Volume 5, Number 21 23 May 1988 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|oo \ | | - FidoNews - (_| /_) | | _`@/_ \ _ | | International | | \ \\ | | FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) | | Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief Dale Lovell Editor Emeritus: Thom Henderson Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings Contributing Editors: Al Arango FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet Association as its official newsletter. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1:1/1. Copyright 1988 by the International FidoNet Association. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact IFNA at (314) 576-4067. IFNA may also be contacted at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141. Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, 164 Shipley Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 and are used with permission. 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. Table of Contents 1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1 2. COLUMNS .................................................. 3 Top Downloads 5/6/88 - 5/13/88 ........................... 3 3. FOR SALE ................................................. 5 U.S. Robotics 2400 bps internal modems ................... 5 4. NOTICES .................................................. 6 The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 6 Spirituality/World Peace ................................. 6 Latest Software Versions ................................. 7 FidoNews 5-21 Page 1 23 May 1988 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= IDEAS FOR A NEW -AND BETTER- FIDONET (Let's make some changes...) Time goes by, and FidoNet grows every day faster. I don't think that, when creating the Fido Bulletin Board System, Tom Jennings knew he was starting something this big. I have lately read some articles, where sysops express their discomformity regarding the way things are going right now, specially with IFNA. Some sysops chose to form another, parallel net (like Ryugen Fisher, for example), some others just expressed their disappointness. Trhu this article, I want to give your my opinion, and to present you a new idea, a new idea that also contains new concepts. I think something MUST BE DONE, before it is "too late". The FidoNet nodelist has already 3000+ members, in all the 5 continents of the world, on about 30 countries. FidoNet has become a totally INTERNATIONAL network, rather than an "American one with some nodes overseas". The new idea I want to propose is the following: One "FidoNet Association" is created for each of the 4 zone (I'm assuming Latin America as Zone 4). Those associations may vary in their internal organization, since each zone's requirements and neccesities are very different. When they are finally established, each designates 3 members to take part on the International FidoNet Council, that is finally formed by those 12 representants of the 4 zones. Each zone has the right to have the presidency of the Council for 6 months a year (each has the right to preside the council once every two years). The Council's president must be one of the 4 representants sent by the zone who designates him/her, and has the right to a double vote when a votation is tied. The International Council is in charge of various things, like designating the International Technical Coordinator, setting the technical standards (either directly or by naming a "technical comitee"), publishing the net's official newsletter, and establishing the net's basic, international rules. Comprehensive rules are established by each zone's association. The International Council also acts as a "supreme tribunal" for interzonal disputes. Any disputes within a zone are to be arbitrated by the zone's association. The Zonal FidoNet Associations are to be TRANSPARENTLY DEMOCRATIC, which ensures the democratic qualities of the International FidoNet Council, as well as of the net itself. The Zonal Associations have the right to name the coordinators for all the networks, regions as well as the zone's. I personally think this idea has still to be shaped up. Anyway, the "main idea", that puts a special emphasis in FidoNews 5-21 Page 2 23 May 1988 democracy, as well as on each sysops' right to determine their coordinators, authorities and delegates to the main, International Council, is there. I would like everybody to participate in the development of this new idea, to ensure it's representability of all the sysop's wishes. Please, send mail to node 368/101 (soon-to-be 800/1) with your opinions. If FidoNet's current authorities, as well as IFNA's consider the idea feasible, an echomail conference could be created to ensure everybody's participation on the development of this new idea. Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and thanks IFNA for maintaining a publication where everyone can express oneself freely. Pablo Kleinman (60/1) Buenos Aires, Argentina ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-21 Page 3 23 May 1988 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= Top Downloads: 5/6/88 - 5/13/88 A weekly report of the most popular downloads from contributing FidoNet systems. Report created on May 18, 1988. There is a two issue delay in items submited to FidoNews, so this column will reflect statistics from one or two weeks ago. Contributing systems: 135/1 (Unidentified board was unable to participate this week) Total downloads from contributing systems: 245 File Download Report -- Top 20 Rank Area\File Name # DL's ------------------------------------------------------------ 1. lotto.arc 8 Computes random numbers 2. lotto.exe 5 Another FL lotto # picker 3. unws.arc 5 Convert Wordstar files to ASCII 4. cookie.arc 3 Recipie for Mrs. Fields' cookies 5. hoarad.arc 3 6. icon10.arc 3 Convert between graphic formats 7. moreram.arc 3 Utilize extra RAM above 640K 8. sorry.arc 3 9. adventur.arc 2 10. alarm.arc 2 Put clock on screen 11. arc521.com 2 THE Archive program 12. bios.arc 2 Asm macro file w/bios int's 13. cxmodem.arc 2 Info on CRC Xmodem protocol 14. dtpall.arc 2 Patches for ProComm+ 15. ibmbds.arc 2 OLD list of Ibm dedicated BBS's 16. monop68.arc 2 17. pcplus11.arc 2 ProComm+. The premier comm program 18. popup.doc 2 Info on writing TSR programs 19. qedit203.arc 2 Good text editor 20. say.arc 2 Let PC talk through speaker Selected Files of Interest Area\Name #DL's -------------------------------------------------- allmac.arc 1 Another way to view Mac pics arcm211.arc 1 ArcMaster, manipulate Arc files aseasy30.arc 1 Lotus 123 like spreadsheet c_tutor1.arc 1 Tutorial on C language c_tutor2.arc 1 crt43.arc 1 Replacement CRTINIT modules for TC 1.5 do280-01.exe 1 Dutchie. do280-10.exe 1 A very good, 100% FTSC compatibile do280-20.exe 1 Net-mailer, better than others FidoNews 5-21 Page 4 23 May 1988 e88-42.arc 1 Text editor hack.arc 1 kermit.arc 1 Info on Standard Kermit Protocol kermitop.arc 1 Kermit transfer pgm (for Opus) logrpt.arc 1 Reports on Opus log files macpics2.arc 1 Collection of Mac pics mathpad.arc 1 Math program mjongg23.arc 1 nansi.arc 1 Enhancement of ANSI.SYS nopkarc.txt 1 GOOD reasons for not using PKXARC oecc_106.arc 1 Opus Embedded Command Compiler sortf227.arc 1 Another sort utility vga256.arc 1 Lib of 320x200,mode 13h VGA for TC 1.5 vgamac.arc 1 View mac pics on a VGA File transfer methods ------------------------- SEAlink: 49 TeLink: 30 Xmodem: 127 Ymodem: 15 Zmodem: 33 Other: 3 If there are any other systems interested in being a part of this weekly column, please send me your system stats in a similar format via net-mail at 135/1. The system report from LogRpt would be ideal. If at all possible, include a description of files with unusual names. If there is a file you particularly want me to list, let me know. I MUST have the information by Monday's Net-mail time in order to get the stats compiled. Please keep your reports at 7 or 8 days, Friday to Friday if possible and no longer than 10 days. (We can accept net-mail anytime of the day and are PC-Pursuitable). James Gilbert RAM-SOFT Archive Library (9600HST) 1:135/1 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-21 Page 5 23 May 1988 ================================================================= FOR SALE ================================================================= John Hamilton, 1:143/8 U.S. Robotics 2400 bps internal, half-length modems are now available to SysOps and friends for $150.00. This offer is subject to change without further notice. Contact John Hamilton at 143/8 for information if you wish to place an order. There is no quantity limitation. You want 200 of them? Go ahead, make my day! Discounts can be negotiated for quantities over ten, but I will gladly sell one at a time. I use these modems personally in four commercial Fido v12h (tm) applications. To date they have performed as reliably as my Courier 2400s, which is just about bullet proof! ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-21 Page 6 23 May 1988 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 29 May 1988 MetroFire Third Annual Birthday Bash and Floppy Disk Throwing Contest. ALL FidoNet Sysops and their families are invited. Contact Christopher Baker at 135/14 for more details. Details available by SEAdog file request as FPICMAP.ARC or BASH. 5 Jun 1988 David Dodell's 31st Birthday 18 Jun 1988 Area Code 407 takes effect in East/Central Florida. All Sysops should adjust their Nodelist entries immediately. 25 Jun 1988 EuroCon II starts in Tiel, Holland. Sponsored by the Dutch Hobby Computer Club. Will run for 2 days. Contact Hans Lichthelm at 2:2/999 for information. 16 Jul 1988 A new areacode, 508, will form in eastern Massachusetts and will be effective on this date. The new area code will be formed from the current areacode 617. Greater Boston will remain areacode 617 while the rest of eastern Massachusetts will form the new areacode 508. 25 Aug 1988 Start of the Fifth International FidoNet Conference, to be held at the Drawbridge Inn in Cincinnati, OH. Contact Tim Sullivan at 108/62 for more information. This is FidoNet's big annual get-together, and is your chance to meet all the people you've been talking with all this time. We're hoping to see you there! 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 FidoNet node 1:1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Spirituality/World Peace by Susan Dubin Pagans, Christians, hippies, eclectics and Hindus are among those frequenting the new Spirituality/World Peace echo offered by The Angevin Empire. If you hunger for the unusual, this echo is sure to satisfy. FidoNews 5-21 Page 7 23 May 1988 People of all faiths (including atheists!) are encouraged to participate. Instead of the commom face-offs and exclusive proclamations of the "truth", we are looking for the ways we are unified; the links which bind us together. Diverse participation and thoughtful conversation is common. The Spirituality/World Peace echo would do well both on a metaphysical BBS and a technical or general one. It is an interesting diversion from computer talk, and will serve to boost system usage. So, if you'd like to spice things up and perhaps do your bit for world peace, contact Aaron Priven at 1:204/1154 (PC- Pursuitable) and try a little "SPIRITUAL". ----------------------------------------------------------------- Latest Software Versions BBS Systems Node List Other & Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version Dutchie 2.81 EditNL 4.00* ARC 5.21 Fido 12h* MakeNL 2.10* ARCmail 1.1 Opus 1.03b Prune 1.40 ConfMail 3.31 SEAdog 4.10 XlatList 2.86 EchoMail 1.31 TBBS 2.0M MGM 1.1 BinkleyTerm 1.50* QuickBBS 2.00* * Recently changed Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-21 Page 8 23 May 1988 OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION Ken Kaplan 100/22 Chairman of the Board Don Daniels 107/210 President Mark Grennan 147/1 Vice President Dave Dodell 114/15 Vice President - Technical Coordinator Tom Marshall 107/524 Secretary Leonard Mednick 12/1 Treasurer IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS DIVISION AT-LARGE 10 Steve Jordan 102/2871 Don Daniels 107/210 11 Bill Allbritten 11/301 Hal DuPrie 101/106 12 Leonard Mednick 12/1 Mark Grennan 147/1 13 Rick Siegel 107/27 Brad Hicks 100/523 14 Ken Kaplan 100/22 Ted Polczyinski 154/5 15 Jim Cannell 128/13 Kurt Reisler 109/74 16 Vince Perriello 141/491 Robert Rudolph 261/628 17 Rob Barker 138/34 Greg Small 148/122 18 Christopher Baker 135/14 Bob Swift 140/24 19 Vernon Six 19/0 Larry Wall 15/18 2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 Gee Wong 107/312 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-21 Page 9 23 May 1988 __ The World's First / \ BBS Network /|oo \ * FidoNet * (_| /_) _`@/_ \ _ | | \ \\ | (*) | \ )) ______ |__U__| / \// / Fido \ _//|| _\ / (________) (_/(_|(____/ (tm) Membership for the International FidoNet Association Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that pays a specified annual membership fee. IFNA serves the international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to increase worldwide communications. Member Name _______________________________ Date _______________ Address _________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________________________________ State ________________________________ Zip _____________________ Country _________________________________________________________ Home Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________ Work Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________ Zone:Net/Node Number ____________________________________________ BBS Name ________________________________________________________ BBS Phone Number ________________________________________________ Baud Rates Supported ____________________________________________ Board Restrictions ______________________________________________ Your Special Interests __________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ In what areas would you be willing to help in FidoNet? __________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Send this membership form and a check or money order for $25 in US Funds to: International FidoNet Association c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA 700 Bishop Street, #1014 Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-4112 USA Thank you for your membership! Your participation will help to insure the future of FidoNet. Please NOTE that IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization and Articles of Association and By-Laws were adopted by the membership in January 1987. The first elected Board of Directors was filled in August 1987. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your input to this Conference. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-21 Page 10 23 May 1988 INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION ORDER FORM Publications The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido 1:1/10 or other FidoNet compatible systems, or by purchasing them directly from IFNA. We ask that all our IFNA Committee Chairmen provide us with the latest versions of each publication, but we can make no written guarantees. Hardcopy prices as of October 1, 1986 IFNA Fido BBS listing $15.00 _____ IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs $10.00 _____ IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs $10.00 _____ SUBTOTAL _____ IFNA Member ONLY Special Offers System Enhancement Associates SEAdog $60.00 _____ SEAdog price as of March 1, 1987 ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet $100.00 _____ Fido/FidoNet price as of November 1, 1987 ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member International orders include $10.00 for surface shipping or $20.00 for air shipping _____ SUBTOTAL _____ HI. Residents add 4.0 % Sales tax _____ TOTAL _____ SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER IN US FUNDS: International FidoNet Association c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA 700 Bishop Street, #1014 Honolulu, HI. 96813-4112 USA Name________________________________ Zone:Net/Node____:____/____ Company_____________________________ Address_____________________________ City____________________ State____________ Zip_____ Voice Phone_________________________ Signature___________________________ -----------------------------------------------------------------