Volume 3, Number 17                                 28 April 1986
    +---------------------------------------------------------------+
    |                                                  _            |
    |                                                 /  \          |
    |    - FidoNews -                                /|oo \         |
    |                                               (_|  /_)        |
    |  Fido and FidoNet                              _`@/_ \    _   |
    |    Users  Group                               |     | \   \\  |
    |     Newsletter                                | (*) |  \   )) |
    |                                  ______       |__U__| /  \//  |
    |                                 / FIDO \       _//|| _\   /   |
    | (C) Copyright 1986 by IFNA     (________)     (_/(_|(____/    |
    |                                                     (jm)      |
    +---------------------------------------------------------------+
    Editor in Chief:                                   Thom Henderson
    Chief Procrastinator Emeritus:                       Tom Jennings

    FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International  FidoNet
    Association,  and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1.
    You  are  encouraged  to  submit  articles  for  publication   in
    FidoNews.  Article submission standards are contained in the file
    FNEWSART.DOC,  available from  node  1/1.

    The   contents  of  the  articles  contained  here  are  not  our
    responsibility,   nor  do  we  necessarily   agree   with   them.
    Everything here is subject to debate.




                            Table of Contents

    1. EDITORIAL
       Challenging the Right of an Information Industry to Exist!
    2. ARTICLES
       DECUS Dallas FIDO On-line
       Kermit versus XMODEM
       SEAdog and Fido
    3. COLUMNS
       Why Own a Modem?
       Bug Report Column (or Does Fido have Fleas?)
       Notes from Abroad
    4. FOR SALE
       Entertainment Software for your PC!
       Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
       Special Offer to FidoNet Sysops
    5. NOTICES
       The Interrupt Stack
       DoubleDOS Help Node Change
       FidoRead version 1.5 Now Available
       Aviation Net Proposed




    Fidonews                     Page 2                   28 Apr 1986


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

    This week's editorial is by an anonymous author.

        Challenging the Right of an Information Industry to Exist!


    The "Information Industry" is presumed  to  include  any  company
    that  collects  information,  using  intelligence  or  technology
    sources,  and which then sells  that  information  somehow  to  a
    limited  audience.  For  the purposes of argument,  that industry
    includes the media  (TV,  newspapers)  as  well  as  conventional
    research agencies, analysts, and so on.

    1) Suppose a private weather bureau receives information from its
       privately-owned satellite indicating that a major hurricane is
       about  to strike the Florida coast.  This information is given
       to the firm's private  clients  who  have  subscribed  to  its
       weather  service  but not to the general public.  As a result,
       since no other weather service detects the storm in  time  and
       none  of  the  clients divulge the information to non-clients,
       thousands of people are killed and billions of  dollars  worth
       of property is destroyed.

       Counter-argument:  This  wouldn't  happen;  the  bureau  would
       reveal its knowledge out of humanitarianism or in an effort to
       gain publicity.  Rebuttal:  that the bureau would do so simply
       proves that certain information cannot, should not, may not be
       considered private.

    2) Suppose a private company starts an On-Line Service (OLS). OLS
       obtains  non-exclusive rights to store copyrighted articles in
       its  database,  which  can  be  searched  easily  using  fancy
       retrieval   techniques.   OLS   also   obtains   public-domain
       information  from  government  documents  and  non-copyrighted
       publications.  The  information  base grows rapidly,  and soon
       OLS becomes a very useful tool in gathering information.

       If the OLS database is  used  to  search  for  a  solution  to
       several  pressing  world  problems,  those  problems  could be
       solved more easily and millions of lives  would  be  enhanced.
       But OLS charges $10 per hour to access its database. These OLS
       charges are not affordable by some independent and government-
       funded  social  services researchers,  who consequently cannot
       collect the  information  necessary  to  solve  the  problems.
       Because  these  researchers do not have access to the informa-
       tion,   ten  million  more  people  die  of   starvation   and
       malnutrition before answers are found.


    Few  would argue with the comment in the first example,  that the
    private company is compelled,  morally and probably  by  law,  to
    reveal  its  privately-collected  information  to the public.  It
    would,  in fact,  be hard to pretend that any human  being  would
    Fidonews                     Page 3                   28 Apr 1986


    conceal that information.

    Few  would  argue that in the second example,  in which the exact
    cause and effect relationship is unprovable,  that  OLS  is  com-
    pelled  to  provide  free searches to all those who might benefit
    from them.  OLS needs to pay its expenses.  As a result, informa-
    tion will be partially overlooked.  While it is clear  that  free
    access  to  vast  databases  would  almost  certainly improve the
    quality of life, it is just as clear that such free access cannot
    be expected.

    As technology progresses,  it will be possible for more and  more
    information to be more and more accessible.  But because the cost
    of collecting information is not falling as rapidly as  the  cost
    of  "publishing"  and  distributing  it,  it  is quickly becoming
    obvious that more firms will  be  visibly  selling  "information"
    rather than "goods."

    And  as  it becomes obvious how advantageous it is to have access
    to wide libraries of information, what will the reaction be? Will
    information  collectors  be  permitted  to  charge  the   maximum
    possible  fee for their information,  thus limiting its distribu-
    tion?  Or will they be forced to sell that information at cost or
    to exchange it for free, thus reducing their incentive to collect
    the   information   and   in  turn  reducing  the  collection  of
    information?

    This is not an opinion: this is a question.

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

    Fidonews                     Page 4                   28 Apr 1986


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

    Fritz Howard, 107/23, 124/300

                        DECUS Dallas FIDO On-line


    Hey all  you  RAINBOW people out there (IBM, SANYO, etc.  too)...
    DECUS Dallas FIDO 124/300 is now on-line and will be running from
    April 28 through May  2  during  the  Spring  DECUS  Symposium in
    Dallas.

    Sponsored by the DECUS PC-SIG, DECUS Dallas FIDO will have a vast
    array of new and useful public  domain  software  for the Rainbow
    and other MS-DOS machines.  When you  call  in,  you'll also have
    the  chance  to  leave  messages  to  DEC's  Personal    Computer
    Engineering  Group,  and  the  PC-SIG,  and  find out the  lstest
    happenings at DECUS.  As a final added feature, we'll be offering
    free FIDONET(tm) mail to any FIDO in the continental US.

    The phone number was not available as of this writing, but if you
    check with any of the following boards, you'll be able to get the
    number and give us a call:

                           Hitchhiker's Guide
                           Rainbow Corner
                           Washarug
                           DECUS Central
                           Illini Data
                           Rainbow Data

    We'll look forward to hearing from you...

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

    Fidonews                     Page 5                   28 Apr 1986


                   Comparing Kermit with Other Packages
                             by Frank da Cruz

    First let me say that  there  seem  to  be  two  major  kinds  of
    commercial  packages:  the  kind that use some variation of MODEM
    protocol,  and the kind that use their own proprietary protocols.
    First,  MODEM (please, any MODEM aficionados feel free to correct
    any of this)...

    MODEM and Kermit are similar in that they both use back-and-forth
    ACK/NAK  protocols  over  asynchronous  telecommunication  lines.
    However,  MODEM  sends  fixed-length  packets with 128 8-bit data
    bytes,  KERMIT sends variable length packets (up to 96 characters
    in  length) with either 7- or 8-bit data bytes.  The MODEM packet
    control fields use all 8 bits;  Kermit control fields only use 7.
    There are several consequences of all this:

    MODEM  can't  work  at  all  over a 7-bit channel,  even for text
    files,  because the checksum and other  control  fields  will  be
    wrong.  This  means  that MODEM can't be used over public packet-
    switched networks like TELENET, or with hosts that require use of
    character parity, like IBM mainframes.  Kermit can send both text
    and binary files over either 7-bit channels  or  8-bit  channels,
    but  the  data  gets  longer  if you have to squeeze it through a
    narrower hole.

    Certain computing or communication equipment  cannot  accept  128
    characters at a time.  Their buffers aren't that big.  Kermit can
    accommodate these systems, but MODEM cannot.

    Many  systems  cannot  accept all ASCII characters,  particularly
    control characters,  transparently.  MODEM provides no  mechanism
    for encoding otherwise taboo characters.

    Non-CPM systems, which do not necessarily allocate files in units
    of  128  bytes or follow the CTRL-Z end-of-file convention,  will
    often have junk at the end of a file received by MODEM.

    MODEM,  to the best  of  my  knowledge,  does  not  have  a  good
    mechanism for transmitting a group of files;  Kermit has it built
    into  the  protocol.   Kermit  protocol  also  includes  optional
    features for management of remote files; directory listings, file
    deletion,  quota  checking,  etc.  Many  of  the  Kermit programs
    support these optional features.

    MODEM sends the file bytes exactly as is,  whereas  Kermit  gives
    you some options for reformatting and compressing.  A "text" file
    is  transformed to "canonical form" by Kermit,  i.e.  a stream of
    ASCII  characters  with  the  "records"  (lines)   separated   by
    (encoded)  CR/LF  sequences,  so  that it may be stored in useful
    form on the target system.  Thus,  Kermit may be used on  record-
    oriented  systems (like IBM VM/CMS) or on stream-oriented systems
    like Unix where there record  boundaries  may  be  different  (LF
    instead of CRLF);  Kermits on those systems that don't store text
    files in the canonical manner do the appropriate conversions.  In
    addition, Kermit may also be told to send files as-is.
    Fidonews                     Page 6                   28 Apr 1986


    On the other  hand,  MODEM  works  nicely  between  like  systems
    (especially  CP/M  systems).  It's  more  efficient  than  Kermit
    because it doesn't have to encode and decode the  data,  and  the
    packets  are  somewhat longer.  Also,  much greater attention has
    been given in MODEM programs  to  modems  themselves,  and  MODEM
    programs  are  typically  able  to  control  dialout  modems from
    various manufacturers, and to run in "remote mode" when dialed up
    from the "back port" of  a  micro  (but  the  forthcoming  MS-DOS
    Kermit  will have this ability also).  MODEM provides the ability
    to dynamically switch  between  8-bit  and  16-bit  block  checks
    depending on the error rate;  KERMIT provides 6,  12,  and 16 bit
    block checks, but one of these must be selected ahead of time and
    will be used throughout the transfer.

    There's more,  but in short I think that,  on balance,  Kermit is
    more flexible and more easily adaptable to new systems; hence its
    rapid spread to a wide variety of micros, minis, and mainframes.

    Now,  as to commercial packages with proprietary protocols, well,
    who knows?  In some cases,  these protocols may  be  superior  to
    Kermit  in  every  way.  But  you  have certain problems with any
    commercial package:

    Are implementations available for all the systems you  want  them
    for?  If not,  will the vendor write the missing implementations?
    When?  For how much money?

    Does  the   protocol   make   assumptions   (like   full   duplex
    communication,  8-bit  data  path)  that  would  lock out certain
    classes of systems?

    Do you have enough money to buy the software  licenses  for  your
    mainframes  and  each  and  every one of your micros?  Some sites
    have thousands of micros.  A  typical  commercial  file  transfer
    package  costs  $500-$5000 dollars for the mainframe end and $50-
    $500 for each micro.

    Can your vendor  fix  bugs  in  a  timely  fashion?  If  you  had
    sources,  you  could  fix  them yourself,  but most vendors don't
    provide sources.

    Many commercial packages are very fancy, both in the protocol and
    the user interface.  But they often tend to be specially tailored
    to a certain combination of systems and/or  applications.  Kermit
    is not as fancy as a commercial product that knows how to dial up
    Dow-Jones and look up your stocks,  reformat the data as it comes
    in,  and display it in a color  pie  chart,  all  upon  a  single
    keystroke.  But  then  that  package probably can't exchange text
    and binary files with 50 or 60 different kinds of  systems  in  a
    relatively uniform and consistent way.

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

    Fidonews                     Page 7                   28 Apr 1986


    Thom Henderson, 107/8
    Reprinted from the third edition of the SEAdog manual
    (C) COPYRIGHT 1986 by System Enhancement Associates
    Reprinted by permission of SEA

                             SEAdog and Fido


    It is possible to run Fido under SEAdog.  SEAdog will answer  the
    phone  and  determine  whether  or not a caller is trying to send
    mail, and pass them on to Fido if not.

    First,  SEAdog must be told to pass non-mail callers on to  Fido.
    This  is  done with a BBS statement in the CONFIG.DOG file,  like
    so:

        bbs RUNBBS *b

    SEAdog will pass a human  caller  to  Fido  by  invoking  another
    generation  of  DOS and giving it whatever command you specify in
    your BBS statement.

    Fido must now be told that it is being passed a user, and that it
    should return control to SEAdog when the user is  finished.  This
    is done by way of the /N and /E switches.  Your RUNBBS.BAT should
    contain a statement something like this:

        fido_ibm %1/n 5/e

    The  "%1/n"  (where  %1  is replaced with a baud rate) tells Fido
    that it already has a user at the specified baud rate.  The "5/e"
    tells Fido that it should terminate with an error level of 5 when
    it is finished with the user.  Fido won't terminate  if  you  use
    "0/e".

    You  will  probably  want  to  add  other  switches  as needed to
    configure your system.  See the Fido manual for more details.

    You should use somewhat different mail events when  operating  on
    FidoNet.  We recommend some variation of the following:

        Event H all 3:00 3:30           ;Locals to hubs
        Event G all 3:30 4:00           ;Hubs to outbound gates
        Event T all 4:00 5:00           ;National Mail Hour
        Event V all 5:00 5:30           ;Inbound gates to hubs
        Event W all 5:30 6:00           ;Hubs to locals

    Check  with  your  network host for the exact times.  If your net
    does not have hubs,  then you can leave out events H  and  V.  If
    you do not have an outbound host, then you can leave out events H
    and G.  If you are in a region,  then we recommend a single event
    A, as with Fido.

    If you have an outbound host,  then you will need to  modify  the
    St.  Louis  node  list.  You  would  do  this by placing an OGATE
    statement in your XLATLIST control file.  For  example,  if  your
    Fidonews                     Page 8                   28 Apr 1986


    outbound host is node 107/16,  then your XLATLIST.CTL file should
    contain:

        OGATE 107/16

    You should place XLATLIST and ROUTEGEN in SEAdog mode by removing
    the FIDO statement from their control files.  We advise that  you
    use   SEAdog  implicit  routing  wherever  possible.   Fido-style
    detailed route files can be used, but are not needed.


    You will need to define external events in Fido to correspond  to
    all  of  your SEAdog events.  Otherwise,  Fido won't know when it
    has to force a user off.  For  example,  if  you  are  using  the
    events  given  above,  then  you  should tell Fido that it has an
    external event starting at 0300,  with a 180 minute window.  This
    event  should  exit with the same error level as that of the "/e"
    switch,  since they both mean the same thing (return to  SEAdog).
    We  suggest  that  you  have  SEAdog  handle all of your "normal"
    external events.


    If you wish to use Fido's O)utside or sysop zero  commands,  then
    you'll  need  to  set  your  error  levels  and  your  batch file
    properly.  Here's an example of a RUNBBS.BAT for  Fido  with  the
    sysop zero command:

        echo off
        :loop
        fido_ibm %1/n 5/e 10/w 15/a
             if errorlevel 15 goto outside
             if errorlevel 10 goto dropdos
             goto seadog

        :outside
        watchdog on
        remsysop /c
        watchdog off
        goto loop

        :dropdos
        watchdog on
        ctty com1
        echo Type EXIT to return to Fido.
        command
        ctty con
        watchdog off
        goto loop

        :seadog

    You  can't  just  "run  off  the  end"  for remote system access,
    because DOS will exit and return to SEAdog.  Instead,  you should
    invoke  a  new generation of DOS by giving the "COMMAND" command.
    It will terminate when you type "EXIT",  and you will  loop  back
    into  Fido.  The meaning of "%1" will be retained,  and Fido will
    Fidonews                     Page 9                   28 Apr 1986


    start up at the proper baud rate.

    If you do NOT need any DOS access from Fido,  then you don't need
    a  RUNBBS.BAT  file at all.  Instead,  you can have SEAdog invoke
    Fido directly.  The BBS statement in your CONFIG.DOG  file  would
    then look something like this:

        BBS fido_ibm %1/n 5/e


    SEAdog's  default banner states that it is a private mail system,
    and asks the caller to hang up.  You will want  to  change  this.
    You  can  use  either  or  both of two methods.  The first is the
    BANNER statement in your  configuration  file.  Whatever  follows
    the word "BANNER",  up to the end of the line or a semicolon,  is
    displayed instead of the default banner.  A typical example might
    be:

        BANNER SEAboard system -- stand by for Fido

    You can also create a text file named BANNER.DOG,  which will  be
    displayed  instead of the banner string to any callers outside of
    mail events.  This file may contain anything you like, and may be
    as long as you like, but we recommend that you keep it short,  as
    SEAdog banners cannot be interrupted.


    If  Fido gets "stuck",  which can easily happen if a caller hangs
    up before Fido finishes loading,  then  don't  worry.  Fido  will
    return  to  SEAdog  properly after the next caller or at the next
    event.  You will not, however, be able to receive mail while Fido
    is in control.

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

    Fidonews                     Page 10                  28 Apr 1986


    =================================================================
                                 COLUMNS
    =================================================================

                             WHY OWN A MODEM?
                              by Mike Guffey

         In the words of Stewart Brand, publisher of "The Whole Earth
    Software Review" ("TWESR"),  'computers are  automobiles  of  the
    mind.  They empower.  They can also estrange, but information has
    a greater capability for self-correction than gasoline and steel.
    (Also a greater capability for acceleration.)' If what he says is
    true, then consider a modem a combination set of 'booster cables'
    and  a  'siphon hose'.  A device to extract information that will
    give both you and your machine an extra  boost,  a  quick  start,
    more range and versatility.

         A  start to WHERE,  you might ask?  If you don't own a modem
    (and don't plan to acquire one soon) you may feel you are well on
    your way into the computer age.  Thousands of  dollars  worth  of
    technology at your fingertips must mean you're heading SOMEPLACE.
    Right? -- Wrong.

         You've  packed  the  trunk  and are ready to do a minimum of
    cruising around the block.  And you're ready to  drive  back  and
    forth  to work.  But you are as limited as some pedestrians.  You
    can't take a long trip.  You have neither enough 'juice' in  your
    battery nor enough fuel in your tank.  For that you need a modem.
    It  doesn't  matter  how big your engine is or how many bells and
    whistles are under the hood.  Sooner or later you are going  want
    or need to go places your model won't take you.

         One solution is to replace your hardware.  Or your software.
    Or something.  Whatever it is, it is likely to be expensive.  And
    you  will  again be at the mercy of salespeople who mean well but
    just can't understand your needs as you do.  (That's neither  bad
    nor good, it just IS.)

         Enter  the  modem.  Prices  start  at around $100 and go up,
    depending  on  your  needs.   Public  domain  CP/M  software   is
    available  for  most  machines  and for most needs.  The price of
    full-featured commercial communications software is  accelerating
    downward.

         (Just  WHAT  do  you  need  in  a  modem?  Try "The Complete
    Handbook  of  Personal   Computer   Communications"   by   Alfred
    Glossbrenner.   Remember,   this  article  is  about  'WHY',  not
    'what'.)

         In an article on telecommunicating in the premier  issue  of
    "TWESR", Art Kleiner points out four good reasons to own a modem.
    First,  information  retrieval.  The  availability  of  facts and
    figures from the proliferation of databases is, simply,  amazing.
    Second,  is  software access.  By connecting either to the 'free'
    computer Bulletin Board Systems (BBS's) and Remote  CP/M  systems
    (RCP/M'S)  around  your  town  and  around  the world you can get
    Fidonews                     Page 11                  28 Apr 1986


    software to make CP/M much,  much more user friendly.  The  cost?
    The  price  of the phone call.  And by connecting with commercial
    firms you can purchase and acquire software 'online' that may  be
    just  what  you  needed.  Third,  are the electronic transactions
    that  are  'just  around  the  corner'.  Electronic  banking  and
    shopping,  both  local  and  long  distance -- all from your easy
    chair.  And the final reason is communicating with  'like-minded'
    people.  There  is  no other method to quickly access information
    about computing,  about software problems,  about  most  computer
    subjects on a 24-hour, seven-day-per-week basis than by accessing
    BBS's, RCPM's or databases such as "The SOURCE" and "COMPUSERVE".

         To quote Art Kleiner,  "For anyone who's comfortable writing
    and reading, computer [telecommunicating] is a warm... satisfying
    form of communication different from  but  complimentary  to  the
    telephone."

         So,  why own a modem?  Better,  perhaps, to ask, why NOT own
    one?

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

    Fidonews                     Page 12                  28 Apr 1986


    David Dodell, Fido Bugs West, 1/98
    Marvin Shelton, Fido Bugs East, 1/99

                                Fido Bugs
                              East and West


    This is the first in what we hope will NOT be a regular column of
    FidoNews.  We hope that Fido will be rid of all its  "fleas"  but
    the  column  will  help to point out problems that Fido does have
    and any solutions or comments from Tom Jennings.

    The Bug Nodes have been averaging about 10 messages a week.  Most
    of these messages are not truly bugs,  but rather sysop error  or
    configuration   error.   We  will  attempt  to  talk  about  only
    documented bugs here.

    The only documented bug this week came from 107/210.  He  reports
    that  there  is  a  discrepancy between the summary at the end of
    each mail session and the  actual  log  itself.  The  discrepancy
    seems  to  be  in  the file attach area - did a file actually get
    transferred, or not.


    Here is Tom Jennings response:

    This file attach business:  that is a genuine bug.  The log isn't
    real consistent, ie. did the attaches go or not. You are right in
    that  the  running log is more accurate,  the table at the end is
    not. Or is it the other way around! File attaches are "optional",
    ie.  if an attach fails the transfer is considered OK as long  as
    the mail went.  This is for many reasons, the biggest one is that
    if the receivers disk fills up and the caller will keep trying to
    send over and over,  the protocol doesn't tell different kinds of
    failures,  just go or  no-go.  And,  a  long  time  ago,  it  was
    considered  a  "needless  frill",  hence  it was not designed in.
    Hindsight is wonderful ...  I wouldn't do it the same way  today,
    that's for sure!

       I will see about fixing the log biz in the future.



    That's it for this week.

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

    Fidonews                     Page 13                  28 Apr 1986


                            Notes from Abroad


    Hello,  here it is again,  regular as French Nuclear tests in the
    Pacific,  the  one and only European FidoNewsLetter!!  It's about
    4:00 AM here in Woking at the  moment  and  I'm  still  beavering
    (translation:  English  slang  for  working)  away,  halted  only
    occasionally by the keyboard locking up as FidoNet (in foreground
    partition of MultiLink) dials up Henk Wevers  in  an  attempt  to
    send  some  important bit of FidoGossip.  I don't think we should
    call it FidoMail yet; but it's getting there.

    I hope you see the  point  I'm  trying  to  make.  The  last  few
    newsletters have been dominated by my pleas for FidoNet activity.
    It  seems  that  my  pleas  have not fallen on deaf ears.  Almost
    every night now I either send or receive mail,  on a good night -
    both.  I  have  a  free offer on for FidoMail at the moment on my
    node (4403,4404) in an attempt to get more people using the  net.
    Most  people  on  my board hardly even bother to look at the mail
    section.  Fido is just a big free software library as far as they
    are concerned.  Am I the only one who has this problem?

    We have just changed over to Daylight Saving (to use the American
    term).  In English I think that means  the  end  of  summer  time
    (summer  I  hear you say - I only hope yours was better than ours
    in the UK).

    Our two London Fido's (Dataflex and Microway) are still  off  air
    at  the  moment.  Their sysops (Bob Manekshaw and Nik Spicer) are
    both keeping in touch  and  say  that  only  minor  problems  are
    holding  them  up.  Jim Richardson (4405) has been off-line for a
    while and as of now he is still not yet back on  line.  Jim  says
    has  had  a few hardware problems and also a slipped disk (in his
    back!).  Get well soon Jim.

    Rod Smallwood has returned  to  the  Fido  scene  after  a  short
    illness.  I'm sure Rod would like me to say "Hello",  so there it
    is.  If you do wish to contact Rod a mail  message  addressed  to
    him on 4403 would be the best way.

    We  still  have  modem  problems  but  I think the 300 baud modem
    problem has been cracked by the Dataflex modem.  It still  has  a
    couple  of  bugs but on the whole I'm pleased by the performance.
    For your interest the main bug is that it doesn't  recognize  the
    dial  tone  properly.  If  someone calls in and hangs up half way
    through the connect  sequence,  the  modem  hangs  and  tries  to
    connect thinking the dial tone is a 2400 baud incoming call.  Bob
    Manekshaw says he has a fix in the pipeline.  He says the cure is
    to  monitor  the  dial  tone  current as opposed to the dial tone
    itself.  As yet he doesn't know whether the fix is going to be in
    software or hardware yet.  When I have more news on this I'll let
    you know.

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

    Fidonews                     Page 14                  28 Apr 1986


    =================================================================
                                FOR SALE
    =================================================================

                 ENTERTAINMENT SOFTWARE FOR YOUR PC!

                         SUPERDOTS!  KALAH!

    Professional quality games include PASCAL source!  From  the
    author of KALAH Version 1.6,  SuperDots,  a variation of the
    popular pencil/paper DOTS game,  has MAGIC  and  HIDDEN  DOT
    options.  KALAH  1.7  is  an African strategy game requiring
    skill to manipulate pegs around a playing board.  Both games
    use the ANSI Escape sequences  provided  with  the  ANSI.SYS
    device driver for the IBM-PC,  or built into the firmware on
    the DEC  Rainbow.  Only  $19.95  each  or  $39.95  for  both
    exciting  games!  Please  specify  version  and disk format.
    These games have been written in standard  TURBO-PASCAL  and
    run on the IBM-PC,  DEC Rainbow 100 (MSDOS and CPM), CPM/80,
    CPM/86,  and PDP-11.  Other disk formats are available,  but
    minor customization may be required.

                            BSS Software
                            P.O. Box 3827
                        Cherry Hill, NJ 08034


    For every order placed,  a donation will be made to the Fido
    coordinators!  Also, if you have a previous version of KALAH
    and send me a donation, a portion of that donation will also
    be sent to the coordinators.  When you place  an  order,  BE
    CERTAIN  TO  MENTION  WHERE  YOU  SAW  THE  AD since it also
    appears in PC Magazine and Digital Review.

    Questions and comments can be sent to:

                     Brian Sietz at  Fido 107/17
                     (609) 429-6630    300/1200/2400 baud

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

    Fidonews                     Page 15                  28 Apr 1986


             Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!

    Public Domain collection - 300+  "ARC"  archives  -  10  megs  of
    software  and  other  goodies,  and that's "archived" size!  When
    unpacked,  you get approximately 17 megabytes worth of all  kinds
    of  software,  from text editors to games to unprotection schemes
    to communications programs, compilers, interpreters, etc...

    This collection is the result of more than 10 months of intensive
    downloads from just about 100 or more BBS's  and  other  sources,
    all  of  which have been examined,  indexed and archived for your
    convenience.  Starting a Bulletin Board System?  Want to  add  on
    to your software base without spending thousands of dollars? This
    is the answer!!!

    To  order  the  library,  send  $100  (personal or company check,
    postal money order or company purchase order) to:

                   Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 103/511
                   Post Office Box 4296
                   200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
                   Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296

    Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.

    Note:  No profit is made from  the  sale  of  the  Public  Domain
    software  in  this  collection.  The price is applied entirely to
    the cost of  downloading  the  software  over  the  phone  lines,
    running  a  BBS  to  receive  file  submissions,  and inspecting,
    cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the files.  Obtaining this
    software  yourself  through  the  use  of a computer with a modem
    using commercial phone access would cost you much more than  what
    we charge for the service...

    Please specify what type of format you would like the disks to be
    prepared on.  The following choices are available:

            IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
            Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
            DSBackup
            Fastback
            Plain  ol' files (add $50,  though,  it's a lot  of
            work and takes more diskettes...)

    Add  $30  if  you  want  the  library  on  1.2 meg AT disks (more
    expensive disks).  There are no  shipping  or  handling  charges.
    California residents add 6% tax.

    For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.

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

    Fidonews                     Page 16                  28 Apr 1986


                      SEAdog Electronic Mail System
                     Special Offer for FidoNet Sysops


    System Enhancement Associates, the makers of the popular ARC file
    archive utility,  are proud to announce the release of the SEAdog
    electronic mail system.

    SEAdog  is  a  PC-based  electronic  mail  system  which is fully
    FidoNet compatible.  In addition  to  all  the  functionality  of
    FidoNet mail, SEAdog adds the following:

    o   User directory support, for automatic lookup of node numbers

    o   Return receipts

    o   Audit trails

    o   Message forwarding, with or without a retained copy

    o   Twenty four hour mail reception

    o   High priority mail for immediate delivery

    o   The ability to request files and updates of files from  other
        SEAdog systems.

    o   No route files needed!

    o   A full screen user interface that our beta test sites fell in
        love with!

    SEAdog  is  NOT a bulletin board system,  but it can be used as a
    "front end" for Fido (version 11q or later),  allowing you to add
    the full functionality of SEAdog to your existing system.

    SEAdog normally sells for $100/node, but for a limited time only
    we are offering SEAdog to registered FidoNet sysops for only $50!
    Orders may be placed by sending a check or money order to:

                      System Enhancement Associates
                      21 New Street, Wayne NJ 07470

    Or by calling (201) 473-5153 (VISA and MasterCard accepted).

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

    Fidonews                     Page 17                  28 Apr 1986


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

                         The Interrupt Stack


     3 May 1986
       FidoBaby's first birthday.

    19 May 1986
       Steve Lemke's next birthday.

    24 Aug 1989
       Voyager 2 passes Neptune.


    If you have something which you would like to see on this
    calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1/1.

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

                        DoubleDOS Help Node Change

    The  DoubleDOS Help node (1/105) has been changed.  Oscar Barlow,
    otherwise  known  as  node  104/56,  has  turned it over to David
    Melnik, otherwise known as node 107/233.

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

     (========================================================)
     | FidoBetaKappa FIDO | PHONE: (513) 874-5417 | 24 HOURS! |
    (==========================================================)
    |SYSOP:David Eason__________________                       |
    |                |  _____________   | Telecomputing  desig-|
    |     __I'm here!| |             |  | ned for those seeking|
    |    /  \  /     | |   WELCOME   |  | current knowledge  in|
    |   / ^ ^\/      | |   ~~~~~~~   |  | science  & technology|
    |  (__\  |) ===> | | PH:874-5417 | *| (with a bit of humor,|
    |   |  \@/       | |_____________| *|  of course).         |
    |\__|    |>      |__________________| >>CALL US AND SEE!<< |
    |   |    |   _______|____________|______  YOU'VE SEEN THE  |
    |Rec-\    \ |         _______  _______  | REST, NOW HERE'S |
    |ieve|____| | IBM-PC |===@===|| 640k  | |  _______   THE   |
    |Netwrk\ \  ||||||||||_______||_______| | |_______| BEST!! |
    |E-Mail \ \ |___________________________|  |1200B|  ~~~~~~ |
    (==========================================================)

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

    Richard Polunsky, 106/2

                        FIDOREAD 1.5 NOW AVAILABLE


    The utility FidoRead,  which lets you read,  print or  file  Fido
    Fidonews                     Page 18                  28 Apr 1986


    messages  from  the  DOS  level  is  now available in an upgraded
    version.  Version 1.5 has the following features:

      - Subdirectory name on the command line
      - Better feedback messages
      - Message suppression
      - Supports merged file output

    Version 1.5, like previous versions,  will only work at the local
    keyboard,  not in remote mode.  Also, please note that the syntax
    has changed in order to support subdirectories.

    FidoRead is available  on  106/2,  and  will  be  made  available
    various   other   boards  as  time  allows.   The  "bombing  run"
    distribution method used back in December will  not  be  repeated
    this time.

    DISTRIBUTION METHOD:  Archived File (FIREAD15.ARC)

    REPLACES:  FIDOREAD.ARC, FIREAD12.ARC

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

    Mark Stappenbeck, 14/609

                    NIGHT FLIGHT PROPOSES NEW NET


    The Night Flight, Fido 14/609, of Wichita,  Kansas is looking for
    other nodes with an interest in aviation.  No,  you don't have to
    be a pilot to  get  in  on  this.  Night  Flight's  current  main
    emphasis  is in the airline area,  but there must be other boards
    that are interested in any area of aviation.  Those nodes with an
    interest in developing an aviation based net treating areas  such
    as,   General  Aviation,  Corporate,  Homebuilt  or  Airline  are
    requested to drop a note to 14/609.  Please include your  primary
    field  of interest.  The previously mentioned areas should not be
    considered exclusive.

    Night Flight will be  happy  to  act  as  a  clearing  house  for
    suggested  net parameters and operations.  With the increased use
    of microcomputers in the entire field of aviation,  there must be
    a  number  of  users  with  an  interest in such a net out there.
    Let's hear from you airplane nuts!!

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