F I D O N E W S -- Vol.11 No.31 (01-Aug-1994)
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| A newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
| FidoNet BBS community | "FidoNews" BBS |
| _ | +1-519-570-4176 |
| / \ | |
| /|oo \ | Small animal psychology and |
| (_| /_) | Spiritual guidance Department: |
| _`@/_ \ _ | Rev. Richard Visage 1:163/409 |
| | | \ \\ | |
| | (*) | \ )) | Editors: |
| |__U__| / \// | Donald Tees 1:221/192 |
| _//|| _\ / | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 |
| (_/(_|(____/ | Tim Pozar |
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| Submission address: editors 1:1/23 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Internet addresses: |
| |
| Sylvia --
[email protected] |
| Tim (not-now and always will be IC) Pozar --
[email protected] |
| |
| submissions=>
[email protected] |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
| obtaining copies and other boring but important details, |
| please refer to the end of this file. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
========================================================================
Table of Contents
========================================================================
1. Editorial..................................................... 2
2. Articles...................................................... 3
Visage's Spiritual Massage Chapel........................... 3
White House retreats on Clipper............................. 5
Subject: Article............................................ 8
Subject: Fidonews article submission........................ 9
Comercial Use of FidoNet.................................... 10
What the hell is going on here?!?!.......................... 10
Dear Maddening Emilia....................................... 12
Subject: Re: Connects....................................... 12
Subject: Article Submission................................. 14
Subject: Please help me!.................................... 16
Subject: Re: Finger......................................... 18
3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 19
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 2 01 Aug 1994
========================================================================
Editorial
========================================================================
Here is a letter I wrote last week to a regular contributer.
It states pretty well how I feel about this entire Steve Winters
issue.
From: Donald Tees (1:221/192)
Subject: Winter of our discontent (his title)
Always Winter and never Christmass (mine)
Thank you for your latest (and all) letters of support. In
fact, I *am* annoyed at Mr. Winters et al. That is in spite of
the fact that I do believe he did not write said article ... his
constant invective, hate literature, and mean spirited actions
have triggered thousands of ongoing fights that are spilling
over onto my lawn. Even those upset about forged articles are
tempering thr letters with phrases like "it could not happen
to a better person".
I am also annoyed at those idiots claiming that we, and
other Fidonet sysops, could be charged on hate literature
charges for printing said article. Mr. Winter, his ongoing
crusades, his invective, and his army of syncydiots on his
private net are well known. The article is typical of Mr.
Winter, in spirit if not in fact. We have, in our possession,
the letter from us to Mr Winter acknowledging receipt of the
article and questioning its sanity. We have a return letter
from Mr. Winter quoting our receipt and claiming that sanity is
in the eye of the beholder. Both are dated *before* we printed
the article.
In fact, Fidonews exists for the sysops of Fidonet. For us
to believe that a group Fido sysops are about to be attacked by
a pack of ravening nut cases, and not warn them would be grossly
derelict in our duties. What the hell do they expect us to do
.. encourage Mr. Winter to spread his invective by private
means while assisting him by keeping it secret from anybody with
any sanity? Of course we printed it. You cannot expose hatred
by burying it, or by cloaking it in the pleasantries of an
editorial. The article spoke for itself far better than we
could.
Mr Winter is now claiming innocence. I have no doubt that
he did not write the article, but innocent? The mistake arose
because we received *TWO* hate letters, and one was genuine. So
he mistook what were were asking for confirmation. It was
submitted because Mr. Winters has actually adapted modern
technology into insulting people, allowing him to deliver
personal insults to more people that any other person in
recorded history ... he has made enemies, hundreds of enemies,
and one took a swipe at him. It was printed because it is
plausible ... Mr Winter's crusades, paranoia, attacks on
innocent people, maliciousness, stupidity, and insanities are a
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 3 01 Aug 1994
matter of public record. Paugh on the lot of them. I have no
sympathies.
* * *
On other fronts, we have been getting lots of suggestions
on how to validate articles. None that I have seen yet are
practical. PGP is the most common one ... but are we to refuse
access to anyone not using PGP? I think not. Besides, unless
we poll a system directly to get the public key, how does it
prove anything? Anybody can create a key and a PGP signature.
Unless one *knows* that the key one has is indeed the public key
of the person named, the signature is useless. One user even
sent us a sig and public key in the same message, apparently
thinking that it proved something. Out of curiousity, Max
called the board ... the public key and the sysop were unavailable.
We cannot afford to call every submitter. We cannot afford
to muzzle the snooze. I suppose all we can do is trundle on.
========================================================================
Articles
========================================================================
Area Netmail, Msg#197, Jul-29-94 10:32:28
From: Rev. Richard Visage (1:163/150)
To: Sylvia Maxwell (1:221/194)
Dear 'Snooze Editorbeings...
You'll find attached, for your consideration for inclusion in the
'Snooze, my latest correspondence to that reprobate, Doc Logger.
While our letters generally find their way into some unsuspecting
echo, I thought you folks might like to fling the horrid things on an
interplanetary basis, just out of sheer dementia.
You'll be happy to know that the good fidofolks have now provided me
my own node (assuming that the nodelist crunchers make appropriate
human sacrifices etc., or whatever it takes to make the diff work) so
that I may maintain contact during my travels. So, 163/409 shall be
on my laptop from here on in - and I'll pick up my mail via 163/150.
Incidentally, my acquisition of a nodenumber had absolutely nothing
to do with my interest in the Hub-Babe's red spandex tube top, and
the fact that she left tongue prints on my inner ear is also, of
course, irrelevant. Really.
I shall be leaving shortly for points west over the next month,
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Winnipeg in order to, among other
things, track down the missing RC12. Any news items you read
involving me, trance-inducing fungi, and sheep in cowboy boots will
be a case of mistaken identity, I assure you in advance. I will be
periodically updating you on occurences in West as I meander across
the country.
Religiously Yours,
Rev. Richard Visage
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 4 01 Aug 1994
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Visage's Spiritual Massage Chapel
& Bullfrog Ranch
Carp-on-the-Rideau, Ontario
Canada
P1S 0RF
My Dear Doctor Logger,
Much has transpired in recent days. I've only just returned from
Rio, where I completed my 'cultural angle' piece on the Brazilian
World Cup Soccer victory for Swamp Swine Magazine. I made a
number of discoveries while there. First, soccer is a game played
by small, swarthy gentlemen with overdeveloped calf muscles, and
in which, a globe made of hereford intestines is kicked about
incessantly until one team collapses of boredom.
It is thought by North Americans that the Brazilians are obsessed
by this game, but I found, much to the contrary, that they much
prefer getting naked and samba-dancing through the streets. Given
this insight, I immediately hired three kilometres worth of naked
samba dancers, and was somewhat indisposed for the rest of my
trip as a result. Our mutual employer, the editors of Swamp Swine
Magazine, somehow thought my pictorial piece inappropriate to
publish, and worse, asked me what language I had written in.
Phillistines. Then again, I did partake heavily of a "Voodoo
Headache Remedy" provided to me by a coochie-coochie dancer named
Consuela, and said remedy not only alleviated migraines, but
enhanced the senses and spirit and provided intense literary
stimuli. Naturally, I took several fistfuls of them prior to
writing my article. Be a good chap, would you, and explain to the
editors that the 192 hours of Consuela's time on my expense
account was strictly medical?
It is with much excitement that I learn that my moniker has been
placed on the masthead here at the 'Snooze. I did accept said
appointment after you assured me that "it'd get me bagsful of
babes." It did not occur to me that said babes would be in the
form of pictures of Rosanne Barr reclining on leopard skin rugs,
and Tammy Faye Baker wallowing in tubs of liquid eye-liner. These
pictures arrive nearly daily in envelopes with the return address
deftly crossed out, but I'd swear that the editors of the 'Snooze
are responsible, no doubt with your collusion. Do remind me to
thank you in a seriously appropriate form for this new, thrilling
element in my life. It really is no surprise that so many people
want you dead.
Ah yes, but back here in the confines of glorious Region 12, the
repurcussions of the Poutine Protocol are still burbling away in
the Metro Toronto fidopol battle. My secretary, Ms. LaBamba,
tells me that she has learned (in between bouts of sitting on the
fax machine and sending out copious numbers of copies to
fidogods), that neither the recently-deposed-ex-NC nor Matthew
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 5 01 Aug 1994
(The Man Who Would be King) Stein won the NET250 Eveready Bunny
Election, but that a third creature with ugly *C aspirations,
James Korolas, slithered into office. I'll try to avoid making
the obvious Three Stooges comparisons. Also, it's my
understanding that, after briefly poking his head out of the
bunker, our beloved RC has once again gone missing. As I've heard
that his closest, and last, amiable collegue is a fellow named
Satti, I shall be proceding west to Darkest British Columbia
within the week. I'll keep you posted on my progress in the west.
As your spiritual advisor, might I suggest that you cut back on
net250 electoral echos and take up a more rewarding hobby. Like,
thorazine, for instance?
Religiously yours,
Rev. Richard Visage
Spiritual Advisor, Region 12,
Samba Artiste,
Double Vision Expert.
*** EDITORS NOTE: We are subjecting Rev. Visage's expense
account to our auditors at the current time. They have assigned
several of their best people to the task.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
White House retreats on Clipper
From: Stanton McCandlish <
[email protected]>
Yesterday, the Clinton Administration announced that it is taking
several large, quick steps back in its efforts to push EES or Clipper
encryption technology. Vice-President Gore stated in a letter to
Rep. Maria Cantwell, whose encryption export legislation is today
being debated on the House floor, that EES is being limited to voice
communications only.
The EES (Escrowed Encryption Standard using the Skipjack algorithm,
and including the Clipper and Capstone microchips) is a Federal
Information Processing Standard (FIPS) designed by the National
Security Agency, and approved, despite a stunningly high percentage
anti-EES public comments on the proposal) by the National Institute
of Standards and Technology. Since the very day of the announcement
of Clipper in 1993, public outcry against the key "escrow" system has
been strong, unwavering and growing rapidly.
What's changed? The most immediate alteration in the White House's
previously hardline path is an expressed willingness to abandon the
EES for computer applications (the Capstone chip and Tessera card),
and push for its deployment only in telephone technology (Clipper).
The most immediate effect this will have is a reduction in the threat
to the encryption software market that Skipjack/EES plans posed.
Additionally, Gore's letter indicates that deployment for even the
telephone application of Clipper has been put off for months of
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 6 01 Aug 1994
studies, perhaps partly in response to a draft bill from Sens.
Patrick Leahy and Ernest Hollings that would block appropriation for
EES development until many detailed conditions had been met.
And according to observers such as Brock Meeks (Cyberwire Dispatch)
and Mark Voorhees (Voorhees Reports/Information Law Alert), even
Clipper is headed for a fall, due to a variety of factors including
failure in attempts to get other countries to adopt the scheme, at
least one state bill banning use of EES for medical records, loss of
NSA credibility after a flaw in the "escrowed" key system was
discovered by Dr. Matt Blaze of Bell Labs, a patent infringement
lawsuit threat (dealt with by buying off the claimant), condemnation
of the scheme by a former Canadian Defense Minister, world wide
opposition to Clipper and the presumptions behind it, skeptical
back-to-back House and Senate hearings on the details of the
Administration's plan, and pointed questions from lawmakers regarding
monopolism and accountability.
One of the most signigicant concessions in the letter is that
upcoming encryption standards will be "voluntary," unclassified, and
exportable, according to Gore, who also says there will be no moves
to tighten export controls.
Though Gore hints at private, rather than governmental, key "escrow,"
the Administration does still maintain that key "escrow" is an
important part of its future cryptography policy.
EFF would like to extend thanks to all who've participated in our
online campaigns to sink Clipper. This retreat on the part of the
Executive Branch is due not just to discussions with Congresspersons,
or letters from industry leaders, but in large measure to the
overwhelming response from users of computer-mediated communication -
members of virtual communities who stand a lot to gain or lose by the
outcome of the interrelated cryptography debates. Your participation
and activism has played a key role, if not the key role, in the
outcome thus far, and will be vitally important to the end game!
Below is the public letter sent from VP Gore to Rep. Cantwell.
---------------------************------------------------
July 20, 1994
The Honorable Maria Cantwell
House of Representatives
Washington, D.C., 20515
Dear Representative Cantwell:
I write to express my sincere appreciation for your efforts
to move the national debate forward on the issue of information
security and export controls. I share your strong conviction for the
need to develop a comprehensive policy regarding encryption,
incorporating an export policy that does not disadvantage American
software companies in world markets while preserving our law
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 7 01 Aug 1994
enforcement and national security goals.
As you know, the Administration disagrees with you on the
extent to which existing controls are harming U.S. industry in the
short run and the extent to which their immediate relaxation would
affect national security. For that reason we have supported a
five-month Presidential study. In conducting this study, I want to
assure you that the Administration will use the best available
resources of the federal government. This will include the active
participation of the National Economic Council and the Department of
Commerce. In addition, consistent with the Senate-passed language,
the first study will be completed within 150 days of passage of the
Export Administration Act reauthorization bill, with the second study
to be completed within one year after the completion of the first. I
want to personally assure you that we will reassess our existing
export controls based on the results of these studies. Moreover, all
programs with encryption that can be exported today will continue to
be exportable.
On the other hand, we agree that we need to take action this
year to assure that over time American companies are able to include
information security features in their programs in order to maintain
their admirable international competitiveness. We can achieve this
by entering into an new phase of cooperation among government,
industry representatives and privacy advocates with a goal of trying
to develop a key escrow encryption system that will provide strong
encryption, be acceptable to computer users worldwide, and address
our national needs as well.
Key escrow encryption offers a very effective way to
accomplish our national goals, That is why the Administration adopted
key escrow encryption in the "Clipper Chip" to provide very secure
encryption for telephone communications while preserving the ability
for law enforcement and national security. But the Clipper Chip is
an approved federal standard for telephone communications and not for
computer networks and video networks. For that reason, we are
working with industry to investigate other technologies for those
applications.
The Administration understands the concerns that industry has
regarding the Clipper Chip. We welcome the opportunity to work with
industry to design a more versatile, less expensive system. Such a
key escrow system would be implementable in software, firmware,
hardware, or any combination thereof, would not rely upon a
classified algorithm, would be voluntary, and would be exportable.
While there are many severe challenges to developing such a system,
we are committed to a diligent effort with industry and academia to
create such a system. We welcome your offer to assist us in
furthering this effort.
We also want to assure users of key escrow encryption
products that they will not be subject to unauthorized electronic
surveillance. As we have done with the Clipper Chip, future key
escrow systems must contain safeguards to provide for key disclosure
only under legal authorization and should have audit procedures to
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 8 01 Aug 1994
ensure the integrity of the system. Escrow holders should be
strictly liable for releasing keys without legal authorization.
We also recognize that a new key escrow encryption system
must permit the use of private-sector key escrow agents as one
option. It is also possible that as key escrow encryption technology
spreads, companies may established layered escrowing services for
their own products. Having a number of escrow agents would give
individuals and businesses more choices and flexibility in meeting
their needs for secure communications.
I assure you the President and I are acutely aware of the
need to balance economic an privacy needs with law enforcement and
national security. This is not an easy task, but I think that our
approach offers the best opportunity to strike an appropriate
balance. I am looking forward to working with you and others who
share our interest in developing a comprehensive national policy on
encryption. I am convinced that our cooperative endeavors will open
new creative solutions to this critical problem.
Sincerely,
Al Gore
AG/gcs
Stanton McCandlish *
[email protected] * Electronic Frontier Found.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Article
From: Ben Stine (1:2601/509)
To: Sylvia Maxwell (1:221/194)
Dear Sylvia:
After sitting here reading what has transpired in the last few issues
of FIDO News concerning the article FIDO Crucifixion. I feel that it
is my duty as the High Priest of a local Pagan group to set the
record straight once, and for all on what Pagans are, and are not.
First let's start with the article that definitely offended most of
the of the people that read it FIDO Crucifixion. The (Author whoever
you may be) stated "Recently, I became aware of a new threat to the
true church of Jesus,that being these people who call themselves
Pagans ". Contrary to what this person believes Paganism was around
for thousands of years before Christ. We pose no more of a threat to
Christans than the Jews, Hindus, Buddhist, etc. We may even be less
of a threat, because we do not try to convert anyone.
The Author also stated "They should more properly call themselves
Hea- thens or even Satanists". If there is one thing PAGANS
definitely are NOT that's Satanists. We do not accept the concept of
absolute evil, nor do we worship any entity known as "Satan" or "the
Devil", as defined by the Christian tradition. We do not seek power
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 9 01 Aug 1994
through the suffering of others. In other words we do not sacrifice
babies, animals or anything else to Satan, because to us he doesn't
even exist.
Paganism is an earth, nature, and life loving religion. We worship a
God & a Goddess that go by many different names depending on which
tradition of Paganism your talking about. We live by a rule called
the Wiccan rede it states "An it harm none, do what thou wilt." in
other words Do what you will, but harm no one including yourself. We
also live by the rule of threes "What ever you do will come back to
you three times over." If I do something to harm someone I will be
harmed three time worse then the person I did it to. If I do
something good for someone that goodness will come back to me three
times over.
I hope that by writing this article I have helped some of you out
there that have never heard the truth about what Paganism is all
about have a better understanding of my religion, So that when Idiots
like the Author of FIDO Crucifixion start spouting their bullshit,
you will know it is just that.
May the Goddess shine on you
Ben Stine
1:2601/509
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Fidonews article submission
From: Ilya Elstin (2:5021/4.1)
To: Sylvia Maxwell (1:221/194)
Hello Sylvia!
At the end of each Fidonews release it's written that the person
who wants to submit an article is recommended to read ARTSPEC.DOC
that is file-requestable from Fidonews BBS. It's all good, but it
seems to be difficult to get it - I haven't seen it on any nearest
Russian BBS, and freq'ing it from zone 1... hmm... Not only matter of
money :), our city's telephone company doesn't support automatic
international dialing :((
So, the proposal is : maybe is reasonable to 'hatch' this file, and
probably some other Fidonews related files into FidoNews fileecho?
IMHO it would be useful not only for me :) but for a lot of people
who's reading Fidonews.
Best regards,
Ilya.
(2:5021/4, 4.1)
** EDITORS NOTE: When we finally get it revised, we will do just that.
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 10 01 Aug 1994
Comercial Use of FidoNet
Flagrent Disregard of FidoNet from Comercial Nodes!
By John H. Guillory (1:3807/404.0)
I think FidoNet needs to have some kind of Pre-Requesit to joining
FidoNet specially written for business. In other words make business
fill out an aditional form when joining FidoNet. It is bad enough
when someone post an off topic message in an echo assuming that the
programming echo is the appropriate area to discuss why their SIMM
modules aren't working or what kind of computer is best, but when
the business start using FidoNet Sysop's Money to advertise their
business, it gets a little bit past annoying! Consider the following
excerpt from the FidoNet Pascal Echo:
Area: Fido: Pascal Echo
Msg#: 3 Date: 24 Jul 94 23:30:00
From: Rick Glover Read: Yes Replied: No
To: All Mark:
Subj: LIVE GIRLS!
Frustrated? Need someone to talk to? Call now for
someone who'll understand!
No arguments! No nagging! Just sharing live conversation!
Lonely? Need to hear a soft, smiling voice?
[Much filth deleted]
Perhaps this guy's found a newer compiler, but that doesn't look
a thing like the Pascal Code I was taught! Not only is it off-topic,
he's trying to advertise his 1-900 number through FidoNet! Fido
clearly states in Policy4 that Business can not take advantage of
FidoNet in these ways, and they must not downgrade the performance
of FidoNet. It seems to be getting far too common for business
to take advantage of FidoNet Sysop's by using the fact that we
pay for the phone call to pick up the mail, to distribute their
advertisement Nation Wide, and sometimes Internationally!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
What the hell is going on here?!?!
From: Chris Farrar (1:246/20)
After reading all the crud that has been flowing though this
newsletter, I finally can't ignore what is going on here any
more. Specifically I am talking about the "Steve Winter vs. The
World." that we seem to be getting in weekly installments via
FidoNets.
From reading Mr. Winter's numerous postings here in the snooze
and in other echos, it seems that there is a serious
contradiction coming from the keyboard of Steve's computer. In
his ads for the PRIME Network and for his Bible echo (seen
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 11 01 Aug 1994
almost every 3 days in the Other FTN echo) and here in The
Snooze, which makes it seem like something that all could
participate in and have meaningful discussions in, arguing
interpertations of passages etc. However, after witnessing how
people who (dare) disagree with Steve's opinion are treated, one
wonders just where he got his definition of "Christian." Now its
been quite a while since I even looked at a Bible, but I seem to
recall something in there about tolerance, and letting the
person without sin cast the first rock. Who is Steve to say that
his God is better than anyone elses? And what gives him the
right to suggest that those that don't believe in particular
cult should be on the receiving end of a lynch mob. I seem to
recall also in several places where Jesus preached tolerance,
and didn't condem people simply because they were a member of a
different religion.
The latest batch of rantings (unless you can think of a better
discription of them), if they prove anything beyond the
inability of the author to handle criticism, is that he isn't a
Christian. Now, before continuing, lets consult the dictionary
definition of "Christian."
Christian 'kristien' adj & n. - adj 1 of Christ's teaching or
religon. 2 believing in or following the religion of Jesus
Christ. 3 showing the qualities associated with Christ's
teaching. 4 colloq. (of a person) kind, fair, decent - n 1a a
person wiht has received Christian baptism. b an adherent of
Christ's teaching. 2 a person exhibiting Christian qualtites.
(Oxford Concise English Dictionary)
From reading the writings of Steve Winter, the words, "kind,
fair, & decent" are hardly the words I would use to describe
them or the author. Hate insiting and intolerant are more
likely to be the discription that leap to mind. While he may
meet the "technical requirements" to be a Christian (ie, a
baptism), he definitely does not show the qualities associated
with Christ's teachings.
I know this will probably cause a certain Mr. Winter to go
ballastic, and I expect an influx of hate mail after this is
published. Quite frankly, I hope that it does, as it will just
further prove the un-Christianness of the author.
As FidoNews is currently published in Canada, I am 99% certain
that some of Mr. Winter's postings certainly exceed Canada's
Anti-Hate Mail legislation, and I for one would applaud anyone
who would like to file a complaint with the RCMP.
Chris Farrar
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 12 01 Aug 1994
Dear Maddening Emilia
Q: Why do you like PGP sigs on snooze articles?
Q: Oh, just because i do not think that PGP should be "outlawed".
Q: Does it solve any problems regarding verification of fidonews
articles?
Q: No. It might, eventually, when more people are using it. See
Stanton McCandish's article about encryption and sigs in the last
issue of fidonews. Actually, one article was put on hold this
week, because a PGP sig and a public key were submitted with it.
Tried to contact the author to verify that sig and key belong to
author, but no luck yet. What a pain. For the author, too.
Q: Are you scared of repercussions from publishing the "fake"
Steve Winter article?
Q: oooooh yeah, BIG TiMe scared. What if it becomes so worrysome
and horrible to try to publish or post anything that voices are
squelched? i Dont' want to offend anyone, but can't back down on
the anti-censorship thing now, more than ever, because it is so
scary for everyone. eek.
Q: There, there, little eeklette. perservere. Keep mooching
affection from your correspondants to keep from getting headaches
and listen, listen to everyone and nod akk, but wave the free-speech
flag. It's good exorcise (sic.) of all demonic speech, and good
exercise for brain matter.
Q: Why do you have more than one editor for Fidonews? Do you
think in tandem and agree about eveything?
Q: Nooo, we do not agree about everything any more than does the
greater FidoNet, but we do work together in a wierd way, most of
the time. Often, snooze issues are put together amidst heated and
passionate arguments which are rarely resolved (i h a t e losing
these arguments), but which generate some useful ideas.
Q: Bottom line is: it must work.
Q: Top line is: try it to find out if it works.
Q: Cutting edge is: e-motion
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Connects
From: Pedro Jaramillo (1:202/727)
To: Editor (1:1/23)
CC: Patricia McBean, Bob Satti, Editor
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 13 01 Aug 1994
BD> As you have problably learned or realized by now, Fidonet is not a
BD> democracy where you can bounce around from hub to hub at your whim.
BD> It doesn't work that way.
It should work that way. People should have the freedom to
choose which HUBs and/or SysOps best fit their personalities and
attitudes. I am against all kinds of impositions and
mistreatments. I don't think no one should ever be forced to
stay where he/she doesn't feel welcomed and/or he/she simply
doesn't like it.... and more yet.... no one should ever be
ofended or get offended facing attitudes like mine.
I also understand that if there would be only one HUB for San
Diego than the desition would be a lot simplier. Connect or
disconnect.
BD> I could have left you under Garrett as a regional
BD> node, but decided to give you another chance. (Regional
BD> nodes are where
BD> problem nodes end up.)
I would take that option if available as I would take any option
other than having to feel someone is giving me a chance. I dont
need chances as I dont feel I have broken any rules other than
having to face your attitudes.
BD> You act like this choosing your hub and changing
BD> when you feel like it is your due... I'm not
BD> sure you understand yet. You
BD> voluntarily quit your last hub and then tell people you were
BD> excommunicated, which is totally untrue.
You have verbaly told me "you decided" to keep me off becouse
you did not like my attitudes and so you left many others with
me unable to read and participate from Fidonet. I toughth you
and me agreed that was the whole point. As I dont think I need
you to tell me I am a member of Fidonet because you are giving
me a chance. I dont think you own Findonet and I dont want to
hear that again.
BD> You do know, don't you, that
BD> excommunication from Fidonet is having your
BD> node number taken away by
BD> someone else? You never had yours taken away.
BD> Not only that, you were
BD> given another chance to work things out and
BD> you are doing fine, even
BD> learning somethings about mail and mailers.
You knew very well we were not accepting any route mail from
that HUB and you did not care. We waited for one month without
saying any word nor protesting for your attitudes and you just
give a damm about it. Fine with me... I will find other ways
... as always.
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 14 01 Aug 1994
BD> I will do that... consider it, I mean.
BD> But that doesn't mean it's going to
BD> change immediately. Once you change, you should
BD> stay in once place
BD> especially if you want to put it in the Mayor docs...
BD> I'm still working
BD> on
BD> some net topology problems....
My original tought when I first requested to be a node of the
FIdonet organization was that this would be not only fun but
also educative. Edicative is... fun ... it has actually become a
nightmare. My actions and desitions are focused to change that
by getting away from people who want to supress us, intimidate
us and mistreat us. We do not need you give us any chances, we
need from you to stay away from us. Let us live our lives.
Pedro Jaramillo
* HISPANA USA *
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Article Submission
From: Vern Faulkner (1:340/44)
To: Editor (1:221/192)
In reading along in the fidonews, which for some reason I
still do, I find myself somewhat appalled to note that almost every
issue has at least one to three instances of various people finding
various other people unacceptable. Usually the victim happens to be
some being that is an NEC, REC, NC, or some such creature.
One would assume, at least from reading almost any three
issues of the FidoNews from here to last August, that almost every
NEC, NC, Hub, and shoe polisher associated with Fido is some kind of
power-grubbing monster.
If so, you're wrong.
Sorry. I do so hate to break the illusions that many of you
must clearly be labouring under, but not all people in the fido
political power situation are ugly, power-grubbing beings.
See, when I first got into the Fido world, the local EchoMail
Guru, the NEC at the time of Net 340 (Southern Vancouver Island,
Canada) proved to be exemplory in his service. While he was a
betatester for software, he was also slow to upgrade until he was
sure that his system, and thus the echomail feed itself was stable.
Ken Watson, whose service to the net has rendered him a continuing
honoured status in the net, was the kind of person who would post
mail in the local sysop echos if the mail dump was delayed by so
little as twelve hours. He also established a fair method of
cost-sharing the long-distance echo feeds, one that remains in
practice in our net today.
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 15 01 Aug 1994
So, in case I didn't say so before: Thanks, Ken.
Ken, now stuck up in net 353, or some such, left about a year
ago, and was replaced by Glenn Vermette. Glenn absorbed the cost of a
satellite dish, to better feed the net with Planet Connect routed
echomail. Glenn, while not as fanatically fussy as Ken was, is still
quick to post any problems with his system, and delivers the mail
from the satellite once per day with few hitches. Glenn has been a
little more strict with those that were not 'chipping in' to the
collection, thus ensuring that the echomail is paid by all, and that
there are no freeloaders on the system. Ohya, Glenn is a cop in the
local police force. Maybe the fact that he doesn't come into the net
and chuck his weight around should indicate that maybe FIDO is
supposed to be a place to get away from the 'real world' problems.
And the fact that Glenn is quietly and efficiently doing his job is
good enough for me. What more could I ask?
So, in case I haven't said so before: Thanks, Glenn.
Our current NC, Alex Stuart, runs the biggest system in our
net. Basically speaking, Alex runs a massive system, with feeds from
all forms of files nets, and the like. Sure, he runs a pay system,
but to any FIDO sysop, there is sufficient on-line access, and even
greater File-Request access. I do so much file-FREQing from his
system that I have a desqview window hooked up with a listing program
of his system's file lists. I, personally, must have file requested
well over fourty megs of files in the last year, and not one
complaint have I heard.
So in case I haven't said so before: Thanks, Alex.
We have a local sysop echo in 340. Not a surprise. But it
works. As a result of concerns by one or more people in the net, we
evolved a system in net 340 where each local echo (sale, chatter,
tech support, etc) is moderated by one local sysop, who is
responsible for the efficient running of that echo. This whole idea
came about in part due to the efforts of Alex and other prominent
sysops in the area. Because that is what FIDO is about. I recently
tried to set up Binkley on my system. I was able to get aid from all
forms of people, from 1:340/41 and 1:340/300 and 1:340/42 and
1:340/13 and 1:340/43.
So, in case I didn't say so before: Thanks Oliver, Lionel,
Rick, Patrick, Brooks.....
This is just a sample of the kinds of service that I have
recieved from the people bearing the /1 and /0 segments of my net,
and a few of the you-n-me sysops that share the net with them. Rather
than be bored with the negative material gracing the 'snooze of the
last year, I felt it perhaps time to do something positive. See, Fido
is not about Geonets or power struggles or any other silly thing that
I see bantered about in the 'snooze like its a life-or-death
struggle. Its about people working together, co-operatively. Or at
least it should be.
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 16 01 Aug 1994
So. My challenge then, is for all the readers of the news is
to sit down for fifteen minutes, or a half-hour, and write *YOUR*
positive experiences with FIDO and its sysops.
And maybe we can get rid of a few batchfiles that
automatically delete the incoming fidonews. :)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Please help me!
From: Pedro Jaramillo (1:202/727)
To: Editor (1:1/23)
Mr Satti,
Three months ago I requested to become a node of the Fidonet
Organization for the first time in my life. Everything was going
fine until an US veteran posted an unsulting msg against
hispanics. I responded to that msg, as you already know, letting
him know my personal feelings about his attitude. In return I
got more and more insults, a computer virus droped in my system,
to the point where my house started to recieve anoying voice
calls almost every 30 seconds, intimidating everyone in my
house. The San Diego Police Department and the Pacific Bell
Telephone Company are/where involved in that particular issue,
to try to find out who is behind those events.
I had no other choice but to request no feed from my ex-HUB
(1:202/1601) since everything started in his BBS. He is also a
US veteran and the coordiantor of the VETLink #55. I also
requested to the NET202 Coordinator Brenda Donovan to assign me
to a different HUB. As a result of my protest for the virus and
those attitudes agains myself and my family, Brenda Donovan
decided to give me an addisional lesson and kept me out of
Fidonet for over one month. We kept quite for that time but we
saw no actions nor intentions for letting us get back to
FIdonet. Instead my ex-HUB informed us she was preparing a HUB
only for Hispanics. I wrote her a message indicating her I will
not participate in such a proyect becouse that tends to divide
us even more.
She has verbally told me she did kept me out of Fidonet becouse
she did not like me. It is true that it was my choice not to
accept any feeds from my ex- HUB, but that was becouse my HUB
did not want to do anything to stop his BBS's user insulting my
race. Brenda Donovan herself has told me the person that
iniciated all this is a person who creates troubles everywhere.
In one of the last messages Brenda Donovan started to twist
things arround and declared mine as a regional node, for which
sircunstances I would have to poll my mail from a town far from
San Diego California. To avoid more problems than those I
already had,.... I accepted ... and started to contact Mr. David
Garrette. I sent him several messages accepting those decisions
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 17 01 Aug 1994
but never got an answer. Brenda Donovan later informaed me Mr.
Garrette is also her lawyer and so .. I probably dis not have
any good references as he disabled the chat function while in
sesion when I called his BBS to find out why he has not answered
any of my messages.
It is clear I can not approach Mr Garrete so I am forced to come
to you. After that incident, I started to send you several
messages but never got any answers either. I wrote to the Editor
and they said this is a workable situation but in the mean time
I was unable to participate in any fidonet echo as we where not
accepting any feed from our HUB and Brenda Donovan was properly
informed of my decision.
I have never met any of the persons involved in this matter. I
had no bad feelings towards anyone. All I've been doing is
defending myself from their insults and attitudes. I have also
requested help from other Sysops and yet I found out they have
no organization at all to solve situations like this. What to do
Mr Satti when the Net Coordinator decides to make your life
misserable? Some have told me ... forget it!! you are history in
Fidonet!! others have told me talk to the great one .... you!! I
really don't know what to do or what else to go.... all I want
is to be left alone ... I have not broken any rules except that
she calls anoying behavior.. my last request for help!.
Now Mr Satti, she has become my HUB, and in the past two or
three weeks, everything has been totally irregular. The mail
doesn't come as it did with the previous HUB. Some days it
doesn't come at all. I am starting to receive messages with
reference to other messages I have never received and so I
requested to be assigned to a different HUB. It was not a good
idea to accept that to begin with but I tried to show her that I
can work with anybody, including herself.
Four days ago(+/-), I requested a file from her BBS and got a
virus. This time I was prepared to keep all logs and I sent her
a copy inmediatelly. Three different scanners reported the same
virus, SCAN, T-byte, and F-prot. However, when I run a second
scan, nothing showed up, it was gone!!, nothing. I discused this
with her but she did not find any mistakes in her system either.
The next day the file table in this system was corrupted and the
system could not boot up.
For a person with litle experience in computers a system
recovery was impossible. I had to re-install MS-DOS and run
several file recovery utilities to try to bring the system back.
Apparently, I lost over 100 files and several directories. I
have no idea if this events are all associated or not. I am
merely telling you what happend, my bealive is that there are
probabilities that 'maybe' they are.
I do not keep any good feelings toward Brenda Donovan, not
becouse the last events but becouse she is using her powers as a
NET202 Coordinator to intimidate me and treat me as a second
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 18 01 Aug 1994
class human been. You must understand, I would fight her as I
would fight any other human been who treats me that way.
For you informations Mr Satti, I am 35 years old, father of
three doughters, 10, 8, and 7 years old. I have written several
books on computers in Spanish. I am the publisher of TUD (in
Spanish), I am also the author of the first Spanish-like
programming language called MAYOR, and I have just founded
HISPANA, a world network of computer systems for those who speak
Spanish anywhere.
I know my knowledge of the English language limits me inmenselly
in expresing myself.... my toughts .... and my feelings. Thats
why I now come to you to ask you for help. I need your help Mr
Satti to solve this situation. Not only to stop those actions
against me, but also to stop any actions against any other
hispanic in this country. We should not be judge by our language
nor by our last name.
Apparently, you are the number one of this organization. I hope
I have not been miss informed as I really don't have much
knowledge of this organization. You must bealive me it is not
easy for me to intend to write a letter of this nature but I
need help I need to stop this people from treating me the way
they want. I can not work with my current HUB who is also the
NET202 Coordinator, as I can not work with Mr Garrette. Trust
have just been destroyed and I need a way out.
If it is in your power to help me, please do it. I will
appreciate it.
Pedro Jaramillo
* HISPANA *
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subject: Re: Finger
From: Barry Carter (1:250/888)
To: Editor (1:1/23)
Tuesday July 26 1994 13:15, Fredric Rice wrote to Barry Carter:
FR> I telephoned Steve Winter last night to ask if he was
FR> responsible for the article posted to FidoNews which solicits
FR> criminal activity. He denied all involvement, claimed that he
FR> and Editor had discussed it, claimed that editor is going to
FR> publish an apology, then he fingered you as the most probable
FR> individual who sent the article in. He then offered your
FR> telephone number (which I already have.)
Steve is loopy (the words of the police up in these parts).
He could find himself charged with public mischief if he decides
to visit Canada.
A couple of months ago Steve called my home in the middle of
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 19 01 Aug 1994
the night to call me "scum" and curse me in the name of the Lord
Jesus Christ. He awoke my wife and daughter. He refuses to
apologize.
I too called him at work and at home, after his call, and he
refuses to apologize.
His reason for calling was a netmail exchange initiated by
him where he calls me "scum" for daring to question his motives.
I have been nothing but polite and concerned during the whole
"ordeal".
It is my opinion that Steve did write the "article" in
question. I am not capable of the hatred exhibited in the text
that was published. Steve has shown on many occaisions that he
weilds a poison pen and this is the basis for my opinion.
I believe Steve will soon find himself outside of FIDO for
actions of his own. He is an extremely self destructive
individual, on a course that he does not understand the
ramifications of.
FR> It is probably a good idea to know that he's telling people that
FR> you are probably responsible for the article.
Thanks for the note. Steve will be receiving a policy
complaint very shortly for posting my home address and phone
number in a public echo. He seems to feel it is ok to harrass
people in any way he deems necessary.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
========================================================================
Fidonews Information
========================================================================
------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar
Tom Jennings
"FidoNews" BBS
FidoNet 1:1/23
BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS)
Internet addresses:
Sylvia --
[email protected]
Tim --
[email protected]
(Postal Service mailing address)
FidoNews
128 Church St.
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada
N2H 2S4
FidoNews 11-31 Page: 20 01 Aug 1994
Voice: (519) 570-3137
Published weekly by and for the members of the FidoNet international
amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual
articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The
contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the
rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those
of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews.
Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
Copyright 1994 Sylvia Maxwell. All rights reserved. Duplication
and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use
in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or
FidoNews (we're easy).
OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic
form may be obtained from the FidoNews BBS via manual download or
Wazoo FileRequest, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet.
PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above snail-mail
address, or trade for copy of your 'zine.
INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org,
in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. If you would like a FAQ, or
have questions regarding FidoNet, or UUCP<==>FidoNet gateways, please
direct them to David Deitch (1:133/411@fidonet) at
[email protected].
SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable
from 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it.
"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
trademarks of Tom Jennings, and are used with permission.
"the pulse of the cursor is the heartbeat of fidonet"...
-- END
----------------------------------------------------------------------
