F I D O N E W S -- Vol.11 No.44 (31-Oct-1994) +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | A newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet BBS community | "FidoNews" BBS | | _ | +1-519-570-4176 | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | Small animal psychology and | | (_| /_) | Spiritual guidance Department: | | _`@/_ \ _ | Rev. Richard Visage 1:163/409 | | | | \ \\ | | | | (*) | \ )) | Editors: | | |__U__| / \// | Donald Tees 1:221/192 | | _//|| _\ / | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 | | (_/(_|(____/ | Tim | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: editors 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | | | Don -- don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Tim Pozar -- pozar@kumr.lns.com | | David Deitch -- 1:133/411.411, deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org | | | submissions=> editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies of fidonews or the internet gateway faq | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ======================================================================== Table of Contents ======================================================================== 1. Editorial..................................................... 2 2. Articles...................................................... 2 What the HELL has happened to FIDO?......................... 2 FrontDoor License Interpretation............................ 3 NEt 700..................................................... 5 MOD UPD accepted for edition 411............................ 5 THE S.C. ITALIAN FIDOBUST: SIX MONTHS LATER................. 6 Appointment Announcement - Zone One Echomail Coordinator.... 10 Election Results - Zone One Echomail Coordinator............ 10 FidoNet: Breakdown Of The Infrastructure.................... 11 Subj: BLOWHARDS Echo Rules for Blowhards.................... 14 3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 16 FidoNews 11-44 Page: 2 31 Oct 1994 ======================================================================== Editorial ======================================================================== I spoke to a Mr. Green of Plannet Connect the other day, and am convinced that the fuss over censorship of fidonet echos is unjustified. It appears that the monitoring that was being done was primarily to weed out a large number of phony messages and duplicates that were being introduced into the datastream (in what appeared to be a malicious and deliberately destructive manner I might add). On other fronts, the ZEC election is over, and the results are included in this issue. As well, an update on the Italian BBS raids of several months back. Here is your snooze ... ======================================================================== Articles ======================================================================== What the HELL has happened to FIDO? What a question. Now Net 205 has had its share of problems. Many still remember the harrassment charges going around, the splits between Net 205, 214 and 217. These Nets weren't even heard of before the blow up around here. Since then, Net 205, 214 and 217 have joined echos, communicate regularly and even share many common interests. How it was! In June of '93 our NC called it quits, shortly there after, the NEC quits. Our NEC was the mail feed, and the NC was sort of a strong NC. She simply tried to keep the Net within a small confined structure. She lived by a rule that kept the Net growing for several years, "Calm down it's a hobby!". Well no one else wanted the job with all of the turmoil, and here I woke up one morning and I was "IT". How it Changed! Well I decided that I had a choice, either take a position or let the Net die. I sat back and watched the Net from a different point of view, Administratively, for about 2 weeks and decided what position to take. The middle one. Everyone was right. They had all bought their systems, they all paid their own phone bills, they all had different themes on their board. Nobody was wrong, Soooo, what do I do, I lifted excommunication of one of the sysops. Once I did that, he quit harrassing everyone. Other sysops even named a local echo for him. Another local echo "SOAPBOX" picked up speed. The arguing and debating still continue there UNMODERATED. And the general stuff went back to general. Want echos, chatter etc... are now just that. The Moral! We can't change people. The easiest way to stop a problem is to not FidoNews 11-44 Page: 3 31 Oct 1994 try to. The problem will generally subside and in most cases cease if it is worked with. With in excess of 1,000,000 users and over 30,000 boards, we should know by now that dealing with problems through policy or rules simply doesn't work. Policies are GUIDELINES. Rules are fun to break. Seeing the response is even more of a kick. In closing I quote a very wise women, "For crying out load, it's a hobby!" Bill Walker, NC NET 205 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FrontDoor License Interpretation by James Smith Online Communications, Inc. Distributor of FrontDoor for the Americas There has been much discussion of late, in the FrontDoor echo, and other multi-line echoes regarding the license interpretation provided by FrontDoor shareware version, and our commercial package. This letter is intended to set the record straight as to the intent of Online Communications Inc. (U.S. agent for Absolute Solutions) to enforce the license agreement in accordance with U.S. Copyright law. The new technology employed by many of our products (such as FrontDoor) will indicate whether a node is running a legitimate copy. Judging from the monitored traffic in the FrontDoor Echo and others, it is apparent that there are far too many "invalid serial number" reports, and other violations for us not to take this matter seriously. Shareware Products: Our shareware agreement grants a limited use license for both registered and unregistered non-commercial use of the product. Non-registered use is limited to a 30 day trail or evaluation of our shareware products. After 30 days, the user must stop using the product, or register it by purchasing a license to use (LTU) through Online Communications. Continued unlicensed use of the product beyond the 30 day period constitutes copyright infringement which we are prepared to litigate. Registered use of our product requires that each copy run simultaneously, be registered by purchasing a license to use (LTU) for each copy that is in simultaneous use. This includes the use of multiple copies that are loaded into memory, and are being run under a multi-tasker to service multiple lines for mail, BBS and other operations. If you run two or more nodes, then two or more licenses must be purchased through Online Communications. Failure to do so puts an individual in violation of our license agreement as specified under section 3 of said agreement. In all cases, the shareware version must be used in a non-commercial environment as defined in our license agreement. If used in a FidoNews 11-44 Page: 4 31 Oct 1994 commercial setting, the individual doing so is in violation of our license and is subject to having their license revoked, and subject to subsequent actions by Online Communications Inc. Commercial Products: Our commercial product (current version FrontDoor 2.20.c/ml), must be purchased. There is no "shareware" version of the commercial product. Anyone caught operating an unlicensed copy of our FrontDoor /ml or of TosScan is regarded to be infringing on our copyright, and is subject to litigation and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law. Reporting Procedures: Anyone having information and substantiating documentation of license misuse of any of our products (e.g. FrontDoor, TosScan, FDAPX), should forward such documentation and detail your observations to Online Communications 1:132/300 or 1:132/301 or to the OCI Liason at 1:132/300.12. We are particularly interested in tracing sources of illegal keys being generated for our products such as FrontDoor. We will investigate the complaints (as we have done in the past), and make a determination on what actions if any, we will pursue. The actions can include policy complaints to NC and NECs, license revocation pursuant to the terms of our licensing, and litigation. Online Communications Inc. has retained the services of legal staff, and has created the position of OCI Liason to pursue copyright infringement of our products. We regret having to write a letter such as this. We have many hundreds of legitimate, and legal users of our products. However, software piracy and copyright infringement costs U.S. companies an estimated $2 billion annually according to the Software Publisher's Association. Online Communications will pursue all avenues to limit its exposure to the illegal use of our products. If as a user, you are in doubt about a specific use of any of our products as it pertains to the license you have acquired, please contact Online Communications Inc., or James Smith directly through netmail at 1:132/300 or 1:132/301, or "OCI Liason" at 1:132/300.12. Information regarding the registration of FrontDoor shareware and commercial purchase can be obtained by file requesting REGFORM.USA and ONLINE.EXE respectively. Sincerely, James Smith This is the last line of our article. FidoNews 11-44 Page: 5 31 Oct 1994 From: Jon Taylor (1:208/606) NEt 700 Please put this in Fido news Dear Editor, Well I have been following the events that have transpired thru your excellent coverage in the Fido news, and I have to finally say that I agree with the 600 nodes that have decided not to accept the bullying theatrics of there new NC and there RC and ZC. I personally belive that the Policy 4 of Fido-net needs to be re-worked, so the power is in a bottom up type configuration. I would say let the Nodes in the Net pick the NC and have power over him, let the NC's pick the RC'S and have power over them, let the RC'S Pick the ZC's and have power over them ect... ect... The one tru problem I have seen is that the power structer in Fido-Net rest to much in the upper parts of it. So let us reorganize it, and make it more enjoyable for all. Sincerly Jon Taylor ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Terminator (1:2805/1) MOD UPD accepted for edition 411. * Originally by EchoList, 1:1/201@fidonet.org * Originally to The Terminator, 1:2805/1 * Originally dated 24 Oct 1994, 12:26 FLAGS DIR >TAG NOBOGUS >TITL NoBogus debunk echo >DESC An echo dedicated to exposing and debunking the myths surrounding >DESC NoBogus. The conference contains frank discussions concerning the >DESC use, misuse, and abuse of NoBogus. It also contains tips in how >DESC to defeat it. >MOD The Terminator, 1:2805/1@fidonet.org >PASS ******** >TOT 5 >VOL 20/W >ORIG 1:2805/1@fidonet.org >DIST ZONE-1, NUKE, ASSHOLENET Area Tag NOBOGUS addition successful! This entry will be published in The International EchoList edition 411 scheduled for release 1-Nov-94. Following is the current database entry: Tagname: NOBOGUS Area Key: NOBOGUS Title: NoBogus debunk echo Description: An echo dedicated to exposing and debunking the myths FidoNews 11-44 Page: 6 31 Oct 1994 surrounding NoBogus. The conference contains frank discussions concerning the use, misuse, and abuse of NoBogus. It also contains tips in how to defeat it. Origin: 1:2805/1@fidonet.org Distribution: ZONE-1, NUKE, ASSHOLENET Gateways: # Nodes: 5 Volume: 20/Week Rule File: Flags: Moderators: The Terminator, 1:2805/1@fidonet.org Seen by: Paths: Date added: 24-Oct-94 Last changed: 24-Oct-94 Changed by: The Terminator, 1:2805/1@fidonet ********************************************* Broadcast P.S. for all Update message replies: If you've got any questions refer to the latest EchoList Update instructions (ELMOD993.LZH) dated 9/6/93. Beyond that, you're welcome to send Mike Fuchs a message at 1/201 with any questions, complaints or observations. --- ELISTUPD/2 2.2.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THE S.C. ITALIAN FIDOBUST: SIX MONTHS LATER THE S.C. ITALIAN FIDOBUST: SIX MONTHS LATER =========================================== Pietropaolo Bianchi, 2:331/307 Former NC331 (93-94) The so called "Italian Fidobust" was not aimed at FidoNet per se after all. Six months later, we have a better appreciation of the whole picture. And before anything else is said, rest assured the Fido community worldwide: Italian Fidonet has NEVER been zeroed, as I read somewhere on Fidonews. Shocked of course and maybe made wiser, but always adherent to the old Heinleinian motto that "the routes must roll". Mailflow never really stopped. We are again some 400 active nodes now, a cooperative, smoothly running region overall. Let me recall the facts. On May 11, 1994, 122 patrols of the "Guardia di Finanza", the financial branch of italian police, knocked at the door of 122 people, mostly but not exclusively Fido sysops or cosysops, in execution of a confiscation warrant issued by the until then unheard-of Chief Prosecutor at Pesaro (nice town of central Italy), Dr. Gaetano Savoldelli-Pedrocchi. The police at Pesaro, within an investigation about prostitution, had observed a heavy going-and-coming of young males from a flat in center town. They had rushed in, only to discover a full software piracy business run by some two Mr. Paolorosso and Mr. Cardinali. Thousands of labeled and properly inventorized floppies in cartons, label FidoNews 11-44 Page: 7 31 Oct 1994 printers, Amigas, PCs, and the like. Among the "like", a modem, a Telix (unregisterd copy) and alas, a Telix dialing directory. The Telix dialing directory was the Ariadne's thread that drove Prosecutor Savoldelli's squads in the homes of 122 hobbyists all over Italy in search of accomplices. The warrant cited the possibility that the two pirates acted "together with unknowns" to circulate pirated software, and it imposed to police to "sequester anything apt to the purpose" found at the domiciles of the indagated people. You could have had your BBS called by those two pirates, and automagically you became a suspect pirate too, you got visited by Police, and you had your system sealed and taken away. The large scale of the action forced the police to recruit for the mission any even vaguely computer-literate agent (i.e., able enough to distinguish a printer from a stove). As it quickly became evident, the average knowledgeability of the recuited cop turned out to be not up to the purpose, giving rise to funny and not-so-funny anecdotes. Paolo Borghesi, 2:331/204, a well mannered teenager student of Brescia, had his sleeping room sealed for a few days until the policemen could make their way ahead of it. All too often Mummy had told him "Paolo make order in all this mess". Alfredo Persivale, 2:331/302, the owner of a mechanical factory in Buccinasco, ran his BBS over a LAN connecting his firm's administration computers. The whole information system at his plants was put under seal and taken away. He purchased a stock of ballpens and frantically started billing his clients by hand. Giulio Cipriani, 2:331/344, had everything electronically-looking in his home sequestered: computer, modems, CDROM reader and CDROMs, mouse, mousepad, mouse cover, power outlet extension and allegedly, an answering machine. Max Berni, 2:332/301, a prepossessing summer beach-beau in Rimini, whose messages used to be written all guts and nuts, had his system totally sequestered. Following the shock, as soon as he could lay hands on a backup system, his messages regained a totally unexpected logical sense, grammar smoothness and overall readability. Mario Mure', NC332, ran his host on an Amiga. The cops were reported as watching puzzled to his system, trying to issue some infruitful "dir" commands, and eventually taking away everything. His NEC took over him in polling the other NCs the very same night. Walter Mascarin, 2:331/323, was among the happy few visited by knowledgeable policemen. They came, saw, extensively searched, found nothing, went away leaving him with his system intact and a receipt of search performed. Dozens of stories like the above were reported from all corners of the country, all pointing to policemen generally quite polite but not quite competent, with a generalized "take away now, control later" approach. FidoNews 11-44 Page: 8 31 Oct 1994 Fidonet being the major amateur network in Italy, if only for statistical reasons Fido nodes (about 30-35: a 10% of the italian net) were the most often struck, thence the popular term "fidobust". However, also co-sysops and points were reportedly visited, and to a lesser degree, non-fido sysops. The region shivered when rumors ran that this wasn't but the first wave of the attack, and that from the logs of the inquired nodes a chain reaction would ensue. A couple of me-too type inquiries soon after the major Fidobust, hitting half a dozen nodes in Turin and one in Taranto (the latter action possibly politically biased against the leftist host of the "Peacelink" Net), strenghtened this impression. On the other hand, a few truly pirate, alternet boards, were surprisingly spared by the first hit. They were reported as having spontaneously "crashed" soon thereafter, though. The busting of many honest nodes and the sparing of some pirate boards seemed to somewhat substantiate the early claims of a few radicals, that behind the attack lay an obscure manoeuvre primarily aimed at wiping off free amateur telematics, rather than against piracy. The contemporary announcement by Olivetti, the major computer manufacturer in Italy, that they would set up a nationwide telematic service named "Italia Online", and the deepest involvement of Italian Prime Mininster and television tycoon Mr. Berlusconi in the information media market, made such suspicions, exaggerate they might seem, not theoretically unfounded. So far however no clue of any kind has been reported to substantiate such allegations. Six months after its announcement, Italia Online is still offline, and the roughness of the attack has been definitely ascribed to a poor choice of objectives and methods by the inquirers, who even partially admitted them. A parliament official interrogation on the hit was immediately asked by some radical MP's. Prosecutor Savoldelli kept a press conference to explain the operation. Newspapers and magazines reported on the facts. In this climate, a few sysops definitely pulled the plug. Among them former R33 Founder and long time RC33, Giorgio Rutigliano, who declared: by no means whatever pleasure i can draw from amateur fidonetting balances the risk of being seized by the police. I always have been fully legal and have promoted the fullest legality in the net, and don't deserve this. Amateur telematics game has definitely gone out of control. But for the few who left, the other sysops held on tighter to the RC33, Giancarlo Cairella, who had truly hard days acting as a relay of news and counsels, together with the other *C's and with an attorney sysop. Routes were redesigned where necessary, and mailflow promptly resumed everywhere. Alternets, who had always blamed italian Fidonet as being "obsessive with rules and paranoid about legal issues", got duly frightened and somewhat looked for reapprochment. An "all FidoNews 11-44 Page: 9 31 Oct 1994 networks' sysops" conference was established. Over the time, our Region has regained "normality". After examination, one after another, the sequestered systems are being given back to their operators, and messages of the latter restart popping out in the net. Current hot topics have returned to technics, such as V.34 modems, ISDN services and Internet connectivity, about which people are truly going crazy. But in the depth something has changed. We no longer regard ourselves telematicians as a "lucky island" where real life and outer people won't reach. Legal issues are no longer perceived as moral obligations and policy agreements of ours own, but as very material constraints instead. We are fully aware that the fellow sysops seized by police, though having had their materials restituted, may still undergo a process whose outcome nobody can foresee. The law on software and telematics piracy is too recent with little or no antecedents. The only sure thing, whichever the outcome, will be the legal expenses every seized sysop will have to sustain, in the USD 1000 range. On the broader picture, we have become aware of the need for a good legislation on BBS. If being listed on a dialing directory is enough to get inquired, we definitely want a law to back us up. Fido merry times when we described ourselves as a loosely organized anarchy kept together by the nodelist were great times, but for us they are over. We need to know where our responsibilities begin and where they end, what to do with users and uploaders, if we are forced to surely identify them or not, and if so, how. We want to know from law scholars if not reading in transit mail makes us liable of omitted vigilance, or if reading it makes us liable of privacy violation. We ask clearcut criteria for allowing or not allowing crypted messages, we want to know who's is the final responsibility for echomail offending messages, and so on. The benefit of all this clash is that our debates now go beyond the rather futile "long signature" and "commercial message" issues, and attain to some more basic rights, and profounder questions. Our story made noise, and together with other social and political organizations we are given the opportunity to influence the establishment of a good law on telematic messaging, and we'll work on this. The debate is running and we will be glad to share our conclusions with the rest of fidonet community when we reach consensus or obtain some favourable legislation. FidoNews 11-44 Page: 10 31 Oct 1994 Appointment Announcement - Zone One Echomail Coordinator by Bob Satti 1:153/6 Z1C 27 October, 1994 Hello folks; On 7 September I asked the interim ZEC to organize the selection of a new ZEC, using whatever process the 10 RECs felt was appropriate. The RECs published in Fidonews the procedure they planned to follow, and held an election. After voting, no one candidate obtained more than 50% of the ballots cast. The run-off election resulted in a tie vote. Copies of all ballots have been forwarded to me by Dave James of 1:209/209 who collected the ballots. I have carefully reviewed the procedure followed, and have consulted with both candidates and with the interim ZEC. Since no one conceded and the candidates agreed to abide by my decision, I set about looking at other factors that might help decide the outcome. Amongst other things, I looked at which candidate obtained the most votes on the first ballot, and, asked for input from the 3 Zone Hubs. No matter how I approached the decision all indicators pointed to one individual. I am pleased to announce the appointment of Bruce Bodger, 1:170/400, as the new ZEC for Zone 1. Bruce and I will be discussing his duties as they relate to Fidonet and to the ZEC position, and we will make a joint statement in the near future to outline how the Z1EC functions and interacts with the Z1C and Fidonet in general. Please give Bruce your support and cooperation in his new and arduous task. Of course, my thanks goes out to all those who participated in the process, the candidates, the voters, and Dave James for counting the ballots... Special thanks to Adrian Walker for taking on the thankless task of interim ZEC, and performing admirably. Bob Satti Z1C ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Election Results - Zone One Echomail Coordinator by Adrian Walker 1:153/752 The 10 Zone 1 RECs voted for the following candidates as shown: FidoNews 11-44 Page: 11 31 Oct 1994 FIRST BALLOT Martin Belcke 232/16 4 votes Bruce Bodger 170/400 5 votes David Calafrancesco 2624/306 0 votes Steve Cross 123/19 1 vote Ed Propes 2215/470 0 votes Since no one candidate received more than 50% of votes cast, the RECs were presented with a ballot containing the names of the two nominees having the most votes, as provided for in the election rules, and they conducted a runoff election. FINAL BALLOT Martin Belcke 232/16 5 votes Bruce Bodger 170/400 5 votes The ZC was then asked to select the next Z1EC from the above two candidates, and he has announced the appointment of Bruce Bodger, 1:170/400, as the new ZEC for Zone 1. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Terminator (1:2805/1) * Forwarded from "VIRUS_NFO" * Originally by Aristotle, 1:271/13 * Originally to Urnst Kouch * Originally dated 15 Oct 1994, 21:49 FidoNet: Breakdown Of The Infrastructure by ARiSToTLE [NuKE] Currently, there is an ongoing debate as to whether or not Planet Connect and other systems have the right and/or authority to filter messages that contain what most people consider, "obscene language". Through the use of a program called, "NoBogus", mail handling systems are afforded the ability of scanning through incoming mail packets to determine if duplication loops exist, as well as scan for user defined "obscene strings". When these and other criterion are met, the program (NoBogus) will toss the mail packets out of the cycle as if they never exsited. The idea of duplicate reduction is well founded since many systems send and receive from multiple systems and the concept of "Sole Source" send/receive mail HUBs does not exist as a reality. Under these provisions, a system is only permitted to send and receive from a dedicated system. Correspondingly, a session level password is utilized to prevent unauthorized connections from those whom would attempt such. When Planet Connect first came into being, the original land line based backbone declared that any and all mail received from Planet Connect must be returned to Planet FidoNews 11-44 Page: 12 31 Oct 1994 Connect. As grievous as this may have first sounded, it is now apparent that there was a method in there madness. At nearly 80% of market coverage, Planet Connect and two other systems now function as backbone providers or they really represent passthru systems? Passthru systems are not required to carrying any material they elect not to carry. Subsequently, they may employ the use of such programs as NoBogus to censor mail to their liking. Fair enough, but where do the Moderators of the echos come into focus? Are they not empowered as totalitarian beings within the confines of their own echos? If Planet Connect has the blanket autonomy under the guidelines of a passthru system, to censor mail, then in effect, are they not truly the people in charge of the echo? Since they are now supplying the vast majority of systems in the United States alone, should not they be considered more as Fidonet providers and be forced to follow established guidlines of mail distribution? Fidonet establishes backbone echos and distributes them in the Fidonet.Na file. These echos were generally designed by hobbyists to communicate with others of similar interests. If the Moderator of a given echo elects to allow "obscene language" into his/her echo, then who among us has the implied authority to mandate otherwise once an echo has been sanctioned by the Zone Echo Coordinator? Passthru status gives Planet Connect and the other two service providers this authority under the provisions of Fidonet Policy 4 which states; ; 2.1.5 No Alteration of Routed Mail ; ; You may not modify, other than as required for routing or other ; technical purposes, any message, netmail or echomail, passing through ; the system from one FidoNet node to another. If you are offended by ; the content of a message, the procedure described in section 2.1.7 ; must be used. ; ; \ ; | Sections Deleted Fro Brevity ; / ; ; 2.1.7 Not Routing Mail ; ; ; You are not required to route traffic if you have not agreed to do ; so. You are not obligated to route traffic for all if you route it ; for any, unless you hold a Network Coordinator or Hub Coordinator ; position. Routing traffic through a node not obligated to perform ; routing without the permission of that node may be annoying behavior. ; This includes unsolicited echomail. ; ; If you do not forward a message when you previously agreed to perform ; such routing, the message must be returned to the sysop of the node ; at which it entered FidoNet with an explanation of why it was not ; forwarded. (It is not necessary to return messages which are ; addressed to a node which is not in the current nodelist.) ; Intentionally stopping an in-transit message without following this ; procedure constitutes annoying behavior. In the case of a failure to FidoNews 11-44 Page: 13 31 Oct 1994 ; forward traffic due to a technical problem, it does not become ; annoying unless it persists after being pointed out to the sysop. I spoke to Boyd Goodin of Planet Systems who stated that *he* was not the decision maker in the selection of messages to be cut, rather he was contacted by the other two mail stars and asked if he would participate in their efforts to control the content of messages. The reason stated for this action was that downlinks complained of the vulgarity of certain echos. Again I asked you; Who is in control of an Echo on the backbone- the Moderator, Planet Connect, or the whining downlink? In addition to the problem with defining responsibilies of action for the global level of mail transfers, the local area network are suffering from a similar situation. At the micro-level (HUBs and subsequent downlinks) the program (NoBogus) is being used to strip messages from packets that the system operator feels will be killed when they eventually reach their destination at Planet Connect. When one system is chosen to feed the mail to an entire network, his position also gives him the same umbrella of protection defined for passthru system, to censor mail. I submit that we are in the process of seeing our hobby taken away from us by by commercial enterprises. At present, their immediate structure affords them the luxury of now being in the negotiation seat for power. How could any of the *C structure approach these systems and mandate any form of control over their activities? Remember when simple cable TV did not charge for local television channels? The Internet is too large to bridle, but Fidonet is a prime cut for any enterprise that wants to come along and commercialize its already existing user base. Is this possibly what we are seeing take place? Has the convenience of a single service made system operators complacent to the point that they are essentially blinded to what is going on around them? The *C structure needs to fall back and regroup lest they become token pawns in an inevitable outcome. Echomail and Fidonet policies should be combined under one set of standards. Local area *Cs should be required to enforce the "Sole Source" distribution in their respective areas. And last but certainly not least; systems in positions of HUBs and Distribution sites should be combined under a set of standards which prohibit the interference of mail. When the word "Fuck" has disappeared from the Fidonet vocabulary, the word "Damn" will soon be its replacement. How long is it before ideological differences warrant mail censorship? It's not only your hobby that is threatened - it is you basic American rights to freedom of speech that is being threatened! --- Renegade v10-21eta AntiBogus Thunderbyte Support Site (804)599-4152 !1:271/13! --- NuKE --- * Origin: (1:271/13) FidoNews 11-44 Page: 14 31 Oct 1994 Subj: BLOWHARDS Echo Rules for Blowhards Background: BLOWHARDS is a non-Backbone Echo distributed via past or present members for the purpose of microdebating non-important non-issues by self-appointed 'sealawyer-type' Sysops of FidoNet most of whom have recently migrated into FidoNet from military bases or walks of life where personal power was denied to them. This Echo serves to relieve the crap level from the real Echos [like ZEC or MODERATOR] where nitpickers previously plied their dissatisfaction with FidoNet and real world ops. It is modeled on on a previous and similarly designed local Echo called R18COORD which was a circular flame Echo for dissatisfied Net Coordinators in Region 18 to bitch and moan about standard FidoNet ops they didn't agree with. Blowhards are concentrated in New Jersey but are also found in Texas, Maryland, Delaware, Oklahoma, and Alabama among others. You probably have Blowhards in your own Net. Most Nets do. Blowhards can be identified in FidoNet Echos by their self-referential and circularly reinforcing rhetorical style as well as the number of ad hominems per Echo message. Masters of the 'Big Lie' school of revisionist history, Blowhards seldom recognize themselves even upon detection and notification. Now, this is their own Echo to pollute and in which they may be blissfully content to continue fantacizing they have any inkling of what FidoNet is or does. [But don't count on it.] Rules: 1. Blowhards always pontificate and expound in circles so please try to be circumspect and self-referential. Get your fellow Blowhards to repeat your 'thoughts' as if they were facts many times. 2. Blowhards always use personal attack by preference over facts or logic so please try to be rude and nonsensical. 3. Blowhards always complain about the work other folks do but never do any work of their own so please tear down the efforts of others. 4. Blowhards always claim to be 'protecting Sysops' or 'protecting FidoNet' from 'power mongers and control freaks' while acting just like power mongers and control freaks so please make authoritative pronouncements in the name of 'saving' FidoNet from the people who do the actual work of FidoNet. 5. Blowhards always create more traffic and perpetuate more arguments than normal Sysops so please argue for the sake of seeing your name in print and please cross-post all your traffic to at least four FidoNews 11-44 Page: 15 31 Oct 1994 more Echos that have nothing to do with the current subject being argued. 6. Blowhards always whine about other folks whining so always pretend to be injured whenever called about your own whining. 7. Blowhards always claim Policy is the be-all and end-all in FidoNet and discount the spirit of cooperation and friendliness FidoNet is actually based on so please cite actual and imagined Policy sections regardless of applicability to the subject at hand while doing all you can from keeping any real Policy changes or adjustments from occurring. 8. Blowhards perseverate at all times over trivial items so please remember to ignore any corrections or substance in replies and stick to belaboring points that are irrelevant to any discussion. 9. Blowhards have no concept of humor, its application, or its useage so please take every indication of humor in the traffic of others as a deliberate and cynical attempt to personally wound you. 10. Blowhards don't know they are Blowhards so please use this Echo as soon as it is pointed out to you by a normal Sysop that you belong in the BLOWHARDS Echo. Anyone who posts reasonable or logical traffic in this Echo will receive endless warnings until their access is suddenly revoked one day without notice. Anyone who complains about this Echo elsewhere will be sent here because they obviously belong here. The Moderator of this Echo will be soley responsible for every Blowhard that posts here and will be determined by message volume and vitriol. Welcome, Blowhards, to your new home. P.S. Look for the new BLOWHARD nodelist to be issued beginning on Julian day 301. It will contain many of your favorite Blowhards. [Confirmation of EListing for ELIST411 follows:] Date: 25 Oct 94 19:07:01 From: EchoList on 1:1/201 EchoList Coord in Toms River NJ To: Blowhard Detector Subj: MOD UPD accepted for edition 411. ______________________________________________________________________ Area Tag BLOWHARDS Rules File successful! Following is the current database entry: Tagname: BLOWHARDS Area Key: BLWHRDS Title: Blowhard venting Echo for Sysops who can't help themselves Description: ---A non-Backbone Echo distributed via past or present members for the purpose of microdebating non-important FidoNews 11-44 Page: 16 31 Oct 1994 non-issues by self-appointed 'sealawyer-type' Sysops of FidoNet most of whom have recently migrated into FidoNet from military bases or walks of life where personal power was denied to them. ---This Echo serves to relieve the crap level from the real Echos [like ZEC or MODERATOR] where nitpickers previously plied their dissatisfaction with FidoNet and real world ops. It is modeled on on a previous and similarly designed local Echo called R18COORD which was a circular flame Echo for dissatisfied Net Coordinators in Region 18 to bitch and moan about standard FidoNet ops they didn't agree with. ---Blowhards are concentrated in New Jersey but are also found in Texas, Maryland, Delaware, Oklahoma, and Alabama among others. You probably have Blowhards in your own Net or Region or Zone. ---Blowhards can be identified in FidoNet Echos by their self-referential and circularly reinforcing rhetorical style as well as the number of ad hominems per Echo message. Masters of the 'Big Lie' school of revisionist history, Blowhards seldom recognize themselves even upon detection and notification. Now, they have their own Echo to pollute and in which they may be blissfully content to continue fantacizing they have any inkling of what FidoNet is or does. [But don't count on it.] Origin: Distribution: LOCAL Gateways: # Nodes: 12 Volume: 1200/Week Rule File: BLWHRDS.RUL Flags: [Has Rules] Moderators: First Sysop to Post after Trustee ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== Fidonews Information ======================================================================== ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar Tom Jennings "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS) more addresses: Rev. Richard Visage -- 1:163/409 Don -- 1:221/192, don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca sylvia -- 1:221/194, max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews 128 Church St. FidoNews 11-44 Page: 17 31 Oct 1994 Kitchener, Ontario Canada N2H 2S4 max & Don voice: (519) 570-3137 Fidonews is 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 1994 Sylvia Maxwell. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or the eds. Articles by Madam emilia may be retransmitted freely through cyber-space. OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue 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 by sending SASE to the above paper-mail address, or trade for copy of your 'zine. INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org, in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. Anyone interested in getting a copy of the INTERNET GATEWAY FAQ may freq GISFAQ.ZIP from 1:133/411.0, or send an internet message to fidofaq@gisatl.fidonet.org. No message or text or subject is necessary. The address is a keyword that will trigger the automated response. People wishing to send inquiries directly to David Deitch should now mail to fidonet@gisatl.fidonet.org rather than the previously listed address. 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, and are used with permission. "the pulse of the cursor is the heartbeat of fidonet"... -- END