FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:24 Page 1 Volume 2, Number 36 21 October 1985 +----------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | - Fidonews - /|oo \ | | (_| /_) | | Fido and Fidonet _`@/_ \ _ | | Users Group | | \ \\ | | Newsletter | (*) | \ )) | | ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +----------------------------------------------------------+ Publisher: Fido 1/1 Editor: Thom Henderson Review Editor: Matt Kanter Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings Fidonews is published weekly by SEAboard, Fido 1/1. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in Fidonews. Article submission standards are contained in the file FIDONEWS.DOC, available on request from Fido 1/1. Disclaimer or don't-blame-us: The contents of the articles contained here are not our responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them; everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING received. The Problems of Scale We have a problem here. Fidonet is just a bit too large to handle easily. Oh, not for day-to-day mail. We're well enough organized now that I think we could handle ten times as many nodes for most purposes. After all, a "busy" node doesn't usually send mail to more than a dozen other nodes a night, while a "typical" node more likely sends one or two messages a week. We're in a fair-sized net with a decent amount of traffic, and so far our inbound and outbound hosts haven't had much trouble keeping up. The problem comes when you want to get something to everyone on the whole system. Yes, I know such "bombing runs" are frowned on, but there are one or two legitimate cases. In fact, exactly two: the node list and the newsletter. In both cases, it's desirable to get a largish file (3-5 min transfer time at 1200 baud) out to every single node in one FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:27 Page 2 night, and it just hasn't been working very well. It wouldn't be hard to do, with the proper organization. In fact, the structure to do it is already in place. All we have to do is define a couple of additional duties for regional coordinators and network hosts. Right now, we're trying to distribute the newsletter by mailing it to each inbound host. That worked more-or-less okay for about two weeks. The problem is that new hosts keep popping up. We're now up around forty hosts, which is about the limit that can be reached by two machines operating send-only and working flat out for an hour, IF almost everyone answers on the first call! However, there are only ten regional coordinators, and nobody expects to add any more. So my idea is this: Every Monday morning all regional coordinators run a special mail event for a half hour before the national mail event, during which we mail 'em the newsletter. Then, using Robot or some other convenient means, each coordinator mails it to each inbound host in his region during the national mail hour. After that, hosts pass it along using their normal channels for getting mail to the locals. The node list would work the same way, of course, except on Friday morning instead of Monday morning. If we do it this way, then with a high degree of reliability everyone should always get the latest copy of the node list and the newsletter on the day it is published, and we can't do much better than that! FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:28 Page 3 ============================================================ NEWS ============================================================ From Robert Lederman Met-Chem BBS 16/42 PROGRAMMING QUERY ===========-===== Thanks to everyone for the enthusiastic response I received to SHUFFLE and READQUES, the Fido sysop utilities I described in Fido234.nws. I am working on an enhanced version of SHUFFLE. Most notably, it will support full-screen viewing of file areas and relocation of FILES.BBS entries to a specified spot in the target file areas. Since this new version will require partial-screen scrolling, I need to use IBM ROM BIOS functions for local operation, or ANSI functions for remote operation, chosen by command line switch. In the process I have learned that different communications packages interpret "VT100" emulation differently. If you want your communications package supported in the next version of SHUFFLE, please let me know what codes it needs to be sent to: a) define top and bottom lines of the screen to be scrolled. (Most packages recognize "ESC [ Top ; Bottom r"). b) scroll the region upwards. c) scroll the region downwards. In addition, I would like to recompile both SHUFFLE and READQUES for operation on non-IBM MS-DOS machines. I am soliciting $10-$20 contributions to buy a generic MS-DOS Pascal compiler. In return you will be FidoMailed or US Mailed the latest versions of both utilities. Please send notes and contributions to: Robert Lederman 7001 Yale Station New Haven, CT 06520 Finally, if you can accurately describe the system calls required to scroll a defined part of your non-IBM display, I will try to accomodate you as well. For comments and to get the latest versions of SHUFFLE (1.4 on the way) and READQUES (1.1e), call Met-Chem BBS, FidoNet 16/42, 203/281-7287, 1200/2400 baud, 24 hours. Thanks, Robert FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:30 Page 4 ------------------------------------------------------------ FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:30 Page 5 Submitted by Mike Johnson FIDO SYSOP 19/329, 19/0 originally captured from IBM VIDEOTEXT in Boca Raton. Commentary is by Wilson Jones a user of my bbs. IBM Videotext released the following information to The Product Centers: ** DOS BACKUP COMMAND CAUTION ** The DOS BACKUP command may not always work properly. For critical back-ups, use the COPY command to copy your key files onto diskettes. Remember that a file COPY'd to a diskette must fit on one diskette. The BACKUP command seems to malfunction if a BUFFERS= or FILES= command has been given or is present in a CONFIG.SYS file. Several program packages (such as dBASEIII) require that additional buffers and files be specified. The effect of the problem is to make your backup diskette unusable. If you use BACKUP, be sure to attempt a RESTORE on another machine while your data is still available. A hint, if you are going to use BACKUP; Restart your system with an original DOS diskette in your "A" drive immediately before doing BACKUP. This will reload DOS with the default values for BUFFERS and FILES. Commentary: There have been problems with the IBM DOS BACKUP command for as long as there has been a BACKUP command. IBM has made fixes and replacements available for the BACKUP command in all versions of DOS except 3.1, yet the problems persist. This presents us with a serious catch-22; we cannot effectively use the computers without creating large files but we have no inherent way in DOS to safely back them up. Our alternatives are to purchase specialized backup software or hardware that operates outside of or around DOS, or continue to backup with the IBM DOS BACKUP command and pray that it works. The desired solution is for IBM/Microsoft to fix this problem and fix it now. How long do you think it would take IBM to fix a problem like this on a System/36, System/38, 4300, 303X or 308X computer system? About 24 hours, maybe... FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:32 Page 6 There seems to be a prevailing attitude by manufacturers, dealers and servicers in the PC marketplace that if you have a PC, you must be doing nothing but playing games, and if the operating system doesn't work as advertised, well, so what, you're on the leading edge of technology, how can you expect anything to work? This attitude will only persist as long as we, the users, allow it to persist. If you agree with this, do something about it; write a letter to the following people: John Opel, Chairman, IBM Corporation, Armonk, New York. Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation, Bellvue, Washington. ------------------------------------------------------------ FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:32 Page 7 THE DIRTY DOZEN --------------- A List of Ripped-Off "Freeware" by Tom Neff [76656,2536] Updated Oct 17th, 1985 These are illegally copied programs being distributed as "public domain" on various IBM PC bulletin boards across the country. Most of them are commercial pirate jobs, although a few of them are legitimate freeware or user supported programs that have been hacked up by people with warped minds. The category of each one is listed. Remember, Sysops: if it looks like a superb game or disk utility, and it doesn't have the author's name and address on it, together with explicit permission to distribute the program, it is probably NOT really public domain! If we don't want to see the BBS community smothered under hysterical regulations, we've got to work together to fight that trend. A great way to start is by keeping an eye on our download libraries, and giving these files "the BOOT!" CATEGORIES: PIRATED - Either removed from a commercially published package (and converted to a DOS .COM file if necessary), or else a beta test copy of a commercial program under development, sneaked into distribution by a disgruntled employee or dishonest beta tester. Sometimes the program in question never made it to market, possibly because of the pre-pirating! HACKED - An unlawfully modified copy of a legitimate freeware or user supported program. Some pirated programs have also been hacked. It is illegal to distribute a modified copy of someone else's work without their permission. If the author has obtained that permission, it should be mentioned in the program display or documentation. *TROJAN* - BEWARE!! These programs are launched into the BBS file network by people with the LSD-in-the-reservoir mentality, and cause some form of damage to your system if you're unwary enough to run them. It is IMPERATIVE that you let me know about any new examples of these that you find. Name Category Notes -------------- -------- --------------------------------- 1DIR PIRATED FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:34 Page 8 AXX PIRATED really AUTODEX BUSHIDO PIRATED DEB88 PIRATED DeSmet "C" debugger EGABTR *TROJAN* BEWARE! Description says something like "improve your EGA display," but when run it deletes everything in sight and prints "HA HA YOU LOSE." KONG PIRATED LIST60 HACKED Vern Buerg's LIST 5.1, patched to read 6.0. NOVATRON PIRATED PCBOSS PIRATED PSHIFT PIRATED really MEMORY SHIFT QMDM110.ARC HACKED ONLY versions 1.10 and 1.10A! QMDM110A.ARC They are copies of 1.09, hacked to read 1.10. There have been rumors of a worm in 1.10, but I haven't seen any evidence of it. Other versions are OK. ROGUE PIRATED STARGATE PIRATED ZAXXON PIRATED If you have any additions to this list, send them to me at any of the following places: * Compuserve User ID [76556,2536] (via Easyplex electronic mail or the IBM Novice Forum, GO IBMNOV) * Atlantic Palisades RBBS (718-238-7858) * DEC-WARE Fido, Fidonet node 107/1 ------------------------------------------------------------ FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:36 Page 9 Falling Back - Batch Style This is in response to the articles in the last few FidoNews issues regarding the change from Daylight Savings Time. I agree with David Kaplan when he says that the individual boards need to stick with the time being used in their area. I rely heavily on the system clock and it's nice to have it accurate. However, this can be handled even for those who can't get to their machines on the weekend without having to resort to changing the clocks on Friday. We have the power of the External Event and the Batch File at our call; let's use them. What follows is an outline of what I intend to set up to handle the time change. I don't know if I'm going to be near my machine that weekend or not, but even if I am here I'll probably forget to change the clock. After all, I forget every six months, this time will be no different. What is needed is 1 external event and 3 short batch files. Set your external event for the day and time when you want to set your clock back (I'm going to take advantage of being in the Eastern time zone and change the clock at the scheduled time, Sunday 0300) and insert this line in the appropriate place in your GOBBS file: ... IF ERRORLEVEL FALLBACK ... Then set up these three batch files: Fallback.Bat is a 2 line batch file: TIME SUICIDE Suicide.Bat is needed to make sure the clock isn't changed when the scheduled time comes back around cause Fido will exit again: COPY WAITAMIN.BAT FALLBACK.BAT WAITAMIN Waitamin.Bat is one last 2 liner: GOBBS The only real problem with this method is that it will exit to DOS again when the scheduled time comes back around in an hour. Suicide.Bat takes care of making sure the time doesn't get changed again when this happens. The delay in Waitamin.Bat can be anything that will eat up the 1 minute FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:37 Page 10 window for the event. Wes Cowley - Sysop, The Ark Tangent (18/19) ------------------------------------------------------------ FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:37 Page 11 All right, I will ask, what happened to the newsletter? I was under the impression that this was a FIDO newsletter and there would be articles and tips pertaining to BBS's and the like. Unfortunately, it has started to look like the creative writing magazine that we used to publish in Junior High school. Don't get me wrong, if the "creative" writers want to continue to contribute their drivel (whoops... sorry... umm.... how about "Artistic Drivel"?), that's fine, but how about if we limit the articles in the newsletter to Fido or at least computer related articles, and we can have another newsletter for the rest. (At least that way I won't have to waste my money downloading that one.) Since I want to see computer related articles published, I figured I would give a list of my FAVORITE software packages. I have been consulting on micros for over 9 years and have had to try to find these packages for my customers. I would be curious to see what other users think of these selections. UTILITY PROGRAMS: Most of the best directory programs are freeware. My favorite are ND (Stands for nice directory and it is certainly the most powerful), FDIR (which lists in extension order) and D (very similar to SDIR but faster and more options). Everyone need norton utilities unless they NEVER erase a file accidentally. COMM PROGRAMS: CROSSTALK is very flexible (which means it takes a while to learn) but QMODEM is free and has spiffier screen displays. (Sorry, not free, a $20.00 contribution is requested and I plan to send my 20.00. It is a very polished package. DATABASE: I am not sure why everyone likes DBASE? I find it powerful but I have to do too much of the work myself. Any self-respecting database program should be able to easily set up custom screens, eliminate dup keys and set up rules for input. RBASE is better but the 2 best I have found are INFORMIX (A well kept secret! Very popular in the UNIX market but almost unknown in DOS. It might have the BEST custom screen input program and a very powerful report writer.) and REVELATION. You can do ANYTHING with either of these and both are very fast. If you like "C" then INFORMIX is for you, otherwise R-BASIC which is included with REVELATION allows you to write custom code. WORD PROCESSING: This is very subjective but I find WordPerfect my favorite. It is fast and powerful. I like Display Write 3 but the menus are too slow. TEXT EDITORS: If you need one, PMATE with its macro capability is my favorite. I have not used many others and would like to hear what other programmers use. GAME: The Ancient Art of War. The manual alone is FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:40 Page 12 almost worth the price. There are a lot of other programs that I use and like alot, (like ThinkTank, LMI Forth, etc.) but I figure I can't offer an opinion on these because I have not used their competitors.) I hope that no one writes back telling me how great their favorite program is unless they have compared it to others. Bruce Lomasky Sysop Fido 16 / 208 West Hartford CT (203)-236-3761 FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:40 Page 13 ============================================================ COLUMNS ============================================================ A long time ago... on a node far, far away (from PDPvax) XXXXX XXXXXX XXXX X X X X X X X XXXXX X X X X X X X X X X XXXXX XXXXXX XXXX X X XX XXXXX XXXX X X X X X X X X X X X X X XXXX X XX X XXXXXX XXXXX X XX XX X X X X X X X X X X X X XXXX Yet More Adventures of Luke Vaxhacker Episode n+4 Ok, like, remember we left our heros in the detention priority level? Well, they're still there... Luke quickly located the interface card and followed the cables to a sound-proof enclosure. He lifted the lid and peered at the mechanism inside. "Aren't you a little slow for ECL?" printed princess LPA0: "Wha..? Oh, the Docksiders," stammered Luke. He took off his shoes (for industry) and explained, "I've come to relocate you. I'm Luke Vaxhacker." Suddenly, forms started bursting around them. "They've blocked this queue!" shouted Solo. "There's only one return from this stack!" "OVER HERE!" printed LPA0: with overstrikes. "THROUGH THIS LOOPHOLE!" Luke and the princess disappeared into a nearby feature. "Gritch, gritch," mumbled Two Bacco, obviously reluctant to trust an Administrative oversight. "I don't care how crufty it is!" shouted Con, pushing the Bookie toward the crock. "DPB yourself in there NOW!" With one last blast that reprogrammed two flunkies, Con joined them. The "Feature" landed them right in the middle of the garbage collection data. Pieces of code that hadn't been used in weeks floated past in a pool of decaying bits. "Bletch!" was Con's first comment. "Bletch, bletch," was his second. The Bookie looked as if he had just paid a FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:42 Page 14 longshot, and the odds in this situation weren't much better. Luke was tolling the garbage when he stumbled upon a book with the words "Don't Panic" inscribed in large, friendly letters on the cover. "This can't possibly help us now," he said as he tossed the book away. The Bookie was about to lay odds on it when Luke suddenly disappeared. He popped up across the pool, shouting, "This is no feature! It's a bug!!" and promptly vanished again. Con and the princess were about to panic() when Luke reappeared. "What happened?" they asked in parallel. "I don't know," gasped Luke. "The bug just dissolved automagically. Maybe it hit a breakpoint..." "I don't think so," said Con. "Look how the pool is shrinking. I've got a bad feeling about this..." The princess was the first to realize what was going on. "They've implemented a new compaction algorithm!" she exclaimed. Luke remembered the pipe he had open to 3CPU. "Shut down garbage collection below recursion level 5!" he shouted. Back in the control room, RS232 searched the process table for the lisp interpreter. "Hurry," sent 3CPU. "Hurry, hurry," added his other two processors. RS232 found the interpreter, interrupted it, and altered the stack frame they'd fallen into to allow a normal return. ------------------------------------------------------------ Some months later... Luke was feeling rather bored. 3CPU could get to be rather irritating, and RS232 didn't really speak Luke's language. Suddenly, Luke felt someone's eyes boring through the back of his skull. He turned slowly, to see... nothing. A quiet voice came from somewhere in front of him. "Grasshopper, the carrier is strong within you." Luke froze, which was a good thing since his legs were insisting that he run but they weren't likely to be particular about direction. Luke guessed that his odds of getting lost in the dense tree structures were pretty good. Unfortunately, the Bookie wasn't available. "Yes. Very strong, but the modulation is yet weak. His network interface is totally undeveloped." the voice continued. A small furry creature walked out of the woods as Luke stared on. Luke's stomach had now joined the rest of his body in loud complaints. Whatever was peering at him FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:44 Page 15 was certainly small and furry, but Luke was quite sure that it didn't come from Alpha Centauri. "Well, well," said the creature as is rolled it's eyes at Luke. "Frobozz, y'know. Morning, name's modem. What's your game? Adventure? D&D? Or are you just one of those Apple-pong types that hang around the store demonstrations?" Luke closed his eyes. Perhaps if he couldn't see it, it wouldn't notice him. "H'mm," muttered the creature. "Must use a different protocol. @@@H @@ @($@@@H )"@G$ @#@@G' (o% @@@@@%%H(b ?" "No, no," stammered Luke. "I don't speak EBCDIC. I was sent here to become a UNIX wizard. Must have the wrong address." "Right address," said the creature. "I'm a UNIX wizard. Device drivers a speciality. Or do you prefer playing with virtual memory?" Luke eyed the creature cautiously. If this was what happened to system wizards after years of late night crashes, Luke wasn't sure he wanted anything to do with it. He felt a strange affection for the familiar microcomputers of his home. And wasn't virtual memory something that you got from drinking too much Coke? To be discontinued (by popular demand) ------------------------------------------------------------ * DEC, PDP, VAX, and UNIBUS are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corp. ------------------------------------------------------------ The preceeding story has been a reprint (retransmission?) of an original story by an unknown author. The story was most recently found on the MNET-11 user's group SIG on the CompuServe system. FIDONEWS -- 21 Oct 85 03:02:45 Page 16 ============================================================ NOTICES ============================================================ Have you paid for your freeware yet? ------------------------------------------------------------ BACK ISSUES Fidonews back issues are available for download by all callers (even first time callers) on Fido 107/52, the Beagles Nest, at (302) 731-7842. ------------------------------------------------------------ The Interrupt Stack 27 Oct 1985 2 AM - Change from Daylight Savings Time to Standard time. You should change your system clock before mail hour this date. 27 Nov 1985 Halley's Comet passes closest to Earth before perihelion. 24 Jan 1986 Voyager 2 passes Uranus. 9 Feb 1986 Halley's Comet reaches perihelion. 11 Apr 1986 Halley's Comet reaches perigee. 19 May 1986 Steve Lemke's next birthday. 24 Aug 1989 Voyager 2 passes Neptune. If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to Fido 107/7.