F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 8 No. 44 (4 November 1991) The newsletter of the | FidoNet BBS community | Published by: _ | / \ | "FidoNews" BBS /|oo \ | (415)-863-2739 (_| /_) | FidoNet 1:1/1 _`@/_ \ _ | Internet: | | \ \\ | fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org | (*) | \ )) | |__U__| / \// | Editors: _//|| _\ / | Tom Jennings (_/(_|(____/ | Tim Pozar (jm) | ----------------------------+--------------------------------------- Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international amateur network. Copyright 1991, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews. Paper price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.00US Electronic Price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . free! For more information about FidoNews refer to the end of this file. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ..................................................... 1 Editorial: Editorial... or message from the stars? ............ 1 2. FIDONET NEWS .................................................. 5 (No FidoNetNews this week) .................................... 5 3. ARTICLES ...................................................... 6 Fear of Flying ................................................ 6 Abstract: Electronic net publication INTERTEXT ................ 7 A way to make the nodelists more or less unnecessary .......... 8 ODYSSEY: FRINGE SCIENCE NETWORK ............................... 15 The Need for WOBO! (New Echos for Construction Folk) .......... 16 4. RANTS AND FLAMES .............................................. 23 5. CLASSIFIEDS ................................................... 24 6. NOTICES ....................................................... 25 The Interrupt Stack ........................................... 25 7. LATEST VERSIONS ............................................... 26 Latest Greatest Software Versions ............................. 26 FidoNews 8-44 Page 1 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== EDITORIAL ====================================================================== Editorial: Editorial... or message from the stars? by Tom Jennings (1:1/1) Warning: this is rather long. The whole middle part is about history, and power. It is editorializing at its worst. Skip to the next group of *'s if this displeases you. (You were warned.) * * * * * Another dull week here in FidoNewsville. I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news is, I found a replacement for the aging hard disk I've been using here for some time, given to me by Vince Periello as a bribe to get me to go to FIDOCON91. It worked, so did the drive, and now that the event's over, the drive seems to be headed for history too. Admittedly, it was old to start with, and I spun it 24 hrs/day for a year, so I can hardly complain. It never failed me, but started getting senile in the high sectors. Its replacement is a 3.5" 80 meg SCSI drive. It's soooo q-u-i-e-t... But anyways I'm avoiding the point, which is I lost an article. I wish I could blame it on the disk, but I did it myself, by "MOVE *.ART \FIDONEWS", only I moved the directory and it mashed all the files into one little pile. Only the last one was saved. And another article, of some importance, was never delivered, for some unknown technical reason. * * * * * Personally, I've heard a few references to "anarchy" in FidoNet this week alone, and Thom Henderson has something to say about it too (and I agree with the gist of his article). I do wish people were more into anarchism than anarchy. Look it up. Along these lines -- I bet you didn't know that REGIONS ASSIGNED THEIR OWN IMPORTANCE. Never, ever, were nets "part of" or contained within regions. Here's the original story, much condensed. In 1985 there were only "nodes". Just a flat, point to point scheme. (As most #)$(&* mailers treat the net today, but I'm jumping ahead). After only a few times of having Fido make a bunch of calls to the same city accross the country to deliver one message each, this thing now known as "host routing" became quite obvious. At first it was done with a simple text substitution in Fido's packet. It later became the full-featured router that Fido still contains, and most system simplement in some way. FidoNews 8-44 Page 2 4 Nov 1991 It next became obvious that FidoNet nodes "clumped" together where human population was densest; cities, mainly. The NET/NODE addressing scheme became a formal definition of the incoming host (the /0) we'd been manually entering, and the nodes surrounding it kept their same node numbers, but became part of the local net. As a short example, nodes 4 10, 22, 16, 17, all in St. Louis Missouri, used 16 as "incoming host" which redistributed mail delivered to it for nodes 4, 10, 17, 22, etc. The incoming host remained as node 16 (in this case) but also the magic value "0". The net was named "100", so they became 100/4, 100/16... and the host, 100/0. (There was a cute trick to allow transparent backwards compatibility to non-net-aware software that worked reasonably well.) It was important that the addressing scheme of NET/NODE be consistent throughout the net, but many nodes simply weren't near any other nodes, certainly none within the telco parameters that made for a "local call" (US telco includes calls to a limited area as part of the monthly fee; very advantageous for FidoNet!) Since the outlying nodes could be hundreds of miles/KMs from the nearest net (nearly 1000 miles here in the West!), we formed the idea of the REGION. Read this next part carefully; you'll need to un-learn the current REGION scheme to understand it. We picked large, arbitrary chunks of the country (US-only then, remember) and named them "regions". Each had a host (/0), who did exactly what a net host did; keep a list of nodes in their region. The difference was, the region/0 merely kept the list of nodes NOT OTHERWISE IN A NET. Period. As the net grew, and nodes appeared, they'd be distributed again amongst population density boundaries. The number of nodes in a region would grow, making more work for the region host, but at some point a "clump" of nodes would appear (in a new city, for instance) and that clump would split off -- into a new net, thereby lowering the workload of the region host. The region hosts actual, constant workload then grew at a rate much lower than the network overall. There was much more planning and understanding of the social scheme and organization than is appreciated. I hadn't realized just how lost the original process had gotten until recently when talking to people who've been around since 86 or so. It's kinda depressing, actually. I created FidoNews in 1984 or 85 to act as a "metanetwork", to give us a method to talk about the network itself, and to provide a forum for our other, non-technical and non-FidoNet communications needs. (And within a few months, I had an article by an ex-military guy complaining about retirement issues, for which I got questioned on for appropriateness. (I wasn't flamed; that didn't happen then. No it wasn't the "good ole days"; it was simply a much, much smaller crowd.) FidoNews 8-44 Page 3 4 Nov 1991 But anyways -- REGIONS were never, ever meant to be anything more than a net host. The current power mongering started when the nodelist-fragment collection scheme was given to the region hosts, and they grew it from there. Nets are *not* contained in regions. The model was mathematical, not geographical. Sets, not political groupings. I find it all very depressing. Last and far from least, and no one will believe this I'm sure, it sounds so far-fetched in today's locked-down bully/boss-ridden thug net, but -- Overthrow was designed in from the start, and discussed explicitly by everyone involved, as an integral part of the checks and balances. The /0 was NOT supposed to be a position of power, but a position of *responsibility*, on a paper throne. If the net host was a complete jerk, the net members could create a new nodelist fragment themselves, and pass it on. Votes? "Permission" from "above"? Screw that shit. Toss 'em out on their ear! Every sysop in FidoNet, including and especially myself, is responsible for letting this happen. We gave the bullies their power. It is not, and never, too late. Keep this in mind. You might need it some day. Maybe this is how we got here though. It wasn't meant to be a machanism for bullies to get their way, but for otherwise-tolerant ordinary sysop folx, who get fed up, to work around the 0 and replace them with someone less obnoxious. Anything can be abused. Most people aren't used to having control of their lives. When given to them, they freak out and get stupid, and think they ahve to emulate the jerks, since they're the only thing around as a model. Oh well. PS: did you know that HOST ROUTING IN FIDONET IS MANDATORY?! Fer #$*#$% sakes!!! What in hell do you think the damn #$#$@# net/0 node is for?! Prestige? To push people around? Banish people you don't like? The 0th node is supposed to accept mail for all nodes within their net, and forward that mail onward, without fail, barring hardware failure, without comment, editorial or censorship, and it better be a damn good excuse. Period. If you don't like it, don't be a /0. * * * * * Which brings me to my original (for today) thought -- I'm now collecting historical fragments from our colorful past. I especially want things from pre '86, or even '87. You'd be surprised how little I have. I don't even have a copy of the original MAILER document that I generated before I coded FidoNet in winter/spring 85. I would dearly love to have a copy. Probably only the first dozen nodes ever saw a copy. FidoNews 8-44 Page 4 4 Nov 1991 Don't be afraid to send me stuff you think I might already have, as I probably don't, and even if I get one later, I will appreciate the thought, truly! I'm not sure what I'm going to do with this stuff, but I want to get it together before it's all lost. If you have non-electronic things, my mailing address is: Tom Jennings, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107. I swear I'll reimburse you for any postage it takes to mail me stuff. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 5 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== FIDONET NEWS ====================================================================== ################################################################ FidoNetNews -- a weekly section devoted to technical and factual issues within the FidoNet -- FidoNet Technical Standards Committee reports, *C reports, information on FidoNet standards documents and the like. ################################################################ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- There were no FidoNetNews submissions this week. Tune again in next week! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 6 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== ARTICLES ====================================================================== Thom Henderson Fear of Flying What is it that some people find so scary about democracy? For a very long time I was a lot more involved than I should have been in giving sysops some say in how the net is managed. That particular effort failed for a number of reasons that I'd prefer not to go into (at least partly because some of them were my fault), but still it irks me to hear people disparage the very idea of ever giving the "grunt sysop" a say -- everything from offhand references to "smarmy meetings" to one notable who characterized the whole effort as "nasty nasty nasty awful awful awful". I know that politicians have given organized meetings a bad name, but the fact of the matter is that Robert's Rules of Order are designed to ensure that all viewpoints are aired -- ALL viewpoints! When I accepted Chairmanship of the late IFNA, it was with the understanding that we would do either one of two things: either we would turn it into the elected leadership of fidonet, or we would get rid of it. I wanted the former, but I accepted the latter by consoling myself with the thought that at least now it would be easier for the sysops to erect a new structure without repeating the mistakes of the original. That hasn't happened, and shows no sign of happening. Some people will tell you that it isn't needed, that fidonet as it stands is the perfect anarchy with total freedom for its members. A few of them may even believe it. But most sysops know better, from personal experience. There ARE people running things. People are told what software to run and what software not to run. People are told which conferences they may or may not have and how they must obtain them. Fidonet is a hierarchical dictatorship, with the dictators responsible only to those above them; never to those they are supposed to serve. Yes, I know that traces of democracy exist within fidonet. Nets have been known to elect their own NC, and even a region or two has been known to elect its RC. But take a close look at how and why. It's always been by suffrance of the dictators. Maybe your last NC let you elect your current NC, but NOTHING requires your current NC to let you elect another. There are network wide policies in place that are intended to affect you on a daily basis where less that one percent of the people were even consulted about whether or not they were a good idea, and nothing gives YOU any say on the matter at all. FidoNews 8-44 Page 7 4 Nov 1991 In an anarchy you can do anything you like, but you haven't got that. In a democracy you have a say in how things are run, but you haven't got that either. What DO you have? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract: Electronic net publication INTERTEXT INTERTEXT is an ASCII version of an all-fiction publication edited by Jason Snell at Univ. Cal. at San Diego (address below). I've seen only Vol. 1 No. 1, dated Mar/Apr 91. I presume there are others. CONTACT INFO: Editor: Jason Snell (jsnell@ucsd.edu) Assistant Editor: Geoff Duncan (sgd4589@ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu) Assistant Editor: Phil Nolte (NU020061@vm1.NoDak.edu) (I know this is FidoNet and not the internet, but there's interesting stuff out there. Maybe some interested parties with access to both nets can cross-post it. If so, please drop a note to FidoSnooze care of Tomj 1:1/1 and I'll announce what FidoNet node it's available on. (No I'm not volunteering :-) Since I'm lazy, I'll let the editor speak for his own publication: FirstText / JASON SNELL [...] What do I expect from this magazine? All I really want to do is bring good stories to the people who subscribe. I'll be hunting down stories on any subject from all over the network, and hopefully we can put out an issue every two months. I'm hoping to alternate with the publication schedule of QUANTA, so the two magazines will dovetail into a semi-monthly production schedule. QUANTA, if you didn't know, is a bi-monthly net magazine -- and its specialty is Science Fiction. InterText, on the other hand, is for all kinds of fiction. I don't mind publishing SF here, but since Quanta is an established magazine with a specific format, I'd expect most of the SF to go there. [...] FidoNews 8-44 Page 8 4 Nov 1991 Dan Appelquist's "Anticipation of the Night" is a fascinating piece of work... quite strange, yes, but very interesting. His other story, "A War in the Sand," was sort of written because of the cover of the PostScript version of this issue. (The cover is a drawing of a dove of peace sitting atop a tank in the middle of the desert.) I sent Dan a template of InterText that jokingly listed a story called "War in the Sand." I guess Dan took me up on it. Anyway, those stories and the closing pieces by Greg Knauss ("The Talisman," a loopy Stephen King parody, and "Schrodinger's Monkey," a deep contemplation of quantum mechanics and bananas) form what I'd like to think of as a pair of strange bookends: two to welcome you to this first issue and two to wrap it up. In between are Nolte's "Direct Connections," (which we're printing under sad circumstances -- Phil gave it to me only after AMAZING STORIES rejected it), a story by me, and stories by Andrea Payne and Mary Anne Walters. I thank everyone for submitting and helping me out with this issue. If you have access to the internet, back issues (presumably this includes current ones) are available from network.ucsd.edu, in directory 'intertext'. Both ASCII and PostScript versions are available. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A way to make the nodelists more or less unnecessary. ===================================================== By: Nils Hammar 2:204/90@fidonet.org 4341@msg.abc.se nils@f109f.mil.se INTRODUCTION ============ The nodelist of today is usually used by the mailer to know when to send crash mail and direct mail to other nodes than the usual host. Another use is to determine if the recipient node really exists, and warn the user about the possible nonexistence of the addressed node. When you send netmail to another node, you would almost always have got some information from that node before. This information is usually a netmail, an echomail message, but can also be some kind of a document (like this one). This gave me the idea of implementing a method about how to transmit the most necessary nodelist information without using the nodediffs used today. FidoNews 8-44 Page 9 4 Nov 1991 As far as I know, the sysop names and the node names isn't used very often, and can usually be omitted. Especially the node names changes now and then, and is never reliable. The nodename is also very often occuring in the origin line. The sysop names are more constant, and may as well be distributed the same way as the tecnical information. GOAL ==== The goal is to find another way to distribute the necessary tecnical nodelist information to the nodes that really needs this information. The distribution must use the known paths and methods of distribution that is used today. SHORT DESCRIPTION ================= The method is to use a pair of kludges to distribute the necessary information. The existence of those kludges will be limited, and they will only be distributed at a maximum once per week for each echomail area for each node. This will limit the expansion of the echomail volume. The kludges may however always exist in netmails, because netmails are going other ways, and they are a minor part of the distributed information in FidoNet. The kludges I am thinking of are one pure tecnical, and one that identifies the sysop of the originating node. LIMITATIONS =========== The only problem is when sending a direct netmail to an unknown node, and it is that neither the phone number nor the technical possibilities or limitations are known. This problem is possible to get around by either adding this information manually to the local nodelist, or send the netmail to a known *C closer to that node or send the netmail with the usual routing. THE TECNICAL KLUDGE =================== This kludge is used to distribute the tecnical information about the originating node, such as modem protocols, packing methods, preferred packing method and phone number. If the node is a private node, this information will be valid for the host of that node instead. This kludge will also allow points to distribute their phone numbers if they like. The kludge will have the following format: ^AMF: BACD4%23#46-19-120103 FidoNews 8-44 Page 10 4 Nov 1991 Where "MF" stands for "My Flags", and the following information is: Characters "A" to "Z" is compression method supported by the node: A Compression with ARC (PKPAK 3.61) B Compression with ZIP 1.10 C Compression with LHARC 2.11 D Compression with ARJ 2.20 E Compression with Compress (Usually UNIX nodes supporting this) F Compression with ZOO 2.10 G-Z To be defined and used in the future for compression programs. The number of compression flags should be limited to maximum four, and with the preferred compresson method as the first flag. No compression flag means that the node doesn't support any of the specified compression methods. Characters "0" to "9" is commonly used CCITT modem protocols. 0 V21 300 bps 1 V22 1200 bps 2 V22bis 2400 bps 3 V32 9600 bps 4 V32bis 14400 bps 5-9 Reserved for future use. It should only be necessary to specify one of the transmission methods above. This because a modem with a faster method very often also supports all of the slower methods. To indicate a nonsupported protocol, the number may be preceeded by an exclamation mark ("!"), which only will apply to that specified protocol. The kludge "^AMF: BACD4!0d#46-19-120103" will tell the other nodes that the CCITT V21 protocol isn't supported, but the Bell 103 protocol is. This situation isn't too rare, and should be considered when setting the flags. It can also be used if calls for a speed below a specific limit will be denied. Characters "a" to "z" are used for non CCITT modem protocols, and uncommon CCITT protocols. a HST 9600 & 14400 bps b PEP 18000 bps c V23 75/1200 bps d Bell 103 300 bps e Bell 212A 1200 bps f-z Reserved for future use. A node can have none, some or all of the flags above. However, I don't think that there is any node that supports both the PEP and the HST protocol at the same line at the same time. FidoNews 8-44 Page 11 4 Nov 1991 The "%" character indicates the time zone difference, and is useful when determining ZMH. Valid values are 00 to 23, which is number of hours relative to UTC (GMT). This time information is always two characters to make it easy to parse. If the field is omitted UTC (GMT) is assumed. For nodes in western europe, this field will usually have the value 23. The "#" character indicates that a phone number is following. There will not be any more flags after the phone number. There is no maximum length of the phone number field. The flags that indicates error-correction and/or compression in the modem is left out because they are not really useful information. This handshake is done when establishing a session, and doesn't need to be stored or distributed. THE SYSOP KLUDGE ================ This kludge isn't at all as necessary and useful as the tecnical kludge, but will sometimes be useful. The kludge is called "SY" for "SYsop name", and has the following format: ^ASY: Nils Hammar This kludge only contains a plain text string, and is only distributed at maximum once a week. This kludge will always apply to the true originating node, and not the boss node, or host node, because this information is connected with the true address, while the tecnical information is connected with the closest dialable node to the real node. (The closest callable node is often the node itself.) REPLIES & FLAMES ================ Direct yur replies and flames to this article to one of the addresses displayed above. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- * PROPOSED ECHO: A Generation of New Men by David Fisher (1:170/110) Proposed FidoNet Echo: A Generation of New Men Men's lives are changing. There is a rising current of healthy questioning and re-evaluation of our definition as men and the positions we hold in society. It is my interest to provide a place of dialogue where people may participate in supportive and thoughtful discussion concerning our lives as men. FidoNews 8-44 Page 12 4 Nov 1991 Do you adhere to traditional roles of men as "Provider/Protector?" Do you see the woman as the primary "nurturer" of the family? If so, what are your reasons? Is there more to maleness than providing a strong demeanor and an income? Can a man step beyond these definitions and still "be a man?" If so, what are your reasons? What does beating drums and sweating in hot tents have to do with all this? This Echo is in the formative stages. In order to make it available nationally, there must be strong enough interest. If you are a Sysop and interested in carrying the Echo, please send NetMail to Dave Fisher at 1:170/110 stating that interest. If you are a user and would like to participate in the Echo, please send NetMail both to me and your local Sysop indicating your desire. Or, you may also call my BBS at (918) 481-5715 and leave me a message there. I will coordinate and moderate the echo. The following is an excerpt from the "Rules Document" for the Echo: A Generation of New Men ----------------------- Synopsis -------- The forum, A Generation of New Men, is born out of the desire to dialogue current issues and dilemmas facing men today. It is becoming widely common to find men dissatisfied with their current position in life -- men who have traditionally adhered to values without discerning thought and healthy questioning of these values. Topics will include discussions revolving around the following areas: "Daddy Track" The "Daddy Track" concerns men who have decided to put their family and kids before their jobs and careers. Discussions on the societal pressures and ramifications of their decisions will be shared in an atmosphere of understanding and respect. "Men's Movement" The "Men's Movement" concerns men who have gone beyond the "soft male" as described by Robert Bly. Discussions will revolve around new experiences and expressions of self-identity from the male perspective. Whether it's banging on a drum or discovering self- confidence, all are welcome here. FidoNews 8-44 Page 13 4 Nov 1991 Literature There is a burgeoning amount of literature emerging as a result of men coming forward to re-evaluate their position in family and society. Discussions will be welcome responding to this literature (such as Robert Bly's Iron John, Sam Keen's Fire in the Belly, magazine articles, and others). Governing Rules --------------- Integrity and Honor ------------------- The integrity of each participant will be upheld. When you are responding to a comment left by another participant, you are responding to a person. Given the topic material, there will be many disagreements. (For example, is it respectable for a man to stay at home caring for the children while the woman "brings home the bacon?") On this forum, we will learn to disagree with honor and respect the personal integrity of EVERY person on the forum. Thus, this form will not tolerate inflammatory remarks. As well as destroying the dignity of the person at which they are directed, they are simply unproductive. Honesty ------- Each participant is encouraged to share his views and feelings openly. Honest self-evaluation of these views will help create a healthy atmosphere of dialogue. Participants ------------ While the forum is generally meant for men (and to provide a supportive atmosphere for men making some very difficult decisions), the forum is not limited to men. Women are encouraged to participant also. In truth, their supportive comments will add a creative addition to the forum. Language -------- Language will be kept courteous. Even though a good curse here or there is good for the soul, this forum is not the appropriate place for cursing. Find a good friend that will listen. This includes such euphemisms as a**h***, f*** y**, etc. Such inflammatory language is not necessary to express your views on this forum, and could possibly lead to the violation of the recipient's integrity. FidoNews 8-44 Page 14 4 Nov 1991 In short, personal attacks, "flames", or "shaming" is NOT allowed. Quoting ------- Any message left on this forum may NOT be quoted outside the forum without the expressed written permission of the sender of the message AND the recipient of the message. If you keep an electronic and/or hard "paper" copy of any of the discussions, they must not be altered in any way if they are shown to another party. If they are shown to another party, please include the source of their origin as "FidoNet Forum: A New Generation of Men". Since much of the discussions may include sensitive material, the writers must be protected from potential misuse of their words. Aliases ------- The use of aliases or handles are permitted. The moderator, however, maintains the right to refuse any alias that he considers to be in "bad taste". Availability ------------ This forum is available to any BBS that would like to carry it. Illegal Activities and Advertising Illegal activities are not tolerated on this forum. This would include not only breaches of National and State laws, but also breaches of FidoNet policies (such as changing the content of routed mail, etc.). Commercial advertising, sales or otherwise, is also prohibited. *************************************************** **** If you are interested, please contact me! **** *************************************************** LiveNet - (918) 481-5715, FidoNet node 1:170/110 The full rules document NEWMEN.RUL is available for downloading. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- By: Rodney Harper FidoNews 8-44 Page 15 4 Nov 1991 Topic: New Echo Starting Up !! Echo Tag: PET_FORUM -= Pet_Forum Echo =- A local Echo has started stirring its wilds in the Mobile, Alabama area. We requested remote caller's to this system to help give it a name. Out of 4 or 5 given selections "Pet Forum" was obtained. A local echo that has been the area of fascination for many users has been the PET_FORUM. As you may notice, the name is that of a Pets Echo. Discussions are open to all area's of pet keeping, and animal information as well. The local participants have enjoyed timely conversation on various topics, such as: Controlling Flea's and Ticks, First Aid, Care of Reptiles, Birds, Dog's, Cat's, Horses, and even Small mammals such as ferrets and hamsters. We have had joyful discussions over the past year, and would like to invite others to join in as well. The PET_FORUM Echo is being originated from 1:3625/454@fidonet.org and will be distributed to REC 18 VIA 1:371/1302 (this nets uplink). The moderator is a point off of this system 1;3625/454.14 or if your software doesn't like 4D point addressing, use out fakepoint address of 1:30815/14 to contact the moderator, Rodney Harper of Bayou La Batre, Alabama. The moderator is a full time college student at the University of South Alabama, and works as a Zoological collector between quarters. He has been involved with collecting and breeding Tropical Fish and Herpetiles for over 15 years, and is quite experienced in other area's of the pet hobby as well. *Echo Tag is: PET_FORUM No Aliases allowed, No flaming..... Please try to keep discussion down to pets or pet related topics. Ask your REC to carry it, so we can get it out on the backbone soon. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Odyssey: The Fringe Science Network of the Future by Jerry Woody 1:3607/20 ODYSSEY is an association of Electronic Bulletin Board Systems dedicated to the research of "Fringe Science" events in our world. By Fringe Science we are referring to the U.F.O. phenoneman, Legendary monsters such as Bigfoot, Yeti and the Loch Ness Monster, and other paranormal type events such as ghosts, esp, psychic abilities, etc. As Charles Forte put it, the scientific community has chosen to ignore information FidoNews 8-44 Page 16 4 Nov 1991 and data concerning fringe science happenings. ODYSSEY will attempt to gather, discuss and make public infomation in the most timely and ac- curate way possible on unusual and fringe science events. ODYSSEY is different from other Paranormal or Fringe Science nets in the way that we use echomail and the all important door programs that add another dimension for the user accessing an ODYSSEY Research Board. We have the chat echos that discuss UFO's, Monsters and Unknown Happenings but we also try to use echomail to its fullest potential. For example, an online door program called UFOBASE not only allows the user to enter a UFO sighting, but that sighting is formatted in such a way that it can be 'tossed' into our Skywatch echo for all our users to study. Also, a user may upload a sighting in our Skywatch echo via a pre-formatted form questionaire. Users and Sysops are assured of the most up to date fringe science files through networking. Special programs announces not only the new files available but also gives the user a brief description and how long it will take to download. The new file arrivals are also announced on a special echo. There is also a special echo that deals entirely with up to date news clippings concerning fringe science events and happenings. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you are a user and interested in Fringe Science happenings I invite you to access an Odyssey node nearest you. If you are a sysop who enjoys running door programs, wants to add a new dimension to your echomail or have an interest in Fringe Science happenings, I invite you to join Odyssey. Accessing and membership in Odyssey is Free. I will be more than happy to answer any of your questions if netmailed to fidonet address 1:3607/20 or you may log on to the Frontier BBS at 1-205-739-1469 (300 - 19200 *hst* speeds). For more detailed information you may FREQ the file ODYSSEY.ZIP or download it from the BBS. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Proposal for 3 new Echomail Conferences: or The NEED for WOBO! WOBO was founded to fill a void and satisify a number of needs. The need for the development of some form of multi-national grouping, began to be felt as long ago as the early 1980's, this lead to the World Organisation of Building Officials being founded in 1987. This perception of need followed on from several practical issues being found to be common to many Building officials daily workload:- FidoNews 8-44 Page 17 4 Nov 1991 1- The continuing expansion of international trade and commerce. 2- More and more Building Officials found that they were being asked to deal with products that are manufactured in very distant countries to different standards. 3- Architects and Engineers from one country designing structures to be located in other countries. 4- Participation of nations in the Global marketplace. 5- Rapid development on new (Fast-track) building technologies. WOBO's purpose as a world organisation is to advance the professional status of those engagged in the adminstration and enforcement of building codes and standards, and it will strive toward the following goals:- A) to promote safeguards from potential hazards and to recommend solutions for preventing fire risks in existing buildings or buildings under construction; B) to promote the concept of standardising construction materials, equipment and appliances. C) to promote unification of legislation pertaining to the administration of codes and standards; D) to collaborate with international organisations, governments and educational institutes to promote the development of training programs for Building Officials. E) to encourage and promote in all countries the establishment of a national Building Officials Organisation. F) to promote conferences, seminars and congresses of a national and international character in furthering the objectives of the organisation. So as to effectively carry out its primary objectives of advancing education through dissemination of knowledge in building science, technology and construction, WOBO wishes to encourage the following: 1) The creation of an information clearinghouse through which each participating member can share; a) recent technological developments in building products, designs and construction which are being introduced in the FidoNews 8-44 Page 18 4 Nov 1991 marketplaces; b) their immediate public safety concerns which relate to the building environment; and c) information on their nation's building regulatory system and means of handling such issues as code adoption and changes, standards development, usage, education and training of code officials and enforcement personnel, liability of code regulatory officials and their approval and use of new building technology. 2) The convening of round-table forums in which all members nations and organisations could candidly and freely discuss their building regulatory problems and seek common and safe solutions to their mutually shared problems. 3) The sponsoring of symposia through which attendees can hear experts in code administration and construction fields and hold discussions to seek solutions to commonly shared problems in providing for the public's safety in buildings. WHO are these BUILDING OFFICIALS???? Building Officials act as industry regulators and defacto law enforcers, in addition to their promotion of high levels of safety in and about builidngs and the built environment. Nations have, of course, confered these functions on different organisations, levels of government and personel. So our term "Building Officials" therefore includes such as a 'Fire Marshal'in the Fire Brigade, as well as ones City/Town or County (Council) Authority staff, Regional and State civil servants, who may inturn be architects, engineers, surveyors, etc. Many Building standards are indeed wrote by such Building Officials, using their collected experience of building materials in real life buildings, and in combination with research from the leading Testing Institutes around the World. CODES??? Building standards which are legally enforcable, are often termed "codes" and several member organisations of WOBO, have codes available on the following:- * Model Building Code * Model Sign Code * Model Fire Code * Model Machnical Code * Model Plumbing Code * Model Security Code FidoNews 8-44 Page 19 4 Nov 1991 * Model Dwelling Code * Model Electrical Code * Model Administrative Code * Model Swiming Pool Code The Model Fire code, in California, for example advises on how many Fire Dectectors should be installed in family dwelling houses, as well as what is acceptable in a large shoping mall! Model code are "drafts" suitable for adoption in a locality by the proper legal authority(s). In Europe most Nations have a national standards body, and a Building Materials testing Body, (UL) (Agremont) and their national building laws/codes use these to good advantage. Within the European Community, of the twelve nations, after 1991, no national law or code may prevent construction materials or products by virtue of the "its not gotten our (national) test certificate" rule, if it can be shown to have a "CE" mark, from another EC nation. This "CE" mark is a sign that it complies with the European Building 'Norm' or EUROCODE or EURONORM. As this is a major local problem for myself, I hope my Euronorm echo takes off fast. For the first of the "construction Products Directive" (European Law) took effect on the 26th of June 1991! So it is law now in Europe and England! I feel that there is, as yet, a real shortage of suitable information on its practical effect, and implementation, and I hope the "EURONORM" echo may be one of the more effective ways that Building Official may speak unto Building official, canidly and freely. Whilst is a International Standards Organisation, this is very generic, and WOBO is aimed at the Building Sectors needs. The ISO exists for ANSI, BSI, CSA, DIN, etc. WOBO wishes to act as a link between the regulators and the regulated, and to provide a means of ensuring information flows and is thus able to be used in buildings to the public's safe advantage. As a means of enabling of information flow, between both Building Code (Law) Authorities and Building officials at the human level, I being dwon at the grassroots, as an associate member, am proposing the following three (initial) "echomail" conferences, as "round-tables" for all interested in the Building Industry and its public or private regulation and material specification. Thus including Builders , Designers and Building Officials, in FidoNews 8-44 Page 20 4 Nov 1991 a rapid electronic link with global capacity. Proposed echos; WOBOVIEW - news and views of the membership of WOBO. BUILDCODE - news about building standards, codes and laws worldwide. EURONORM - News about the EC (European Community) Construction Products Directive(s), and the surporting standards and documentation. Note. 1992 will see a major outpouring of EC laws on Building Materials and their minimum safety standards, set by the CPD. I must stress that these echos are not 'official' media, only a means of implementing a practical mode whereby my desire for the free flow of technical information on building matters, between interested parties, may actually happen regularly, and at a cost that small local municipalities can budget for, and keep their level of knowldge right up to date. AVAILABLITY: If you want to carry these echos, they will be available from:- LOG-On-In-TYNEDALE -44-434-60-66-39 [300 to 9600 HST baud] 2:256/97 I will (initially) act as moderator at:- LOG-on-the-TYNE -44-91-478-6272 [300 to 2400 baud] 2:256/17 The Echo names are WOBOVIEW , BUILDCODE and EURONORM WOBO's MEMBERSHIP - NEW USERS FOR YOUR BBS! I have circulated a postal letter to all of the WOBO@s national organisations and I hope that this will in turn promote our bulletin boards, and the FidoNet in general. I hope that you will find time to demonstrate our FidoNets echomail to those who will find out about it for the first time, from my letter to the WOBO membership, with which I have circulated a cut-down nodelist (Hosts only) to give a FidoNews 8-44 Page 21 4 Nov 1991 hint at the global fidonetwork. Note. Its based on the Nodelist.001 circulated with Opus v1.7x in July 1991. I hope thus to introduce a large number of new users to all our nets around the world. It may be that a WOBO-Net may form, but that is far off day in the future. If your local sysop is interested, the local WOBO chapters may in some areas be a source of sponsorship or equipment. WOBO STATUS: WOBO is a independent body, with consultative status, (caterogy II) from the United Nations "Economic and Social Council" and UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organisation). WOBO membership is available to all people who administer or control or take part in the building of our build environment. Full Details from Secretariat, WOBO, 900 Montclair Road, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA USA 35213-1206 eg. associate membership dues, for individual Building Officials,is only $25.00 (US funds) I hope that you might display this notice on your own BBS. The Writer: I work as a Building Control Surveyor, for my home town, and as part of a team of 25 staff, administer the UK's national (model) Building Regulations, to a population of 213,000 folk, in six towns and the surrounding countryside. We inspect over 1,000 building projects and more than 500 dwelling houses each year. We also work with the County Fire and Civil Defence Authority to help enforce the Fire precautions code, in factories, hotels, offices, shops and shoping malls. The largest shoping Mall in Europe (The Metro Centre) with 10,000 car spaces is within our Borough. FidoNews 8-44 Page 22 4 Nov 1991 We also deal with the Public Safety Licencing at Showgrounds and open-air POP_Music concerts, as well as the several sports arenas, within the borough. We also act in cases of potentially dangerious buildings and similar structures, eg. high winds and storms etc. We are a part of the Engineering Services of the locally elected Metropolitan Borough Council. I beleive that the above tasks would be familar to most Building officials around the world. Article status: I write this as a non-work effort. Please do not call me at my place of work, use the Fidonet email (to 2:256/17) or my own postal address; (IRCs if you want a postal reply, please.) John S. Bone AMIAS AMWOBO FIDO-WOBO Project. 3 Claremont Place, Gateshead. Tyne and Wear NE8 1TL England. UK. The above is a voluntary project on my own part, and my own personal views on the WOBO memberships use of 'FidoNet', 'email' or of 'echomail', do not necessarily reflect those of the WOBO governors nor my employers nor my local IAAS branch. Thanks for reading this article. John S. Bone AMIAS AMWOBO Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, (north-east) England. UK Sysop LOG-on-the-TYNE OPUS_CBCS 2:256/17 (In Fido_Net since 1984!) 26th october 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 23 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== RANTS AND FLAMES ====================================================================== _(*#$_(*@#(* (*^$+)#(%&+| #$)%(&*#_$ @_#( @$ ^@#+)(#&%$*+)$%&*+$*%&#@(@#_|)*%|)#%&)#*%&+(@#&*_+(@#*^&@### *&#_($*&#$_(*#&$_(#*$&$ _(#$*#$+)#($&*+#)$ &#+$*&# ()*&#$_(&^#$_(#*$_#($^&#_$(^&#_$(&^#$_(&#^ damn right _(#^&$_(#^& $*&#$_+(* #)$&(%($%+)($%*+$)%($* it's ugly _#&%^# & #($_*#$_ FidoNet (*$&%_@#_(*&@#_(@*#&_ @#_(*&@#_(* )*&#$ Flames *^$+)#(% (not for the timid) @_#( (*#$_(*^@#+) and #_|)*% &+(@#&*_+(@#*^&@### (#$*&#_($*&#$_(*#&$_(#* Rants *&+#$*&#+$*&# )*&#$_(a regular feature)^&#_$(&^#$_ $^&#$_(#^ (*^#$_*#^&$)*#&$^%)#*$&^_#($*^&#_($ Section #&%^_ _(*#&$_(#* #($*& #$* _(*&@#_(@*# *&@#_(*& )&*+_)*&+)*&+))&*(*& (*&_(*&_(*& ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 24 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== CLASSIFIEDS ====================================================================== ADVERTISEMENT POLICY: Submissions must be 20 lines or less each, maximum two ads per advertiser, 70 characters per line maximum. No control codes except CR and LF. (Refer to contact info at the end of this newsletter for details.) Please notify us if you have any trouble with an advertiser. FidoNews does not endorse any products or services advertised here. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 25 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== NOTICES ====================================================================== The Interrupt Stack 3 May 1992 The areacode for northern and central Georgia will change from 404 to 702. The Atlanta metro area will remain area code 404. Area code 912 in southern Georgia will remain the same. Affected areas will share both the 404 and the 702 area code from May 3, 1992 until August 3, 1992 when the change will become permanent. 1 Dec 1993 Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release. 5 Jun 1997 David Dodell's 40th Birthday If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 26 4 Nov 1991 ====================================================================== LATEST VERSIONS ====================================================================== Latest Greatest SoftWare Versions Last Update: 11/01/91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MS-DOS Systems -------------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Aurora 1.32b* D'Bridge 1.30 2DAPoint 1.41* DreamBBS 1.05@ Dreamer 1.06 ARCAsim 2.31 Genesis Deluxe 3.2* FrontDoor 2.02* DEMM 1.06@ Kitten 1.01 InterMail 2.01 DGMM 1.06@ Merlin 1.39n@ Milqtoast 1.00 DOMAIN 1.42 ProBoard 1.17* PreNM 1.48* EEngine 0.32* QuickBBS 2.75* SEAdog 4.60 EMM 2.10* RemoteAccess 1.01 SEAmail 1.01@ EZPoint 2.1@ Socrates 1.11 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 TAG 2.5g FGroup 1.00 TComm/TCommNet 3.4 NodeList Utilities GateWorks 3.06e* WWIV 4.20 Name Version GMD 3.00* -------------------- GMM 1.21@ FDND 1.10 GoldEd 2.31p Parselst 1.33* GROUP 2.23 XlaxNode/Diff 2.53* GUS 1.40* HeadEdit 1.18 IMAIL 1.20 Compression InterPCB 1.31 Utilities Lola 1.01d Name Version MSG 4.2* -------------------- MsgLnk 1.0c@ ARC 7.12* MsgMstr 2.03a* ARJ 2.20 MsgNum 4.16d@ LHA 2.13 Netsex 2.00b*@ PAK 2.51 Oliver 1.0a PKPak 3.61 PolyXarc 2.1a PKZip 1.10 QM 1.00a* QSort 4.04 Raid 1.00@ StarLink 1.01 TCOMMail 2.2 TGroup 1.13 TMail 1.21 TPBNetEd 3.2 Tosscan 1.00 UFGATE 1.03 FidoNews 8-44 Page 27 4 Nov 1991 VPurge 4.09e*@ WildMail 1.01b* XRS 4.51* ZmailH 1.25* OS/2 Systems ------------ BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Kitten 1.01@ BinkleyTerm 2.50* ARC 7.12 SimplexBBS 1.04.02*+ BinkleyTerm(S) 2.50*@ ARC2 6.01* SEAmail 1.01@ EZPoint 2.1@ FGroup 1.00@ GROUP 2.23@ LH2 2.11* MSG 4.2* MsgEd 2.06c* MsgLink 1.0c MsgNum 4.16d* oMMM 1.52 Omail 3.1 Parselst 1.33* PKZip 1.02 PMSnoop 1.30*@ PolyXOS2 2.1a QSort 2.1 Raid 1.0 Remapper 1.2 VPurge 4.09e* Xenix/Unix 386 -------------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- |Contact: Jon Hogan-uran 3:711/909, | |Willy Paine 1:343/15 or Eddy van Loo| |2:285/406 | Apple II -------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- DDBBS + 8.0* Fruity Dog 2.0 deARC2e 2.1 GBBS Pro 2.1 ProSel 8.70* FidoNews 8-44 Page 28 4 Nov 1991 ShrinkIt 3.30* |Contact: Dennis McClain-Furmanski 1:275/42| ShrinkIt GS 1.04 Apple CP/M ---------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Macintosh --------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Point System Software Name Version -------------------- Amiga ----- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- DLG Pro. 0.96b TrapDoor 1.80 Areafix 1.48 Falcon CBCS 1.00 AReceipt 1.5 Paragon 2.082+ ChameleonEdit 0.11* XenoLink 1.0 Compression ElectricHerald 1.66 Utilities GCChost 3.6b@ Name Version MessageFilter 1.52 NodeList Utilities -------------------- Message View 1.12@ Name Version UnZip 4.1 oMMM 1.49b -------------------- TrapToss 1.20* TrapList 1.40 Yuck! 2.02* |Contact: Maximilian Hantsch 2:310/6| Atari ST/TT ----------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- FIDOdoor/ST 2.5.1* Burep 1.1@ FiFo 2.1v ComScan 1.04 QuickBBS/ST 1.04 Echoscan 1.10 FidoNews 8-44 Page 29 4 Nov 1991 FDrenum 2.5.2* Import 1.14 Compression Trenum 0.10 Utilities Name Version -------------------- LHARC 2.01e UnJARST 2.00 WhatArc 2.02 Archimedes ---------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Tandy Color Computer 3 (OS-9 Level II) -------------------------------------- BBS Software Compression Utility Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- RiBBS 2.02 OS9ARC (Arc) 1.0 Ascan 1.2 OS9ARC (Dearc) 1.0 AutoFRL 2.0 DEARC CKARC 1.1 UNZIP 3.10 EchoCheck 1.01 FReq 2.5a LookNode 2.00 ParseLST RList 1.03 RTick 2.00 UnSeen 1.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Key: + - Netmail Capable (Doesn't Require Additional Mailer Software) * - Recently Updated Version @ - New Addition # - Commercial SoftWare(Not In Use Yet) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Utility Authors: Please help keep this list up to date by reporting all new versions to 1:103/950 in this format: 1) Software Name & Version 2) FileName.Ext 3) Support Node Address 4) Support BBS Phone Number FidoNews 8-44 Page 30 4 Nov 1991 Note: It is not our intent to list all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity. If you want it updated in the next FidoNews, get it to me by Thursday evening. --David French, 1:103/950 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-44 Page 31 4 Nov 1991 ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Tom Jennings, Tim Pozar Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Periello Special thanks to Ken Kaplan, 1:100/22, aka Fido #22 "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/1 Internet fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org BBS (415)-863-2739 (9600 HST/V32) (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews Box 77731 San Francisco CA 94107 USA Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews. FidoNews is copyright 1991 Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews (we're easy). OBTAINING COPIES: FidoNews in electronic form may be obtained from the FidoNews BBS via manual download or Wazoo FileRequest, or from various sites in the FidoNet and via uucp. PRINTED COPIES mailed may be obtained from Fido Software for $5.00US each PostPaid First Class within North America, or $7.00US elsewhere, mailed Air Mail. (US funds drawn upon a US bank only.) Periodic subscriptions are not available at this time; if enough people request it I will implement it. SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable from 1:1/1 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". FidoNews 8-44 Page 32 4 Nov 1991 "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA and are used with permission. -- END ----------------------------------------------------------------------