1189 lines
39 KiB
Plaintext
1189 lines
39 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 2 13 January 1986
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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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+----------------------------------------------------------+
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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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2400 Baud and Electronic Mail
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2. NEWS
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Change 10MB Hard Disk cluster from 4K to 2K
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Improper use of Fido and life threats
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The latest FIDO distribution list
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Fido and Color Graphics
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Automate removal of ROBOT messages -- KILLROBT
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3. COLUMNS
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No body language on a terminal?
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Lotus Bulletin Board Announcement
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Rainbow Corner
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4. FOR SALE
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IBM PC/XT compatible systems - $1850
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5. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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Special notice to Jim Filgo
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============================================================
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EDITORIAL
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============================================================
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2400 Baud and Electronic Mail
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I finally got a Courier 2400 from USRobotics. It's a nice
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little box. I used to be using a Novation 1200 baud modem,
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which works well, but doesn't have all those little lights
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on the front. (It has two lights; one stays on to show that
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it's turned on, and the other flashes in strange ways.) The
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Courier has a bunch of lights, including one the meaning of
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which still escapes me.
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I missed those lights. Don't believe anyone who tells you
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you don't need the lights. Say you leave Mike Nagel's
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excellent background dialer running and walk away from the
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machine for a minute. How do you know if it connected while
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you were away? If you got lights, then you just look at the
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carrier detect light. I used to manage with listening for
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the faint click when the dialer picked up the phone. This
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is MUCH better!
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2400 baud doesn't seem to matter much for entering and
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reading messages. I can't read 1200 baud, and I certainly
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can't type even 300 baud. Having a faster line just means
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more time spent at the "More?" prompt. (Though it is true
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that long welcome messages bother me a lot less now.)
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Where it really comes into its own is at file transfers.
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When I first got the thing I spent about twenty minutes on a
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local board downloading files, just so I could watch those
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little lights blinking back and forth. Lucky for me most
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regional coordinators have 2400 baud, so it should have a
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nice effect on my phone bill.
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By the way, Rob Elliott tells me that the sysop offer is
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still open. You call the board with the unlikely name of
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"Sit UBU Sit" (node 115/500) and answer the questionnaire,
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which is an order form for a modem. They don't accept
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credit cards, but they will ship COD. Fido sysops don't
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exactly get preference. That is, the offer is open to any
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sysop, but they can look up Fido boards in the node list,
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whereas checking on other systems takes longer.
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Fidonews Page 2 13 Jan 1986
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============================================================
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NEWS
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By popular demand, we are reprinting this article from
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Usenet.
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2K Cluster Size for 10MB Fixed Disks under DOS 3.x
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Standard 10mb fixed disks formatted under DOS 3.0 & 3.1
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utilize 4k clusters (i.e., the minimum space allocated to
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any file is 4096 bytes), while drives 20mb and larger
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utilize 2k clusters. At work, I use a PC with twin 10mb
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drives under DOS 3.1. Since I have a multitude of small
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files on these disks, the smaller allocation unit's space
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saving advantage far outweighs any theoretical disadvantage
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of additional overhead for DOS to handle the added
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allocation units. With the help of Bob Morse, Jim Gainsley,
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and the DOS Technical Reference, I was able to make the
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changes necessary to use 2k clusters on both of my 10mb
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drives. By following the step-by-step instructions below,
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you will be able to make the switch to 2k clusters yourself.
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The need for making a complete backup of all your files
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prior to attempting this procedure cannot be overemphasized.
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You will need the following tools:
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1) IBM PC-DOS version 3.1 (3.0 will work, but because of
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other bugs, 3.1 is strongly recommended).
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2) A disk utility such as Norton's NU.COM, or equivalent.
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Most critical to the process is the sequence in which this
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procedure is attempted. Here is the 4k to 2k cluster
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procedure:
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1) Do a complete backup of the drive, using your current
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version of DOS.
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2) Cold boot DOS 3.1, and FDISK the drive to create a DOS
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partition.
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3) Format the drive using the DOS format program. Don't use
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any parameters (no /s or /v).
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4) Using your Norton (or whatever), select the boot sector
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and view it. See below for an explanation of the
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pertinent info in this sector. You should see a value of
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08 for sectors per cluster. change this to 04. You
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should see a value of 0800 for sectors per fat. Change
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this to 1500. All changes to the fat sectors required
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for 2k clusters will be accomplished by the subsequent
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format (6,below). No other manual changes are required.
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A more detailed explanation of these two changes:
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The number of sectors per cluster would change from
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08 to 04, since that's what this is all about. The
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sectors per FAT will change, in order to
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Fidonews Page 3 13 Jan 1986
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accommodate (1) the increased number of possible
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FAT entries, and (2) the increased size of each fat
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entry (new 16 vs. old 12 bits each). The value to
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use for a 10 meg & 2k clusters would be 21 sectors,
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or 1500 in hex word format.
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5) Exit Norton and do a cold boot. This is critical, since
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the boot sector is read by DOS only once, at boot time,
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in order to build the BIOS Parameter Block. Having
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different info in the boot sector than what's in the
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memory-resident BPB will cause exceedingly flaky things
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to happen, as you can imagine.
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6) Reformat the drive using the DOS program, using whatever
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switches that you desire (/s or /v). Format will not
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affect your changes to the boot sector.
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7) Restore your files, remembering to use the new restore
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switch (/P) which prompts before restoring system files.
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If you restore an old version of COMMAND.COM, make sure
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to copy a 3.x version over it afterward. You should now
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be operational again, with 2k clusters.
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====================
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Example of first few bytes in the Boot Sector displayed in
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hex format, after formatting with DOS 3.1, and prior to 2k
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cluster size changes:
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EB299049 424D2020 332E3100 02080100 020002F3 50F80800
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^^ ^^^^
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AA BB
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After the 2k cluster size changes:
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EB299049 424D2020 332E3100 02040100 020002F3 50F81500
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^^ ^^^^
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AA BB
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Where the data elements directly above AA are sectors per
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cluster, and above BB are sectors per FAT.
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Further info on the entries in the boot sector entries used
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to build the BIOS Parameter Block can be found in the DOS
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3.x Technical Reference, Page 3-22. Of course, I cannot
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warrant that this change will work for all controller/disk
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combinations, particularly for controllers and drives which
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are not "XT clones", though it should work for all drives
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compatible enough to work under DOS 3.x.
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Fidonews Page 4 13 Jan 1986
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Fellow Sysops:
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I had a user sign on and deposit a bomb. Fortunately
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it was de-fused by me prior to it going off. It is an IBM
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BASICA program and will not run properly on the Rainbow
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anyway.
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The user used the following alias:
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Name: Harry Blackstone
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City: New York, NY
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Password: Magic
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He logged on to 102/110 on 17-NOV-85 at 3:55pm. The
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program he deposited is called FUTR2.BAS. It attempts to
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kill all files on A, B, C, & D drives. It is poorly written,
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as though by a 6th grader. It is easy to spot. It is about
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2600 bytes long. Be aware of this user's name and password.
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Spread this message around. Keep a log of where and when
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you've seen him and his actions.
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About one month later, on 19-DEC-85, he came back. He
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saw a little note I had posted in my Free Message Area about
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him and his program. He also noticed that I had twitted him.
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He came back under the name of 'Blackstone Harry'. He had
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info about a home I own and people that is on file at the
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County Clerk's Office and free for all to see. He said he
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was going to put a bullet into a relative's head, and rape
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and sodomize another relative. Neither relatives are alive
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today as they both passed away about 6 months ago. The house
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mentioned is not occupied by me but by tenants. However the
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threat was REAL. The police have a file on him. Other users
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have reported to me that they have seen him. The FBI knows
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about and has a file on him. The phone company knows about
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him. The FBI and the phone company offered to set line traps
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for him. I accepted the offer.
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One week later, he left messages containing Visa and
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American Express card numbers on them. These were turned
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over to the authorities. He claimed to have broken into a
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VAX 8600 and was trying to 'crash' it. Good luck. The FBI
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was involved because interstate crime may have been
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committed. They since suspect that he is operating out of
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the Los Angeles Area or has contacts here. In exchange for
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phone line trapping I have agreed to prosecute him to the
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fullest extent of the law if captured. He wants to use the
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name Harry Blackstone. He gets upset if he cannot use it.
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Please report any contact with him to either this Fido or
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preferably the FBI. I am all for a good joke, and it is true
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that no harm was done so far by his program or him. But
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threats like he made (if it is a 'he') cannot be tolerated.
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Passing Visa card numbers around puts our Fidos in jeopardy
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as well. We are to a certain degree responsible for what's
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on our boards.
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A short time afterward, he called my voice number and
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posed as a beneficiary to a good cause. He wanted to come
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collect a donation. The only donation he gets from me is Pb
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Fidonews Page 5 13 Jan 1986
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in capsule form. It should be mentioned that he has called
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at least one other local Fido here and made the same public
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threat to me on that system.
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One thing this proves is that as Sysops we all have to
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be careful with other's uploads. Check everything, as I do.
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Sometimes a machine language program will get through so
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check these extremely carefully. The program STRING.COM
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available everywhere will assist you in doing this.
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If you are on any board and see Public Messages from
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him before I do, please inform me immediately. Ignore the
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messages. If he causes you trouble, do as I did and call the
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police, FBI and telephone company. You will be surprised as
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I was to see that these people are very helpful. Computer
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crime is easy to trace if you have a log as we do and keep
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your evidence updated. I will let everyone know how this
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turns out, and ignore it if he never calls again and makes
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no more threats. As for now, I keep my S & W loaded and
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ready for use. The police agree with this concept. I will
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not hesitate to use it if he finds my newer address and
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comes here. My house is overlooked by 6 others higher than
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it, and all neighbors are in tune to this message.
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Good luck in catching this nerd on your system!
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Fidonews Page 6 13 Jan 1986
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FIDO DISTRIBUTION LIST
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24 December 1985
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This list was compiled from responses to a proposal I submitted
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to the FIDONEWS. I know there are more distribution nodes than
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this, but these are the ones that responded. My thanks to those
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of you listed here. If you are a distribution node, and would
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like to be added to this list, send the relevant information to
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the SYSOP on 109/74 - The Bear's Den. I will release updates to
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this list as new distribution nodes are added.
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NODE NODE NAME LOCATION PHONE NUMBER Version
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---- --------- -------- ------------ -------
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18/19 The Ark Tangent Tampa_FL 813-977-5347 * I
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100/10 MDC_RCC, St._Louis_MO 314-232-6881 * D,I
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100/22 PC LUG St._Louis_MO 314-576-2743 * D,I
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100/51 DECUS Central St._Louis_MO 314-576-4129 * D,I
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101/27 Dave's FIDO Gardner_MA 617-632-1861 * All
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101/106 NewWorld Magic1 Swampscott_MA 617-595-5626 * I
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106/343 PC-Interconnect Houston_TX 713-955-8120 I
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106/106 Black_Star Houston_TX 713-458-5406 I
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109/456 FIDO-FHLMC Washington_DC 202-789-5090 I
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109/483 Wash-A-RUG Fairfax_VA 703-359-6549 D,I
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109/603 NET-EXCHANGE Reston_VA 703-689-3561 I
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114/1 Phoenix Net Phoenix, AZ 602-242-5230 I
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122/6 PSG COOS Bay COOS_Bay_OR 503-269-5202 * I
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124/12 Inside Track Ed Plano_TX 214-422-4772 I
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125/1 Fido's Board San_Francisco_CA 415-864-1418 * All
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125/521 Satore Center San_Francisco_CA 415-647-8528 I,V
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128/10 The Three Laws Colorado_Spgs_CO 303-574-1110 I
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129/11 TACO Sanyo Fido Trafford_PA 412-856-1428 * S
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132/107 M'Cycle Bytes Amherst_NH 603-889-3366 * All
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135/14 Metro-Fire Fido Miami_FL 305-596-8611 I,S,T,G
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* Supports 2400 Baud
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FIDO Version:
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I[BM], D[EC], V[ICTOR], S[ANYO], T[ANDY], G[ENERIC]
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This version of the list was squeezed a bit, to allow it to
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fit into the FIDONEWS format. If you would like a full 80
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column copy of this list, it may be downloaded from either
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FIDO 109/74 (The Bear's Den), or FIDO 109/483 (Wash-A-RUG).
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Fidonews Page 7 13 Jan 1986
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Fido and Color Graphics
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by
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Nevin Nobles
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Sysop Fido 19/201
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Fido's Domain
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While trying to improve the frequency of use on my system, I
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stumbled upon something in which you might be interested,
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"Graphics." Full Color Ansi.sys graphics.
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I have (and some of you may) a FreeWare graphics editor that
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writes all of the codes for you. Easy! There was also a
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problem, while most people who call do not use a program
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which supports the use of graphics. There had to be a way
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to offer an option.
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Everyone that signs on has a default of 24 lines and 80
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columns across. After you make your regular Welcome and
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Bulletin messages, lengthen them so that when you call, the
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end of the message will prompt you <More>. Then on the last
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line of that message you can add something like "Do you want
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color graphics (y/n). If they type "N" then it skips the
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part of the message with the picture. The picture is added
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to the end of messages like this:
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copy bulletin.bbs+filename bulletin.bbs
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The filename being what ever you called your picture.
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It takes a little patience to line up the messages and get
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the prompts right but the outcome is worth the wait.
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Also Ansi.sys has to be in your config.sys file. Qmodem is
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what we have been using and it works great. The uses are
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unlimited and the users love it. The editor is called
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Ansidraw.arc. Any amount of pictures can be added by
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tacking them to the end of the message.
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If you need any help or further details write me and I'll
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get back to you.
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Thank you
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Fidonews Page 8 13 Jan 1986
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KILLROBT -- Robot Message Killer
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(C) COPYRIGHT 1985 by PROBUS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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Limited license is hereby granted for BBS operators of all
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noncommercial FidoNet systems to use this program.
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Voluntary contributions will be appreciated.
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Commercial users must obtain reasonable licensing
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arrangements by contacting:
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Stephen M. Butler
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PROBUS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
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8815 - 106th St. E.
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Puyallup, WA 98373
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NOTICE: ROBOT is a copyrighted program by Systems
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Enhancement Associates of Wayne, NJ.
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==> PURPOSE:
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KILLROBT automates the removal of ROBOT messages. Since
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many of these messages are for the automated distribution of
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NODELIST and FIDONEWS and have a time limit to be picked up
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in, KILLROBT automates their removal.
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==> FORMAT:
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KILLROBT [path]
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==> REMARKS:
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KILLROBT opens MAIL.SYS to learn the path to the FidoNet
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message area. It obtains a directory (unsorted) of all
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*.MSG files. Each of these is read to locate those
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originated by ROBOT. Those who weren't are closed and left
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as is. The rest (the ones we want to get rid of) are
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deleted. KILLROBT lists the message numbers, destination
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net/node, date entered, and Path/File data from the deleted
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messages.
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The easiest way to invoke KILLROBT is from the FIDO main
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|
directory as:
|
|
E:\fido > KILLROBT
|
|
|
|
One can invoke KILLROBT when in another directory or sub-
|
|
directory as:
|
|
E:\ > KILLROBT \fido
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|
|
|
Place on the command line the path to get to the main FIDO
|
|
directory. KILLROBT will change directories in order to
|
|
read MAIL.SYS. As KILLROBT terminates, it will change back
|
|
to the directory you invoked it from.
|
|
|
|
If you should forget to put the path on the command line (or
|
|
MAIL.SYS is not found), KILLROBT will prompt for the path to
|
|
the FIDONET message area. If you give it a bad directory
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|
Fidonews Page 9 13 Jan 1986
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path, it will reprompt. Once you give a valid path, it will
|
|
do its dirty work--even if no '*.MSG' files are found (in
|
|
which case nothing is deleted).
|
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|
------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 10 13 Jan 1986
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============================================================
|
|
COLUMNS
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============================================================
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NEGOTIATING BY COMPUTER DEBATED
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|
by Richard Naimark
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"Can effective negotiations take place via computer
|
|
terminal? Are communications improved or weakened by
|
|
removing the face-to-face element of a negotiation? The
|
|
author, Director of the AAA's New Jersey Regional Office,
|
|
addressed these issues as one of the interviewees on ESPN's
|
|
cable TV program Management Report, an award-winning
|
|
business program.
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|
"The program, produced in conjunction with the Wharton
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|
Business School, focused on various aspects of the
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|
negotiations process.
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|
|
"The section on negotiations conducted via computer
|
|
terminal included debate of the viability of that process.
|
|
Some of the potential advantages are: reduction of
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|
emotionalism and a focus on the issues; low cost; multiple
|
|
part input at any given time; existence of a written record;
|
|
and 24-hour access.
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|
"Some of the potential disadvantages are: inability to
|
|
deal with the important emotional issues; existence of a
|
|
written record;longer time to complete negotiations; and the
|
|
need for practice to use the medium effectively.
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|
"The author noted that while computer conferencing may be
|
|
particularly useful in pre-and post-meeting exchanges, it
|
|
deprives the parties of the many nonverbal cues that are an
|
|
important aspect of communication. Psychologists tell us
|
|
that, in many situations, more than half of communcation is
|
|
nonverbal. Without the face-to-face meeting, one is unable
|
|
consciously or subconsciously to read facial expression,
|
|
tone of voice, body posture, body position, timing, voice
|
|
volume, or gestures.
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|
|
"On the other hand, Murray Turoff of the New Jersey
|
|
Institute of Technology descsibed the negotiation of a
|
|
separaTion by a divorcing couple, made possible because of
|
|
the decreased emotionalism of working through a terminal.
|
|
He referred to the computer as the "great equalizer."
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|
|
"It will be interesting to see over time whether the use
|
|
of computer terminals for negotiation increases in the
|
|
business and legal communities. Reactions of our readers
|
|
are welcomed."
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Reprinted from ARBITRATION TIMES (published by the American
|
|
Arbitration Association), Summer, 1985.
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|
|
Just think. The poor guy never saw body language and
|
|
emotionalism over a terminal.
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Fidonews Page 11 13 Jan 1986
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------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 12 13 Jan 1986
|
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|
|
Announcing Allen's Lotus Land
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Announcing - Allen's Lotus Land - A Fido Electronic Bulletin
|
|
Board run by Allen Miller in Cincinnati, Ohio at 513/662-1799
|
|
(five-one-three/six-six-two-dash-one-seven-nine-nine).
|
|
This system is dedicated exclusively to users of 1-2-3 and
|
|
Symphony, Lotus Development Corporation products.
|
|
|
|
This is the only free bulletin board system in the country
|
|
dedicated solely to 1-2-3 and Symphony. The message areas
|
|
provide a good place to solicit help on questions you may
|
|
have for the spreadsheet you are working on. The files
|
|
areas contain public domain worksheet templates and related
|
|
programs which you can download. If you wrote a worksheet
|
|
that would be of interest to others, upload it to the files
|
|
area.
|
|
|
|
The bulletin board runs 24 hours per day. Membership is
|
|
acquired after on-line completion of the membership
|
|
application form during your first call. The system
|
|
supports 2400 baud as well as 1200 baud and 300 baud. This
|
|
is a free, user supported service for sharing of information
|
|
related to these Lotus spreadsheet programs. Assistant
|
|
Sysop services are provided by some very talented local
|
|
Lotus users. CALL TODAY.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 13 13 Jan 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rainbow Corner
|
|
by Theodore Needleman
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reader mail this week was mostly comments, both on the
|
|
column, and on "Project Transport". So far, all of the
|
|
comments I've gotten about my proposal have been positive.
|
|
I still haven't made my mind up (it's only mid-June as I
|
|
write this, and I promised to give everyone 'till August 1st
|
|
to comment), but I'm sure leaning towards doing it.
|
|
However, Project Transport may not be necessary on the scale
|
|
I envisioned, if one of my leads pans out. I've tracked
|
|
down a company that claims to have a software package which
|
|
will allow you to run most IBM-PC software on the Rainbow.
|
|
I've requested a review copy, signed their licensing
|
|
agreement, and am now waiting to receive the package. If it
|
|
shows up, I'll run some tests and let you know. I use the
|
|
word "if" because I tend to be a bit cynical about products
|
|
I haven't seen. I won't go as far as to use the term
|
|
"vaporware" because someone I know says he has seen the
|
|
package demonstrated, but "Needleman's Law" states that "If
|
|
it's not in my hands, It doesn't exist" (at least that's
|
|
Needleman's Law this week). But, as usual, hope springs
|
|
eternal.
|
|
|
|
While still (more-or-less) on the subject of reader mail, a
|
|
letter arrived this morning from Jeffrey Noyes of Mercer
|
|
University asking about a clock/calendar card for the
|
|
Rainbow. There's an expensive one, included as part of GPIB
|
|
interface from National Instruments (800-531-5066) listed in
|
|
the QUE "DEC Expansion & Software Guide". The price given
|
|
for this is $485. Don't give up hope, though, there's a
|
|
less expensive board which will soon be on the market. The
|
|
projected retail price will be in the range of $150 or less.
|
|
I'm hoping to be able to give more details in a week or two.
|
|
|
|
One last comment on reader mail. I love to get letters,
|
|
MCIMail, and the like, and the kind comments many of you
|
|
have made really brighten up my day. I do try to answer
|
|
mail containing questions, but you can make this task a bit
|
|
easier on me. If you write to me, and would like (or
|
|
expect) a direct answer, PLEASE enclose a stamped, self-
|
|
addressed envelope. And if you write, and don't want me to
|
|
use your name here at the "Corner", just let me know. I
|
|
have no wish to inadvertently embarrass anyone!
|
|
|
|
On to other business. I had wanted to do a column on the
|
|
FidoNet Bulletin Board System. My mention of DEC-LINE in
|
|
April's "Corner" brought over 200 calls in the first 2 weeks
|
|
after it appeared. By the way, DEC-LINE closes down for the
|
|
summer (June, July and August) so you might not have been
|
|
able to get through. I've spent the last week or so signing
|
|
onto Fido Boards all around the country, and making lots of
|
|
new "FIDO FRIENDS". I'm convinced that the FidoNet system
|
|
deserves a lot more attention then just a quick plug, but,
|
|
as usual, I'm a bit short on room this week. But, while
|
|
you're waiting till next week for the whole story on
|
|
FidoNet, here are a bunch of FidoNet boards you might want
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 14 13 Jan 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
to try:
|
|
|
|
NAME Phone# System Operator (SYSOP) State
|
|
|
|
Rainbow_Data 213/204-2996 Don Brauns CA
|
|
|
|
PC LUG 314/576-2754 Ken Kaplan MO
|
|
|
|
DECUS_CENTRAL 314/432-4129 - MO
|
|
|
|
Wash-A-Rug 703/359-6179 Kurt Reisler WA
|
|
|
|
DEC-WARE 212/535-8924 Matt Kanter NY
|
|
|
|
Daves_Fido 617/632-1861 Dave Rene MA
|
|
|
|
Don Brauns' Rainbow_Data board is the largest one I've come
|
|
across so far, so you might want to try it first. He (and
|
|
several other Fido SYSOPS) is in the process of turning the
|
|
board into a subscription membership (it will cost $2.50 a
|
|
week), but you can still sign on for free and take a look
|
|
around. Many of the boards listed above are quite busy, so
|
|
keep trying until you get through. And once you do, please
|
|
don't "hog" the board. Remember, the Rainbow is a single
|
|
user machine. While you're using it, no one else can. And
|
|
when you do sign on to one of the above Fido boards, be sure
|
|
to leave a message to the System Operator (SYSOP) that you
|
|
heard about his board here at the "Corner". If you'd like,
|
|
you can leave a message for me on either Matt Kanter's DEC-
|
|
WARE board in NY or Don Brauns' Rainbow_Data board in CA,
|
|
I'm on both at least once a week. More on Fido next week.
|
|
|
|
One of the "hazards" of doing a column like this one, is
|
|
that the software to be reviewed sometimes starts to pile
|
|
up. (I can hear all of you now...Poor Ted, all of that
|
|
software!) It's a "hazard" because reviewing software is
|
|
only one of the things that I hope to accomplish here at the
|
|
"Corner". While I do want to talk about interesting
|
|
packages, I feel it is just as important, if not more so, to
|
|
answer questions you might have, and discuss other
|
|
information resources available to you. This is very
|
|
discouraging to those nice people who send software for
|
|
review, but I ask them to be patient, I will get to it
|
|
eventually.
|
|
|
|
Back in the beginning of the year, I made a request for a
|
|
software package that would help to keep track of computer
|
|
usage to meet the strict record keeping laws that had just
|
|
been enacted. My request got an immediate reply from PURNA
|
|
PAREEK at VuSoft (Lincoln, MA, 617/259-0686) in the form of
|
|
a review copy of their DO-IT software. The record keeping
|
|
law has been toned way down, and is pretty much gone, but
|
|
the review package is still here, and I finally got around
|
|
to taking a look. I must admit that I'm impressed with the
|
|
software. DO-IT is a multi-function utility package similar
|
|
in concept to Borlund's Sidekick (on the IBM-PC). It
|
|
contains a Notepad, Calculator, Terminal, and Help and
|
|
Save/Print Screen functions. These functions co-reside in
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 15 13 Jan 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
memory with whatever application you happen to be running,
|
|
and the DO-IT pop-up menu is accessed by simultaneously
|
|
pressing the Control-Shift-Enter keys. This suspends the
|
|
application you are currently engaged in, and gives you the
|
|
DO-IT main menu. Do-IT is not a multi-tasking system like
|
|
Concurrent CP/M-86. While two programs can reside in
|
|
different memory partitions (if you have sufficient memory),
|
|
only one of them runs at a time. All of the functions are
|
|
easy to use, and extremely useful, especially as you can
|
|
suspend what you are doing, use the notepad, calculator,
|
|
etc., then take up right where you left off! At first
|
|
glance I wondered about the VT-100 Terminal function, as the
|
|
Rainbow has this built-in. Then I realized that the
|
|
Rainbow's terminal emulator is only accessible from the
|
|
"Boot Menu". DO-IT, on the other hand, does not make you
|
|
back out of what you are doing and reboot the system. Just
|
|
put your current work on "hold", dial up another system,
|
|
and, when you are done, resume your first application.
|
|
|
|
DO-IT really deserves a more "in-depth" review than I've
|
|
been able to do here. It's a handy program to have, is a
|
|
nice bit of programming, and is reasonably priced at $125.
|
|
Give Purna a call at VuSoft and he'll be glad to tell you
|
|
all about it.
|
|
|
|
That's it for now. As usual you can reach me at: P.O. Box
|
|
668, New City, NY 10956. MCIMail to "Theodore Needleman",
|
|
or Source ID TCA920. Till next week...Happy Computing!
|
|
|
|
|
|
(c)opyright 1985 by Ted Needleman-all rights reserved
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 16 13 Jan 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================================================
|
|
FOR SALE
|
|
============================================================
|
|
|
|
> > > IBM PC/XT compatible systems for sale < < <
|
|
|
|
IBM-PC/XT 100% compatible assembled from standard parts,
|
|
serviceable nation-wide. Multiple configurations available.
|
|
Typical configuration would include -
|
|
|
|
1 System unit with:
|
|
640Kb RAM
|
|
2 320Kb floppy disk drives
|
|
1 21Mb hard disk (pre-formatted with MS-DOS)
|
|
Color/Graphics card
|
|
Game port
|
|
Assych. Communications card
|
|
1 Zenith ZVM-1220-A (This model is amber)
|
|
1 KB-5150 83 key keyboard
|
|
|
|
All this, including one year warranty, for only $1850 !!
|
|
Thats right folks, only $1850.00 brings you this wonder
|
|
machine. It is perfect to run a Fido/FidoNet system, not
|
|
to mention other applications.
|
|
|
|
If you would like to learn more about these systems, feel
|
|
free to contact us via one of the below listed resources:
|
|
|
|
Voice: Contact Justin Norman, 9am-5pm, 503/692-5976
|
|
Leo Norman, 9am-5pm, 503/243-1936 ex. 318
|
|
|
|
U.S. Mail: L Norman & Associates
|
|
22675 S.W. Grahams Ferry Road
|
|
Sherwood, OR 97140
|
|
|
|
Fido BBS: Northwest Super Fido, 300/1200/2400 baud,
|
|
24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 503/692-6243
|
|
|
|
FidoNet mail: Address to: Justin or Leo Norman
|
|
Fido #146/0 or #146/1
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 17 13 Jan 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
============================================================
|
|
NOTICES
|
|
============================================================
|
|
|
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|
|
|
|
|
24 Jan 1986
|
|
Voyager 2 passes Uranus.
|
|
|
|
9 Feb 1986
|
|
Halley's Comet reaches perihelion.
|
|
|
|
9 Feb 1986
|
|
Diana Overholt (109/74) has another birthday.
|
|
|
|
11 Apr 1986
|
|
Halley's Comet reaches perigee.
|
|
|
|
19 May 1986
|
|
Steve Lemke's next birthday.
|
|
|
|
24 Aug 1989
|
|
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
If you have something which you would like to see on this
|
|
calendar, please send a message to Fido 1/1.
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Will Jim Filgo, node 131/445, please call node 1/1 to pick
|
|
up his mail?
|
|
|
|
------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
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|
|
Fidonews Page 18 13 Jan 1986
|
|
|
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