) diff.
|
||
|
||
diff (fidonet.na + fidonet.no) 30-Oct-94 (ditto) 01-Jan-95 [edited].
|
||
|
||
Added to the backbone
|
||
---------------------
|
||
> AMIGA_FILEFIND Filefind Echo for AMIGA computers
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 12 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
> ARCHERY Archery and Hunting
|
||
> ARROWBRIDGE ARROWBRIDGE Doorgame by Mark Sinclair
|
||
> CHICORA_GEN S.C. Genealogy 1670-1865
|
||
> COINS Coin/token collecting discussion
|
||
> CONSPRCY CONSPIRACY
|
||
> C_ABILITY Canadian Ability
|
||
> DARKSTAR DarkStar BBS
|
||
> DLG_SUPPORT DLG Support echo
|
||
> EC_UTIL Ezycom Utilities Echo
|
||
> GUNS Guns and Defence Weaponry
|
||
> HARLEY_DAVIDSON Harley Davidson Motorcycles
|
||
> HIGHLANDER Highlander TV/Movies
|
||
> HOME_AUTOMATION Home Automation & Security
|
||
> HOME_REPAIR Home Repairs Echo
|
||
> LOW-FAT Low Fat Cooking
|
||
> MAINDOOR Maindoor/2 Technical support.
|
||
> NIGHT_SHIFT_DEBATE Debate Subjects discussed in Night Shift.
|
||
> PROZ PROZ Software Product Support Conference
|
||
> RELOAD Reloading for Rifle and Pistol
|
||
> RENEGADE_BBS Renegade Support Echo
|
||
> R_CATHOLIC Roman Catholic Q & A Forum
|
||
> SEW_&_QUILT Sewing & Quilting by hand or machine
|
||
> SF&ANIME_RPG Sci-Fi & Anime Role Playing Games
|
||
> SOFTWARE_MARKETING Software Marketing/Business
|
||
> TENN_GEN Open Forum for Tennessee Genealogy
|
||
> TREK_HUMOR_FILK Star Trek Humor and Filksongs
|
||
> VGA.PLANETS VGA Planets Forum
|
||
> WHIRLYBIRDS Helicopter Enthusiasts Discussion Echo
|
||
> WPERFECT WordPerfect products discussion
|
||
|
||
Removed from the backbone or quasi-backbone
|
||
-------------------------------------------
|
||
< BBSPLUS BBS Plus Software Support Echo
|
||
< CALLNY New York Interests
|
||
< CAROLINA_GEN (not in EchoList since 10/1/94)
|
||
< DISP (not in EchoList since 7/1/94)
|
||
< FAN_SUPPORT FAN (File Announcement Utility) Support Echo
|
||
< FILE_ECHO (not in EchoList since 8/1/94)
|
||
< HOTROD (not in EchoList since 9/1/94)
|
||
< LAPTOP (not in EchoList since 9/1/94)
|
||
< QEDIT (not in EchoList since 10/1/94)
|
||
< WELMAT WPL Network language support
|
||
|
||
o There are 683 echos in fidonet.na [01-Jan-94] (up 39)
|
||
o There are 3 echos in fidonet.no [01-Oct-94] (down 19)
|
||
o for a total of 686 backbone & quasi-backbone echos (up 20)
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 13 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
|
||
From: tony.seifart@electro.alt.za (Tony Seifart)
|
||
Dear Sir/Madam
|
||
|
||
I, until recently, was a point in Zone 5, on Fido-Net. People began
|
||
posting rude jokes in our local Joke Echo, I asked them to please
|
||
refrain from doing so. I was met with much opposing, because others
|
||
thought nothing of it.
|
||
|
||
As a christian, I felt it my duty to continue asking people to stop,
|
||
until the EC demanded that I disconnect. I asked for a grace period
|
||
until 15 January 1995, which was granted. From then, I immediately
|
||
stopped posting in that echo, but continued to read how people ripped
|
||
me apart. I then received a call from my boss node, who said he had
|
||
been told by Henk Wolskink, our ZC, to disconnect me totally from
|
||
Fido-Net with immediate effect, as I had gone against the grain, and
|
||
that my morals were honourable, but not required. I took it as it
|
||
came.
|
||
|
||
Later, I dialled into a local BBS, and counted 21 messages written
|
||
to/about me in the jokes echo. It seems I have hurt more people than
|
||
I wanted to.
|
||
|
||
I have included a small apology, and I would be grateful for you to
|
||
place in the next copy of "Fido-News".
|
||
|
||
****************************************************************
|
||
|
||
I, Tony Seifart, of Zone 5, previously as 5:7102/114.4, do apologise
|
||
for my unfair actions in Zone 5, under the local JOKES echo.
|
||
Although I feel I was justified at the time, I do feel burdened by
|
||
the fact that I had tried to force you into _my_ trail of thought.
|
||
|
||
I pray that you will accept my apology. I realise that rejoining the
|
||
net is now more than impossible, but I hope that if we are granted
|
||
the opportunity to meet, we will remain good aqaintances.
|
||
|
||
A special apology to Oskar Pearson, Henk Wolskink and Richard K Peer.
|
||
Also to my Boss node, for whom I caused much trouble.
|
||
|
||
God bless you, and all Fido-netters world-wide during 1995.
|
||
|
||
Thank you.
|
||
|
||
'till next time...
|
||
Tony
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 14 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
|
||
Reply to Advert of IM_HELP
|
||
By: Brendan Keyport
|
||
|
||
IM_HELP shouldn't be used
|
||
|
||
This is a reply to William Scott Lockwood's attempt to start another
|
||
echo for Intermail (Mailer package). There is no need for another echo.
|
||
Case(s) in point:
|
||
|
||
WSL> For weeks MANY people, including one of the authors have been
|
||
WSL> asking Lee Lefler the (supposed) current moderator to do
|
||
WSL> something about this! So far, nothing...
|
||
|
||
In fact, Lee was going to change the echo name to IM-HELP, however,
|
||
WSL's Starting a echo with the tag IM_HELP only delayed the renaming
|
||
procedure. Lee has desided on IM-USER and changes are in the works.
|
||
|
||
WSL> The first, is that there will be no unwarranted, unjustifiable
|
||
WSL> notices sent to your NEC demanding a feed cut. I don't believe in
|
||
WSL> this kind of childish garbage, so *I* will not do it. If you
|
||
WSL> violate the spirit of the echo, you will be invited to discuss it
|
||
WSL> in netmail. You will receive at least 2 warnings AFTER that fails
|
||
WSL> via DIRECT netmail from me (or the current moderator.) There
|
||
WSL> will be no rules to this new echo. The moderator will have final
|
||
WSL> say in any disputes.
|
||
|
||
Lee L. The current moderator, has never made any unwarrented cuts from
|
||
the echo. William is angry for his being moderated agaist in a problem
|
||
between him and several others over a file he was advertising (I got a
|
||
warning too).
|
||
|
||
In Short, Please do NOT hook up to IM_HELP, rather, follow Lee and the
|
||
program authors. Join into IM-USER as soon as it's availble. Planned
|
||
change: Jan 28, 1994 - Feb 11, 1994. After Feb 11, The conference
|
||
Intermail will be history.
|
||
|
||
PS to WSLIII - Flames can be sent to NUL.
|
||
|
||
Yours,
|
||
Brendan Keyport
|
||
1:138/185
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Upcoming Area Code changes
|
||
---------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
From: Leonard Erickson, 1:105/51
|
||
Subject: Upcoming Area Code changes
|
||
|
||
This article is based on an article that appeared on the Internet's
|
||
Telecom Digest mailing list, with additions and corrections based on
|
||
more recent material.
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 15 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
One of the great spectator sports of 1995 will be watching lots and
|
||
lots of new Area Codes (or more precisely, NPA codes) come into
|
||
existence.
|
||
|
||
Another will be seeing how many programs written for use with
|
||
US/Canadian phone numbers will break. This will happen because up until
|
||
now area codes had 0 or 1 as the second digit. This is no longer true.
|
||
Now *any* digit may be the second digit of an area code. Likewise, in
|
||
most areas, the second digit of an exchange could only be 2 thru 9.
|
||
This started changing a few years ago.
|
||
|
||
So we are changing from 160 possible area codes, and 640 possible
|
||
exchanges in each area code, to 800 possible area codes and 800
|
||
possible exchanges in each area code.
|
||
|
||
The things to look out for will be software refusing to accept the new
|
||
area codes, software thinking that they are exchanges instead of area
|
||
codes, and software thinking that new-style exchanges are area codes.
|
||
|
||
The most likely place to see errors will be in programs that attempt to
|
||
trap "bogus" phone numbers, such as new user phone number routines in
|
||
BBSes, and callback verifiers.
|
||
|
||
Here's the current info on area code changes.
|
||
|
||
Date Event
|
||
|
||
1) 01/07/95 AC 630 overlayed on ACs 312 and 708 (Chicago metro area)
|
||
2) 01/15/95 AC 334 splits from AC 205 (Alabama)
|
||
3) 01/15/95 AC 360 splits from AC 206 (Washington)
|
||
4) 09/02/95 AC 562 overlayed on ACs 213, 310 and 818 (Los Angeles
|
||
metro)
|
||
5) 03/01/95 AC 281 overlayed on AC 713 (Houston metro area)
|
||
6) 03/01/95 AC 954 splits from AC 305 (Florida)
|
||
7) 03/19/95 AC 520 splits from AC 602 (Arizona)
|
||
8) 04/02/95 AC 970 splits from AC 303 (Denver metro area)
|
||
9) 05/28/95 AC 941 splits from AC 813 (Florida)
|
||
10) 07/15/95 AC 540 splits from AC 703 (Virginia)
|
||
11) 09/01/95 AC 423 splits from AC 615 (Tennessee)
|
||
12) 10/??/95 AC 770 splits from or overlayed on AC 404 (Atlanta metro
|
||
area)
|
||
13) 10/01/95 AC 441 splits from AC 809 (Bermuda & Bahamas)
|
||
14) 10/??/95 AC 890(860?) splits from AC 203 (Connecticut)
|
||
15) ??/??/?? AC 340 splits from AC 809 (Puerto Rico)
|
||
|
||
Notes:
|
||
|
||
1) Wireless services (cellular phones and pagers)
|
||
|
||
2) 334 will contain Auburn, Dothan, Mobile, Montgomery and Selma
|
||
205 will retain Anniston, Birmingham, Decatur, Huntsville and
|
||
Tuscaloosa
|
||
Permissive period ends 3/13/95 (5/13/95?)
|
||
|
||
3) 360 will contain Bellingham, Olympia, Vancouver
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 16 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
206 will retain Auburn, Bellevue, Bremerton, Everett, Redmond,
|
||
Seattle, Tacoma
|
||
Permissive period ends 5/21/95
|
||
|
||
4) First numbers assigned in AC 562 will be wireless services in the
|
||
area served by AC 310. Landline services in AC 310 and wireless
|
||
and landline services in AC 213 and 818 will follow.
|
||
|
||
5) First numbers assigned in AC 281 will be wireless services.
|
||
Landline services will be assigned in AC 281 later.
|
||
|
||
6) {Network World} says that SE Florida will split on an unknown date.
|
||
|
||
7) 520 will contain Flagstaff, Prescott, Sierra Vista, Tucson, Yuma
|
||
602 will retain Buckeye, Chandler, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix,
|
||
Scottsdale, Tempe
|
||
Permissive period ends 7/23/95
|
||
|
||
8) 970 will contain Aspen, Durango, Fort Collins, Grand Junction,
|
||
Greely, Loveland, Steamboat Springs, Vail
|
||
303 will retain Arvada, Aurora, Boulder, Denver, Englewood,
|
||
Littleton, Longmont
|
||
Permissive period ends 10/1/95
|
||
|
||
9) 941 will contain Bradenton, Fort Meyers, Lakeland, Sarasota, Winter
|
||
Haven
|
||
813 will retain Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tampa
|
||
Permissive period ends 3/3/96
|
||
|
||
10) 540 will contain Blacksburg, Roanoke, Salem, Winchester
|
||
703 will retain Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Falls Church, Mclean
|
||
Permissive period ends 7/9/95(sic)
|
||
|
||
11) 423 will contain Chattanooga, Clarksville, Johnson City, Kingsport,
|
||
Knoxville
|
||
615 will retain Murfreesboro, Nashville
|
||
Permissive period ends 2/1/96
|
||
|
||
12) AC 770 will either be an overlay on AC 404 or a geographical split
|
||
|
||
13) {Network World} says Bermuda will get AC 441 starting 10/1/95;
|
||
David Esan reports that Bahamas will get AC 441.
|
||
Permissive period ends 9/30/96.
|
||
|
||
14) {Network World} says that Connecticut will split in October 1996.
|
||
|
||
15) various posts indicate that Puerto Rico will get 340 at some point
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
North American Area Code Changes
|
||
|
||
courtesy Carl Moore <cmoore@arl.mil>
|
||
introduction by David Leibold 1:250/730
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 17 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
The following is a rather detailed history of changes to North
|
||
American area codes as compiled by Carl Moore (cmoore@arl.mil
|
||
on Internet). The list contains two major parts:
|
||
|
||
- a list of area codes whose dialing and numbering patterns
|
||
changed internally, and
|
||
- a list of area code "splits" where an area code was divided
|
||
so that greater numbering capacity is obtained
|
||
|
||
Those who want the new-format area codes can skip to the end of this
|
||
article, where the newest area code split announcements are.
|
||
|
||
Sysops, nodelist maintainers, etc. who are concerned about area
|
||
codes should make note of the new area codes about to be introduced,
|
||
especially now that new area codes will not have a 0 or 1 in the
|
||
central digit.
|
||
|
||
Some notes on notation:
|
||
|
||
The terms NNX and NXX refer to the valid formats of three digit codes
|
||
such as area codea and exchanges. In this scheme:
|
||
|
||
X means any digit (0 to 9) is valid
|
||
N means digits 2 to 9 are valid (but not 0 or 1)
|
||
|
||
Thus NNX means valid numbers are from 220 to 999, excluding numbers that
|
||
have 0 or 1 in the middle digit. NXX means all numbers from 200 to 999
|
||
are valid. Thus 313 would be valid for an NXX format number, but not
|
||
for an NNX format. 432 is valid both as an NNX and an NXX format number.
|
||
The format "N0X" refers to a number with a 0 in the middle digit, like
|
||
905.
|
||
|
||
Last updated: 13 Dec 1994 by Carl Moore
|
||
|
||
Generalizing prefixes from NNX to NXX (i.e., allowing N0X/N1X)
|
||
is an alternative to splitting an area which has had only NNX
|
||
up to this point. When an area has NXX (not NNX) prefixes,
|
||
its long distance dialing instructions usually are:
|
||
|
||
7D or 1 + NPA + 7D within area (can no longer use 1 + 7D);
|
||
1 + NPA + 7D to other areas (can no longer use NPA + 7D);
|
||
for 0+ calls, try 0 + NPA + 7D (some 0 + 7D would require timeout).
|
||
|
||
In other words, the leading 1 (or 0) means that what follows is
|
||
an area code. These instructions can, without further revision,
|
||
accommodate area codes of form NXX, not just of form N0X/N1X, and
|
||
thus could be universal by the time area codes must generalize to
|
||
NXX. The deadline for switches to be able to handle NXX area codes
|
||
is 1 January 1995 (had been 1 July 1995).
|
||
|
||
It was thought that the first batch of NNX area codes would be of NN0
|
||
form, so that some areas could keep 1 + 7D for intra-NPA long distance
|
||
by disallowing prefixes of NN0 form. This would have been affected by
|
||
use of area codes 52x (x not 0) for Mexico, and was affected anyway by
|
||
the first announcement of an NNX area code on 22 July 1993 (334, to be
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 18 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
formed in 1995 by splitting 205, which has served all of Alabama).
|
||
|
||
It is unclear how generalizing area codes to NXX would affect the
|
||
policy of not using N0X/N1X prefixes until NNX starts running short.
|
||
|
||
I found an exception to the above dialing instructions in February
|
||
1992 for 215-267 (Denver) and 215-484 (Adamstown) in Pennsylvania.
|
||
These exchanges, served by Denver & Ephrata Telephone & Telegraph
|
||
(also serving a part of the 717 area), were still using the old
|
||
instructions (1 + 7D and 0 + 7D within area code), even though
|
||
this necessitated timeout resolution for some calls. Elsewhere
|
||
in this file, it is noted that these prefixes later moved to 717,
|
||
with Denver having to use 717-336.
|
||
|
||
The suggestion (at least from Bellcore) has been seen that ideally,
|
||
all calls should be makeable as 1+NPA+7D (this does not necessarily
|
||
forbid shorter forms).
|
||
|
||
These areas prepared for N0X/N1X prefixes before it became necessary
|
||
to prepare for NNX area codes:
|
||
213 California, July 1973
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
(later 213/818, now 213/310/818, to become 213/310/818/562)
|
||
(but for some time, this area continued to publish 0+7D instruction
|
||
for within-NPA 0+ calls)
|
||
212 New York, some days after 24 Nov 1980
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
(later 212/718, now 212/917/718)
|
||
312 Illinois, Oct 1982--but got 1st N0X/N1X spring 1983?
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
(now 312/708, to become 312/708/630)
|
||
201 New Jersey
|
||
(7D on all calls within it; also applies to 609)
|
||
(now 201/908)
|
||
214 Texas, 1986 or 1987 (by July 1987)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls; also applies to 817,
|
||
at least in Fort Worth area)
|
||
(now 214/903)
|
||
301/202/703 Maryland/DC/Virginia, 1987, due to DC area growth
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(301 now 301/410)
|
||
(703 to become 703/540)
|
||
415 California, Feb 1989?
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
(now 415/510)
|
||
404 Georgia, Oct 1989?
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls; also applies to 912)
|
||
(now 404/706)
|
||
919 North Carolina, 2 Mar 1990
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls; also applies to 704)
|
||
(now 919/910)
|
||
416 Ontario, 3 Mar 1990
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(now 416/905)
|
||
602 Arizona, 1 July 1990
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 19 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(to become 602/520)
|
||
313 Michigan, 1990?
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(now 313/810)
|
||
512 Texas, 9 Sept 1990
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(now 512/210)
|
||
205 Alabama, Dec 1990
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(to become 205/334)
|
||
215 Pennsylvania, 20 May 1991
|
||
(7D on all calls within it; exception noted above for Denver and
|
||
Adamstown, which later moved to 717, but the new instructions also
|
||
applied to:
|
||
717-354,355 New Holland
|
||
717-656,661 Leola
|
||
717-768 Intercourse)
|
||
(On 25 September 1993, I noticed that, during permissive dialing
|
||
during the 215-to-717 change for Denver and Adamstown, all long
|
||
distance from there was to be dialed as 1+NPA+7D, with 0+NPA+7D
|
||
for all 0+. Would "1 717" be dropped after the full cutover to
|
||
717?)
|
||
(now 215/610)
|
||
206 Washington, 12 Jan 1992
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(to become 206/360)
|
||
713 Texas, 8 Mar 1992 (permissive dialing 8 Dec 1991)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(to become 713/281)
|
||
714 California, 1992?
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
(now 714/909)
|
||
503 Oregon, 10 July 1993
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
|
||
No note about N0X/N1X prefixes (due to closeness to the time
|
||
for area codes to generalize to NXX), but instructions are being
|
||
changed to prepare for the generalized area codes:
|
||
305,407,813,904 Florida, 7 Mar 1992 (at least for 813)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
603 New Hampshire, 17 July 1993
|
||
(This was to include all New England areas except Connecticut,
|
||
with changeover to 7D on calls within area code to be done in
|
||
1993-1994, but this list now has separate entries for Massa-
|
||
chusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Maine.)
|
||
(7D on all calls within area code; per-line option [for toll
|
||
within area code] to block 7D and require 1+NPA+7D, but 1994
|
||
Portsmouth directory merely said 7D or 1+NPA+7D for this)
|
||
413,508,617 Massachusetts (order by public utility commission in
|
||
Oct 1993; in 413, mandatory 1 June 1994; eastern Massachusetts
|
||
followed later in 1994; in 508, permissive 15 July 1994; in 508
|
||
and 617, mandatory 15 Oct 1994)
|
||
(Earlier, for 413 going to 7D on all calls within area code: Feb-
|
||
June 1993; full cutover 21 Sept 1993; 1+NPA+7D for local calls to
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 20 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
another area code permissive 1 Mar to 8 Apr 1993.)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
802 Vermont, permissive 18 Feb 1994, mandatory 18 May 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
401 Rhode Island, announced Jan 1994 (but when to be implemented?)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
207 Maine, 15 July 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
303,719 Colorado (27 Feb 1994); 612,507,218 Minnesota (late 1994);
|
||
319,515,712 Iowa; 701 North Dakota (19 June 1994, full cutover
|
||
3 Oct 1994; 605 South Dakota; 308,402 Nebraska (full cutover
|
||
late 1994 for Lincoln Telephone area); 505 New Mexico (14 Feb
|
||
1994, full cutover 19 Jun 1994); 801 Utah; 307 Wyoming; 406
|
||
Montana; 208 Idaho; 509 Washington (15 May 1994, full cutover
|
||
17 Sept 1994); 1993-1994 (U.S. West areas except Arizona,
|
||
Oregon, 206 in Washington)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(303 to become 303/970)
|
||
219,317,812 Indiana, c. Aug 1993 (full cutover 1 Dec 1993)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
615 Tennessee, 1 July 1993(?) (full cutover 1 Sept 1993)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
(to become 615/423)
|
||
901 Tennessee, Sept 1993?
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
803 South Carolina, Sept 1993?
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
502,606 Kentucky, 4 Sept 1993 (full cutover 2 Apr 1994)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
318,504 Louisiana, 4 Sept 1993 (full cutover 2 Apr 1994)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
209,408,619,707,805,916 California; Pacific Bell, by 11 Oct 1993
|
||
(full cutover for all points on or before 11 Oct 1994)
|
||
(These are the California area codes not cited above, as of Feb
|
||
1993, as preparing for N0X/N1X prefixes; but some of these, in
|
||
whole or in part, already have the new instructions.)
|
||
(GTE areas: 0+NPA+7D for 0+ within own area code permissive 11 Oct
|
||
1993, fully cut over 10 Oct 1994; direct-dial not affected.)
|
||
(7D on all calls within area code)
|
||
412,717,814 Pennsylvania, for 717 1 Nov 1993 (full cutover 31 July 1994),
|
||
for 814 8 Nov 1993 (full cutover 1 Aug 1994); announced Sept 1993
|
||
(7D on all calls within area code)
|
||
(I found 1+NPA+7D on all toll calls in use in some places not served
|
||
by Bell. These include pay phones on: 814-634 Meyersdale, 4 July 1994;
|
||
717-533 Hershey, 19 Nov 1994.)
|
||
716 New York, 5 Dec 1993 (at least for Rochester Telephone;
|
||
is this permissive or mandatory date?)
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
(but on 1 June 1994, NYNEX announced 1+NPA+7D on all toll calls,
|
||
for its portion, including Buffalo, of 716 area)
|
||
601 Mississippi, Dec 1993
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
302 Delaware, 1 Apr 1994 (full cutover 7 Jan 1995)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
304 West Virginia, 30 Apr 1994 (full cutover 1 Oct 1994)
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 21 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
(16 or 30 Apr 1994 for 1+NPA+7D for local to other area codes)
|
||
(7D on all calls within it)
|
||
517,616,906 Michigan, 1994 (1 May in 517 & 616; 1 Feb 1994 in 906)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
808 Hawaii, 19 June 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
314,417,816 Missouri, July 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
316,913 Kansas, July 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
405,918 Oklahoma, July 1994 (mandatory 1 Jan 1995)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
501 Arkansas, July 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
409,806,915 Texas, July 1994
|
||
(also applies by then to 817 outside of Fort Worth area?)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
702 Nevada, July 1994
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
519,613,705,807 Ontario; 418,514,819 Quebec; 204 Manitoba; 306
|
||
Saskatchewan; 403 Alberta (and Yukon and NW Territories); 506
|
||
New Brunswick; 604 British Columbia; 709 Newfoundland (and
|
||
Labrador); 902 Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; 4 Sept 1994
|
||
(all of Canada except 416 and 905 in Ontario)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
315,516,518,607,914 New York, 1994? (mandatory 24 Sept 1994,
|
||
at least in 516 & 914)
|
||
(7D on all calls within area code)
|
||
(note that "PSC may ask telcos to provide option for mandatory
|
||
1+NPA+7D on all toll calls at subscriber's request" for 315,518,607)
|
||
217,309,618,815 Illinois, 1994?
|
||
(7D on all calls within area code)
|
||
216,419,513,614 Ohio, 1994? (full cutover 1 Jan 1995)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
414,608,715 Wisconsin, 1994?
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
817 Texas, 1994? (already in use in & near Fort Worth)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
203 Connecticut, 1994? (seen in Southern New England Telephone
|
||
directories which were not to be used before 25 Apr 1994;
|
||
what about the NYNEX part in the southwestern corner?)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
804, Virginia, 16 May 1994 (full cutover 16 Nov 1994)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
907 Alaska, 1994? (full cutover 1 Jan 1995)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
809, Caribbean area (full cutover 9 Jan 1995)
|
||
(1+NPA+7D on all toll calls; one exception: St. Vincent, Turks &
|
||
Caicos to use 01+NPA+7D on all toll calls)
|
||
|
||
Areacode splits:
|
||
If no date appears, the split may not have been announced publicly due
|
||
to lack of direct-dial facility at the time, or may never have occurred.
|
||
Early splits can only be guessed at with the following guidelines (my
|
||
reference is page 856 of the Sept. 1952 Bell System Technical Journal,
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 22 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
in the article "Nationwide Numbering Plan" by W. H. Nunn):
|
||
If an areacode is of form N1X, it is in a state or province with more
|
||
than 1 areacode. (The reverse is now obsolete.)
|
||
If an areacode is in a state or province with only 1 areacode, it is
|
||
of form N0X. (The reverse is now obsolete.)
|
||
|
||
what?/209 California
|
||
what?/707 California
|
||
what?/805 California
|
||
305/813 Florida
|
||
what?/309 Illinois
|
||
502/606 Kentucky
|
||
504/318 Louisiana
|
||
612/507 Minnesota
|
||
402/308 Nebraska
|
||
what?/607 New York
|
||
704/919 North Carolina
|
||
405/918 Oklahoma
|
||
901/615 Tennessee
|
||
what?/806 Texas
|
||
206/509 Washington
|
||
416/519 Ontario, 1953
|
||
404/912 Georgia, 1953 or 1954
|
||
December 1991 Greater Atlanta call guide, in discussing 404/706
|
||
split, said "It's been 38 years since Georgia added an Area Code."
|
||
613/705 Ontario, 1957 (did 705 also take part of the then 416?)
|
||
201/609 New Jersey, 1958 (New York Times, page B4, 27 April 1989)
|
||
414/608 Wisconsin, 1959?
|
||
415/408 California, 1960
|
||
616/906 Michigan, sometime after Nov 1960
|
||
what?/807 Ontario, 1962 (either an area which had no area code, or 705
|
||
split)
|
||
305/904 Florida, July 1965
|
||
703/804 Virginia, 24 June 1973 at 2:01 AM
|
||
714/619 California, Nov 1982
|
||
713/409 Texas, Mar 1983 (full cutover 90 days later)
|
||
213/818 California, Jan 1984
|
||
212/718 New York, 2 Sept 1984 (full cutover 31 Dec 1984)
|
||
Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island became 718;
|
||
Manhattan & Bronx stayed in 212;
|
||
Bronx switched from 212 to 718, 1 July 1992 (full cutover
|
||
15 May 1993; but until then, calls from Bronx to Brooklyn/
|
||
Queens/Staten Island still had to be dialed 1+718+7D, and
|
||
effective 25 Sept 1993 had to be dialed 7D)
|
||
303/719 Colorado, 5 Mar 1988
|
||
305/407 Florida, 16 Apr 1988
|
||
617/508 Massachusetts, 16 July 1988
|
||
312/708 Illinois, Nov 1989 (full cutover 9 Feb 1990)
|
||
202 District of Columbia & vicinity, 1 Oct 1990
|
||
This was like a split despite no new area code. 202 area
|
||
code, previously useable for all but the outermost Maryland
|
||
and Virginia suburbs, was restricted to DC proper, with 301
|
||
or 703, as the case may be, necessary for suburbs. As a
|
||
result, government offices (by then including the Pentagon)
|
||
using zipcodes starting with 200,202,203,204,205 and located
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 23 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
in Md. or Va. could no longer be listed in area 202. Prefixes
|
||
in the Pentagon, which is in Virginia, were previously in area
|
||
202 (not 703), and moved to area 703 in 1990; 202-694 had to
|
||
be replaced by 703-614 because 703-694 was in use at Stuart.
|
||
(Local calls across area code border changed from 7D to NPA+7D.)
|
||
214/903 Texas, 4 Nov 1990 (full cutover 4 May 1991)
|
||
201/908 New Jersey, 1 Jan 1991 (full cutover 8 June 1991)
|
||
415/510 California, 2 Sept 1991 (full cutover 27 Jan 1992)
|
||
301/410 Maryland, 1 Nov 1991 (full cutover 1 Nov 1992)
|
||
213/310 California, 2 Nov 1991 (full cutover 16 May 1992; was
|
||
to be 2 May 1992, but was postponed indefinitely because
|
||
of riots just before then)
|
||
(all GTE plus some PacBell went into 310)
|
||
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 25 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, 8 Jan 1994 (full cutover 7 Jan 1995)
|
||
(Because of this split, Denver 267, Adamstown 484, and Terre Hill
|
||
445 moved to 717 rather than 610, since their telephone companies
|
||
serve adjacent areas already in 717. I learned of this change for
|
||
Denver and Adamstown on 2 September 1993, with Denver going to 717-
|
||
336 because of 717-267 being used at Chambersburg. See elsewhere
|
||
in this file for note about dialing instructions for Denver and
|
||
Adamstown. I did not learn of the Terre Hill area code change
|
||
until 21 September 1994.)
|
||
205/334 Alabama, 15 Jan 1995 (full cutover 13 Mar 1995)
|
||
(the first NNX area code to be announced, on 22 July 1993)
|
||
206/360 Washington, 15 Jan 1995 (full cutover 9 July 1995)
|
||
602/520 Arizona, 19 Mar 1995 (full cutover 23 July 1995)
|
||
(announced 29 Nov 1993)
|
||
303/970 Colorado, 2 Apr 1995 (full cutover 1 Oct 1995)
|
||
713/281 Texas, 1995 (nature of the split not yet decided)
|
||
213/310/818/562 California, Sept 1995 (cellular/pager overlay,
|
||
but will then also get new landlines in 310)
|
||
312/708/630 Illinois, 1st quarter 1995 (cellular/pager overlay on
|
||
312 and 708)
|
||
305/954 Florida, 1st quarter 1995
|
||
703/540 Virginia, 15 July 1995
|
||
813/941 Florida, May 1995?
|
||
615/423 Tennessee, 1 Sept 1995 (full cutover 1 Feb 1996)
|
||
(249 was "too close to some exchanges in Kingsport" and 931
|
||
"could be confused with the 901 area code for Memphis".)
|
||
|
||
Area codes 706,903,905 had been used, at least in the U.S., for
|
||
calling parts of Mexico. (These codes were later announced for
|
||
Georgia, Texas, and Ontario respectively.) 706 and 905 were
|
||
discontinued 1 Feb 1991 for calls to Mexico (which was and still
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 24 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
is reachable in country code 52); I have no such date available
|
||
for 903.
|
||
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
dr.mdm.em.
|
||
Madam Emilia, 1:221/194
|
||
|
||
q. We've had book reviews in the Snoz. Why not echo reviews?
|
||
"Echo announcements" are usually for new echos hitting the backbone.
|
||
Why not have echo reviews: history of echos, tributes to great echo
|
||
personnae, how echo environments evolve...although mere bashings
|
||
of moderators would be dull.
|
||
|
||
a: bletch. You are wrecking something that is nice about echos.
|
||
Most people in them seem to have found their way there
|
||
serendipitously. There's a certain aura of magic about that.
|
||
|
||
q: Yeah, but, reading echo reviews might be as much fun as reading
|
||
'zine reviews, like 'Fact Sheet 5' and 'The Alternative Press Review'.
|
||
BTW, the comic on the back cover of 'anarcha-feminist hag MAG #4' is
|
||
priceless.
|
||
|
||
a: Stop talking about your paper zines fetish.
|
||
|
||
q: What do you think of calling the police to stop e-mail harassment?
|
||
|
||
a: It would be easier to press a return key. I could call the
|
||
police because of some of the things you have told me. You even
|
||
fired a gun at me in this column. I simply ignore you when you
|
||
are being a pain. I can pay attention to you if you stimulate my
|
||
mind, or not. I owe you no brain tax.
|
||
|
||
----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
Fidonews Information
|
||
========================================================================
|
||
|
||
------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
|
||
|
||
Editors: Donald Tees, Sylvia Maxwell
|
||
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
|
||
Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar
|
||
Tom Jennings
|
||
"FidoNews" BBS
|
||
FidoNet 1:1/23
|
||
BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS)
|
||
|
||
more addresses:
|
||
Rev. Richard Visage -- 1:163/409
|
||
Don -- 1:221/192, don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca
|
||
Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com
|
||
|
||
FidoNews 12-02 Page: 25 09 Jan 1995
|
||
|
||
(Postal Service mailing address)
|
||
FidoNews
|
||
128 Church St.
|
||
Kitchener, Ontario
|
||
Canada
|
||
N2H 2S4
|
||
|
||
voice: (519) 570-3137
|
||
|
||
Fidonews is 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 the eds.
|
||
Articles by Madam emilia may be retransmitted freely through
|
||
cyber-space.
|
||
|
||
OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue 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 by sending SASE to the above paper-mail
|
||
address, or trade for copy of your 'zine.
|
||
|
||
INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org,
|
||
in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews.
|
||
|
||
Anyone interested in getting a copy of the INTERNET GATEWAY FAQ may
|
||
freq GISFAQ.ZIP from 1:133/411.0, or send an internet message to
|
||
fidofaq@gisatl.fidonet.org. No message or text or subject is
|
||
necessary. The address is a keyword that will trigger the automated
|
||
response. People wishing to send inquiries directly to David Deitch
|
||
should now mail to fidonet@gisatl.fidonet.org rather than the
|
||
previously listed address.
|
||
|
||
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.
|
||
|
||
"the pulse of the cursor is the heartbeat of fidonet"...
|
||
-- END
|
||
|