Copyright 1990, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication
and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only.
For use in other circumstances, please contact Fido Software.
FidoNews is published weekly by and for the Members of the
FidoNet (r) International Amateur Electronic Mail System. It is
a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors
or authorized agents of the authors. The contribution of articles
to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors.
You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1:1/1. 1:1/1 is a Continuous
Mail system, available for network mail 24 hours a day.
Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
Fido Software, Box 77731, San Francisco CA 94107, USA and are
used with permission.
Opinions expressed in FidoNews articles are those of the authors
and are not necessarily those of the Editor or of Fido Software.
Most articles are unsolicited. Our policy is to publish every
responsible submission received.
Table of Contents
1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
The rest of the story! ................................... 1
MED_RAYS Echo on Backbone ................................ 3
XRS 4.00 released! ....................................... 4
2. COLUMNS .................................................. 5
Talk Me Through It, Honey ................................ 5
3. LATEST VERSIONS .......................................... 6
Latest Software Versions ................................. 6
4. NOTICES .................................................. 11
The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 11
FidoNews 7-51 Page 1 17 Dec 1990
I don't know about you, but I always look forward to seeing
what's going on in FidoNet land every Monday morning. The daily
papers may go unread, but FidoNews is something I almost never
pass over. Not because there is always earth-shattering news in
it, but because if there is some real news in there, I don't
want to miss it.
It is because of my diligence of scanning over the Snooze (as it
is often so affectionately called) that I am prompted to ask,
"What the heck is going on?" Say what? I'm referring to the
reported zonal unrest, the outcries that Zone 1 is out to rule
the world, or some such nonsense. If there is anything that
gets me riled up at all, it is an article, or a message (usually
echomail) that is rampant with only half a story. Please, for
the sake of good information with which to form an opinion, how
about putting the FUD factor to rest. If you're going to call a
spade a spade, then don't keep me us in the dark, print your
'facts' to substantiate your assertions. You will be doing more
to help everyone grow a little, then just vent your anger and
help no-one. You will forgive me for having been conceived and
raised in Zone 1, my parents never gave me a choice.
I've never seen anything published in the Snooze, nor put forth
by the *C' structure, that ever said that people in other zones
are forbidden from participating in 1) policy decision making,
2) voting participation, and 3) political representation.
Every time something or someone makes an attempt to establish
standards, they are usually shot down in the name of
'democracy.' It is not surprising to me to see new proposed
legislation, policies (call it what you wish), finally come
around to the point of recognizing that FidoNet is more than
just Zone 1. As our hobby progresses, and grows in orders of
magnitude, I really fail to understand how anyone can think that
an attempt to set down some guidelines, revise some old ones
(POLICY4, ECHOPOL) to name two, can be anything bad. The latest
policies I've seen do provide for the Zones to carry on their
business as they see fit, within certain minimal limitations.
Remember, this includes Zone 1.
So as for the other Zones. Please don't feel like you are an
outsider in all of this, or that you are being excluded. Your
ideas are just as important as everyone else's. Work the
process through, get something done that we can all live with,
globally. Whatever might come out of it, I can promise you that
it isn't going to please everyone, not the first time around
anyway. But then again, that is my whole point, this global
community we have is evolving. Lets meld it into something, and
continue to shape it to (dare I say) perfection. This is not
FidoNews 7-51 Page 2 17 Dec 1990
the time to put up walls, it is the time to be taking them down.
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FidoNews 7-51 Page 3 17 Dec 1990
Daniel Hagan
Fidonet 1:381/61
MED_RAYS Medical Echo
The MED_RAYS Echo is now available on the backbone. The TAG for
this echo is MED_RAYS, and has been developed to enable persons
working in the Radiology Areas (i.e. X-Ray, Ultrasound, Nuclear
Medicine and Radiation Therapy) to pass information related to
new procedures/techniques, medicolegal ethics, etc. Radiology
students, professionals, physicians, residents and medical
students are encouraged to participate.
Besides offering a means for professionals to exchange ideas
and new techniques, persons with questions specific to this
area are also encouraged to participate. Misinformation
regarding diagnostic radiation exposure to both X-Radiation
and Sound Radiation (yes they are both waves, although they
differ in characteristics) has occurred and will re-occur
within the electronic media. The MED_RAYS echo will be an
alternative source for persons concerned with exposures to
various diagnostic modalities to gain additional information.
To date, topics have included establishing an Ultrasound business,
radiation protection, employment opportunities, cost of living for
specific areas, Registry information etc. We look forward to your
participation in the MED_RAYS area.
Daniel Hagan
MED_RAYS Moderator 381/61
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FidoNews 7-51 Page 4 17 Dec 1990
Version 4.00 of my 'eXpress Response System' program has been
posted and released via the SDS. This new version will work
with QuickBBS, RemoteAccess, SuperBBS, TCommNet, Opus, Maximus,
XBBS and WildCat! (via QuickDoor).
In keeping with my philosophy of giving the maximum value for
money, along with version 4.00 I have instituted a new "Family
Registration Plan". If you have more than one XRS user in your
family you may register for the basic $20 for the first person
plus only $5 for each extra person!
XRS is Shareware - the "Try before you buy" software. There is
absolutely no crippling or missing features, nor does XRS drop
dead after a certain number of uses or messages written. The
$20 fee for SysOp registration is waved if you setup RaQmSeX or
compatible mailbag creating program like Zip_Mail, XMX or XOR.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone again
for your help during the Hurricane Hugo disaster - your aid was
truly appreciated, and I will always remember where my friends
are! Thanks again, and hope to see you in Colorodo in August!
XRS4KITS.ZIP (310K bytes) - contains:
XRS4KIT1.ZIP - previously released "ToolKit" items
XRS4KIT2.ZIP - new and/or updated toolkit programs
The files are also available individually, as well as these:
XRS4LANG.ZIP (64K bytes) contains:
XRS400NL.ZIP - Dutch foreign native language overlays
XRS400GE.ZIP - Germen foreign native language overlays
XRS400SW.ZIP - Swedish foreign native language overlays
XRS400FR.ZIP - French foreign native language overlays
Files available from the following (or your local SDS node!):
1:372/6666 - my least busy FREQ_only node HST/14400/V.42bis
1:372/666 - another HST/14400/V.42bis - FREQs 21 hours a day
1:372/888 - a Hayes V.32/V.42bis "Ultra" - FREQS 23 hours/day
1:360/1 in North Augusta, S.C. - HST (Ed Meloan)
1:109/124 in Washington, D.C. area - HST (Miles Hoover)
2:512/1 in Venray, the Netherlands - HST (Peter Janssens)
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FidoNews 7-51 Page 5 17 Dec 1990
Today was the last day of my contract with one of the larger
common carriers in the world. ( Yep, I worked for a local
phone company. ) I did all the good contractor things this last
day, you know, backed up the hard disk, borrowed the portable
for the holidays, made commented directory listings, picked up
a laser toner cartridge, held information meetings... all
those standard last day things. You'd think a company that
size wouldn't run out of diskettes.
It turned out to be a 29 month stay, plenty of time to get to
know everybody, and everybody's families and it's really hard
to leave. But then again, it's really easy to think about what
I'm going to do next. So far, I've thought of nothing, and
that's a pretty fine idea right now.
So I suppose I'll trot off to Denmark and find Honey and The Kid
and I'll bet they still love me. I've already decided that
Honey's kiss will be proportional to the amount of money she's
spent. She'll never figure that one out.
And I'm gonna get in lots of four year old games before we
switch to five year old games.
And I'll wish you and your friends and family the best of times
this year's end, too. You, of all people, know that sitting
here alone in front of the screen, and pressing this ^ key can
be done with either hand. Or both. I think that's about as
big a holiday message as I can muster.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
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FidoNews 7-51 Page 6 17 Dec 1990
Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by
reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list
all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity.
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FidoNews 7-51 Page 11 17 Dec 1990
1 Jan 1991
Implementation of 7% Goods and Services Tax in Canada. Contact
Joe Lindstrom at 1:134/55 for a more colorful description.
16 Feb 1991
Fifth anniversary of the introduction of Echomail, by Jeff Rush.
31 Mar 1991
Jim Grubs (W8GRT) was issued his first ham radio license forty
years ago today. His first station was made from an ARC-5
"Command Set" removed from a B-17 bomber.
12 May 1991
Fourth anniversary of FidoNet operations in Latin America and
second anniversary of the creation of Zone-4.
8 Sep 1991
25th anniversary of first airing of Star Trek on NBC!
7 Oct 1991
Area code 415 fragments. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
will begin using area code 510. This includes Oakland,
Concord, Berkeley and Hayward. San Francisco, San Mateo,
Marin, parts of Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay
Islands will retain area code 415.
1 Feb 1992
Area code 213 fragments. Western, coastal, southern and
eastern portions of Los Angeles County will begin using area
code 310. This includes Los Angeles International Airport,
West Los Angeles, San Pedro and Whittier. Downtown Los
Angeles and surrounding communities (such as Hollywood and
Montebello) will retain area code 213.
1 Dec 1993
Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release.
5 Jun 1997
David Dodell's 40th Birthday
If you have something which you would like to see on this
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.
