F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 8 No. 48 (2 December 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: Fnord .............................................. 1 2. ARTICLES ...................................................... 2 Southwestern Bell in Missouri ................................. 2 What is a point? .............................................. 3 Number nine, number nine, number nine, ....................... 4 The HOLY_BIBLE Echo now on Zone 1 Backbone .................... 6 3. LATEST VERSIONS ............................................... 7 Latest Greatest Software Versions ............................. 7 4. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .......................................... 13 FidoNews 8-48 Page 1 2 Dec 1991 ====================================================================== EDITORIAL ====================================================================== Editorial: Fnord by Tom Jennings (1:1/1) Yes, I did it again... I compressed last week's news with LHARC version 2, instead of the older one. More fallout from my swapover to a new disk. This week should be the right format, sigh. And thanks to the people who sent me ARTSPEC.DOC. And the historical files; I got a few dups, but not as many as you'd think, and some came up with files I'd forgotten about... there's so few copies around, and so few files in those days to begin with, if you find something interesting, by all means send me a copy... There are three things I have promised to do that I have not done as editor of this here thing: solicit more/better articles, change the FidoNews file format, and update ARTSPEC.DOC. In January 1992, I will start producing a new, example format FidoNews. The current format will remain in distribution, but on filerequests to 1:1/1 for file FIDONEWS, you'll get both copies; this older one and the new one. Depending on feedback etc, I'll swap in the new one no less than 8 weeks later, maybe 12 weeks. Also by that time, I will publish the proposed changes to ARTSPEC.DOC, that will hopefully handle the cascading responses to controversial articles, if we ever get any again. The first item is not so easily resolved. It is Actual Work. I didn't mean by my offer that YOU the FidoNews Reader were off the hook on this -- this is supposed to represent the FidoNet, which even the most flameproof and foolhardy sysop has to *occasionally* admit is more than just their own system. Hey, if you want to let it fall into a soapbox rant of my very own, hey, fine by me. I have megs o' text to run. Old articles for punkzines, personal letters, software proposals, source files, hex dumps of memory, lots of great stuff. Yes, this is a threat. You can counteract it by placing this threat under the noses (pens, OK fingers) of prospective authors. Make threats of your own! OK, now that I've appeased my own guilt, here's the news. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-48 Page 2 2 Dec 1991 ====================================================================== ARTICLES ====================================================================== Southwestern Bell in Missouri by Bill White Sysop (1:280/15) Well, this is just to let our fellow SysOps around the country know what Southwestern Bell telephone company is doing now in the state of Missouri. Southwestern Bell has filed petition with the Missouri Public Service Commission to have all BBSs reclassified as business customers, and to impose business rates on us. Some of us will remember when Bell tried the same tactics in Houston, Texas. Before the case made it into the courts, Bell relented and agreed to a three telephone line 'hobby' BBS definition. William Bailey, Southwestern Bells district manager of rate administration for Missouri, was quoted in the _Kansas City Star_ newspaper as saying that was "an enormous mistake", and added that phone companies are unable to monitor whether or not a bulletin board is collecting money from users. How about that! *grin* Southwestern Bell telephone doesn't even know how to telecommunicate! Since the Bell Co's have been given permission to enter the information services business, we can expect all the Bell companies to begin trying to squeeze the free competition out of their way. (That is most of us, BTW.) Don't feel too safe where ever you run your BBS. There have been reports coming in that Oregon and Indiana have both been similarly 'steam-rolled' in the last couple of months. In Missouri, the BBS fight has been picked up by the Greater Kansas City Sysops Association (GKCSA), thanks in large part to Bill Hirt (1:280/304). Bill has information FREQable on the Texas case, and on the Missouri case to date. If you would like this sizable amount of data, FREQ MISSOURI and/or TEXAS magicnames. The GKCSA very recently became a Non-Profit corporation in the State of Missouri. If you are fortunate enough to be able to help out your Missouri cousins with a tax deductible donation towards our legal expenses, please send to: Treasurer G.K.C.S.A. P.O. Box 20491 Kansas City, MO. 64195 FidoNews 8-48 Page 3 2 Dec 1991 Thanks, and we'll keep you posted on the Southwestern Bells proposal here in Missouri. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by Marty Duplissey 1:398/1 Written by Logan Ashby 1:398/1.2 What is a point? What the heck's the Point? I know many of you are staying up late at night, dying to know what the heck's a FidoNet Point? Well I have heard you're silent screams of agony and ignorance, and I'm here to enlighten you. (A little too pretentious, huh? Okay, I'll tone it down, sorry.) FidoNet is an international network of volunteer computer BBS SysOps linked to each other in order to exchange messages and files. But, you say, I don't have a BBS, and I'm not a SysOp, but I would sure like to get in on all this fun. THAT, my friend, is what the heck a FidoNet point is. A PoOp, or Point Operator, has a system configured with all the software necessary to call a FidoNet Node, upload messages, and download replies, any time he so desires. He can also upload and download files with his software, and even has an official FidoNet address for sending/ receving NetMail. He doesn't need to go through a lengthy logon procedure or even remember his password each time he calls the system designated as his feed, or BossNode. His computer remembers how to do all that for him, and can do it automagically while the poor, abused PoOp catches up on his sleep. When he gets up in the morning, he can read all the mail brought in by his system during the night, make the appropriate replies, and prepare them to be sent out on the mail run for that night. And, maybe best of all, he can do all this without having to endure the abuse heaped on the much maligned SysOps who are the real backbone of the system. So, you say, How can I get in on this magic? (What, you didn't say that? Well, you should have.) There are some very simple steps involved. First, you have to find a cooperative SysOp to act as your feed. The system where you obtained this file would be a good place to start your search. Said SysOp should either have the software necessary to setup a point, or know where it can be obtained. Most SysOps that already have point systems they are working with will have software that they can recommend. Download the software from the BBS, set up and configure the software with your name and FidoNet address assigned to you by your BossNode, and prepare to be astounded. You should also find out what Echo areas are available from the BBS, and choose the ones that interest you. One word of warning -- please find out a little bit about Echo 'good manners' before you start entering messages in these areas. Briefly, try to keep your messages short and on the subject of interest. And if you're feeling really generous, you might even volunteer to help your local SysOp pick up some of the tab for his FidoNews 8-48 Page 4 2 Dec 1991 long distance bill. (Just to give you some idea of the dedication of SysOps, most of these guys have phone bills every month that are more than their car payments!!!) One more comment and I'm done. It certainly pays to stay on the good side of your BossNode, as he controls your access to the net. As you may have noticed, I haven't said anything bad about SysOps in this text, and I don't intend to. You see, I learned my lesson when I got my first point system. Everything ran beautifully, until I asked a simple question. I happened to mention to my BossNode SysOp that if I was a PoOp, and he was my feed, didn't that make him a PoOpy chute? I suddenly noticed a drastic drop in the amount of mail coming into my point. My mail traffic did resume as soon as I performed the suitable groveling. :-) ------------------------------------------------------------------ This message is dedicated in memory of David Miller of Longview, TX, a great man, and an example of all the best things in FidoNet. As SysOp of Barnco BBS, David was my first BossNode, and taught me most of what I know about FidoNet. Tragically, he was stricken with cancer shortly after we met, and passed away soon after. He is sorely missed. Logan Ashby 1:398/1.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Number nine, number nine, number nine, ... [This was written a few years back. I'm running it without contacting the author. Note that with the advent of TICK/FLEA, a lot of technical hurdles are gone... With the PGP package, as it exists without change in MSDOS excutable form, exceedingly high security could be had for "free". Each net would simply generate their nodelist fragment as a DIFF, PGP it, and FLEA/TICK it. Whenever a file appears in the ZnnnLST directory, you simply handle it as a NODEDIFF. That's all. (You could even manually rename each incoming file NODEDIFF.1, NODEDIFF.2, etc so existing software would accept it! --tomj] Decentralizing the FidoNet Nodelist - Decentralizing FidoNet Power FidoNews 8-48 Page 5 2 Dec 1991 Randy Bush 1:105/6 16 Jun 89 Think of FidoNet as a confederation of local nets. Forget regions. Forget zones except as a way of saving telco charges by concentrating messages and as a way to segment the total nodelist. FidoNet returns to being a collection of local nets, as it was before the region and zone hierarchies were added just a few years ago. In each zone there is an echo, call it ZnnnLIST, to which every NC in that zone subscribes. In the North American zone, it is Z001LIST. For the moment, do not worry about the security or reliability of this echo, but things like sequence numbers, checksums, and RSA public key signatures can be used to address such problems (you are aware that RSA can be used to send a validatable signature, yes?). When an NC's net (or hub) segment undergoes significant change (significant is that which would be likely to affect callers from outside one's own net), then the NC posts a processed version of that segment to the ZnnnLIST echo. The processing could be to create a difference file, compress the file, maybe RSA signature encode it, or whatever else is deemed necessary. A simplistic scheme to start is a collection of lines of the form add z:n/n del z:n/n chg z:n/n similar to the prerevolutionary nodediff file. By placing the processed segment in the ZnnnLIST echo, each net's nodelist segment(s) will be automatically distributed to all other nets within that zone. This is the essence of the scheme. Each NC automatically accumulates the changes to the zone nodelist as they pass by in the ZnnnLIST echo for their zone. Once a week (or two), they create a difference file against last week's accumulated zone nodelist, and distribute this new difference file within their local net. The nodes within the net are thus insulated from all change, and do not have to change their prerevolutionary batch files or programs. The zonegates exchange periodic diffference files for their zones, and make the lists (or difference files) of the other zones available within their own, likely via the local ZnnnLIST echo. Since the advent of zonegates, one need not know much about a node in another zone, only the sysop's name and the node number. So we could choose to reduce the size of lists we keep of other zones, if the thought is not too scary. Note that a first prototype of this methodology could be constructed from existing software plus a few days of coding. FidoNews 8-48 Page 6 2 Dec 1991 -------- Credits: o FidoNet is a trademark of Tom Jennings. o UucpNet/Internet distribute the maps via their equivalents of echomail. o This idea in this general form was first spoken of by Tom Jennings in the FIDOBETA echo in May '89. o Ken Ganshirt refocussed my attention on it when I whined about the current FidoNet hierarchic power structure. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Winter FidoNet 1:151/208 209 210 Now Available on the Zone 1 Backbone! ******** Acts 2:38 *++++++* John 3:5 *+ ** +* **************+ ** +************* *+++++++++++ ++++++++++* *+ ******* HOLY_BIBLE ****** +* *+++++++++++ ++++++++++* **************+ ** +************* *+ ** +* Gal 1:8 *+ ** +* Mark 12:29 *+ ** +* I Tim 3:16 *+ ** +* Acts 2:4 *+ ** +* Isa 45:21 *+ ** +* Mark 16:16 *+ ** +* Acts 10:46 *++++++* Acts 19:5 ******** Hebrews 5:9 Acts 22:16 James 1:22 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-48 Page 7 2 Dec 1991 ====================================================================== LATEST VERSIONS ====================================================================== Latest Greatest SoftWare Versions Last Update: 11/29/91 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MS-DOS Systems -------------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Aurora 1.32b BinkleyTerm 2.50 2DAPoint 1.50* DMG 2.93 D'Bridge 1.30 ARCAsim 2.31 DreamBBS 1.05 Dreamer 1.06 ARCmail 2.07 Fido/FidoNet 12.21 Dutchie 2.90c Areafix 1.20 Genesis Deluxe 3.2 FrontDoor 2.02 ConfMail 4.00 GSBBS 3.02 InterMail 2.01 Crossnet 1.5 Kitten 1.01 Milqtoast 1.00 DOMAIN 1.42 Lynx 1.30 PreNM 1.48 DEMM 1.06 Maximus-CBCS 2.00 SEAdog 4.60 DGMM 1.06 Merlin 1.39n SEAmail 1.01 DOMAIN 1.42 Opus 1.71 TIMS 1.0(mod8) EEngine 0.32 PCBoard 14.5a EMM 2.10 Phoenix 1.07* EZPoint 2.1 ProBoard 1.17 NodeList Utilities 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 QuickBBS 2.75 Name Version FGroup 1.00 RBBS 17.3b -------------------- FNPGate 2.70 RemoteAccess 1.10 EditNL 4.00 GateWorks 3.06e SimplexBBS 1.05 FDND 1.10 GMail 2.05 SLBBS 2.15b MakeNL 2.31 GMD 3.10 Socrates 1.11 Parselst 1.33 GMM 1.21 SuperBBS 1.10 Prune 1.40 GoldEd 2.31p TAG 2.5g SysNL 3.14 GROUP 2.23 TBBS 2.1 XlatList 2.90 GUS 1.40 TComm/TCommNet 3.4 XlaxNode/Diff 2.53 HeadEdit 1.18 Telegard 2.5 IMAIL 1.20 TPBoard 6.1 InterPCB 1.31 TriTel 1.11 Compression Lola 1.01d WildCat! 2.55 Utilities MSG 4.2 WWIV 4.20 Name Version MSGED 2.06 XBBS 1.77 -------------------- MsgLnk 1.0c ARC 7.12 MsgMstr 2.03a ARJ 2.20 MsgNum 4.16d LHA 2.13 MSGTOSS 1.3 PAK 2.51 Netsex 2.00b PKPak 3.61 Oliver 1.0a PKZip 1.10 PolyXarc 2.1a QM 1.00a FidoNews 8-48 Page 8 2 Dec 1991 QSort 4.04 Raid 1.00 ScanToss 1.28 Sirius 1.0x SLMail 1.36 SquishMail 1.00 StarLink 1.01 TagMail 2.41 TCOMMail 2.2 Telemail 1.27 TGroup 1.13 TMail 1.21 TPRNetEd 3.2 TosScan 1.00 UFGATE 1.03 VPurge 4.09e WildMail 1.01b XRS 4.51 XST 2.3e 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 Maximus-CBCS 2.00 BinkleyTerm(S) 2.50 ARC2 6.01 SimplexBBS 1.04.02+ BinkleyTerm/2-MT ConfMail 4.00 1.40.02 EchoStat 6.0 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 SquishMail 1.00 Tick 2.0 FidoNews 8-48 Page 9 2 Dec 1991 VPurge 4.09e Xenix/Unix 386 -------------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- BinkleyTerm 2.32b ARC 5.21 C-LHARC 1.00 MsgEd 2.06 |Contact: Jon Hogan-uran 3:711/909, | MSGLINK 1.01 |Willy Paine 1:343/15 or Eddy van Loo| oMMM 1.42 |2:285/406 | Omail 1.00 ParseLst 1.32 Unzip 3.10 VPurge 4.08 Zoo 2.01 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* 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 -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Daisy 2j Daisy Mailer 0.38 Filer 2-D MsgUtil 2.5 Nodecomp 0.37 PackUser 4 UNARC.Com 1.20 Macintosh --------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- FBBS 0.91 Copernicus 1.0 ArcMac 1.3 Hermes 1.6.1 Tabby 2.2 AreaFix 1.6 Mansion 7.15 Compact Pro 1.30 Precision Sys. 0.95b EventMeister 1.0 FidoNews 8-48 Page 10 2 Dec 1991 Red Ryder Host 2.1 Export 3.21 Telefinder Host Import 3.2 2.12T10 LHARC 0.41 MacArd 0.04 Mantissa 3.21 Point System Mehitable 2.0 Software OriginatorII 2.0 Name Version PreStamp 3.2 -------------------- StuffIt Classic 1.6 Copernicus 1.00 SunDial 3.2 CounterPoint 1.09 TExport 1.92 MacWoof 1.1 TimeStamp 1.6 TImport 1.92 Tset 1.3 TSort 1.0 UNZIP 1.02c Zenith 1.5 Zip Extract 0.10 Amiga ----- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- DLG Pro. 0.96b BinkleyTerm 1.00 Areafix 1.48 Falcon CBCS 1.00 TrapDoor 1.80 AReceipt 1.5 Paragon 2.082+ WelMat 0.44 ChameleonEdit 0.11 TransAmiga 1.07 ConfMail 1.12 XenoLink 1.0 ElectricHerald 1.66 Compression GCChost 3.6b@ Utilities Login 0.18 NodeList Utilities Name Version MessageFilter 1.52 Name Version -------------------- Message View 1.12@ -------------------- AmigArc 0.23 oMMM 1.49b ParseLst 1.64 booz 1.01 PolyXAmy 2.02 Skyparse 2.30 LHARC 1.30 RMB 1.30 TrapList 1.40 LZ 1.92 Roof 1.30 PKAX 1.00 RoboWriter 1.02 UnZip 4.1 Rsh 4.06 Zippy (Unzip) 1.25 Tick 0.75 Zoo 2.01 TrapToss 1.20 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 BinkleyTerm 2.40n9 Burep 1.1 FiFo 2.1v The Box 1.20 ComScan 1.04 LED ST 1.00 ConfMail 4.10 FidoNews 8-48 Page 11 2 Dec 1991 MSGED 1.99 Echoscan 1.10 QuickBBS/ST 1.04 NodeList Utilities FDrenum 2.5.2 Name Version FastPack 1.20 -------------------- Import 1.14 Compression ParseList 1.30 oMMM 1.40 Utilities EchoFix 1.20 Pack 1.00 Name Version sTICK/Hatch 5.50 Trenum 0.10 -------------------- ARC 6.02 LHARC 2.01e PackConvert STZIP UnJARST 2.00 WhatArc 2.02 Archimedes ---------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- ARCbbs 1.44 BinkleyTerm 2.03 ARC 1.03 BatchPacker 1.00 ParseLst 1.30 !Spark 2.00d Unzip 2.1TH 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 FidoNews 8-48 Page 12 2 Dec 1991 # - Commercial SoftWare(Not In Use Yet) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Utility Authors: Please help keep this list up to date by reporting all new versions to 1:103/250 in this format: 1) Software Name & Version 2) FileName.Ext 3) Support Node Address 4) Support BBS Phone Number 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, 1:103/250 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-48 Page 13 2 Dec 1991 ====================================================================== FIDONEWS INFORMATION ====================================================================== ------- 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 8-48 Page 14 2 Dec 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 ----------------------------------------------------------------------