1321 lines
45 KiB
Plaintext
1321 lines
45 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 2, Number 42 2 December 1985
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| / \ |
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| - Fidonews - /|oo \ |
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| Fido and Fidonet _`@/_ \ _ |
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| Users Group | | \ \\ |
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| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
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| ______ |__U__| / \// |
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| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
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| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
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| (jm) |
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Publisher: Fido 1/1
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Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
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Review Editor: Allen Miller
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Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
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Fidonews is published weekly by SEAboard, Fido 1/1. You are
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encouraged to submit articles for publication in Fidonews.
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Article submission standards are contained in the file
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FIDONEWS.DOC, available from Fido 1/1.
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Disclaimer or don't-blame-us:
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The contents of the articles contained here are not our
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responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them;
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everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING
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received.
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL
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Why Do We Do This?
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2. NEWS
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On the Interests of Fido: A Collection Proposal
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History of the World
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Free Holiday FidoGrams
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IBM's Latest Tricks: Token-Ring, etc.
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3. COLUMNS
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FASTBACK Commerical Backup Software
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4. WANTED
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Fido Art Contest
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5. FOR SALE
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Spiv's Great Computer Sale --These Things Must go!
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6. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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SPECIAL NOTICE for DEC Fido Users and Sysops
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============================================================
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EDITORIAL
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Why Do We Do This?
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Why run a board? What do you get out of it?
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I guess every sysop starts out as a user. After playing on
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other peoples' boards all hours of the night, running up
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enourmous phone bills in the process, one reaches the point
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where the only thing left to do is to be a sysop.
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But, having done it for a month or two, why keep at it? The
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nature of BBS users seems to be changing somewhat. From
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what I gather, the user who feels that BBSing is his God
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given right is becoming something of a minority. Users in
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general seem to be a much nicer crowd than the often used to
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be. But still, what is so great about being a sysop that
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anyone keeps doing it?
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Could computers possibly be addicting?
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I once thought so; perhaps I still do. I remember when I
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was in college I spent more time in the computer room than
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in my own dorm. Sometimes I'd sit at the terminal (we used
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a mainframe then, anybody remember them?) staring at the
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screen, trying to think of something interesting to do.
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The strangest time was about a month before I graduated.
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I'd sit down at the tube and get a weird feeling of
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detachment. After all, in a short time I'd be leaving, and
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I'd probably never see that system again. (I was wrong, but
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that's another story.) What's the point of writing something
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you'll never use?
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I figured out something to do anyway. We'd had reputations
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as hackers there, so we spent the last month showing them
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all the things we could have done, but hadn't. But that's
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beside the point.
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Take now for example. At this moment it is a little past
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two in the morning. I could be in bed now, asleep. Why am
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I at the keys instead? The best I can come up with is that
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some people are "into it", and will go to almost any lengths
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to feed their obsession.
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The condition may well be incurable.
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Fidonews Page 2 2 Dec 1985
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============================================================
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NEWS
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==============================
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ON THE INTERESTS OF FIDO:
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A COLLECTION PROPOSAL
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TO ALL.
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By Christopher Baker, Sysop,
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Metro-Fire Fido, 135/14
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Kurt Reisler's idea of centralizing the collection of
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information on where various versions of the Fido system
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can be found has spawned an imitator (the SINCEREST form
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of flattery, Kurt) with a similar plan to collect a
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different bunch of information.
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When I show someone the FidoList, their first reaction is
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amazement. The next question they ask is "What do all
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those people do on all those systems?". I give them the
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general low-down on Fido and how the Net operates, but
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they want to know what each node is into, specifically.
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There is a small amount of information to be gained from
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perusing the titles of the nodes but what would the
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uninitiated make of 'YAFIP' (109/610), for example? For
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that matter, what would the seasoned Fidoite make of it?
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With this info as background and for the sake of idle
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curiosity, I propose the following:
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1. Any and all members of the Network send a
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FidoMail message to me with a capsule
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summary of the main thrust of their board
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and a list of the types of computers they
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support with files and/or message areas.
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2. All nodes submitting this info also include
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any unique or specialty areas of interest
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they support, i.e., Fire/Rescue, Amateur
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Radio, Equestrians, Antique Autos, U.F.O.
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Observations, etc.
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In turn, I will compile all the info that comes in and
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make the resulting file available to FidoNews or other
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Fidos by FidoMail or download.
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So, send those cards and letters folks and let's find
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out what kind of resources we really have in this Network.
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FidoMail your responses to: Metro-Fire Fido, 135/14,
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(305) 596-8611; the more the merrier.
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Thanks in advance for your assistance.
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Fidonews Page 3 2 Dec 1985
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HISTORY OF THE WORLD
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As mistaken by students
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The following article appeared in the USENET jokes group. I
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hope you enjoy it.
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From: gkloker@utai.UUCP (Geoff Loker)
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Newsgroups: net.jokes
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Subject: History of the World
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Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
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Thanks to those of you who responded to my request for the
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History of the World as mistaken by students. Here it is:
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The following was taken without permission from The
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Wilson Quarterly, which is sort of a Reader's Digest
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for intelligent people. The article was assembled from
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papers submitted by freshmen history students at a
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Canadian university. The lead-in the the article as
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published in The Wilson Quarterly speculated that the
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long-suffering professor who originally assembled this
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work did it as an act of vengeance. As you read it,
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consider the possibility that the person or people with
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whom you share an office may be among the students who
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unknowingly contributed to this article. All mis-
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spellings are from the original.
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History, as we know, is always bias, because human
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beings have to be studied by other human beings, not by
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independent observers of another species.
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During the Middle Ages, everbody was middle aged.
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Church and state were co-operatic. Middle Evil society was
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made up of monks, lords and surfs. It is unfortunate that
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we do not have a medivel European laid out on a table before
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us, ready for dissection. After a revival of infantile com-
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merce slowly creeped into Europe, merchants appeared. Some
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were sitters and some were drifters. They roamed from town
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to town exposing themselves and organized big fairies in the
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countryside. Mideval people were violent. Murder during
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this period was nothing. Everybody killed someone. England
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fought numerously for land in France and ended up wining and
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losing. The Crusades were a series of military expaditions
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made by Christians seeking to free the holy land (the "Home
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Town" of Christ) from the Islams.
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In the 1400 hundreds most Englishmen were perpendicu-
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lar. A class of yeowls arose. Finally, Europe caught the
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Black Death. The bubonic plague is a social disease in that
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it can be transmitted by intercourse and other etceteras.
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It was spread from port to port by inflected rats. Victims
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of the Black Death grew boobs on their necks. The plague
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also helped the emergence of the English language as the
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Fidonews Page 4 2 Dec 1985
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national language of England, France and Italy.
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The Middle Ages slimpared to a halt. The renasence
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bolted in from the blue. Life reeked with joy. Italy
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became robust, and more individuals felt the value of the
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human being. Italy, of course, was much closer to the rest
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of the world, thanks to northern Europe. Man was deter-
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mined to civilise himself and his brothers, even if heads
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had to roll! It became sheik to be educated. Art was on a
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more associated level. Europe was full of incredable
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churches with great art bulging out their doors. Renais-
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sance merchants were beautiful and almost lifelike.
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The Reformation happened when German nobles resented
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the idea that tithes were going to Papal France or the Pope
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thus enriching Catholic coiffures. Traditions had become
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oppressive so they too were crushed in the wake of man's
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quest for ressurection above the not-just-social beast he
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had become. An angry Martin Luther nailed 95 theocrats to a
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church door. Theologically, Luthar was into reorientation
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mutation. Calvinism was the most convenient religion since
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the days of the ancients. Anabaptist services tended to be
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migratory. The Popes, of course, were usually Catholic.
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Monks went right on seeing themselves as worms. The last
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Jesuit priest died in the 19th century.
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After the refirmation were wars both foreign and infer-
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nal. If the Spanish could gain the Netherlands they would
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have a stronghold throughout northern Europe, which would
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include their posetions in Italy, Burgangy, central Europe
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and India thus serrounding France. The German Emperor's
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lower passage was blocked by the French for years and years.
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Louis XIV became King of the Sun. He gave the people
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food and artillery.If he didn't like someone, he sent them
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to the gallows to row for the rest of their lives. Vauban
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was the royal minister of flirtation. In Russia the 17th
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century was known as the time of the bounding of the serfs.
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Russian nobles wore clothes only to humour Peter the Great.
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Peter filled his government with accidental people and built
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a new capital near the European boarder. Orthodox priests
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became government antennae.
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The enlightenment was a reasonable time. Voltare wrote
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a book called Candy that got him into trouble with Frederick
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the Great. Philosophers were unknown yet, and the fundamen-
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tal stake was one of religious toleration slightly confused
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with defeatism. France was in a very serious state. Taxa-
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tion was a great drain on the state budget. The French
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revolution was accomplished before it happened. The revolu-
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tion evolved through monarchial, republican and tolarian
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phases until it catapulted into Napoleon. Napoleon was ill
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with bladder problems and was very tense and unrestrained.
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History, a record of things left behind by past genera-
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tions, started in 1815. Throughout the comparatively redi-
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cal years 1815-1870 the western European continent was
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undergoing a Rampant period of economic modification.
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Fidonews Page 5 2 Dec 1985
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Industrialization was precipitating in England. Problems
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were so complexicated in Paris, out of a city population of
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one million people, two million able bodies were on the
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loose.
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Great Britain, the USA and other European countrys had
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demicratic leanings. The middle class was tired and needed
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a rest. The old order could see the lid holding down new
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ideas beginning to shake. Among the goals of the chartists
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were universal suferage and an anal parliment. Voting was
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to be done by ballad.
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A new time zone of national unification roared over the
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horizon. Founder of the new Italy was Cavour, an intelli-
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gent Sardine from the north. Nationalism aided Itally
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because nationalisn is the growth of an army. We can see
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that nationalism succeeded for Itally because of France's
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big army. Napoleon III-IV mounted the French thrown. One
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thinks of Napoleon III as a live extension of the late, but
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great, Napoleon. Here too was the new Germany: loud, bold,
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vulgar and full of reality.
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Culture fomented from Europe's tip to its top. Richard
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Strauss, who was violent but methodical like his wife made
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him, plunged into vicious and perverse plays. Dramatized
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were adventures in seduction and abortion. Music reeked
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with reality. Wagner was master of music, and people did
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not forget his contribution. When he died, they labeled his
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seat "historical". Other countries had their own artists.
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France had Chekhov.
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World War I broke out around 1912-1914. Germany was on
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one side of France and Russia was on the other. At war peo-
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ple get killed and then they aren't people any more, but
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friends. Peace was proclaimed at Versigh, which was
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attended by George Loid, Primal Minister of England.
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President Wilson arrived with 14 pointers. In 1937 Lenin
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revolted Russia. Communism raged among the peasants, and
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the civil war "team colours" were red and white.
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Germany was displaced after WWI. This gave rise to
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Hitler. Germany was morbidly overexcited and unbalanced.
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Berlin became the decadent capital where all forms of sexual
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deprivations were practised. A huge anti-semantic movement
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arose. Attractive slogans like "death to all Jews" were
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used by governmental groups. Hitler remilitarized the Rine-
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land over a squirmish between Germany and France. The
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appeasers were blinded by the great red of the Soviets.
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Moosealini rested his foundations on eight million bayonets
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and invaded Hi Lee Salasy. Germany invaded Poland, France
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invaded Belgium, and Russia invaded everybody. War
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screeched to an end when a nukuleer explosion was dropped on
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Heroshima. A whole generation had been wipe out in two
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world wars, and the forlorne families were left to pick up
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the peaces.
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According to Fromm, individuation began historically in
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medieval times. This was a period of small childhood.
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Fidonews Page 6 2 Dec 1985
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There is increasing experience as adolescence experiences
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its life development. The last stage is us.
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*** Posted to FidoNews by David Messer - SYSOP Fido 14/415
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Fidonews Page 7 2 Dec 1985
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:::::::::::::::::::::::::
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:FREE HOLIDAY FIDOGRAMS :
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:::::::::::::::::::::::::
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Luck Hurder - 101/105
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Thanksgiving is now over it seems, and those of us who pro-
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ided you with free Thanksgiving Fidograms want you to know
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a thing or three.
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First off, the Amateur Radio networks would have been busy
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enough this week, thank you, sending "Happy Turkey Day"
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messages and the like to thousands of people around the
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country. That was even before Fido began wagging his tail
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into the picture!
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Now that more and more users of Fidonet are becoming aware
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of the link with Amateur Radio that allows them virtually
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unlimited free telegrams, we expect the radio end of things
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to bulge a bit at the seams. After all, Fido users are a
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discerning lot, no? And I suspect they're mostly like me -
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(cheap/chintzy/tight!); able to spot a freebie when they
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glimpse one.
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The point we're getting at (ever so slowly) is that you
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shouldn't wait a day longer. Dig out your little black
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books and send your Xmas Fidograms today. Now - before you
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forget. Waiting any longer will only put that much more of
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a strain on our system for the holiday crunch!
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Secondly, try to keep in mind what the text of your Fido-
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grams will sound like when they're delivered to the
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recipient. Lines of basic programming, and cute little
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jingles like "Roses are red, violets are blue, today's the
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day for turkeys like you" lose much of their value (?) when
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delivered by a total stranger over the phone.
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Finally - in years past we've had the miserable experience
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of being asked on December 24th to deliver large volumes
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of message traffic in time for Christmas. Ditto for sweet
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nothings during the evening of February 13th. Do all of us
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a favor - be thinking of who you want Christmas Fidograms
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to go to - during November. For Valentine's day, birthdays
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and other important dates, plan early. We'll gladly accept
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them here at 101/105 many weeks in advance, and will relay
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them to the city of destination to be held until the date
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you specify.
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Granted, the tone of this week's Fidogram article has been
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a bit negative. It's just that while we feel comfortable
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knowing that the majority of your free Fidograms are being
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delivered promptly and usually within the time frame that
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you expected, there are always a few who fail to understand
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the "labor intensiveness" of our networks. Help us to help
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you with your holiday Fidograms - send 'em early!
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Fidonews Page 8 2 Dec 1985
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For more info on Fidograms or the Amateur Radio networks
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that handle them for you, contact me by Fidomail @ 101/105.
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Fidonews Page 9 2 Dec 1985
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There's more than a Token-Ring LAN in IBM's latest announcements
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by Robert E. Spivack
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Spiv's Fido Net #143 Node #3
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(408) 972-8164
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A few weeks ago IBM formally announced their worst kept
|
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secret, the IBM Token-Ring Local Area Network.
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(Coincidentally, Intel also announced their own worst kept
|
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secret, the 80386 microprocessor chip.) By most accounts, it
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was a simple, one-product announcement legitimizing the
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rumors that have persisted in the industry for the past few
|
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years.
|
|
|
|
In reality, IBM announced a multitude of new products, some
|
|
of them complementary to the Token-Ring LAN, and others
|
|
entirely unrelated. Careful perusal of the official IBM
|
|
literature (unofficially called "ivories" because of the
|
|
pure white paper used) reveals several exciting products in
|
|
new areas for IBM.
|
|
|
|
First of all, some clarification. The actual Token-Ring LAN
|
|
consists of four new products: the IBM Token-Ring Network PC
|
|
Adapter (part #6339100), the IBM Token-Ring Network
|
|
Multistation Access Unit (part #6091014), the IBM Token-Ring
|
|
Network NETBIOS Program (part #6467037), and the Advanced
|
|
Program-to-Program Communication Software APPC/PC (part
|
|
#6467038).
|
|
|
|
As you might have guessed, the Token-Ring Network PC Adapter
|
|
is the actual, full size board that plugs into the IBM PC
|
|
and provides the hardware for the network. The Token-Ring
|
|
Network Multistation Access Unit is a rack-mountable cabinet
|
|
that links up to 8 PC's and itself can be linked to other
|
|
MAU units.
|
|
|
|
Physically, PC's on the IBM network are wired together in
|
|
groups to a centralized wiring box, the above mentioned MAU.
|
|
(In network lingo, the IBM network is a physical star
|
|
topology; the IBM network "ring" is a logical construct, one
|
|
that exists in the software that drives the network.) The
|
|
actual cost of linking each PC into the network is therefore
|
|
the cost of the individual Token-Ring Adapter board and 1/8
|
|
of the cost of the required MAU.
|
|
|
|
The rationale for this setup is that it is very reliable and
|
|
easy to install. The MAU is an active device (powered by
|
|
electricity) and is smart enough to disconnect any one of
|
|
the individual PC's linked to it if they are malfunctioning.
|
|
Thus, in a large network, any PC can be turned off or break
|
|
and not cause the entire network to stop working.
|
|
|
|
This is quite different from Ethernet (for example) where a
|
|
problem in one PC can sometimes crash the entire network.
|
|
In fact, the IBM scheme is very similar to business
|
|
telephones. If you look at the wiring in any office complex
|
|
you will find that groups of telephones have their wires
|
|
drawn to a central wiring box which is usually hidden in a
|
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 10 2 Dec 1985
|
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|
closet.
|
|
|
|
In a surprise addition to the product announcement, IBM
|
|
stated that as an alternative to expensive coaxial cable,
|
|
the Token-Ring LAN can also utilize normal telephone wiring.
|
|
Further, IBM stated that in many cases existing, already
|
|
installed telephone wire can be used for the network. Thus,
|
|
installing an IBM Token-Ring Network might be as easy as
|
|
putting a MAU in a telephone cabinet and connecting up the
|
|
wires that already exist, but are unused.
|
|
|
|
IBM also announced that it will offer a service program
|
|
where IBM will inspect/test already existing telephone wire
|
|
and certify whether it can be used with the IBM network.
|
|
When one begins to realize that the cost of installing the
|
|
network cables is often the only real cost of networking
|
|
(labor and materials for coaxial cables adds up quickly)
|
|
this shows clearly that IBM understands why everyone has
|
|
been slow to accept networking until now.
|
|
|
|
The Token-Ring Network NETBIOS Program, although a separate
|
|
software product, is an intrinsic part of the new network.
|
|
When IBM introduced its first network, the IBM/Sytek
|
|
broadband "PC Network" it created a well-defined
|
|
hardware/software interface called the NETBIOS (for NETwork
|
|
Basic Input Output System).
|
|
|
|
The NETBIOS provides a way for third party software
|
|
developers to write programs and be guaranteed that their
|
|
programs will continue to run on new IBM hardware. The
|
|
NETBIOS is very similar in concept to the original IBM PC
|
|
BIOS which provided a standard interface for direct control
|
|
of the hardware in the IBM PC.
|
|
|
|
The release of the NETBIOS software is very important for
|
|
two reasons. First of all, it demonstrates that IBM truly
|
|
is committed to an open network interface. All software
|
|
developed for the IBM/Sytek PC Network that uses only the
|
|
NETBIOS interface will execute properly on the new Token-
|
|
Ring LAN through the NETBIOS.
|
|
|
|
Secondly, the NETBIOS is software, not firmware. By
|
|
providing the NETBIOS as a separate program on diskette, IBM
|
|
is free to enhance its internal workings, add functions,
|
|
improve its performance, etc. and can simply issue a new
|
|
diskette with the changes. By comparison, the IBM/Sytek PC
|
|
Network includes the NETBIOS software as part of a PROM
|
|
(programmable read-only memory) on the network adapter
|
|
board. Changing PROM chips, although feasible, is much more
|
|
difficult and expensive.
|
|
|
|
Additionally, the release of NETBIOS software from IBM
|
|
validates what AST Research has already done. For the past
|
|
several months, AST Research, a leader in multifunction add-
|
|
ons for the IBM PC, has been marketing its own NETBIOS
|
|
software for OEM's. IBM's continuing use of the NETBIOS
|
|
approach should bring a wave of customers to AST Research
|
|
wishing to develop their own networking products that are
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 11 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
NETBIOS compatible without having to spend the time to write
|
|
a NETBIOS themselves. (Gee Tom, will Phoenix Software let
|
|
AST Research gain a foothold here?)
|
|
|
|
The final part of the Token-Ring announcement, Advanced
|
|
Program-to-Program Communication Software (APPC/PC), is only
|
|
partially related to the network products. APPC/PC is a
|
|
major part of IBM's communications software and is more
|
|
commonly known as LU 6.2. By bringing LU 6.2 software to
|
|
the IBM PC, IBM is providing the foundation for third party
|
|
developers to finally provide true micro-to-mainframe
|
|
software solutions.
|
|
|
|
APPC/PC includes a clearly defined API (application program
|
|
interface). If third party software developers use the API
|
|
then IBM or other companies are free to improve the hardware
|
|
used for networking or data communications without
|
|
applications software having to adjust.
|
|
|
|
Until now, micro-to-mainframe solutions for PC's have
|
|
focused on solving the hardware problems of linking to
|
|
mainframes. Products such as DCA's IRMA, or CXI's PCOX do a
|
|
good job of bridging the hardware differences but provided
|
|
only rudimentary services beyond strick 3278 terminal
|
|
emulation.
|
|
|
|
APPC/PC with LU 6.2 capability sets the stage for much more
|
|
sophisticated applications. Imagine a database program such
|
|
as dBASE-III or R:Base that, transparently to the user, can
|
|
automatically query information on the corporate mainframe
|
|
as easily as on the PC that it is running on!
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 12 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
* To NEC or not to NEC
|
|
|
|
INTEL 8088 verses the NEC V20
|
|
|
|
Is the NEC V20 better than Intel's 8088 and do we care?
|
|
|
|
Yes I know, that seems to be all we see in Fidonews
|
|
these days, but that's the reason for one more article. We
|
|
all have heard how great the NEC V20 is and how Intel is
|
|
suing NEC for copying the 8088. But if the NEC chip wasn't
|
|
better I'm sure Intel wouldn't be suing, but if the NEC chip
|
|
is better then how can Intel claim that it is copy?
|
|
|
|
While trying to come up with something interesting I
|
|
decided to run CPUID.COM (a cpu identifier program). CPUID
|
|
told me that my Intel 8088 was a version 1.38 8088. It also
|
|
told me that my 80286 cpu was a ver 1.38 80286. Now the
|
|
interesting part came when it told me that the NEC V20 was
|
|
a ver 1.38 8088.
|
|
|
|
But to the reason I'm writing this. Many people have run
|
|
comparisons and come up with many different results so I
|
|
decided to confuse the issue even more.
|
|
|
|
I decided to time both Intel's 8088 ver 1.38 and the NEC
|
|
V20 at both 4.77 Mhz and 8 MHz in a Sperry PC with 640 K and
|
|
Tulin TL240 hard disk with an 80 millisecond access time. To
|
|
be able to test both the computing time and the ability to
|
|
handle IO operations I decided to archive PCBOARD with
|
|
LU.EXE thrown in by mistake, using ARC44.EXE. I felt that
|
|
this would force the CPU to do as many different operations
|
|
as possible and still keep the test simple. PCBOARD consist
|
|
of 414227 K of 83 separate files. ARC44 libraries and
|
|
compresses files the most efficient way, some are squeezed,
|
|
some are compressed, crushed, ect. The Archived file was
|
|
260786 K, a savings of 153441 K of disk space. (A small
|
|
pitch for ARC).
|
|
|
|
I also decided to do the same test on a Sperry IT with a
|
|
80286 CPU to compare clock rates. The Sperry can be run at 6
|
|
Mhz 1 wait state (the standard IBM AT rate), 7.16 Mhz, 0
|
|
wait state, and 8 Mhz, 1 wait state. Interestingly enough,
|
|
the wait states affect the processing time more then the
|
|
clock rate. For those that wish to compare the IT time to
|
|
the standard Sperry, it must be noted that the IT's hard
|
|
disk has a 30 millisecond access time. I don't believe
|
|
a truly accurate comparison can be made, and I didn't do it
|
|
by floppy because of the file size (I did that on purpose).
|
|
|
|
As you will see, there was only an effective nine percent
|
|
increase of power, although when CPU.COM was run it said
|
|
the NEC V20 was running at a lightning 19.47 Mhz.
|
|
|
|
Even if the performance of the NEC V20 CPU doesn't
|
|
warrant upgrading your 8088, there is one last tidbit to
|
|
throw out. Digital Research has released under I believe the
|
|
Shareware concept a program called V20-80.COM, which allows
|
|
you to run CPM 80 on your IBM/Compatable PC, and Intel still
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 13 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
thinks both CPU's are the same? To think you can have all
|
|
this for less then a box of diskettes or more precisely
|
|
$20.00.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The following are the results I obtained.
|
|
|
|
MACHINE, CPU, ARCHIVE TIME % INCREASE
|
|
AND SPEED PCBOARD
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry PC 8088 @ 4.77 Mhz | 22 min 45 sec | Reference
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry PC 8088 @ 8 Mhz | 17 min 15 sec | 24 percent
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry PC NEC V20 @ 4.77 Mhz | 20 min 45 sec | 9 percent
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry PC NEC V20 @ 8 Mhz | 15 min 45 sec | 31 percent
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry IT 80286 @ 6 Mhz, 1 ws | 6 min 5 sec | Reference
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry IT 80286 @ 7.16 0 ws | 4 min 10 sec | 31 percent
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
Sperry IT 80286 @ 8 Mhz 1 ws | 4 min 50 sec | 21 percent
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 14 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================================================
|
|
COLUMNS
|
|
============================================================
|
|
|
|
Allen Miller, 108/10
|
|
|
|
FASTBACK Backup Software
|
|
|
|
FASTBACK is a $179 copy-protected program from Fifth
|
|
Generation Systems that provides an alternative to the DOS
|
|
BACKUP/RESTORE utilities. It greatly reduces the time to
|
|
backup a hard disk and gives greater functionality to the
|
|
restore operation. Since it greatly reduces the amount of
|
|
time required to backup a hard disk, it may also increase
|
|
the likelyhood that users will backup their data.
|
|
|
|
FASTBACK can be run with command line parameters
|
|
supplied, similar to the way one would execute DOS BACKUP.
|
|
In addition, it will provide full English prompts for
|
|
parameters if no command line parameter is supplied or the
|
|
parameters can be stored in a DOS text file for repeated
|
|
use. FASTBACK uses its own diskette format and will format
|
|
backup diskettes on the fly as it does its backup 'run'. If
|
|
you have a personal computer with two similar diskette
|
|
drives, it will alternate between the two drives so you can
|
|
change one diskette while it writes the other diskette.
|
|
Interestingly, FASTBACK keeps the floppy disk drive spinning
|
|
continuously during its backup run thus eliminating the time
|
|
required to get the drive up to speed after each diskette is
|
|
inserted.
|
|
|
|
FASTBACK will create a 'catalogue' file on your hard
|
|
disk of all the files that have been backed up and update it
|
|
as successive partial backups are performed. This enables
|
|
it to GREATLY improve on the restore type operation.
|
|
Without inserting any of your backup diskettes, it is able
|
|
to present you with a directory of all the backed up files
|
|
with full scrolling and searching capabilities. You can
|
|
selectively restore a file and FASTBACK will know exactly
|
|
which diskette to prompt you for.
|
|
|
|
Now for the neat part. The first time you use FASTBACK
|
|
and write to your diskettes the execution time is longer
|
|
than successive runs when FASTBACK does not have to also
|
|
format the diskettes. FASTBACK requires about the same
|
|
number of diskettes to backup a given amount of data as
|
|
would DOS BACKUP, however it is FAST. I backed up an XT at
|
|
a rate of 1.2 mb/min. On my AT, I was able to backup my
|
|
entire hard disk (which contained 17.9 meg of data) in 9
|
|
minutes and 24 seconds or 1.9 mb/min. Imagine - NINE
|
|
MINUTES FOR 18 MEG.
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 15 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================================================
|
|
WANTED
|
|
============================================================
|
|
|
|
\\/// W a n t e d : Fido Art
|
|
/=##=\
|
|
<_\ |_> In the search for cultural enhancement
|
|
_ =\@' SportFido, 115/512, will be hosting a Fido
|
|
// / | Art contest. It is open to all artist and
|
|
\\/) ||| pictures of all sorts are welcome, but they
|
|
(__)|_)) must contain only CHARACTER or ANSI graphics,
|
|
SportFido (no other kind will be accepted). The
|
|
collection of pictures will be on display on
|
|
my board and in a month or so there will be a vote taken
|
|
by my users and a winner will be deturmined. He or she will
|
|
recieve a grand prize (probably a box of disks or something
|
|
along those lines).
|
|
|
|
Any Fido pictures from artistic sysops who have made
|
|
special Fido welcomes are especially welcome.
|
|
|
|
PLEASE send all entries via FidoNet with a title and name
|
|
of artist to: 115/512.Winner will be notified through the
|
|
Node from which the picture as sent, please include it also.
|
|
|
|
Paul Hansen (Sysop, SportFido 115/512)
|
|
312/598-0525 (Only those who call can vote.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 16 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================================================
|
|
FOR SALE
|
|
============================================================
|
|
|
|
From: Robert E. Spivack
|
|
Sysop Spiv's Fido Net #143 Node #3 (Formerly 10/346)
|
|
(408) 972-8164
|
|
|
|
I have recently re-arranged my system(s) and have the
|
|
following hardware for sale:
|
|
|
|
BABY BLUE:
|
|
This is a CP/M-80 emulation board for the IBM PC and
|
|
compatibles. Great for maintaining the ability to run CP/M-
|
|
80 programs while getting rid of an old CP/M system.
|
|
|
|
TECMAR MULTIFUNCTION BOARD:
|
|
I forgot the exact name but this is the one with 384 KB of
|
|
memory, battery backed-up clock, one RS-232 serial port and
|
|
one Centronics parallel port. Includes full instruction
|
|
manual and a diskette full of Tecmar utility software.
|
|
|
|
3COM ETHERNET CONTROLLER BOARD:
|
|
This is a complete Ethernet local area network controller
|
|
board. I'm sorry, but I don't have a copy of the manual.
|
|
This board is great for someone already running 3Com
|
|
Etherseries network or Novell Netware/3Com. You'll have to
|
|
know what you're doing and already be a network user, but
|
|
I'll give you a great deal!
|
|
|
|
NESTAR NETWORK INTERFACE CONTROLLER ("NICS"):
|
|
I've got a few of these boards that I picked up at a local
|
|
computer swap meet. If you are running any kind of NESTAR
|
|
local area network (PLAN 2000, PLAN 3000, or PLAN 4000)
|
|
you'll find these handy. It's a great way to expand your
|
|
network at a low cost. Same scenario as above, no manual,
|
|
no documentation, not for the novice, but a great
|
|
opportunity for someone already using NESTAR's token bus
|
|
network setup.
|
|
|
|
IBM TOPVIEW SOFTWARE:
|
|
If you want to play around with multi-tasking, I've got a
|
|
brand new, shrink-wrapped copy of IBM's Topview. It may not
|
|
be perfect, but it beats waiting for Pc-DOS 4.0 or 5.0 to
|
|
come out.
|
|
|
|
IBM DATA EDITION:
|
|
I've also got a copy of this one. It is IBM's file-oriented
|
|
database manager designed to be part of the "IBM Personal
|
|
Decision Series" but is also a complete standalone system.
|
|
I'm just an addicted dBASE-III fan, but some of you might
|
|
find a home for this well-documented file management system.
|
|
|
|
OLDIE BUT GOODIE SOFTWARE:
|
|
Here's a few items I have collected and are now sitting on
|
|
my shelf taking up precious space. (All include the
|
|
original master disks, full documentation, and an "as is"
|
|
warrantee.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 17 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VERSAFORM -- The forms oriented database package
|
|
DATAFAX -- A Freeform, text search database system
|
|
VISISCHEDULE -- Remember the guys who wrote Visicalc? This
|
|
is the PC version of their acclaimed project s/w
|
|
|
|
|
|
WHY THERE ARE NO PRICES LISTED FOR ANY OF THIS STUFF:
|
|
I am a horsetrader and I know the fair market value (or
|
|
retail price) of these items. I bet some of you do too! So
|
|
if you're willing to take a chance and make and offer, I'll
|
|
consider it.
|
|
|
|
The first offer that meets my own desired selling price will
|
|
be accepted. So, the risk for offering a very low price is
|
|
NOT being able to buy it, and the risk for offering a very
|
|
high price is guaranteeing the purchase but perhaps paying a
|
|
little more than you had to.
|
|
|
|
As they say, "nothing ventured, nothing gained". Why not
|
|
take a risk and FidoNet me a message with an offer on any of
|
|
these exciting items?
|
|
|
|
(You can also call my Fido directly, but please bear in mind
|
|
it is a semi-private system: Simply leave your message as a
|
|
private one to the Sysop.)
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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|
|
|
Fidonews Page 18 2 Dec 1985
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================================================
|
|
NOTICES
|
|
============================================================
|
|
|
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 Dec 1985
|
|
DECUS Anaheim. The first session (Roadmap session) of
|
|
the PC Special Interest Group will meet at 11:30 in the
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PC Campground (Bonita Tower, Santa Cruz room). See you
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there...
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24 Jan 1986
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Voyager 2 passes Uranus.
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9 Feb 1986
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Halley's Comet reaches perihelion.
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9 Feb 1986
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Diana Overholt (109/74) has another birthday.
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11 Apr 1986
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Halley's Comet reaches perigee.
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19 May 1986
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Steve Lemke's next birthday.
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24 Aug 1989
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Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
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If you have something which you would like to see on this
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calendar, please send a message to Fido 1/1.
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------------------------------------------------------------
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SPECIAL NOTICE for DEC FIDO USERS AND SYSOPs
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The DECUS PC SIG in cooperation with a number of the Rainbow
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FIDO SYSOP's are planning to run a Fido at the national DECUS
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Meeting to be held the week of December 7th, 1985 in Anaheim,
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California. The node number is listed as private in the
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current nodelist.333 as Fido 102/555 DECUS_Anaheim. The SYSOP
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recruited for the week is Fritz Howard who runs the Hitch
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Hikers Guide at 102/23. The board will be using a Rainbow
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100+ donated by DEC.
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If you are running a DEC Rainbow Fido or have DEC users on
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your board we ask that you permit them to send FidoNet Mail
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to 102/555. The can be done by giving those users credit or
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setting the message cost for 102/555 to $0.00. This is a
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great opportunity for your DEC users to find out what's
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going on at DECUS or perhaps ask questions to some of the
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DEC experts that will be attending.
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Fidonews Page 19 2 Dec 1985
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We ask that you place a notice in your bulletin to let your
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users know about DECUS_Anaheim and remind them that this
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board will only be running Mail for one week during DECUS.
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If you are planning to attend DECUS and would like to help
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out please send a message to Fritz Howard at 102/23.
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Ken Kaplan
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SYSOP Fido 100/22
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------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 20 2 Dec 1985
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