F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 9 No. 49 (7 December 1992) A newsletter of the | FidoNet BBS community | Published by: _ | / \ | "FidoNews" BBS /|oo \ | +1-415-863-2739 (_| /_) | NEW!--> 1:1/23@FidoNet _`@/_ \ _ | editor@fidonews.fidonet.org | | \ \\ | | (*) | \ )) | Editors: |__U__| / \// | Tom Jennings _//|| _\ / | Tim Pozar (_/(_|(____/ | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | -- JOSEPH PULITZER ----------------------------+--------------------------------------- /********************************************************************* * IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address for FidoNews has been changed. * * The new address is: * * * * FidoNews = 1:1/23 * * * * Starting January 1993 email sent to the old address will not be * * forwarded! You were warned! * *********************************************************************/ For information, copyrights, article submissions, obtaining copies and other boring but important details, please refer to the end of this file. Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ..................................................... 1 Editorial: Shut up it's good for you .......................... 1 2. ARTICLES ...................................................... 2 Ask EFF! ...................................................... 2 Routed NetMail Privacy ........................................ 3 Say no to Squeeze-It .......................................... 6 A short 'YAP' reflection ...................................... 6 DuckNet: Asylum From Usual Network Politics ................... 7 An Invitation to Visit The In_Country Echo .................... 8 (ORH) Operation Restore Hope - Somalia ........................ 8 PC-MOS/386 echo local, maybe on the backbone ? ................ 9 International RACISM Forum! ................................... 10 3. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .......................................... 13 FidoNews 9-49 Page 1 7 Dec 1992 ====================================================================== EDITORIAL ====================================================================== Editorial: Shut up it's good for you by Tom Jennings (1:1/23) Slowly, ever so slowly I get around to things. With this issue starts a new regular column, "Ask EFF!", devoted to answering questions about online rights for sysops. It will hopefully run at least monthly. Please send any questions you have about online rights to "Ask EFF" at the FidoNews address (like it sez in the column), and I'll forward them on to Shari Steele at EFF. How the process works somewhat depends on the number of questions received. If you don't know what or who the EFF is, the Electronic Frontier Foundation was formed by some people concerned about preserving and extending our communication rights into the electronic world(s). They have defended a number of cases such as Steve Jackson games, and pioneered some interesting stuff in Washington DC. While I hope the EFF will occasionally send me some propaganda I mean articles to run, you can see some of their work in a filearea on the FidoNews BBS. If you have Internet access, you can contact them at eff@eff.org, or FTP files directly from them. (They don't run a BBS or have direct FidoNet access.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 9-49 Page 2 7 Dec 1992 ====================================================================== ARTICLES ====================================================================== +------------------------------------------------------+ | Ask EFF! | | | | Ask EFF! is a monthly column devoted to answering | | sysops questions about their online rights. Answers | | to "Ask EFF!" are provided by Shari Steele, a Staff | | Attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. EFF | | is a nonprofit, membership organization dedicated to | | advancing freedom and openness in computer-based | | communications. | | Send your questions to "Ask EFF!" c/o FidoNews, | | 1:1/23 in FidoNet, or to ask.eff@fidonews.fidonet.org| +------------------------------------------------------+ Dear EFF, There is a long message on a Fido echo about some New Jersey tv station's "expose" on, horrors, porno GIF images on BBSs. Enclosed in the message are a couple of statements that the U.S. Senate is looking at a bill that would require BBSs to register with the government. Naturally, no bill number or sponsor was named. But have you heard of any such proposal? Thanks! Adam Hi Adam. The thought of the government making such a requirement of BBSs is pretty scary stuff. Fortunately, however, there was no such bill introduced in the Senate last term (or the House, for that matter), and I don't anticipate one being introduced next term either. Dear EFF, I am the sysop of a Public BBS system that supports files and the general chit chat found on most BBS systems. However I would like to start networking message areas that deal with phone/computer system topics. The messages will be checked before any of the user-posted messages can be read by another user to make sure people are not posting long distance carrier codes or system accounts, but I would also like to have a legal disclaimer. Is there any way you could help me with this? Thanks. Rob Hi Rob. It's a good idea to include a disclaimer if you intend to read and edit user messages. There is no standard disclaimer, but you could try something like this: FidoNews 9-49 Page 3 7 Dec 1992 ***NOTICE*** Illegal activity is not permitted on this board. Users may not use this BBS to post any illegal messages, such as those containing codes for gaining unauthorized access to computer or telephone systems. To ensure legality, all messages will be read by the sysop prior to posting. The sysop will edit and/or delete messages that he believes contain illegal information. Do not leave messages you do not wish to be read, edited and/or deleted by the sysop. Note that with this disclaimer you are only giving yourself permission to edit/delete potentially illegal messages. If you want to be able to also edit/delete other messages (i.e., ones that are tasteless, or irrelevant to the current flow of conversation, or repetitive, etc.), modify the disclaimer to include this. Also, feel free to adjust the disclaimer for other specifics to your board. Dear EFF, Is there an easy way for a sysop to recognize copyrighted GIFs that should not be online? I've had a couple I KNEW could not be kept in a BBS collection, but with the enormous numbers of GIFs available.... Joyce Hi Joyce. The simple answer to your question is no. Unfortunately, it is often difficult for a sysop to know if something on his or her board is illegal. The sysop's best bet is to contact the person making the upload if there is any question. Incidently, it is very unlikely that a sysop would ever be held liable for something on his or her board that was not obviously illegal, unless there was some reason the sysop should have suspected illegal activity and did nothing to avoid it. In the recent case where Playboy sued a sysop for carrying copyrighted GIF files on his board, Playboy had given him notice and had requested that he remove the illegal files before filing suit. (The Playboy case was settled out of court.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ROUTED NETMAIL PRIVACY Jim Cannell 1:216/21 Since its humble beginnings in 1984, FidoNet has enabled people over the entire world to communicate inexpensively and reliably. Today, it is almost routine for a message to be delivered anywhere in the world in 24 - 48 hours at a very low cost. Yet, for all this speed and low cost, one very important thing has had to be sacrificed --- privacy. A copy of the message exists on each and every system that the message is routed through, available for the sysop and possibly others to read. FidoNews 9-49 Page 4 7 Dec 1992 Now with the advent of low cost public key cryptography, messages that are readable only by the sender and recipient are available to almost anyone. PGP 2.0 is a freeware package that is widely avail- able that will allow you to sign/encrypt messages. You can hide the message from prying eyes, verify that you really did write it, or both. Unfortunately, Policy4, among its many other problems, defines the routing of encrypted mail through other systems as annoying behavior, unless the sysop of the system agrees in advance. Yet, routing of NetMail is the main way of keeping costs down, and money in the sysop's pocket instead of the phone company's. Given the futility of trying to change Policy4 at any time in the near future, several systems are setting up a new routing structure within FidoNet called SecureMail. SecureMail systems have voluntarily agreed to forward *ALL* NetMail being routed through their systems, regardless of the content of that mail. Now you can send that private note to your lover without titillating every sysop along the way by putting it into the envelope that PGP can generate for you. Ultimately, it is planned to have a SecureMail hub in every net and in every region that will forward truly private mail at little or no cost to you. To send a message (whether it is ciphertext or plaintext) through the SecureMail system, all you have to do is sned it to the nearest SecureMail hub. It will then be routed through one or more regional and/or net hubs and ultimately be delivered to the recipient's system. As yet, SecureMail does not have complete coverage in Zone 1. We are actively recruiting volunteers for Net and Regional hubs to help make SecureMail a success. Most importantly, we are looking for Regional hubs in Regions 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 19, as well as zonegates for Zones 2-6. The current Region hubs are: Region 10 Jim Cannell 1:216/21 Region 11 open Region 12 open Region 13 open Region 14 open Region 15 Dave Munhollon 1:128/86 Region 16 open Region 17 Ted Rolle 1:105/36 Region 18 Christopher Baker 1:374/14 Region 19 open If you would like to volunteer for this exciting venture, please contact any of the above Region hubs via NetMail. Some objections to encrypted mail have been raised. Doesn't it open the door to criminal traffic passing through your system? Why should honest people have anything to hide? As a partial answer to these objections, can you guarantee that criminal traffic is not already passing through your system? And yes, honest people do have some- thing to hide --- from dishonest people. Like it or not, of the over FidoNews 9-49 Page 5 7 Dec 1992 15,000 sysops in FidoNet, some are dishonest. This article is not to discuss the pros and cons of encrypted mail. That discussion should properly take place in the PUBLIC_KEYS Echo, SYSOP Echo, etc. This article is to introduce SecureMail to those of you who wish to send and receive private mail through FidoNet. If you are among those who feel uncomfortable with the idea of encrypted mail, then don't handle it on your system. You can still send plaintext messages through the SecureMail system or use whatever routing that you are currently using. The SecureMail Routing Proposal follows. Comments on this are welcome, either in NetMail or the PUBLIC_KEYS Echo. SECUREMAIL ROUTING PROPOSAL This is a proposal to set up a NetMail routing system in FidoNet that will allow anyone using it to obtain the cost benefits that routed mail provides, while maximizing the security/privacy of the contents of that mail. The SecureMail routing network will consist entirely of FidoNet systems whose sysops have voluntarily agreed to handle encrypted/signed mail. Note that SecureMail is a supplement to the existing NetMail routing within FidoNet. It is not an OtherNet; it operates entirely within FidoNet. SecureMail is for NetMail only. It will not handle EchoMail, although some hubs within it may handle EchoMail in addition. The SecureMail systems will be considered carriers only, and will not be responsible for the content of any traffic routed through this network. The following defines the systems that will comprise the SecureMail network. REGION HUB There will be one routing hub in each FidoNet Region. This hub will be responsible for forwarding all NetMail to/from nets and independent nodes in his region. Mail to/from other regions will be forwarded to/from other Region Hubs. The Region Hub should also make an effort to recruit Net Hubs in his Region. NET HUB There will be one routing hub in each Net. This hub will be responsible for forwarding all NetMail to/from other nodes in his net and to/from the Region Hub. FidoNews 9-49 Page 6 7 Dec 1992 All sysops who participate in SecureMail agree to: 1) Not read or in any other way monitor the content of intransit mail. 2) Forward all mail, regardless of content. 3) Either return undeliverable mail to the sender or an explanation of why it could not be delivered. 4) Encourage the routine use of public key encryption and/or signing of all mail. 5) Not refuse mail to/from any node, unless the volume of traffic to/from that node causes excessive long distance telephone charges to the routing system. In this case, the node with the large volume of traffic should be encouraged to use direct, rather than routed mail. A nodelist flag will be used to identify the systems participating in SecureMAil. URSMH and UNSMH (Region and Net SecureMail Hubs) are suggested. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Squeezing us Non-IBMers out of Fido again? by Andrew Gray of 1:231/590 This is response to Joe Jared's article in last weeks FidoNews. Thenew Squeeze-It may be great, but as I have mentioned in a past FidoNews,what about us Non-IBMers? I COULD whip out AmyArc (example only) andcompress everything with that, then talk about it in a newsletter sayinghow great it was and it wouldn't do you a bit of good would it? True, Idon't mind people say "A new archiver TUVWXYZ just came out and its muchbetter and faster than ZYXWVUT (creative with names, ain't I?)" butsaying that all the files on your board is now restricted to IBMs only..No.Will you people please think of EVERYONE, not just one group? True mytitle may be harsh, but it may eventually come to this... Until sourceis publicly availible, I don't like the idea of a new compressor beingused by FidoNet. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- by Chip Morrow 1:226/1240, 1241 FidoNews 9-49 Page 7 7 Dec 1992 Without attempting to continue the generation of an endless number of these types of articles, I wanted to respond with a big "Attaboy!" to Roland Gautschi for an actual attempt at a vastly shortened (and comprehensible, even) POLICY*.DOC in FNEWS948. I stayed out of FidoNet for years, simply because it scared me to death. Among other things, I was unable to gather enough information as to what exactly would be required of me as a Fido node (how many of you REALLY got all of that out of the existing POLICY4?). After finally collecting everything that I needed, it wasn't nearly as bad as many non-Fido SysOps make it out to be. Wouldn't it be nice to have something short and sweet like that in hand when trying to convince a fellow SysOp to join the net? Personal opinion: Although Roland's proposal was a bit on the skimpy side (even for me), the combination of the basics of that proposal, and an update to the now-two-years-old NEWSYSOP.ARC draft would go a long way towards actually having one central "information packet" on joining FidoNet. Unless we really WANT to keep things as complex as possible, and continue to scare perfectly reasonable people away... And now, back your regularly-scheduled articles. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- By Shawn K. Quinn (1:106/7550) DuckNet: Asylum From Usual Network Politics Are you tired of the same old people getting in power and staying in power thanks to an outdated policy document? Isn't it about time a network was founded with ideas and principles that at least give the "grunt SysOps" a fighting chance? Isn't there some better way to run a network besides letting the ZC pick the RCs and then in almost the same breath, turning right back around and letting the RCs pick the ZC? If you agree with the above, then keep on reading for more info about DuckNet. Actually, DuckNet isn't that new. We've been around since about June of this year in some form, but network traffic has gone up and down. While there are only 8 (yes, that's right, EIGHT) nodes in DuckNet right now, and message traffic is nearly nonexistent, our goal is to have at least ***100*** (one hundred) nodes by January 1993. A modest goal, considering several alternative nets have reached this number. It is fairly well known that a network's success depends partly upon having enough nodes in it. The reverse is also true: successful networks get more nodes. Sometimes people join a network just because there are 17,000+ other SysOps in it! In order for this experiment (or whatever the heck you want to call it) to succeed, someone's got to join. That someone might be you. If you are interested, file request FidoNews 9-49 Page 8 7 Dec 1992 DUCKKIT from any of the following addresses: 1:106/7550, 1:202/1109, 1:2606/214. We especially need people good at drafting policy documents. Shawn K. Quinn - DuckNet IC & Z47C ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lefty Frizzell Fidonet Node 106/449 We would like to take this opportunity to invite Desert Storm and any other veteran holding a campaign ribbon to visit the In_Country Echo. This echo is for veterans of any war, any conflict, any service and any country. We hope to be able to contact others whose experiences are common to ours, but possibly from the otherside's viewpoint. We are all proud of our combat service and realize that it places us apart from servicemen that may have served during our era; but whom may have not earned a campaign ribbon. We hope to make it a place that Combat Veterans can meet and maintain that comeraderie that may be missing in civilian or military life. Basically, to give us all a place where we can come to talk to people that 95% of the time are going to understand exactly what we are trying to say. A place that is for the Combat Vet, not for his sister. The Echo is moderated by Lefty Frizzell and Scott Summers. Both of us are veterans of the Vietnam Conflict. Scott is one of the founders of the Houston Foundation for Vietnam Veterans. His son is a Saudi veteran...a fact that Scott is doubly proud of. The echo has been available regionally for quite awhile and on the back bone for 3 months. Come join us and talk over old times. We may not have all the answers to your problems either personal or with the VA. However, we may know someone that does. The echo is sponsored by the Houston Foundation for Vietnam Veterans in Houston, Texas. They have helped many veterans since their inception. They may be able to help you if you have a problem. Anyhow, welcome home guys. Hope to see you In_Country. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- by Jerry Seward (ORH) Operation Restore Hope - Somalia FidoNews 9-49 Page 9 7 Dec 1992 Following the implementation of Operation Restore Hope, the U.S. and U.N. mission to provide security for humanitarian aid to Somalia, a new echomail conference has been started. The tagname is ORH and it is now available at 1:2613/333. Important newswires regarding this mission will be posted, in addition to general discussions about the mission and pertinent information regarding the civilian and military personnel involved. If you're interested in obtaining a feed for this conference, please send FidoNet netmail to 1:2613/333 or an Internet message to orh@rochgte.fidonet.org. -- END ---------------------------------------------------------------------- by Roeland Jansen, 2:512/153.1 PC-MOS/386 echo, locally available right now ! So, what's PC-MOS supposed to be ? PC-MOS/386 is a DOS v5.00 compatible multitasking operating system which eventually does also provide multiuser support. Also, this echo will also discuss other products like PC-EMULINK, LanLink PRO and the gateway to Novell. We have decided to create this echo to discuss problems, arising with installations, problem reporting and all such stuff. We're also working on getting this on the backbone as well so that anyone can join in from his or her local NODE. This, however is still in the make but we do like to hear if there are people willing to join this echo. This will strenghten the idea that such an echo is indeed needed. Currently, the echo is available locally at Arjen Schouten, 2:512/153 and also at Ken Levitt, 1:16/390. Any message will be crossposted to keep the local echoes in sync. The only requirements to join the echo is to be a bit on topic and keep the general stuff which definitely do not belong there out, like politics, bashing and so forth. Moderation is generally done at the point where you insert the echo, e.g. at 1:16/390 by means of Ken Levitt and 2:512/153 by means of me for this moment. When/If we're on the backbone, we'll keep the moderation; after a few months, we could vote for any moderator. For joining the echo, just drop a NETMAIL note that you want to join in and we'll setup the right stuff to let you poll. Basically, anyone can join in for any information. contact us at : Ken Levitt, 1:16/390 or Roeland Jansen, 2:512/153.1 FidoNews 9-49 Page 10 7 Dec 1992 Roeland Jansen ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The International RACISM Forum! by Bernie Wilt at 1:114/169 The International RACISM Forum is becoming increasingly popular. Many are pleased with the opportunity to tell us how they feel about racial issues. There is certainly much to be said, and a great place to say it. Why is there are booming echo on racism? Because it is a very hot topic - worldwide! The subject of racism has been a difficult one for many in which to share their thoughts and beliefs without the unease of personal contact. The International Racism Forum gives people of any color (race) a place to address this issue with little or no inhibitions. The array of expression within this forum is increasingly colorful and informative. Racism is an issue of extreme importance to the health of any civilization. How people respond to the problems associated with racism has an vital impact on society and its affairs. Racism can be found at the very heart of not a few historical events. The International Racism Forum provides you, and the users of your Bulletin Board Service, a professional means of communicating concerns and perhaps solutions regarding racism, to the peoples of the world. Become a participant today! CONTACT INFORMATION: -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- - To set up a poll for participation in the forum: NETMAIL Dennis Davis at 1:114/167 (9600) and request access to the International RACISM Forum. Include your password and archive preference in the request. (NOTE: an echo polled late at night will not cost much at all! You'd be surprised - give it a trial!) - For further information about the International Racism Forum, or PIONEER NET (tm) contact: Bernie Wilt at 1:114/169 (NOTE: you will have to manually FidoNews 9-49 Page 11 7 Dec 1992 enter the name Bernie Wilt as it is not listed in the nodelist to the above address) File Request: PIONEER from 1:114/169 for PIONEER NET info. The International RACISM Forum guidelines are as follows: -----------------------------x CUT x--------------------------------- RACISM FORUM GUIDELINES -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The purpose of this forum is to provide a means of discussing the topic of RACISM. Newspapers, television news, and often personal experiences, make us keenly aware of the fact that RACISM is alive and well in today's society. Many of us do not share our feelings and opinions on the matter, because of various fears and/or reservations. The RACISM forum affords the opportunity to discuss your feelings, ideas, beliefs, and emotions on racism without the difficulty of personal contact. There are guidelines that must be followed to maintain an environment conducive to order: 1). This forum, RACISM, is specifically for the exchange of messages that relate directly to the topic of racism. Please use NetMail or an appropriate forum for all other topics of discussion. 2). COMMERCIAL messages must be APPROVED prior to being posted in this forum. If you have materials that you'd like to distribute, that relate to RACISM, feel free to forward them to the address below for consideration. In the event your materials are approved, you may then present them in the forum. 3). Please use your REAL NAME when using this conference. Handles and/or aliases are *not* allowed. While names such as "Mr. PotatoHead" and "Dances With Dead Wolves" may be useful elsewhere, they are not expedient in the RACISM forum. 4). There are many different people of varied backgrounds that will frequent this forum, please conduct your communications in an appropriate manner. a). The following are unnecessary and unacceptable forms of discussion or expression for this forum: - Vulgar language (which includes substitution of letters with symbols that still convey the meaning; such as: me**age = message). - Flaming, instigating, threats, personal insults, or FidoNews 9-49 Page 12 7 Dec 1992 harassments (note: it is understood that debates may become intense at times; however they should not be malicious). - Slang_racial_terms will not be allowed unless used indirectly within the body of a message for educational purposes. 5). It is not the purpose of this forum to give platform to racial supremacy groups, nor to harm race relations. You are free to express your feelings and opinions, within the guidelines, but please give careful thought to what you share in this forum. 6). Off-topic discussion should not be posted in this forum. Please do not reply to any off-topic or inappropriate messages. If you wish to respond to these type of posts, please use NETMAIL. 7). This forum is owned and regulated by the moderator. A network or system operator reserves the right to discontinue receiving the forum at any time. 8). Any problems encountered within the RACISM forum should be addressed to Bernie Wilt, via NETMAIL, at 27:814/0 or 1:114/169. Thank you for your cooperation! Bernie Wilt International Racism Forum Moderator PIONEER NET (tm) P. O. Box 111 Delta, CO 81416-0111 ***Enclose a S.A.S.E., if reply is desired.*** Copyright (c) 1992 Bernie Wilt * All Rights Reserved -----------------------------x CUT x--------------------------------- Hope to hear from you soon in the International RACISM Forum! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 9-49 Page 13 7 Dec 1992 ====================================================================== FIDONEWS INFORMATION ====================================================================== ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Tom Jennings, Tim Pozar Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address of the FidoNews BBS has been changed!!! Please make a note of this. "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/23 <---- NEW ADDRESS!!!! Internet fidonews@fidosw.fidonet.org BBS +1-415-863-2739, 300/1200/2400/16800/V.32bis/Zyxel (Postal Service mailing address) (have extreme patience) FidoNews c/o World Power Systems <---- don't forget this 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. Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is copyright 1992 Tom Jennings. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or FidoNews (we're easy). OBTAINING COPIES: The-most-recent-issue-ONLY of 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 Internet. PRINTED COPIES may be obtained from Fido Software for $10.00US each PostPaid First Class within North America, or $13.00US elsewhere, mailed Air Mail. (US funds drawn upon a US bank only.) BACK ISSUES: Available from FidoNet nodes 1:102/138, 1:216/21, 1:125/1212, 1:107/519.1 (and probably others), via filerequest or download (consult a recent nodelist for phone numbers). INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.ieee.org, in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. If you have questions regarding FidoNet, please direct them to deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org, not the FidoNews BBS. (Be kind and patient; David Deitch is generously volunteering to handle FidoNet/Internet questions.) FidoNews 9-49 Page 14 7 Dec 1992 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 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it. "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA and are used with permission. Asked what he thought of Western civilization, M.K. Gandhi said, "I think it would be an excellent idea". -- END ----------------------------------------------------------------------