Well, it finally got done ... FidoNews, the FidoNet
Users Group newsletter is real. It will be published once a
week, possibly once every two weeks if it gets busy.
There will be at least three regular "features": the
node list, Fido list, and the route list. Hopefully there
will be more interesting things later. Now you have a reason
to get FidoNews.
I, Tom Jennings, am apparently the editor. I do NOT
wish to be editor; the last thing I need is something else
to do. See the HELP WANTED section. (Not kidding)
We (ahem) are also looking for a publisher; I will
do that for a while at least. A freebie outgoing host would
be nice. Not a short term problem, though, like finding an
Editor in Chief is.
*All* articles, etc are user submitted; anything and
everything, as per usual Fidonet protocols (Which isn't
saying much ..) Ideas, problems, questions, tips, programs,
hardware, etc etc are all welcome. See the ARTICLE article.
(sic)
Distribution is still up in the air; it will be
mailed to at least six hosts across the country. For now, it
is available on #1 and #51. Possibly elsewhere in this thing
you'll find an article on distribution.
fidonews.man -- 04 Dec 84 00:56:15 Page 2
THE FIDONET USERS GROUP
Oh yeah, I did mention that ... I hereby declare all
Fido users and sysops members of the FidoNet Users Group.
Sounds pretty stupid, huh? Well ... If there are 100 Fido
systems around the country, and each has at least 100 users,
thats 10,000 people. Any group that large has advantages, if
nothing other than letters to the editor of your favorite
magazine. This is just a brainstorm at this point, but is
something to keep in mind.
To make this fake club at least appear real, I am
trying to decide whether or not to have bumber stickers
made. This will be 3 3/4" X 8 1/2" white vinyl, with black
artwork, will have the requisite doggie, the words "FidoNet
Bulletin Board Network" and "Fido Node #" on it, and a place
for a phone number, and blank space. These will cost $165.00
for 500 stickers, or about $230.00 for 1000. I'll pay part
of it ($40.00?) but no more; if I get promises to buy say
$125.00's worth, I'll have them made, and sell them at cost.
(They cost about 34 cents each; plus 20 cents postage, plus
envelopes, etc, call it a buck a piece.)
The real reason for this is so I can have one, but I
don't want to spend $165 for it!
EDITOR'S SOAP BOX
ARTICLE SUBMISSION
The format of this thing is totally ad hoc; please
make recomendations as to formats, sections needed, liked,
or hated, columns you'd like to see, or see removed,
anything at all. If you want to submit something regularly,
we can start a column for you.
You are ENCOURAGED to send things in for the
newsletter. ANYTHING is fit for the newsletter, such as a
description of your board, problems found, questions, jokes,
fixes, horror stories about wrong FidoNet numbers, things
for sale, etc etc etc.
SUBMITTING AN ARTICLE
An article should have your name, node number (if
applicable), followed by the text. Text can be any ASCII
derivative; WordStar, soft paragraphs, 8th bit set, etc are
all OK.
Articles can be uploaded at either Fido #1 or #51,
into the NEWS File Area, or by sending it by FidoNet. There
is a convention for naming the files, so that the newsletter
can be published automatically.
ARTICLE FILENAMES
file.ART For article type things
fidonews.man -- 04 Dec 84 00:56:21 Page 3
file.SAL Things for sale
file.NOT Notices
file.MSC Miscelaneous things
file.EDT an Editorial
file.NEW News items
file.WNT Wanted items
Make sure the name is unique, especially if you send
it by FidoNet, so you dont overwrite another article.
fidonews.man -- 04 Dec 84 00:56:22 Page 4
NEWS
HOW THIS IS PUBLISHED
This is a totally electronic newsletter; articles
are written of course by users and sysops, but all other
parts and proceedures are machine generated.
For each newsletter, the Editor (thats me folks)
does the date and volume of the title page (tough job), and
whatever editorial there may be.
Articles are checked out for being readable (ie.
more or less English language), and bum copies (bad uploads,
etc) are deleted.
The lists generated by FidoNet Admin (St. Louis)
such as the node list, Fido list, and the route list, come
in via FidoNet during the week.
On the day the newsletter is to be published, Fido
#1 runs the text formatter (as a schedule) to produce the
newsletter, using all the articles, the node and Fido lists.
The completed newsletter is then copied into the NEWS file
area. All of the article submissions are saved as last
week's news, and deleted to make room for next weeks.
Some canned messages are copied into Fido 1's mail
area, which file attaches the newsletter to the distribution
points. This completes the FidoNews Newsletter publication.
FIDO SECURITY - Tom Jennings
Fido is pretty secure, but there have been a few
instances where callers gave them selves SYSOP priveleges,
and ran amok ... the cure is quite simple.
NEVER NEVER NEVER have your "main" Fido directory
available as a download or upload area. Always make sure
there is no path that can reach your .BBS files. It is OK to
have it as a SYSOP only area, never let it be accessed by
NORMAL users.
If it is available, all someone has to do is get a
copy of SYSOP.EXE, run it, and make a USER.BBS with them as
SYSOP privelege. After uploading this file, they call back
in, with the new name, and bingo! they are in control.
A nastier version of this is to download your
current user list, use SYSOP.EXE to upgrade them (or two, or
three ... in case you find one of them) the upload it.
If this happens to you, delete USER.BBS
*immediately*. Fix it so that the Fido area is not available
to users, and then you will be safe.
Better do it quick, now that it's all documented
here.
fidonews.man -- 04 Dec 84 00:56:28 Page 5
NOTICES
FOR SALE
WANTED
fidonews.man -- 04 Dec 84 00:56:29 Page 6
THE ROUTE LIST
This is the latest route list (ROUTE.BBS). Please
put this into ROUTE.BBS if you are not part of a local
Fidonet Host system. If you are (or think you are) contact
the host nearest you. One way to tel is to poke through
FIDOLIST, and see if a local system found there is also in
the list below.
