Volume 3, Number 8 24 February 1986 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | - Fidonews - /|oo \ | | (_| /_) | | Fido and FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ | | Users Group | | \ \\ | | Newsletter | (*) | \ )) | | ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings Fidonews is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in Fidonews. Article submission standards are contained in the file FIDONEWS.DOC, available from node 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. Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL E-Mail Addiction 2. ARTICLES Environment Space in Fido 11t 11t Problem and Solution Fido Compatible Systems Lazy Sysops The dream is, and must remain, alive. Part II Opinion on National Mail Time Free Time Ramblings Buyers Beware! 3. COLUMNS Notes from Abroad World of Computing: IBM compatability, manual typewriters 4. FOR SALE Entertainment Software for your PC! MACRO - A powerful front-end for any language Public Domain Software Library Sale!! 5. NOTICES The Interrupt Stack ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= E-Mail Addiction My wife has often commented on the fact that the very first thing I do in the morning is to check my machine to see if I've gotten any Fidomail. Surely it can wait; at least until I've dressed and consumed some oatmeal. What is the attraction of Fidomail? Why can't I at least wait a few minutes before reading it? I'm not the only one. I have several friends who are in the same position. One that I know of has TWIX run every morning as an external event so that he can tear off the paper and enjoy his Fidomail before doing anything else. Well, it is fast and cheap. Being a node really adds very little to the phone bill. Especially if one is fortunate enough to be part of a bidirectional net. And overnight mail all over the country (world?) is a lure that may be hard to resist. But talking to a friend in a neighborhood bar is even faster. After all, as fast as Fidomail is, it still takes two days before you get an answer. Face-to-face it takes almost no time at all! And a typical conversation is free (drinks are extra, of course). So why is Fidomail so attractive? Well, one can talk to people who are MUCH farther away than one would normally expect to travel. I can safely say that I don't know anyone in California (I'm in New Jersey) that I didn't meet through FidoNet. In fact, of all the people I know in California, I have never met any of them face-to-face. I can go farther than that. I have met face-to-face people in Holland, but the one person in Holland I know best is Henk Wevers, and I've known him only through FidoNet. It's easier somehow. I am horrible about writing letters, but good about answering Fidomail. Most of it, I am sure, stems from simple laziness. For either USPO mail or Fidomail I start by typing a letter into my machine. With Fidomail it ends there, but with the USPO that is just the beginning. I still have to print out the letter, shove it into an envelope, address the envelope, and stick a stamp on it. Then (horror of horrors) I have to go find a mailbox to put it in. With Fidomail I just write my reply and off it goes. No two ways about it -- Fidomail will spoil you. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 2 24 Feb 1986 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Gee M Wong Dance Studio Fido: 107/312 UNIX: ihnp4!pyuxaa!gee Environment Space in Fido 11t Using information given me by Ken Kaplan, I conducted an experiment and determined the conditions which Fido 11t will issue the message "Not enough memory to run" and terminate with ERRORLEVEL 3. What I discovered, after an exhaustive series of experiments, was that Fido 11t appears to be scanning the environment table for the last SET variable defined in the environment and then calculating the cumulative length of all the defined SET variables. If the cumulative length is 100 bytes or longer, then Fido 11t will issue the above error message and terminate. The cumulative length of the SET variables may be easily determined by using the following commands: SET >set.out DIR set.out The first command will dump out the SET strings defined in the environment into a file named "SET.OUT", and the second command will display the byte count of "SET.OUT". Using this method I booted up DOS 3.10 with the following directive in CONFIG.SYS: shell=c:\command.com c:\ /p /e:## Where I used the values 10, 30, and 60 for ##. I discovered that Fido 11t does not make any attempt to determine the actual amount of free environment space. It checks to see if more than the first 99 bytes are used. If so, then it issues an error message and terminates. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 3 24 Feb 1986 11t Problem and Solution by Ben Baker - Fido 100/76 Many of you have noticed Version 11t's irritating habit of refusing to run, terminating with the message "Not enough free memory to run," and error level set to 3. This is a particular problem of the IBM version, but actually affects all versions. Gee Wong was the first to report the relationship between this problem and the size of the environment strings. First I will explain the problem, and then give you a solu- tion. If you are not technically inclined, feel free to skip to the solution below. The Problem Fido is written in the C language and compiled with the Lattice compiler using the "small data model." The small model allows the program to use 16-bit pointers to data rather than 32-bit segment/offset pointers. This makes a program signifi- cantly faster, but imposes a constraint on the data. ALL data; compiled data, stack data and dynamically allocated data must reside in a single 64K data segment. When Fido begins execution, it checks to see if the total allocatable memory is above the minimum it needs to operate. Allocatable memory is 64K minus the sum of fixed data and stack size. If that amount is insufficient, it terminates with the above error condition and message. The IBM version appears to have the largest fixed data area and is most susceptible to the problem. What has this to do with the environment strings? That's a little more subtle. When using the small model, all data the program needs must be in the 64K data segment. If the program will access the environment strings, it can only do so if there is a copy in the data segment. Since the C initializer cannot know in advance whether the program will need the environment strings, it always copies the environment to the data segment! Therefore, the larger the environment, the less allocatable memory Fido has to work with. The Solution There are two variables we can adjust; environment size, and stack size. FIDO_IBM will execute properly if the sum of the two is less that 18100 bytes. The threshold for the other versions is not known, but seems to be somewhat higher (safer). The default stack size is 18000. The size of your environment can be determined with the following two DOS commands: SET >SET.TXT DIR SET.TXT The file size is the approximate size of your environment. The best solution to the problem is to reduce this size by shortening or eliminating your PATH and/or PROMPT strings until the size of SET.TXT is less than 100 bytes. Fidonews Page 4 24 Feb 1986 If that is unacceptable, there is an alternative. Lattice makes provisions to adjust the stack size at execution time. If the first command line argument has the form "=" the C initializer will use as the stack size. For instance: FIDO_IBM =17900 would set the stack to 17900 bytes, allowing an environment size of up to 200 bytes. We believe that Fido will run properly with stack size set as low as 17000 bytes, but have not tested it exhaustively. Remember, the lower you set it, the greater you risk a STACK OVERFLOW error. One last point. When this error occurs, Fido exits with ERRORLEVEL = 3. Therefore, 3 is NOT VALID for external events. We recommend that all external events use ERRORLEVELs of 4 or above, and that you test for 3 in your batch file and terminate if it or any lower error occurs. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 5 24 Feb 1986 Fido compatible systems ----------------------- Carl Nordin A.T.L 101/4603 or 501/4603 Lidkoping, Sweden I, as almost every Fido sysop, have the intention of writing my own Fido-compatible BBS. I'm determined to do so, but I don't really know at which end to begin. Writing a plain vanilla BBS with a message area and a file area isn't such a great job. Actually I once wrote a small BBS system in 6809 assembly language for FLEX 9.0. However the big problem is the FidoNet interface. Writing code that can send, receive and route mail is quite a big job, not to mention debugging it. Then it suddenly struck me, why should I do that job when somebody has already done it? Namely Tom Jennings with Fido. All I have to do is to write my BBS and for the FidoNet area I only have to make the files the same as Fido's. I can then start Fido from my BBS at the right time and it'll do the job and then return to my BBS, via an external event. The only Fido routines I need in my system are a scheduler and some way to make the *.MSG and SYSTEM??.BBS for the FidoNet area. The rest of the system I can design for my own taste. So here's one suggestion. Why doesn't Tom Jennings release a FidoNet handler, consisting of the FidoNet parts of Fido. It could then be invoked by something like: C>fidonet /2 60/W A/S which would mean: Start FidoNet using COM2: and run schedule A for 60 minutes and then terminate. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 6 24 Feb 1986 Brian Sietz Fido 107/17 Lazy Sysops I recently came up with a new use of the POLL command - and it has nothing to do with FIDO! It is a bit obscure, but came in very handy recently during a time when there was no alarm clock available in my home. Then I got to thinking - alarm clock? Who needs one when you have a FidoNet system downstairs! Well, here's the scoop - most sysops have a separate phone number dedicated as their DATA line, but why not have another Fido node on your VOICE line! No, I don't mean to actually run a system from the other line, just fool the REAL Fido into thinking there is another Fido in the same house! In my house, every morning, I run an additional mail event at 7:15 for a period of 3 minutes. In my route files, I have my REAL Fido POLL the FAKE Fido during this event, which being 3 minutes in duration, I get at least two wake-up calls! The only trick comes to play by "creating" a new node in the nodelist. This can easily be accomplished by manual editing of the file, or having LISTGEN change the phone number of an existing node; one that wouldn't be called. So, if you are lazy, or don't have an alarm clock, you no longer have an excuse for over sleeping! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 7 24 Feb 1986 Well, it has been a little over 3 weeks since the shuttle disaster. Since that time, I have collected a little over 60 messages between my two FIDO nodes, and a little over 700 pages of messages from UUCP/USENET (primarily net.space and net.columbia) as well as direct UUCP mail. In response to the article I placed in the FIDONEWS 2 weeks ago, I have received several messages from both users and SYSOPS. Well, I am going to Senator Garn's office at the end of the month. Time for the SYSOPs to bundle those shuttle-related messages into an ARC, and FIDOMAIL them to me at 109/74. Please use a file name of XXXYYY.51L, where XXX is your net or region number and YYY is your node number, to prevent message clashes. Thanks for your efforts. I will let you know what happens. Kurt Reisler - SYSOP - 109/74 - The Bear's Den 109/483 - Wash-A-RUG The Dream is, and must remain, alive! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 8 24 Feb 1986 Allen Tufts Fido 101/113 MAIL TIME WOES Actually, I think there are many more people that are irked with the National Mail Slot than just Bob Hartman. I have to agree with Bob, there is a definite problem brewing. There have been times when it has taken me up to three days to deliver mail to the hosts of 132 and 101, and I'm sure the problem goes beyond my local area Hosts. My proposal, and I'm sure it is not a new one, is to allow mail to be sent or received at ANY time. You would probably want to keep the local mail time at 5:00am as it is now. This gives people a drop dead time to get their messages in for local delivery. It should be a very simple task to enable Fido to distinguish whether an incoming call is a User or FidoNet and then take the appropriate action. Leave it up to the Sysop of the calling system as to when he wants his system to deliver mail. If he wants to deliver his mail at noontime each day, then let him do it. I realize that getting Fido to accept mail at any time is only half the problem. Mail distribution under the proposed method could create some logistical problems, but I think they would be minor and can be overcome. Another topic I would like to raise while I am writing the article is Fido's inability to notify a user upon successful logon that he has mail waiting. I consider this to be a serious flaw with Fido. I don't like having to enter a message area of a system and check every directory for mail. The search for mail can take a fair amount of time considering the extensive message areas and amount of messages that some systems have. If Fido is going consider itself a serious EMAIL network, then at the very least it should report something similar to the following: You have mail waiting... Msg Area Msg # ---------------------------------------------------------- UNIX 45 Ada 3,5,7 SYSOP 78 General 4,7,100,219 This feature MUST tell you the areas and message numbers or else you are not really gaining a useful feature. Maybe if enough of the Fido community got together, Tom would consider implementing this feature (in some form) in the near future. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 9 24 Feb 1986 Mike Ringer, 117/1262 Free Time! Once again I've found some free time! How I don't know, but I've done it. Most of the time I sit down at my computer and wonder "has there ever been a program that uses every key on the computer (A-Z)?" Well I took care of this problem and created USELESS.BAS. Its exactly that. It doesn't do a single thing! Sure it draws a picture, plays a song and spins the disk drive but besides that it has no real purpose. I doubt anybody has it (or wants it) but It will soon be available on Elite Software (409)-846-4367 117/1262. I plan on writing more humorous spoofs on programing. USLESSII will be out soon. In it I will use the function keys and the Ctrl and Alt keys. If you have any other Ideas let me know for and I'll set my limited programming skills to work. Other programs I have written: ZOR.BAS ZORII.BAS DOCIBM.BAS USELESS.BAS ZOR3.BAS Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find my voter registration card. Mike Ringer Sysop of Elite Software creators of Best Friend "the best friend your computer ever had" 117/1262 (409)-846-4367 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 10 24 Feb 1986 WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING BUYER BEWARE BUYER BEWARE There are several "small" companies among us that are advertising vaporware, be it hardware or software. Under the guise of offering some super fantastic piece of hard/software are selling other items other than the advertised vaporware to the unsuspecting clients. It is a neat ploy that is even frowned on by some of the larger companies as deceptive business practices. Buyer beware, it would be to everyone's advantage to cease doing business with companies that tend to pull this slight deception. I'm all for advertising a soon to be released item. However it is not in the best interest of our community for the same companies to continue to advertise items that appear to never to be real. We can fight back by ceasing to conduct any business with these vapor ware companies. WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING WARNING ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 11 24 Feb 1986 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= Notes from Abroad Following the installation of a 20 Meg hard disk on my Compaq, I thought I would report on the problems I encountered. The drive is supplied in a sealed anti-static bag to protect the circuitry which is in turn enclosed in a cardboard sleeve. The controller card is supplied in a well padded anti-static bag. Also supplied is a blanking plate, two ribbon cables, and a users manual . The first thing to do when fitting a new piece of hardware to your system is to read the manual. The manual supplied is just fourteen pages long and covers the installation procedure for an IBM PC. There is a small section on setting the two DIP switches on the main circuit board of the drive. I always seem to have trouble with DIP switches, so I decided to only set one switch, this was the switch marked "D" and with this switch set to on the diagnostic option was selected. The next section in the manual details the drive's power requirements. The first line caught me out, it said that the drive requires an external power supply. I presume that this section was for anyone who was thinking of fitting the drive as an external unit. The next step was to take the lid off the Compaq and remove the B: drive. This would have been a 2 minute job on an IBM PC but on a Compaq it involves removing the floppy controller card, the graphics card, and any add-on cards. When these cards were removed the drive came out quite easily after unceremoniously turning the Compaq on it's side, removing the bottom cover, and removing the fixing screws from the bottom of the drive. This now leaves a gaping hole in the front of the Compaq so I quickly put the new drive in position to see how the locating holes lined up. It soon became obvious that the locating holes in the Compaq chassis were intended to take a full height hard disk. The shock absorbing mounting pillars are fitted only on the right hand side of the chassis so anything fitted next to the hard disk will have to find an alternative mounting method. As I have no plans (or money!) to fit something else in the gap I decided it would be best to simply mount the hard disk and cover the hole with the supplied blanking plate. The holes lined up well with the mounting pillars and once in place it looks very neat tucked into the right hand corner of the Compaq. With the drive in place I then proceeded to fit the ribbon cables. Following the instructions in the manual to the word I fitted the cables to the drive and then connected the other end to the controller card. The controller card has three connectors, two twenty way, and one thirty-four way. You are supplied with one 34 way cable and one 20 way cable. The manual shows which of the 20 way connectors to use. I assumed that the second 20 way connector was for another hard disk; but a phone Fidonews Page 12 24 Feb 1986 call revealed that it was actually for a tape streamer. The controller card apparently supports either 10 or 25 meg tape streamers. Unfortunately I fitted one of the cables incorrectly but I didn't realise this until I had switched on the Compaq. This may sound like a fatal error but Western Digital has made the controller idiot proof; ie safeguarded the circuitry against people like myself who are incapable of following a manual. I certainly don't recommend that you fit the cables incorrectly, but if you do the chances are that no damage will be done. After the first (failed) attempt to install the drive I reversed the incorrectly fitted connector and then tried again. This time success! The drive burst into life and then proceeded through its self checking routine. The suppliers had told me that the drive was pre-formatted and tested, and also that the PC-DOS operating system had been installed. This means that the drive should be configured to use as a boot disk. I opened the floppy drive door and then re-booted. It tried to boot off the A: drive but as the drive was not ready it proceeded to boot from the hard disk. Booting off the hard disk is a much quicker operation than booting off a floppy although the hard disk does take time to go through its diagnostics. If you don't have much memory installed in your machine it is possible that the computers diagnostic routines will be quicker that the hard disks diagnostics; in this case I suppose it is possible that a "drive not ready" error could occur. This condition would of course be rectified as soon as you press a key. So there I was with my brand new hard disk humming quietly (very quietly) in the background just waiting for some data to swallow up. I proceeded to feed the hard disk a couple of files to install in my new AUTOEXEC.BAT file. I followed this operation with a CHKDSK which returned a gratifying 21184512 bytes of free space! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 13 24 Feb 1986 The World of Computing by Reuven M. Lerner, FidoMail 107/33 Welcome again to The World of Computing! This time, I'm writing to you from my new Fountain PC, which is an IBM compatible computer. The version I have has two half-height floppy drives, plus a hard disk. I also have a nice internal modem, so I can log onto Fido and other local BBS'. However, I'd like to address the issue of IBM compatibility. In a way, it's nice to have a standard, but in other ways, why should we be forced to stay in the world of MS-DOS when new and improved operating systems can be used? Let's go back in time to late 1980, when the IBM PC was still just on the drawing board, and they were trying to figure out which processor they would use. Intel had come out with the 8088 about a year before, which was an 8/16 processor, but a newer, and more powerful one (the 8086, a true 16-bit processor) was on the market. IBM had a dilemma: do they use the newer and as-of-yet untested 8086, or do they stick with the 8088, of which they could get millions if need be? You and I both know that they decided to use the 8088. Now we get to the operating system. At first, they wanted to use the standard CP/M operating system, which had been very successful in the 8-bit world. To make a very long story short, Digital Research didn't want to keep so secret about IBM's new machine. IBM went to Microsoft Corp. and asked them if they could make an operating system. Microsoft went out and bought another company's operating system, renamed it MS-DOS and PC-DOS, put their BASIC on the disk, and had a new operating system. Unfortunately, version 1.0 of MS-DOS had a few bugs and wasn't powerful enough for many users. Plus which, IBM had included only 64K in their original version (then again, who needed more than 64K back then?). They went back and revamped it, and pretty soon, came out with the MS-DOS that you and I know. Well, enough of the story. Let's get back to the original point. Is IBM compatibility good or bad? The answer is "yes." For the past few years, I have used a wonderful DEC VT180 (which, I may add, is still my favorite writing machine. I'm going to use it again starting next week) which ran good 'ol CP/M 2.2. Now that I have this hard disk and all, I have virtually unlimited storage, easier-to-use communications, and a lot more. In the past week, I've downloaded about 10 programs, including the word processor that I'm writing this on, DVED 6.02 -- not bad, but not so great, either. I'm downloading PC-WRITE in a few days to compare the two. All public-domain or shareware (have you paid for your shareware today?). It's incredible what you can do! I have an automatic screen-blanker, a pop-up calculator, and a Halley's Comet simulation, with no worries about it working on my machine/terminal/etc. like I have to on the DEC. And if it does work on the DEC, I usually have to use DDT to change the terminal parameters. Fidonews Page 14 24 Feb 1986 But, as with any machine, there are problems. First of all, that stupid memory test at the beginning. Let's use some simple math to see how long the POST test SHOULD take: Assuming that the DEC has about a 2 MHz clock speed, and the IBM 4.77, the DEC 64K and the IBM 640K, the IBM should take 0.2385 as much time as the DEC for the memory test! But no. It takes about 45 seconds, enough to drive me insane when I'm in a rush. So far, I like the Fountain. It's a nice little machine, and I'll report on any new developments when I get some new software. Manual Typewriters Some of you may find this little personal anecdote interesting to hear: I've been using word processors and electronic typewriters exclusively for the past four years, so it's very rare that I have to use a manual typewriter. About two weeks ago, I had to use one, and after typing a full line, I reached out for the RETURN key, and lo and behold, it wasn't there! It took me a full five minutes before I realized that the little lever in front of me was the RETURN key's equivalent. Besides being a little funny now that I look back at it, it brings a serious point to mind. We in the computer age are spoiled. That's right, spoiled. We have everything so easy, writing is a dream. I probably wouldn't be as interested in writing on the side if I didn't have some electronic components in my typewriter or computer. We should just think of the people who came before us, and what they had to use. I'm sure many of you reading this are from the generation that was around when electronic typewriters (or electric, for that matter) were very rare items, and very costly besides. I just wonder what it's going to be like in another hundred years. Software Piracy To give you an update on the software piracy article that I wrote on these pages here several weeks ago, I have prepared a file called OATH.TXT, which I will send to you via FidoMail if you so request. It's one of those things that you download, print, and sign your name on. The full title is TAKE THE OATH. Basically, it says that you pledge not to buy copy-protected software, give away, take, buy or sell illegal copies of software, or buy software that is overpriced (this is a very subjective point, I leave it in your hands). What's the purpose? To get computer users to agree on points which will change the face of computing for a while. If we don't act now, no one will, and we will live with the consequences for Fidonews Page 15 24 Feb 1986 a while. On another note, a certain member of my family came home last night with some copied software. I talked with him, and although he realized that it's wrong,. he gave a valid point. Someone with a busy job just doesn't have time to waste. trying out different pieces of software when he's not sure what he really wants. He's not going to take the oath for a while. Next time Next week, I hope to say something about the Macintosh Plus, and a little on. computer jargon and new words that we are using. Again, I invite all comments. and questions at the address below. Until next week, happy computing! (c) 1986 Reuven M. Lerner. All Rights Reserved. Reprinting rights are given. solely to Fidonews unless written permission is obtained from the author. Direct all correspondence to 21 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury, NY 11568, or Reuven Lerner at FidoMail 107/33. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 16 24 Feb 1986 ================================================================= FOR SALE ================================================================= ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE FOR YOUR PC! SUPERDOTS! KALAH! Professional quality games include PASCAL source! From the author of KALAH Version 1.6, SuperDots, a variation of the popular pencil/paper DOTS game, has MAGIC and HIDDEN DOT options. KALAH 1.7 is an African strategy game requiring skill to manipulate pegs around a playing board. Both games use the ANSI Escape sequences provided with the ANSI.SYS device driver for the IBM-PC, or built into the firmware on the DEC Rainbow. Only $19.95 each or $39.95 for both exciting games! Please specify version and disk format. These games have been written in standard TURBO-PASCAL and run on the IBM-PC, DEC Rainbow 100 (MSDOS and CPM), CPM/80, CPM/86, and PDP-11. Other disk formats are available, but minor customization may be required. BSS Software P.O. Box 3827 Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 For every order placed, a donation will be made to the Fido coordinators! Also, if you have a previous version of KALAH and send me a donation, a portion of that donation will also be sent to the coordinators. When you place an order, BE CERTAIN TO MENTION WHERE YOU SAW THE AD since it also appears in PC Magazine and Digital Review. Questions and comments can be sent to: Brian Sietz at Fido 107/17 (609) 429-6630 300/1200/2400 baud ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 17 24 Feb 1986 We have a confession to make. We've been holding out on you. For several years now we've been using a program called MACRO to boost our productivity. But we've been keeping it a closely guarded secret. Even our most intimate clients have been unaware of it's existence. Now, however, we've decided to release it to the PC user community. If you have ever used a macro assembler, then you already know how useful macros can be. For the rest of you, well, a good macro processor can do half of your work for you. MACRO works with any normal text file, and hence can be used as a powerful front-end to almost any language. Here's a sample of what MACRO can do for you: 1. Put parameters in your programs, allowing you to easily change table sizes, ranges of values, and so forth. 2. Put conditional code in your programs, allowing you to write one program, and then "switch" parts on and off easily for different customers and applications. 3. Perform integer arithmetic and string manipulation before your program is compiled, saving run time. 4. Write programs that customize themselves when you compile them, based on commands given and questions answered during the macro scan. MACRO is available for only $95 from System Enhancement Associates 21 New Street, Wayne NJ 07470 Or call our convenient order line at (201) 473-5153 (VISA and MasterCard accepted). Mention that you saw this ad, and we'll donate $10 to the national FidoNet coordinators when you order. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 18 24 Feb 1986 Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!! Public Domain collection - 300+ "ARC" archives - 10 megs of software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size! When unpacked, you get approximately 17 megabytes worth of all kinds of software, from text editors to games to unprotection schemes to communications programs, compilers, interpreters, etc... This collection is the result of more than 10 months of intensive downloads from just about 100 or more BBS's and other sources, all of which have been examined, indexed and archived for your convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board System? Want to add on to your software base without spending thousands of dollars? This is the answer!!! To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check, postal money order or company purchase order) to: Micro Consulting Associates Post Office Box 4296 200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296 Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order. Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain software in this collection. The price is applied entirely to the cost of downloading the software over the phone lines, running a BBS to receive file submissions, and inspecting, cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the files. Obtaining this software yourself through the use of a computer with a modem using commercial phone access would cost you much more than what we charge for the service... Please specify what type of format you would like the disks to be prepared on. The following choices are available: IBM PC-DOS Backup utility Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility DSBackup Fastback Plain ol' files (add $50, though, it's a lot of work and takes more diskettes...) Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling charges. California residents add 6% tax. For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 19 24 Feb 1986 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 1 Mar 1986 The Next Occasional MetroNet Sysop Meeting, to be held at Matt Kanter's apartment. Check with Matt at 107/3 for details. 1 Mar 1986 European mail hour shifts to 0230-0330 GMT. Summer time will no longer be observed. 11 Apr 1986 Halley's Comet reaches perigee. 19 May 1986 Steve Lemke's next birthday. 24 Aug 1989 Voyager 2 passes Neptune. If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to Fido 1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE Mike Hamilton Host of net 103 The Orange County section of NET 102 has broken out to a separate net. This change is effective as of node list 031. Our new net is 103. All the 500 series nodes from new 102 are now addressed as net 103 with the same node numbers. More changes are being made in the makeup of the nets in Southern California. Pay attention to the changes in the nodelist if you have mail coming this way. NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE NOTICE ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 20 24 Feb 1986