F I D O N E W S -- Volume 14, Number 4 27 January 1997
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
| FidoNet community | "FidoNews" |
| _ | 1-904-409-7040 [1:1/23] |
| / \ | |
| /|oo \ | |
| (_| /_) | |
| _`@/_ \ _ | |
| | | \ \\ | Editor: |
| | (*) | \ )) | Christopher Baker 1:18/14 |
| |__U__| / \// | |
| _//|| _\ / | |
| (_/(_|(____/ | |
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
+----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| Submission address: FidoNews Editor 1:1/23 |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| MORE addresses: |
| |
| submissions=>
[email protected] |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
| obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ |
| please refer to the end of this file. |
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PERI HORNER!
Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1
SuperBowl edition? ....................................... 1
2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2
The PALMTOPS Echo ........................................ 2
3. GETTING TECHNICAL ........................................ 3
FSC-0024 - Proposal for a Type-3 Mail Bundle ............. 3
FSC-0025 - AVATAR information ............................ 16
4. COORDINATORS CORNER ...................................... 23
Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 024 ...... 23
5. WE GET EMAIL ............................................. 24
ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update .............................. 24
6. NET HUMOR ................................................ 29
Geekonics - the next step? ............................... 29
7. WANTED ................................................... 32
Looking for Mr. Surveyed equipment? ...................... 32
8. NOTICES .................................................. 33
Future History ........................................... 33
Update on the WebRing status for FidoNet World Wide Web .. 34
9. FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ................................. 36
Latest Greatest Software Versions ........................ 36
10. FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY ..................................... 43
FidoNews PGP public-key listing .......................... 43
11. FIDONET BY INTERNET ..................................... 44
12. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .................................... 46
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 1 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
EDITORIAL
=================================================================
Just a little bit early in compilation so I can watch those Packers
do unto the Patriots what they did unto my Jaguars! [snicker]
[Football for your non-Zone 1 folks.]
The WebRing server is still in transition. Those of you still trying
to link your webpages to the FidoNet webring please note the notice
at the end of this Issue. I will advise all when they get it back up.
I got an inquiry from a fellow in Denmark [who seems to have written a
FidoNet to Internet mail/file handling utility for Windows95] about
writing an article for FidoNews detailing his invention. I told him to
go ahead and send me one. In the meantime, if you want to look at his
effort [it's 19 pounds sterling], his site is at:
http://www.terminate.com/fido2int.htm
Other than those, it's been a slow week here at FidoNews. Still no new
ASCII art or .BIOs. [sigh]
Go Packers! [grin]
C.B.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 2 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
ARTICLES
=================================================================
The PALMTOPS ECHO
by Jim Henry, 1:273/408,
[email protected]
The PALMTOPS echo is a new echo I started for users of
various Palmtop computers, such as but not limited the HP 100LX
and HP 200LX. What IS a Palmtop? More than just an electronic
organizer, a Palmtop is a real PC no larger than a video cassette,
and most are considerably smaller. The HP Palmtops fit easily
into a shirt pocket and are loaded with built in software, such as
Lotus 1-2-3, an appt. scheduler, phone book, word processor,
telecommunications, scientific calculator, Quicken, and more.
Then you can add even more software depending on what your needs
are. Among the other software I have added, is a ballistics
program I can use at the range, and 1ST Reader, the combination
terminal program and Qwkmail reader from Sparkware. Using 1st
Reader on my Palmtop, I have been able to reclaim what other-wise
would be lost or un-productive time. I can catch up on my email
when stuck in the waiting room at my car dealer, or doctor's
office. Beats the heck out of reading 6 month old magazines!
Waiting in the car to pick up my kids after school is another
opportunity to read and reply to mail on my Palmtop. The PALMTOPS
echo is not yet on the backbone, but please do join us and help
make it happen. Pick up a feed from me at 1:273/408, or Jim
Balcom at 1:109/334. One final warning: Palmtops are addictive!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 3 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
GETTING TECHNICAL
=================================================================
[This is part of a continuing project of re-publishing all the FidoNet
Technical Standards and Proposals in numerical order. It is also part
of the FidoNet History series begun by this Editor. Documents have
been reformatted to the 70 column limit where required and some
tables may be distorted as a result. Anyone wishing unmodified forms
should file-request the actual file.] Ed.
FSC-0024 - A Proposal for a Type-3 Mail Bundle - Oliver McDonald
Notes on Type three bundlers.
The first important note is that without Wynn
Wagner's work on FTSC-0014, none of this would have come
to fruition. I owe him a great debt in this area, as well
as the debt for Opus itself that got me into this. Thanks
Wynn.
Type 3 bundlers offer opportunities for new levels
of sophistication in mail processing. As the first step
Aurora Computer Technologies plans to provide the minimum
specified by the existing Type 3 bundle specifications
with one minor addition. This addition is the inclusion
of the features of ReMapper. This addition is not a
required inclusion for other software authors producing a
Type 3 bundler.
To sum up, standard required features are:
Must be able to create and unbundle Type 2 Bundles (See
FSC-0001)
Must be able to create and unbundle Type 3 Bundles (See
attached)
Must be able to Toss EchoMail from either Type 2 OR 3
bundles
Must generate an update-required message for the sysop
if the MinorVersion changes.
Must generate an update-required message if it
encounters a misc packet type it does not recognize.
Initial optional features are:
May Duplicate the functionality of ReMapper.
May automatically generate an F.Req. from source of
bundle when the minor version changes.
May generate an F.Req from source of bundle if it
encounters a misc packet type it does not recognize.
All error messages are placed in Matrix Mail messages to
the Sysop.
Will create outbound bundles on the fly from the inbound
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 4 27 Jan 1997
bundle. Does not need to scan these messages. Note,
if this option is exercised it is IMPERATIVE that the
areas are scanned prior to the unbundle process.
Type 3.0 proposal (preliminary)
This proposal allows for automatic updating of the
Type 3 bundle to allow for further revisions and
enhancements. Thus we will refer to it as a Type 3.0 with
further versions becoming Type 3.1 etc.
All multi-byte data forms (int/long) are considered
to have the MSB first and the LSB last. Int is two
bytes, and Long is four.
Bundle Header
struct _BundleHeader {
struct _Address B_Destination;
struct _Address B_Origination;
unsigned nybble B_BundlerVersionMajor;
unsigned nybble B_BundlerVersionMinor;
unsigned byte B_ProductCode;
unsigned byte B_VersionMinor;
unsigned byte B_VersionMajor;
unsigned long B_CreationTime;
unsigned byte B_Password[8];
};
Bundle Header Notes
This works out to 32 bytes which is a nice size to
work with.
Here follows a short explanation for each field:
"B_BundlerVersionMajor/Minor" provide for
version numbers from 0.0 to 16.16, this should be
enough for all except TJ.
"B_ProductCode" is the FTSC assigned product
code. This can be used to identify just which type 3
bundler created the bundle; it should not be considered
an error if this is unidentified, and need not be
processed on unbundling but MUST be included _correctly_
at the bundling stage.
"B_VersionMinor" is a version number that
will initially start at Zero and is used to allow non
backward compatible changes to Type 3 bundles, such as
header length change. If this is LOWER in the bundle
than the corresponding version number in the unbundler
it should abend. It is suggested that a short message
be written to the Sysop in NETMAIL with as much
information gleaned from the header as possible. (All
info up to and including "B_VersionMajor".)
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 5 27 Jan 1997
"B_VersionMajor", always 3. This and all data prior
to this point is position dependant and will never be
changed in future Type 3.0 bundle revisions.
"B_CreationTime" is an Unix 1970 based creation
time indicating the time/date the bundle was created.
"B_Password" is a NULL padded character array that
may contain uppercase alpha bytes or ASCII digits. It
should not contain lowercase characters, punctuation,
control characters etc. A maximum of 8 characters are
significant.
Struct _Address
struct _Address {
unsigned int Zone;
unsigned int Net;
unsigned int Node;
unsigned int Point;
};
struct _AddressShort {
unsigned int Net;
unsigned int Node;
};
Bundle Footer
Struct _BundleEnd {
Unsigned Byte E_Packet_Type /* Always 0
* /
};
Bundle Footer notes.
All bundles end with this packet. It is not
optional and the packet should be considered grundged
if it is missing.
Area header
Struct _AreaHeader
Unsigned byte E_Packet_Type /* Always 1
*/
Unsigned byte E_NameLength /* Actual
bytes in E_NAME */
Unsigned Byte E_Name[1] /* Variable
length field */
Area Header Notes
The area header packet marks the start of a sequence
of messages destined to the same message area. The
area indicated in the Area Header will remain valid until
either the end of the bundle OR another Area Header is
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 6 27 Jan 1997
encountered.
E_Name will usually contain the area name of the
echo area that subsequent messages should go. If
E_NameLength is zero then the subsequent messages should
go the NetMail area. Any messages that occur prior
to the first Area Header in a bundle should also go to
the Netmail area.
The Maximum value for E_NameLength is 63.
E_Name is NOT null terminated.
Message Header
Struct _MessageHeader {
Unsigned byte M_Packet_Type /* Always 2
*/ Struct _Address M_Destination /* Final
Destination */
Struct _Address M_Origin /* Where the
message was entered */
Unsigned Long M_CreationTime /* When the
message was entered */
Unsigned int M_Attributes /* FTSC
bitweights */
Unsigned byte M_FromLength
Unsigned byte M_ToLength
Unsigned byte M_SubLength
Unsigned byte M_From[1]
Unsigned byte M_To[1]
Unsigned byte M_Sub[1]
};
Message Header Notes
Every message begins with a message header packet.
It should be created by the system where the
message originated. If there are any intermediate stops
along the way it is the responsibility of the
intermediate systems along the way to maintain all of
the information without modification.
None of M_From, M_To, or M_Sub are to be
NULL terminated.
Message Body
Struct _Text {
Unsigned byte T_Packet_Type /* Always 3
*/
Unsigned int T_ByteCount /* # of bytes
( < 0x1000 ) */
Unsigned byte T_Data[1] /* Variable
length field */
Message Body Notes:
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 7 27 Jan 1997
The message body is considered one or more
_Text packets.
No _Text packet will be more that 1000H bytes
long (that's 4096 to the terminally base 10 folks). Of
course there may be a near infinite number of _Text
packets per bundle/Message header, but you are
absolutely positively guaranteed that with the type 3.x
method you will never need a buffer larger than 1000H.
In addition to ASCII values 20h through 7Eh
(inclusive) the following control codes are legal for
TEXT data. Note that <CR> and <softCR> are NOT in this
list, thus type three packers will eliminate spurious
0Dh's.
<LF> 0Ah Forced
<CR>/<LF>
<dle> 10h Replicate
Other control characters and values 7Fh and above
are symptomatic of a grundged message.
Replicate is a three byte sequence: <dle>
<value> <length>. For example if a packet contains the
bytes 10h, 20h, 09h it should be expanded in the message
body as nine <space> characters.
There is no minimum or maximum line length, it
is assumed that the reader can supply the appropriate
line wraps.
One "line" of a message may cross from one _Text
packet to another.
EchoMail:
Struct _EchoMailInfo {
Unsigned byte EI_Packet_Type /* Always 4
*/
Struct _EID EI_Parent /* Up message
thread */
Struct _EID EI_Child /* Down
message thread */
Unsigned byte EI_SeenByCount
Unsigned byte EI_PathCount
Struct _AddressShort EI_SeenBy[1]
Struct _Address EI_Path[1]
);
EchoMail notes:
The EI_Child and EI_Parent fields are used
to reconstruct the message thread.
Type 3 bundles uses binary seenby and path
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 8 27 Jan 1997
information, but should convert to a normal seenby/path
in the unbundled messages. If the auto-rebundleing is
used it is not necessary to process the seenby's
into the unpacked messages. It is suggested that if
this approach is used it is HEAVILY tested prior to
implementation, and that it still store the data somewhere
for retrieval in case of unresolved dupe problems.
Cargo Info.
Struct _PointInfo {
Unsigned byte CI_Packet_Type /* always 05h
*/
Unsigned byte CI_File Count /* Number of
files */
Unsigned byte CI_FileName[1] /* Filenames
(10 bytes */
};
Cargo Info Notes
The Cargo info packet will only be found in a Type
3 arcmail bundle that contains files. It will always be
the always second packet in a bundle.
Node info
Struct _NodeInfo
Unsigned byte NI_Packet_Type /* always 06h
* /
Unsigned int NI_Flags /* Flags for
node */
};
This packet is sent to a Type 3.x node in the
first bundle to be sent to that node. The bundler
should detect that the node can accept a Type 3.x bundle
from a nodelist flag. It will automatically generate
this packet at that point. Should a type 3.x bundle
come from a node that is not identified in the nodelist
as type 3.x capable the bundler should mark that node
as Type 3.x capable and generate a warning message.
NI_Flags, is a bit mapped field that identifies
the characteristics of the node. Some of this
information will duplicate that information found in the
nodelist. This is used as a check.
Bit: Meaning:
0: Type 3
1: Packing Protocol Bits.
2: " " "
3: " " "
4: |Bits 3 & 4 are used
together
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 9 27 Jan 1997
5: |to determine mail
handleing.
6: Ingate
7: OutGate
8: Net Host
9: Net Hub
A: <Reserved>
B: <Reserved>
C: <Reserved>
D: <Reserved>
E: Sent info
F: Got Info
Bits 1, 2, & 3 are used to determine how mail may
be packed for this node (SEA, PKWare, ZOO)
Bits 1 & 2 & 3: Meaning:
000: No packing.
001: SEA Archive format.
011: PKWare LZW packing format.
100: ZOO Compression system.
Note that these bits were intended to be combined,
so that if a node could handle ZOO and SEA Archives it
would set the bits to '101'. Since by definition
PKWare can handle SEA format Arc's it is considered
standard to set both bits for a PKWare capable system.
Bits 4 and 5 are used to determine how mail should
be sent to this node (CM, hold, direct)
Bit 4 & 5: Meaning:
00: Direct
01: Continous
11: Hold
The sysop should be able to clear the sent info
bit should the status of his system change (ie becomeing
an NC). Zone gates may be identified by the fact that
they are in Net 1 and they are both an ingate and an
outgate. The zone they are the gate for is identified by
their node number.
MiscInfo (IFNA Kludge).
Struct _MiscInfo {
Unsigned byte MI_Packet_Type /* Always 06h
-FFh, assigned by FTSC */
Unsigned byte MI_ByteCount /* # of bytes
of miscinfo */
Unsigned Byte MI_WhoKnows[1] /* Misc Stuff
*/
};
MiscInfo Notes:
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 10 27 Jan 1997
The Misc info packet(s) are the last packets
associated with a message, there may be more than one
in extreme circumstances, but this should prove to be
unlikely. The bundler must retain any information
in these packets unchanged if it is a routed message.
This is a catch all packet that replaces the
dreaded IFNA kludge. It is designed to only be used as
an interim method. At present all IFNA kludges are
handled in other special purpose packets, it is foreseen
that any further kludges will be handled only by
miscinfo packets until the Type 3.x bundle specification
can be updated and coded to handle the new data.
MiscInfo packets in the range 80h - F0h should
be preserved if not understood. It should be
considered an error condition to find a MiscInfo packet
with in the range 04h - 7Fh, this range is reserved for
future expansions on Type 3 packets. Packets in the
range F1h - FFh should be unpacked AND a warning message
should be generated. These numbers will be used on an
extremely temporary basis as they are designed for
ESSENTIAL IFNA kludges and will be added into the Type
3.x specification as quickly as possible.
Arcmail and Type 3.x
Type 3.x bundlers support arcmail much the same
way that the type 2 bundlers do. There are some
enhancements in the arcmail naming scheme however, that
help reduce system overhead for routed mail.
For arcmail destined for type 2 based systems the
old reliable method of arcmail file naming will be used,
IE:
NNNNnnnn.ww#
Where NNNN is a four hex digit net number, nnnn is
a four hex digit node number, ww is a two character
weekday-name identifier, and # is the packet number for
that day. Type 3.x packers SHOULD generate the day
name correctly rather than the OMMM 1.08 cyclic method.
Here follows a suggested Type 3.x ArcMail
naming scheme, basically a modification of Roeland Meyer's
original proposal. I have been made aware that
Roeland has some things to say on this, but there
seems to be a communications break between us, so
until I can contact him I will stick with this.
For Arcmail destined to a Type 3.x system (with
Type 3.x bundles internally), a variation of the method
first proposed by Roeland Meyer will be used. Here
follows a quick synopsis:
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 11 27 Jan 1997
New address specifier (Re-edited by Oliver
McDonald) This is designed for the Type 3.0 Arcmail
naming convention of:
ZZNNNOOO.Fxx
| | | ||
| | | |`----> Incremental sequence number, base 10,
max = 99d
| | | | Starts at 00 and counts to '99'
then wraps
| | | | back to 00. No "Day-of-week" info.
| | | | This is strictly to avoid bundle
collisions.
| | | | An 'empty' version of the bundle is
kept
| | | | around to help the router remember
what the
| | | | last sequence number was.
| | | |
| | | `-----> Flag to indicate bundle type
| | | Allowed values:
| | | 'All non-specified flags are
reserved.
| | | 'U' - ZOO File bundle
| | | 'V' - ZOO Mail only bundle for a
Point.
| | | 'W' - ZOO Mail only bundle
| | | 'X' - File bundle
| | | 'Y' - Mail only bundle for a
point.
| | | 'Z' - Mail only bundle
| | | For files with the 'Y' flag it is
| | | sent as per normal until it
reaches the
| | | node specified by the arcname.
At this
| | | point the node will unarc the
FIRST bundle
| | | in the arc, and read the Message
Header,
| | | and then attach the bundle to the
point
| | | specified.
| | | For File bundles if the files are
to be
| | | forwarded, the node will unarc
the bundle
| | | in the arc. It will check the
message header
| | | for address (match against name),
and will open
| | | the Cargo Info Bundle, and attach
those files
| | | to the destination.
| | | Note: If the addresses do not
match it considered
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 12 27 Jan 1997
| | | an error to forward the files.
| | | Note: The point address is not
considered for
| | | matching purposes.
| | |
| | `--------> Node address, base 36, max = 56,654d
| | Allowed values: '000' to 'ZZZ'
| | This is the Node part of the
destination
| | address of the bundle.
| | Special values:
| | '000'- Destination is the Net
Host given by
| | ZNNN, not forwarded to
any Nodes.
| | 'ZZZ'- This a broadcast bundle
to ALL Nodes
| | in the Net given by ZNNN,
as
| | well as, the Net Host
given by same.
| |
| `-----------> Net address, base 36, max = 55,654d
| Allowed values: '000' to 'ZZZ'
| This is the Net part of the
destination
| address of the bundle.
| Special values:
| '000' - Destination is the
ZoneGate given by
| ZZ, not forwarded to any
Nets.
| 'ZZZ' - This a broadcast bundle
to ALL Nets
| in the Zone given by ZZ,
as well as,
| the ZoneGate given by
same.
|
`--------------> Zone address, base 36, max = 1,294d
Allowed values: '00' to 'ZZ'
This is the Zone part of the
destination address of the bundle.
Special values:
'00' - Destination is the current
ZoneGate.
'ZZ' - This a broadcast bundle to
ALL ZoneGates given by the
NodeList, as well as, the
ZoneGate given by same.
Note, Point numbers are specifically NOT included
in the file name identifier. There were a couple of
reasons for this; first, we wanted to allow the
maximum range of Zone:Net/Node numbers to be
available; second, anyone running points should not be
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 13 27 Jan 1997
doing so on a minimal system anyway.
Note(2), Special bundle names (ZZZ or 000)
are implemented optionally by the destination. You
should not assume that it will work. A future Type
3.x spec will include password protection for this.
The logic for providing for up to 100 packets
allowable to a specific node is that I have seen cases
of a :CM Net Host generating in excess of 10 messages
for a node in one day, and the next logical number is 100.
Should a Type 3.x destination fall outside the
range available to the Type 3.x arcmail limits, then the
bundler will fall back and use the Type 2 arcmail naming
scheme.
Notes on Zone Gates
With type 3 bundles the ZoneGates software load is
MUCH easier, all it has to do is simply forward the
Type 3.x bundle. It is suggested that it may be VERY
desirable to have Type 3.x bundlers duplicate the
functionality of the Zone Gate software. At the very
least it is STRONGLY suggested that ZoneGates
upgrade to Type 3.x capable bundlers as soon as they
become available.
Notes for Type 3.x Developer's:
The latest specs for Type 3.x will be available in
the FTSC library at all times and at 1:342/1.
Developer's who register with 1:342/1 will have upcoming
changes netmailed to them as they are confirmed. Any
upcoming change notices will have a date officially
implemented. This date will always be in the future and
should be considered an official release date of the new
Type 3.x standard.
Every attempt will be made to allow developer's
a reasonable time period to upgrade to the new standard.
It is important that developer's attempt to meet this
date as these changes are usually NOT backward
compatible. Code samples will also be F.Req'able from
1:342/1 as the magic file name TYPE3x where x is the
latest revision to the Type 3 standard. Should a
developer be unable to meet the release date he
should notify the FTSC and/or 342/1 immediately. The
release date is based on an estimate made by Aurora
Computer Technologies. If there is a good reason the
release date will be pushed back, and ALL developers
will be notified. As the new Type 3.x standard will not
be official until the release date no developer will
release his code early.
On that subject, care should be taken by the
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 14 27 Jan 1997
developer to let no new format bundles escape his beta
test systems.
There are a couple of approaches we recommend for this,
the first is to have beta test versions only generate
the new format bundle for specific zone:net/node
addresses, the second is to set up a completely
separate private net for testing purposes.
Release method: Since the bundler will
automatically spread news of itself with use, a simple
zero effort release program may be used. As different
versions of the Type 3.x bundlers will require different
operating environments, you should try to get your
bundler made available on Echo-BackBone and Echo Hub
systems. The reasoning behind this, is that it is from
these systems that the existence of the new bundler will
become common knowledge. The other place to send it
would be the Zone, Regional, and maybe Net Coordinators.
Future of Type 3
Since the Type 3 format proposed provides for a
new level of information exchange in Matrix mail I
provide here a few advance hints of what is planned.
AutoEcho built in.
Replace AutoEcho/AreaFix with automatic security.
This security is such that the hub will not need to
pick a password and send it in netmail to the downstream
node prior to the downstream node requesting echos.
Instead, the downstream node will request an echo,
at which point the Hub's bundler will generate a
netmail message to the Hub Sysop. Now the hub Sysop may
decide to give it to him. If he does, he simply tells
his bundler to start sending it downstream to him.
Now since this last paragraph has already
confused people, I will provide a scenario with names.
Here in Net 342 we have our NEC as Brian McCullough
(BDMc for short), and our REC is Steve Barnes (SB). We
have BDMc requesting the echo NET_DEV from SB. The
sequence is as follows:
BDMc requests NET_DEV.
BDMc's bundler sees this and generates the echo request
packet.
This packet is bundled and sent to SB.
SB's bundler finds the bundle.
SB's bundler sees that BDMc is authorized to have that
echo.
SB's Bundler generates an acknowledge packet and starts
sending the echo to BDMc.
BDMc's Bundler gets the acknowledge and sets up the
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 15 27 Jan 1997
area. BDMc's Bundler will use the password it was sent
for future requests.
If there was a problem with access to the
requested echo Steve Barnes would have received a NetMail
message from his bundler and he would be able to make a
decision at this point. Other than that he need not even
be in the country.
Minor details on this, the Hub (or upstream node)
can specify levels of permission for this autoecho
request process, and deny certain echos to certain
downstream nodes. If a downstream node requests a
denied echo, the upstream node's bundler will again
generate a netmail message to the Hub Sysop informing him
of what happened.
This will probably be implemented as a
downward compatible upgrade with the request for
new software triggered by the first request for a new
echo. Note, if standard distribution applies this should
never generate a request. However as things do not always
work that way, the automatic notification and optional
file request should solve any major problems.
The Future of the Aurora Type 3 Bundler
Fowarding of bundles that costs money.
All forwarded bundles that will cost money will
be marked as HOLD unless either the receiving OR the
sending node are marked as send-to or accept-from
appropriately. All keywords will be valid in these
cases. This is a completely backwards compatible
change.
Forwarding Cost bundles from Points.
The forwarding of cost bundles from points will be
done on the basis of a credit that the point has. The
credit will be monitored in the USER.BBS file, with
the record number corresponding to the point number.
This is a completely backwards compatible change.
Final Notes:
Final Note: Would all those planning on writing a
Type 3.0 bundler please contact me (Oliver McDonald) via
NetMail (1:342/1).
Final Note(2): There are already some
planned extensions to Type 3.0, they will not be
strictly required and will not create a new VersionMinor
number, but will add functionality, and will when used
require an update. It is my feeling that if you are aware
of these plans, you will be able to integrate them
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 16 27 Jan 1997
better at the point they are "officialized". It is
not my desire to become the only Type 3.x developer out
there. It is merely my desire to be able to be one of
them, and also to be able to make Type 3.x so attractive
to all that everyone will want to run it.
Final Note(3): Send Code (tm, Bob Hartman).
Final Note(4): Convince me(tm) of suggested changes.
Kudos:
Thanks to all the people in Net_Dev who have
made suggestions and comments on this proposal as I worked
on it. Your comments are appreciated (even those I have
not used). I would like to especially thank the following
people:
Wynn Wagner III FSC-0014 and support.
Roeland Meyer Work on ArcName routing.
Randy Bush Suggestions and support.
Brian McCullough Sounding board and Cattle
Prod.
-30-
-----------------------------------------------------------------
/* FSC-0025
Pittsburgh, PA
23 August 1988
A V A T A R
Advanced Video Attribute Terminal Assembler and Recreator
George A. Stanislav
129/39
Historical Overview
Wynn Wagner III, the author of Opus-CBCS, developed a method of
storing video control codes in a file sent to the Opus caller which
was meant as a replacement of ANSI escape codes. Its main advantages
were:
o The codes are smaller than ANSI, thus needing less disk
storage space.
o The codes are in the binary form easily interpreted by the
computer (ANSI sequences use ASCII).
o The same file can be sent to callers who do or do not have
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 17 27 Jan 1997
the ability of interpreting ANSI codes - in the former case
the codes are first translated to ANSI, in the latter they
are ignored.
Because of lack of an appropriate name, Wynn temporarily named the
codes oANSI with the understanding that a better name was needed.
When I started working on my TinyTerm communications program, I had
the idea that if Opus-CBCS could send the "oANSI" codes directly over
the phone lines, it would speed up the communications considerably. A
typical ANSI sequence contains 4 times as many bytes as the codes
developed by Wynn Wagner.
A phone call to Wynn resulted in two things:
o TinyTerm can interpret the "oANSI" codes and translate
them to ANSI, then send them to stdout where they are
converted to colors by ANSI.SYS.
o Opus-CBCS, starting with gamma version 1.10.iii, will
send the codes without converting them to ANSI sequences.
(It will still send ANSI codes to users without the proper
terminal software.)
I took over the coding of the part of Opus handling the video codes. I
realized the codes were offering us much more power than just
translating them to ANSI escape sequences. I proposed to call the
codes AVATAR, the Advanced Video Attribute Terminal Assembler and
Recreator. Wynn readily accepted the new name.
The Two Levels of Avatar
Avatar is more than a video attribute controller. It is a protocol
which, if need be, can totally eliminate the interference of line
noise. However, this document is not concerned with the advanced
topics of Avatar (which no program is using as of this writing).
A full Avatar session with all its advanced features starts by
exchanging the AVINIT packets. The caller sends a packet which
describes the video capabilities of his/her system. It also contains
the caller's name, password and some other optional information. It
also tells the BBS if the user is calling in person or just emulating
a BBS session with an Avatar terminal program.
The called system (the BBS) replies to the AVINIT packet with a packet
that informs the user of his current status, e.g. you can stay till
16:30 GMT, or you are denied access, or I am processing mail now but
you can call back at 10:43 GMT, etc.
Until such AVINIT packets are exchanged, only the Avatar commands that
were part of the original oANSI codes can be sent from the BBS to the
caller. The caller's term program should send no Avatar commands,
with the exception of function key codes, before the AVINIT packets
are exchanged. This assures that a BBS program which does not support
full Avatar can still take advantage of the faster transfer of video
codes using Avatar as opposed to ANSI escape sequences. It also
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 18 27 Jan 1997
permits the caller whose term program does not support full Avatar but
can interpret the basic codes to take advantage of the term program's
abilities.
The two levels of Avatar then are: a full session and a basic session.
This document is concerned with the BASIC Avatar session only. The
full session will be defined in a separate document.
Basic Avatar Commands
Before the AVINIT packets are exchanged, the BBS can send the basic
Avatar commands if so permitted by the user's choice, typically
recorded in the user datafile (e.g. USER.BBS). Because Avatar is
window oriented, in a basic session the full screen is considered the
default window. Further, the default color of the window is assumed
to be 3 (cyan text on a black background). All bytes are taken at
their face value without escaping. However, save for one exception
described below, no basic Avatar code will have the high bit set.
Therefore, the term program should reset the high bit of all bytes
except as described below.
The basic commands are:
<^L> - clear the current window and set current
attribute to default. In the basic session
this means: Clear the screen and set its
attribute to 3.
<^Y> - Read two bytes from the modem. Send the first
one to the screen as many times as the binary
value of the second one. This is the exception
where the two bytes may have their high bit
set. Do not reset it here!
<^V> <^A> <attr> - Set the color attribute to <attr>. The
default attribute remains unchanged. However,
all text will be displayed in <attr> until the
next ^V^A, ^V^B, or ^L.
<^V> <^B> - Turn the high bit of current attribute on. In
other words, turn blink on.
<^V> <^C> - Move the cursor one line up. Do nothing, if
you already are at the top line of the current
window.
<^V> <^D> - Move the cursor one line down. Do nothing if
you already are at the bottom line of the
current window.
<^V> <^E> - Move the cursor one column to the left. Do
nothing if you already are at the leftmost
column of the current window.
<^V> <^F> - Move the cursor one column to the right. Do
nothing if you already are at the rightmost
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 19 27 Jan 1997
column of the current window.
<^V> <^G> - Clear the rest of the line in the current
window using the current attribute (not to be
confused with the default attribute).
<^V> <^H> <row> <col> - Move the cursor to the <row> <col>
position within the current window.
Comments:
Current attribute and default atribute are not necessarily the same.
Whenever the window is cleared by the <^L> command, the current
attribute is made equal to the default attribute. There is also
another command to make the current attribute equal to the default
attribute. However, this command is not a part of the basic Avatar
command set and therefore cannot be used before the AVINIT packets are
exchanged.
Whatever characters are sent to the screen, they should be displayed
using the CURRENT attribute. There is an exception to this, but only
after the AVINIT packets have been exchanged.
The attribute byte is an eight-bit value. As basic Avatar can only
transfer 7-bit commands, the high bit of the attribute byte can be set
only by the <^V> <^B> command. The <attr> byte of the <^V> <^A> <attr>
command should be AND-ed with 7F (hexadecimal). The colors set by the
attribute byte are the same as are the colors of the text mode of an
IMB color graphics adapter.
That means the bits of the attribute byte have the following meaning:
bit: 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
- - - - - - - -
| | | | |
| | | | |
| +---+---+ +-----+-----+
| | |
| | |
| |
| | text color
| |
|
| background color
|
blink
If the blink bit is set, the text is blinking, else it is not
blinking.
The bits of background color can have values 0 - 7, the bits of the
text color can have values 0 - 15. The value indicates the following
colors:
0 black
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 20 27 Jan 1997
1 blue
2 green
3 cyan
4 red
5 magenta
6 brown
7 gray (i.e. non-itense white)
8 dark gray
9 light blue
10 light green
11 light cyan
12 light red
13 light magenta
14 yellow
15 white (intense)
Colors 8 - 15 are the same as 0 - 7 but with high intensity.
Please note that these values are different from the numbers used by
ANSI escape codes.
The Function Key Codes
An Avatar capable BBS can accept function keys from the remote caller.
This feature is optional (for the term program) but highly
recommended.
On an IBM (compatible) computer this means that if a caller hits a
function key (e.g., left arrow, page up, F7, insert, alt-H, etc.), the
term program should send two bytes to the Avatar capable BBS: A binary
zero followed by the keyboard scancode. Please note that control keys
(^A, ^B, etc.) are not function keys but have an ASCII value which is
the only byte that should be transfered.
There are two keys on the IBM keyboard that do have an ASCII value but
also offer a separate scan code. These are the gray-plus and the gray-
minus. If one of these keys is hit, treat it as a function key - send
the binary zero followed by the scan code. This way if the BBS treats
them differently from a regular plus and minus keys, the caller can
take advantage of the keys. On the other hand, BBS writers who do not
want to assign the gray keys a special value, should watch for their
codes and treat them as a regular plus and minus.
Systems that use a different keyboard layout (and scan codes) than IBM
can emulate IBM by declaring which keys are considered the arrows, f-
keys, etc. If you have the arrow keys, for example, but their scan
codes are different, still send the binary zero and the scan code that
an IBM keyboard would assign to that particular key. This should be
transparent to the user.
There is an obvious problem here. All terminal programs I have seen
use function keys internally. A switch is needed so the user can
decide whether a function key is meant for the internal use of the
term program or it should be transfered to the BBS. Most but not all
IBM clones have a scroll lock key, some even have an LED indicator on
it. The IBM programs could use that as a switch to know what the user
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 21 27 Jan 1997
means by hitting a function key. Since some compatibles do not have a
scroll lock key (e.g. Tandy 1000), the Avatar capable BBS should never
expect the <shift> <F1> combination to be transfered. That way the
term program can use <shift> <F1> to switch between the local and
remote use of function keys if the scroll lock key is not available.
Conclusion
This should about summarize the basic Avatar commands. I have written
this document one day before leaving for Fidocon '88 realizing it
would be nice to give the software developers (both of BBS's and term
programs) something before releasing the specs of the full Avatar
implementation.
Here is also some sample C code. It assumes you have some low level
communications functions of your own. For the screen output it uses
Turbo C library, but you can use anything you want. */
#include <conio.h>
int def_attr = 3;
int cur_attr = 3;
int lastline = 25;
int lastrow = 80;
/* WARNING: This code has not been tested. It is just meant as an
example */
void pascal avatar()
{
int c,i,j;
switch (mgetchar()) /* Read a char from the modem */
{
case 12 : textattr(cur_attr = def_attr); /* ^L */
clrscr();
break;
case 25 : c = mgetchar(); /* ^Y */
j = mgetchar();
for (i = 0; i < j; i++)
cprintf("%c",c); /* print in
color */ break;
case 22 : switch(mgetchar()) /* ^V */
{
case 1 : cur_attr = mgetchar() & 0x7f;
textattr(cur_attr);
break;
case 2 : cur_attr |= 0x80;
textattr(cur_attr);
break;
case 3 : if ((i = wherey()) > 1)
gotoxy(wherex(),i - 1);
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 22 27 Jan 1997
break;
case 4 : if ((i = wherey()) < lastline)
gotoxy(wherex(), i + 1);
break;
case 5 : if ((i = wherex()) > 1)
gotoxy(i - 1,wherey());
break;
case 6 : if ((i = wherex()) < lastrow)
gotoxy(i + 1,wherey());
break;
case 7 : cleol();
break;
case 8 : i = mgetchar();
gotoxy(mgetchar(),i);
}
}
}
-30-
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 23 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
COORDINATORS CORNER
=================================================================
Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 024
By Ward Dossche, 2:292/854
ZC/2
+----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
|Zone|Nl-362|Nodelist-003|Nodelist-010|Nodelist-017|Nodelist-024|%%|
+----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
| 1 | 10452|10370 -82 |10370 0 |10177 -193 |10063 -114 |35|
| 2 | 16104|16056 -48 |15979 -77 |15936 -43 |15938 2 |56|
| 3 | 876| 869 -7 | 868 -1 | 865 -3 | 863 -2 | 3|
| 4 | 556| 552 -4 | 554 2 | 553 -1 | 558 5 | 2|
| 5 | 93| 93 0 | 93 0 | 93 0 | 93 0 | 0|
| 6 | 1075| 1073 -2 | 1073 0 | 1073 0 | 1072 -1 | 4|
+----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
| 29156|29013 -143 |28937 -76 |28697 -240 |28587 -110 |
+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 24 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
WE GET EMAIL
=================================================================
--- Following message extracted from FIDONEWS @ 1:18/14 ---
By Christopher Baker on Fri Jan 24 14:24:21 1997
From: Mike Bilow
To: Christopher Baker
Date: 23 Jan 97 04:52:22
Subj: ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update
* Forwarded (from: Netmail) by Mike Bilow using BilowMail0.2.
* Originally from ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Owner to Mike Bilow.
* Original dated: Jan 22 '97, 20:45
From: "ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Owner"@newmedium.com
To:
[email protected]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update
Wednesday, January 22, 1997
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
CONTENTS:
* Reno v. ACLU Update: Government's Brief Asserts Unprecedented
Powers to criminalize Online Speech
* ACLU Files Suit against New York State Internet Censorship Law
* Georgia Internet Case Update
* Northwestern University Defends Free Speech on the Internet
* ACLU Speaks on Cyber-Liberties
* About the Cyber-Liberties Update
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Reno v. ACLU Update: Government's Brief Asserts Unprecedented
Powers to criminalize Online Speech
After reviewing the Justice Department's brief on the
Communications Decency Act filed late yesterday with the U.S. Supreme
Court, the ACLU said that the government is seeking unprecedented
powers to criminalize speech on the Internet.
The ACLU said that the government's 55-page brief in Reno v. ACLU
is "at odds with the extensive factual findings of the trial court,"
which ruled last June that censorship provisions of the CDA
unconstitutionally restricted free speech.
"The government's arguments, if adopted, would justify blanket
censorship not just on the Internet, but in traditional forums such as
libraries and bookstores," said Christopher Hansen, an ACLU national
staff attorney on the Reno v. ACLU legal team.
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 25 27 Jan 1997
Further, he noted that the government's brief makes the astounding
claim that it is protecting the First Amendment by censoring free
speech on the Internet, asserting that a fear of encountering
"indecency" online could deter potential users from exercising their
First Amendment interest in accessing the new medium.
"It is supremely ironic that the government now says it is
protecting the First Amendment rights of Americans by threatening
people with jail for engaging in constitutionally protected speech,"
Hansen said.
The kind of "indecency" identified by government witnesses in the
lower court included words and images displayed online by
organizations such as the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, Stop Prisoner
Rape, Human Rights Watch and Critical Path AIDS Project, all
plaintiffs in Reno v. ACLU, Hansen said.
The Supreme Court announced today that it would hear oral argument
in the case on Wednesday, March 19, at 10:00 a.m. Each side will be
given a half-hour to present their arguments. According to the
briefing schedule set by the Court, plaintiff's answering briefs are
due on February 20. The government's final, or reply brief, is due on
March 7.
In addition to the government's brief, three sets of plaintiff
groups filed friend-of-the-court briefs on Tuesday in support of the
government's position: Enough is Enough (along with eight other
plaintiffs), Morality in Media, and a group of members of Congress led
by former Senator J. James Exon (D-Neb.), who sponsored the
Communications Decency Act.
Complete information on the ACLU's challenge to the CDA, including
a chronology, trial briefs, affidavits, courtroom transcripts, and a
backgrounder on Supreme Court procedures in the case, are available
online at the ACLU's website (
http://www.aclu.org) and America Online
site (keyword: ACLU).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* ACLU Files Suit against New York State Internet Censorship Law
The American Civil Liberties Union, the New York Civil Liberties
Union, the American Library Association and others last week filed a
lawsuit seeking an injunction against a New York statute criminalizing
free speech in cyberspace.
At an interactive news conference, the groups said they were
filing suit because the law, aimed at shielding minors from
"indecency," is an unconstitutional content-based restriction on free
speech that would reduce adult communications to levels acceptable for
a six-year-old.
The ACLU said that the New York law is similar to the federal
Communications Decency Act, which the ACLU, the ALA and others
successfully challenged in federal district court in Philadelphia
after it became law last February. In addition, a separate three-judge
panel in New York found the CDA unconstitutional on First Amendment
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 26 27 Jan 1997
grounds. The Philadelphia case, Reno v. ACLU, is currently under
review by the Supreme Court, and the New York case is pending in the
Supreme Court.
Section 235.21(3) of the New York Penal Law, which became
effective on November 1, 1996, makes it a crime to disseminate
"indecent" materials that are "harmful to minors" through any computer
communications network.
"Like the federal CDA, the New York law is technically and
economically infeasible to enforce, it blocks speech that has value to
a great many people, and it ignores effective alternatives available
both to protect children and to protect free speech," said Ann Beeson,
an ACLU national staff attorney and member of the Reno v. ACLU
litigation team. The ACLU is also lead counsel in ALA v. Pataki.
"Anyone who thinks children will be protected by this law is
sadly mistaken," Beeson said. "Experts estimate that at least 40 per
cent of information on the Internet originates from non-U.S. sites,
which minors will still be able to access. The only group this law
really protects is politicians, who can claim they are passing 'tough'
legislation. Everyone else is out in the cold."
Today's lawsuit is the second such challenge to a state
cybercensorship law, according to the ACLU. The first was filed by the
ACLU and others in September against a statute in Georgia, now
scheduled to go to trial in late January. The ACLU said it has been
monitoring state regulation of the Internet and that currently, over
20 states have considered such laws.
Plaintiffs in the case are the American Library Association, the
Freedom to Read Foundation, the New York Library Association, the
American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, Westchester
Library System, BiblioBytes, Association of American Publishers,
Interactive Digital Software Association, Magazine Publishers of
America, Public Access Networks Corp. (PANIX), ECHO, NYC Net, Art on
the Net, Peacefire and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Additional materials on the New York lawsuit, including the
complaint, plaintiff statements, and a RealAudio recording of the news
conference can be found at
http://www.aclu.org/news/nycdahome/html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Georgia Internet Case Update
An evidentiary hearing is scheduled for January 30 in ACLU v.
Miller, the ACLU challenge to a Georgia Internet law. The Georgia law
makes it a crime to use a name that "falsely identifies" a speaker on
the Internet, without distinguishing whether the person communicating
had any intent to deceive or defraud or simply wanted to keep his or
her identity unknown.
The complaint also states that the law may prohibit web links by
making it a crime to publish information "using" trade names, logos or
other symbols, again without regard to the nature of the use, and
without any definition of what constitutes "use" on a computer
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 27 27 Jan 1997
network.
At the January 30 hearing an expert witness for the ACLU is
scheduled to demonstrate the Internet to the court.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* Northwestern University Defends Free Speech on the Internet
The ACLU congratulates Northwestern University for its stance in
support of free speech. Recently, controversy arose around the web
page of Associate Professor Arthur R. Butz, who had posted Holocaust
revisionist opinions to his page on the university's servers. Despite
numerous complaints, the University declined to ask the professor to
remove the web page, and when pushed on the topic referred to campus
policy on intellectual freedom as it relates to computer usage:
Intellectual Freedom: The network is a free and open forum for the
expression of ideas, including viewpoints that are strange,
unorthodox, or unpopular. The network administrators place no official
sanctions upon the expression of personal opinion on the network.
However, such opinions may not be represented as views of Northwestern
University.
As the University stated, Professor Butz made it clear that he was
presenting his own views and in no way representing the views of the
University, and any censorship was therefore inappropriate. The ACLU
supports such free speech codes for university computers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* ACLU Speaks on Cyber-Liberties
Barry Steinhardt, Hartford Chapter ACLU, February 12, 7 p.m.,
Rittenberg Lounge, Trinity College, Hartford, Ct. The Connecticut CLU
can be reached at 860-247-9823.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update Editor:
Lisa Kamm (
[email protected])
American Civil Liberties Union National Office
132 West 43rd Street
New York, New York 10036
To subscribe to the ACLU Cyber-Liberties Update, send a message
to
[email protected] with "subscribe Cyber-Liberties" in the
body of your message. To terminate your subscription, send a
message to
[email protected] with "unsubscribe Cyber-Liberties"
in the body.
The Cyber-Liberties Update is archived at
http://www.aclu.org/issues/cyber/updates.html
For general information about the ACLU, write to
[email protected].
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lisa Kamm
http://www.aclu.org
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 28 27 Jan 1997
[email protected]
This Message was sent to cyber-liberties
Origin: N1BEE BBS +1 401 944 8498 (1:323/107)
-30-
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 29 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
NET HUMOR
=================================================================
From: "Mike Riddle" <
[email protected]>
To: "Baker, Christopher" <
[email protected] (Christopher Baker)>,
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 97 11:06:03 -0600
Reply-To: "Mike Riddle" <
[email protected]>
Subject: Fwd: FW: Geekonics spoken here.
==================BEGIN FORWARDED MESSAGE==================
>From: CHARLES ORIEZ <
[email protected]
Subject: FW: Geekonics spoken here.
'GEEKONICS' IS JUST A BEGINNING
by John Woestendiek
Philadelphia Inquirer
Wed., January 8, 1997
*****************************
NEWS BULLETIN: Saying it will improve the education of children who
have grown up immersed in computer lingo, the school board in San
Jose, Calif., has officially designated computer English, or
"Geekonics", as a second language.
The historic vote on Geekonics - a combination of the word "geek" and
the word "phonics" - came just weeks after the Oakland school board
recognized black English, or Ebonics, as a distinct language.
"This entirely reconfigures our parameters," Milton "Floppy"
Macintosh, chairman of Geekonics Unlimited, said after the school
board became the first in the nation to recognize Geekonics.
"No longer are we preformatted for failure," Macintosh said during a
celebration that saw many Geekonics backers come dangerously close to
smiling. "Today, we are rebooting, implementing a program to process
the data we need to interface with all units of humanity."
Controversial and widely misunderstood, the Geekonics movement was
spawned in California's Silicon Valley, where many children have grown
up in households headed by computer technicians, programmers,
engineers and scientists who have lost ability to speak plain English
and have inadvertently passed on their high-tech vernacular to their
children.
HELPING THE TRANSITION
While schools will not teach the language, increased teacher awareness
of Geekonics, proponents say, will help children make the transition
to standard English. Those students, in turn, could possibly help
their parents learn to speak in a manner that would lead listeners to
believe that they have actual blood coursing through their veins.
"Bit by bit, byte by byte, with the proper system development, with
nonpreemptive multitasking, I see no reason why we can't download the
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 30 27 Jan 1997
data we need to modulate our oral output," Macintosh said.
The designation of Ebonics and Geekonics as languages reflects a
growing awareness of our nation's lingual diversity, experts say.
Other groups pushing for their own languages and/or vernaculars to be
declared official viewed the Geekonics vote as a step in the right
direction.
"This is just, like, OK, you know, the most totally kewl thing, like,
ever," said Jennifer Notat-Albright, chairwoman of the Committee for
the Advancement of Valleyonics, headquartered in Southern California.
"I mean, like, you know?" she added.
THEY'RE HAPPY IN DIXIE
"Yeee-hah," said Buford "Kudzu" Davis, president of the Dixionics
Coalition. "Y'all gotta know I'm as happy as a tick on a sleeping
bloodhound about this."
Spokesmen for several subchapters of Dixionics - including Alabonics,
Tennesonics and Louisionics - also said they approved of the decision.
Bill Flack, public information officer for the Blue Ribbon Task Force
on Bureaucratonics said that his organization would not comment on the
San Jose vote until it convened a summit meeting, studied the impact,
assessed the feasibility, finalized a report and drafted a
comprehensive action plan, which, once it clears the appropriate
subcommittees and is voted on, will be made public to those who submit
the proper information-request forms.
Proponents of Ebonics heartily endorsed the designation of Geekonics
as an official language.
"I ain't got no problem wif it," said Earl E. Byrd, president of the
Ebonics Institute. "You ever try talkin' wif wunna dem computer dudes?
Don't matter if it be a white computer dude or a black computer dude;
it's like you be talkin' to a robot - RAM, DOS, undelete, MegaHertZ.
Ain't nobody understands. But dey keep talkin' anyway. 'Sup wif dat?"
Those involved in the lingual diversity movement believe that only by
enacting many different English languages, in addition to all the
foreign ones practiced here, can we all end up happily speaking the
same boring one, becoming a nation that is both unified in its
diversity, and diversified in its unity.
Others say that makes no sense at all. In any language.
----- End Included Message -----
--
"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a
dog, it's too dark to read" - Groucho Marx
Fight the Feds -
ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/crypt/
http://www.netone.com/~coriez/
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 31 27 Jan 1997
===================END FORWARDED MESSAGE===================
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 32 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
WANTED
=================================================================
Christopher Baker
Rights On!, 1:18/14
Edgewater_FL_USA
Wanted: old electronics parts.
I'm looking for control panels from old 2" video tape mastering
equipment. They don't have to be working as long as they are intact
externally with knobs and VUs in place. These panels are about 3.5
feet long and six inches top to bottom.
I'm also looking for old Commodore 64 keyboards. They don't need to
be operational either.
I would prefer them to be free but reasonable costs are acceptable.
If you have or know where such items may be obtained, please send
Netmail to the address above or email to me at:
[email protected]
with details.
Thanks.
QOFM.
Chris
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 33 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
NOTICES
=================================================================
Future History
6 Feb 1997
Waitangi Day, New Zealand.
16 Feb 1997
Eleventh Anniversary of invention of Echomail by Jeff Rush.
29 Feb 1997
Nothing will happen on this day.
17 May 1997
Independence Day, Norway.
25 May 1997
Independence Day, Argentina.
6 Jun 1997
National Commemoration Day, Sweden.
11 Jun 1997
Independence Day, Russia.
1 Jul 1997
Canada Day - Happy Birthday Canada.
13 Oct 1997
Thanksgiving Day, Canada.
1 Dec 1997
World AIDS Day.
10 Dec 1997
Nobel Day, Sweden.
12 Jan 1998
HAL 9000 is one year old today.
22 May 1998
Expo '98 World Exposition in Lisbon (Portugal) opens.
1 Dec 1998
Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by
Tom Jennings.
31 Dec 1999
Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed.
1 Jan 2000
The 20th Century, C.E., is still taking place thru 31 Dec.
15 Sep 2000
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 34 27 Jan 1997
Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens.
1 Jan 2001
This is the actual start of the new millennium, C.E.
-- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this
Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[From the Ringmaster:]
Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 03:02:09 -0800
From: Sage Weil <
[email protected]>
Organization: New Dream Network
To:
[email protected]
Subject: Webring Server Status
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Sender:
[email protected]
Hello,
For those of you who don't think you should be receiving this message,
please ignore it.
As I'm sure you already know, the Webring server is still offline.
While we were expecting to move the machine to another location last
week, the plans fell through due to power problems at the phone
company that won't be fixed until late next week. The move will
probably take place the following Monday or Tuesday.
Unfortunately, while the system is still connected at the old
location, it crashed last Friday and we haven't been able to get into
the building to restart it; we're still trying to get ahold of the guy
with the keys. I *hope* that we can reach him on Monday or Tuesday,
but I can't promise anything.
In any case, don't worry. The Webring is not going anywhere.. at the
absolute worst, I will be back online in two weeks when the new server
arrives. Most likely, it will be back online next week sometime.
When the move does take place, it will be offline for anywhere from a
few hours to a day or two depending on how fast the DNS changes
propogate to your service provider. (A number of you have also
wondering if the address will change.. while the physical location
will be different, the URL will still be www.webring.org.)
Thanks for your patience--
sage
--
| Sage Weil
|
[email protected]
-30-
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 35 27 Jan 1997
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 36 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING
=================================================================
Latest Greatest Software Versions
by Peter E. Popovich, 1:363/264
[This is last week's edition from 1403.] Ed.
The backlog is actually getting winnowed down to something
manageable. I guess I'm actually starting to get caught up... ;-)
I added my first Atari entry this week and have a couple of others
pending. I also finally got enough info about GoldED to get it added.
Given that my "todo" queue is almost empty, I'm going to encourage
everyone to check to make sure every package they use is listed and
for each package that isn't listed, netmail me with the names of the
package and contact info for the author or a support site. I actually
got caught up enough to twiddle my thumbs, so I think I can handle
a few extra suggestions... ;-)
Also, since I've fallen way behind my original estimates for phasing
out the old info section, I've reformatted it a little to reduce the
space it takes.
Phased out this week: SuperComm 0.99 and TAG 2.5g
Phase-out highlights:
This week: Telegard 2.7 and TPBoard 6.1
Deadline for info: 31 Jan 1997.
Last week: TBBS 2.1 and TComm/TCommNet 3.4
Deadline for info: 24 Jan 1997.
-=- Snip -=-
Submission form for the Latest Greatest Software Versions column
OS Platform :
Software package name :
Version :
Function(s) - BBS, Mailer, Tosser, etc. :
Freeware / Shareware / Commercial? :
Author / Support staff contact name :
Author / Support staff contact node :
Magic name (at the above-listed node) :
Please include a sentence describing what the package does.
Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264
-=- Snip -=-
MS-DOS:
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 37 27 Jan 1997
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Act-Up 4.6 G D Chris Gunn 1:15/55 ACT-UP
ALLFIX 4.40 T S Harald Harms 2:281/415 ALLFIX
Announcer 1.1 O S Peter Karlsson 2:206/221 ANNOUNCE
BGFAX 1.60 O S B.J. Guillot 1:106/400 BGFAX
Binkley Docs 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOC_260.ZIP
BinkleyTerm 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOS_260.ZIP
BinkleyTerm-XE XR4 M F Thomas Waldmann 2:2474/400 BTXE_DOS
CFRoute 0.92 O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 CFR
CheckPnt 1.0 O G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 CHECKPNT
FastEcho 1.45a T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400 FASTECHO
FastEcho/16 1.45a T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400 FE16
FidoBBS (tm) 12u B S Ray Brown 1:1/117 FILES
FrontDoor 2.12 M S JoHo 2:201/330 FD
FrontDoor 2.20c M C JoHo 2:201/330 FDINFO
GIGO 07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler 1:1/141 INFO
GoldED 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GED
GoldED Docs 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEM
GoldNODE 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEN
Imail 1.75 T S Michael McCabe 1:1/121 IMAIL
ImCrypt 1.04 O G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 IMCRYPT
InfoMail 1.11 O F Damian Walker 2:2502/666 INFOMAIL
InfoMail/386 1.20 O F Damian Walker 2:2502/666 INFO386
InterEcho 1.19 T C Peter Stewart 1:369/35 IEDEMO
InterMail 2.29k M C Peter Stewart 1:369/35 IMDEMO
InterPCB 1.52 O S Peter Stewart 1:369/35 INTERPCB
IPNet 1.11 O S Michele Stewart 1:369/21 IPNET
JD's CBV 1.4 O S John Dailey 1:363/277 CBV
Jelly-Bean 1.01 T S Rowan Crowe 3:635/727 JELLY
Jelly-Bean/386 1.01 T S Rowan Crowe 3:635/727 JELLY386
JMail-Hudson 2.81 T S Jason Steck 1:285/424 JMAIL-H
JMail-Goldbase 2.81 T S Jason Steck 1:285/424 JMAIL-G
MakePl 1.9 N G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 MAKEPL
Marena 1.1 beta O G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 MARENA
Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAX
McMail 1.0 M S Michael McCabe 1:1/148 MCMAIL
MDNDP 1.18 N S Bill Doyle 1:388/7 MDNDP
Msged 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED
Opus CBCS 1.73a B P Christopher Baker 1:374/14 OPUS
O/T-Track 2.63a O S Peter Hampf 2:241/1090 OT
PcMerge 2.7 N G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 PCMERGE
PlatinumXpress 1.3 M C Gary Petersen 1:290/111 PX13TD.ZIP
RAR 2.00 C S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 RAR
RemoteAccess 2.50 B S Mark Lewis 1:3634/12 RA
Silver Xpress
Door 5.4 O S Gary Petersen 1:290/111 FILES
Reader 4.4 O S Gary Petersen 1:290/111 SXR44.ZIP
Spitfire 3.51 B S Mike Weaver 1:3670/3 SPITFIRE
Squish 1.11 T P Tech 1:249/106 SQUISH
StealTag UK 1.c... O F Fred Schenk 2:284/412 STEAL_UK
StealTag NL 1.c... O F Fred Schenk 2:284/412 STEAL_NL
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 38 27 Jan 1997
T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAIL
Terminate 4.00 O S Bo Bendtsen 2:254/261 TERMINATE
Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK
TriBBS 10.0 B S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRIBBS
TriDog 10.0 M S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRIDOG
TriToss 10.0 T S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRITOSS
WaterGate 0.92 G S Robert Szarka 1:320/42 WTRGATE
WWIV 4.24a B S Craig Dooley 1:376/126 WWIV
WWIVTOSS 1.30 T S Craig Dooley 1:376/126 WWIVTOSS
xMail 2.00 T S Thorsten Franke 2:2448/53 XMAIL
XRobot 3.01 O S JoHo 2:201/330 XRDOS
OS/2:
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ALLFIX/2 1.10 T S Harald Harms 2:281/415 AFIXOS2
BGFAX 1.60 O S B.J. Guillot 1:106/400 BGFAX
Binkley Docs 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOC_260.ZIP
BinkleyTerm 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BOS2_260.ZIP
BinkleyTerm-XE XR4 M F Thomas Waldmann 2:2474/400 BTXE_OS2
CFRoute 0.92 O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 CFR
FastEcho 1.45a T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400 FE2
FleetStreet 1.18 O S Michael Hohner 2:2490/2520 FLEET
GIGO 07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler 1:1/141 INFO
GoldED 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEO
GoldED Docs 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEM
GoldNODE 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEN
ImCrypt 1.04 O G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 IMCRYPT
Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAXP
Msged 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED
PcMerge 2.3 N G Michiel van der Vlist
2:500/9 PCMERGE
RAR 2.00 C S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 RAR2
Squish 1.11 T P Tech 1:249/106 SQUISHP
T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAIL2
Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK
XRobot 3.01 O S JoHo 2:201/330 XROS2
Windows (16-bit apps):
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BeeMail 1.0 M C Andrius Cepaitis 2:470/1 BEEMAIL
FrontDoor APX 1.10 P S Mats Wallin 2:201/329 FDAPXW
Windows (32-bit apps):
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BeeMail 1.0 M C Andrius Cepaitis 2:470/1 BEEMAIL
Binkley Docs 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BDOC_260.ZIP
BinkleyTerm 2.60 M F Bob Juge 1:1/102 BW32_260.ZIP
CFRoute 0.92 O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 CFR
GoldED 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEO
GoldED Docs 2.50 O S Len Morgan 1:203/730 GEM
Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAXN
Msged/NT 4.00 O G Andrew Clarke 3:635/728 MSGNT400.ZIP
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 39 27 Jan 1997
PlatinumXpress 2.00 M C Gary Petersen 1:290/111 PXW-INFO
T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAILNT
WinFOSSIL/95 1.12 r4 F S Bryan Woodruff 1:343/294 WNFOSSIL.ZIP
WinFOSSIL/NT 1.0 beta F S Bryan Woodruff 1:343/294 NTFOSSIL.ZIP
Unix:
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
----------------------------------------------------------------------
ifmail 2.8g M G Eugene Crosser 2:293/2219 IFMAIL
ifmail-tx ...tx7.8 M G Pablo Saratxaga 2:293/2219 IFMAILTX
Msged 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED
Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK
Amiga:
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CrashMail 1.23 T X Fredrik Bennison 2:205/324 CRASHMAIL
CrashTick 1.1 O F Fredrik Bennison 2:205/324 CRASHTICK
DLG Pro BBOS 1.15 B C Holly Sullivan 1:202/720 DLGDEMO
GMS 1.1.85 M S Mirko Viviani 2:331/213 GMS
Msged 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED
Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK
Atari:
Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BinkleyTerm/ST 3.18pl1 M F Bill Scull 1:363/112 BINKLEY
Function: B-BBS, P-Point, M-Mailer, N-Nodelist, G-Gateway, T-Tosser,
C-Compression, F-Fossil, O-Other. Note: Multifunction will
be listed by the first match.
Cost: P-Free for personal use, F-Freeware, S-Shareware, C-Commercial,
X-Crippleware, D-Demoware, G-Free w/ Source
Old info from: 01/27/92
---------------------------------------------------------------------
BBS Software MS-DOS Systems
Name Version --------------
--------------------
TBBS 2.1 Other Utilities Other Utilities
TComm/TCommNet 3.4 Name Version Name Version
Telegard 2.7* -------------------- --------------------
TPBoard 6.1 2DAPoint 1.50* Netsex 2.00b
WildCat! 3.02* 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 OFFLINE 1.35
XBBS 1.77 ARCAsim 2.31 Oliver 1.0a
ARCmail 3.00* OSIRIS CBIS 3.02
Network Mailers Areafix 1.20 PKInsert 7.10
Name Version ConfMail 4.00 PolyXarc 2.1a
-------------------- Crossnet 1.5 QM 1.00a
D'Bridge 1.30 DOMAIN 1.42 QSort 4.04
Dreamer 1.06 DEMM 1.06 RAD Plus 2.11
Dutchie 2.90c DGMM 1.06 Raid 1.00
Milqtoast 1.00 DOMAIN 1.42 RBBSMail 18.0
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 40 27 Jan 1997
PreNM 1.48 EEngine 0.32 ScanToss 1.28
SEAdog 4.60 EMM 2.11* ScMail 1.00
SEAmail 1.01 EZPoint 2.1 ScEdit 1.12
TIMS 1.0(mod8) FGroup 1.00 Sirius 1.0x
FidoPCB 1.0s@ SLMail 2.15C
Compression FNPGate 2.70 StarLink 1.01
Utilities GateWorks 3.06e TagMail 2.41
Name Version GMail 2.05 TCOMMail 2.2
-------------------- GMD 3.10 Telemail 1.5*
ARC 7.12 GMM 1.21 TGroup 1.13
ARJ 2.20 GROUP 2.23 TIRES 3.11
LHA 2.13 GUS 1.40 TMail 1.21
PAK 2.51 Harvey's Robot 4.10 TosScan 1.00
PKPak 3.61 HeadEdit 1.18 UFGATE 1.03
PKZip 1.10 HLIST 1.09 VPurge 4.09e
ISIS 5.12@ WEdit 2.0@
NodeList Utilities Lola 1.01d WildMail 2.00
Name Version Mosaic 1.00b WMail 2.2
-------------------- MailBase 4.11a@ WNode 2.1
EditNL 4.00 MSG 4.5* XRS 4.99
FDND 1.10 MsgLnk 1.0c XST 2.3e
MakeNL 2.31 MsgMstr 2.03a YUPPIE! 2.00
Parselst 1.33 MsgNum 4.16d ZmailH 1.25
Prune 1.40 MSGTOSS 1.3 ZSX 2.40
SysNL 3.14
XlatList 2.90
XlaxNode/Diff 2.53
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
OS/2 Systems
------------
Other Utilities Other Utilities
BBS Software Name Version Name Version
Name Version -------------------- --------------------
-------------------- ARC 7.12 oMMM 1.52
Kitten 1.01 ARC2 6.01 Omail 3.1
SimplexBBS 1.04.02+ ConfMail 4.00 Parselst 1.33
EchoStat 6.0 PKZip 1.02
Network Mailers EZPoint 2.1 PMSnoop 1.30
Name Version FGroup 1.00 PolyXOS2 2.1a
-------------------- GROUP 2.23 QSort 2.1
BinkleyTerm(S) 2.50 LH2 2.11 Raid 1.0
BinkleyTerm/2-MT MSG 4.2 Remapper 1.2
1.40.02 MsgLink 1.0c Tick 2.0
SEAmail 1.01 MsgNum 4.16d VPurge 4.09e
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Xenix/Unix 386 Other Utilities
-------------- Name Version
--------------------
BBS Software Network Mailers ARC 5.21
Name Version Name Version C-LHARC 1.00
-------------------- -------------------- MSGLINK 1.01
oMMM 1.42
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 41 27 Jan 1997
Omail 1.00
|Contact: Willy Paine 1:343/15,| ParseLst 1.32
|or Eddy van Loo 2:285/406 | Unzip 3.10
VPurge 4.08
Zoo 2.01
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BBS Software Macintosh Other Software
Name Version --------- Name Version
-------------------- --------------------
FBBS 0.91 Network Mailers MacArd 0.04
Hermes 1.6.1 Name Version Mantissa 3.21
Mansion 7.15 -------------------- Mehitable 2.0
Precision Sys. 0.95b Copernicus 1.0 OriginatorII 2.0
Red Ryder Host 2.1 Tabby 2.2 PreStamp 3.2
Telefinder Host StuffIt Classic 1.6
2.12T10 Other Software SunDial 3.2
Name Version TExport 1.92
-------------------- TimeStamp 1.6
Point System ArcMac 1.3 TImport 1.92
Software AreaFix 1.6 Tset 1.3
Name Version Compact Pro 1.30 TSort 1.0
-------------------- EventMeister 1.0 UNZIP 1.02c
Copernicus 1.00 Export 3.21 Zenith 1.5
CounterPoint 1.09 Import 3.2 Zip Extract 0.10
MacWoof 1.1 LHARC 0.41
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Amiga Network Mailers Other Software
----- Name Version Name Version
-------------------- --------------------
BBS Software BinkleyTerm 1.00 Areafix 1.48
Name Version TrapDoor 1.80 AReceipt 1.5
-------------------- WelMat 0.44 ChameleonEdit 0.11
4D-BBS 1.65 ConfMail 1.12
Falcon CBCS 1.00 ElectricHerald 1.66
Starnet 1.0q@ Compression FFRS 1.0@
TransAmiga 1.07 Utilities FileMgr 2.08
XenoLink 1.0 Name Version Fozzle 1.0@
-------------------- Login 0.18
AmigArc 0.23 MessageFilter 1.52
NodeList Utilities booz 1.01 Message View 1.12
Name Version LHARC 1.30 oMMM 1.50
-------------------- LhA 1.10 PolyXAmy 2.02
ParseLst 1.66 LZ 1.92 RMB 1.30
Skyparse 2.30 PkAX 1.00 Roof 46.15
TrapList 1.40 UnZip 4.1 RoboWriter 1.02
Zippy (Unzip) 1.25 Rsh 4.07a
Zoo 2.01 Tick 0.75
TrapToss 1.20
|Contact: Maximilian Hantsch 2:310/6| Yuck! 2.02
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 42 27 Jan 1997
BBS Software Atari ST/TT
Name Version -----------
--------------------
FIDOdoor/ST 2.5.1 Network Mailers Other Utilities
FiFo 2.1v Name Version Name Version
LED ST 1.00 -------------------- --------------------
QuickBBS/ST 1.06* The Box 1.95* ApplyList 1.00@
Burep 1.1
Compression ComScan 1.04
Utilities NodeList Utilities ConfMail 4.10
Name Version Name Version Echoscan 1.10
-------------------- -------------------- FDrenum 2.5.2
ARC 6.02 ParseList 1.30 FastPack 1.20
LHARC 2.01i EchoFix 1.20 Import 1.14
PackConvert sTICK/Hatch 5.50 oMMM 1.40
STZip 1.1* Pack 1.00
UnJARST 2.00 Trenum 0.10
WhatArc 2.02
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Tandy Color Computer 3 (OS-9 Level II) Other Utilities
-------------------------------------- Name Version
--------------------
BBS Software Compression Utility Ascan 1.2
Name Version Name Version AutoFRL 2.0
-------------------- -------------------- Bundle 2.2
RiBBS 2.02+ Ar 1.3 CKARC 1.1
DeArc 5.12 EchoCheck 1.01
OS9Arc 1.0 FReq 2.5a
UnZip 3.10 LookNode 2.00
UnLZH 3.0 ParseLST
PReq 2.2
RList 1.03
RTick 2.00
UnBundle 1.4
UnSeen 1.1
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Key to old info:
+ - Netmail Capable (Doesn't Require Additional Mailer Software)
* - Recently Updated Version
@ - New Addition
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 43 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY
=================================================================
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File-request FNEWSKEY from 1:1/23 [1:18/14] or download it from the
Rights On! BBS at 1-904-409-7040 anytime except 0100-0130 ET and Zone
1 ZMH at 1200-9600+ HST/V32B. The FidoNews key is also available on
the FidoNews homepage listed in the Masthead information.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 44 27 Jan 1997
=================================================================
FIDONET BY INTERNET
=================================================================
This is a list of all FidoNet-related sites reported to the Editor as
of this appearance.
============
FidoNet:
Homepage
http://www.fidonet.org
FidoNews
http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html
HTML FNews
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6894/
WWW sources
http://www.scms.rgu.ac.uk/students/cs_yr94/lk/fido.html
FTSC page
http://www2.blaze.net.au/ftsc.html
Echomail
http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/index.html
WebRing
http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fnetring.html
============
Zone 1:
http://www.z1.fidonet.org
Region 10:
http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html
http://www.dharmanet.org/BDO/net125.html
Region 15:
http://www.smrtsys.com/region15/
Region 17:
http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/region17.htm
Region 18:
http://www.citicom.com/fido.html
Region 19:
http://ccove.n-link.com/
============
Zone 2:
http://www.z2.fidonet.org
ZEC2
http://fidoftp.paralex.co.uk/zec.htm
Region 29:
http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/ (in French)
Region 36:
http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/
============
Zone 3:
http://www.z3.fidonet.org
============
Zone 4:
============
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 45 27 Jan 1997
Zone 5:
============
Zone 6:
http://www.z6.fidonet.org
============
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FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 46 27 Jan 1997
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FIDONEWS INFORMATION
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------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION -------
Editor: Christopher Baker
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar,
Tom Jennings, Sylvia Maxwell,
Donald Tees
"FidoNews Editor"
FidoNet 1:1/23
BBS 1-904-409-7040, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(ds)
more addresses:
Christopher Baker -- 1:18/14,
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
(Postal Service mailing address)
FidoNews Editor
P.O. Box 471
Edgewater, FL 32132-0471
U.S.A.
voice: 1-904-409-3040 [1400-2100 ET only, please]
[1800-0100 UTC/GMT]
------------------------------------------------------
FidoNews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ELECTRONIC MAIL system. It is a compilation
of individual articles contributed by their authors or their
authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation
does not diminish the rights of the authors. OPINIONS EXPRESSED in
these articles ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS and not necessarily those of
FidoNews.
Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
Copyright 1996 Christopher Baker. All rights reserved. Duplication
and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For
use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or
the Editor.
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic
form may be obtained from the FidoNews Editor via manual download or
file-request, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet.
PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above postal
address. File-request FIDONEWS for the current Issue. File-request
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 47 27 Jan 1997
FNEWS for the current month in one archive. Or file-request specific
back Issue filenames in distribution format [FNEWSDnn.LZH] 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 [6], i.e., FNWSMAY6.ZIP for all the Issues from May 96.
Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number
1 - 12 for 1984 - 1995, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in
size from 48K to 1.2M.
INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via:
http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm
ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/
ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/
*=*=*
You may obtain an email subscription to FidoNews by sending email to:
[email protected]
with a Subject line of: subscribe fnews-edist
and no message in the message body. To remove your name from the email
distribution use a Subject line of: unsubscribe fnews-edist with no
message to the same address above.
*=*=*
You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at:
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6894/
STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request -
Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from:
ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/
Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents
for that year's issues. The total set is currently about 11 Megs.
=*=*=*=
The current week's FidoNews and the FidoNews public-key are now also
available almost immediately after publication on the Editor's new
homepage on the World Wide Web at:
http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html
There are also links there to jim barchuk's HTML FidoNews source and
to John Souvestre's FTP site for the archives. There is also an email
link for sending in an article as message text. Drop on over.
=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
FIDONEWS 14-04 Page 48 27 Jan 1997
A PGP generated public-key is available for the FidoNews Editor from
1:1/23 [1:18/14] by file-request for FNEWSKEY or by download from
Rights On! BBS at 1-904-409-7040 as FIDONEWS.ASC in File Area 18. It
is also posted twice a month into the PKEY_DROP Echo available on the
Zone 1 Echomail Backbone.
*=*=*=*=*
SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews Editor, or file-requestable
from 1:1/23 [1:18/14] as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". ALL Zone Coordinators
also have copies of ARTSPEC.DOC. Please read it.
"Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
trademarks of Tom Jennings, P.O. Box 410923, San Francisco, CA 94141,
and are used with permission.
"Disagreement is actually necessary,
or we'd all have to get in fights
or something to amuse ourselves
and create the requisite chaos."
-Tom Jennings
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