1801 lines
89 KiB
Plaintext
1801 lines
89 KiB
Plaintext
BTN: Birmingham Telecommunications News
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COPYRIGHT 1990
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January 1990 Volume 3, Issue 1
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Table Of Contents
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-----------------
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Article Title Author
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Policy Statement and Disclaimer................Staff
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Editorial Column...............................Idiot-In-Chief
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Atta Boy & Then Some...........................Mark Maisel
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A FidoNet Tutorial.............................Larry Odom
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Berlin Wall Interview..........................Karsten Propper
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Review & Overview of ProDoor 3.1...............Ricky Morgan
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Profile: Randy Hilliard.......................Chris Mohney
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Amiga On The Loose.............................Richard Foshee
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Is There A Dark Contagion......................Percy Peabody
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Insights: A Modest Proposal...................Ron Albright
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A Look Into The Twilight Zone..................Richard Kushner
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Book Review....................................Karsten Propper
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Message Board..................................Barry Bowden
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Known BBS Numbers..............................Staff
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EzNet Multiple Echo List.......................Staff
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Disclaimer and Statement of Policy for BTN
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We at BTN try our best to assure the accuracy of articles and
|
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information in our publication. We assume no responsibility for
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damage due to errors, omissions, etc. The liability,if any for BTN, its
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editors and writers, for damages relating to any errors or omissions,
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etc., shall be limited to the cost of a one year subscription to BTN,
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even if BTN, its editors or writers have been advised of the likelihood
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of such damages occurring.
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With the conclusion of that nasty business, we can get on with our
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policy for publication and reproduction of BTN articles. We publish
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monthly with a deadline of the fifteenth of the month prior to
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publication. If you wish to submit an article, you may do so at any
|
||
time but bear in mind the deadline if you wish for your work to appear
|
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in a particular issue. It is not our purpose to slander or otherwise
|
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harm a person or reputation and we accept no responsibility for the
|
||
content of the articles prepared by our writers. Our writers own their
|
||
work and it is protected by copyright. We allow reprinting of articles
|
||
from BTN with only a few restrictions. The author may object to a
|
||
reprint, in which case he will specify in the content of his article.
|
||
Otherwise, please feel free to reproduce any article from BTN as long as
|
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the source, BTN, is specified, and as long as the author's name and the
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article's original title are retained. If you use one of our articles,
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please forward a copy of your publication to:
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Mark Maisel
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Editor, BTN
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221 Chestnut St.
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BHM, AL 35210-3219
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We thank you for taking the time to read our offering and we hope that
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you like it. We also reserve the right to have a good time while doing
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all of this and not get too serious about it.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Editorial
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by Mark Maisel
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Welcome to the new year and I hope that one of your resolutions
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will be to religiously read BTN each month and that when quizzed, you
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wil be able to answer any question put to you regarding any issue. Even
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if you don't read every issue, you ought to read this one. It is even
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bigger than the Christmas issue which left me absolutely amazed. Since
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editors world wide are using their columns this month to act as pundits
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for the coming decade or to say goodbye to the past one, I will do what
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you expect and completely forget that business. I have absolutely
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nothing to say in the way of any predictions or "I told ya so's" this
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time. No, not me. I won't even mention the time that I told Randy...
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but I digress. This issue has a great variety of articles to choose
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from though I recommend reading all of them.
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We start with my report on some very odd behavior on the part of
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Tom Egan. To say any more would spoil the surprise. Larry Odom, sysop
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of I.S.A. BBS, expands on a previous article by Howard Duck, sysop of
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Duck Pond, on FidoNet. He also provides new information for anyone who
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is interested in becoming a member of this network. If you have ever
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wondered how FidoNet manages to connect over 5000 bulletin boards
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together with mail and file service, now is your chance to find out.
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Events in Eastern Europe have been in the news for the last few months,
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||
particularly the dismantling of the Berlin Wall. Karsten Propper,
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||
wanting to hear a personal perspective from an affected German,
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interviewed his father on this event. Mr. Propper shares his feelings
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with us and helps provide better understanding of the feelings of many
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Germans on this issue. Ricky Morgan follows with the continuation of
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his series on ProDoor 3.1 and devotes this month to file transfer
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options. Don't miss it if you want to experience the great flexibility
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ProDoor offers in this area. Guess whose name got pulled this month:
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Randy Hilliard. Chris swears that it was a random pull from the hat and
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Randy does his best to answer the ProFile questions. Ole Randy told
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Chris that he had not experienced such test anxiety since his last blood
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test. Richard Foshee steps up to bat for the Amiga again, this time
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expanding on an article by Kelly Rosato on multitasking. Richard
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describes multitasking on the Amiga and explains some of the concepts
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behind this ability. The next article, written by Percy Peabody, deals
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with the darker side of telecommunications. He expands on and shares
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his feelings about an article detailing the use of bulletin boards by
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violent and racist groups that appeared in a recent issue of PC
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Computing. Ron Albright offers us all a modest proposal for bringing
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computer literacy to our children that bears your attention,
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particularly if you own more than one computer. Thanks to the wandering
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eyes of Dean Costello, we have a re-print from ST Report by Richard
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Kushner that is a not quite so fictional as he would have you believe
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story about the computer wars of the early 1980's. Karsten Propper
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reviews another book for us in the science fiction genre so take a look
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and see if he knows what he is talking about. We close the issue, at
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last, with our regulars, Message Board, The Known BBS List, and the
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EzNet Echo List.
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I hope that you will enjoy this issue. Please leave public comments on
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EzNet. To the many contributors, thanks once again!
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Atta Boy & Then Some
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by Mark Maisel
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It was recently brought to my attention that our resident "Evil
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Nazi", Tom Egan, Remote Sysop of The Matrix, has been behaving in ways
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that are sure to get him booted from "The Bad Guys In America" listing.
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I don't really know how to tell you folks this but I assure you that it
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is true.
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While driving back to town from a job in Montgomery, Tom happened
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upon a most unusual sight. As he approached an overpass, he saw a woman
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fall, hit the highway next to the car in front of him, and bounce into
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his path. He quickly managed to stop his car and proceeded to turn it
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around to face the oncoming traffic. He parked his car about 1/4 mile
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behind the woman with his headlights on to warn cars to get out of the
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lane. He then rushed back to the woman to see what could be done for
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her. As cars stopped to offer help, he asked them to call for emergency
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aid and an ambulance. He then put his Red Cross emergency training to
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work, I didn't believe it either, and went on to keep the woman
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immobilized until help could arrive. Tom reasoned that the woman most
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likely had some broken bones and possible spinal damage so he worked to
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hold her still. He told me that the woman tried to get up so he had to
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be very careful to keep her down yet not aggravate her injuries further.
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In addition, he kept up a steady stream of talk to try and calm her and
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keep her from going into shock.
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After help arrived, Tom came back home and reported the days events
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to his wife and to me. She and I were impressed to say the least. As
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time passed, Tom was told by the people at the hopsital that the woman
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broke both legs, one ankle, one arm, and also had sustained spinal
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damage. Tom was also told that the woman would most likely experience
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a complete recovery due to his efforts at immobilizing her. If not for
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Tom, the woman probably have become paralyzed. One thing Tom never has
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found out is why the woman fell from the overpass.
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I felt that this story deserved to be shared with you all and that
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it certainly demonstrates that there is some good in everyone, even an
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"Evil Nazi" like our Tom. So next time he logs you off, messes up your
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game, or message pointers, consider his heroics and let him have his
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fun. You might also leave Tom an "Atta Boy" message next time you are
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on The Matrix and let him know how proud you are of him.
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Editor's Note: The woman has since been released from the hospital
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and will recover fully.mm
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-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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A FidoNet Tutorial -
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by Larry Odom
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Sysop of ISA-BBS of Birmingham
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Section
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1 Overview
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The Levels of FidoNet
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Coordinators
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Region 18 Coordinator and In-State Listing
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2 Sysop Procedures
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How to get a node number
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3 Network Communications
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Node list distribution
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Newsletter distribution
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Network mail distribution
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Echomail Distribution and Symbolic Listing
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Overview -
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FidoNet is an amateur electronic mail system. As such, all of its
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participants and operators are non-paid volunteers. From its early
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beginnings as a few friends swapping messages back and forth, it has
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now grown to (November 89) over 5000 different systems on four
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continents.
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FidoNet is large enough that it would quickly fall apart of its own
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weight unless some sort of structure and control were imposed on it.
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Multinet operation provides the structure. Decentralized management
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provides the control.
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The Levels of FidoNet -
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FidoNet nodes are grouped on several levels. These are as follows:
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o FidoNet; This indicates the entire public amateur mail network, as
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administered by the International FidoNet Association, and as
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defined by the weekly node list.
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o Zones; A zone is a large geographic area containing many regions,
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and covering one or more countries and/or continents.
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o Regions; A region is a well defined geographic area containing
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nodes which may or may not be combined into networks. A typical
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region will contain many nodes in networks, and a few independent
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nodes, which are not a part of any network.
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o Networks; A network is a collection of nodes, usually in a
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relatively small geographic area. Networks coordinate their mail
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activity to decrease cost and increase mail throughput.
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o Hubs; A hub is a subdivision of a network that assists in network
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management by routing mail to, and by coordinating for, a
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collection of nodes in that network. In general only the larger
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networks will have hubs.
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o Nodes; A node is a single FidoNet address, and is the smallest
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recognized unit of FidoNet.
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o Points; A point is a node on a private network which is accessible
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through a node on FidoNet.
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Each subdivision at each level is managed by a coordinator. A
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coordinator is a person who coordinates the technical aspects of
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network mail. This entails both administrative and technical tasks,
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which will be described later. The following levels of coordinators
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are currently recognized:
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o The International Coordinator; The International Coordinator
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compiles all of the node lists from all of the regions and creates
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the master node list, which is then distributed over FidoNet.
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o The Zone Coordinator; A Zone Coordinator maintains the list of
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administrative nodes in his zone and accepts node lists from the
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Regional Coordinators in his zone. He compiles these lists to
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create a zone node list, which he then sends to the International
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Coordinator for inclusion in the master node list. A Zone
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Coordinator is also responsible for overseeing any zone gateways
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in his zone.
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o The Regional Coordinator; A Regional Coordinator maintains the
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list of independent nodes in his region and accepts node lists
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from the Network Coordinators in his region. He compiles these
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lists to create a regional node list for his region, which he then
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sends to his Zone Coordinator. A Regional Coordinator does not
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perform routing services for any nodes in his region.
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o The Network Coordinator; A Network Coordinator maintains the list
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of any nodes in his network that are not served by a hub and
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accepts node lists from the Hub Coordinators in his network. He
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compiles these lists to create a network node list for his
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network, which he then sends to his Regional Coordinator. A
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Network Coordinator is also responsible for forwarding any mail
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addressed to nodes in his network.
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o The Hub Coordinator; A Hub Coordinator maintains the list of nodes
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in his hub and sends it to his Network Coordinator. A Hub
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Coordinator is also responsible for forwarding any mail addressed
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to nodes in his hub.
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o The Sysop; A Sysop formulates his own policy for running his board
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and dealing with his users, so that will not be discussed in this
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document. However, a Sysop must also mesh with the rest of the
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FidoNet system if he is to send and receive mail, and that will be
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discussed here.
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These levels act to distribute the administration and control of
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FidoNet to the lowest possible level, while still allowing for
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coordinated action over the entire mail system. Administration is
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made possible by operating in a strict top-down manner. That is, a
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coordinator at any given level is responsible to the coordinator
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immediately above him, and responsible for everyone below him.
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For example, a Regional Coordinator is solely responsible to his Zone
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Coordinator for anything that may or may not happen in his region.
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From the point of view of the Zone Coordinator, the Regional
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Coordinator is totally and completely responsible for the smooth
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operation of his region. Likewise, from the point of view of the
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Regional Coordinator, the Network Coordinators are totally and
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completely responsible for the smooth operation of their networks.
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If a coordinator at any level above sysop is unable for any reason to
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properly perform his duties, he can be replaced by his coordinator at
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the next level up. For example, if a Regional Coordinator is failing
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to perform his duties, then his Zone Coordinator can appoint a new
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Regional Coordinator to replace him.
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The primary responsibility of any coordinator is technical management
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of network operations. Management decisions should be made strictly
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on technical grounds.
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Region 18 Coordinator & In-State Host Listing -
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Type Node Board's Name Phone Number City Baud
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==== ==== ============ ============ ==== ====
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REGION 18 SouthEast/Caribbean 1-919-274-5760 AL FL GA MS NC SC T 9600
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HOST 373 Rocket City Net 1-205-880-7723 Huntsville AL 9600
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HOST 375 Central Alabama Net 1-205-279-7313 Montgomery AL 9600
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HOST 3602 BHAMnet 1-205-822-0956 Birmingham AL 9600
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HOST 3607 North Alabama Net 1-205-355-2983 Decatur AL 9600
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Sysop Procedures -
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A sysop of an individual node can pretty much do as he pleases, as
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long as he observes the mail events, is not excessively annoying to
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other nodes on FidoNet, and does not promote the distribution of
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pirated copyrighted software.
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National Mail Hour is the heart of FidoNet, as this is when network
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mail is passed between systems. Any system which wishes to be a part
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of FidoNet must be able to receive mail at this time. A system which
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is a member of a network may also be required to observe additional
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mail events, as defined by his Network Coordinator.
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Failure to observe the proper mail events is sufficient grounds for
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any node to be dropped from FidoNet.
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Network mail systems generally operate unattended and place calls at
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odd hours of the night. If a system tries to call an incorrect or out
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of date number, it could cause some poor citizen's phone to ring in
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the wee hours of the morning, much to the annoyance of innocent
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bystanders and civil authorities. For this reason, a sysop who sends
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mail is obligated to obtain and use the most recent edition of the
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node list as is practical.
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The exact timing of National Mail Hour is set for each zone by the
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Zone Coordinator. In the United States, National Mail Hour is
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observed from 0900 to 1000 Greenwhich Mean Time (GMT) every day,
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weekends included. In each of the United States time zones, this would
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be as follows:
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Eastern Standard Time 4 AM to 5 AM
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Central Standard Time 3 AM to 4 AM
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Mountain Standard Time 2 AM to 3 AM
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Pacific Standard Time 1 AM to 2 AM
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Hawaii Standard Time 11 PM to Midnight
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FidoNet does not observe daylight savings time. In areas which
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observe daylight savings time the FidoNet mail schedules must be
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adjusted in the same direction as the clock change. Alternatively,
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you can simply leave your system on standard time.
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How to get a node number -
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You must first obtain a current node list so that you can send mail.
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You do not need a node number to send mail, but you must have one in
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order for others to send mail to you.
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The first step in obtaining a current node list is to locate a FidoNet
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bulletin board.
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If the sysop of any FidoNet system does not have a node list available
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for downloading, then he can probably tell you where to get one.
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Once you have a node list, you must determine which coordinator to
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apply to. The coordinator of any network or region is always node
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zero of that network or region. A Hub Coordinator will always be
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indicated in the node list by a "HUB" prefix.
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You should apply to the lowest-level coordinator that covers your
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area. For example, if you are located within the hub of a network,
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then you would apply to the Hub Coordinator. If there is no network
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that covers your area, then you would apply to the Regional
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Coordinator for your region.
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Your application for a node number must be sent to the coordinator by
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FidoNet mail, and must include at least the following:
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1) Your name.
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2) The name of your system.
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3) The city and state where your system is located.
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4) The phone number to be used when calling your system.
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5) Your hours of operation.
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6) The maximum baud rate you can support.
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Your coordinator may want additional information. If so, he will
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contact you. Please allow at least two to three weeks for a node
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number request to be processed.
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Node list distribution -
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The node list is posted weekly on Saturday, along with a "difference
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file" giving the changes for the week. It is your responsibility to
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obtain the difference file from your coordinator every week and to
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distribute it to the coordinators below you. The method of
|
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distribution is left to your discretion. It is also desirable that
|
||
you make it available for downloading by the general user, but this is
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not required.
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Newsletter distribution -
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The newsletter, called FidoNews, is published weekly on Monday and is
|
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distributed as an archive named FNEWSvnn.ARC, where "v" is the volume
|
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number and "nn" is the issue number. It is your responsibility to
|
||
obtain this archive from your coordinator every week and to distribute
|
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it to the coordinators below you. The method of distribution is left
|
||
to your discretion. It is also desirable that you make it available
|
||
for downloading by the general user in both archived an unarchived
|
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form, but this is not required.
|
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|
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Network mail distribution -
|
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It is your responsibility to ensure that network mail in your area is
|
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operating in an acceptable manner. Exactly what this involves will
|
||
depend on what level you are at, and will be discussed in more detail
|
||
below.
|
||
|
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|
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Echomail distribution -
|
||
|
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Echomail is one of the most exciting parts of FidoNet. Echomail places
|
||
you in contact with thousands of users throughout the world on many
|
||
varied topics. Below is the September 89 listing for echos carried on
|
||
the FidoNet backbone. If you are interested in the complete file which
|
||
list the details of each echo, including echo moderator, volume of
|
||
traffic and detailed description of the echo subject, you may download
|
||
the file ECHOLIST.ZIP from ISA-BBS at 205-995-7739 1200/2400/9600 24hrs
|
||
or if your a Fido node just File Request ECHOLIST. Below you will find
|
||
a listing of echos and a brief description of the associated topics.
|
||
|
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FidoNet EchoList 910
|
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Symbolic Area Name Cross-Reference Listing as of: 10/01/89
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Symbolic Area Name Conference Title
|
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-------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------
|
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3RIVERS Three Rivers Chatter
|
||
ABLED disABLED Users Information Exchange.
|
||
AD&D Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
|
||
ADOPTEES Adoptees Information Exchange
|
||
AIDS/ARC AIDS/ARC
|
||
ALROTISS American League Rotissiere Baseball
|
||
AMIGASTAND Amiga Standards Workshop
|
||
AMIGA_PROG Amiga Developper's and Programmer's Conference
|
||
AMY_POINT Amiga Point operations and TeleCommunications Discussions
|
||
ANIMED ANIMED
|
||
ARC_WARS Compression Program Users Information Exchange
|
||
ASIAN-AMERICAN Asian-American Forum
|
||
ASIAN_LINK Asian general link
|
||
ASKACOP2 Ask A Cop Conference
|
||
ASKATECH National Technical Q&A GroupMail Conference
|
||
AT&T AT&T Systems International Support Conference
|
||
ATHENS_SYSOP Athens / Northeast Georgia Open Sysop conference
|
||
AUDIO Music and Sound
|
||
AVIATION Aviation related discussions.
|
||
BASEBALL National Baseball discussions/Trading Cards Conference
|
||
BBSSYSOP National BBS Sysop GroupMail Conference
|
||
BEAMMEUP National Star Trek Discussions GroupMail Conference
|
||
BLATZ Gzorniblatz: The National GroupMail Support Conference
|
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BLINKTALK Visual Disabilities Echo
|
||
BROADCAST TV & Radio Broadcasting Echo
|
||
CANMAC Canadian Macintosh Echo
|
||
CONSULTING Consulting International Conference
|
||
CONTROV Controversy Forum
|
||
COOKING Cooking
|
||
CPAA Computer Pilots Assoc. of America
|
||
CPMTECH CP/M Technical Forum
|
||
CUSS Computer Users in the Social Sciences
|
||
CVPCUG Champlain Valley PC Users Group
|
||
DATAFLEX Dataflex echo conference
|
||
DBASE Database topics, techniques, & advice.
|
||
DBRIDGE DBRIDGE
|
||
DCJOBS Metropolitan Washington Jobs Conference
|
||
DEAR_MARY Gay/Lesbian Advice 'Column'.
|
||
DEVELOPE National BBS/Mailer/Utility Developers GroupMail Conferen
|
||
DIABETES Diabetes discussions and support
|
||
DIRTY_DOZEN The Dirty Dozen echo
|
||
DTP Desktop Publishing
|
||
ECHO_REQ Echo Requests conference
|
||
EDUCATOR Education International Conference
|
||
ENDING-HUNGER HUNGER Conference
|
||
ENTREPRENUER New Business Start-Up Support
|
||
FANDOM Science Fiction Fandom Discussions
|
||
FCC Radio and Data Telecommunications Regulation
|
||
FDECHO Regarding FrontDoor, the E-mail system
|
||
FEMINISM Feminism and Gender Issues
|
||
FIREARMS Firearms
|
||
FLEET Starfleet National Echo
|
||
FLO For Lawyers Only GroupMail Conference
|
||
FLT_ACAD Starfleet Academy
|
||
FLT_COMM Starfleet Communications
|
||
FLT_OPS Starfleet National Operations
|
||
FLT_RPG Starfleet National Role Playing Game
|
||
FLT_TREK Starfleet On Star Trek
|
||
FONTASY The FONTASY Echo
|
||
GAMING Gaming EchoConference
|
||
GAY_ADS Gay Classifieds and want ads
|
||
GDASYSOP Greater Danbury Area Sysop Conference
|
||
GRAPHICS GRAPHICS (IBM)
|
||
HAM Ham Radio Operators' Conference (General)
|
||
HAMRADIO National Ham Radio Enthusiasts Conference
|
||
HIKING Hiking, Mountain Climbing, and Camping Echo
|
||
HOME-N-GARDEN Home and Garden Echo
|
||
HOMEAUT Home Automation Forum
|
||
HOME_REPAIR Home Repair Echo
|
||
HPHH Hi-Powered (i.e. Hewlett-Packard) Hand Helds
|
||
HS HS
|
||
HST HST
|
||
HST-SALE HST-SALE
|
||
HS_MODEMS High Speed Modems 9600+
|
||
HYPERION Hyperion Beyond the Gate
|
||
ICGAL Issues Concerning Gays and Lesbians
|
||
INTERCOOK International cooking
|
||
INTERUSER International forum, where borders doesn't matter
|
||
JLASER JLASER Support Conference
|
||
JOBS Jobs & Employment Conference
|
||
JOBS-NOW Current Job Openings
|
||
KIDS Kids International Echo Conference
|
||
KINKNET KinkNet Adult Echos
|
||
KINSEARCH Kinsearch Data Base
|
||
KRISHNA Krishna conscious/Vedic topics
|
||
LAN Local Area Networking
|
||
LAPTOP National Laptop Computer Discussions Conference
|
||
LASERMASTER LaserMaster Support Conference
|
||
LASERPUB Desktop Publishing International Conference
|
||
LIBERTY Libertarian Politics -- Theory and Practice
|
||
LRN-NEWS Local National Regional News
|
||
MAC_GAMES Macintosh Entertainment/Education
|
||
MAGICKNET Neopaganism, Witchcraft, and Magick Conference
|
||
MAINFRAME Mainframe computers
|
||
MAPPING MAPPING
|
||
MARTIAL_ARTS Martial Arts Conference
|
||
MEADOW Opus Sysop Information Echo
|
||
MEDFILES Medical File Echo
|
||
MEDLIT Medical Literature Echo
|
||
MENSA International Mensa Echo Conference
|
||
METAPHYSICAL Neopaganism, Witchcraft, and Magick Conference--Magazine
|
||
METRO-FORUM Metro-Forum
|
||
MICHIANA Northern Indiana/South-Western Michigan CHIT-CHAT
|
||
MOVIES New & Old Movies & TV discussions
|
||
MUNDANE Neopaganism, Witchcraft, and Magick Conference--Chatter
|
||
MUZIK Music Discussion
|
||
MWM Metropolitan Washington Mensa Echo Conference
|
||
MYSTERY Mystery books and stories
|
||
NJ-SHORE New Jersey Shore
|
||
NLROTISS National League Rotissere Baseball
|
||
OBJECTIV Objectivism
|
||
OPUS National OPUS Sysop GroupMail Conference
|
||
OR.POLITICS Oregon Issues and Ballot Measures
|
||
PACKET Ham Radio Operators' Conference (Computer-based technique
|
||
PARCOM PARish COMputing: using computers in the Church
|
||
PCB_NET PCBoard general sysops conference.
|
||
PDP-11 DEC PDP-11 Hardware/Software Echo
|
||
PDREVIEW Public Domain & Shareware Software Reviews
|
||
PITTNET Pittsburgh Sysop Conference
|
||
PNWMAC Pacific Northwest Macintosh Users Conference
|
||
POLICE Law Enforcement Officers Nat'l Echo
|
||
POSTSCRIPT PostScript Support Conference.
|
||
QMX_XRS Quickpoint Mail eXpress and eXpress Response System suppo
|
||
QM_BETA QM discussions.
|
||
QM_ECHO QM support and discussions
|
||
QNX Quantum Software's QNX Operating System
|
||
QUICKBBS QuickBBS Support
|
||
QUICKPRO QuickBBS Sysop's ONLY Echo
|
||
R15_CHAT Region 15 User/SySop Chat
|
||
RAINBOW DEC RAINBOW conference for users of Digital's Personal
|
||
RECFRP Role Playing Games
|
||
RECORDS Music and Records Discussion
|
||
RECOVERY Addictions recovery related discussions
|
||
REGION11 Region 11 Sysops conference
|
||
ROCKROLL Rock & Roll Discussion GroupMail
|
||
RONDACK Adirondack Regional Echo
|
||
SCUBA Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus
|
||
SEADOG SEAdog Front-End Mailer program
|
||
SEAPUPPY SEAdog Front-End Mailer program
|
||
SEARCHLIGHT SearchLight BBS Owner's Echo
|
||
SEATAC SEAssociates Technical Area Conference
|
||
SF Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature
|
||
SFCON Science Fiction Convention Organization
|
||
SFFAN Science Fiction and Fandom
|
||
SHAREWRE InterNetwork Shareware Discussion Conference
|
||
SHORTWAVE Shortwave listeners conference
|
||
SINCLAIR Sinclair Users Unite!
|
||
SINGLES Singles - Adult discussion for people 21+ years old
|
||
SMART SMARTWARE Conference
|
||
STAMPS National Stamp Collecting GroupMail Conference
|
||
STARGAZE Astrology Echo, How And Why
|
||
STARTREK National Star Trek Discussions GroupMail Conference
|
||
STRATAC Strategy & Tactics Echo
|
||
STTNG Star Trek: The Next Generation
|
||
SUBSPACE Fleetnet SysOp's Echo
|
||
SYSLAW SYSLAW
|
||
SYSOP Sysop National Echo Conference
|
||
SYSOP227 Net 227 Sysops conference
|
||
SYSTEM3X National IBM Mini Computer GroupMail Conference
|
||
TALLY-NET Tallahassee NetWork Chatter Echo
|
||
TECH Hardware/Software general discussion conference
|
||
TELIX Telix Users Information Exchange
|
||
TEXTUNES TexTunes<tm> Music Exchange Echo
|
||
THI_CVA Brain Injury
|
||
TH_ING Treasure Hunting and Collecting
|
||
TI-ECHO TI home computer discussions.
|
||
TPBOARD TPBoard BBS Topics
|
||
TVRO Satellite Television Receive Only
|
||
VAX VAX conference for users and managers of Digital's VAX
|
||
VENTURA Ventura Publisher Support Conference
|
||
VIDEO VIDEO production
|
||
VT_DEBATE Net 325 Debate Conference
|
||
VT_GENERAL NET 325 General Conference
|
||
VT_PROCHOICE Net 325 Pro Choice Conference
|
||
VT_PROLIFE Net 325 ProLife
|
||
VT_SALE Net 325 For Sale Conference
|
||
VT_TECH Net 325 Technical Conference
|
||
WANT_ADS National Non-Commercial For-Sale/Want Ads Conference
|
||
WAR-ROOM Tallahassee Network War-Room
|
||
WARGAMES National Wargamer's GroupMail conference
|
||
WATSON The WATSON Echo
|
||
WELMAT Welmat Support Echo
|
||
WHO Dr. Who & British SF-TV
|
||
WILDRNSS Wilderness Experience
|
||
WRITING Writing and Publishing
|
||
ZMODEM ZMODEM
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If you are a sysop of a local bulletin board, or a prospective sysop
|
||
interested in acquiring echomail for your system, you should contact
|
||
the local Net Echomail Coordinator (NEC). For the phone number of
|
||
the NEC and Fidonet host in your area, see the Host List above.
|
||
For more information about participating in Fidonet mail activities
|
||
leave a message with your voice number to your local Fidonet Host
|
||
Sysop.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Berlin Wall Interview
|
||
by Karsten Propper
|
||
|
||
The Berlin wall is down, and some people will remember it more than
|
||
others will. My father is one of those people. I have interviewed him
|
||
on his feelings toward the event. His name is Peter Propper.
|
||
|
||
Karsten: Where in Germany were you born and what side of Germany was
|
||
it on?
|
||
|
||
Peter: I was born in the small town of Kohlhohe. It is now under
|
||
Polish rule. It would now be on the eastern side of the wall.
|
||
When I was born there in 1940, it was under German
|
||
administration. It has been administered by Poland since 1945.
|
||
|
||
Karsten: When you lived in Germany, it was a united country, tell me
|
||
your feelings toward the separation.
|
||
|
||
Peter: The Berlin wall was built in 1961, and was a true indication of
|
||
the way the Communists decided to rule that side of Germany.
|
||
They wanted to make it perfectly clear that that part was under
|
||
communist regime. They didn't want to let anyone out or in. The
|
||
monumental and typical indication was the building of the wall
|
||
in Berlin. To see this country of the Third Reich, and a
|
||
beautiful city like Berlin, which up to 1945 had been the
|
||
capital of Germany, to see it divided, to know about the
|
||
families that had been ripped apart was terrible. The ones that
|
||
couldn't make it to the west had to remain in the east. It was
|
||
hard to commute, and was just a big hardship to deal with
|
||
losing both the war and their family.
|
||
|
||
Karsten: Did you have any relatives in the East? If so, how did you
|
||
feel about being separated from them?
|
||
|
||
Peter: I was relatively young when I came to the western side. I had
|
||
not known them well at all, and had no emotional attachment to
|
||
them. I knew that it had been a great-aunt and a great-uncle.
|
||
They had not gotten to the western side in time as we had. They
|
||
are both dead now, so I have no more relatives in the eastern
|
||
side.
|
||
|
||
Karsten : I would now like for you to discuss your feelings toward the
|
||
tearing down of the wall.
|
||
|
||
Peter: It indicates that the younger generation of the east block
|
||
countries has been rebellious. It has indicated by their
|
||
rebellious action that they can't take communist rule any more.
|
||
They have mainly through exposure through the media from the
|
||
west as to how prosperous it can be in a capitalistic country.
|
||
The tearing down of the wall is a perpetuation that the fight
|
||
against communism in east block countries is under way and that
|
||
it will be a matter of time before these countries will have
|
||
some sort of a democratic government. The tearing down of the
|
||
wall is a big symbol to me and is like having a bunch of hands
|
||
shake the ones of the western. It is like having found again
|
||
long-lost friends. I think it is a matter of time before the two
|
||
countries unite.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Review & Overview of ProDoor 3.1 of 10-08-89;
|
||
Copyright (C) 1987, 1989 Samuel H. Smith
|
||
by Ricky Morgan
|
||
|
||
File Transfer
|
||
|
||
Before I get started into this months subject, let me correct an
|
||
oversight. In last months Overview I neglected to point out a couple of
|
||
important things that you should know about when working with ProDoor.
|
||
First your terminal software should be configured for ANSI support or
|
||
you're going to have some problems in dealing with ProDoor, also if you
|
||
can't display 80 columns, you may find it difficult in working with the
|
||
displays and full screen editor that ProDoor affords you. There may be
|
||
still other problems that you could run into that I'm not aware of.
|
||
|
||
To cover my hinney even further, let me say that, the commands that
|
||
will be reviewed here are based on PCBoard (R)-Version 14.0/D and
|
||
ProDoor version 3.1 (Registered) as they exist on the Crunchy Frog BBS.
|
||
Different boards run different revisions, but most of the commands will
|
||
apply with only small variation. If you have problems in PCBoard, Help
|
||
can be obtained by paging the SySop, (!only kidding!), by typing H from
|
||
the Command prompt, and you will have access to the help menus. In
|
||
ProDoor help is as easy as typing a question mark (?) at the command
|
||
prompt.
|
||
|
||
We all call Bulletin Board systems for different reasons, the
|
||
messages, the people, the arguments, the anonymity and certainly to get
|
||
FREE software (of course it may not always be free, as often times there
|
||
is a registration fee and this is only fair). So far I have found two
|
||
separate ways to obtain this software. The first involves developing a
|
||
relationship with a respective SySop, then visiting him in the pretense
|
||
of writing articles and while he's busy lecturing on the benefits
|
||
associated with being a SySop, you covertly suck the files out of his
|
||
computer as you suck down his food and drink; smiling all the time and
|
||
nodding appreciatively at the proper time to show you respect his
|
||
wisdom. The other way is to Download them directly from his computer to
|
||
yours over the phone lines. This way may be faster and easier but you
|
||
don't get the food and drink, plus you will have to actually Upload
|
||
files at sometime in the future, as most SySops frown heavily at file
|
||
leeches (people who download files without uploading files); this also,
|
||
in it's own way is only fair.
|
||
|
||
If you opt out for the Download option, you will want to be able to
|
||
Download in the fastest and most efficient manner and hopefully avoid
|
||
getting duplicate files, as sometimes people will upload files, changing
|
||
the names to make them look different (it happens) and in defense of the
|
||
SySop, he does not always have the time to review each file upload as
|
||
carefully as he would like.
|
||
|
||
All this out of the way, let's get started.
|
||
|
||
As I have said, ProDoor supports PCBoard compatible commands; with
|
||
enhancements. Most notably ProDoor allows you to stack commands to
|
||
greater extent that PCBoard. All this says is, if you are familiar with
|
||
the command set of PCBoard, you won't have to re-learn a whole new
|
||
command set to take advantage of ProDoor.
|
||
|
||
I had hoped to avoid an extensive Command comparison, but the
|
||
extent of commands and the diverse experience that each person has with
|
||
the BBS is going to force me into some comparisons. I'll try to keep
|
||
them short and as informative as possible without (hopefully) getting
|
||
boring.
|
||
|
||
(F)ile Directories
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
This command, basically the same under ProDoor as in PCBoard,
|
||
allows you to view a listing of the files available. After selecting
|
||
(F), a listing of the file directories available will be shown - usually
|
||
grouped by category. To view one or more of the directory listing
|
||
files, enter the number to view. Multiple listings can be viewed at the
|
||
same time by entering several numbers at the same time. Again stacking
|
||
the commands are acceptable under both PCBoard and ProDoor.
|
||
|
||
Subcommands: (#) (D) (L) (N) (R) (U) (V) (Z) (NS)
|
||
|
||
(#) the directory number to view
|
||
(R) Re-lists the directory menu
|
||
(U) Display Upload Directory
|
||
(V) View contents of a compressed file
|
||
(Note: the (V) parameter is not always
|
||
available under PCBoard and if it is
|
||
may only support viewing file that have
|
||
.ARC extensions. For a better description
|
||
of (V) see the commands (VX) and (F V)
|
||
listed below.)
|
||
(NS) displays request in non-stop mode
|
||
|
||
So the command, F 1 2 3 NS under either will get you a non-stop
|
||
listing of file directories 1, 2, and 3.
|
||
|
||
|
||
(L)ocate Files by Name
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Allows you to search the file directory listings for filenames
|
||
which match those you are looking for. You can also use valid DOS
|
||
wildcards in your filename request if you are unsure of the exact name.
|
||
Again all subcommands are supported in PCBoard and ProDoor.
|
||
|
||
Subcommands:(filename/wildcard) (A) (U) (NS)
|
||
|
||
(filename/wildcard) is the filename to scan for
|
||
(A) scans all available file directories
|
||
(U) scans only the available upload file directories
|
||
(NS) displays listing in non-stop mode
|
||
|
||
So to find all files that begin with BTN, you could enter the
|
||
command, L BTN*.* A NS. This would search all available directories for
|
||
any file starting with BTN, with any extension (.zip, .arc, .txt, etc)
|
||
and give you a non-stop listing.
|
||
|
||
(N)ew Files by Date
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
This will display file listings based on a date scan of when the
|
||
file was placed on the system. Matching files are those found which
|
||
have a date equal to or later than that requested.
|
||
|
||
Subcommands: (date) (A) (U) (NS)
|
||
|
||
(date) is a valid date in mmddyy format (no spaces!)
|
||
(A) scans all file directory listings
|
||
(U) scans only upload file directory listings
|
||
(NS) displays output in non-stop mode
|
||
|
||
ProDoor adds a couple of extra options here. You may specify
|
||
directories to search, i.e., N 3 4, (which searches Directories 3 & 4)
|
||
or N S A, which will search for files new since the last time you were
|
||
on the system.
|
||
|
||
(Z)ippy Directory Listing Scan
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Allows entering a word or words (20 characters max) which will be
|
||
checked against all text in the directory listings for a match. The
|
||
text you enter can be in either UPPER or lower case letters, since the
|
||
software is NOT case sensitive and will find any matching text -
|
||
regardless of the case of the letters. Commands and subcommands, again,
|
||
are both supported in PCBoard and ProDoor.
|
||
|
||
Subcommands: (text) (#) (A) (U) (NS)
|
||
|
||
(text) is the text you wish to search for
|
||
(#) is any valid directory number
|
||
(A) scans all directory listings for the text input
|
||
(U) scans only the upload directory(s) for the text
|
||
(NS) displays screen output in non-stop mode
|
||
|
||
As you exercise the above commands and become familiar with their
|
||
operations, you will, no doubt, locate a file that you would like to
|
||
download. From past experience with downloading files from BBS's there
|
||
are two commands that, I think, are well worth getting very familiar
|
||
with. For example, you locate a good game, that from description, sounds
|
||
like something you would like to have. You Download it, unarchive it or
|
||
unzip it, what ever, and run the program only to find that you already
|
||
have a copy of the same program that you got off another board; under a
|
||
different name. Crying to the SySop that you want your download credits
|
||
back probably ain't going to get it. The way to avoid this problem is to
|
||
use either of the following commands.
|
||
|
||
|
||
(F V)iew-File View and Extract (optional)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Available under ProDoor only, this allows you to list contents of
|
||
any ZIP file and optionally view the text files without downloading. It
|
||
is also possible to "extract" parts of a ZIP file into FROGS1.ZIP (this
|
||
is a system defined name for the file you build and will vary from
|
||
system to system) for downloading. If you View a file, or extract parts
|
||
into the system file for downloading the file will automatically be
|
||
flagged for downloading and will stay with you until you download it or
|
||
exit ProDoor. An example of usage would be:
|
||
|
||
F;V;file (file=name of file you wish to view)
|
||
|
||
This will give a verbose listing of component files within
|
||
file.ZIP. The system will them prompt you for text viewing or extraction
|
||
of component files. In short you can now unarchive the files on-line,
|
||
view the associated text file (generally Documentation files) and get a
|
||
good idea about what it is you are downloading. No more Russian roulette
|
||
with file transfer.
|
||
|
||
|
||
(VX)quick Quick view/extract ZIP file contents
|
||
------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Much the same as F V function this will allow you to view the text
|
||
files in an ZIP file without downloading. It is also possible to
|
||
"extract" parts of a ZIP file into FROGS1.ZIP for downloading. Usage
|
||
would be:
|
||
|
||
VX file (file=name of file you wish to view)
|
||
|
||
This will skip the verbose listing and goes directly to text view and
|
||
extract function.
|
||
|
||
Let me clarify 'Extract' at this point. You may, under ProDoor
|
||
using the (F V) or (VX) functions, extract selected files from the files
|
||
that have been compressed. Lets say that you want to download a program
|
||
that has lengthy document files archived with it. You're the
|
||
adventuresome type and you don't want to waste download credits getting
|
||
something as mundane as document files explaining the operation of the
|
||
program. With (F V) or (VX), if done properly, you may move selected
|
||
files into a system temporary file for downloading later. In other
|
||
words, it allows you to get only the files you want from within an
|
||
archive. ( I don't recommend downloading the programs without the
|
||
Doc.'s. I simply used this as an example.) This lead us up to the next
|
||
command available under ProDoor.
|
||
|
||
|
||
(REPACK) Files for compression.
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Re-pack ZIP file with maximum compression. This selection will
|
||
re-compress a selected ZIP file and store the result in FROGS1.ZIP. Not
|
||
all uploaded file are packed or archived with maximum compression. Using
|
||
this will allow you to squeeze every byte possible to save on those
|
||
download ratio's.
|
||
|
||
Also, if you don't use the archive utility that the file is saved
|
||
under, you can specify an alternate format to convert files to a format
|
||
you can use.
|
||
|
||
Examples:
|
||
REPACK TPC14.ARC LZH ;convert .ARC to .LZH format
|
||
REPACK PRODOR30.ZIP ZOO ;convert .ZIP to .ZOO format
|
||
|
||
Currently The Crunchy Frog will support, extraction, viewing and
|
||
repacking between ZIP, ARC and LZH formats. You should check with the
|
||
system you use most to determine which formats are supported.
|
||
|
||
|
||
(TEST) zip validity
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
If you are worried that the file you want may be corrupted or if
|
||
you attempted to download it and couldn't, or you did download it and
|
||
the program doesn't work, you may want to try Test. It will test the
|
||
validity of a ZIP file. This ONLY tests the integrity of the ZIP archive
|
||
function. It doesn't test for viruses or defective files compressed as
|
||
such. It will merely assure you that the file you are trying to get was
|
||
compressed properly.
|
||
|
||
Usage is:
|
||
|
||
TEST Filename
|
||
|
||
The system will test the integrity and report to you of any
|
||
problems encountered.
|
||
|
||
I've covered a lot of territory and all we've talked about so far
|
||
is looking at files and determining if you want them. By now you're
|
||
probably thinking, 'Wasn't this article supposed to be about File
|
||
Transfer?'
|
||
|
||
Yes it was (and is) and now I'm getting into Uploading and
|
||
Downloading; but first....
|
||
|
||
We know how to locate files and manipulate them so that we are sure
|
||
it is the file we want. Now we Download, right? Nope, you have to tell
|
||
the system with protocol you want to use. HUH? This is a review of
|
||
ProDoor and not transfer protocols so all I will say about the subject
|
||
of protocol is this...your system's protocol must match the system's
|
||
protocol that you're calling or else it won't work. *(I'll leave a
|
||
review of protocols to more competent people.)
|
||
|
||
*Editor's Note: See BTN002, BTN013, and BTN015 for excellent
|
||
coverage of the various transfer protocols.mm
|
||
|
||
(T)able of protocols
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
This command lists the protocol driver program command lines used
|
||
to implement the various protocols. The estimated efficiency of each
|
||
protocol is included in this report. These are SySop selectable so your
|
||
system may list different ones. ProDoor itself can support up to 100
|
||
different protocols. Because of size I'm cutting out the command line
|
||
for each, as it's not needed in this context.
|
||
|
||
Transmit Zmodem Batch. (90%)
|
||
Transmit Zmodem Batch (PCP). (85%)
|
||
Transmit Zmodem Resume Aborted D/L. (90%)
|
||
Transmit Ymodem Batch. (88%)
|
||
Transmit Xmodem-1K (Old Ymodem). (88%)
|
||
Transmit Slow Xmodem/CRC. (80%)
|
||
Transmit Slow Kermit Batch. (60%)
|
||
Transmit Window Xmodem. (88%)
|
||
Transmit Qmodem-1K-G (Full flow). (95%, MNP)
|
||
Transmit Ymodem-G (registered dsz only). (95%, MNP)
|
||
Receive Zmodem Batch. (90%)
|
||
Receive Ymodem Batch. (88%)
|
||
Receive Xmodem-1K (Old Ymodem). (88%)
|
||
Receive Slow Xmodem/CRC. (80%)
|
||
Receive Slow Kermit Batch. (60%)
|
||
Receive Window Xmodem. (88%)
|
||
Receive Xmodem-1k-G (full flow). (95%, MNP)
|
||
Receive Ymodem-G (registered DSZ only). (95%, MNP)
|
||
|
||
Just for the sake of comparison; let's look at the protocols
|
||
available under PCBoard.
|
||
|
||
PCBoard selectable Protocols:
|
||
|
||
(A) Ascii (Non-Binary)
|
||
(C) Xmodem-CRC (CRC)
|
||
(F) 1K-Xmodem-G (Full flow)
|
||
(G) Ymodem-G (DOOR 1 only)
|
||
(O) 1K-Xmodem (Old Ymodem)
|
||
(X) Xmodem (Checksum)
|
||
(Y) Ymodem Batch (DOOR 1 only)
|
||
(Z) Zmodem (DOOR 1 for batch transfers)
|
||
(N) None
|
||
|
||
You will notice that even from PCBoard, the SySop has chosen to
|
||
restrict the use of Ymodem-G, Ymodem Batch and *Zmodem to DOOR 1, which
|
||
is ProDoor. This leaves you with only ASCII (only good for text
|
||
transfer), Xmodem-CRC, 1k-Xmodem-G, 1K-Xmodem, and Xmodem to choose
|
||
from; all good protocols, but in the ever changing world of BBS
|
||
communications, not the best or fastest.
|
||
|
||
*Editor's Note: Crunchy Frog does allow Zmodem from PCBoard but
|
||
only for single file transfers.mm
|
||
|
||
I'm not trying to take pot-shots at PCBoard here, it is a very good
|
||
program; PCBoard supports up to 26 different protocols and is extending
|
||
the list with each new release. The object is ProDoor offers more.
|
||
|
||
Once you've told the system what protocol to use you can start
|
||
downloading. ProDoor will step you through the transfer or you can stack
|
||
the commands.
|
||
|
||
(D)ownload file(s)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
"Downloading" refers to moving files from the system you're calling
|
||
to your system. You can also "stack" (S)tart or (G)oodbye after the last
|
||
filename to immediately start the transfer.
|
||
|
||
Examples:
|
||
D Filename ;download file, you will be
|
||
prompted if further info is
|
||
needed.
|
||
D Z Filename ;Download using Zmodem protocol
|
||
D filename S ;immediately start download of files
|
||
D file1 file2 G ;immediately start d/l of files,
|
||
goodbye at end
|
||
|
||
|
||
(U)pload file(s)
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
Move files between your system and the board that you are calling.
|
||
|
||
Examples:
|
||
U filename ;upload file, you will be
|
||
prompted for further info.
|
||
U Z file1 file2 ;upload using Zmodem
|
||
|
||
It's really simple once you get the hang of it. I have (in the
|
||
interest of length), tried to keep this short but I see it hasn't
|
||
worked. The best advice I can give you at this point is try the commands
|
||
for yourself and see what happens. I think you'll find that the more you
|
||
use ProDoor the more you'll like it.
|
||
|
||
Next month I'll try to cover the Message Utilities.
|
||
|
||
ProDoor 3.1 Copyright (C) 1987,1989 Samuel H. Smith.
|
||
|
||
PCBoard is a registered trademark of Clark Development Company.
|
||
---
|
||
* Via ProDoor 3.1R
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
PRO FILE
|
||
by Chris Mohney
|
||
|
||
The Pro File is a short, half-serious biographical sketch given to
|
||
various computer telecommunications personalities around Birmingham.
|
||
Victims are selected randomly from a group of names put into the
|
||
notorious Hat. Anyone who thinks himself brave or witty enough may
|
||
petition for admittance to the Hat by leaving E-Mail to me (Chris
|
||
Mohney, most boards around town) to that effect. Anyone who wishes to
|
||
suggest more questions or sneakily nominate someone without their
|
||
knowledge may take the same route ....
|
||
|
||
---------
|
||
|
||
Pro File on RANDY HILLIARD
|
||
|
||
---------
|
||
|
||
Age: 35
|
||
|
||
Birthplace: Birmingham, Al
|
||
|
||
Occupation: Industrial HVAC serviceman
|
||
|
||
My hobbies include: Computers, motorcycles, reading, writing, & sex as
|
||
an art form.
|
||
|
||
Years telecomputing: 3 1/2
|
||
|
||
Sysop, past/present/future of: Channel 8250
|
||
|
||
My oddest habit is: Co-editing this rag.
|
||
|
||
My greatest unfulfilled ambition is: Becoming a wealthy philanthropist
|
||
|
||
The single accomplishment of which I am most proud is:
|
||
Illegal in at least 5 backward states.
|
||
|
||
My favorite performers are: Boston, Kansas, Heart, Linda Lovelace
|
||
|
||
The last good movie I saw was: Dream A Little Dream
|
||
|
||
The last good book I read was: Bawdy Babes & Lusty Lasses
|
||
|
||
If they were making a movie of my life, I'd like to see my part played by:
|
||
Silverlock
|
||
|
||
My pet peeves are: People in check-out lines who wait till the cashier
|
||
rings their purchase up and then look like "What! I
|
||
have to pay for this? Well, let me find my wallet."
|
||
Have your money ready, geez.
|
||
|
||
When nobody's looking, I like to: Write sordid tales of demented
|
||
adventure.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Amiga On The Loose
|
||
by Richard Foshee
|
||
(C) 1989
|
||
Focus On: Multitasking
|
||
|
||
NOTE: I am not an expert on the Amiga, this is just information as it
|
||
has been explained to me, any error's are apologized for, but feel free
|
||
to correct me.. (Perhaps in your own BTN article?)
|
||
|
||
Recently Kelly Rosato scribbled into text the toutings of various
|
||
multitasking programs, and options of multitasking with the IBM systems.
|
||
So I thought that I'd follow the wagon and see if I couldn't describe
|
||
how the Amiga's multitasking operating system does its wonders. And with
|
||
that said, the hard part begins.
|
||
|
||
The entire line of Amiga computers use as it's main processor, the
|
||
Motorola 68000 (With the exception of the Amiga 2500, which uses the
|
||
Motorola 68020). However in the game of multitasking, the main processor
|
||
has little to do with it, since the Amiga's are blessed with four
|
||
extremely important custom chips. Three of these chips are the Agnus,
|
||
Denise, and Paula chips. The Agnus chip is the one that assumes control
|
||
over most of the machines graphic work, although all of the three custom
|
||
chips have some graphic functions to perform. The Agnus chip receives
|
||
information from the 68000 chip, then takes total control of rendering
|
||
all graphic work, while the 68000 remains free to do whatever else is
|
||
asked of it. I mentioned earlier that the Amiga has four custom chips,
|
||
this is somewhat of an inaccuracy, but the machine does have a fourth
|
||
chip that plays a HUGE graphic role, and this is a Blitter chip (Which
|
||
lot's of other companies are scrambling to put into their machines). The
|
||
Blitter chip helps the Agnus chip tremendously in all graphic functions.
|
||
|
||
But enough of the custom chips, this article is about
|
||
multitasking, right? All other computers that use some sort of
|
||
multitasking routines, rely on some sort of software, I.E. Widows, or
|
||
Desqview. (Although new operating systems for the IBM now have
|
||
multitasking built in, I.E. Unix).
|
||
|
||
The Amiga was designed from the beginning to be a multitasking
|
||
machine, and to be upwardly compatible with newer Motorola CPU chips.
|
||
Once the CPU receives information to perform a task, it sends this
|
||
information to whichever custom chip is responsible for performing that
|
||
task, then the CPU has nothing left to do. It (The cpu) get's onto the
|
||
system bus, sends the information to its custom chips, then get's off
|
||
the bus, and can then perform other tasks.
|
||
|
||
Unlike some of the multitasking programs for other machines, the
|
||
Amiga's style of multitasking let's all programs run concurrently. So
|
||
there is no program 'pausing' while it does a single task. All programs
|
||
that are loaded into the Amiga, are assigned a priority (Which is user
|
||
changeable from -127 up to 128 (128 being the highest possible
|
||
priority)). All programs are then processed in accordance to their
|
||
priority, although this might lead someone to believe that the lower
|
||
priority programs might be held, this is not the case, the priorities
|
||
simply tell the machine which programs to give MORE attention to, the
|
||
programs with lower priorities would still be running, albeit a bit more
|
||
slowly. Unless otherwise specified, all programs that are loaded, will
|
||
have their priority assigned at 0, which would make all programs receive
|
||
equal time from the machine. Personally, I have a disk with all kinds
|
||
of programs that I use a lot, or are helpful to me, this disk
|
||
automatically runs a total of 14 programs, from its startup-sequence
|
||
(IBM equivalent AUTOEXEC). Some of the programs that are run are, a
|
||
Virus Checker, a Mouse Accelerator, a Shell program, a Disk Buffering
|
||
program, and a great variety of other programs that perform specific
|
||
functions. All of them run at 'Full Speed', as if they were on a single
|
||
tasking machine, with little or no slow down. The Amiga is capable of
|
||
running as many programs simultaneously, as it has available memory.
|
||
While Bill Gates (Chairman of MicroSoft) says that "True multitasking
|
||
won't work in a 1MB system" he fails to say that the Amiga is capable of
|
||
multitasking in FAR LESS memory, or that his own companies program
|
||
"Amiga Basic" will also multitask admirably with extremely low memory
|
||
requirements. Multitasking on a 256K Amiga, is QUITE possible, and runs
|
||
very well. He was of course talking about OS/2, which takes more memory
|
||
to load itself into, than most Amiga users have ever DREAMED of owning.
|
||
And while Apple is currently working a a 'great' new operating system
|
||
for their 680x0 based machine(s), guess what is missing, MULTITASKING,
|
||
although we all know how impossible is it to multitask the Motorola
|
||
680x0 chips, don't we, to bad no one told Commodore. Anyway, I've gone
|
||
on long enough, and have probably not explained this very well, but if
|
||
you have any further questions please fell free to ask (Corrections are
|
||
also accepted!).
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Is There A Dark Contagion?
|
||
by Percy Peabody
|
||
|
||
Foreword:
|
||
|
||
The opinions expressed within this article are not necessarily the
|
||
views of the editors of, nor of any of the other contributors to the BTN
|
||
newsletter. They are my own opinions,and shall remain so, and due to
|
||
the possibly volatile nature of the content, I will remain anonymous as
|
||
did the author of the original article which inspired this one. The
|
||
concept of this article is excerpted from the article entitled DARK
|
||
CONTAGION in the December issue of PC Computing Magazine, so I can only
|
||
give credit to the pseudonym of Peter Stills for any quotations I may
|
||
make from the article.
|
||
|
||
While looking through the latest issue of PC Computing, browsing
|
||
through the reviews of the new 486 machines which were the headliners, a
|
||
very large and bold title caught my eye, which was DARK CONTAGION, under
|
||
which there was a youth clad in a dark flight jacket, donning a ball cap
|
||
on a nearly shaven head, and the Swastika emblem affixed to the lapel of
|
||
the jacket. Then I read the red subtitle which read "Bigotry and
|
||
Violence Online." Being caught somewhat off guard by this, I gave it a
|
||
better look to see to see what this was all about.
|
||
|
||
Basically, the article was an expose' on the use of BBS's for the
|
||
cause of recruiting membership in and actually planning activities of
|
||
such radical right groups as the Skin Heads, the KKK, W.A.R. (White
|
||
Aryan Resistance), the Neo-Nazis, just to name a few. It went on to
|
||
describe the linking of such activities to the deaths of three youths in
|
||
Bethesda, Maryland last December from accidental explosion of a homemade
|
||
bomb, the recipe for which the youths obtained from such a board, and
|
||
the announcement of "purges" and beatings and killings, and for the
|
||
multi-node systems, the logging of chat activities where membership was
|
||
actually encouraged to beat the homeless with baseball bats rather than
|
||
set their clothing afire.
|
||
|
||
Essentially, the article was almost praise to the technical
|
||
advancement of such groups, and the education of the users of such
|
||
systems of the limitations of the law, yet at the same time pointed to
|
||
the handicaps of the FBI in the investigation of the cases related to
|
||
propagation of dissent via the electronic systems thanks to the
|
||
Electronic Communications Privacy Act of 1986, and the Wire Tap Act of
|
||
1968. Point blank, if a message is earmarked as private, then it cannot
|
||
be used as evidence against the sender or receiver in criminal cases,
|
||
and according to the Wire Tap Act, interception of such private mail
|
||
requires a court order for wire tap for it to be classified as evidence
|
||
in a case. Of course, in the case of having a court order to wire tap
|
||
someone's private phone, the lessor of the line must be notified of the
|
||
tap, so there goes the good stuff.
|
||
|
||
The article stated that the majority of the activity was done under
|
||
assumed names anyway, so how is the FBI to trace the"handle" to an
|
||
actual person? With the recent uproar in the use of, versus the
|
||
disallowing of, handles on the local BBS's, it roused my curiosity. Is
|
||
there some ulterior motive for the use of handles in the Magic City? Is
|
||
this scourge of a favorite pastime of mine closer to home than I like
|
||
to think? Now some like to consider the BBS a harmless hobby, and the
|
||
means for enrichment of one's software library with programming donated
|
||
as public domain and/or shareware. How harmless is this hobby if it is
|
||
the means of distribution of propaganda for racism, or the shareware
|
||
happens to be the recipe for car bombs? How harmless is it if it is
|
||
instruction on the proper application of a baseball bat to make sure the
|
||
skull is properly split on the first blow?
|
||
|
||
Leonard Zeskind, research director for the Center for Democratic
|
||
Renewal, dubbed the white supremacist techno-junkies as "a Klan without
|
||
robes" and that the "electronic networks represent a high-tech twist on
|
||
the early white-sheet days of the Ku Klux Klan."
|
||
|
||
When in high school, I prepared a term paper on the KKK based on
|
||
historical research, the origin of which had nothing to do with racism.
|
||
The origins of the KKK was actually a college fraternity, here in the
|
||
south in an unnamed town, which was founded shortly after the Civil War,
|
||
whose primary goal was to thwart the Carpetbaggers' derogating of the
|
||
Southern State's inhabitants. It was twisted to secretive racism in the
|
||
20's,long after the demise of the Carpetbagger's day, by the
|
||
disagreement with the new federal laws imposed granting more rights to
|
||
Blacks in the South. The primary activity was in the larger cities of
|
||
the South, but soon spread to the rural areas by the increase in
|
||
membership in the Klan, and the essentially unchecked placement of
|
||
members in higher ranking political positions. Not until the sixties,
|
||
would the real awareness of this problem come to an explosive head, and
|
||
be realized by the riots and demonstrations, and ultimately the forced
|
||
integration of schools. I remember these times well, being escorted
|
||
home from grammar school by armed police, and nightfall curfews.
|
||
|
||
A lot of concern is expressed on the abuse of drugs and abortion
|
||
rights, but I think there is a more impending doom looming over the
|
||
heads of our society, related closely to the recent increases in youth
|
||
crime and racist activity. Organizations such as the SkinHeads are now
|
||
boasting national memberships of 3500+, and growing, and now have the
|
||
technology to schedule "social events" nationwide within a day's time
|
||
via the use of networking software and private BBS's.
|
||
|
||
Are we again returning to those times of violence, with better,more
|
||
sophisticated information systems, which also includes the hacking of
|
||
police computers, gaining access to schedules of police activity on
|
||
certain cases, therefore, forewarning of nearing threat to the movement?
|
||
Is there really a DARK CONTAGION worse than any software virus ever
|
||
dreamed of being?
|
||
|
||
To me, this is clearly a shadow on the BBS community as I know it,
|
||
and it really disturbs me to think that perhaps some of the people
|
||
behind handles in our telecomputing community may indeed be SkinHeads or
|
||
Neo-Nazis. Back boards, secured conferences,limited access due to
|
||
obscure reasons, leave considerable doubt as to the intentions of the
|
||
operation of a Bulletin Board Service. Locally, we have a network which
|
||
can spread a single message across some 15 services in the Birmingham
|
||
area overnight. This linked with some of those 15 services also using
|
||
national nets will add another day to the propagation of a coded
|
||
announcement, so if I wanted to alert someone in Washington, DC of the
|
||
upcoming "party," then I have only 4 days to wait for a reply at the
|
||
outside, unless I log on to the particular board carrying the national
|
||
net, in which case, I have only 2 days wait if the receiving party is
|
||
monitoring for mail from me. I do hope the System Operators of the
|
||
boards running the national nets do not think I am pointing any fingers,
|
||
as I have seen nothing that indicates such activity, but then again,
|
||
would anyone be so bold as to participate in this type of activity on a
|
||
board that is not known to be secured? And can I really see all of what
|
||
is going on behind the scenes, meaning is there a door to a back board
|
||
for the membership of such groups on some of the local BBS's? I don't
|
||
know, and don't really want to. The intent of this article is not to
|
||
stain national nets or the systems that carry them, merely to ask
|
||
questions that have arisen in my mind since reading that article.
|
||
|
||
I have personally met persons of many creeds, moral beliefs, and
|
||
religious choices, and have yet to see anything out of the ordinary
|
||
along the lines of white supremacy or racism of any sort. I hope this is
|
||
because it just isn't here, and that I have a well founded hope and
|
||
faith in the local systems to be free of this sort of bigotry and
|
||
hatred. But after reading that article, it begins to make me wonder if
|
||
I am living in some sort of a pipe dream that this type of activity has
|
||
not infested the telecomputing community in Birmingham.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Insights: A Modest Proposal
|
||
by Ron Albright
|
||
|
||
I remember my first computer with almost (operative word "almost")
|
||
the same sense of excitement that I did my first kiss or my
|
||
first...well, car. It was June, 1981. In the early stages of the "Home
|
||
Computer Price Wars."
|
||
|
||
It was a terrific time for new computer buyers. The "Home Computer"
|
||
was the watchword and the major players in this low-end market were
|
||
Texas Instruments, Commodore, Timex-Sinclair, and Atari. I have
|
||
purposefully excluded IBM and Apple whose products were well outside the
|
||
price range of the casual enthusiast. The major products were the TI
|
||
99/4A, the Commodore 64 and VIC-20, the Timex- Sinclair Z80, and the
|
||
Atari 400 and, later, 800.
|
||
|
||
I went to a local Service Merchandise store, like millions of other
|
||
parents with the idea I was going to get something to help educate the
|
||
kiddies on what was surely to be the "Wave of the Future," computer
|
||
literacy. What I really was after was a computer for me. I was seduced
|
||
by the idea that a computer would somehow make my life easier and more
|
||
fun. After some teeth-gnashing and second guessing, I bought the TI
|
||
machine - at $329, the 16K silver-and- black console had it "all." I
|
||
wasn't at all sure what it "all" was, but the ads featuring Bill Cosby
|
||
confirmed that the 99/4A did, and that was good enough for me. I plunked
|
||
the money, bought a couple of cartridges (one for the kids - "Munchman,"
|
||
a PacMan clone) and one for me ("Tax and Investment Record Keeping"). I
|
||
was told I needed a disk drive, so I dropped another $500 or so for
|
||
that. I was ready for an adventure that has yet to end. After convincing
|
||
my wife that it was "for the kids," I proceeded to lock the door to my
|
||
office and began learning about "computing."
|
||
|
||
I bring all this up now because I think we all owe so much to these
|
||
pioneering little machines. I know I do. Probably many of you started
|
||
with one machine and have since moved up and on to another, more
|
||
powerful model. The little TI (which I eventually and over the course of
|
||
the next 4 years must have spent $2500 expanding with modems, RS232
|
||
interfaces, printers, memory expansion, and software) taught me 90% of
|
||
what I now know about computers. When I upgraded to an IBM clone in
|
||
1986, the knowledge I had come by using the /4A stood me well in this
|
||
new genre of machines. I thought I was use a few axioms carried on with
|
||
me from the TI to show you just what these "Classic Computers" have left
|
||
us.
|
||
|
||
1. Computers seldom die; they just get unplugged. The very same
|
||
console I bought in 1981 is still running. Plug it in and it lights
|
||
up and computes just as well as it did when I popped open the box.
|
||
Sure, I have replaced the keyboard (the keys started sticking and
|
||
displaying 20 "A"'s when I only wanted one), but nary a chip,
|
||
solder, or diode has faulted.
|
||
|
||
2. Computers are not terribly fragile. I learned early on, not to be
|
||
intimidated by computers. Since I could get a replacement for the TI
|
||
for $25 when they went out of production, I got more and more brave
|
||
when it came to "pooping the hood" and taking a look. I installed
|
||
cards, hot-wired cables and modems, and replaced keyboards without a
|
||
bead of sweat. When I got my new, shiny IBM, I never lost the
|
||
hacker's mentality. When others, new to computers, got their IBM's,
|
||
they hired "experts" to install boards for them, and paid exorbitant
|
||
prices for cables and memory upgrades. A whole new industry arose.
|
||
Since I had cut my teeth on a pioneer, I simply kept doing on my
|
||
$2500 monster what I was doing on my $25 bargain- basement TI. I
|
||
would hesitate to guess how much money I have saved by being a
|
||
"pioneer" (you know, the ones you pass on the trail of computing
|
||
lying at the side of the road with arrows in their back?). I owe it
|
||
all to the TI.
|
||
|
||
3. Basics are basics; concepts are concepts. The (now) rudimentary
|
||
editor that I used with the TI taught me all the basic of word
|
||
processing. I mean, folks, there are only a few ways you can cut-
|
||
and-paste, block-copy/move, set margins, etc. When I stepped over to
|
||
WordPerfect, what I carried with me from "TI-dom" allowed me to
|
||
start a quantum leap ahead of the new computerists. Ditto for
|
||
spreadsheets, databases, and telecommunications. Power and speed may
|
||
change, but concepts do not.
|
||
|
||
With these tenets in mind, I think I have a solution to the problem
|
||
of computers in the schools. We all know there are too few and we all
|
||
know it is due to cost constraints. In most U.S. schools, there are
|
||
20-30 students per computer. If the students are lucky enough, they get
|
||
an hour or two per week on the keyboard. We know that is not enough but
|
||
can't afford to improve it.
|
||
|
||
Why don't we try this: Given that
|
||
|
||
A. Computing is computing - regardless of the brand name stamped on the
|
||
cover, and that
|
||
|
||
B. Basic software concepts are constants (how to do the functions are
|
||
not but are not related to the computer, themselves), and
|
||
|
||
C. Computers are hardy devices that will, with a modicum of care, last
|
||
probably a decade, then:
|
||
|
||
Why don't we start a program to revive the "orphan" (defined as out
|
||
of production) computers of the world? Let's start PTA-driven drives to
|
||
ferret out these closeted classics and move them into the schools where
|
||
they belong. Let's make PTA membership dues payable by donating a
|
||
computer - any computer - to the school. The owners will get a tax
|
||
write-off and the schools will get a warm CPU. Let's get the children
|
||
out in the neighborhoods - not selling Christmas wrapping paper or candy
|
||
- but asking people to go into their attics and resuscitate their old
|
||
computers for their local schools. Let's plug these up all over the
|
||
classrooms and turn the kids loose on them. Instead of "Computer Labs" -
|
||
a sequestered, hallowed hall where all the school's computer lay
|
||
enshrined (and unused) - let's have them all along the walls of every
|
||
classroom. Plugged in and ready to roll. Lay a few software packages
|
||
(probably cartridges and an occasional cassette tape), and Viola!
|
||
|
||
Purists will argue that this will never work. A teacher cannot be
|
||
expected to know the idiosyncrasies of a dozen different brands of
|
||
computers and can never teach the class to use such a potpourri of OS's.
|
||
I say, correct! Why try? I tell you what I think. If you have the
|
||
computers around, have them plugged in and give the students time to use
|
||
them, the teacher can sit back and watch. The children will become
|
||
expert in no time. They will teach each other. Ever try to learn a
|
||
Nintendo game? How to jump, shoot, dodge, find secret doors, etc. I
|
||
never can. But give one to one of my 9 year old twins, and within 30
|
||
minutes they are on board number 12 and racking up points in the high 6
|
||
figures. Children approach computers differently. we want to know "why"
|
||
- they only need to know "how." They find out by trial and error and
|
||
move on....and on, and on. Computers are not barriers to them. They are
|
||
fun and they are tools.
|
||
|
||
How many computer classes have ever taken a computer apart? I dare
|
||
say, probably few. With the lil' orphans, they can whip out a Phillips
|
||
head and go at it. Find out what makes them tick. What's the harm?
|
||
|
||
I think it will work. I think it's an idea so simple that it's been
|
||
overlooked for much too long. With millions of TI's and VIC-20's, Coleco
|
||
ADAM's, and Sinclair's stored in the attics and closets of America,
|
||
there are plenty to get the classrooms up to speed in no time. I think
|
||
it's time we started. I have a TI 99/4A I'll donate today. I'll keep the
|
||
other two for the twins. What about you?
|
||
|
||
For comments:
|
||
|
||
CompuServe 75166,2473 Ron Albright
|
||
GEnie RALBRIGHT 1160 Huffman Road
|
||
DELPHI INFOINC Birmingham, AL 35215
|
||
MCI MAIL RALBRIGHT
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
A Look Into The Twilight Zone
|
||
by Richard Kushner, Jacksonville Atari Computer Group
|
||
via ST Report, downloaded from Delphi.
|
||
|
||
|
||
EDITOR: I can't publish this article. It is much too outlandish for
|
||
anyone to believe.
|
||
|
||
AUTHOR: Well, how about if I make it sound like a fairy tale ?
|
||
|
||
EDITOR: We could try that. But, really, it's so far beyond belief,
|
||
that even as a fable it strains all credibility.
|
||
|
||
AUTHOR: Yeah, I know. Too bad it's all true.
|
||
|
||
|
||
This is a fantasy... Pure Fantasy!
|
||
----------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Once upon a time there was a widget maker named Nelson Brindell.
|
||
He loved to tinker and, from time to time, managed to invent
|
||
something that someone was interested in selling (and buying).
|
||
One day he invented a widget that hooked to the Video Box, so
|
||
that people could play games on the Box. And people liked it
|
||
very much, and made Nelson a wealthy man. So successful was Nel-
|
||
son that, as it often happens, a large company (in this case, the
|
||
Wilson Sisters company) offered him lots of money to buy his com-
|
||
pany. And he sold it and went off to invent more widgets (even-
|
||
tually producing ones that walked, talked, and even made pizza).
|
||
|
||
Now the Wilson Sisters had an idea that they could capitalize on
|
||
Nelson's work to make his widget into a product to compete with
|
||
the Avocado, a well known character manipulation device invented
|
||
by those famous brothers Stephen, Woz, and their other brother
|
||
Darrel. And they named their device Katanga, a Sanskrit word
|
||
having no English equivalent. And many grew to love and support
|
||
the Katanga and heap abuse upon the Avocado and its ilk. And
|
||
people liked the Katanga very much and all was well.
|
||
|
||
For a while, at least. For on the other side of town the Admiral
|
||
Tool and Die Company, headed by John Trample, thought it could
|
||
use its cunning methods for cutting corners to make an Admiral
|
||
device that would do everything the Katanga and Avocado could do,
|
||
but at half the price. And they proceeded to do just that, and
|
||
mayhem descended upon the world of widgets, with prices dropping
|
||
faster than... well, faster than just about anything you could
|
||
imagine. And many grew to love the Admiral and heap abuse upon
|
||
the Katanga (not to mention the Avocado).
|
||
|
||
Now pay attention, because the story gets very confusing at this
|
||
point. So confusing, that if this were a soap opera, the next
|
||
paragraph would take at least six months to tell. (Diagrams of
|
||
all the moves and counter moves are available upon written re-
|
||
quest and payment of a $5.00 handling fee).
|
||
|
||
Ray Major, who dreamed up the Katanga, left Wilson Sisters and
|
||
invented a better Katanga, which he called the Freundlich. While
|
||
he was doing this, John Trample left Admiral T&D (claiming that
|
||
the state of Pennsylvania was not big enough for all of his fami-
|
||
ly) and bought the Katanga from the Wilson Sisters... lock, stock
|
||
and barrel (a move applauded by the Wilson Sisters, who wanted to
|
||
get back to their first love, vaudeville). Hiring the designer
|
||
of the Admiral, Hashnish Shirka, (by luring him away from his
|
||
former company), Trample set out to build a better widget, the
|
||
Super Katanga. Not to be outdone, Admiral T&D hired good old Ray
|
||
Major and his Freundlich to do battle from their side of the
|
||
city.
|
||
|
||
And so you are faced with the totally implausible situation,
|
||
where lovers of the Katanga now support the Super Katanga, which
|
||
actually comes from the Admiral T&D Company, and the lovers of
|
||
the Admiral now gather around the Freundlich, even though it ac-
|
||
tually comes from the Katanga Company (by the way of the Wilson
|
||
Sisters, who, by the way, opened at the Atlantis Casino in early
|
||
March, to rave reviews). If you are still with me, I have a pro-
|
||
position for you, that concerns a certain bridge that is rumored
|
||
to be for sale...
|
||
|
||
|
||
EDITOR: I'm really sorry. I've read the article over and it stretches
|
||
logic too far.
|
||
|
||
AUTHOR: Gee, it is, after all, the August issue and maybe you can pass
|
||
it off as a spoof ?
|
||
|
||
EDITOR: As an Author, you know there must be an element of truth in
|
||
satire, or it fails.
|
||
|
||
AUTHOR: But Sir, the story is true, only the names have been changed to
|
||
protect the innocent.
|
||
|
||
EDITOR: Gimme a break. Do you think I was born yesterday? Why not
|
||
see if MAD Magazine is interested? Just go away and leave me
|
||
alone !
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Book Review
|
||
Karsten Propper
|
||
|
||
In my last report I wrote that for this review, I would analyze the
|
||
book "Prison Ship". The book was so badly written that I never even
|
||
finished it. I've decided to do a different book instead. The book that
|
||
I will analyze is "The Seventh Swan" by Nicholas Stuart Gray.
|
||
|
||
The story is actually a continuation of a Grimm fairy tale. The
|
||
tale tells about how seven brothers are turned into swans by an evil
|
||
spell. The only way for them to be changed back is by their sister
|
||
weaving a special shirt for them. She runs out of cloth and the last
|
||
shirt lacks a sleeve. So at the end of the tale, one brother is left
|
||
with a right arm and a left swans wing. The book tells of his adventures
|
||
afterward.
|
||
|
||
The beginning of the book starts with a big dance. One specific boy
|
||
has a heavy plaid draped around his left arm. He overhears the whispers
|
||
about his wing, and runs out of the room crying and ashamed. This boy is
|
||
Alasdair.
|
||
|
||
You are then introduced to Ewen, his personal bodyguard. He is used
|
||
to the crying and moaning that comes from Alasdair, and has learned to
|
||
put up with it.
|
||
|
||
Fenella, his dance partner, is angry with Alasdair, and runs up to
|
||
his room. You are then introduced to a bard, who was also a magician. He
|
||
is a hunchback. He tells Fenella that the only way to save Alasdair is
|
||
to go to a special well and call on the Bocan, a repulsive monster who
|
||
owns the area.
|
||
|
||
The attempt bombs out, and Fenella is turned to a toad by the
|
||
Bocan. only way to release her from the spell was for Alasdair to
|
||
recognize her with- out being told specifically who she is. This signals
|
||
on a chain of events that end up with Fenella being half changed, having
|
||
a toad's head, but a woman's body.
|
||
|
||
To change her to a normal head, true love must be seen in her by
|
||
Alasdair or Ewen. Ewen finds it first, half converting her to a cross
|
||
between a regular head and a toad's. At the end of the story, true love
|
||
is found at last by Alasdair with the following remark.
|
||
|
||
"If you had ten heads, all hideous, you would still be my Fenella."
|
||
|
||
I really liked the book. It was well written, and has many humorous
|
||
parts in it. I liked the idea of continuing a fairy tale, which is one
|
||
of the reasons I bought it.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Message Board
|
||
by Barry Bowden
|
||
|
||
|
||
JANUARY 1990
|
||
|
||
S M T W T F S
|
||
1 2 3 4 5 6
|
||
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
|
||
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
|
||
22 22 23 24 25 26 27
|
||
28 29 30 31
|
||
|
||
|
||
January 1 New Year's Day
|
||
January 6 FAOUG
|
||
January 7 BIPUG
|
||
January 8 BACE
|
||
January 9 CCS (C64/C128)
|
||
January 13 Birmingham Apple Corps
|
||
January 14 BCCC
|
||
January 15 BEPCUG
|
||
January 16 CADUB
|
||
Martin Luther King's B-Day
|
||
January 18 CCS (Amiga)
|
||
January 23 CCS (C64/C128)
|
||
January 28 BCCC
|
||
|
||
BEPCUG CCS
|
||
Birmingham East PC Users Group Commodore Club South
|
||
Jefferson Sate Jr. College Springville Road Library
|
||
Ruby Carson Hall, Rm 114 2nd & 4th Tuesday (C64/C128)
|
||
3rd Friday, 7-9 PM 3rd Monday (Amiga)
|
||
Paula Ballard 251-6058 (after 5PM) 7:30-10 PM
|
||
Maurice Lovelady 684-6843
|
||
|
||
BCCC BIPUG
|
||
Birmingham Commodore Computer Club Birmingham IBM-PC Users Group
|
||
POB 59564 UAB Nutrition Science Blg
|
||
Birmingham, Al 35259 RM 535/541
|
||
UAB School of Education, Rm 153 1st Sunday (delayed one week
|
||
2nd and 4th Sundays, 2 PM if meeting is a holiday)
|
||
Rusty Hargett 854-5172 Marty Schulman 967-5883
|
||
|
||
BACE FAOUG
|
||
Birmingham Atari Computer First Alabama Osborne Users
|
||
Enthusiast Group
|
||
Vestavia Library, downstairs Homewood Library
|
||
2nd Monday, 7 PM 1st Saturday, 1PM
|
||
Benny Brown 822-5059 Ed Purquez 669-5200
|
||
|
||
CADUB Birmingham Apple Corps
|
||
CAD Users of Birmingham Homewood Library
|
||
Homewood Library 10 Office Park
|
||
3rd Tuesday, 6:30PM-8:30PM Mountain Brook
|
||
Bobby Benson 791-0426 2nd Saturday, 10:30 AM
|
||
Informal get together every
|
||
Saturday, Kopper Kettle,
|
||
Brookwood Village at 9 AM
|
||
J. Jenkins 823-1968
|
||
|
||
If you belong to or know of a user group that is not listed,
|
||
please let me know by sending E-Mail to me thru EzNet or on The Bus
|
||
System BBS. Please leave the group name and a contact person/phone
|
||
number.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
Known BBS Numbers For The Birmingham Area
|
||
|
||
NAME NUMBER BAUD RATES SUPPORTED MODEM TYPE
|
||
|
||
*American BBS 674-1851 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
*Bus System BBS 595-1627 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
*Byte Me 979-2983 1200, 2400
|
||
Cat House 854-5907 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
*Channel 8250 744-8546 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST, V.32
|
||
*Crunchy Frog 956-1755 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
D3 Systems BBS 663-2759 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST, V.32
|
||
+Duck Pond BBS 822-0956 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST, V.32
|
||
Elite Fleet 853-1257 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Gizmo's Atari BBS 854-0698 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
+I.S.A. BBS 995-6590 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
*Joker's Castle 744-6120 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
*Little Kingdom 823-9175 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
LZ Birmingham 870-7770 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
*Magnolia BBS 854-6407 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
||
Penny Arcade 226-1841 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
ProSoft Systems BBS 853-8718 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Role Player's Paradise 631-7654 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Shadetree BBS 787-6723 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Sperry BBS 853-6144 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 Hayes
|
||
*ST BBS 836-9311 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
The Connection Node 1 854-9074 1200, 2400
|
||
The Connection Node 2 854-2308 1200, 2400
|
||
The Islands BBS 870-7776 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
The Matrix Nodes 1-4 323-2016 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
The Matrix Node 5 251-2344 300, 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
||
The Outer Limits 969-3262 1200, 2400, 9600 HST
|
||
*The Professional's Board 856-0679 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Twilight Zone 856-3783 300, 1200
|
||
Willie's DYM Node 1 979-1629 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Willie's DYM Node 2 979-7739 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Willie's RBBS 979-7743 300, 1200, 2400
|
||
Ziggy Unaxess 991-5696 300, 1200
|
||
|
||
Boards with a "*" before their name are members of our local network,
|
||
EzNet, and public messages left in the EzNet Conferences of any of these
|
||
boards will be echoed to all members.
|
||
|
||
Boards with a "+" before their name are members of FidoNet, an
|
||
international network that provides a variety of public forums as well
|
||
as private mail services all over the world.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
EzNet Multiple Echo List
|
||
|
||
EzNet now supports multiple conference echoing but there are a few
|
||
things you should be aware of regarding private mail.
|
||
|
||
A. You have one 'address' for private mail. If you are registered for
|
||
private mail on Channel 8250 and someone sends you a private
|
||
message in the Writers conference from Crunchy Frog it will wind
|
||
up in the Writers conference on Channel 8250 as it should.
|
||
|
||
However, if you were registered for private mail on Magnolia and
|
||
someone sends you a private message in a conference that Magnolia
|
||
does not support (echo) then the message will wind up in the
|
||
twilight zone.
|
||
|
||
B. If you go by a handle on one BBS and your real name on another even
|
||
if the private message goes where it is supposed to, you will not
|
||
be able to read it because it is addressed to someone else as far
|
||
as PC Board is concerned. PC Board has no way of knowing that Red
|
||
Foxx and John Doe are the same person. No tickee, no washee.
|
||
|
||
Advice on sending private mail: If you don't know if the person you
|
||
are sending private mail to is registered for private mail then keep a
|
||
copy of the message in case you have to find an alternate route. EzNet
|
||
Central will delete your private, undelivered message and inform you
|
||
that the user you attempted to reach is not registered for private mail
|
||
on any EzNet Node.
|
||
|
||
This is a list of the current echoes that I am aware of. More are
|
||
in the making and will be posted in future issues. If you are a sysop
|
||
and are running an echo not listed for your board, please make us aware
|
||
of it so we may correct it next issue.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Eznet Program IBM Adult Scitech BTNWA
|
||
|
||
American BBS ........ * ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..
|
||
Bus System BBS ...... * ..... * ..... * ..... ..... * ..... * ..
|
||
Byte Me ............. * ..... * ..... * ..... * ..... ..... ..
|
||
Channel 8250 ........ * ..... * ..... * ..... ..... * ..... ..
|
||
Crunchy Frog ........ * ..... ..... * ..... * ..... ..... * ..
|
||
Joker's Castle ...... * ..... ..... ..... * ..... ..... ..
|
||
Little Kingdom ...... * ..... * ..... * ..... * ..... * ..... ..
|
||
Magnolia BBS ........ * ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..
|
||
Professional's Board * ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..
|
||
ST BBS .............. * ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..
|
||
|
||
|