Fidonews is published weekly by SEAboard, Fido 107/375. You
are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
Fidonews. Article submission standards are contained in the
file FIDONEWS.DOC, available from Fido 107/375.
Disclaimer or don't-blame-us:
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them;
everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING
received.
This Is It!
This is the week we've all been waiting for! On Wednesday,
12 June 1985, we switch over to regional nets. Stay on net
one until Wednesday, then set your net and node numbers to
the new system before the Thursday morning national mail
hour. Also, pick up a copy of the new node list (136), and
install it on your system Wednesday.
I'd also advise everybody to set their alternate net and
node numbers to their old node in net one, just in case
someone sends you mail at your old address. Keep it like
that for a week, maybe two, then the heck with it. Anybody
who hasn't converted by then, too bad.
It's taken awhile to get here, and I know it's going to
cause some confusion, but I really believe it'll be worth it
in the long run (say, a month or two).
The latest word I have is that John Warren isn't going to
have the new LISTGEN program (which replaces NODELIST and
ROUTEGEN) ready by Wednesday, so the guys in St. Louis won't
be distributing the new format nodelist after all. Instead,
FIDONEWS -- 10 Jun 85 00:00:32 Page 2
they are going to run the new format list through a program
that'll use it to create an old format list, which they'll
then pass around.
This means that network hosts and regional coordinators
should send in new format lists to St. Louis, but St. Louis
is going to send out old format lists.
This may seem a little confusing, because it IS a little
confusing. But if this is the worst we have to contend
with, then we have it made.
FIDONEWS -- 10 Jun 85 00:00:32 Page 3
============================================================
NEWS
============================================================
Coordinators List
by Ben Baker -- Fido 76
There has been some confusion about the difference
between a "network" and a "region." Let me try to shed some
light.
The network, as we use the term here, is merely a
formalization of an informal concept that has been around
since Fido version 7. Fido has known since then that when
told to do so, he should send mail addressed to node A to
node B instead. The advent of "routing" permitted the
formation of informal structures known variously as
"regional nets" or "area nets" or simply "nets." They vary a
great deal in form and complexity, but they share one thing
in common. They each have one node defined as "in-bound
host" who receives the mail for all members.
We have now given these networks a formal identity.
When the node list appears in the new format, Fido will know
about all the networks, who the host of each is, and which
nodes are members. Without being told he will automatically
send mail for any member to the network host. The network
number will be part of the identity of every member node.
This was done for several reasons. Many nodes were not
taking advantage of routing. Now it'll be automatic. It
will make it easier for private networks (there are several)
to interface with the public net. Perhaps most important,
it permits us to decentralize control of FidoNet's only
official document, the node list. Because, in the past,
node numbers had to be unique, one person had to be
responsible for node list maintenance, a task which has
become too big for one unpaid volunteer. Now numbers need
only be unique within a network. Different networks may use
the same numbers with no ill effects.
Thus, network hosts may administer their own node lists
and the national coordinator merely collects and assembles
the pieces into a complete node list.
But what of the more than 100 independant nodes around
the country? The region allows us to divide them into ten
geographic groupings called Regions. A region is a numbered
entity much like a network, with a coordinator to manage its
node list. The only difference is that a region has no
in-bound host. Mail to all members is sent direct, without
routing.
The following table is a list of all regions and
networks and their assigned coordinators. Also included is
their current Fido node numbers, and the net/node address to
which mail should be sent AFTER the cut-over to the new
scheme.
FIDONEWS -- 10 Jun 85 00:00:35 Page 4
From now on, all requests for node numbers should
contain the same information as before, but should be sent
via FidoNet mail to the appropriate coordinator.
_____________
Region/Net# Location Coordinator Fido New Id
____________________________________________________________
Region 1 National -- Ken Kaplan 22 1/0
Region 10 Calif_Nevada -- Ezra Shapiro 371 10/0
Region 11 Central -- Bob Fairbairn 500 11/0
Region 12 Hawaii -- Gene Clayton 373 12/0
Region 13 Mid_Atlantic -- Thom Henderson 375 13/0
Region 14 Mid_West -- John Prichard 61 14/0
Region 15 Mountain -- Robert Briggs 464 15/0
Region 16 New_England -- Kevin Porter 14 16/0
Region 17 North_West -- Steve Butler 300 17/0
Region 18 South_East -- Ken Shackelford 53 18/0
Region 19 Texarkana -- Mike Johnson 329 19/0
Network 100 St_Louis_Area -- Ken Kaplan 51 100/0
Network 101 MassNet -- Dave Rene 27 101/0
Network 102 SoCalNet -- Don Brauns 36 102/0
Network 103 Austin_Area -- Scott Ashcroft 50 103/0
Network 104 Denver_Area -- Oscar Barlow 56 104/0
Network 105 Portland_Area -- Jim Deibele 59 105/0
Network 106 Houston_Area -- Justin Marquez 60 106/0
Network 107 NYC_Metro -- Matt Kanter 79 107/0
Network 108 Cincinnati_Ar -- Allen Miller 85 108/0
Network 109 Wash_DC_Metro -- Kurt Reisler 115 109/0
Network 110 Connecticut -- Geoff Hickey 207 110/0
Network 111 CanadaRemote -- Jud Newell 327 111/0
Network 112 Jacksonville -- Pete Cascio 344 112/0
Network 113 Oahu -- Dennis Washburn 347 113/0
Network 114 Phoenix_Area -- John Kerr 389 114/0
Network 115 Chicago_Metro -- Rob Elliot 393 115/0
Network 116 NashvilleArea -- Rick Steele 400 116/0
Network 117 Bryan_Area -- Mike Ferguson 437 117/0
Network 118 HuntsvilleAre -- Tim Meyers 442 118/0
Network 119 ChicoNet -- Loren Aldrin 447 119/0
GO! GO! GO! -- June 12 is IT
by Ben Baker -- Fido 76
Notice to all. Sometime during Wednesday, June 12,
each of us will install his edited copy of the new node list
and use the '4' command to set his new net or region number.
If you don't know how to do this, use '4?' for help. On
Thursday, June 13 at mail time, we will be using the new
network scheme.
John Warren has been wearing his fingers down to nubs
on the keyboard, but the new program LISTGEN is not ready
yet. As a stop-gap measure, Thom Henderson wrote a program
(named STOPGAP!) which we in St. Louis will be using to
translate the new node list format back to the traditional
format, digestable by Fido. For a (hopfully short) time we
will be maintaining the new fromat, but distributing the
result in the old format.
There's a catch. Because of the Host and Region
statements, neither NODELIST.EXE nor ROUTEGEN.EXE will be
able to handle this new format. That means we go back to
the old method of editing the node list by hand. For most
of us, this means stripping area codes from the local
numbers, and maybe a global edit of the cost column. Since
local numbers will now be grouped together, this shouldn't
be too tough.
Routing files will also have to be generated by hand,
but except for hosts of large networks, that shouldn't be
too dificult either. To begin with, independant nodes, that
is all region members, won't need any routing files at all.
Neither will members of networks that don't have out-bound
hosts. Locals of most the rest of the networks can use a
ROUTE.BBS that looks like this:
SCHEDULE B <outbound host nbr>
ROUTE-TO <outbound host nbr> ALL
SCHEDULE C ALL
SCHEDULE D
where schedules are executed in B-C-D order.
Most hosts have enough experience with routing by now
to be able to figure out a workable set of routing files.
Remember, you no longer have to worry about national
routing, only routing within your network. Make sure to
remember to include appropriate ACCEPT-FROM statements.
Careful examination of your present routing files, those
created by ROUTEGEN will help.
A note to all coordinators. Please try to help spread
this information around in your network or region. And make
sure your people know that if they don't already have V10i
or higher, they MUST get V10j by Wednesday.
So let's do it guys, and get back to normal FidoNet
******* WARNING ABOUT DOWNLOADING EXECPCT4.LBR/LQR *********
It has been brought to our attention that there are bogus
programs floating around bulletin boards all over the
country. They are as follows:
EXECPCT4.LBR or EXECPCT4.LQR
A PLAGIARIST has changed the name on EXECPC2.x to
EXECPCT4. It is NOT an upgrade to the popular
communications program. The lastest version is EXECPC26
(ver. 2.6).
Do not waste your valuable time downloading this file!!
If you are a sysop and someone has uploaded one of these
files to you, find out who it is and try to find out what
bulletin board the user downloaded it from. Then tell the
user to notify the sysop of the board he downloaded it from
about the bogus version. To keep the bbs world free of
plagiarism, please request that the user deletes this file
and make sure it is not uploaded to any board.
Included in the library is a doc file that gives a phone
number 516-...-.... as The Multi-User Exec-PC BBS! Everyone
knows that the Exec-PC Bbs is in Wisconsin (414-964-5160) or
should know it, since it has 6 phone lines, 240 meg of
storage and over 3000 files). The number listed above is an
RBBS (numerous version old) where Exec-PC uses its own bbs
software. A fellow sysop called just to check out the
number and saw several other files that have had their names
changed to appear as an upgrade. A user spent over 10
minutes (at 2400 baud) of long distance time getting this
file!!
Also, if you are a sysop, do not delete EXECPC26. Just
delete the so called version 4. If you have deleted, it is
available on this board.
It seems that this is becoming a habit with someone... It
apparently has also been done to John Friel's program
(Qmodem 1.05). The PLAGIARIST changed the code to give a
phone number that is not John's in the welcome screen! This
one I have not seen yet. John would like to know if anyone
sees this version floating around.
We need to keep track of who is uploading this junk. If
you find one of these bogus files, let the authors know and
publish their names.
The bulletin boards around the country are designed for
computer hobbiest. To keep this growing network going it is
imperative that all programs are legitamite. What seems to
be happening is that people are not respecting the authors
copywrights. As you know plagerism is illegal and
punishable by law.
FIDONEWS -- 10 Jun 85 00:00:43 Page 8
To combat this problem and to protect the generoisty of
public domain authors all sysops should be doing the
following:
- Set up a verification network
- Keep an accurate log of all users and their uploads
- Inform all sysops of any and all bogus programs put on
to their system.
- If you note a person is invloved in bogus activites,
give a stern warning which will ultimately lock them
out of every system.
"Please enter your first name:" How many times have we
ssen this prompt in a variety of forms. I've seen it quite
a lot, on all sorts of computers, big and small. I've seen
about 10 variations on the IBM PC as well. But alas, not
everyone has the right to ask this question, at least not
able to choose which way. Sure, you may be able to choose a
different route but not without shelling out the bucks at
first. Then what you got might turn out to be not what you
wanted despite a semming pleasant appearance from the
outside.
If you haven't guessed it by now, I'm referring to those
dreadful pay-to-play BBS programs such as HOSTCOMM, PC-HOST,
FoReM-PC, TCOMM, TBBS and a host (no pun) of others. Prices
from $100 to $300 dollars for a disk or two, a manual, and a
program that compares as well with Fido or even RBBS as does
VisiCalc to Lotus 1-2-3. There are some nice features
there, but for power, flexibility and options the latter is
a clear winner.
Fido provides an advanced feature of national net-
working, plus standard bbs features and a host of transfer
protocols. It's price: FREE. RBBS provides local net-
working, conferences and doors capability. It's price:
FREE. These others really contain nothing outstanding as do
the two free, standardized board software pacakges I
mentioned. You have two to try out for free. And if you
feel it worth your while you can always contribute what you
feel the value of the package is.
The others may claim support or speed or something, but
their ludicrous prices and lack of strong, unique features
makes their purchase almost unreal. We are operating in a
public forum, a public service. We've already put down a
couple thousand for the computer in the first place, why
more to allow us to share our PC with others.
We must continue to promote the free communications
society. Get people out there to hear about our wonderful
toys before they plunk down more cash. They most likely
won't be happy, and I won't be either.
Chris
FIDONEWS -- 10 Jun 85 00:00:46 Page 10
============================================================
WANTED
============================================================
============================================================
== HELP WANTED ==
============================================================
Chris Rowley
Co-Sysop Fido #359
I know you all love your beloved Fido, but there's a new
bbs program coming on the market soon. The name: MILO. It
is NOT an acronym and does NOT contain the letters bbs in
it. About all I can tell you now is that it is unlike
anything available for the PC or any other personal computer
now available.
Why am I telling you this in the Fido newletter. Well,
I'm looking for some more beta-testers. My work site and
another board will be running it soon. But I would like
reactions from sysops and users across the country with no
knowledge of its capabilities and workings.
At the moment it is not FidoNet compatible (I'm working
on it and will greedily take volunteers). Full source code
is provided. It is written in BetterBASIC (I began work
LONG before the article 3 issues ago which mentioned this
language and got me upset that someone was 'stealing' my
idea. Can't win 'em all). Our Fido will be beta-testing
the program during the day, and revert to fido when I'm not
at work.
I hope to have the RBBS-->MILO and Fido-->MILO utilities
ready soon, to translate user lists and message areas.
Also, MILO is 100% fido questionaire compatible, will
support your sub-directories (and RBBS' non-sub-
directories). It is designed so that either an RBBS or Fido
sysop can change quickly without doing a lot of re-
organization.
So if you're interested in beta-testing the product
(which will be public-domain, of course) or have questions,
send some mail to 359 or give me a call at work: (301) 340-
1376. Hope to hear from you. When we're fidonet
compatible, the net will spread, which is what we all want.
This is just an alternative to the fido style. I think
you'll be pleased.
Chris
FIDONEWS -- 10 Jun 85 00:00:48 Page 11
============================================================
NOTICES
============================================================
*** Calendar of Events ***
12 Jun 85 Start of Multinet Fido; Make sure you have Fido
version 10i. Stay in net 1 until this date, then
switch over to your new net number.
16 Jun 85 Submissions deadline for next issue of Fidonews.
If you have any event you want listed in this calendar,
please send a note to node 107/375.
------------------------------------------------------------
The First FidoBaby
Ken Kaplan (Fido 51) and his wife Sally now have the first
official FidoBaby, named Eric Samuel Kaplan. Sally wants to
wait for awhile before she'll let Ken assign him a node
number.
We'd like to welcome Eric as the newest and youngest member
of the growing Fido family, and offer him our best wishes.
We'd also like to extend our congratulations to Ken and
Sally.
