-- F I D O N E W S -- +----------------------------+---------------------------------------+ | The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet community | "FidoNews" | | _ | +27-41-515-913 [5:5/23] | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | | | (_| /_) | | | _`@/_ \ _ | | | | | \ \\ | Editor: | | | (*) | \ )) | Henk Wolsink 5:7104/2 | | |__U__| / \// | | | _//|| _\ / | | | (_/(_|(____/ | | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+---------------------------------------+ | Submission address: FidoNews Editor 5:5/23 | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | | | submissions=> editor@fidonews.org | | hwolsink@catpe.alt.za | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | 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 ................................................ 1 2. GUEST EDITORIAL .......................................... 2 What's Up, Doc? - from Doug Myers ...................... 2 3. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .................................... 3 Response to Kay Shapero: Questions without Answers ....... 3 4. ARTICLES ................................................. 6 In re Douglas Myers editorial: Questions without Answer .. 6 Say NO to Feed Cuts ...................................... 6 SuperPlanet .............................................. 9 5. NET HUMOR ................................................ 10 What's Not Happening ..................................... 10 6. NOTICES .................................................. 12 7. FIDONET BY INTERNET ...................................... 13 8. FIDONEWS INFORMATION ..................................... 16 FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 1 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= Greetings, Some years back, no I have not looked it up how long ago, Doc Logger started to write articles for FidoNews. Many of you have enjoyed reading them, as I did and it's great to see his writing back this week. Thanks Doc. This weeks issue is certainly a bit 'thicker' than the past few weeks and it's certainly great to be able to read such fine writings. Happy reading, ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 2 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= GUEST EDITORIAL ================================================================= What's Up, Doc? A welcome back to Doc Logger Douglas Myers If the rumor mill is correct, this issue of Fidonews should once again carry the byline of the long-absent Doc Logger. I, for one, hope it's part of a continuing effort :) Doc occupies one of Fido's most important positions. It's an informal position, not spelled out in any policy or FAQ, but it's a position which influences Fido as much as any Coordinator or other functionary. Doc is a Fido Character. You may love what he says or hate it, find it amusing or boring, find it significant or trivial... but when he's done you know he said it. He's the kind of person you read no matter what he's talking about - enlightenment, agreement, debate... these are all byproducts of the character development. Long after his most profound writings have passed from your memory, you'll remember the character that is Doc Logger. After writing his last article for Fidonews, Doc tried unsuccessfully to pass the torch to me. And, while I've written regularly, I always knew I couldn't take on the character which is Doc Logger. I'd pass the torch back, but I'm hoping that Doc realizes now that he's been carrying it all along - subdued maybe, but only to be rekindled by himself. Welcome back, Doc. I've missed you from these pages. I think we all have. -- | Fidonet: Douglas Myers 1:270/720@fidonet.org | Internet: doug@mdtnbbs.com | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | From Mdtn_BBS @mdtnbbs.com [ In the Heart of Three Mile Island ] ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 3 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ================================================================= Response to Kay Shapero Questions without Answers Douglas Myers Kay was kind enough to send me a copy of her excellent response to my editorial last week, making a public "response to a response" possible in the same issue. KS> ...the sheer volume of argumentative posts... There has been a lot of that :) However, the idea was to see if moderators could reach some kind of accord on the "tough issues," and what better place than the MODERATOR conference. There were only about five of us discussing it originally, and we certainly could have found a quieter place away from the dissention... but then we would have defeated ourselves in that "accords" without including dissenters is kinds meaningless. And, in all fairness, many of the argumentative posts originally spun off the these discussions... ---- from last week's editorial ---- 1. A moderator is the final authority in his own echo. 2. A BBS sysop is the final authority on his own BBS. The problem is that these principles can be conflicting... ------------------------------------ KS> I'd treat it as one of those "your freedom to swing your fist KS> ends at my nose" circumstances. A moderator cannot force a BBS KS> sysop to carry his/her echo and a BBS sysop cannot force a KS> moderator to send the sysop that echo. I'd agree that there are limits to freedom, but I don't think that JUST respecting these limits is sufficient here. Echomail is a cooperative exercise, generally agreed to be to everyone's benefit. Like any cooperative exercise, it's going to require people to do something they wouldn't normally want to do and which they normally couldn't be forced to do. Just ask any sysop who has stayed up late working out mailer problems... :) In a sense, a BBS sysop CAN force a moderator to send him his echo. The moderator gives up his freedom to control echo distribution intimitly when he uses a distribution system. Back in the "old days," it was considered good form to introduce one's self to the moderator when picking up an echo, though it's not practiced much today. These days, a sysop sends an impersonal areafix message to his uplink's mailer to get connected. It's convenient, but it doesn't require any particular committment on the part of the sysop picking up the echo. Why _should_ he listen to the moderator, who may appear to be just an irritant on the echo... especially if the FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 4 2 Nov 1998 moderator is asking him to do something unpleasant (like restrict one of his users)? The missing ingredient here is that committment. We in Fido feel that moderated echos are superior to (or at least an alternative to) unmoderated newsgroups. We in Fido generally acknowledge that it is sometimes necessary to restrict a participant in an echo. But do we have the committment to back this up? Most sysops _will_ cut a user at a moderator's request - even if they disagree with the moderator's reasons. Most sysops will restrict the user and then work out the disagreement with the moderator outside the echo. And most sysops will maintain the restriction if they can't persuade the moderator, recognizing his central authority in this matter. But "most" is becomming less and less... a moderator these days has got to wonder whether he really can make a cut. Will he be working with a sysop who feels the echo becomes his once it hits his board? Will he be working with a sysop who's total committment to the echo was to areafix it for one of his users, and just doesn't want to be bothered by a demand thinly disguised as a polite request? I had thought, when introducing these accords, that moderator's, as a group, should send this message to the sysops: we expect you to back us up, even if it comes to restricting one of your users. ---- from last week's editorial ---- Should the moderator seek feed cuts at increasingly higher levels to maintain his authority, knowing that a feed cut beyond the original BBS is likely to cut his echo to many of his other participants? ------------------------------------ KS> I'd call that a judgement call on the part of the moderator. If KS> it's really that serious, there are probably ways to route around KS> the problem system. I would say that the moderator has the right KS> to request a cut at any level, but would be wise to rethink things KS> if the problem persisted up to the region level. Agreed. And again, I think that MOST moderators show extremenly good judgement here. Most moderators will work with a feed to minimize disruption. Most moderators will back down if the issue is small and the consequences are great. And most moderators will show this good judgement at the front end, only requesting the original access restriction if there's no other way to work things out. But "most" can be overshadowed by that occasional moderator who MUST have his feed cut despite consequences to other nodes and despite the difficulties a feed might have in implementing such. Some moderators lose sight of the fact that only their original access restriction is reasonable, and that the sysops they are approaching have a vested interest in echomail too. KS> However, any sysop who does not agree with the moderator's action KS> has the right to discuss it with the moderator in netmail. FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 5 2 Nov 1998 And moderators should treat that discussion with respect. The sysop should be as interested in the health of echomail as the moderator. -- | Fidonet: Douglas Myers 1:270/720@fidonet.org | Internet: doug@mdtnbbs.com | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | From Mdtn_BBS @mdtnbbs.com [ In the Heart of Three Mile Island ] ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 6 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= In re Douglas Myers editorial: Questions without Answers Kay Shapero (1:102/125) kay.shapero@salata.com Moderator: BABYLON5, FILK Assistant Moderator: SFFAN Well, I'd say one of your problems is that the sheer volume of argumentative posts to appear on MODERATOR lately has pretty much made it impossible to actually *read* everything in the echo if you have any pretense to an off-line life... Certainly I never saw any reference to the survey, and I doubt I'm the only one. OK, as a moderator my response to the following is: TM> 1. A moderator is the final authority in his own echo. TM> 2. A BBS sysop is the final authority on his own BBS. TM> TM> The problem is that these principles can be conflicting TM>without some kind of consensus between the moderators and the TM>sysops. I'd treat it as one of those "your freedom to swing your fist ends at my nose" circumstances. A moderator cannot force a BBS sysop to carry his/her echo and a BBS sysop cannot force a moderator to send the sysop that echo. TM> Should the moderator seek feed cuts at increasingly higher TM>levels to maintain his authority, knowing that a feed cut beyond TM>the original BBS is likely to cut his echo to many of his other TM>participants? I'd call that a judgement call on the part of the moderator. If it's really that serious, there are probably ways to route around the problem system. I would say that the moderator has the right to request a cut at any level, but would be wise to rethink things if the problem persisted up to the region level. There is no point in the sysop trying to "second guess" the moderator any more than there is any point in the moderator telling the sysop how to organize his/her bbs. However, any sysop who does not agree with the moderator's action has the right to discuss it with the moderator in netmail. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Say NO to Feed Cuts Gordon Lewicky FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 7 2 Nov 1998 1:153/307 This article is extracted from an echomail message to Steve Stacher originally appearing in the area MODERATOR. -------- SS> So how does a Moderator remove an unruly, obnoxious and SS> disruptive user? By removing the user's posts, and not by removing all those innocent other users from the system. Just because they belong to a bbs whose sysop is a echo twit, does this mean they are all guilty by association? That is what all of you are saying who insist that feed cuts should be made. What we need to do, is work on a way to cul the twit user's posts from the echo in the uplink packets. Plain and simple. It's what I've been advocating all along. Remove the poster, NOT the feed! This is strictly my opinion, but I truly believe that anyone who is adamant about having feed cuts, is solely operating on an egotistical and childish basis, has no concern what so ever about all the other users in their echo, and simply wants to be the bully on the block who stands on the other side of the street, sticking his tongue out at the twit sysop, saying "Nyah, nyah. I showed you!" We, all of us, moderators and sysops, should be striving to make it easy for all of us to remove the twit's posts!! That is the only decent solution, and we just remove their posts, not hundreds of others! Maybe that bbs is the only one in the area. Maybe that echo gives some poor shutin their only pleasure for the day! Removing that twit sysop's feed just destroys the happiness of a total innocent! Hey moderators... feel free to not think about all the others if your only intention is to throw weight around and stroke your ego. I dunno if this is coming across correctly, but I am totally opposed to we, as Fido, allowing any one person the power to feed cut, and especially not allow that power to reside in a moderator's hands! When you get right down to it, feed cuts are just ego trips, and when you enter Fido you should park your ego at the door! :) I know ego's are rampant, sysops and moderators both, but someday, I would like to see a totally mature bunch of people in Fido with socially conscious views towards all the users. We are mostly this, but there are a few children out there! Feed cuts only hurt users. I look after my users. My bbs wouldn't exist without them. Fido FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 8 2 Nov 1998 doesn't exist without them. It is up to all of us, sysops and moderators both, to do our damnedest to look after our users! I will always look out for them and fight any ego tripper! Sorry, I can never lighten up on this subject, as long as there are ego trippers out there who don't care about users. :) Somebody has to care about the little guy! Somebody has to care about the people whose only link to the world is through Fido, because they can't afford it any other way! Spending all what little money they have on drugs and nursing support, medical bills! Using donated 286's with 2400 modems. Their only bright spot in the day is a reply in an echo!! All you moderators who have asked for feed cuts, ever think about them? Or are you just trying to exert power? Come on moderators... be truthful... look deep inside you and say that you honestly considered the little guy when you demanded a feed cut! I think not! Am I making this up? Not on your life!! I have a few users in this situation and Fido IS one of their few happinesses! I'm sure you'll find quite a few Fido BBSes with users like this, if not the majority of Fido bbses! If moderators won't or don't care about them, I WILL AND DO! Heheh.. I'm surprised EC's and hubs aren't jumping on me, as most of what I'm advocating only affects them and increases their workload! ;) But that's what programs are for. No big deal to have a twit remover program sitting inbetween receive and toss! :) A program made available to all nodes with downlinks, and one that also sends twit reports to their uplink, which carries on up, collecting all the other twit reports and ending up in the NEC's and REC's systems, so all is out in the open, with the resultant report file made available by freq'ing the appropriate EC's. Then we all could see the twits in every net, within our region, and the regions could see the zone. Makes sense to me. Poof... bad poster not posting! Moderator happy! Poof... mail still moves! Sysop happy! Poof... bad posters are known, in case they try to jump nets, regions, zones! Bad poster unhappy! Poof... person typing with a pencil in their mouth, or using speech software, still receives their mail! Estatic! FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 9 2 Nov 1998 Poof... I'm outta here! :) -- | Fidonet: Douglas Myers 1:270/720@fidonet.org | Internet: doug@mdtnbbs.com | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | From Mdtn_BBS @mdtnbbs.com [ In the Heart of Three Mile Island ] ----------------------------------------------------------------- SuperPlanet Henk, As we have strategically repositioned our business, I must respectfully ask that you please remove all references and files relating to CD Streamer from your web site(s), if such references or files exist. We've had web users contact us about issues with out of date versions of the software they claim to have obtained on fidonet. Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you, Laurent Guy President SuperPlanet Inc. PLEASE BE SURE TO INCLUDE THE FULL TEXT OF THIS NOTE IN ANY REPLY. Regards, SuperPlanet Inc. http://superplanet.com/ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 10 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= NET HUMOR ================================================================= .-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --. | What's Not Happening | | Published Semi-Occasionally | | | | The Fidonews Editor has called for news contributions from | | the six zones of Fidonet. Standing at the forefront of | | various lost causes, I don't really know what's happening, | | but I have a good grasp on what's not happening and will | | report this from time to time. | `-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --' New Nodelist Features Full Internet Capability In a stunning display of technological derring-do, the Fidonet Technological Standards Committee (FTSC) has adopted a new nodelist format for all zones. This new nodelist offers the capability, for the first time, for internet-only and dialup nodes to co-exist on the same nodelist as peers, with full connection information contained in the PHONE field and an entire new set of flags. In part, this nodelist format was made possible by a ruling of the United States Federal Judiciary against Microsoft Corporation's dominance of the worldwide computer software market. As pennance for their past abuses of software innovation, Microsoft is required to accept connection from their toll-free number to the Microsoft Network by Fidonet nodes throughout the world wishing to send to internet-only nodes, and further required to crash messages from the internet to dial up nodes. Nodediff's for the new nodelist will be distributed along with a small file which can execute on any platform and modifies all mailer, tosser, and compiler programs it finds to be compatible with the new format. This same program also cleans up any Year 2000 incompatibilities in any program, and is capable of patching hardware problems. Reaction to the new format is entirely favorable, judging from these reviews by various principals: "Sure, it'll cost a few billion, but it's a small price to pay for world-wide domination." - Mr. Gates of Microsoft "I have reviewed the recommendations of the FTSC, and all appears to be in order." - Mr. Satti of Fidonet "We almost got hung up on the code to make Dutchie operating under Windows NT compatible with the new scheme, but the rest was a piece of cake." - An anonymous developer for the FTSC -- | Fidonet: Douglas Myers 1:270/720@fidonet.org FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 11 2 Nov 1998 | Internet: doug@mdtnbbs.com | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own. | From Mdtn_BBS @mdtnbbs.com [ In the Heart of Three Mile Island ] ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 12 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= Future History 23 Nov 1998 35th Anniversary of Doctor Who. 1 Dec 1998 Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by Tom Jennings. 16 Feb 1999 13th Anniversary of the introduction of EchoMail by Jeff Rush. 12 May 1999 12th Anniversary of Fido Operations in Zone 4; 10th Anniversary of the creation of FidoNet Zone 4. 24 Jul 1999 XIII Pan American Games [through 8 Aug 99]. 9 Jun 1999 Tenth Anniversary of the adoption of FidoNet Policy 4.07. 10 Sep 1999 10th anniversary of Zone 5 operations. 26 Oct 1999 Thirty years from release Abbey Road album by the Beatles. 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. 1 Jun 2000 EXPO 2000 World Exposition in Hannover (Germany) opens. 15 Sep 2000 Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens. 21 Sep 2000 10 years of FidoNet in +7 (xUSSR) 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 15-44 Page 13 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= FIDONET BY INTERNET ================================================================= This is a list of all FidoNet-related sites reported to the FidoNews Editor as of this issue; see the notice at the end. FidoNet: Homepage http://www.fidonet.org FidoNews http://www.fidonews.org [HTML] http://209.77.228.66/fidonews.html [ASCII] WWW sources http://www.scms.rgu.ac.uk/students/cs_yr94/lk/fido.html FTSC page http://www.goldware.dk/ftsc Echomail [pending] WebRing http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fnetring.html [TFN] General http://owls.com/~jerrys/fidonet.html http://www.trak-one.co.uk/foti List servers: http://www.onelist.com/subscribe.cgi/fidonet-discussion ============ Zone 1: http://www.z1.fidonet.org Region 10: http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html Region 11: http://oeonline.com/~garyg/region11/ Region 17: http://www.nwstar.com/~region17/ Region 18: http://techshop.pdn.net/fido/ Region 19: http://www.compconn.net Zone 1 Elist http://www.baltimoremd.com/elist/ ============ Zone 2: http://www.z2.fidonet.org ZEC2: Zone 2 Elist: http://www.fbone.ch/echolist/ Region 20: http://www.fidonet.pp.se (in Swedish) Region 23: http://www.fido.dk (in Danish) Region 24: http://www.swb.de/personal/flop/gatebau.html (German) Fido-IP: http://home.nrh.de/~lbehet/fido (English/German) Region 25: http://www.bsnet.co.uk/net2502/net/ Region 26: http://www.nemesis.ie REC 26: http://www.nrgsys.com/orb FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 14 2 Nov 1998 Region 27: http://telematique.org/ft/r27.htm Region 29: http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/ (French) Region 30: http://www.fidonet.ch (German) Region 33: http://www.fidoitalia.net (Italian) Region 34: http://www.pobox.com/cnb/r34.htm (Spanish) REC34: http://pobox.com/~chr Region 36: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/ Region 38: http://public.st.carnet.hr/~blagi/bbs/adriam.html Region 41: http://www.fidonet.gr (Greek/English) Region 42: http://www.fido.cz Region 48: http://www.fidonet.org.pl Region 50: http://www.fido7.com/ (Russian) Net 5010: http://fido.tu-chel.ac.ru/ (Russian) Net 5015: http://www.fido.nnov.ru/ (Russian) Net 5030: http://kenga.ru/fido/ (Russian & English) Net 5073: http://people.weekend.ru/soa/ (Russian) ============ Zone 3: http://www.z3.fidonet.org ============ Zone 4: http://www.altern.org/zone4 Region 90: http://visitweb.com/fidonet Net 903: http://www.playagrande.com/refugio Net 904: http://members.tripod.com/~net904 (Spanish) ============ Zone 5: http://www.eastcape.co.za/fidonet/index.htm ============ Zone 6: http://www.z6.fidonet.org Region 65: http://www.cfido.com/fidonet/cfidochina.html (Chinese) ============ Pages listed above are as submitted to the FidoNews Editor, and generally reflect Zone and Regional Web Page sites. If no Regional site is submitted, the first Network page from that Region is used in its place. Generally, Regional pages should list access points to all Networks within the Region. FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 15 2 Nov 1998 TCP/IP accessible node access information should be submitted to the FidoNews Editor for inclusion in their Region or Zone. -----------oOo------------- Fidonet Via Internet Hubs Node# | Operator | Facilities (*) | Speed | Basic Rate -----------+-------------------+----------------+-------+----------- 1:12/12 | Ken Wilson | FTP | T1 | $24mo. 1:13/25 | Jim Balcom | FTP | 56k | $20mo. 1:124/7008 | Ben Hamilton |FTP,VMoT,F2I,UUE| 64k | $10/$20mo. 1:140/12 | Bob Seaborn | FTP | T1 | $5/$20 1:270/101 | George Peace | FTP | T1 | $30mo. 1:271/140 | Tom Barstow | F2I | ??? | $2mo. 1:275/1 | Joshua Ecklund | UUE,F2I | 28.8 | $10/yr. 1:280/169 | Brian Greenstreet | FTP | 33.6 | $2mo. 1:2401/305 | Peter Rocca | FTP,UUE | T1 | unkn 1:2424/10 | Alec Grynspan | FTP,VMoT | T1 | $1mo. 1:2424/3121| Earl Clark | UUE | 33.6 | n/c 1:2604/104 | Jim Mclaughlin | FTP,VMoT,UUE | 33.6 | $1mo. 1:2624/306 | D. Calafrancesco | VFOS | 33.6 | $15yr. 1:345/0 | Todd Cochrane | FTP | T1 | n/c 1:346/250 | Aran Spence | FTP,UUE | T1 | $10mo. 1:342/1022 | Steve Steffler | UUE,F2I | 33.6 | n/c 1:3651/9 | Jerry Gause | FTP,VMoT | 33.6 | $3/$6 1:396/1 | John Souvestre | FTP,VMoT | T1 | $15mo. 2:2411/413 | Dennis Dittrich | UUE | 64k | n/c 2:33/505 | Mario Mure | VMoT,UUE | 64k | n/c 2:335/610 | Gino Lucrezi | UUE | 33.6 | n/c 2:469/84 | Max Masyutin | VMoT | 256k | n/c 2:2474/275 | Christian Emig | UUE | 64k | unkn 2:2490/5170| Lenny Murphy | F2I | ??? | n/c 5:7104/2 | Henk Wolsink | FTP | 28.8 | n/c -- + VMoT = Virtual Mailer over Telnet (various) + F2I = Fido2Int (W95) + UUE = uuencode<->email packet transfers compiled by C. Ingersoll, 1:2623/71, (609)814-1978, fbn@dandy.net Posted on the 1st of every month in FN_SYSOP, R13SYSOP and Fidonews. - ___ ! Origin: * Fly By Night * (609)814-1978 *(1:2623/71) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 16 2 Nov 1998 ================================================================= FIDONEWS INFORMATION ================================================================= ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ------- Editor: Henk Wolsink Editors Emeritii: Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, Christopher Baker, Zorch Frezberg "FidoNews Editor" FidoNet 5:5/23 BBS +27-41-515-913, 2400/9600/V.34/V.90 more addresses: Henk Wolsink -- 5:7104/2, hwolsink@catpe.alt.za (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews Editor P.O. Box 12325 Port Elizabeth, 6006 South Africa ------------------------------------------------------ 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 and/or the Editor. Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is Copyright 1998 Henk Wolsink. 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 [FNEWSFnn.ZIP] for a particular Issue. Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the current year [8], i.e., FNWSJAN8.ZIP for all the Issues from Jan 98. FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 17 2 Nov 1998 Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number 1 - 15 for 1984 - 1998, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in size from 48K to 1.4M. INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via: http://www.fidonews.org http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/ ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/ ftp://ftp.irvbbs.com/fidonews/ ftp://ftp.nwstar.com/Fidonet/Fidonews And in non-English formats via: http://www.hvc.ee/pats/fidonews (Estonian) http://www.fidonet.pp.se/sfnews (Swedish) *=*=* 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 may retrieve current and previous Issues of FidoNews via FTPMail by sending email to: ftpmail@fidonews.org with a Subject line of: help and FTPMail will immediately send a reply containing details and instructions. When you actually make a file request, FTPMail will respond in three stages. You find a link for this process on www.fidonews.org. *=*=* You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at: http://www.fidonews.org 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/ FIDONEWS 15-44 Page 18 2 Nov 1998 Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents for that year's issues. The total set is currently about 13 Megs. =*=*=*= The current week's FidoNews and the FidoNews public-key are now also available almost immediately after publication on the FidoNews Editor homepage on the World Wide Web at: http://209.77.228.66/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. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= 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 5:5/23 [5:7104/2] 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 -----------------------------------------------------------------