Volume 6, Number 2 9 January 1989 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|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. 1:1/1 is available for network mail between NMH-1 hour to NMH+1 hour. At all other times, netmail is not accepted although submissions can be uploaded. 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 It has to cost SOME-one something! ....................... 1 Hints on Writing Style for Usenet (or FidoNet) ........... 3 SDNet/Works! ............................................. 6 2. COLUMNS .................................................. 9 RegComm - Communications From RegCon ..................... 9 Rogel's Corner: Tree86 2.0 .............................. 10 Let's YACK about Letters to the Editor ................... 15 3. NOTICES .................................................. 16 The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 16 Latest Software Versions ................................. 16 And more! FidoNews 6-02 Page 1 9 Jan 1989 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= It has to cost SOME-one something! Echomail does have a cost attached to it somewhere. I feel that the day of the free ride is just about over. People have become so accustomed to free delivery of echomail that many now take advantage of it. If it is free, let's get more! This network is a hobby for almost everyone in it. It services both the rich and the poor. There are some folks out there with money to burn that have no concept of how to keep things organized. There are some folks out there that are brilliant managers that barely can make ends meet. FidoNet should not suffer organizationally because the "poorer" sysops have no recourse to recoup some costs. Please rest assured that I am speaking for echomail only. This has nothing to do with netmail. There needs to be in place a system that is endorsed by anyone in a management position, a way for some costs to be re-imbursed. I propose that REC's, NEC's and/or any EchoMail hub be allowed to require that system feeds pay their share. It would still be the cheapest, most efficient way for echomail to be passed along. Let's take a look at a simple back-bone structure top down. A Star Hub's echomail portion of his bill is $400.00. He feeds 10 REC's. In simplistic terms, each REC owes $40.00 to the Star Hub. An REC's bill is $250.00. Add the $40.00 of his share to that, making the total $290.00. Now, the REC feeds 15 NEC's. Each NEC share would be $19.33. One step further now. The local NEC pays about $175.00 in echo calls. (The PC Pursuit folk would figure flat rate of $25.00). Now, add the $19.33 to the 175.00, we get $194.33. The NEC feeds 20 nodes. Each nodes share breaks down to $9.72. Remember: the above takes into account each system doing the polling to the feed above him. $9.72 is cheap any way you look at it to get echomail. Everyone's bill gets covered. It also assures that systems stay around. Experience teaches us that those that offer the "free lunch" in echomail tend to not be around for a long time. Co-operation and assistance makes things work. I welcome comments on this. I do not want to clog up any echo conference it, though. If you'd like to send comments, my address is 100/617. Even other sides of the issue. All netmail answered. Glen Jackson FidoNews 6-02 Page 2 9 Jan 1989 REC Region 14 1/214 100/617 Home of the New RIXS BBS ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 3 9 Jan 1989 Hints on Writing Style for Usenet (or FidoNet) Newsgroups: news.announce.newusers Subject: Hints on writing style for Usenet (or FidoNet) (Updated: 10 October 1988) Original-from: ofut@gatech.edu (A. Jeff Offutt VI) [Most recent change: 10 October 1988 by lmg@hoqaz.att.com (Larry Geary)] I would like to take a moment to share some of my knowledge of writing style. If you read the suggestions below, remember: it's easy to agree that they make sense but it's much harder to apply them. References: Cunningham and Pearsall, "How to Write For the World of Work" Strunk & White, "Elements of Style" The above references are both excellent books. Cunningham is a standard in tech writing classes and won an award for the best tech writing book from the Association for Teaching of Technical Writing. I was lucky enough to take a class from him as an undergraduate. Strunk is a standard in college composition classes. Other ideas here come from my own experience on the net and hints from other people. This is a "long article." The rest of it is simply a list of pointers. Writing style: * Write *below* the readers' reading level. The avg. person in the US reads at a 5th grade level (11 years of age). The avg. professional reads at about the 12th grade level (18 years of age). * Keep paragraphs short and sweet. Keep sentences shorter and sweeter. This means "concise," not cryptic. * White space is not wasted space -- it greatly improves clarity. A blank line only adds a byte to the article length, so don't be stingy if it will help make your meaning clearer. * Pick your words to have only *one* meaning. Vagueness is considered artistic by literary critics. We are not being literary here. * People can only grasp about seven things at once. This means ideas in a paragraph, major sections, etc.. * Avoid abbreviations and acronyms, if possible, and define the ones you use. * There are several variations on any one sentence. A passive, questioning or negative sentence takes longer to read. FidoNews 6-02 Page 4 9 Jan 1989 Net style: * Subtlety is not communicated well in written form - especially over a computer. * The above applies to humor as well. (rec.humor, of course, not included.) * When being especially "flame-boyant", I find it helpful to go to the bathroom before actually sending. Then, I often change the tone considerably. :-) Take a break before posting something in anger or that might hurt or anger others. * Subject lines should be used very carefully. How much time have you wasted reading articles with a misleading subject line? The "Subject:" header line can be edited in all the various posting programs (as can the "Distribution:", "Newsgroups:" and "Followup-To:" header lines). * References need to be made. When you answer mail, you have the original message fresh in your mind. When I receive your answer, I don't. * It's *much* easier to read a mixture of upper and lower case letters. * Leaving out articles (such as "the," "a," "an," etc.) for "brevity" mangles the meaning of your sentences and takes longer to read. It saves you time at the expense of your reader. * Be careful of contextual meanings of words. For instance, I used "articles" just now. In the context of netnews, it has a different meaning than I intended. * Make an effort to spell words correctly. Obvious misspellings are jarring and distract the reader. Every news posting program allows you to edit your article before posting, and most systems have some kind of spelling checker program that you can use on your article. * Remember - this is an international network. * Remember - your future employers may be reading your articles. 'Nuff said. These suggestions are all easily supported by arguments and research. There's a lot more to say, but.... -- Gene Spafford NSF/Purdue/U of Florida Software Engineering Research Center, Dept. of Computer Sciences, Purdue University, W. Lafayette IN Internet: spaf@cs.purdue.edu uucp:...!{decwrl,gatech,ucbvax}!purdue!spaf FidoNews 6-02 Page 5 9 Jan 1989 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 6 9 Jan 1989 Ray Kaliss The SDN Project SYSOP/CONN! 141/840 I would like to tell all the reader of Fido news, about somthing new that is happening. It is called the Shareware Distribution Network. It's real name is SDNet/Works! and we call it... SDN. Probably the best way is for you to read my New Years mesessage to the sysops already participating in SDN. Although it won't give you the whole story, perhaps it is enough to invite sysops and shareware authors reading Fido news, to find out more. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (New Years Message from The SDN Project SYSOP/CONN!) I'd like to take this time (oh, grief ...it sounds so professional ) to thank you all again for joining us in SDN. You, the first sysops in, are very important to the future of the SDN concept. We should see ourselves as involved in something new, exciting and sure to work in time. I tried to get something going like this two years ago, but it fell apart. Timing was not right and we were guessing at how to do it. A few months ago, I passed the concept by Charlie, he was doing such a great job organizing the 800 Club and had his little busy nose into every other net activity. Charlie turned out to be the best person to present it to. Now that we have the start and semblance of a net function, here is my "State Of The Union", address. So you guys, the first in, know what's going on. We are set out to accomplish two things. > Remove the threats of virus, trojans and and hacked programs. > Bring a little organization to the distribution of Shareware programs. We see this really, as a benefit to all. Sysops, users and shareware authors. Shareware has matured in quality and quantity. It is really, a low cost alternative to high priced commercial software. In many cases I actually think it fits the needs of the average user better than $600 software designed to accommodate the complexities of large corporations. This may sound like a "goodie two-shoes" stance, but the high corporate pricing of application software and the desire of the average user to do things with his computer, is the cause of what some call "pirating". Shareware brings applications into the reach of the amateur, hobbyist... home computer nut. We as sysops, all know that getting good shareware programs for our users and ourselves is a bit like throwing a small net, FidoNews 6-02 Page 7 9 Jan 1989 into a large lake, and sifting through the catch. The method of distribution that we call "user osmosis" (users downloading from one BBS and uploading to another) will always be apart of BBSing... but in comparison to the needs of the present state of growth of amateur computer communications, it is lacking. I don't think any one of us could venture a guess on how many good shareware programs are out there, how many shareware authors. With new ones popping in and old ones fading away all the time. My guess (now that I'm talking directly to authors) is there are 200 - 400 authors spread around out there. I've been told in a message to SDN by the Association of Shareware Authors, that the ASP is 100+ members and growing by about 10 a months. That is at least 100+ programs by professional programers, our users and ourselves, should have to pick from. The answer to doing this, is a benefit to us and to the shareware authors. It is having meeting points, focal points so that users and other sysops know where these distribution points are... and get authors to use them. An increase in the number of people who have access to the varieties of up-to-date shareware programs, can only do users and authors good. The place for this type of "clearing house", is on-line. It calls for a managed distribution effort by sysops. Once all the shareware programs we can get - come down through SDN, the SDN File area will be like browsing through a book store where all the books are safe, up to date and complete. An on-line shareware outlet. This means not only getting sysops interested in SDN, but authors too. Some authors have their stomping grounds in the big on-line services. Some of them may not realize that amateur BBSing and communications has grown to over 4000 BBS' with some kind of net affiliations and probably a few thousand more independents. The other side of SDN is it is time to have some assurance that the programs we recieve to our systems, users or sysops, are not trojans, not virus, not two versions old, not repackaged by some careless user who left out doc's and glitched the .com program. For hobbist and amateur computing to continue its growth and maturity, we need at least one safe conduit for programs. SDN proposes just that in its direct connection to authors and sysops. In this regard we are changing the way distribution is done. Not for everything, but for one valuable conduit. We are going against the tide, and that takes time. Some of you may know, The Association of Shareware Professionals read an ABOUTSDN.DOC that was placed on Comp-U-Serve, and got in touch with us weeks ago. We have caused quite a bit of excitement. It seems so much so with what they see as the potential of SDN, that myself, Charlie and Richard Zorovich have been extended a first. We have been invited into the on-line private conference area of the ASP on FidoNews 6-02 Page 8 9 Jan 1989 Comp-U-Serve to discuss SDN and the concept with them. It has been projected to me by some, that because of it's cross-Net nature, SDN might become an eventual unifying bridge to all the independent Nets, a kind of common ground from which.... (Well... maybe?) Really, the SDN activity, is just another activity on your boards. It should not require much time or maintenance. It does require a few strict guidelines for it to accomplish its purpose, but these are few and simple. The SDN files you receive, will be small in quantity at first but will begin to build up. You probably will want to keep them all in that area rather than to shuffle them about. The purpose of the SDN file area is to say to all "this area is clean, complete and up-to-date". You should all have a "pro-register" attitude toward shareware to your users. All this means is that your attitude should be one of "encouraging" registration when dealing with users over shareware. We do not ask you to beat people or embarrass people or to make them go through any on-line "shareware training test" or anything like that. As members of the hobby community, an encouraging attitude is all that is proper for us. Official SDN policy comes from only one place - SYSOP/CONN! BBS, the home of the SDN Project and the holder of all legal rights. Until "recommendation committees" are eventually set up to deal with growth, policy is short and simple but designed to protect myself and you from legal liabilities or problems. Any other policy only has to do with the bare mechanics that make SDN function for its two goals. and with that... Happy New Year to everyone! *ray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sysops interested in becoming Distribution Ponits should contact 141/880 to find out who your SDN Regional Coordinator is. Shareware authors wishing to use SDN for distribution should contact 141/840 SDNet/Works! is not an affiliation, but a cooperation. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 9 9 Jan 1989 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= RegComm - Communications From RegCon. It seems the quickest way to assure something is not going to be on schedule is to announce that schedule! You may have noticed the new nodelist information following that theory. If all goes well we will hear more prior to February 1 (this year) and if that schedule is maintained we'll work at having full implementa- tion by March 1 (also this year). We have received a rumor that one of the *C team was having a real problem spending any time at his computer due to an injury. Word has it that members of the net he is active in got together and purchased a portable computer and modem for him to allow him to be more active. Until otherwise confirmed we'll continue to treat this as a rumor. The *C structure, according to some, is to be avoided and ignored as much as possible as they have to be up to something detrimental to us all, so we know this couldn't have really happened. But it is nice to think there is some good news out there. If you know of more good news, of people helping people, please share it with your RC so everyone knows. Not only can we enjoy the good news but it might give others ideas. There was some minor confusion over the announcement in last weeks column on `private' mail. There was never anything said in that column about setting the `private' bit in a message, and that wasn't even considered in any of the messages we had read in any of the echo conferences. Surely there must be a way to declare a message `private' without having to set a bit. Perhaps setting a bit gives our software something to react to and the `private' bit can help our software determine how to handle a message. No one wants to change that. But we also know that computers aren't always guilty of broadcasting a message sent with the intentions of it being kept confidential. At least we haven't noticed a computer capable of such actions without human intervention. If we are going to try to come up with a technical answer to a human problem we might consider a `confidential' bit to go with the `private' bit. And you are correct, that is ludicrous! Why won't a simple request within a message to keep its contents confidential be effective? The answer to that question is also simple. ("RegComm" will be a weekly column in FidoNews and your comments are welcome. Please address your concerns and comments via NetMail to your Net or Regional Coordinator, you should receive an answer within a few days. It's your net and we are in need of your input in order for us to fairly represent you.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 10 9 Jan 1989 ROGEL'S CORNER: TREE86 2.0 -- MAKING A GREAT PRODUCT EVEN BETTER ============================================================= Copyright @ 1988, by Todd S. Rogel. [Permission is granted to copy this article for noncommercial purposes only. Any other reproduction or use is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the author, Todd S. Rogel] There is something very satisfying about watching a new computer product compete with the "big boys" and emerge a winner. For computer users, this means that development in the computer industry will not stagnate and that the users will be the beneficiaries of such change and innovation. On a grander scale of things, it reconfirms that David can beat Goliath and that real life stories can have happy endings. Forgive my philosophical excursion in this computer column. I have just reviewed The Aldridge Company's latest release, Tree86 2.0, though, and am awed by their achievement: they and their program are winners! I previously reviewed the earlier versions of Tree86 and found both versions to be great [2/88 and 3/88 issues of PC/2 Newsletter; posted on the TIBMUG section of Micro Message Service (919) 779-6674]. Version2.0 is even better! Before discussing the new features, let me give you some background, so you will better understand my perspective. Last October I was leafing through PC Magazine when I came across an advertisement for Tree86 1.0. The ad implied that Tree86 offered newer and more powerful features than its chief competitor, Xtree 2.0. Well, I was a fan of Xtree 2.0 and suspected that the Tree86 ad was wholly exaggerated as well as presumptuous. After all, I had previously evaluated several competitors of Xtree86 -- some of which cost far more than Xtree -- and felt that, for various reasons, none came close to stacking up to Xtree. Why should Tree86 be any different? Tree86 was being offered at an introductory price under $30 and The Aldridge Company assured me that I could return their product within 30-days if dissatisfied for any reason. I decided to give Tree86 a test-drive, confirm my doubts about this Pretender, and send its beaten and battered shell (no pun intended) back to its maker. Boy, was I wrong! The previous Tree86 versions offered all that was available on Xtree and then several additional practical features, including: TreeDOS, Tree86's DOS-like environment, with DOS FidoNews 6-02 Page 11 9 Jan 1989 command recall; a file finder, which will locate duplicate files or do wild-card file searches in a flash; easy and quick switching between applications and Tree86; hot key disk navigation; and Xcopy, which permits copying of a file as well as its subdirectory structure. Well, the new version is even better. I have become a believer in The Aldridge Company and Tree86. When you see some of the new features offered in version 2.0, I think you will become a believer as well. Here is a sampling of the new goodies. 1. INSTANT LOGGING: This "no wait" feature is sensational! Shell-type programs ordinarily must read your drive every time you access the shell (i.e., going from an application to the shell). This is an unacceptably time consuming process. I never operated my computer through Xtree because it reads the disk whenever it is accessed. Instead I only used Xtree for occasional serious hard disk housecleaning. The prior Tree86 versions were faster than Xtree since they read the disk only when first executed and also whenever I switched drives. To avoid disk reads when I switched drives with Tree86, I instead accessed other drives through TreeDOS (Tree86's DOS-like environment). Obviously this relogging problem somewhat limited Tree86's utility. Tree86 version 2.0 now has an instant logging option. You may easily select from 1 to 26 drives for this instant access option. Whenever you exit Tree86 a drive data file is updated. You are immediately presented with a current tree display the next time you run Tree86. I can now switch drives through Tree86 without any wait whatsoever. 2. FILE VIEW: Version 1.0 offered a lame viewing utility. Version 1.1 thoughtfully allowed me to substitute my own viewing utility. Version 2.0's viewing program is wonderful. I have scrapped my public-domain program in favor of this beauty. As you can see below, Tree86's viewing utility is a full-featured program which permits line/page scrolling, text search, and mark/print text options: TREE86 = VIEW A FILE KEY REFERENCE ============================================================ [Illustration omitted because of conflict with FidoNews' formatting requirements; For those who are interested, the original Rogel's Corner, with the illustration included, may be reviewed on or downloaded from MMS [151/102] 919-779-6674. Look at the August, 1988 Issue of TIBMUG's FidoNews 6-02 Page 12 9 Jan 1989 Newsletter, PC/2, which is located in the TIBMUG area of the Special Interest Groups section of MMS] ============================================================ 3. HELP: Tree86 now offers context-sensitive help. 4. COPY AND MOVE: [A] Files may be copied or moved by the point-and-shoot method. No more typing in full paths. [B] Automatic overwriting of files is now available as an option. 5. EXPANDED MEMORY SUPPORT: Tree86 version 2.0 automatically uses expanded memory (LIM v.3+), if present. For some reason, Tree86 shows that my system contains "Extended:-31,457,280"; alas, my 8088 system contains neither expanded nor extended memory and I am puzzled as to why this obviously incorrect information is shown by Tree86. 6. MULTIPLE DRIVES: You can read as many as 26 drives simultaneously. 7. ADJUSTABLE MEMORY USAGE: Tree86 version 2.0 offers 3 "memory models" for buffers to hold information about logged drives: (a) Small: 4,096 bytes reserved. Capacity: 82 subdirectories (on largest drive); 26 simultaneous drives. (b) Medium: 8,192 bytes reserved. Capacity: 166 subdirectories (on largest drive). 15 simultaneous drives. (c) Large: 12,288 bytes reserved. Capacity: 254 subdirectories (on largest drive); 10 simultaneous drives. 8. SORT: A "reverse" order option is now available for sorting files by name, extension, size, date and time, time, path, or attribute. 9. ALTER ATTRIBUTES: There are now three methods for changing file attributes (i.e., [h]idden, [r]ead/only, [s]ystem, and [a]rchive) by using a simple device called an "attribute mask": 10. EDITOR: An easier method has been added for integrating your favorite word processing program with Tree86. Then you can load both your editor and the file you wish to edit, by pointing to the subject file and pressing [E]ditor. 11. QUIT: Now you can quit Tree86 from TreeDOS as well as from Tree86. This is a nice little feature FidoNews 6-02 Page 13 9 Jan 1989 since when you quit from TreeDOS, you end up at the subdirectory shown at the TreeDOS prompt. 12. FILE TAGGING: Even this has been made easier, so that when you tag a file by pressing the space bar, the cursor automatically moves down to the next file. Tree86 offers something for everyone. For computer neophytes, Tree86 virtually eliminates the DOS barrier. For those who know and love DOS (or, at least, know DOS), you have a multi-purpose, extremely practical, and easy to use power tool at your complete command -- and you get all of this without your typical tradeoffs of speed, access to DOS, costs, etc.. Sure, there is room for improvement (isn't there always?). It would be nice to be able to load TSR's from Tree86; it would be even nicer to be able to manage TSR's from Tree86, so that you could swap memory-resident programs back and forth when necessary. Fortunately The Aldridge Company always seems to stay several steps ahead of the market. They have an excellent product and are continually trying to improve upon it. Indeed, they already are working on TSRs for an upcoming edition. Tree86 is an unqualified winner. With its useful assortment of features, its integration with my word processing program, its "no wait" accessibility, and its powerful view program, Tree86 has become my computer's first-team quarterback. Rogel's Wrap-Up +===========================================================+ | Product: Tree86 v. 2.0 by The Aldridge Company | | Price: Lists for $89.95 | | Product description: | | Graphic Disk Navigation and Management Program | | System Requirements: | | IBM version reviewed; MacIntosh version available | | Comments: | | Excellent easy-to-use program; integrates with | | your favorite word processor; superb view/text | | retrieval utility; instant no-disk-read access; | | capacity to read 26 drives simultaneously; | | adjustable memory. Offers DOS-power without | | DOS-headaches | | For more information, contact: | | The Aldridge Company, 2500 CityWest Boulevard, | | Suite 575, Houston, Texas 77042 713-953-1940 | +===========================================================+ Sincerely, Todd S. Rogel Raleigh, North Carolina July 28, 1988 FidoNews 6-02 Page 14 9 Jan 1989 Home (919) 851-2103 MMS (919) 779-6674 [151/102] NCC (919) 851-8460 [151/100] ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 15 9 Jan 1989 YACK Yet Another Complicated Komment by Steven K. Hoskin ( STEVE HOSKIN at 1:128/31 ) Episode 21: Letter to the Editor This is the sort of subject that Dale, our honorable Editor, should probably be addressing, but, what the heck, I have a column to fill. There seem to be at least a few people who objected to some of the content of one of the articles that was published in one of the issues of FidoNews (generic enough for you?). Now how, you ask, do I know this? Well, I read the IFNA EchoMail conference. Now, at first glance, that doesn't seem to be an appropriate answer; after some thought, it does, and then after some more, it doesn't again. Let me explain. FidoNews -- you got a problem with it? Write the editor! Posting in IFNA doesn't immediately appear to be the appropriate channel. IFNA -- it runs, perhaps even "owns" -- FidoNews. Says right on the cover that FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet Association as its official newsletter. Therefore, reading about problems with FidoNews in the IFNA EchoMail conference seems, after some thought, to be an okay thing. Dale Lovell -- the Editor of FidoNews doesn't read the IFNA Echo. Seems fair to say that posting your complaints about FidoNews there isn't wise -- the only way Dale is going to hear your bitch is if somebody else relays it to him. Now what is any normal person going to think of someone who can't come out and talk directly about their problems? Once again, posting complaints in IFNA seems to be fruitless. If you want something done about it, that is. So if you've got a problem with something that comes out in FidoNews; distasteful language, non-FidoNet subject material, whatever - write a "Letter to the Editor". Maybe it'll get published. And maybe you'll actually change something. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 16 9 Jan 1989 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 24 Aug 1989 Voyager 2 passes Neptune. 5 Oct 1989 20th Anniversary of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Latest Software Versions Bulletin Board Software Name Version Name Version Name Version Fido 12i Opus 1.03b TBBS 2.1* QuickBBS 2.03 TPBoard 4.2 TComm/TCommNet 3.2 Lynx 1.10 Phoenix 1.3 RBBS 1.71C Network Node List Other Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version Dutchie 2.90b EditNL 4.00 ARC 5.32 SEAdog 4.10 MakeNL 2.12 ARCmail 1.1 BinkleyTerm 2.00 Prune 1.40 ConfMail 4.00 D'Bridge 1.10 XlatList 2.86 TPB Editor 1.21 FrontDoor 2.0 XlaxNode 2.31* TCOMMail 2.0* PRENM 1.40 XlaxDiff 2.31* TMail 8812* ParseList 1.30* UFGATE 1.02* GROUP 2.04* EMM 1.40 MSGED 1.96 * 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 6-02 Page 17 9 Jan 1989 ================================================================= COMMITTEE REPORTS ================================================================= Bylaws and Rules Committee 1:107/210 Reminder: IFNA Bylaws Ballot due back by Jan. 16! This is just a reminder for those of you who have not yet returned your ballots to do so now! They must be in the hands of the CPA by the 16th of January. And, when you fill out your ballot, remember: there are some complicated or subtle nuances in quite a few of the amendments and some of them are contradictory. This is by no means a "rubber stamp" situation, so check each item carefully to decide whether it's support or defeat is best for IFNA and FidoNet. If you have questions, direct then to the committee. We'll do our best to present and explain both sides of any issue. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 18 9 Jan 1989 OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION Hal DuPrie 1:101/106 Chairman of the Board Bob Rudolph 1:261/628 President Matt Whelan 3:3/1 Vice President Ray Gwinn 1:109/639 Vice President - Technical Coordinator David Garrett 1:103/501 Secretary Steve Bonine 1:115/777 Treasurer IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS DIVISION AT-LARGE 10 Courtney Harris 1:102/732? Don Daniels 1:107/210 11 Bill Allbritten 1:11/301 Hal DuPrie 1:101/106 12 Bill Bolton 3:711/403 Mark Grennan 1:147/1 13 Rick Siegel 1:107/27 Steve Bonine 1:115/777 14 Ken Kaplan 1:100/22 Ted Polczyinski 1:154/5 15 Larry Kayser 1:104/739? Matt Whelan 3:3/1 16 Ivan Schaffel 1:141/390 Robert Rudolph 1:261/628 17 Rob Barker 1:138/34 Steve Jordan 1:102/2871 18 Christopher Baker 1:135/14 Bob Swift 1:140/24 19 David Drexler 1:19/1 Larry Wall 1:15/18 2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 David Melnik 1:107/233 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-02 Page 19 9 Jan 1989 __ 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 PO Box 41143 St Louis, Missouri 63141 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 second elected Board of Directors was filled in August 1988. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your input to this Conference. -----------------------------------------------------------------