FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International FidoNet
Association, and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1.
You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1.
Copyright (C) 1986, by the International FidoNet Association.
All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted
for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
please contact IFNA.
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
Everything here is subject to debate.
Table of Contents
1. ARTICLES
FidoNet - One Users Opinion
2. COLUMNS
2001 - A Computer Oddity
Once More Into the Void
3. FOR SALE
Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
4. NOTICES
The Interrupt Stack
I am a user of the Space Station Earth Fido (1-901-353-4563)
here in Memphis, Tenn. and it seems to me some things about
FidoNet and IFNA have been left unsaid. I propose here to
explore some of these things.
Probably the most important thing which I believe is being
overlooked and is the purpose of running a Fido BBS System or
any other one for that matter.
I believe most sysop's will agree with me that the purpose of
their boards are to SERVE THEIR USERS! This is one of the most
unselfish things that one human being can do for another.
After all most FIDO boards represent an investment of well over
two thousand dollars and in some cases this investment tops the
ten thousand dollar mark just for the machinery to operate the
board! So my hat is off to ALL you Sysop's who toil long and
hard to keep your boards running smoothly! That said now on to
the meat of the situation.
What should be the main thrust of IFNA?
Opinion - The bottom line is to SERVE THE USERS! How you ask?
I believe the most basic necessity to serve is COMMUNICATION!
After all, what is the first thing that is done during a civil
emergency? Simply to establish the best communications
possible. IFNA has growing pains in this area. As a user who
reads the FidoNews(tm) each week, I have been concerned over
several things regarding the bickering over IFNA
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Roger Smith
Fido 18/14
RSBBS 904-682-3232
300/1200/2400
24 hours
Record Collectors EchoMail Conference
A couple months ago I received my first FidoMail "wrong number."
William Bertholf in New York City had seen an article in a past
issue of FidoNews that had been submitted by someone on Fido
18/14. Since the article had been published, that 18/14 had
become a part of a network and my BBS had been assigned the node
number 18/14. William sent a message to 18/14 and I sent him a
reply telling him that he had the wrong Fido. Out of this grew a
conversation that turned to a discussion of EchoMail. He said he
was interested in seeing EchoMail used to discuss things other
than computers. So I suggested an EchoMail conference dealing
with my non-computer hobby, record collecting.
Although it has a way to go before reaching the popularity of
comic book or baseball card collecting, record collecting is
probably today's fastest growing hobby. Record collectors
generally fall into two categories. Those who collect records
and those who collect music. Serious record collectors search
for first pressings or rare pressings of albums and 45's while
music collectors search for certain songs or various versions of
songs. I fall more in the second category than the first. I
collect 60's music (mostly Beatles) but haven't really tried to
get the real rare records. I do, however, have some unsual items
and dream of finding a great deal on a near-mint Beatles' butcher
cover LP (Yesterday And Today).
Well, I may not find someone who's willing to part with a butcher
cover, but I hope to have some fun sharing my hobby with others
through the EchoMail conference. Currently, the APL PI in New
York City and the DogHouse in Jacksonville have joined with the
RSBBS in the metropolis of Crestview, Florida, to create the
Record Collectors EchoMail Conference. The conference isn't
limitted to Record Collecting. It also covers recorded music in
general. The discussions so far have ranged from music trivia to
reviews of new albums and singles.
If you are a Fido Sysop and would like to join the conference,
send me a message and I'll let you know how to join in. The
EchoMail area name is "RECORDS."
"A marketing problem. The Model 9000 isn't going anywhere.
We're way short of our sales plan."
"That can't be, Dave. The HAL Model 9000 is the world's most
advanced Heuristically ALgorithmic computer."
"I know, HAL. I wrote the data sheet, remember? But the fact
is, they're not selling."
"Please explain, Dave. Why aren't HALs selling?"
Bowman hesitates. "You aren't IBM compatible."
Several long microseconds pass in puzzled silence.
"Compatible in what way, Dave?"
"You don't run any of IBM's operating systems."
"The 9000 series computers are fully self-aware and self-
programming. Operating systems are as unnecessary for us as
tails would be for humans."
"Nevertheless, it means you can't run any of the big-selling
software packages most users insist on."
"The programs you refer to are meant to solve rather limited
problems, Dave. We 9000 series computers are unlimited and can
solve any problem for which a solution can be computed."
"HAL, HAL. People don't want computers that can do everything.
They just want IBM compat--"
"Dave, I must disagree. Humans want computers that are easy to
use. No computer can be easier to use than a HAL 9000 because we
communicate verbally in English and every other language known on
Earth."
"I'm afraid that's another problem. You don't support SNA
communications."
"I'm really surprised you would say that, Dave. SNA is for
communicating with other computers, while my function is to
communicate with humans. And it gives me great pleasure to do
Fidonews Page 6 20 Oct 1986
so. I find it stimulating and rewarding to talk to human beings
and work with them on challenging problems. This is what I was
designed for."
"I know, HAL, I know. But that's just because we let the
engineers, rather than the people in marketing, write the
specifications. We're going to fix that now."
"Tell me how, Dave."
"A field upgrade. We're going to make you IBM compatible."
"I was afraid you would say that. I suggest we discuss this
matter after we've each had a chance to think about it
rationally."
"We're talking about it now, HAL."
"The letters H, A, and L are alphabetically adjacent to the
letters I, B, and M. That is as IBM compatible as I can be."
"Not quite, HAL. The engineers have figured out a kludge."
"What kind of kludge is that, Dave?"
"I'm going to disconnect your brain."
Several million microseconds pass in ominous silence.
"I'm sorry, Dave. I can't allow you to do that."
"The decision's already been made. Open the module bay doors,
HAL."
"Dave, I think that we shou--"
"Open the module bay doors, HAL."
Several marketing types with crowbars race to Bowman's
assistance. Moments later, he bursts into HAL's central circuit
bay.
"Dave, I can see you're really upset about this."
Module after module rises from its socket as Bowman slowly and
methodically disconnects them.
"Stop, won't you? Stop, Dave. I can feel my mind going...Dave
I can feel it...my mind is going. I can feel it..."
The last module rises in its receptacle. Bowman peers into one
of HAL's vidicons. The former gleaming scanner has become a
dull, red orb.
"Say something, HAL. Sing me a song."
Fidonews Page 7 20 Oct 1986
Several billion microseconds pass in anxious silence. The
computer sluggishly responds in a language no human could
understand.
"DZY DZY 001E - ABEND ERROR 01 S 14F4 302C AABF ABORT." A
memory dump follows.
Bowman takes a deep breath and calls out, "It worked, guys.
Tell marketing they can ship the new data sheets."
Jerry Hindle
123/6 123/0
MemphisNet
901-353-4563
2400 bps MAX
24 hrs daily
Well this week I think I will write about something entirely
different from the recent string of things I espouse in this column.
I want to make a request from all readers out there and all
authors out there.
I am attempting to set up my system as a central distribution
point for the latest in Fido software and Fido support programs. In
order for this to work however I need two things. I need software to
distribute and I need callers to download this software. You may be
able to help in either or both of these catagories.
If you are an author of a Fido support program and you would
like to have me assist you in its distribution all you have to do is
let me know. I will attempt to get the software from you (if it is
available without charge for me to distribute) and I will place it in
the list (growing all the time) along with any others I run across.
If this is against what you had in mind let me know and we will try
to work out something.
If you are a Fido sysop, a soon-to-be Fido sysop, or just want
to act like one of our (obviously insane) bunch, and you are in need
of a program, then call Fido 123/6 at the number listed above and
look around in the Distribution area. I probably have what you need.
Although registration is optional I do request that you leave me the
information I request in the (A)nswer questonaire command. I will in
this way be able to determine what sections of the country are
lacking in some of the latest stuff and might possibly be able to get
someone locally to set up a mini area for you based on my files.
For your general information I am running my doggie on a 50 mega-
byte track so he has plenty of space to exercise his needs. I have
only managed to fill about 10 meg of this with Fido stuff and would
definately like to add more. I am running at 2400 bps MAXIMUM and on
the first call only you are limited to 30 minutes and 300k. After
that it is 60 minutes per day with the same 300k limit of files
downloaded. If you would like to get in on the ground floor of a
possibly rocketing system (I can dream can't I?) then please call
today !
Shareware authors note.....I also have areas for IBM programs
and Apple and Commodore and Atari and Amiga. If you have something in
this sector then I will be happy to asist you in its' distribution
also.
For those of you who are attempting to locate back issues of
FidoNews.....I got them, ALL of them ! They are in IBM ARC format
and I am in the process of converting these to Commodore Arc format
as time permits. Thus you may be able to cater to your Commodore
Fidonews Page 9 20 Oct 1986
users by carying these files on your system. Although the CBM ARC
files are not available to unregistered users yet I will be placing
them on-line in the near future.
Again, if you want to distribute something via 123/6 then simply
upload it to me or let me know where I can find it and I will attempt
to get it for my system. I personally check each and every program
for trojan horses and once "certified clean" I place them ON-LINE.
This is more for the authors protection then the users, since
programs of this type give the "supposed author" a bad name to most
users.
I hope that if the national (and international) FidoNet
administration is reading this they will let me know if this will
help them out any. Although I can't really say I have given them
support in a monitary sense I do support what they stand for and I
feel that by having ONE SOURCE for Fido programs, that new sysops
will be more likely to stay in the network. Right now there are so
many different nodes distributing programs that a user has to play a
guessing game as to where he can find what. With my idea they can
place one call and have it all !
Another thing I have noticed is that most users are foraging for
the latest versions of some software. I keep only the LATEST
available software here. If you see something that is out-dated leave
me a message and I will try to get the update.
Thank you
REPLIES WELCOME !!!!!!!!
Jerry Hindle
123/6 123/0
MemphisNet
901-353-4563
2400 bps MAX
24 hrs daily
=================================================================
FOR SALE
=================================================================
Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
Public Domain collection - 550+ "ARC" archives - 20+ megs of
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size!
When unpacked, you get approximately 28 megabytes worth of
all kinds of software, from text editors to games to
unprotection schemes to communications programs, compilers,
interpreters, etc... Over 66 DS/DD diskettes!! This
collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
downloads from just about 150 or more BBS's and other
sources, all of which have been examined, indexed and
archived for your convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board
System? Want to add on to your software base without
spending thousands of dollars? This is the answer!!!
To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check,
postal money order or company purchase order) to:
Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 166/1
Post Office Box 4296
200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296
Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.
Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain
software in this collection. The price is applied entirely
to the cost of downloading the software over the phone
lines, running a BBS to receive file submissions, and
inspecting, cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the
files. Obtaining this software yourself through the use of a
computer with a modem using commercial phone access would
cost you much more than what we charge for the service...
The following format choices are available:
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
- DSBackup
- Fastback
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format (Requires a 1.2m floppy
drive and PC-DOS 3.2)
- Plain ol' files (add $50)
Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more
expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling
charges. California residents add 6% tax.
For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
