Volume 6, Number 37 11 September 1989 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|oo \ | | - FidoNews - (_| /_) | | _`@/_ \ _ | | International | | \ \\ | | FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) | | Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief: Vince Perriello Editors Emeritii: Dale Lovell Thom Henderson Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings 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 a Continuous Mail system, available for network mail 24 hours a day. Copyright 1989 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. We don't necessarily agree with the contents of every article published here. Most of these materials are unsolicited. No article submitted by a FidoNet SysOp will be rejected if it is properly attributed and legally acceptable. We will publish every responsible submission received. Table of Contents 1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1 Zone 2 Excommunicated! ................................... 1 A letter from a FidoNet Sysop ............................ 3 What needs to be done, and NOW! .......................... 6 It's Put Up or Shut Up Time for FidoNet .................. 8 NCLM Contest 6 ........................................... 12 America...WAKE UP! ....................................... 13 Proposal for IFNA Direction .............................. 15 Distribution has changed ................................. 18 Those who live in Glass Houses ........................... 20 The New, Improved OPCNLIST ............................... 24 And more! FidoNews 6-37 Page 1 11 Sep 1989 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Matt Whelan, 3:712/627 Zone 2 Excommunicated! ---------------------- Zone 3 excommunicated Zone 2 last week, and I have to tell you it was a lot of fun. Those who met me at FidoCon know I've been really itching to excommunicate someone, but even they will be amazed at the grand scope of this effort . . . It was _almost_ as good as the one I had planned at San Jose -- top of my list there was Tom Jennings. That's one way to make people sit up and take notice of a new IC, huh? Truth is, the Zone 2 'excommunication' was but a small teething problem in an otherwise worthwhile plan. We instituted a new method of nodelist update distribution between the Zone Coordinators last week, and it seems likely that from this week on all Zone nodelists will be 'in synch' for the first time in several years. Because of time differences from Zone to Zone, and with some Zones afflicted by poor phone lines and high costs, it has been particularly difficult to get all the Zone nodelist segments shipped around the world quickly enough. The new method relies on some fairly smart footwork by the ZCs and the Zonegates, but it looks like it will work well. Next week Zone 3 has even promised to reinstate Zone 2. My thanks go to the ZCs and especially to the volunteer gate operators, Randy Bush and Dick Gladden in Zone 1, Joop Mellaart and Peter Janssens in Zone 2, and Luis Tombo (and now Pablo Kleinman) in Zone 4. If they keep this up I think I'll double their salaries . . . I'm Excessively Annoying ------------------------ Boy, did we make a big mistake deciding to give the IC a listing in each Zone. Hindsight is a wonderful thing -- it's now quite clear to me what a disaster we inflicted on people. What happened when someone in Zone 1 entered a message to Matt Whelan? Their message editor dutifully plucked the 1:1/1000 address from FidoUser.Lst, and their packer dutifully sent the message direct to my system in Sydney, Australia. Oh dear. FidoNews 6-37 Page 2 11 Sep 1989 It may make some of you feel a little better to know the first person who placed an IDD call was Steve Bonine, but it didn't make Steve and I feel good. Worse was to come, however. Bob Hartman sent me a simple message, and his system made several calls without ever getting through the transfer. So I decided to call him and 'collect' the message to stop his system feeding the Telco. Did I know which of my node numbers he was calling? Nah! So it took about 10 calls including the failed connects before I finally woke up to what was happening and dialed in as 1:1/1000. Harry Lee was our next victim. Fortunately he had a cleaner line, and got his message through first time. Others may have tried and failed for all I know; if so, I must offer to them as sincere an apology as I offer to Steve, Bob and Harry. The out-of-zone entries for the IC have been pulled from the nodelist this week. If you want to talk to me, send a message to 3:712/627 or 3:3/1000 and let the Zonegates do the talking . . . [Tricking people into making international calls is pretty annoying -- with any luck someone will complain and I'll get to excommunicate the IC. Yeah!] ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 3 11 Sep 1989 A letter from a FidoNet Sysop Dear colleague, To start, I give you my apologies for choosing such an "ordinary" topic for this letter. We have all seen and sometimes participated (and still see and sometimes still participate) on a big discussion that involved (and still involves) a big (if not all) of FidoNet during the last months. POLICY4 was (is) the controversial matter, the very center of that discussion. I, myself, had some problems with the International Coordinator regarding the new POLICY: I don't agree with a lot of things, especially with the distribution of power along the *C structure, to which I belong both as Regional and Zone coordinator, and with the methods adopted for elections. If I would be power-hungry, I could just sit down and say nothing: I'm probably the most power-secure individual in the net, as it is impossible to anyone (following the procedures specified in POLICY4) to remove me. But I'm obviously not (I'm writing this, right now). And I expressed that from the beginning to David Dodell and others. Before voting for POLICY4, we [Z4 sysops] protested because we were not invited to participate on its writing, and informed the IC that we wanted a chance to propose some changes before it was finally approved. But David Dodell didn't give us any answer at all, he simply ignored the text. POLICY4 was unanimously rejected by the whole *C structure of Zone 4, especially by myself. The reason: while I'm not sure if "democracy" would be the best way to handle the net, I'm positively against any kind of "aristocracy". POLICY4 is definitely aristocratic, and that aristocracy is made up by the RCs and ZCs. That does not mean that the RCs and ZCs are the bad guys on this story, or that they have bad intentions. I have treated the ZCs for a while already, and sincerely trust on the ZCs good intentions. I'm a Regional and Zone coordinator myself, and trust on my good intentions :-). But the legitimacy of the power structure at FidoNet is questionable for many. FidoNews 6-37 Page 4 11 Sep 1989 But with more discussions and x-large FidoNews we won't change anything, or at least, we won't get any positive results. In Zone 4, POLICY4 was approved only last week (by Z4's *C structure), and if it was, it was done on a "preliminary basis", which means that the decision could be reverted if the same people vote against it anytime. We [the representatives of Zone 4] voted for POLICY4 just to avoid more trouble with the IC. But I won't wait a second this time: something has to be done, as soon as possible. I personally don't trust in revolutions: they always bring more problems than the ones they eradicate. My proposal is to "go slowly but steadily": let's propose some essential changes in POLICY4. For example, I'd like the NCs to participate in the elections; and think this could be a good start for bringing a democratic form of administration for FidoNet. I took the initiative and added a node named "Change Policy4!" in the nodelist, with the number 4:4/5 (the Policy5 Project). The Policy5 Project will write a Policy5 proposal, that when finished, will be presented to the whole *C structure to be voted. But if we want a Policy representing the views of the majority of FidoNet, we definitely need participation. Consider yourself from now, invited to participate in the Policy5 Project. We do need YOU! FidoNet needs YOU! We will soon start an echomail conference to talk about each matter, and to let everyone express his/her views and make proposals for each topic. And we need desperately YOUR help, to distribute the P5PROJECT echo in zones 1, 2 and 3. Please, contact us right now: this is your best chance to get involved. I hope you got the basic idea. If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Thank you in advance for all your help in writing a better policy for a better FidoNet, and for taking the time to read this text. FidoNews 6-37 Page 5 11 Sep 1989 My best regards, Pablo Kleinman (4:1200/101) FidoNet Coordinator for Zone 4 Buenos Aires, Argentina ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 6 11 Sep 1989 What needs to be done, and NOW! by Phil Buonomo, 1:107/583, 7:520/583, 9:807/1 For several months, you've been seeing articles written by yours truly here which have been critical of the *C administration. These articles began with my outrage over several RC's attempts to wrest control of editorial privilege from the Editor of Fido- News based on the idea that "they pay to have it distributed". This incident was only one of a series of incidents involving the *C structure which date back to the original creation and "pass- ing" of Policy 4. Even before it was adopted, we had people like Steve Bonine threatening an NC with removal because he hadn't "jumped" fast enough, installing certain nodelist flags. Then Policy 4 was 'voted in' in a secret ballot (ask Dave Dodell to publish the FULL results, not just the vote count) in a two week period (for a six thousand node network!?!). Zone 2 rejec- ted it, Zone 4 rejected it, but it was shoved in place by the US RC's anyway. Then Jim Grubs was thrown out of the nodelist (by Steve Bonine, no less) for defying the legitimacy of Policy 4. Net 154 was thrown out in its entirety for having 3 nodes which were "outside the traditional geographic boundaries" of its network. It didn't matter that these nodes were nowhere near being close to any other network. It was the failure of the NC to cowtow to the RC that caused the networks removal "for the good of FidoNet". Net 170 had an NC appointed by the RC, and when a vote went against the new NC, it was disallowed by the RC because it was "against policy". An NC/NEC admits to automatically 'echo chopping' someone's mail, and gets away with it without so much as a "Boo!" from the *C's. Now, certain NEC's talk about running the backbone as if the systems belonged to them! At last year's FidoCon, Butch Walker and Ray Gwinn both supported the idea that conferences belonged to the moderators, not the *C's or FidoNet, or the backbone. Yet people are now taking up 'network sides' about who can or can't participate in a conference! Is it just me, or does anyone else see a pattern here? Listen, gang. I've gotta tell ya something... All the *C's in the world may be a great bunch of guys, but when a network policy in place makes it IMPOSSIBLE for the little guy, the nodes, to have a say in things that affect him, its just plain WRONG. FidoNews 6-37 Page 7 11 Sep 1989 Now, a few weeks ago, Vince wrote an editorial telling people that wanted democracy that they had missed their chance by not supporting IFNA. I've come to the realization that he was right. I suggest that you join IFNA. Make it strong, and make it a voice that can be heard. Then, maybe you can make the following proposals I have come true: 1) A self-perpetuating coordinator structure is wrong. 2) Network nodes should select their OWN NC, not have him ap- pointed by some guy 3 states away who's never been in touch anyway. 3) The IC should be appointed by the IFNA BoD. That's the way it was done in the first place, and it was a good idea because... 4) Everyone in the nodelist should be an "At-Large" member of IFNA, and get to vote for the "At-Large" BoD seats. With that in mind, I have no problem with the IC appointing the ZC's, and RC's being appointed by the ZC. 5) With all the hysterical jumping up and down and outright propaganda about belonging to multiple networks, Policy should contain a clause on discrimination. FidoNet should not discri- minate on basis of race, creed, color, sexual orientation, OR Network affiliation. This should be STRICTLY enforced. This plan gives democracy a chance, while maintaining technical integrity at the top of the organization. It also gives the individual node TWO voices in the management of his network, one in the direct election of his NC, and one in the election of the IFNA BoD, which would appoint the IC. People talk about the benefits of Top-down and Bottom-up manage- ment. Well, this plan gives us all the advantages of both. It puts the responsibility right back where it belongs, and doesn't compromise the technical operation of the network. It also pro- motes a strong IFNA, an idea for which I have to thank Vince Perriello, and his editorials in FidoNews. With all that's happened lately, don't you think its time the *C's stopped stepping on the individual nodes, and started being responsible TO them (read: YOU)? ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 8 11 Sep 1989 Put up or Shut Up Time by Phil Buonomo, 1:107/583, 7:520/583 Rhetoric time's over, folks. I'm on a plane flying back to Newark airport from FidoCon '89 as I type this. There were a lot of things accomplished there, but nothing compares to the actions of the IFNA Board of Directors. In case you didn't know it, YOU now have a vote on deciding whether or not to "re-boot" FidoNet. Here's a little background. Several months ago, when Policy 4 was adopted, I became concerned with some of its pieces, pri- marily the sections dictating that nodes would not be able to select their NC's. It seems to me that TJ had set up FidoNet with the intention that each net would set its own local policies, and POL4 overruled this. I felt this was wrong. Then, I began to investigate and learn of several perceived abuses of policy mainly by several RC's. I reported on these in FidoNews, but only the ones for which I had documentation, as I feel strongly that spreading rumors is poor journalism. In doing so, however, I was forced to report on some actions that I don't think I would normally have done. In doing so, I stepped on some people that frankly didn't deserve it. I'll get to that later, but the point is that for each story I wrote, I received reports of worse abuses for which there was no documentation available. But writing articles in FidoNews wasn't enough. I knew that if we were to have any representation of the individual nodes in FidoNet, that action was going have to come from outside the current administration. That's when Vince Perriello published an editorial in FidoNews stating that the supporters of democracy had "missed the boat" when they failed to support IFNA. THAT SAME DAY, someone close to the Board of Directors claimed that the reason IFNA never did anything was because they had never elected enough directors who had the "intestinal fortitude" to stand up for what they thought was right and should be done. It was at that point that I thought to myself, "we have an elec- tion coming up, why not GET some people on the board who don't care about the flames, are willing to get things done, and are willing to work together selflessly to accomplish the goal of bringing democratic representation back to FidoNet. After all, if IFNA wasn't the representative of the "grunt sysop", what good WAS it? It was at this point that I talked to several of my acquaintences who were members of IFNA, and convinced them to "bet it all" by being elected to the Board. I campaigned in net mail, and was able to garner enough votes to capture 7 seats in the latest election. Hardly enough for a majority, and nowhere near a 2/3rds majority to get By-Laws amendments passed, but enough to put together a block of votes that might lend us the ability to cut through the apathy that has been prevalent in the majority of the Directors in the recent past. FidoNews 6-37 Page 9 11 Sep 1989 Let me just say for the moment, however, that I can hardly blame past boards for being afraid to do anything. They were flamed horribly just for setting up IFNA, and unfortunately it seems these days that anyone who wants to do ANYTHING to improve the quality of life in FidoNet gets perceived as the "son of satan". I explained to our slate that all they could expect of our move- ment were flames, insults, and general misery, but each one was willing to put up with all the crap because frankly, they all cared enough about the network to see it through. Once I'd lined up a slate of members, I approached the problem of democracy in FidoNet (AND the problems inherent with IFNA lately) in two phases. Firstly, what HAD to (and could) be done NOW, and secondly, what couldn't be done at FidoCon, but could be done within about six months. For the short range, I envisioned IFNA opening up its membership to ALL nodes in FidoNet cost-free (an idea that Vince Perriello had actually pushed thru in the special election of earlier this year, but due to wording problems with the amendment, it was not effective). I also saw a need for using electronic mail in the election process, as much of the costs that were being incurred by IFNA were costs of running the election, i.e., land-mailing ballots to all the members, paper and reproduction costs, etc. Thirdly, I felt that IFNA should return to its original intent of appointing the Vice-president/Technical Coordinator to serve as the International Coordinator. This would reinstate IFNA's con- trol over the publication of the nodelist and the legitimization of its control over the administrative branch of FidoNet, the *C structure, on behalf of the sysops it was supposed to represent. I also felt that since Policies 1 through 3 had been ratified by the BoD, and that a previous version of Policy 4 had been rejec- ted by that same governing body, that they had the right and the duty to reject the current Policy 4 and send it back to the RC's. That took care of the short-term, but was obviously not enough. We needed a stable organization that could withstand the tests of time to represent our present and future sysops. The screw-up regarding the new At-Large membership was just an example of a set of By-Laws that were self-contradicting, confusing, and to a great extent, completely ineffective. For the long term, I de- cided to push for a re-writing of both the By-Laws of IFNA and the FidoNet policy, to be voted on by ALL the members of FidoNet, by making all the sysops at-large members. In this way, I felt we could give democratic representation back to the sysops. Well, things didn't work out completely according to plan, but the board DID accomplish the goal I set out to. With people like Vince Perriello, Matt Whelan, Randy Bush, Bob Hartman, Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Fabian Gordon, Tony Davis, John Knox, Jim Cannell, Steve Jordan, Jim Dunmyer, Don Daniels, and many others too numerous to mention individually, working together, we have given the choice back to the sysops of FidoNet. I talk- ed Thom Henderson into chairing the board because he knows Par- FidoNews 6-37 Page 10 11 Sep 1989 liamentary procedure and I knew we'd need to run the Board meet- ings civilly to keep them from degenerating into shouting matches. Besides which, outside of the running the meeting, the Chairman really has no power at all, that's held by the President who is the public representative of IFNA. The Board elected Les Kooyman as IFNA President, one of the leaders of the DEMOCRACY movement. Anyway, back to business. We have made everyone an at-large member of IFNA. We have removed the postal restrictions from the By-Laws. We did NOT reject Policy 4, but we did not accept it, either. Either way, its probably a moot point now. Either a majority of the sysops of FidoNet are going to approve of IFNA standing up for them, or IFNA is going to cease to exist and the nodes will be left with what they have now. If that's good enough for the sysops of FidoNet, so be it. I've accomplished my goal. Now its up to YOU to let us know how you feel. This may well be your last chance to vote yourselves a democratic administration. By the way, that proposal needs a 50% majority of the sysops in the nodelist, NOT just a majority of the votes. A NON-VOTE IS A NO VOTE, FOLKS! The bottom line is that if you want democracy in FidoNet, you HAVE to speak up and let your vote be heard. Apathy will keep Policy the way it is now, and your last chance for a voice in your own network will be gone. Right now, I feel exhausted. I was asked in the airport if I'd "had fun" at FidoCon. Upon reflection, the answer was "No." It was a LOT of hard work, mostly writing and talking to others, trying to convince people that this was a worth while effort. Many people had given up on IFNA long ago. Thom Henderson had had enough aggravation, so I had to resort to dirty tactics. I reminded him that he'd helped to start IFNA, and that deep down he probably cared enough to give FidoNet one more try. I had to convince 6 good people that it was worth the flames and aggrava- vation they'd get just to provoke a reaction from others in the net (in order to seat a full and active Board). Make no mistake about it, at the friday night Board meeting (after the election results were announced), we had enough votes due to absenteeism to pretty much do anything we wanted. But we adjourned until Saturday night, primarily so that other alternates for the Board could be found. People's claims of our "taking over" are there- fore just plain unfounded. There was a LOT of convincing to do in order to prove to the rest of the Board of our true intent- ions. I think we were able to do so, after all, my proposal was passed unanimously. This year's Board Meetings were a prime example of what people with opposing viewpoints can accomplish when they decide to put their differences aside & work together. Speaking of working together, Tom Jennings pointed out that every thing we wanted to do was going to take a lot of trust. The Board was going to have to trust the *C's to help carry out the vote in a fair manner. The administrative nodes were going to have to trust IFNA to come up with a fair way to produce a work- ing policy document. Matt Whelan, the new IC, promised that the *C structure would do everything in its power to get out the FidoNews 6-37 Page 11 11 Sep 1989 vote. Based on that trust, IFNA put its corporate structure on the line. If this referendum is not carried, IFNA will be dis- solved. Even if it IS carried out the current Board will be out of jobs. Obviously, I included this point in order to prove our intent was founded with the right reasons. We accomplished what I'd set out to do, give the sysops of Fido- Net one more chance to have a say. In this light, I will be happy to tender my resignation as a member of the Board, if the sysops of FidoNet feel I should. This whole thing was my idea, and I don't want to give even the slightest appearance of impropriety. I have appointed Tony Davis from Division 19 as my alternate, and he would be taking my seat on the Board. I've helped to give the sysops of FidoNet a chance at a voice in the adminis- tration of their own network. Well, that's about it. This is all I have to say on the matter, and will not be responding to flames. Polite requests for infor- mation MAY be answered if they come via netmail. I can't prom- ise anything, because I have a feeling I'm going to get swamped. The fate of FidoNet is now literally in YOUR hands. Either make your voice heard, or things wil go on the way they are now. It's up to YOU now. The choice is yours. Phil Buonomo ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 12 11 Sep 1989 Butch Witherspoon Fido 1:288/525 National Computer Learning Month CONTESTS FOR GROUPS Computer Learning Month 1989 Event Contest 4 Grand Prizes: Two grand prize winners in each category. Each winner and his/her group or organization will recieve a computer system. 16 Second Prizes: Eight second prize winners in each category. Each event leader and his/her event or organization will be awarded software programs. 48 Third Prizes: Honorable mention certificates for winning event leaders. Categories: School/college Community/ Group organization Description: As an activity for computer learning month, we encourage schools, user groups, colleges, community groups, and local organizations to sponsor a local computer learning month event. This event should be a get-together for sharing computer and software skills, knowledge and projects among educators, faculty, parents, students and community members. Rules: The event must take place between September 15, and October 31, 1989. Write a report,(not to exceed 1,000 words) describing the event. All entries must be typed or word processed and include: the objective and theme of the event, a description of the preparation of the event; who attended (eg. parents, senior citizens, etc.); number of people who attended; and an evaluation of the results of the event. Include a copy of any announcements, take-home activities, etc. Entries will be judged on the compreheniveness and innovativeness of the event, thoroughness of preparation, nuber and variety of participants, the type and appropriateness of the activities and the results of the event. Any photos, slides, videotapes,(not ot exceed five minutes), press coverage or testimonials from attendees should be included. For more information, join the National Computer Learning Month Echo (NCLM) or write to NCLM Echo, P.O. Box 8045, Granite City, IL 62040-8045. NetMail can be sent to Butch Witherspoon, Fido 1:288/525. Join the fun! ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 13 11 Sep 1989 Claude F. Witherspoon Fido 1:288/525 WHAT DO YOU MEAN "FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION?" I sit here with seven months before retirement from the Armed Forces of this great nation. Tweenty years for THIS!, something the U.S. Supreme Court calls "A form of their artistic expression or freedom of speech". I'm outraged at this freedom of exspression. An expression a Texan would use is "CRAP!" cause that's what it is. I'm talking about FLAG BURNING. The same flag that I used to pledge allegance too. Does anyone even remember those days. "One nation for which it stands"...etc. I recall that around 1971 there was another law passed to prohibit prayer in schools. What replaced prayer in the halls of our school, drugs and drug users. Hey, "you've come a long way baby". As Merl would put it, "Are we rollin down hill like a snowball headed for Hell?" It sure looks that way to me. They took my rights of personal expression away (prayer in school) and gave flag burning back to us as a form of personal expression. Where is the logic?...I think they all just sit up there and get high. I really get concerned when I think these people may be the same people who think their artistic expression to burn my flag is more important than my moral decision to defend it. Think about it...America wake up! Are we really gonna stand by and let them force this crap on us? What if someone says it's his personal right by freedom of expression, to kick MORE dirt in the face of a veteran. Isn't that exactly what their saying to us? Are they gonna punish us for defending the flag on the streets of America? We defended it all over the world only to come home to this kinda mentality, train of thought (Ha!, that's a good one), etc. It's just a shame that so many of our women and men have died on foreign soil protecting that flag, only to have our government allow it to be burned right here on American soil. I want my RIGHT to kick the living CRAP outa some jerk that is burning my flag. After all, it's my FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. Sheesh...see how silly that sounds. The flag issue has been running hot and heavy on Capitol Hill, but members of Congress say it's cooling off now. The chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee, who conducted hearings on flag burning, reports that more witnesses are leaning toward legislation rather than a Constitutional amendment. Let's not just sit by and watch this sillyness take place. If you want to see a Constitutional amendment to prohibit desecration of the flag, then write to your elected representatives. Now! before (as usual), it's TOO LATE!...Ha...Ha...Ha...they'd just love you to drag your feet on this one. Rape is next. FidoNews 6-37 Page 14 11 Sep 1989 Fellow veterans, unite! ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 15 11 Sep 1989 Peter Stern 65' North 1:17/38 IFNA and the Bigger Picture Fidocon 89 was a very eye opening experience for someone living on the "edge of the earth"( Fairbanks, Alaska), out of the mainstream of FidoNet affairs. Thank you to Ivan Schaffel for letting me carry his proxy at the IFNA BOD meetings. I have been a member of IFNA since its' inception but like many Sysops in Fidonet I began to wonder about the mutation IFNA began undergoing. The publication and distribution of the nodelist seemed to take a back seat to organizational problems in Zone 1. At Fidocon, Randy Bush chaired a symposium on international communications. Listening to the representatives from Zone 2 and Zone 3 speak about their problems and hearing the letter Randy read from Pablo Kleinman, Zone 4 ZC, started me thinking about Fidonet and IFNA. Zone 1 has become extremely enthno-centric in handling the development of Fidonet "Policy". I think it is widely assumed that whatever policy is agreed to in Zone 1 will fit very nicely into the Zones serving the rest of the world. This could not be farther from the truth. The other Zones face problems ranging from $10/min connect charges calling USA, to language barriers, to being charged for local phone calls, to not having companies willing to underwrite huge phone bills to move echomail. Netmail runs on the echomail backbone in Australia to save money. Singapore and other parts of SE Asia can't afford the phone bills to have their own Zonegate. Fidonet is indeed international in reach and growing more popular in an exponential way. IFNA should be the body which fosters this growth. To this end I would propose IFNA be organized to accomplish the following tasks: 1: Membership in IFNA would be open to ALL Zones operating FTSC compatible mailing systems. The ZC from each member Zone would be on the governing board. In addition each Zone shall elect one At-large representative for a 1 year term on the BOD. 2: Protect the Fidonet copyright forwarded to it by Tom Jennings. 3: Act as the clearing house for technical standards by continuing the FTSC committees FidoNews 6-37 Page 16 11 Sep 1989 4: Work to develop cost effect interzone (international) telecommunication links so that high volume traffic such as echomail can be moved at the lowest possible cost. 5: Act as the voice for Fidonet in lobbying for legislation and standards acceptance with governments around the world. Make sure modems get approval, that data networks price themselves fairly. Work with telephone companies to ensure BBS operators aren't discriminated against due to a "few" highly publicized "bad apples" causing trouble with their modems. 6: Develop a "model" operational policy for Zones to use in there operation. This "model" would be a basic structure to be modified by each Zone. In this manner, differences in countries, telephone pricing systems, echo mail distribution, languages, politics, geography could be accounted for. 7: Arrange for interzone distribution of the Fidonet nodelists. This would mean Zone 2 and Zone 3 nodelists would arrive via IFNA channels to be forwarded to the Zone 1 ZC and vice versa. 8: As much as possible the IFNA shall conduct its business electronically so as not to cause members undue cost in international travel for meetings. 9: Annual Dues shall be collected on a per-capita basis from each member Zone at $1 per SysOp. It shall be the responsibility of each Zone to figure out how to raise membership dues from its member SysOps. Dues will be used to support lobbying efforts, Zonegate operations and nodelist distribution. 10: IFNA shall NOT be involved in the internal operations of any of its member Zones. 11: Problems involving interzone communications shall be within the purview of IFNA to affect resolution. So basically IFNA would get out of Zone 1 affairs and begin taking a look at the "bigger picture". Fidonet needs to be thinking on a worldwide scale. A new Zone will be coming on line soon in Africa and there is rumor that a node will begin operations in Moscow. We cannot afford to cripple the future of Fidonet simply because Zone 1 can't agree on how it should be operated. Tom Jennings' idea of linking BBSs showed incredible foresight. Lets take it further and ensure it becomes worldwide in scope. Fidonet needs to step beyond its Zone 1 origins and realize there is a world out there with different problems and values yet the same desires to be able to telecommunicate in a reliable and inexpensive manner. FidoNews 6-37 Page 17 11 Sep 1989 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 18 11 Sep 1989 Dustin Witherspoon Fido 1:288/525 Distribution of KidsNews Changes School has started again, I don't where the summer goes? I and many of you are back to the "Old grind" of classes, teachers, homework, etc... and this makes for some difficulties in maintaining our summer activities through the school year. With this in mind, I'd like to announce that KidsNews will slow its distribution back down to ONCE PER MONTH. This is necessary because a lot of you cannot make the time to submit items for publication in KidsNews. I also don't think that the teachers are really aware that KidsNews could be used as a class project for students. If teachers do become aware of this fact and I see some interest generated, then I can bring the distribution back to once per week (Don't hold your breath on that one). I want to thank those that have contributed through the summer months. You really had some interesting ideas and activities going through the summer. I exspecially like the idea of getting the KIDS echo linked into Russia. If you guys pull that off, you will have really made some progress for FidoNet, America and the world. Thanks goes to my Dad for the link to the Computer Learning Foundation and the activities occuring there. I got a feeling this project will be one that will last for a long time to come. Also, National Computer Learning Month (NCLM), which is starting in October proves to be of great benefit to students, teachers, parents, individuals, etc. I mean if you can win an entire computer system just by answering a few questions, then why not take that little bit of time there. Now that would be a great school project for some really sharp teacher. Winning himself and his school a name brand computer just by taking a SLIGHT interest and talking with my Dad or writing to us at: NCLM Echo Conference, P.O. Box 8045, Granite City, IL 62040-8045. Now I have pointed the way, you just need to ACT!!!!!! and NOW!!!! If there are a few out there that are not receiving KidsNews and would like to get it on a regular basis, please have your Net Coordinator (NC) contact us at 288/525 to pull it in for your net. Dad said he would be happy to shoot it to the NC's if they accept continuos mail (CM). Is that like opening the door to your mail box and letters start flying out and you get snowed under and can't get out? Interesting concept... Well, I gotta go do homework (Yuck), ya'll write me sometime. I'm in the book. I guess it's a book? actually it's not a book unless you print it out. Then I could be wrong. At any rate, give me some articles and I'll get them out. Hope your school days are full of new friends and MORE COMPUTERS! FidoNews 6-37 Page 19 11 Sep 1989 Dustin L. Witherspoon KidsNews Editor, at school (is that kinda like "at large?") ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 20 11 Sep 1989 "THOSE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSES...." (By Bob Moravsik 269/107) Over the past few weeks you have had to endure certain articles by Mr. Phil Buonomo (107/583.0) complaining about tactics of the *C structure. Then the members of "DEATHNET" as Mr. Whelan so artfully puts it, takes over the majority of the board seats elects "the boys" as officiers and give the members its our way or IFNA is DEAD choice. What he has left out is the tactics HE and his NC, Fabian Gordon IFNA VP and BOD tried to pull on me, just for participating in a heated dispute over groupmail in a local net echo. There was no warning, I did not get any chance to reply to the NET LEVEL complain. It's a good thing we have an RC and a ZC that are fair. Mr. Buonomo complains about the very tactics he himself has no trouble using. I have stood by and read Buonomo's articles which just attempts to discredit others. I cannot standby any longer. Note Mr. Buonomo was given a chance to reply well before this was published. I originally wanted this article to be published in the earlier FIDONEWS but I missed a few "specs". Here is the story, AND heed well. These tactics will be repeated in my opinion in the future against people who want FIDONET and IFNA to be the true representative of this hobby instead of the control thereof. GUYS and GIRLS the name of the game with the present "group" is control. Hopefully the majority of us will change that. Maybe a new WORLD FIDONET ASSOCIATION is NEEDED. Call it WFA or Woof !!!! This is a public statement of a policy contoversy which has been in existance since May 1989. Many nodes only have seen part of the "facts". Here is the full story. The information was sent to Mr. Buonomo on 7/15/89 for his comment and to be sure any possible inaccuracies (in Mr. Buonomo's opinion) are corrected. Mr. Buonomo responds as follows: [No reponse] By secret complaint POL91063 dated early in May Mr. Buonomo attempted with Mr. Gordon to excommunicate Moravsik from FIDONET. Mr. Buonomo did a bombing run on net 107 attempting to get signatures on a "petition" (only a few were gotten and Buonomo refused to supply the names for varification) Some of the evidence submitted was dated AFTER the complaint and "tacked" on to the decision which was already made. There was no opportunity for Moravsik to respond to the complaint. In fact there was no knowledge it was pending. A KANGAROO COURT IN IT BEST FORM !!!!!!! FidoNews 6-37 Page 21 11 Sep 1989 Mr. Gordon's decision found Moravsik to be excessivelly annoying for participating in a debate in REGION 13 and METRONET. Moravsik was to be excommunicated. At the time the nodes in net 107 HUB 800 were forming Net 269. !!!! The matter was appealed to the RC by a brief submitted by Mr. Moravsik. Mr Buonomo filed no response, other then a message telling Moravsik that he never knew how stupid Moravsik was. [text will be supplied if requested] The decision of the RC, Mr. Peace was a follows: "I have received POL91063 (complaint) and APP90163 (appeal). My DECISION is in favor of Mr. Moravsik's APPEAL. The complaint is reversed. Inconsistencies and improprieties in the complaint were apparent to me as soon as I began reviewing it... - a considerable portion of the evidence presented quotes only one side of dialogues from the METRONET and REGION13 conferences. Having been a participant in one of those conferences (REGION13) I found both Mr. Buonomo and Mr. Moravsik to be engaged in a verbal battle in that conference that was intense and sometimes annoying to me but not excessively annoying. The Moravsik messages, when quoted out of "thread" certainly do appear to justify Mr. Buonomo's allegations. But what is quoted in the complaint is little better than recording only one side of a conversation. As I said, I was a participant in the REGION13 conference and witnessed the full series of exchanges in that conference. The situation is without fault. - Mr. Gordon is moderator of METRONET. I am moderator of REGION13. Neither R13EC nor I have seen a complaint filed by the moderator of either conference asking for any action against Mr. Moravsik. If a complaint had been filed by the recognized moderator of either conference, the only remedy would have been banishment of Mr. Moravsik from that conference. If Mr. Moravsik had been banned from either conference and continued to enter messages he would then (and only then) be subject to an excessively annoying policy complaint. - Mr. Gordon's justifications included reference to a "straw vote". He suggests that "most of the other members" of FidoNet Net 107 were polled and that "96% of the vote" was in favor of removal of Mr. Moravsik. Other evidence I received FidoNews 6-37 Page 22 11 Sep 1989 suggests this "straw vote" aka "Bob Moravsik Petition" occurred after May 2. This is the first time I have heard of a vote being taken among FidoNet sysops for inclusion or exclusion of another FidoNet sysop. The presence of this vote as part of Mr. Gordon's justification suggests that membership in FidoNet net 107 might be based on a popularity contest. The practice is in my opinion Excessively Annoying in and of itself. - Mr. Buonomo's complaint was dated "May 1, 1989". It was recorded as received by Mr. Gordon on "May 2, 1989". In reading said complaint, I find it inexcusable that material quoted in item 10 in support of the May 1 complaint is dated "Fri 12 May 89 9:39". To Messrs. Buonomo and Gordon: Your actions in the filing and approval of complaint #91063 have wasted a considerable amount of Mr. Moravsik's time in offering his defense. I see the complaint as an attempt to railroad a FidoNet sysop out of the network using methods I cannot condone. Unfortunately, whether or not Mr. Moravsik has been annoying is no longer an issue. To: Mr. Gordon: Mr. Moravsik's FidoNet node number (1:107/853) is *NOT* to be removed from the Net 107 nodelist submission until such time as all members of the newly formed net 269 are removed from net 107. As agreed by telephone on May 12, that date will be four weeks after net 269 appears in the FidoNet Nodelist. If Mr. Buonomo chooses to appeal my decision to the ZC and if the ZC overturns that decision you will retain Mr. Moravsik's FidoNet node number in net 107 only until your first submission following that decision (in Mr. Buonomo's favor). George Peace FidoNet Region 13 Coordinator May 16, 1989 " This action was then appealed to the ZC Mr Dodell by Mr. Buonomo No brief was submitted by Mr. Moravsik as the appeal submitted by Buonomo was "secret" ie no copy was provided to Moravsik to answer. The decision of the ZC was: "Phil, I see no reason to overturn the decision of George Peace, RC13 in your appeal of a policy complaint against Bob Moscovich. FidoNews 6-37 Page 23 11 Sep 1989 Since this appears to me as nothing more then a personality conflict, I will trust the RC who is more familiar with the personalities involved to make the right decision." [By David Dodell] Then Mr. Buonomo attempts to appeal again to the Zone Coordinators by passing on message to the ZC BUT telling him he cannot take part in the decision. Although Mr. Buonomo has gone on record and stated that POLICY 4 is illegal HE NOW USES IT to APPEAL !!!!!!! Mr. Moravsik would have filed a response and would argue to reject the appeal, uphold the findings of the RC that Buonomo was EXCESSIVELY ANNOYING and EXCOMUNICATE HIM. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 24 11 Sep 1989 The Official Public Computer Nodelist Concept Revisited by Jim Grubs, Publisher The original concept of the Official Public Computer Nodelist was a good one. The idea, to refresh your memory, was that there should be a simple, unified nodelist with everyone who wanted his Fidonet compatible mailer listed without any of the political bickering that seems to have become the favorite American indoor sport for network sysops. (Well, next to favorite anyway.) Well, a funny thing happened on the way to Utopia. The original OPCNLIST managers grew impatient, apparently, and abandoned the idea of waiting for sysops to ask to be unlisted. Instead, they put EVERYONE in Fidonet and a couple others into OPCNLIST. This forced people who did not want to be in it, for any reason or for no reason, to insist on being removed. The resulting storm of protest grew quite NASTY and even included all sorts of threats of legal action and litigation. George Kasica, who was producing the OPCNLIST for its originator, decided he wanted no part of that nonsense and quit. He announced he would no longer produce the OPCNLIST and asked for a volunteer to take over. He listed a file for file requesting which contained all sorts of fascinating programs, source files, batch files, etc., for producing the OPCNLIST with Ben Baker's MakeNL. I responded immediately by netmail stating that I would pick up the flag he was dropping and and requested him to delete the OPCN.ZIP which I had file requested. He did delete that file without comment or reservation, which I consider to constitute the legal offer tendered and accepted required to make a contract. I immediately, as an effort to put out the fire storm of protests, created OPCNLIST.251 and OPCNDIFF.251 in such a fashion as to erase EVERYONE from it except Fidonet 234, whose NC had earlier told me it was OK for me to submit the net roster to the original OPCNLIST, and Alternet 448, which I am in the process of organizing. In the future only those nets and nodes who agree in advance will be listed, which was the original intention. OPCNLIST.251 includes the following prologue: "This is the OPCNLIST, copyright 1989. It is a compilation of copyrighted information supplied to it by the original copyright owners. To the best off our knowledge, this information is accurate and is used with the full knowledge and consent of the person or persons authorized to give that consent. If this turns out not to be the case, we apologize and will correct the FidoNews 6-37 Page 25 11 Sep 1989 mistake as soon as it is called to our attention. We are not trying to pull any flimflam, so if there IS a mistake, it is NOT necessary to scream and yell and carry on like a nut. Contrary to the policy of previous managers of the OPCNLIST, we don't want anyone in it who does not ask to be in it. On the other hand, anyone who asks to be in it WILL be in it without regard to what anyone else may say about it. "This compiled OPCNLIST is itself copyrighted, but it may be used freely by anyone. It is copyrighted only so that we may reserve the right to forbid its commercial sale or use. This a hobby not a business and I hope therefore nobody is going to get disproportionately litigious about it. "All data flags are as supplied to us. If it breaks your machine, don't yell at us; yell at those who sent it to us. I respectfully request everyone to stick to the IFNA nodelist flag standards at least for the present. "The OPCNLIST is produced as the nodelist of 'Zone 11'. This is done for reasons of technical convenience and no other significance should be attached to it." Well, troops, that's the scoop. If you want your net or independent node listed in OPCNLIST, send a copy of your regular MakeNL submission file, including a prologue and/or copyright notice containing explicit, specific permission for us to use it to the OPCNLIST Distribution Hub, Donn Bly, 1:236/7, 77:1011/7, 11:11/7. You have my word. This is going to stick to the original, apolitical concept. Think of it as a "generic" nodelist, similar to the Darwin list except it's for Fidonet compatible mailers. We don't care what you say to one another. We don't care who gets echomail from whom. We don't care how mean, nasty, and annoying you are to one another. All we cre about is pubishing the nodelist to do it with every Friday at 6:00 AM, ET. The rest is your business, not ours. Wish me luck, and don't forget to vote in the IFNA Referendum. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 26 11 Sep 1989 Date: 20 Aug 89 21:51:15 From: Pablo Kleinman of 4:1200/101 A Message from Pablo Kleinman, FidoNet Zone Coordinator in Latin America to FidoCon: It would have been very nice and interesting, to be here with you today and get to know all of you in person. But it could not be possible for me to leave the country right now. I was tremendously interested in coming to FidoCon, but my obligations didn't allow it. And with the terrible economic situation we are experiencing, it is far too expensive to go anywhere across the border. Would it be possible to organize FidoCon for July instead of August? Being August one of the busiest months in the year in South America, we are usually unable to suspend our obligations to travel overseas. Through this brief passages, I would like to tell you about our existance in the net, and what is currently FidoNet Zone 4. FidoNet Latin America was established on May of 1987, and officially incorporated on September of that same year. At the beginning we were given a net (I remember it was net number 368) on Region 18, whose RC at that time was Christopher Baker. But nodes added up, and I had to start "making wonders". No doubt it was kind of strange to assign a Hub number for each Country! It took us almost two years to have our own Zone up and running... We were so glad when David Dodell offered us to be Zone 4 back in April! We grew many times, yes, but I'm sure there is no place with more problems to set up FidoNet nodes than in Latin America. To start, we have in most of the countries, State-owned monopolies that run the whole telephonic system, "as worst as possible", and many times "as more expensive as possible". Just to give you an idea, before the Argentinean phone company started an expansion project a few years ago, you could request a phone line and wait as much as THIRTY years to get it installed! Of course, with the new expansion program, you must pay around two thousand dollars and wait maybe three years to get it. As a result of the shortage of phone lines, we don't have nodes running 24 hours a day in Zone 4; most of the nodes are installed in the sysops offices and houses' phone lines. FidoNews 6-37 Page 27 11 Sep 1989 In this two years of FidoNetting, we were not able to get any help from any public or private enterprise; we are still somehow isolated from the rest of the net. A minute of IDD to the United States can cost the same as dining out, no wonder it is expensive! Looking to solve our financial disabilities, we are trying to develop a way to transfer the mail packets to other zones through Packet radio. Fortunately, some people out there that care for us, and while the zonegate is financed by Dick Gladden of El Paso (Texas) and Randy Bush of Portland (Oregon), our two only international echomail conferences: RedLatina and Twger.link are financed by Juan Davila of Puerto Rico, and Bor-Long Lin of Taiwan. We faced, are facing and still will face many difficulties to keep running and expand FidoNet on the Southwestern hemisphere. We need your care, your help, your assistance. We established some months ago, the Latin American FidoNet Association, and on August 4, NotiFido, the Spanish-language FidoNews, was edited for the first time. Some local programmers have developed some utilities, that we intend to make available to all of you in short. Please, try to keep in touch with us, we need your help to keep this project running. My best regards to all of you, today reunited in FidoCon, and in the name of all the Zone 4 sysops, thank you for sharing with us this huge network of enthusiasts and hobbyists. Of people around the world with a great desire for communicating. Pablo Kleinman Buenos Aires, August 20, 1989 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 28 11 Sep 1989 ================================================================= LATEST VERSIONS ================================================================= Latest Software Versions MS-DOS Systems -------------- Bulletin Board Software Name Version Name Version Name Version Fido 12n+ Phoenix 1.3 TBBS 2.1 Lynx 1.30 QuickBBS 2.04 TComm/TCommNet 3.4 Kitten 2.15* RBBS 17.2A TPBoard 5.2 Opus 1.03b+ Wildcat! 2.00P Network Node List Other Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version BinkleyTerm 2.30* EditNL 4.00 ARC 6.02 D'Bridge 1.21 MakeNL 2.12 ARCmail 2.0 Dutchie 2.90C ParseList 1.30 ConfMail 4.00 FrontDoor 2.0 Prune 1.40 EMM 2.02 PRENM 1.47 XlatList 2.90 GROUP 2.15* SEAdog 4.51A XlaxDiff 2.32 LHARC 1.13 XlaxNode 2.32 MSG 3.3 MSGED 1.99 PK[UN]ZIP 1.01* QM 1.0 TCOMMail 2.2 TMail 1.11 TPBNetEd 3.2 UFGATE 1.03 XRS 2.3 ZmailQ 1.09 Macintosh --------- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Red Ryder Host v2.1b3 Tabby 2.0* MacArc 0.03 Mansion 7.0 ArcMac 1.3 WWIV (Mac) 3.0 StuffIt 1.51 TImport 1.331 TExport 1.32 Timestamp 1.6 FidoNews 6-37 Page 29 11 Sep 1989 Tset 1.3 Timestart 1.1 Tally 1.1 Mehitabel 1.2 Archie 1.60 Numberizer 1.5c MessageEdit 1.0 Mantissa 1.0 PreStamp 2.0 R.PreStamp 2.0 Saphire 2.1t Epistle II 1.0 Import 1.2b Export 1.2b Sundial 1.2b AreaFix 1.1 Amiga ----- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Paragon 1.00+* BinkleyTerm 1.50 ConfMail 1.10* ChameleonEdit 0.10 RMB 1.30 Atari ST -------- Bulletin Board Software Network Mailer Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version Star-Net 2.00 BinkleyTerm 1.03a ConfMail 1.00 EchoDoor 0.11 ParseList 1.30 GS Point 0.61 ARC 5.21 TurboArc 1.1 LHARC 0.40 PKUNZIP 1.00 MSGED 1.96S SRENUM 6.2 OMMM 1.30 Timestop 1.00 + Netmail capable (does not require additional mailer software) * Recently changed FidoNews 6-37 Page 30 11 Sep 1989 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 6-37 Page 31 11 Sep 1989 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 5 Oct 1989 20th Anniversary of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" 11 Oct 1989 First International Modula-2 Conference at Bled, Yugoslavia hosting Niklaus Wirth and the British Standards Institution. Contact 1:106/8422 for more information. 11 Nov 1989 A new area code forms in northern Illinois at 12:01 am. Chicago proper will remain area code 312; suburban areas formerly served with that code will become area code 708. 23 Nov 1989 26th Anniversary of "Dr. Who" - and still going strong 30 Dec 1989 Telephone area codes (5, 3 and 0) are abolished in Hong Kong If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 32 11 Sep 1989 OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION Mort Sternheim 1:321/109 Chairman of the Board Bob Rudolph 1:261/628 President Matt Whelan 3:3/1 Vice President Bill Bolton 3:711/403 Vice President-Technical Coordinator Linda Grennan 1:147/1 Secretary Kris Veitch 1:147/30 Treasurer IFNA COMMITTEE AND BOARD CHAIRS Administration and Finance Mark Grennan 1:147/1 Board of Directors Mort Sternheim 1:321/109 Bylaws Don Daniels 1:107/210 Ethics Vic Hill 1:147/4 Executive Committee Bob Rudolph 1:261/628 International Affairs Rob Gonsalves 2:500/1 Membership Services David Drexler 1:147/47 Nominations & Elections David Melnick 1:107/233 Public Affairs David Drexler 1:147/47 Publications Rick Siegel 1:107/27 Security & Individual Rights Jim Cannell 1:143/21 Technical Standards Rick Moore 1:115/333 IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS DIVISION AT-LARGE 10 Courtney Harris 1:102/732 Don Daniels 1:107/210 11 Bill Allbritten 1:11/301 Mort Sternheim 1:321/109 12 Bill Bolton 3:711/403 Mark Grennan 1:147/1 13 Irene Henderson 1:107/9 (vacant) 14 Ken Kaplan 1:100/22 Ted Polczyinski 1:154/5 15 Scott Miller 1:128/12 Matt Whelan 3:3/1 16 Ivan Schaffel 1:141/390 Robert Rudolph 1:261/628 17 Neal Curtin 1:343/1 Steve Jordan 1:206/2871 18 Andrew Adler 1:135/47 Kris Veitch 1:147/30 19 David Drexler 1:147/47 (vacant) 2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 David Melnik 1:107/233 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 6-37 Page 33 11 Sep 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. FidoNews 6-37 Page 34 11 Sep 1989 -----------------------------------------------------------------