F I D O N E W S --       Volume 14, Number 52          29 December 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__| /  \//       |                                         |
    |        _//|| _\   /        |                                         |
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    |             (jm)           |     Newspapers should have no friends.  |
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                 THE NEW YEAR'S EVE EDITION!


                       Table of Contents
    1. EDITORIAL  ................................................  1
       Last Issue for 1997  ......................................  1
    2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR  ....................................  2
       New ZC in Zone 4  .........................................  2
       Looking for pointers on points?  ..........................  3
    3. ARTICLES  .................................................  4
       A simple question razed  ..................................  4
    4. COORDINATORS CORNER  ......................................  6
       An old vice re-instated --- nodelist-statistics !!  .......  6
    5. NET HUMOR  ................................................  7
       What happens after Christmas?  ............................  7
       The Night After Christmas  ................................  8
    6. NOTICES  .................................................. 11
       Future History  ........................................... 11
    7. FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING  ................................. 12
       Latest Greatest Software Versions  ........................ 12
    8. FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY  ...................................... 16
       FidoNews PGP public-key listing  .......................... 16
    9. FIDONET BY INTERNET  ...................................... 17
    10. FIDONEWS INFORMATION  .................................... 19
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 1                   29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                                EDITORIAL
    =================================================================

    Another year comes to an end at FidoNews.

    Where are we a year later?

    We still have no International Coordinator. We still can't get six
    guys in a communications network with all sorts of connection
    possibilities to synchronize the delivery of our fundamental
    document - the Nodelist - on a regular basis. At least two of those
    guys don't even communicate with the rest of FidoNet at all.

    Why do some people hang onto Coordinator slots LONG after they've
    retired in office? Is it ego? Inertia? Stupidity?

    We do have our own Internet domain at fidonews.org thanks to jim
    barchuk. We do have people who move Echomail in spite of being under
    continuous attack for their efforts. We used to have a file moving
    network but I haven't seen much of it lately. We still have Sysops
    willing to help other Sysops with technical and sometimes even
    personal problems.

    Does that balance out?

    Zone 4 has a new Zone Coordinator. His first input is in the Letters
    section. This is 100 percent more than his predecessor ever offered.
    He didn't make it into this week's Nodelist in Zone 1, however. [sigh]

    One of our readers needs help getting point operations info. If you've
    got what he needs, please send him some mail.

    What do you think we should expect in the new year?

    C.B.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 2                   29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                          LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
    =================================================================

    [I received this several days ago. This week's Nodelist was ruefully
     short {again} of other Zone updates including nothing from Zone 4.
    Ed.]

    From: [email protected] (Luis Manterola)
    To: [email protected]
    Date: Tue, 23 Dec 1997 15:07:34 -0300
    Subject: Fidonet in Zone 4
    Priority: normal
    Organization: P.L.Rivero y Cia. S.A.

    Hi Christopher!

    Some numbers of Fidonews ago you wrote:

    > F I D O N E W S --    Volume 14, Number 41      13 October 1997
    > ===============================================================
    >                            EDITORIAL
    > ===============================================================
    > Not  much new going on. Zone 4 DID get a new ZC. I saw it in the
    > Nodediff on Friday but nobody bothered to let FidoNews know so it
    > could be passed on the easy way. Maybe neither the past or the new
    > ZC4 ever heard of FidoNews?

    I'm sure they perfectly knew about FidoNews, I'll try to explain
    this in the next lines.

    > So, I'll tell you that ZC4 is now:
    >   Alejandro Alvarez at 4:900/309 in or around Buenos Aires in
    >   Argentina.
    > From his listings, it appears he also an RC and an NC which is
    > a lot of hats if you have more than 20 Nodes in your Region or
    > Net but that is just speculation since no official notice has
    > been forthcoming.

    No, he is not RC90. He is just NC900 and was a temporal ZC4.  Ariel
    Nardelli was our ZC4 up to the first days of October. He was a good
    ZC, he made quite a good job from May 1996 to Sept.97 but he didn't
    speak english so it was a little bit difficult for him to communicate
    with you or any other english speaking person.

    Nevertheless he managed to have a translator-friend who helped him to
    participate in some echoes as REGCON.

    Then he left Fidonet for personal causes and named A. Alvarez as a
    temporal ZC4. Alejandro probably didn't tell you at the first time of
    this change because of his temporal condition, he immediately
    organized elections in which I was chosen as the new ZC.  I should
    appear as ZC in the next diff.  [He didn't in Zone 1. Ed.]

    > One can only hope this ZC4 will be more responsive than the
    > last ZC4. Congratulations [or commiserations as appropriate],
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 3                   29 Dec 1997


    > Alejandro! Feel free to use FidoNews to tell us everything. [grin]

    You can count on me to be permanently in touch with you for any
    event that happens in our zone.

    Best Regards.

    Luis Manterola - 4:4/0 - 4:900/525
    Mailto:[email protected]

     -30-

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    From: [email protected] ( D   BOUCHER)
    Date: Sat, 27 Dec 1997 15:34:04, -0500
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: Fidonews...?

    Hi Chris,

    Do you know if there is an echo where I can learn more about running a
    'point system'?   ...or maybe a FAQ that someone has put together for
    people wanting to run a 'point system'?

    Thanks for your help!  (And thanks for your great work on the
    Fidonews..  .)

    --
     Dave in Boston

    (For E-mail, mailto:[email protected]?subject=fromEMCsig )

     -30-

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 4                   29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                                ARTICLES
    =================================================================

    A simple question razed
    by Gregg Jennings, 1:331/109

    In 1448 Lee Kindness responded to a question from Rich Veraa:

    > From: Rich Veraa
    > Does anyone know howcome a net in Ontario lists a node in Malasia?

    LE> And can I ask you why it matters? This sort of geographical
    LE> nonsense is damaging to Fidonet - it merely gives some "power
    LE> hungry fiends" something to worry about.

    He asked a simple question. Rather than answering, Lee accuses him of
    being a power hungry fiend?!?!. For a simple question?

    LE> Do a bit of research and find out about Fidonet in Asia and you
    LE> might see why a node would want to be in zones 1 or 2...

    How? Where does one start such research? Read NET_DEV perhaps?
    Certainly asking about it in FidoNews won't do him any good, will it?

    It matters. But there can be a reason for it. It is spelled out how
    and why geography comes into play in assigning nodes in Policy.

    But instead of trying to explain, Mr. Kindness has to use the question
    as a yet another excuse for him to piss and moan.

    People ask "O where, O where has our poor dog gone?" People blame the
    lessening of the NodeList to many things, always technical. It's the
    Internet, or the FTSC, or Policy, or it's the Software, this or that,
    over and over. And nobody offer solutions beyond, "If they just
    published *MY* FSC, it will fix FidoNet!" Like hell it will.

    BBSes get fewer and fewer new callers because BBSes get stricter and
    stricter, with caller ID, callback verifiers, 20 questions asked, wait
    periods, download ratios, etc. etc.

    Usenet offers immediate reading and writing to discussion groups, no
    questions asked. It allows anonymity. There's more freedom.

    FTP and HTTP offers immediate downloading (and searches for) thousands
    of programs, source code, pictures and various other sundries. No
    questions asked. No wait periods. No ratios. There's more freedom.

    And here in the snooze, and in many Echoes, we keep hearing over and
    over, tiny-dick know-nothings constantly pissing and moaning.

    People are leaving FidoNet not because the FTSC are lax in their
    duties. Not because the Internet uses better technology. But because
    BBSes are run under fear of handles and unknown phone numbers. Because
    people are hearing too often from those who want others to give them
    name recognition piss and moan when they don't get it. Because people
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 5                   29 Dec 1997


    are sick and tired of hearing over and over, the accusations, the
    insults, the complaints and the sheer idiocy that goes on here by
    the vocal minority.

    O yeah. To the virtual schmucks complaining about the NESYSOP NC
    election: The Network Coordinator is appointed by the Regional
    Coordinator. There needn't even be an election.


       Some things are just a little more important than Fidonet.
          -- Mike Bilow

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 6                   29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                           COORDINATORS CORNER
    =================================================================

    An old vice re-instated --- nodelist-statistics !!
    By Ward Dossche, 2:292/854
       ZC/2

     +--------+-------+----------+----------+----------+----------+--+
     !Zone/Jul!Ndl-332!Nodel.-339!Nodel.-346!Nodel.-353!Nodel.-360!%%!
     +--------+-------+----------+----------+----------+----------+--+
     !  1/360 !  6400 ! 6338  -62! 6338    0! 6420   82! 6199 -221!27!
     !  2/360 ! 14826 !14627 -199!14654   27!14769  115!14523 -246!63!
     !  3/360 !   602 !  591  -11!  591    0!  602   11!  580  -22! 3!
     !  4/353 !   441 !  436   -5!  434   -2!  438    4!  435   -3! 2!
     !  5/353 !    92 !   92    0!   92    0!   92    0!   91   -1! 0!
     !  6/318 !  1091 ! 1091    0! 1091    0! 1091    0! 1091    0! 5!
     +--------+-------+----------+----------+----------+----------+--+
              ! 23452 !23175 -277!23200   25!23412  212!22919 -493!
              +-------+----------+----------+----------+----------+

    New is I've added the Julian-date of each zone-segment from which
    the current nodelist in zone-2 was compiled.

    For the purpose of comparison here's the same info from about 6 months
    ago. (no, zone-5 and -6 did not grow, only the zonal entries of each
    zone now are included in the count and 6 months ago not)

     +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
     |Zone|Nl-157|Nodelist-164|Nodelist-171|Nodelist-178|Nodelist-185|%%|
     +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
     |  1 |  8182| 8182     0 | 8182     0 | 8182     0 | 7828  -354 |30|
     |  2 | 15774|15703   -71 |15666   -37 |15640   -26 |15577   -63 |60|
     |  3 |   758|  758     0 |  758     0 |  743   -15 |  728   -15 | 3|
     |  4 |   519|  514    -5 |  514     0 |  519     5 |  517    -2 | 2|
     |  5 |    87|   87     0 |   87     0 |   87     0 |   87     0 | 0|
     |  6 |  1078| 1078     0 | 1079     1 | 1079     0 | 1079     0 | 4|
     +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
          | 26398|26322   -76 |26286   -36 |26250   -36 |25816  -434 |
          +------+------------+------------+------------+------------+

    With the different measuring systems compensated the net-result in
    6 months is:

               Zone-1 :   -1667  = -21.2%
                    2 :   -1078  = - 6.9%
                    3 :   - 154  = -21.1%
                    4 :   -  87  = -16.8%
                    5 :   -   3  = - 3.4%
                    6 :      status-quo

    Different types of comments are possible ...

      \x/ard

    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 7                   29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                                NET HUMOR
    =================================================================

    --- Following message extracted from BREV_CHAT @ 1:18/14 ---
        By Christopher Baker on Sat Dec 27 17:37:17 1997

    From: Jim Venedam
    To: All
    Date: 26 Dec 97  11:54:00
    Subj: After Christmas

                       Subject: A Post-Holiday Poem
              From: [email protected] (Bob D'Amore)

     This appeared in the Asbury Park Press (New Jersey)
     Sat. Dec.26, 1992.

                            HAPPY SHOPPING TO ALL!
                            ======================
                            by Suzanne Delcamp
                               Asbury Park Press Staff Writer
                               (Poem reprinted with author's permission)

     'Twas the week after Christmas, and all through the counties,
     The people went shopping to return all their bounty.
     The shoppers -- so many! -- roamed warily through the malls,
     All seeking elusive discount Christmas balls.

     The children came, too, and broke out into grins,
     As they watched Mom return orange ties from Aunt Mims.
     The teens prowled the record stores; the dads looked for books.
     A horde of old ladies searched for marked-down crochet hooks.

     Away in the parking lot, nearby spaces were rare,
     Though if you drove far away enough there were plenty to spare.
     The malls were just bustling, the folks dashing to and fro,
     And the prospect of bargains made some shoppers glow.

     Then what to consumers' wondering eyes should appear,
     But a clearance rack of sweaters all made from cashmere.
     I smiled at the shoppers, so lively and quick,
     Everyone was eager to spend the money from St. Nick.

     More rapid than eagles, shoppers came and came,
     Some reciting the stores they'd visit, name after name.
     First Macy's! Then Caldor! And Herman's and Braddock's.
     And don't forget McCrory, Lord & Taylor and Wallach's!
     To the upper level! To the lower level! Thank goodness for the mall!
     Let's shop away, shop away, shop away all!

     And as corridors got crowded and the madness intensified,
     The shoppers greeted waiting lines that stretched out to July,
     Up to the counters the lines snaked inch by inch,
     But then when else is returning ever such a cinch?

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 8                   29 Dec 1997


     Then in the twinkling of an eye something opened up quite near,
     I stopped and I shook myself.  An available cashier!
     But as I drew up my packages and was turning around,
     Someone raced to the register, beating me hands down.

     She was piled under packages, from her head to her toes,
     And the remnants of Christmas wrapping clung to her clothes.
     After shifting her bundle she began to unpack,
     That's when I realized they were all being taken back!

     Her eyes were glazed, her dimples anything but merry!
     Her face looked tired.  Was she happy?  Not very.
     Her small little mouth was drawn tight as a knot,
     And there at her side were several tired tots.

     She set down her packages, starting with the neon tinsel wreath, Then
     came the toothpick maker and some mechanical chattering teeth.  The
     clerk eyed her wearily, but still the packages came,
     A ring rack, a poster, a plastic Great Dane.

     There was something funny about her, with her passel of elves,
     And I smirked as I watched her, in spite of myself.
     But with a wink of her eye and a twist of her head,
     I saw that once all this was returned there was more shopping ahead.

     She spoke not a word, just went back to her work.
     New play shoes for Willy, a new skirt for work.
     And then pointing a finger and rising up on her toes,
     She broke into a trot as she headed toward the bargain panty hose.

     As she sprang down the aisle, to her children she whistled,
     And they all flew behind her like tiny guided missles.
     But I heard her exclaim as she pranced out of sight,
     "Happy Shopping to all, and to all a good night!"

     Origin: Flamingo BBS, Melbourne, FL V34+ (407)242-8184 (1:374/46)

     -30-

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    --- Following message extracted from BREV_CHAT @ 1:18/14 ---
        By Christopher Baker on Sat Dec 27 17:37:44 1997

    From: Jim Venedam
    To: All
    Date: 26 Dec 97  11:56:00
    Subj: After Christmas II

                 The Night After Christmas

     `Twas the night after Christmas, and boy, what a house!
     I felt like hell, and so did the spouse.
     The eggnog and turkey and candy were swell,
     but ten hours later, I sure didn't feel well.

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 9                   29 Dec 1997


     The stockings weren't hung by the chimney with care,
     the darned things were sprawled on the back of a chair.
     The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
     but I had a large pack of ice on my head!

     And when I finally dozed off in a nap,
     the ice woke me up when it fell on my lap.
     Then for some unknown reason, I wanted a drink,
     so I started feeling my way to the sink.

     I got along fine, till I stepped on the cat,
     I don't recall what happened after that.
     When I came to, the house was flooded with light,
     although under a table, I was high as a kite!

     While visions of sugar plums danced in my head,
     I somehow got up and back into bed.
     Then what to my wandering eyes should appear...
     but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer!

     Then the sleigh seemed to change into a red fire truck,
     and each reindeer turned into a bleary eyed buck.
     I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
     I tried to call out, but my tongue was too thick.

     Then the old devil whistled and shouted with glee,
     while the bucks pawed the earth as they grinned at me!
     Then he called them by names, and the names made me shudder.
     When I heard them, I felt like a ship minus a rudder!

     "Now Eggnog! Bacardi! Now Bourbon and Brandy!"
     "Now Fruitcake! Cold turkey! Gin Rickey and Candy!"
     To the top of his head, to the top of his skull,
     now whack away, crack away, with thumps that are dull!

     And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof,
     the prancing and pawing of each cloven hoof.
     How long this went on, I'm sure I can't say,
     though it seemed like eternity, plus one more day!

     But finally, the night after Christmas had passed,
     and I found I could really think at last!
     So I thought of the New Year a few days away,
     and I've made me a vow that no temper can sway.

     I'm sticking to water - don't even want ice!
     But there's nothing as tasty or nothing as nice.
     The night after New Year's may bother some guys,
     but I've learned my lesson, and now I am wise.

     You can have your rich victuals and liquor that's red,
     but what goes to my stomach won't go to my head.
     So a big Happy New Year to you and to all,
     I'm back on the wagon, and hope I don't fall!

     Origin: Flamingo BBS, Melbourne, FL V34+ (407)242-8184 (1:374/46)
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 10                  29 Dec 1997


     -30-

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 11                  29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                                 NOTICES
    =================================================================

                               Future History

    12 Jan 1998
       HAL 9000 is one year old today.

    30 Apr 1998
       Queens Day, Holland.

    17 May 1998
       Independence Day, Norway.

    22 May 1998
       Expo '98 World Exposition in Lisbon (Portugal) opens.

    14 Sep 1998
       Start of International BBS Week [thru 20 Sep 98].

    22 Sep 1998
       First anniversary of the FidoNews domain of www.fidonews.org.

     1 Dec 1998
       Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by
       Tom Jennings.

    24 Jul 1999
       XIII Pan American Games [through 8 Aug 99].

    31 Dec 1999
       Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed.

     1 Jan 2000
       The 20th Century, C.E., is still taking place thru 31 Dec.

     1 Jun 2000
       EXPO 2000 World Exposition in Hannover (Germany) opens.

    15 Sep 2000
       Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens.

     1 Jan 2001
       This is the actual start of the new millennium, C.E.

    -- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this
       Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 12                  29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                        FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING
    =================================================================

    [from 1449. Ed.]
    Latest Greatest Software Versions
    by Peter E. Popovich, 1:363/264

    New entry: Tornado, a BBS from Konstantin Klyagin. Welcome to the
    list... ;-)

    -=- 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
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Act-Up         4.6      G D Chris Gunn        1:15/55     ACT-UP
    ALLFIX         5.00     T S Harald Harms      2:281/415   ALLFIX
    Announcer      1.12     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 XR5      M F Thomas Waldmann   2:2474/400  BTXE_DOS
    CFRoute        0.92     O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70    CFR
    CheckPnt       1.0a     O G Michiel vd Vlist  2:500/9     CHECKPNT
    FastEcho       1.46.1   T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400  FASTECHO
    FastEcho/16    1.46.1   T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400  FEX
    FastLst        1.36     N S Alberto Pasquale  2:332/504   FASTLSTD
    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
    GEcho          1.00     T S Bob Seaborn       1:140/12    GECHO
    GEcho/Plus     1.11     T C Bob Seaborn       1:140/12    GECHO
    GEcho/Pro      1.20     T C Bob Seaborn       1:140/12    GECHO
    GIGO           07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler      1:1/141     INFO
    GoldED         2.50     O S Len Morgan        1:203/730   GED
    GoldED/386     2.50     O S Len Morgan        1:203/730   GEX
    GoldED Docs    2.50     O S Len Morgan        1:203/730   GEM
    GoldNODE       2.50     O S Len Morgan        1:203/730   GEN
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 13                  29 Dec 1997


    Imail          1.75     T S Michael McCabe    1:1/121     IMAIL
    ImCrypt        1.04     O G Michiel vd Vlist  2:500/9     IMCRYPT
    InfoMail/86    1.21     O F Damian Walker     2:2502/666  INFOMAIL
    InfoMail/386   1.21     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 vd Vlist  2:500/9     MAKEPL
    Marena         1.1 beta O G Michiel vd Vlist  2:500/9     MARENA
    Maximus        3.01     B P Tech              1:249/106   MAX
    Max User Ed.   0.18     O F Larry Cooke       1:300/53    MUE
    McMail         1.0      M S Michael McCabe    1:1/148     MCMAIL
    MDNDP          1.18     N S Bill Doyle        1:388/7     MDNDP
    Msged          4.10     O G Andrew Clarke     3:635/728   MSGED41D.ZIP
    Msged/386      4.10     O G Andrew Clarke     3:635/728   MSGED41X.ZIP
    NEF            2.38     O S Alberto Pasquale  2:332/504   NEFD
    NorthStar      3.31.29  B S A&B Darin         1:285/82    NSTAR
    Opus CBCS      1.79     B P Christopher Baker 1:374/14    OPUS
    O/T-Track      2.66     O S Peter Hampf       2:241/1090  OT
    PcMerge        2.8      N G Michiel vd Vlist  2:500/9     PCMERGE
    PlatinumXpress 1.3      M C Gary Petersen     1:290/111   PX13TD.ZIP
    QuickBBS       2.81     B S Ben Schollnick    1:2613/477  QUICKBBS
    RAR            2.01     C S Ron Dwight        2:220/22    RAR
    RemoteAccess   2.50     B S Mark Lewis        1:3634/12   RA
    Searchlight    4.5      B S Paul Casey        1:343/117   DEMO450.ZIP
    Searchlight    5.02     B C Paul Casey        1:343/117   SLBBS50.TXT
    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
    T-Mail         2.600    M S Ron Dwight        2:220/22    TMAIL
    Telegard       3.02     B F Tim Strike        1:259/423   TELEGARD
    Terminate      5.00     O S Bo Bendtsen       2:254/261   TERMINATE
    Tobruk         0.33     T G Paul Edwards      3:711/934   TOBRUK
    Tornado        1.50g    B F Konst Klyagin     2:461/22    TORNADO
    TosScan        1.01     T C JoHo              2:201/330   TSINFO
    TransNet       1.00     G S Marc S. Ressl     4:904/72    TN100ALL.ZIP
    TriBBS         11.0     B S Gary Price        1:3607/26   TRIBBS
    TriDog         11.0     T F Gary Price        1:3607/26   TRIDOG
    TriToss        11.0     T S Gary Price        1:3607/26   TRITOSS
    WaterGate      0.93     G S Robert Szarka     1:320/42    WTRGATE
    WWIV           4.24a    B S Craig Dooley      1:376/126   WWIV
    WWIVTOSS       1.36     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:
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 14                  29 Dec 1997


    Program Name   Version  F C Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ALLFIX/2       5.00     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 XR5      M F Thomas Waldmann   2:2474/400  BTXE_OS2
    CFRoute        0.92     O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70    CFR
    FastEcho       1.46.1   T S Tobias Burchhardt 2:2448/400  FE2
    FastLst        1.36     N S Alberto Pasquale  2:332/504   FASTLST
    FleetStreet    1.21     O S Michael Hohner    2:2490/2520 FLEET
    FP-OS/2        97-03-21 O F Mike Bilow        323/107     FPOS2
    GEcho/Pro      1.20     T C Bob Seaborn       1:140/12    GECHO
    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 vd Vlist  2:500/9     IMCRYPT
    Maximus        3.01     B P Tech              1:249/106   MAXP
    Max User Ed.   0.18     O F Larry Cooke       1:300/53    MUEP
    Msged/2        4.10     O G Andrew Clarke     3:635/728   MSGED41O.ZIP
    NEF            2.38     O S Alberto Pasquale  2:332/504   NEF
    PcMerge        2.3      N G Michiel vd Vlist  2:500/9     PCMERGE
    RAR            2.01     C S Ron Dwight        2:220/22    RAR2
    Squish         1.11     T P Tech              1:249/106   SQUISHP
    T-Mail         2.600    M S Ron Dwight        2:220/22    TMAIL2
    Tobruk         0.33     T G Paul Edwards      3:711/934   TOBRUK
    Tornado        1.50g    B F Konst Klyagin     2:461/22    TORNADO2
    WaterGate      0.93     G S Robert Szarka     1:320/42    WTRGATE
    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  1.12     P S Mats Wallin       2:201/329   FDAPXW

    Windows (32-bit apps):
    Program Name   Version  F C Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Argus 95/IP    2.704    M S Max Masyutin      2:469/77    A9I
    Argus NT/IP    2.704    M S Max Masyutin      2:469/77    ANI
    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
    BinkleyTerm-XE XR5      M F Thomas Waldmann   2:2474/400  BTXE_W32
    CFRoute        0.92     O G C. Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70    CFR
    FastLst        1.36     N S Alberto Pasquale  2:332/504   FASTLSTW
    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       4.10     O G Andrew Clarke     3:635/728   MSGED41W.ZIP
    NEF            2.38     O S Alberto Pasquale  2:332/504   NEFW
    PlatinumXpress 2.00     M C Gary Petersen     1:290/111   PXW-INFO
    Searchlight    5.02     B C Paul Casey        1:343/117   SLBBS50.TXT
    T-Mail         2.600    M S Ron Dwight        2:220/22    TMAILNT
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 15                  29 Dec 1997


    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         2.12     M G Eugene Crosser    2:293/2219  IFMAIL
    ifmail-tx      ...tx8.6 M G Pablo Saratxaga   2:293/2219  IFMAILTX
    ifmail-tx.rpm  ...tx8.6 M G Pablo Saratxaga   2:293/2219  IFMAILTX.RPM
    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      1.31     T X Rene Laederach    2:301/133   CRASHMAIL
    CrashTick      1.2      O F Rene Laederach    2:301/133   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
    TrapDoor       1.86.b2  M S Maximilian Hantsch
                                                  2:310/6     TRAPDOOR
    TrapToss       1.50     T S Rene Hexel        2:310/6     TRAPTOSS

    Atari:
    Program Name   Version  F C Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ApplyList      1.00     N F Daniel Roesen     2:2432/1101 APLST100.LZH
    BinkleyTerm/ST 3.18pl2  M F Bill Scull        1:363/112   BINKLEY
    BTNC           2.00     N G Daniel Roesen     2:2432/1101 BTNC
    JetMail        0.99beta T S Joerg Spilker     2:2432/1101 JETMAIL
    Semper         0.80beta M S Jan Kriesten      2:2490/1624 SMP-BETA

    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

    Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 16                  29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                           FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY
    =================================================================


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    File-request FNEWSKEY from 1:1/23 [1:18/14] or download it from the
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    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 17                  29 Dec 1997


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    ============

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      FTSC page    http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/ftsc/ftscmirr.htm
      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

      Region 11:  http://oeonline.com/~garyg/region11/

      Region 13:  http://www.smalltalkband.com/st01000.htm

      Region 14:  [disappeared?]

      Region 15:  [disappeared?]

      Region 16:  http://www.tiac.net/users/satins/region16.htm

      Region 17:  http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/region17.htm
          REC17:  http://www.westsound.com/ptmudge/

      Region 18:  http://www.citicom.com/fido.html

      Region 19:  http://www.compconn.net

    ============

    Zone 2:       http://www.z2.fidonet.org

    ZEC2:         http://www.proteus.demon.co.uk/zec.htm
    Zone 2 Elist: http://www.fbone.ch/z2_elist/

      Region 20:  http://www.fidonet.pp.se (in Swedish)

      Region 24:  http://www.swb.de/personal/flop/gatebau.html (in German)

      Region 25:
                  http://www.trak-one.co.uk/net254

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 18                  29 Dec 1997


      Region 27:  http://telematique.org/ft/r27.htm

      Region 29:  http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/  (in French)

      Region 30:  http://www.fidonet.ch  (in Swiss)

      Region 33:  http://www.fidoitalia.net (in Italian)

      Region 34:  http://www.pobox.com/cnb/r34.htm  (in Spanish)
          REC34:  http://pobox.com/~chr

      Region 36:  http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/

      Region 38:  http://public.st.carnet.hr/~blagi/bbs/adriam.html

      Region 41:  http://www.fidonet.gr (in Greek and English)

      Region 48:  http://www.fidonet.org.pl

    ============

    Zone 3:       http://www.z3.fidonet.org

    ============

    Zone 4:       (not yet listed)

      Region 90:
        Net 904:  http://members.tripod.com/~net904 (in Spanish)

    ============

    Zone 5:       http://w3.eastcape.co.za/fidonet/index.htm

    ============

    Zone 6:       http://www.z6.fidonet.org

      Region 65:  http://www.cfido.com/fidonet/cfidochina.html (China)

    ============

    -----------------------------------------------------------------

    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 19                  29 Dec 1997


    =================================================================
                          FIDONEWS INFORMATION
    =================================================================

    ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION -------

    Editor: Christopher Baker

    Editors Emeritii: Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
                      Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar, 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 1997 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
    FNEWS for the current month in one archive.  Or file-request specific
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 20                  29 Dec 1997


    back Issue filenames in distribution format [FNEWSEnn.ZIP] for a
    particular Issue.  Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP
    where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the
    current year [7], i.e., FNWSAUG7.ZIP for all the Issues from Aug 97.

    Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number
    1 - 14 for 1984 - 1997, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in
    size from 48K to 1.4M.


    INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via:

                         http://www.fidonews.org
                         http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm
                         ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/
                         ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/

                                     *=*=*

    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 may retrieve current and previous Issues of FidoNews via FTPMail
    by sending email to:

                         [email protected]

    with a Subject line of: help

    and FTPMail will immediately send a reply containing details and
    instructions. When you actually make a file request, FTPMail will
    respond in three stages. You find a link for this process on
    www.fidonews.org.

                                     *=*=*

    You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at:

                         http://www.fidonews.org

    STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request -
    Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from:

                         ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/

    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.
    FIDONEWS 14-52               Page 21                  29 Dec 1997


                                =*=*=*=

    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.

                           =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

    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

     -30-

    -----------------------------------------------------------------