F I D O N E W S -- Volume 14, Number 11 17 March 1997 +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet community | "FidoNews" | | _ | 1-904-409-7040 [1:1/23] | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | | | (_| /_) | | | _`@/_ \ _ | | | | | \ \\ | Editor: | | | (*) | \ )) | Christopher Baker 1:18/14 | | |__U__| / \// | | | _//|| _\ / | | | (_/(_|(____/ | | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: FidoNews Editor 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | | | submissions=> cbaker84@digital.net | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ HAVE YOU EVER BEEN EMULSIFIED? Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1 Is it just a communication problem? ...................... 1 2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2 ACLU News of Cyberspace .................................. 2 Differences: FidoNet/Internet ............................ 6 Beware the Ides of March ................................. 9 Fido Copyright in Danger? ................................ 11 The Great ZEC Election Hoax .............................. 12 R19 activity? ............................................ 15 3. GETTING TECHNICAL ........................................ 18 FSC-0049 - Proposal for Passing Domain Information ....... 18 FSC-0050 - Character Set Identifier ...................... 19 FSC-0051 - System Independent Transfer of Special Chara .. 21 4. COORDINATORS CORNER ...................................... 31 Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 073 ...... 31 5. WE GET EMAIL ............................................. 32 ZEC1 Poll for ZEC1 Election .............................. 32 6. NET HUMOR ................................................ 34 An odd comparison? ....................................... 34 7. NOTICES .................................................. 35 Future History ........................................... 35 I.E.E.E. Echo Announcement ............................... 36 8. FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ................................. 37 Latest Greatest Software Versions ........................ 37 And more! FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 1 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= Things are not always as they seem at first blush. Fortunately, FidoNews takes input from anyone and all angles and voices can be heard albeit a week delayed in the case of several of the articles in today's Issue. I expect we will have more responses next week. So, sorry, Gary [et al], this Issue is not 26K. Communication is what we are here for so let's communicate at ALL the levels of FidoNet. Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati may have worked just fine in the 5,000 Node days but sooner or later something is going to give if folks don't at least check in once in awhile. And speaking of playing dead, what's happening in the IC election? C.B. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 2 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= --- Following message extracted from FIDONEWS @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Sun Mar 09 19:05:14 1997 [reformatting this msg for FidoNews compromised the PGP signature clear-signing this as authentic from Mike Bilow. The original is available in the FIDONEWS Echo if anyone wants to test it.] Ed. From: Mike Bilow To: Christopher Baker Date: 07 Mar 97 12:37:04 Subj: ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update * Forwarded (from: Netmail) by Mike Bilow using BilowMail0.2. * Originally from ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Owner to Mike Bilow. * Original dated: Mar 06 '97, 23:40 From: "ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Owner"@newmedium.com To: cyber-liberties@aclu.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Thursday, March 5, 1997 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CONTENTS: * ACLU Welcomes "Pro-CODE" Encryption Bill, Warns of Anti-Privacy Legislation Waiting in the Wings * ACLU Moves to Protect Netizens From Prosecution Under New York Cybercensorship Law * About Cyber-Liberties Update (Unchanged since Feb 5) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ACLU Welcomes "Pro-CODE" Encryption Bill, Warns of Anti-Privacy Legislation Waiting in the Wings The American Civil Liberties Union today praised Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT) for his leadership in protecting free speech and online privacy and welcomed the introduction of S.377, the "Promotion of Commerce in a Digital Era Act (Pro-CODE)." The bill, introduced by Senator Burns on the Senate floor last week, aims at lifting export controls on encryption with a resulting increase in privacy protection for both communications and stored information, the ACLU said. Encryption programs scramble information so that it can only be read with a "key" -- a code the recipient uses to unlock the scrambled electronic data. Programs that use more than 40 bits of data to encode information are considered "strong" encryption. Currently, FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 3 17 Mar 1997 unless these keys are made available to the government, the Clinton/Gore Administration bans export of hardware or software containing strong encryption, treating these products as "munitions." The ACLU said the anti-cryptography ban has considerably weakened U.S. participation in the global marketplace, in addition to curtailing freedom of speech by denying users the right to "speak" using encryption. The ban also violates the right to privacy by limiting the ability to protect sensitive information in the new computerized world. The ACLU believes that both encryption programs and communications using such programs are free speech, fully protected by the First Amendment. A recent federal court decision -- now under appeal by the government -- has upheld this view. The ACLU plans to submit a friend-of-the-court brief in that case (Bernstein v. U.S. Dept. of State), as it has done in other legal challenges to the Administration's anti-encryption policy. "Privacy, anonymity and security in the digital world depend on encryption," said Donald Haines, legislative counsel on privacy and cyberspace issues for the ACLU's Washington national office. "The aim of the Pro-CODE bill is to allow U.S. companies to compete with industries abroad and lift restrictions on the fundamental right to free speech, the hallmark of American democracy." Haines said that the ACLU is urging other senators to support and co-sponsor the bill. However, he noted that certain provisions raised important, "troubling" concerns that should be addressed before a final vote. For example, the bill provides that, in exchange for "relaxing export controls...this Act creates an obligation on the part of...companies involved in the export of information security products to share information ...about those products to designated representatives of the federal government." (Section 2(a)(16)). Such an exchange undermines a central purpose of Pro-CODE: fostering American competitiveness, Haines said. "Who would want to buy a privacy protection program bearing a label 'inspected by the U.S. government?' That's fine for meat inspection, but it is not appropriate or wise for cryptography products," Haines said. "It is also downright offensive to say you can exercise your free speech rights only after discussing what you want to say with federal agents." Another troubling provision of Pro-CODE would establish a secret "Information Security Board" composed of agencies involved in information security policy. According to the bill, the purpose of the board would be for government agencies -- including the CIA, FBI, NSA and Department of Defense -- to meet with industry leaders to review "developments" in cryptography technologies. Aside from concerns that such agencies have a history of invading privacy and violating civil liberties, the bill wrongly exempts the board from the federal open-meeting requirements, according to Barry FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 4 17 Mar 1997 Steinhardt, associate director of the national ACLU and chair of the ACLU's Cyber-Liberties Task Force. "Government should not operate in secret," Steinhardt said. "Even if the board's meetings are limited to discussing general, non-proprietary industry developments, the Federal Advisory Committee Act should apply and the meetings should be open to the public. While we continue to urge against the creation of an advisory board, at a minimum any meetings should be open and should include consumers and members of the privacy community, who are conspicuously absent from the list." Some cryptography experts have also questioned whether the technical definitions in the bill will actually provide the broad-scale protection for encryption supported by Senator Burns. While clearly covering mass-market products (e.g., Netscape's Internet browser), the question is whether the protection would also cover the kind of encryption program the court upheld in Bernstein. Notwithstanding these concerns, the ACLU welcomed the Burns bill as a positive step toward eliminating unconstitutional restrictions on a developing industry that promises to enhance free speech and privacy for everyone in the Information Age. Senator Burns, as chair of the subcommittee on telecommunications, has scheduled a hearing on the Pro-CODE bill for March 11, with possible action by the full Senate Commerce Committee as early as the following week. "In both this Congress and the last one, Senator Burns has consistently championed free speech and privacy in the encryption debate," said the ACLU's Don Haines. "He deserves our support and full cooperation in moving this bill, and we look forward to working with him to resolve our concerns." Haines warned that more restrictive proposals are already waiting in the wings, with provisions that would take a first step toward establishing mandatory controls on domestic encryption and requiring encryption "keyholders" to share their keys with the government. "In addition to supporting Pro-CODE, we are closely monitoring all new encryption legislation. The ACLU will vigorously oppose any scheme that calls for key escrow, key recovery, or takes a step toward mandatory controls on encryption," Haines said. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * ACLU Moves to Protect Netizens From Prosecution Under New York Cybercensorship Law Despite two lower court rulings protecting Internet users from prosecution under the federal Communications Decency Act, "netizens" are still in danger of criminal charges under a New York law that restricts free speech in cyberspace, the American Civil Liberties Union said today. FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 5 17 Mar 1997 Moving to protect netizens, the ACLU and the New York Civil Liberties Union yesterday filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in federal district court, saying that their plaintiffs (and all Internet users) could face prison sentences of up to four years under the law. The federal CDA is currently awaiting review by the U.S. Supreme Court. "Governor Pataki may say that he is trying to protect minors, but the sad fact is that this law does not and cannot protect children," said Ann Beeson, an ACLU national staff attorney specializing in cyberspace issues. "The only immediate harm on the horizon is to the millions of Internet users, including our plaintiffs, who face criminal prosecution for exercising their right to free speech." "Parents, not the government, should control what their children see online," Beeson added. "This can be more effectively and less restrictively accomplished through the use of blocking software and the development of other technology that allows for voluntary screening." Because New York State has refused to stay prosecution while the Supreme Court considers the federal law, the case is now moving forward to a courtroom hearing, scheduled to begin on April 3. The hearing is expected to last from three to five days and will likely include a live demonstration of the Internet as well as testimony from expert witnesses and plaintiffs. The brief also includes the assertion that the Act violates the CommerceClause of the United States Constitution because it regulates communications outside the state of New York and subjects Internet users to a confusing babel of conflicting state laws. "A librarian in Illinois will now think twice before sending information to a fellow librarian in New York, or will not 'link' to a website in New York for fear that New York authorities will charge them under this confusing statute," said Judith Krug, director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom. "Despite the fact that this is a New York statute, given the reality of the Internet, anyone who accesses information from outside New York is also impacted by this law. This is clearly unacceptable for any Internet user," she added. Citing opinions that struck down the federal CDA, the ACLU said that the New York law contains the same "fatal constitutional flaws." A chart appended to the brief shows, point by point, the similarities -- including, in some cases, identical language -- between the two laws. A favorable decision by the high court would provide powerful ammunition against the New York law, the ACLU said. "We are surprised and disappointed that the State of New York is rushing to judgment on an issue of critical importance, when everyone knows that the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing arguments on the related federal case two weeks from now," said Norman Siegel, executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union. The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument in Reno v. ACLU FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 6 17 Mar 1997 on March 19. A decision is expected to be handed down by the end of the term, in June or July. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Editor: Lisa Kamm (kamml@aclu.org) American Civil Liberties Union National Office 132 West 43rd Street New York, New York 10036 To subscribe to the ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update, send a message to majordomo@aclu.org with "subscribe Cyber-Liberties" in the body of your message. To terminate your subscription, send a message to majordomo@aclu.org with "unsubscribe Cyber-Liberties" in the body. The Cyber-Liberties Update is archived at http://www.aclu.org/issues/cyber/updates.html For general information about the ACLU, write to info@aclu.org. PGP keys can be found at http://www.aclu.org/about/pgpkeys.html -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 iQCVAwUBMx8RqvF6vdl9Zp5lAQFLoAP8DlzC8oUsCQxCsWEI1mKfMvsGu0pN0cj3 1n7fCRy0TVpZxKQ1Zr1miRSg45d4Pg181dVZWA+yyqOTAmOjqfxm5YGNCvlOaVqb WGuE4W0FzOgaeSGmHnrZzeyYSSPIy4JlJ/r7lIJKD0tR5kgAI7i20oqKLg2xoj+t f/uS+/CnMGM= =0jNz -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- This Message was sent to cyber-liberties --- Origin: N1BEE BBS +1 401 944 8498 V34/VFC/V32bis/HST16.8 (1:323/107) ----------------------------------------------------------------- DIFFERENCES: FIDONET/INTERNET By Pete Snidal (C) 1997 sysop, Fidonet 1:354/910 Have you heard of the Internet? It's doubtful there's anyone alive on the planet who hasn't, but have you heard of Fidonet? Fidonet has been around and functioning as long as the Internet, and is still alive and well, thank you, but for some reason, we don't hear of it every time we turn on the tv or pick up a magazine. Fidonet is also a resource available to anyone with a computer and a modem, and following is a comparison of it and the much-touted internet: FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 7 17 Mar 1997 FIDONET Is a system of hobbyist-operated bulletin boards, spanning the world, which connect and exchange data regularly, usually on a nightly schedule. There are 28,000 Fidonet nodes on Earth, 9400 in North America, and 16,000 in Europe. INTERNET Is a system of server computers, also spanning the world, which are virtually connected to one another at all times. FIDONET Offers the local user a series of conference areas, which host discussions on specific subjects, such as alternative medicine, home schooling, bicycling, etc. There are over 1000 such "Fidoechoes," and few fidonet bbs's carry them all. But your "local" can usually be convinced to carry the ones you want. The "Noise/signal ratio" of these echoes is quite low, and the atmosphere is generally very folksy, friendly, and casual. "Fidoecho" traffic is carried from the originating bbs's to bbs' all over the world which carry that echo, so discussion is facilitated between people on an ongoing basis who are separated by thousands of miles. INTERNET Discussion of various subjects is carried by USENET NEWS. There are many UN areas, such as rec.motorcycle, or alt.space.aliens.ufo, but there is usually a very high "noise/signal" ratio on Usenet, and the areas are hard to read and post in. There is also much hostility, or "flaming" on Internet UN discussion areas. FIDONET Most Fidonet bbs's have a Files Area, from which the user may download a number of programme files, all of which will be "shareware," or "freeware." In some cases, files of particular interest may even be "File Requested" from other systems. Many Fidonet systems also carry a large number of information, or text files, and some picture files, sound files, etc. INTERNET Gives access to thousands of "FTP sites," which are repositories for files by the millions. They are invaluable if you know what files you want and where they are located, but finding them amongst all the dross is often very time-consuming and requires a fair bit of experience and expertise. FIDONET Lets users send "netmail" to users of other fidonet bbs's around the world. This is private mail, accessible only at the destination bbs, and readable only by the addressee and the sysops through whose systems it passes. It is not instant, nor is it guaranteed, but it usually gets there, and faster than normal surface mail, as well as .43 cents cheaper. Sending of commercial messages in Fidonet is prohibited, and "Spamming" - electronic junk-mail - is FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 8 17 Mar 1997 impossible. INTERNET Provides "email" - probably it's best function. Email travels from origin ISP to destination ISP very quickly, usually within an hour or less. It also costs nothing to send, other than the price of subscription to the ISP (Internet Service Provider.) "Spamming" - the sending of electronic junkmail to your personal email box - is seriously frowned upon, and sort of prohibited, but the fight with those who would capitalize on this resource in this way is ongoing. INTERNET Allows access to the "World Wide Web." Access to Web Pages is an eye-opening experience, and allows virtually anyone to give the world access to their advertising, opinions, etc., on virtually any subject. Comparable to leafing through an inexhaustible supply of electronic magazine pages - complete with full graphics, and "hyper-text" ability to jump from subject to subject, and to follow "threads" of subject material with a click of the mouse. An awesome information source, but with a scary potential for wasting time and money (once your monthly maximum contract time has been consumed.) A special note to teachers and parents: In fairness, it must be noted that web access is not always a good thing. Since the "web" is a constantly growing, almost living thing, there is no way to check just what your charges - students or children (or both) will have access to. Or just what will have access to them. Thus, pages are presented which invite children to join the Crips, for instance, or which espouse drug use, pornography, violence, and many other things which the intelligent leader of children would not support. As such pages can be on any server computer anywhere in the world, there is little in the way of accountability for those who present this objectionable material. FIDONET Access is provided to various text and graphic files, but the machine on which the data is mounted is locally accessible, and full accountability is thus ensured. Furthermore, the supervising adult can access the same system his/herself, and be satisfied as to the level of objectionability provided. And if there is a serious objection, the operator of the system is someone in your local calling area, who can be contacted, and if necessary, taken to task. Fidonet gives no direct access to server computers "somewhere" on the worldwide web. FIDONET Has no parallel to the web. The web is truly awesome technology, but its phenomenal entertainment value soon wears thin. FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 9 17 Mar 1997 FIDONET Costs the user nothing. Free basic access is a fundamental given on all Fidonet systems. User support is sometimes encouraged, but never demanded. FIDONET Encourages the use of Pre-Windows computers, or "dosboxes." There is a plethora of software available for Fidonet technology, from that for the most basic user online, through offline mail readers, to node and bbs software, as well as Internet gating mail feeders, all of which run fine in Dosboxes such as 286's and even XT's, with small hard drives, or no hard drives, and with memory as low as the basic 640K. INTERNET Service Providers whose systems don't require Windows software for access are few and far between. They require a "Winsock" in order to connect, and they the user needs to have such software as Eudora Mailer, and Netscape or some other hi-tech "browser." These are fine software for the user with a minimum 4 Meg 386 running Windows 3.x or over, but the prospective user with the earlier computer is just out of luck. INTERNET "No tickee, no launlee" is the motto of the ISP. The Internet is a strictly commercial, no-bones money- making proposition. It's explosion in recent years is due only to an ever-increasing interest by free- enterprise capitalism to do just that - capitalize on this new and expanding technology. In many cases, people are getting their money's worth, but the Internet is nobody's hobby, and it is naive not to look for a gimmick in every box. SUMMARY: Both these fine networks have been in existence for over ten years now. Each has its strengths, and its weaknesses. The fortunate part is that nobody has to make a choice over one of the other. Both are available to the computer user with a modem and a phone line, and both have much to offer. If you're presently using neither, you might like to check out the less expensive one first. Free is always the least expensive, and that is Fidonet. For the number of the fidonet bbs nearest you (there is likely one in your town,) consult your local computer outlet or computer paper. For details on hooking up to the internet, consult your yellow pages. --- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Beware the Ides of March... by Ken Reaverson, 1:133/1004 / ablood@juno.com You can tell the Ides are drawing near... the doomsayers are out in full force. :) FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 10 17 Mar 1997 Hello, ladies and gentlemen, I'm Ken. I've only been a nodelisted sysop on Fido since the beginning of the year, but I've been lurking around for a few years. I could bore you with my struggles to obtain a node number, but I won't. ;) At any rate, I picked up a feed, and started paying attention to some of the sysop and adminstrative echoes.. and I've noticed alot of people a tad upset, or exasperated. I've listened to more than one sysop moan about how Fido is in it's death throes. I've read FidoNews and watch the amount of nodes drop. It kind of surprises me. My experiences on Fido have been varied over the years... my first impressions was a collection of people babbling on endlessly. Sometimes I'd find an echo I liked and spend some time posting, but then I'd start getting notices from the sysop saying that my account had expired, and that if I wanted to continue using their system, I had to pay them money. :) Like any headstrong sysop, I dropped the BBS from my dialing directory. :) I spend too much money on my own BBS, I'll be damned if I'm paying someone else to run theirs. Then I became a little more familiar with Fido-style networking in general, and alot of my complaints disappeared. I understood why sysops wanted money, because pulling in echomail and FDN's takes money. It was during this learning period that some Fido echoes became helpful to me, as some helpful people put up with a newcomers questions and made things a little clearer for me. My opinion of Fido started to change, I didn't automatically dismiss it as a gaggle of loudmouths. :) These days, I like Fido. It's an immensely helpful tool.. I get questions answered quickly, and completely. If it weren't for Fido, I wouldn't be able to provide my users with access to Internet email or USENET groups through the BBS. Today, my main impression of Fido is a mixed one. I've had fun, and there have been a few things that have ticked me off (the next time a moderator tells me to cut my two line sig down to one line because I'm wasting bandwidth, I'm going to scream. :) ), but it seems that there are two types of Fido-style people; those that sincerely care and try to help the network and other sysops, and those that are concerned with their own personal ambitions. I think I've been lucky. Since picking the net up in early January, I've run into mostly people of the first type... my RC, my nets NEC, and our new NC are all very dedicated and helpful people. One of the nodes acts as a UUCP gate free of charge to the nets members. If it weren't for these guys, I probably would have long since grown disgusted by some of the infighting I see. I can't understand why, when people like them are around, people are hearing FidoNet's death knell. The net's losing nodes. So what, BBS's are dropping like flies. :) It's not really a surprise. Eventually, the people that do care, and the people that are dedicated to the network will be the ones that are left, and I would hope that if anyone could turn the network around, it would be them. FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 11 17 Mar 1997 I can't help but wonder if Fido would be in such 'dire straits' if the same people that are busy tolling the bell were busy working to make Fido a place that the vanishing sysops would want to stay. Lighten up guys. This is supposed to be a hobby, after all. :) -Ken ----------------------------------------------------------------- Zone 2 Excommunicates Tom Jennings by Zorch Frezberg 1:205/1701 The following nodelist segment was submitted to the International Nodelist by Z2C, Ward Dossche. It is confirmed in the ZONE2.LD3 "ZSeg" for the nodelist, available in the FDN titled ZSEGS. Please note...Ward Dossche has unilaterally removed Tom Jennings' name and copyright from Fido in Zone 2. While it did not go beyond the Zone 2 confines, it would seem that Ward is saying on behalf of Zone 2 Sysops that intellectual property rights can be confiscated at whim, since he has effectively stolen both the copyright and registered trademark which Tom Jennings has graciously allowed us to use without fees or royalties all these years. Is this a precursor to someone trying to take the copyright for their own, and start charging us those royalties they might feel that they deserve? Other than a single brief message, as of March 12, Ward has issued no other explanation than that he feels the new wording 'best reflects reality' as he sees it. Mind you, this is also the same man who wants to be your new International Coordinator. Think on it. =============================== ;A FidoNet Nodelist for Friday, March 14, 1997 -- Day number 073 : 37533 ;A ;A The FidoNet Nodelist, a listing of the systems within FidoNet. ;A ;A .. The FidoNet NodeList is compiled so that computer systems within FidoNet ;A may communicate with each other. Use and intra-FidoNet distribution ;A rights are granted to all FidoNet system operators for the purposes of ;A communication within FidoNet or applying for a FidoNet node FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 12 17 Mar 1997 number. ;A ;A .. This is a compilation of individual nodelist segments contributed by the ;A drafters and compilers of those segments. Contribution of these segments ;A to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the contributors. ;A ;S ;S # 30 # ----------------------------------------------------------------- The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same by Zorch Frezberg, 1:205/1701 Regional EchoMail Coordinators are the unwitting victims of a particularly nasty hoax...one that their innocent blindness is keeping them from seeing as it really is. Most of you have seen the message by now that the ZEC, Bruce Bodger, has mandated that your Region be consulted on whether or not he should retain his post as ZEC. What you may not realize is that the entire call for election is all a hoax, a blind, a cover for what is the true nature of the situation. You see, Bruce Bodger also holds the position of "Overseer of BackBone Operations", or OBO, a shadowy position that he created for himself and imposed on Fido when he, as Zone EchoMail Coordinator, revoked the prior BackBone Operations Policy (BOP). This BOFAQ, while holding no real authority or power under the FidoNet Policy, FidoNet Technical Standards, nor any accepted vote or consensus of FidoNet members or Coordinators, has been quietly implemented and accepted as the 'guiding authority' on how EchoMail is handled. Moreso when the person who created the OBO and OBOFAQ is himself the Zone EchoMail Coordinator, the highest authority on EchoMail issues in Zone 1. So long as the illusion of authority has been maintained, the illusion of real power to impose these "guidelines" has been observed in the EchoMail hierarchy, and so few OBO decisions have ever been challenged successfully. However, the latest copy of his replacement document, BOFAQ703.TXT, clearly shows that the OBO is not answerable to any authority in Fido or the EchoMail hierarchy. FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 13 17 Mar 1997 Most of these same points have existed in previous versions, but that the ZEC is calling for the choice of either a 'vote of confidence' or an election to replace him makes it necessary to refer to the latest set of BOFAQ "guidelines". Please get a copy of BOFAQ703.TXT and look at the document...specifically, look at the "definitions" area for the details. {modified to fit FIDONEWS specs and extracted to specifics} > O.B.O. - Overseer of Backbone Operations - Person responsible for > maintenance of this help file and its associated > distribution documents. > The position has customarily been occupied by the Zone 1 > EchoMail Coordinator (identified by the 1:1/200 address in > the FidoNet nodelist). Ultimately responsible for all > decisions regarding EchoMail distribution on the North > American Backbone. Note the three elements... 1) The OBO is responsible for the BOFAQ document. 2) The OBO is responsible for *all* decisions on EchoMail distribution. and, most importantly, 3) There is no *requirement* that the OBO be the ZEC. But, let's continue... > O.B.O. Council - A group of people representing the EchoMail > interests of the Zone, assembled for the purpose of > providing input and perspective to the O.B.O. The Council > consists of the 10 Region EchoMail Coordinators. Please note...nowhere in this definition, indeed, in the entire BOFAQ document, is there any *requirement* that the OBO _act_ on any decisions of the OBO Council...even if it were to call for removal of the OBO. > Zone Echolist - As it relates to the Backbone, a database > containing a list of echoes distributed by, or aspiring to > be distributed by, the Backbone. The format of this > monthly distributed database is at the discretion of the > ZEC, however customarily contains echo names, moderator > names and addresses, and descriptions of the echoes. Here we have a conundrum...which "ZEC" is being referred to in this definition? Traditionally, the handling of echoes being listed is the province of the Zone Echo_LIST_ Coordinator, while the Zone Echo_MAIL_ Coordinator has been responsible for the smooth operation of the various BackBones in Zone 1, usually under the BackBone Operations FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 14 17 Mar 1997 Policy. Now, however, with the BOFAQ, these distinctions are blurred beyond any form of clarity. > Zone EchoList Coordinator - Person responsible for the maintenance > and production of the Zone EchoList. Note the smooth but subtle difference... Currently, Bruce Bodger is the Zone Echo_MAIL_ Coordinator...it's Adrian Walker who is the Zone Echo_LIST_ Coordinator. With this, the Zone Echo_MAIL_ Coordinator is effectively removed from having any authority whatsoever in BackBone operations. So how does this "authority" to perpetrate this hoax come about? It came about by the Regional EchoMAIL Coordinator Council failing to act a while back when the ZEC revoked the BOP. Without any clear action by the REC Council, the BOFAQ was slipped into place despite individual protests from various sysops. As stated in the BOFAQ itself: > Q1 ================================================================ > What is the purpose of this help file? > > This help file has been assembled as a means to provide answers to > frequently asked questions regarding how the Backbone operates and > to provide an insight into its internal administration. "...how the BackBone operates..." "...an insight into its internal administration." These are comments which clearly indicate that while there is some formal set of rules to its operations, that same set of rules and/or agreements is not to be made available to the public. Moreover, the subtlety of the separation of power between the OBO and the ZEC becomes even more apparent as you read the BOFAQ: > Q2 ================================================================ > Who appoints the Hubs? > > Hubs at the Zone level, commonly referred to as "Stars", are > appointed by the O.B.O. > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > Q11 =============================================================== > How does one go about getting an echo added to North American > Backbone distribution? > > The O.B.O. generally adds a conference to the Backbone when all of FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 15 17 Mar 1997 > ^^^^^^^^^^ > these requirements are met: > > 2) The moderator sends a request to the O.B.O., or preferably > ^^^^^^^^^ > Q12 =============================================================== > When does the Backbone remove an echo from its distribution > system? > > The O.B.O. generally drops a conference when any of these > ^^^^^^^^^^ > situations occur: > > 7) When the O.B.O. considers that the distribution of an echo > ^^^^^^^^^^ > is no longer in the best interest of the Backbone. Seems that the OBO carries more weight and authority than either the Zone EchoMAIL or the Zone EchoLIST Coordinators... Most important of all, however, is that the OBO is a self-reliant entity, requiring and recognizing no other authority than itself. > Q16 =============================================================== > What is the update procedure for this document? > > The O.B.O. may update this help file anytime that he/she feels that > it would be in the best interest of the Backbone and those people > it voluntarily serves in order to more accurately reflect its > current operation. I would strongly urge that the Regional EchoMail Coordinator Council consider these words and information before allowing this hoax to continue. If it is the will of the REC Council to call for an election to replace Bruce Bodger as Zone EchoMail Coordinator, then it would seem to be best for them to see how far down they'll need to dig to uproot him from that post. # 30 # ----------------------------------------------------------------- =================================================== -+- Forwarded message follows: -+- > Message #7839 [R19SYSOP: Region 19 Sysop] > From: Bruce Bodger > Posted: 16 Mar 97 11:56 > To : All > Subj: ZEC / RC Election > FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 16 17 Mar 1997 > Cross Posted into R19COORD: > > Last week I cross posted a message here (and in many other > places) which I had > originally written to the RECs of Zone 1. The message > instructed them to: > > "... conduct a survey of their respective Regions to > determine if they, the > Regions, would prefer either another (ZEC) election being > conducted or an > affirmation and acceptance of my willingness to serve > another term (as ZEC)." > > I asked them to come back to me with one of the following 2 > statements; > > My Region would like an election to be conducted =or= My > Region would like you > to stay on for another term. > > I set the earliest date for replies to Mar. 24 and required > that they survey > their Regions. > > > Shortly before I wrote the above message I had been > nominated to run for the > postion of Region Coordinator of Region 19. I accepted the > nomination. > Knowing my own schedule committments I felt that I could > handle both positions > without allowing them to interfere with each other. > However, there is > something that I failed to consider and that is that I owe > my Region more than > just a part time committment as their Region Coordinator. > > I have been a member of Region 19 for about 9 years. The > Region has been good > to me, supporting me in all of my campaign bids including 2 > terms as their > REC, through the past ZEC election, as well as the current > REC polling process. > > Region 19 is about to lose on of the best Region > Coordinators that it has ever > had, James Ray. Jamey (:-)) has served 2 outstanding terms > as R19C but has > decided to allow his family to get to know him for a while > :-) Had it not > been for James' decision to "retire", I would never have > accepted the > nomination for R19C. > > In order to afford my Region the attention it deserves, I FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 17 17 Mar 1997 > have decided to > cancel what's come to be known as the "vote of confidence" > and will begin > organizing an election for the postion of Zone 1 EchoMail > Coordinator. I will > not be one of the candidates. > > If the Region allows me the honor of serving as its > Coordinator I will do my > best to follow in James Ray's footsteps. We have worked > very well together > through the years and he has set an excellent example for > his successor. > > > AllTheBest, > Bruce > > --- > * Origin: ** the TruckStop BBS ** Tulsa, OK (918) > 254-6618 (1:170/400) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 18 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= GETTING TECHNICAL ================================================================= [This is part of the continuing series of FTSC docs being published for the purpose of FidoNet History. These docs have been reformatted to 70 columns where required for FidoNews.] Ed. Document: FSC-0049 Version: 001 Date: 03-Jul-90 A Proposal for Passing Domain Information During an FTS-0006 Session by Bob Hartman 1:104/501@fidonet.org July 3, 1990 Status of this document: This FSC suggests a proposed protocol for the FidoNet(r) community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this document is unlimited. Fido and FidoNet are registered marks of Tom Jennings and Fido Software. FSC-0045 proposes a method for sending five dimensional FidoNet addresses (ie, zone:net/node.point@domain) via the type 2 packet header. This document describes a proposed method for sending the same five dimensional address in the Hello packet of an FTS-0006 session, with the additional advantage of being able to utilize the full Internet recognized domain name for various Fidonet technology networks. This proposal, combined with FSC-0045 will help to solve one of FidoNet's most pressing problems: How to recognize alternative networks without the need of some centralized management looking at all of them and what they are doing with Zone numbers, etc. Like FSC- 0045, this proposal remains backwards compatible with what it is replacing. Currently FTS-0006 has provisions for zone, net, node, and point information to be passed in the Hello packet. To extend this to allow the domain name to be passed, an extra capability bit is used. This bit corresponds to the 0x4000 bit, and will be called the DO_DOMAIN bit. If this bit is set, it means that the sender is domain aware, and has enclosed his domain in the Hello packet. The domain is stored in the system name field, after the null that terminates the real system name. The system name field is a maximum of 60 characters, so the sender must make the real system name, a null, the domain name, and another null byte fit within the 60 bytes. The domain will start at the byte immediately after the first null byte. The domain is FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 19 17 Mar 1997 arbitrary length and should correspond to the Internet assigned domain name. This is NOT the same as the FSC-0045 domain, and therefore there needs to be a mapping between real Internet domains, and the FSC-0045 style domain name, if FSC-0045 is accepted by the FTSC as a standard for use by all mailers. This mapping is normally straightforward (for example, Internet fidonet.org would correspond to FSC-0045 domain FidoNet). Since most alternative nets do not have a registered Internet domain, the naming convention should be "known by" domain (ie, FSC-0045 domain name) followed by .ftn (for FidoNet Technology Network). So, the FSC-0045 domain "Alternet" would be converted to alternet.ftn under this proposal. This allows domains which are not normally FidoNet aware to use FTS-0006 to talk to FidoNet technology mail programs. For example, a mailer located at Camex in Manchester, NH might send it's mail as 'man.camex.com' during an FTS-0006 session. When parsing the domain name, the parsing should try to match the domain from right to left (Internet naming is hierarchical from right to left), so that if a mailer knew about man.camex.com, that could also match something of the form super.machine.silly.name.man.camex.com. The domain name should be case INSENSITIVE, and the FSC-0045 abbreviation of it should be unique within the first 8 characters, and also should not include any periods ('.') or at-signs ('@') since those characters are significant in the Internet domain naming scheme. In order for this proposal to be adopted, the FTSC would have to assign the DO_DOMAIN bit, and have it documented in FTS-0006. This method is fully backwards compatible, since a domain aware mailer could send the domain information, and if the other end was not domain aware, it would ignore it. If the other end was domain aware, it would be able to extract the domain information easily and would then have a full five dimensional address available for the sender. This proposal remains fully backward compatible with the current uses of all FTS-0006 fields, and should not affect operation of any mailer that has used reserved bytes in the Hello packet. -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Document: FSC-0050 Version: 001 Date: 14-Jul-90 A Character Set Identifier For FidoNet Message Editors Draft I Thomas Sundblom 2:201/114@fidonet Status of this document: This FSC suggests a proposed protocol for the FidoNet(r) community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this document is unlimited. FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 20 17 Mar 1997 Fido and FidoNet are registered marks of Tom Jennings and Fido Software. Purpose This document should serve as a guide for the character set identifier, CHARSET hereafter, format for FidoNet message Editors. The purpose behind CHARSET is related to my attempt to make it easier for each reader of a FidoNet message to identify the characters used in the messages. Since FidoNet messages aren't restricted to use any special character sets in the messages, there will be differences between computer kinds and special country dependent characters. To avoid confusion in such cases, I'm hereby introducing the CHARSET kludge. There is no need that each FidoNet Message reader should be able to understand every possible character set. If the reader can't handle the special character set found in a message, then it should use a default character set (as most readers do today). Format ^aCHARSET: Sample ^aCHARSET: ISO-11 Would identify that the message is written using the ISO-11 character set, which relates to the character set mainly used in Sweden. Supported character sets No special character set is specified, but it is recomended to use the ISO numbering of the different character sets. Where no ISO number is available, an easy to understand code should by used. Character set identifier examples ISO-6 Relates to plain ASCII 7 bit character set. ISO-11 Swedish character set, 7 bit. ISO-21 Germany character set, 7 bit. ISO-69 French character set, 7 bit. Other character set identifiers could be PC-8 IBM PC complete character set. ATARI ATARI ST complete character set AMIGA AMIGA complete character set -30- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 21 17 Mar 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------- [This FSC had several pages of high ASCII characters removed for inclusion in FidoNews.] Ed. Document: FSC-0051 Version: 003 Date: 25-Feb-91 I51 A System-Independent Way of Transferring Special Characters Draft III Tomas Gradin, 2:200/108@fidonet Status of this document: This FSC suggests a proposed protocol for the FidoNet(r) community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this document is unlimited. Fido and FidoNet are registered marks of Tom Jennings and Fido Software. Contents Introduction How does it work? Advantages and problems Technical description The fallback method of displaying an extra character How to use I51 in mail Acknowledgements Appendix A - The Latin-1 standard Appendix B - A list of combined characters Appendix C - Sample code Appendix D - Comments on the base set Appendix E - Comments on the escape character Appendix F - When the change to I51 is taking place Appendix G - Comments to the author Introduction This document proposes a method for transferring characters, including accented and otherwisely special ones, in ordinary FidoNet messages, and is the result of some of the thougts put forward in the discussion of foreign characters at TechCon I, as well as extensive discussions in the Swedish equivalent of NET_DEV. The proposed standard will allow for the transmission of all FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 22 17 Mar 1997 variants of letters in the latin alphabet, as well as several special characters commonly used. At the same time the standard makes inclusion of additional characters painless. The standard implements a way of automatically displaying these characters as resemblingly as possible on systems that doesn't yet support them, using the built-in fallback method described in this document. One main advantage of this standard is that even though it uses a well-spread character set as its base, it is not limited to that set. It is therefore possible to include as many characters as needed. The only restriction is that the additional characters implemented should be based on the Latin alphabet. How does it work? The base character set used in this standard is ISO 8859-1, commonly known as 'ISO Latin-1'. All characters present in that set are used as is. The advantages of this character set are well known, and will not be discussed in this document. However, the most obvious advantage of Latin-1 is that characters can be easily case shifted. All accented and special characters not present in the base set are considered 'extra' characters, and are obtained by using a form of character combination. To let message editors etc. know when to combine characters, and when not to, all combination sequences are preceded by a special 'escape' character. This escape character is 0x02, ie. ^B (STX). Advantages and problems A system that strips eight bit characters when displaying them is no problem, since it doesn't support this proposed standard at this moment. When eventually doing so (which I hope most systems will), the hi-bit characters are treated as they should. A system that treats eight bit characters as other characters will give the effect that extra characters transmitted with the proposed method look strange if the system isn't supporting this method. * The method will never break anything fully FTS-compliant. * It will give strange characters on systems that don't support this method, but that is not worse than the current situation. * It will give systems supporting this method the ability to transfer national, accented and special characters to systems on other computer platforms (ie. the characters look the same on a PC and a Macintosh). * Systems that support this method, but are implemented on FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 23 17 Mar 1997 computers that don't have the ability to display certain characters will automatically show the most resembling character the computer can provide, if the character in question is one of the extended ones. For the 96 hi-bit characters developers hopefully will include the needed translation tables in their programs. Such tables can be provided upon request. * Conferences on FidoNet in English will be minimally affected, since the English language seldom uses other characters than those in pure ASCII. The possibility to use other characters will however be present, if needed. Those that frequently use special characters will benefit a lot, without causing trouble for those that don't. * In fact, the minimum requirement to be I51-compatible is that your system can handle Latin-1 codes, plus the I51 fallback. When the base set of I51 (ie. Latin-1) is implemented, you can obtain full I51 compliance by just adding I51 fallback. After that, you can choose which ones of the I51 extra characters to implement, if any at all. The automatic fall-back system takes care of the rest for you! The additional work to get a Latin-1 compatible system to fully support I51 is indeed negligable. Technical description The format of a representation of an extra character is as follows: I will be using 0x02 as escape character in the examples below. It will however be represented with a '.', since it is non-printable. Examples: 02 2d 7e (.-~) will display as an about equals sign (''). 02 50 74 (.$P) is used to represent a peseta symbol (''). 02 02 represents a single 02, if that code ever is needed in a message. I propose that the use of 0x02 in messages for other reasons than in this method of character transmission should be prohibited. The fallback method of displaying an extra character If the system where you are implementing this method of special character transmission doesn't support a certain extra character, the following procedure should be used. To display a special character as resemblingly as possible, just skip the modifier! Ie. the sequence 02 67 6a (.ga) is displayed as 'a', 02 5e 73 as 's'. It is therefore preferred that the FTSC in assigning sequences to any additional characters take FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 24 17 Mar 1997 this into account. How to use I51 in mail In transit mail in I51 format _must_ be passed on un- altered, per FTS-0001. However, it is possible to store messages locally in any desired format. As long as the BBS programs doesn't have options for users to change their character setup and representation, this may be desirable. The I51 method of representing special characters is also allowed in headers of messages, if account is taken to the fact that the extra characters occupy more bytes than the 'normal' characters. Since the character codes 0x80 - 0x9f are undefined in ISO 8859-1, their presence in an I51 message is prohibited, if not defined in an FTS document (eg. 'soft CR'). Acknowledgements I would like to thank those present at TechCon I (in Antwerp, Belgium, july 1990) during the discussion of foreign characters for the fundamental ideas that lead to this proposal. I would also like to thank all those that have made comments on this document, both in netmail and echomail. Appendix A - The Latin-1 standard The following list comprises the hi-bit characters present in the Latin-1 standard, with is used as the base set of I51. hex value byte character description character (PC codepage) * a0 160 non-breaking space ff (437) a1 161 inverted exclamation mark ad (437) a2 162 cent sign bd (437) a3 163 pound sign 9c (437) a4 164 currency sign cf (850) a5 165 yen sign be (437) a6 166 broken bar dd (850) a7 167 paragraph sign f5 (850) * a8 168 diaeresis f9 (850) a9 169 copyright sign b8 (850) aa 170 feminine ordinal indicator a6 (437) ab 171 left angle quotation mark ae (437) ac 172 not sign aa (437) ad 173 soft hyphen f0 (850) ae 174 registered trade mark sign a9 (850) af 175 macron ee (850) b0 176 degree sign f8 (437) b1 177 plus-minus sign f1 (437) b2 178 superscript two fd (437) b3 179 superscript three fc (850) FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 25 17 Mar 1997 b4 180 acute accent ef (850) b5 181 small greek letter mu e6 (437) b6 182 pilcrow sign f4 (850) * b7 183 middle dot fa (437) b8 184 cedilla f7 (850) b9 185 superscript one fb (850) ba 186 masculine ordinal indicator a7 (437) bb 187 right angle quotation mark af (437) bc 188 vulgar fraction one quarter ac (437) bd 189 vulgar fraction one half ab (437) be 190 vulgar fraction three quarters f3 (850) bf 191 inverted question mark a8 (437) c0 192 A with grave accent b7 (850) c1 193 A with acute accent b5 (850) c2 194 A with circumflex accent b6 (850) c3 195 A with tilde c7 (850) c4 196 capital letter A with diaeresis 8e (437) c5 197 capital letter A with ring above 8f (437) c6 198 ligature AE 92 (437) c7 199 C with cedilla 80 (437) c8 200 E with grave accent d4 (850) c9 201 E with acute accent 90 (437) ca 202 E with circumflex accent d2 (850) cb 203 E with diaeresis d3 (850) cc 204 I with grave accent de (850) cd 205 I with acute accent d6 (850) ce 206 I with circumflex accent d7 (850) cf 207 I with diaeresis d8 (850) d0 208 Icelandic Eth e8 (850) d1 209 N with tilde a5 (437) d2 210 O with grave accent e3 (850) d3 211 O with acute accent e0 (850) d4 212 O with circumflex accent e2 (850) d5 213 O with tilde e5 (850) d6 214 O with diaeresis 99 (437) d7 215 multiplication sign 9e (850) d8 216 slash O 9d (850) d9 217 U with grave accent eb (850) da 218 U with acute accent e9 (850) db 219 U with circumflex accent ea (850) dc 220 U with diaeresis 9a (437) dd 221 Y with acute accent ed (850) de 222 capital Icelandic Thorn d1 (850) df 223 small german letter sharp s e1 (437) e0 224 a with grave accent 85 (437) e1 225 a with acute accent a0 (437) e2 226 a with circumflex accent 83 (437) e3 227 a with tilde c6 (850) e4 228 a with diaeresis 84 (437) e5 229 a with ring above 86 (437) e6 230 small ae-ligature 91 (437) e7 231 c with cedilla 87 (437) e8 232 e with grave accent 8a (437) e9 233 e with acute accent 82 (437) ea 234 e with circumflex accent 88 (437) eb 235 e with diaeresis 89 (437) FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 26 17 Mar 1997 ec 236 i with grave accent 8d (437) ed 237 i with acute accent a1 (437) ee 238 i with circumflex 8c (437) ef 239 i with diaeresis 8b (437) f0 240 small Icelandic Eth e7 (850) f1 241 n with tilde a4 (437) f2 242 o with grave accent 95 (437) f3 243 o with acute accent a2 (437) f4 244 o with circumflex accent 93 (437) f5 245 o with tilde e4 (850) f6 246 o with diaeresis 94 (437) f7 247 division sign f6 (437) f8 248 small o slash 9b (850) f9 249 u with grave accent 97 (437) fa 250 u with acute accent a3 (437) fb 251 u with circumflex accent 96 (437) fc 252 u with diaeresis 81 (437) fd 253 y with acute accent ec (850) fe 254 small icelandic thorn d0 (850) ff 255 y with diaeresis 98 (437) * The pilcrow and paragraph signs are also found in CP 437, at 0x14 and 0x15 respectively. All characters with CP listed as 437 have the same codes in CP 850 - thus, viewing this list with CP set to 850 will give all the right characters. Appendix B - A list of combined characters The following list contains the escaped representations of the majority of the IBM PCs special and accented characters not present in the base set, as well as some others. To standardize how a certain additional character is to be represented the FTSC will publish a list of such characters, similar to this one. The use of other combination sequences than the ones approved by the FTSC is discouraged. hex string bytes character description character (PC codepage) 02 20 30 . 0 superscript zero - 02 20 34 . 4 superscript four - 02 20 35 . 5 superscript five - 02 20 36 . 6 superscript six - 02 20 37 . 7 superscript seven - 02 20 38 . 8 superscript eight - 02 20 39 . 9 superscript nine - 02 2e 30 . 0 subscript zero - 02 20 69 . i dot-less i d5 (850) 02 20 49 . I I with dot - 02 20 6e . n superscript n fc (437) 02 22 55 ."U U with double acute accent - 02 22 75 ."u u with double acute accent - 02 2e 31 ..1 subscript one - 02 2e 32 ..2 subscript two - 02 2e 33 ..3 subscript three - 02 2e 34 ..4 subscript four - FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 27 17 Mar 1997 02 2e 35 ..5 subscript five - 02 2e 36 ..6 subscript six - 02 2e 37 ..7 subscript seven - 02 2e 38 ..8 subscript eight - 02 2e 39 ..9 subscript nine - 02 24 50 .$P peseta sign 9e (437) 02 24 66 .$f guilder sign 9f (437) 02 2c 41 .,A A with cedilla - 02 2c 45 .,E E with cedilla - 02 2c 53 .,S S with cedilla - 02 2c 61 .,a a with cedilla - 02 2c 65 .,e e with cedilla - 02 2c 73 .,s s with cedilla - 02 2d 3c .-< equal or less than f3 (437) 02 2d 3d .-= defined as f0 (437) 02 2d 3e .-> equal or greater than f2 (437) 02 2d 7e .-~ about equal f7 (437) 02 2d 43 .-C complement of - 02 2d 49 .-I part of lot ee (437) 02 2d 53 .-S Polish S with dash - 02 2d 5a .-Z Polish Z with dash - 02 2d 73 .-s Polish s with dash - 02 2d 7a .-z Polish z with dash - 02 2e 53 ..S Polish S with dot - 02 2e 5a ..Z Polish Z with dot - 02 2e 73 ..s Polish s with dot - 02 2e 7a ..z Polish z with dot - 02 2f 4c ./L Polish L slash - 02 2f 6c ./l Polish l slash - 02 5e 47 .^G G with inversed circ. accent - 02 5e 53 .^S S with inversed circ. accent - 02 5e 67 .^g g with inversed circ. accent - 02 5e 73 .^s s with inversed circ. accent - 02 67 47 .gG capital gamma e2 (437) 02 67 61 .ga alpha e0 (437) 02 74 6d .tm trade mark sign - The number enclosed in brackets is the IBM PC codepage number. A hyphen denotes a character that does not exist on the IBM PC. Appendix C - Sample code Here is some sample C code. The first function combines sequences into their proper representation in IBM PC codepage 437, the second does the reverse, ie. converts characters not found in the I51 base set to their combination sequences. void cmbch(char *s) { int z, x, sl; sl = strlen(s); for (z = 0, x = 0; x <= sl; z++, x++) FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 28 17 Mar 1997 if (s[x] == '') switch (s[++x]) { case '-': switch (s[++x]) { case '<': s[z] = ''; break; case '=': s[z] = ''; break; case '>': s[z] = ''; break; case '~': s[z] = ''; break; case 'I': s[z] = ''; break; default: s[z] = s[x]; break; }; break; case 'g': switch (s[++x]) { case 'G': s[z] = ''; break; case 'a': s[z] = ''; break; default: s[z] = s[x]; break; }; break; default: s[z] = s[++x]; } else s[z] = s[x]; } char *encode(char *s) { char *t = s; while (*s) { switch (*s) { case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = ' '; *t++ = 'n'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '$'; *t++ = 'P'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '$'; *t++ = 'f'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '-'; *t++ = '<'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '-'; *t++ = '='; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '-'; *t++ = '>'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '-'; *t++ = '~'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = '-'; *t++ = 'I'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = 'g'; *t++ = 'G'; break; case '': *t++ = '\0x02'; *t++ = 'g'; *t++ = 'a'; break; default: *t++ = *s; } s++; } return (t); } The code neccessary to translate between I51 hibit characters and any ordinary 8 bit character set is trivial and left as an exercise to the reader..:-) FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 29 17 Mar 1997 Appendix D - Comments on the base set It is of course possible to use any character set as the base set, even pure 7-bit ASCII. Earlier revisions of this standard were in fact based on ASCII. But, the usage of ASCII as the base set will require all non-ascii characters to be encoded. That would cause a lot of unneccessary trouble for almost all foreign languages, and is not desirable. No one would want all 'strange' characters of his language to be encoded, just because 'we can't use 8 bits'. Mail sessions are conducted in 8 bit, packets contain 8 bit data - so we can. Then, of course, it is unwise not to use an 8 bit set as the base set, since it will save a lot of space compared to a 7 bit set, not to mention a lot of trouble. It is my belief that among 8 bit sets ISO 8859-1 is the most well-spread and common around, and that qualifies it to be the proposed base set of this standard. Appendix E - Comments on the escape character The escape character can in fact be almost any character, if proper measurements are taken to make the ordinary use for the character chosen possible at the same time. To avoid too much trouble, it is wise to select a character seldom found in mail. 0x01 would be a perfect escape character, were it not for the fact that it is already used for other purposes. The next character, however, is currently unused. I therefore felt it wise to use 0x02 as the escape character in this standard. There are several advantages related to the use of this character as the escape character. There are of course other characters (eg. '\' or '~') that could be used, but there are reasons not to use them. '\', for instance, is commonly used in Europe to represent a national character, and is therefore not well suited. The '~' on the other hand is not often used, but can't be used as an escape character due to the fact that it itself is an accent (see below). Appendix F - During the change to I51, co-existence with other methods Any message in which the I51 standard is used (whether with extra codes present or not) will, during a limited period of time, have the following kludge line in it: ^AI51 With this kludge line present, a message editor at once will know that a certain message should be 'de-I51-ified'. How to interpret messages lacking this line is upon you decide. However, should you find a 0x02 in a message lacking the kludge line, the message is to be considered an I51 message. When a non-I51 message is quoted, its contents should be translated to the corresponding I51 codes, if possible. Characters not found in the I51 standard (as defined in this document) are to be ignored, unless a similar I51 representation FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 30 17 Mar 1997 can be found. Appendix G - Comments to the author Please feel free to contact me on 2:200/108 if you have any questions, comments or suggestions regarding this document, or anything associated with it. I appreciate any suggestions on additional 'extra' characters to be added to this standard. -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 31 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= COORDINATORS CORNER ================================================================= Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 073 By Ward Dossche, 2:292/854 ZC/2 +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+ |Zone|Nl-045|Nodelist-052|Nodelist-059|Nodelist-066|Nodelist-073|%%| +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+ | 1 | 9527| 9527 0 | 9405 -122 | 9405 0 | 9107 -298 |33| | 2 | 16074|16051 -23 |16116 65 |16083 -33 |15996 -87 |58| | 3 | 846| 812 -34 | 807 -5 | 800 -7 | 800 0 | 3| | 4 | 538| 541 3 | 541 0 | 545 4 | 547 2 | 2| | 5 | 87| 87 0 | 87 0 | 87 0 | 87 0 | 0| | 6 | 1071| 1071 0 | 1088 17 | 1088 0 | 1088 0 | 4| +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+ | 28143|28089 -54 |28044 -45 |28008 -36 |27625 -383 | +------+------------+------------+------------+------------+ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 32 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= WE GET EMAIL ================================================================= --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Thu Mar 13 13:37:24 1997 From: Bruce Bodger @ 1:170/400 To: Christopher Baker @ 1:18/14 Date: 12 Mar 97 19:19:53 Subj: FidoNews Submission Chris, Please post in the next FidoNews. Thank you, AllTheBest, Bruce ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tue 11 Mar 97 6:10a The below message was posted to all the RECs this morning. Please be sure to let your REC know your opinion on this question. Please discuss in your respective Region echos. Thank you.. ====================================================================== Date: Tue 11 Mar 97 05:53 From: Bruce Bodger To: ALL Subj: POLL YOUR REGIONS ====================================================================== This message is to be posted in your Region's Admin. echo(s). I was elected as your ZEC on October 28, 1994 to serve a two year term. Im a little over 4 months late in conducting another election or affirmation of the position. You have my apologies. I want the RECs to conduct a survey of their respective Regions to determine if they, the Regions, would prefer either another election being conducted or an affirmation and acceptance of my willingness to serve another term. I am allowing at least 2 weeks for the RECs to get back to me with one of the following choices only; My Region would like an election to be conducted =or= My Region would like you to stay on for another term. The choice that each REC returns must be based on input from within their Region. Each REC must do his/her best to make the discussion public within their Region by, at least, posting a copy of this FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 33 17 Mar 1997 message in their Region's admin. echo(s). I am setting March 24 as the target date for replies but use whatever time is necessary to ensure that your Region has had time to discuss this issue. I will NOT accept input from any REC that does not confer with their Region. Bruce Bodger Via 1:170/400@fidonet -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 34 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= NET HUMOR ================================================================= X-Sender: volition@168.121.253.33 Date: Fri, 14 Feb 1997 00:45:55 -0500 To: webheads@softdisk.com From: Ray Sola Subject: Drug dealers vs software developers Sender: owner-webheads@softdisk.com Reply-To: webheads@softdisk.com Subject: Drug dealers vs software developers "Life is never dull, but boredom has its merits." ----------------------------------------------------------------- Drug dealers Software developers --------------------------- --------------------------- Refer to their clients Refer to their clients as "users". as "users". "The first one's free!" "Download a free trial version..." Have important South-East Have important South-East Asian connections Asian connections (to help move the stuff). (to help debug the code). Strange jargon: "Stick," Strange jargon: "SCSI," "Rock," "Dime bag," "E". "RTFM," "Java," "ISDN". Realize that there's tons of Realize that there's tons of cash in the 14- to cash in the 14- to 25-year-old market. 25-year-old market. Job is assisted by the Job is assisted by the industry producing industry producing newer, more potent mixes. newer, faster machines. Often seen in the company Often seen in the company of of pimps and hustlers. marketing people and venture capitalists. Their product causes DOOM. Quake. SimCity. Duke Nukem 3D. unhealthy addictions. Diablo. 'Nuff said. Do your job well, and you can Damn! Damn! DAMN!!! sleep with sexy movie stars who depend on you. -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 35 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= Future History 17 May 1997 Independence Day, Norway. 6 Jun 1997 National Commemoration Day, Sweden. 11 Jun 1997 Independence Day, Russia. 1 Jul 1997 Canada Day - Happy Birthday Canada. 9 Jul 1997 Independence Day, Argentina. 13 Oct 1997 Thanksgiving Day, Canada. 1 Dec 1997 World AIDS Day. 10 Dec 1997 Nobel Day, Sweden. 12 Jan 1998 HAL 9000 is one year old today. 22 May 1998 Expo '98 World Exposition in Lisbon (Portugal) opens. 1 Dec 1998 Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by Tom Jennings. 31 Dec 1999 Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed. 1 Jan 2000 The 20th Century, C.E., is still taking place thru 31 Dec. 15 Sep 2000 Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens. 1 Jan 2001 This is the actual start of the new millennium, C.E. -- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 36 17 Mar 1997 Welcome to the *new* IEEE echo. aka: Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers conference. This is the international conference for the I.E.E.E. It is designed to help disseminate information to IEEE members, promote discussions among the engineering community and provide a forum to discuss the engineering news and views published in the various IEEE publications and the media. This conference may include some technical engineering discussions. Origin: 1:253/60 Moderators: August Abolins, 1:253/60 -- | Return Address: August.Abolins@etc.mn.pubnix.net | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his/her | own. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 37 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ================================================================= [The software list manager will have an updated list next week.] Ed. Latest Greatest Software Versions by Peter E. Popovich, 1:363/264 All right, I admit it. I've been slacking off. I didn't get anything done this week. Sigh. The good news is that the old info section is down to under 40 percent, so we're seeing some real progress there. Phased out this week: "OS/2 Systems" Section Phase-out highlights: This week: "Amiga" Section Deadline for info: 14 Mar 1997. Last week: "Atari ST/TT" Section Deadline for info: 7 Mar 1997. -=- Snip -=- Submission form for the Latest Greatest Software Versions column OS Platform : Software package name : Version : Function(s) - BBS, Mailer, Tosser, etc. : Freeware / Shareware / Commercial? : Author / Support staff contact name : Author / Support staff contact node : Magic name (at the above-listed node) : Please include a sentence describing what the package does. Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264 -=- Snip -=- MS-DOS: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Act-Up 4.6 G D Chris Gunn 1:15/55 ACT-UP ALLFIX 4.40 T S Harald Harms 2:281/415 ALLFIX Announcer 1.1 O S Peter Karlsson 2:206/221 ANNOUNCE BGFAX 1.60 O S B.J. Guillot 1:106/400 BGFAX Binkley Docs 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOC_260.ZIP BinkleyTerm 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOS_260.ZIP BinkleyTerm-XE XR4 M F Thomas Waldmann 2:2474/400 BTXE_DOS CFRoute 0.92 O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 CFR CheckPnt 1.0 O G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 CHECKPNT FastEcho 1.45a T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400 FASTECHO FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 38 17 Mar 1997 FastEcho/16 1.45a T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400 FE16 FidoBBS (tm) 12u B S Ray Brown 1:1/117 FILES FrontDoor 2.12 M S JoHo 2:201/330 FD FrontDoor 2.20c M C JoHo 2:201/330 FDINFO GIGO 07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler 1:1/141 INFO GoldED 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GED GoldED Docs 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEM GoldNODE 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEN Imail 1.75 T S Michael McCabe 1:1/121 IMAIL ImCrypt 1.04 O G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 IMCRYPT InfoMail 1.11 O F Damian Walker 2:2502/666 INFOMAIL InfoMail/386 1.20 O F Damian Walker 2:2502/666 INFO386 InterEcho 1.19 T C Peter Stewart 1:369/35 IEDEMO InterMail 2.29k M C Peter Stewart 1:369/35 IMDEMO InterPCB 1.52 O S Peter Stewart 1:369/35 INTERPCB IPNet 1.11 O S Michele Stewart 1:369/21 IPNET JD's CBV 1.4 O S John Dailey 1:363/277 CBV Jelly-Bean 1.01 T S Rowan Crowe 3:635/727 JELLY Jelly-Bean/386 1.01 T S Rowan Crowe 3:635/727 JELLY386 JMail-Hudson 2.81 T S Jason Steck 1:285/424 JMAIL-H JMail-Goldbase 2.81 T S Jason Steck 1:285/424 JMAIL-G MakePl 1.9 N G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 MAKEPL Marena 1.1 beta O G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 MARENA Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAX McMail 1.0 M S Michael McCabe 1:1/148 MCMAIL MDNDP 1.18 N S Bill Doyle 1:388/7 MDNDP Msged 4.10 O G Andrew Clarke 3:635/728 MSGED41D.ZIP Msged/386 4.10 O G Andrew Clarke 3:635/728 MSGED41X.ZIP Opus CBCS 1.73a B P Christopher Baker 1:374/14 OPUS O/T-Track 2.63a O S Peter Hampf 2:241/1090 OT PcMerge 2.7 N G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 PCMERGE PlatinumXpress 1.3 M C Gary Petersen 1:290/111 PX13TD.ZIP QuickBBS 2.81 B S Ben Schollnick 1:2613/477 QUICKBBS RAR 2.00 C S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 RAR RemoteAccess 2.50 B S Mark Lewis 1:3634/12 RA Silver Xpress Door 5.4 O S Gary Petersen 1:290/111 FILES Reader 4.4 O S Gary Petersen 1:290/111 SXR44.ZIP Spitfire 3.51 B S Mike Weaver 1:3670/3 SPITFIRE Squish 1.11 T P Tech 1:249/106 SQUISH StealTag UK 1.c... O F Fred Schenk 2:284/412 STEAL_UK StealTag NL 1.c... O F Fred Schenk 2:284/412 STEAL_NL T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAIL Terminate 4.00 O S Bo Bendtsen 2:254/261 TERMINATE Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK TriBBS 10.0 B S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRIBBS TriDog 10.0 M S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRIDOG TriToss 10.0 T S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRITOSS WaterGate 0.92 G S Robert Szarka 1:320/42 WTRGATE WWIV 4.24a B S Craig Dooley 1:376/126 WWIV WWIVTOSS 1.36 T S Craig Dooley 1:376/126 WWIVTOSS xMail 2.00 T S Thorsten Franke 2:2448/53 XMAIL XRobot 3.01 O S JoHo 2:201/330 XRDOS OS/2: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 39 17 Mar 1997 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ALLFIX/2 1.10 T S Harald Harms 2:281/415 AFIXOS2 BGFAX 1.60 O S B.J. Guillot 1:106/400 BGFAX Binkley Docs 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOC_260.ZIP BinkleyTerm 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BOS2_260.ZIP BinkleyTerm-XE XR4 M F Thomas Waldmann 2:2474/400 BTXE_OS2 CFRoute 0.92 O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 CFR FastEcho 1.45a T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400 FE2 FleetStreet 1.19 O S Michael Hohner 2:2490/2520 FLEET GIGO 07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler 1:1/141 INFO GoldED 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEO GoldED Docs 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEM GoldNODE 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEN ImCrypt 1.04 O G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 IMCRYPT Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAXP Msged/2 4.10 O G Andrew Clarke 3:635/728 MSGED41O.ZIP PcMerge 2.3 N G Michiel vd Vlist 2:500/9 PCMERGE RAR 2.00 C S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 RAR2 Squish 1.11 T P Tech 1:249/106 SQUISHP T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAIL2 Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK XRobot 3.01 O S JoHo 2:201/330 XROS2 Windows (16-bit apps): Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BeeMail 1.0 M C Andrius Cepaitis 2:470/1 BEEMAIL FrontDoor APX 1.10 P S Mats Wallin 2:201/329 FDAPXW Windows (32-bit apps): Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BeeMail 1.0 M C Andrius Cepaitis 2:470/1 BEEMAIL Binkley Docs 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOC_260.ZIP BinkleyTerm 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BW32_260.ZIP CFRoute 0.92 O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 CFR GoldED 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEO GoldED Docs 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEM Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAXN Msged/NT 4.10 O G Andrew Clarke 3:635/728 MSGED41W.ZIP PlatinumXpress 2.00 M C Gary Petersen 1:290/111 PXW-INFO T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAILNT WinFOSSIL/95 1.12 r4 F S Bryan Woodruff 1:343/294 WNFOSSIL.ZIP WinFOSSIL/NT 1.0 beta F S Bryan Woodruff 1:343/294 NTFOSSIL.ZIP Unix: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ifmail 2.9 M G Eugene Crosser 2:293/2219 IFMAIL ifmail-tx ...tx7.9 M G Pablo Saratxaga 2:293/2219 IFMAILTX Msged 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK Amiga: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 40 17 Mar 1997 CrashMail 1.23 T X Fredrik Bennison 2:205/324 CRASHMAIL CrashTick 1.1 O F Fredrik Bennison 2:205/324 CRASHTICK DLG Pro BBOS 1.15 B C Holly Sullivan 1:202/720 DLGDEMO GMS 1.1.85 M S Mirko Viviani 2:331/213 GMS Msged 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK Atari: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BinkleyTerm/ST 3.18pl1 M F Bill Scull 1:363/112 BINKLEY Function: B-BBS, P-Point, M-Mailer, N-Nodelist, G-Gateway, T-Tosser, C-Compression, F-Fossil, O-Other. Note: Multifunction will be listed by the first match. Cost: P-Free for personal use, F-Freeware, S-Shareware, C-Commercial, X-Crippleware, D-Demoware, G-Free w/ Source Old info from: 01/27/92 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MS-DOS Systems Other Utilities Other Utilities -------------- Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- Network Mailers 2DAPoint 1.50* Netsex 2.00b Name Version 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 OFFLINE 1.35 -------------------- ARCAsim 2.31 Oliver 1.0a D'Bridge 1.30 ARCmail 3.00* OSIRIS CBIS 3.02 Dreamer 1.06 Areafix 1.20 PKInsert 7.10 Dutchie 2.90c ConfMail 4.00 PolyXarc 2.1a Milqtoast 1.00 Crossnet 1.5 QM 1.00a PreNM 1.48 DOMAIN 1.42 QSort 4.04 SEAdog 4.60 DEMM 1.06 RAD Plus 2.11 SEAmail 1.01 DGMM 1.06 Raid 1.00 TIMS 1.0(mod8) DOMAIN 1.42 RBBSMail 18.0 EEngine 0.32 ScanToss 1.28 Compression EMM 2.11* ScMail 1.00 Utilities EZPoint 2.1 ScEdit 1.12 Name Version FGroup 1.00 Sirius 1.0x -------------------- FidoPCB 1.0s@ SLMail 2.15C ARC 7.12 FNPGate 2.70 StarLink 1.01 ARJ 2.20 GateWorks 3.06e TagMail 2.41 LHA 2.13 GMail 2.05 TCOMMail 2.2 PAK 2.51 GMD 3.10 Telemail 1.5* PKPak 3.61 GMM 1.21 TGroup 1.13 PKZip 1.10 GROUP 2.23 TIRES 3.11 GUS 1.40 TMail 1.21 NodeList Utilities Harvey's Robot 4.10 TosScan 1.00 Name Version HeadEdit 1.18 UFGATE 1.03 -------------------- HLIST 1.09 VPurge 4.09e EditNL 4.00 ISIS 5.12@ WEdit 2.0@ FDND 1.10 Lola 1.01d WildMail 2.00 MakeNL 2.31 Mosaic 1.00b WMail 2.2 Parselst 1.33 MailBase 4.11a@ WNode 2.1 Prune 1.40 MSG 4.5* XRS 4.99 FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 41 17 Mar 1997 SysNL 3.14 MsgLnk 1.0c XST 2.3e XlatList 2.90 MsgMstr 2.03a YUPPIE! 2.00 XlaxNode/Diff 2.53 MsgNum 4.16d ZmailH 1.25 MSGTOSS 1.3 ZSX 2.40 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BBS Software Macintosh Other Software Name Version --------- Name Version -------------------- -------------------- FBBS 0.91 Network Mailers MacArd 0.04 Hermes 1.6.1 Name Version Mantissa 3.21 Mansion 7.15 -------------------- Mehitable 2.0 Precision Sys. 0.95b Copernicus 1.0 OriginatorII 2.0 Red Ryder Host 2.1 Tabby 2.2 PreStamp 3.2 Telefinder Host StuffIt Classic 1.6 2.12T10 Other Software SunDial 3.2 Name Version TExport 1.92 -------------------- TimeStamp 1.6 Point System ArcMac 1.3 TImport 1.92 Software AreaFix 1.6 Tset 1.3 Name Version Compact Pro 1.30 TSort 1.0 -------------------- EventMeister 1.0 UNZIP 1.02c Copernicus 1.00 Export 3.21 Zenith 1.5 CounterPoint 1.09 Import 3.2 Zip Extract 0.10 MacWoof 1.1 LHARC 0.41 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Amiga Network Mailers Other Software ----- Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- BBS Software BinkleyTerm 1.00 Areafix 1.48 Name Version TrapDoor 1.80 AReceipt 1.5 -------------------- WelMat 0.44 ChameleonEdit 0.11 4D-BBS 1.65 ConfMail 1.12 Falcon CBCS 1.00 ElectricHerald 1.66 Starnet 1.0q@ Compression FFRS 1.0@ TransAmiga 1.07 Utilities FileMgr 2.08 XenoLink 1.0 Name Version Fozzle 1.0@ -------------------- Login 0.18 AmigArc 0.23 MessageFilter 1.52 NodeList Utilities booz 1.01 Message View 1.12 Name Version LHARC 1.30 oMMM 1.50 -------------------- LhA 1.10 PolyXAmy 2.02 ParseLst 1.66 LZ 1.92 RMB 1.30 Skyparse 2.30 PkAX 1.00 Roof 46.15 TrapList 1.40 UnZip 4.1 RoboWriter 1.02 Zippy (Unzip) 1.25 Rsh 4.07a Zoo 2.01 Tick 0.75 TrapToss 1.20 |Contact: Maximilian Hantsch 2:310/6| Yuck! 2.02 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - BBS Software Atari ST/TT FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 42 17 Mar 1997 Name Version ----------- -------------------- FIDOdoor/ST 2.5.1 Network Mailers Other Utilities FiFo 2.1v Name Version Name Version LED ST 1.00 -------------------- -------------------- QuickBBS/ST 1.06* The Box 1.95* ApplyList 1.00@ Burep 1.1 Compression ComScan 1.04 Utilities NodeList Utilities ConfMail 4.10 Name Version Name Version Echoscan 1.10 -------------------- -------------------- FDrenum 2.5.2 ARC 6.02 ParseList 1.30 FastPack 1.20 LHARC 2.01i EchoFix 1.20 Import 1.14 PackConvert sTICK/Hatch 5.50 oMMM 1.40 STZip 1.1* Pack 1.00 UnJARST 2.00 Trenum 0.10 WhatArc 2.02 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Key to old info: + - Netmail Capable (Doesn't Require Additional Mailer Software) * - Recently Updated Version @ - New Addition -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 43 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY ================================================================= [this must be copied out to a file starting at column 1 or it won't process under PGP as a valid public-key] -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Clear-signing is Electronic Digital Authenticity! 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BBS at 1-904-409-7040 anytime except 0100-0130 ET and Zone 1 ZMH at 1200-9600+ HST/V32B. The FidoNews key is also available on the FidoNews homepage listed in the Masthead information. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 44 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= FIDONET BY INTERNET ================================================================= This is a list of all FidoNet-related sites reported to the Editor as of this appearance. ============ FidoNet: Homepage http://www.fidonet.org FidoNews http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html HTML FNews http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6894/ WWW sources http://www.scms.rgu.ac.uk/students/cs_yr94/lk/fido.html FTSC page http://www2.blaze.net.au/ftsc.html Echomail http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/index.html WebRing http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fnetring.html ============ Zone 1: http://www.z1.fidonet.org Region 10: http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html Region 11: http://oeonline.com/~garyg/region11/ Region 14: http://www.metins.net/showcase/fidonet/ Region 15: http://www.smrtsys.com/region15/ Region 16: http://www.tiac.net/users/satins/region16.htm Region 17: http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/region17.htm Region 18: http://www.citicom.com/fido.html Region 19: http://ccove.n-link.com/ ============ Zone 2: http://www.z2.fidonet.org ZEC2: http://fidoftp.paralex.co.uk/zec.htm Zone 2 Elist: http://www.fidonet.ch/z2_elist/z2_elist.htm Region 24: http://www.swb.de/personal/flop/gatebau.html (in German) Region 25: http://members.aol.com/Net254/ Region 27: http://telematique.org/fidofr.shtml (in French) Region 29: http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/ (in French) Region 30: http://www.fidonet.ch (in Swiss) FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 45 17 Mar 1997 Region 34: http://www.pobox.com/cnb/r34.htm (in Spanish) REC34: http://pobox.com/~chr Region 36: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/ ============ Zone 3: http://www.z3.fidonet.org ============ Zone 4: (not yet listed) ============ Zone 5: (not yet listed) ============ Zone 6: http://www.z6.fidonet.org ============ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 46 17 Mar 1997 ================================================================= FIDONEWS INFORMATION ================================================================= ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ------- Editor: Christopher Baker Editors Emeritii: Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees "FidoNews Editor" FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS 1-904-409-7040, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(ds) more addresses: Christopher Baker -- 1:18/14, cbaker84@digital.net cbaker84@aol.com cbaker84@msn.com (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews Editor P.O. Box 471 Edgewater, FL 32132-0471 U.S.A. voice: 1-904-409-3040 [1400-2100 ET only, please] [1800-0100 UTC/GMT] ------------------------------------------------------ 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 1997 Christopher Baker. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or the Editor. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic form may be obtained from the FidoNews Editor via manual download or file-request, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet. PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above postal address. File-request FIDONEWS for the current Issue. File-request FNEWS for the current month in one archive. Or file-request specific back Issue filenames in distribution format [FNEWSEnn.ZIP] for a FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 47 17 Mar 1997 particular Issue. Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the current year [7], i.e., FNWSFEB7.ZIP for all the Issues from Feb 97. Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number 1 - 14 for 1984 - 1997, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in size from 48K to 1.4M. INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via: http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/ ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/ *=*=* You may obtain an email subscription to FidoNews by sending email to: jbarchuk@worldnet.att.net with a Subject line of: subscribe fnews-edist and no message in the message body. To remove your name from the email distribution use a Subject line of: unsubscribe fnews-edist with no message to the same address above. *=*=* You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6894/ STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request - Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from: ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/ Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents for that year's issues. The total set is currently about 11 Megs. =*=*=*= The current week's FidoNews and the FidoNews public-key are now also available almost immediately after publication on the Editor's new homepage on the World Wide Web at: http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html There are also links there to jim barchuk's HTML FidoNews source and to John Souvestre's FTP site for the archives. There is also an email link for sending in an article as message text. Drop on over. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= A PGP generated public-key is available for the FidoNews Editor from FIDONEWS 14-11 Page 48 17 Mar 1997 1:1/23 [1:18/14] by file-request for FNEWSKEY or by download from Rights On! BBS at 1-904-409-7040 as FIDONEWS.ASC in File Area 18. It is also posted twice a month into the PKEY_DROP Echo available on the Zone 1 Echomail Backbone. *=*=*=*=* 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 Editor, or file-requestable from 1:1/23 [1:18/14] as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". ALL Zone Coordinators also have copies of ARTSPEC.DOC. Please read it. "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings, P.O. Box 410923, San Francisco, CA 94141, and are used with permission. "Disagreement is actually necessary, or we'd all have to get in fights or something to amuse ourselves and create the requisite chaos." -Tom Jennings -30- -----------------------------------------------------------------