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
ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1.
Copyright (C) 1986, by the International FidoNet Association.
All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted
for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
please contact IFNA.
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
Amateur Radio and Electronic Mail
2. ARTICLES
IFNA Expenditures
The Fidogram free telegram service
Country Level Support for FidoNet
The View from Europe
3. COLUMNS
Perfect Calc to dBASE Files
Bug Column - or Does Fido Still have Fleas?
Computer Industry Spotlight
Review of USR Micro-Link 2400bps Modem
4. WANTED
Wanted: IBM PC programs for publication!
5. FOR SALE
Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
6. NOTICES
The Interrupt Stack
WARNING: Node List Snafu
Fidonews Page 2 29 Sep 1986
This week's guest editorial is by Karl Schinke, "The Wizard of
Bendix", node 107/16
Amateur Radio and Electronic Mail
I gather from some references to "amateur radio
organizations" that someone has pointed out a parallel between
the state of Fido sysops now and the state of radio "Hams" before
Hiram Walker and friends founded the ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay
League).
Hams had demonstrated that wavelengths shorter than 200
meters (yeah, 200 METERS) were usable for communications, and
commercial pressure groups were squeezing the FCC and
international equivalents into allocating all the radio space to
commercial use, with no room for the "hams". This after they had
gobbled up all the space below 200 and left the hams the
"useless" frequencies above, where they "could do no harm".
Hmmm. Commercial pressure for "pay BBS" like Compuserve?
The ARRL has provided many useful services for hams, members
and non, by "watching for their interests" in Washington DC and
internationally, publishing handbooks and guides, etc etc. THEY
REQUIRE A MEMBERSHIP FEE.
I'm sure we can think of many other parallels where hobbyists
have had to band together under an organization to make their
hobby practical, make sure that our friends in Washington don't
make it illegal, and to assist the hobbyist with executing his
hobby.
Even without the 25,000 Fidos that have been postulated (a
not unlikely situation), but even AS WE NOW ARE we have problems.
In a flick of a few pens, our "representatives" can wipe our
hobby out WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING THEY ARE DOING IT, as the rumors
about various "kiddy porn" bills and "freedom of information" and
"right to privacy" stuff has shown.
Can we exist much longer without a lobby? I doubt it. And
who will support such a lobby, if not we, the BBS sysops who CAN
COMMUNICATE with each other. But still we can't without an
organization. None of us individually can afford it!
This even without the question of media relations that is
killing Kaplan (from what I hear). What is the "man in the
street" opinion of BBS's? A bunch of smartaleck kids who try to
start World War Three, or break into banks, or move satellites
out of orbit. How do you think they'd vote on whether we should
be allowed to operate? Who's gonna change public opinion? The
"media". And whose gonna sway them? Hunh?
I apologize for taking so long to make this data public. Due to
the enormous amount of Net mail, voice phone calls, and an
increased work load (and traveling) at my "real" job, I have had
very little time since the conference to respond. This is not an
IFNA budget, but it *IS* a start, and eventually, may become part
of the IFNA budget.
The IFNA expenditures in St. Louis are running between $6000 and
$7000 a year at current expenses and growing as the nodelist
expands. This includes voice phone bills originated by Ben Baker
and I that are running around $400/month of which some $100/month
goes to overseas support. This includes three support Fido
systems, supplies, stationary, marketing, press releases,
answering some 50 letters per week about Fido, stamps, P.O. Box,
hardware maintenance, checking account and IFNA Conference
preparation. The legal and accounting fees to incorporate are
also included.
The IFNA expenses are those dollars spent to support the Network
as a whole. The data phone bills for Ben and I are low since
neither of us is the outbound host, so all of our direct traffic
is FidoNet network support. Our data expenses only run around
$100-$125 per month, on the other side of the coin, our voice
expenses run around $400 per month (a lot of months it is even
higher). We would love to distribute that cost, unfortunately,
when people call either Ben or myself, they want *US* to call
them back. Also, it only takes 3 or 4 overseas phone calls to
inflate our monthly phone bills. After Henk Weaver, Fido 2/0,
took over as the European Coordinator, those calls did go
considerably down and I would expect Brian Gatenby, soon to be
Fido 3/0, to have a similar impact in Australia. That still
doesn't stop other countries to call me and expect me to return
their calls too. As Fido continues to spread overseas, my phone
bill will be high as I have to talk to them at least a few times
to get them organized and started.
The above expenditures do *NOT* include rent, secretary,
salaries, travel, lobbying, selling SEAdog(c) and Fido(c), phone
costs for sending nodediffs or FidoNews, IFNA owned micros, etc.
I would suggest we get over the first hurdle and get organized as
a non profit tax exempt and then discuss other ways to spend
money if we can solve the funding problems. Remember the original
reason for going non profit and tax exempt was to seek funding
from big corporations who are already targeting us as a serious
market such as AT&T Reach Out America(tm), GTE PC Pursuit(tm),
USRobotics Courier(tm), etc. I will start investigating what it
Fidonews Page 5 29 Sep 1986
will cost to do some of the above and present the findings to the
Bylaws Committee. If anyone wants to help out here please let me
know. Even if we agree that some of the above expenditures make
sense we need more people to make them happen.
The current rule regarding tax exempt status filing states that
an organization will not be treated as tax exempt for any period
before the filings are make within 15 months from the end of the
month in which we were organized. In our case, that was the end
of August. However, it is more difficult to obtain tax exempt
status the longer you wait to apply. We need to get our Bylaws
done and decide which direction is best for IFNA. The Bylaws
Committee being Co-Chaired by Bob Hartman and Steve Jordon are
already hard at work coming up with a first draft.
I would propose that IFNA should reimburse the extraordinary
costs of the Executive Director, Technical Manager (the person
who takes care of the nodelist), FidoNews Editor, plus any other
officers as defined by the Bylaws. Whomever fills these positions
should be able to recover their costs (within budget) above any
reasonable and customary costs of running a board. If the
officers need to send their bills to an IFNA Treasurer who has an
approved list to eliminate the paranoia, then so be it. I would
also propose we refrain from "second tier" funding, ie; Help
Nodes, Regional Coordinators, Network Hosts, etc. until IFNA
covers it's initial organizational expenses. We can talk about
"second tier" funding next year at the conference. I also think
that our Treasure should publish an annual statement that goes
into FidoNews and I will do my utmost to cooperate in order to
see that this gets done.
I feel that the primary mission of IFNA is to sustain and improve
FidoNet on an International level through technological
coordination. The secondary goals of IFNA are numerous and for
the most part still under discussion in the IFNA conference.
On a more personal note, I would like to express my thanks to all
of you who have supported me during the past three years. It has
been very gratifying to see the net grow and expand and have the
international impact that it has had so far. Granted, maybe not
EVERYTHING has been handled perfectly or to everyone's taste, but
I have tried long and hard to work to make FidoNet exciting and
up to date. The fact that SEAdog(c) and all the other wonderful
utilities have joined forces with us makes us even stronger and
have eventually greater impact both in the U.S. and worldwide.
Please send any feedback or comments to Fido 1/2, which is the
new node number for IFNA.
Cape Cod Fido is still offering the free Fidogram service!
There are many uses for Fidograms. Examples:
1. Sending greetings during holidays, birthdays, or just
to renew old acquaintances.
2. Sending batches of messages to your club members who are
scattered all over the country.
3. Making all your old cronies green around the edges by
announcing your next month-long cruise to Timbuktu, or
bragging about your recent engagement to Mr/Ms wonderful.
4. College students: telling Ma how much you miss
her apple pie.
5. Requesting health and welfare information on friends or
family located (or not yet located!) in a disaster area.
As with anything neat like this - some cautions are
in order.
Since FidoGrams are not sent over commercial circuits, but
rather by FCC-controlled Amateur Radio Circuits, there are
some constraints. First, if you really want to make Fido curl
up his lip, bare his teeth and growl, just try sending a free
telegram that relates in any way to business, or the making of
a profit by any party. Fido will make kitty litter out of any-
thing that does not look like a personal, non-business message.
Don't even attempt it. Ditto for profanity, codes, or ciphers.
Finally, user normal-conversation words. Avoid difficult ones.
How will your free telegrams be delivered? After being routed
through the National radio Traffic System to the ultimate point
of destinatiion, the telegram will be telephoned - just like
with the commercial boys.
Here's what Fido needs in order to keep his telegram tail-a-
-waggin.
1. Y-o-u-r name, address, and telephone number in case we need
to get back with you, or in case there is a return message going
your way.
2. The full name, adddress, and telephone number of the persons
you wish to send telegrams to.
3. The message.
4. A signature.
That's the grand total.
Where can you send free FidoGrams? To anyone in the USA or
Canada who has a telephone.
Is there a limit to the number of free FidoGrams that you can
send at any one time? No. As a matter of fact, the Amateur
Radio Operators use these telegrams as a way of exercising their
emergency communications apparatus. They welcome large loads
of message traffic in order to practice for the times when emer-
Fidonews Page 7 29 Sep 1986
emergencies demand strains on their system. Go ahead - try to
inundate them...
If you wish to send FidoGrams, or if you have further questions
send them to Luck Hurder at Cape Cod Fido 101/105. Be absolute-
ly sure to include your complete name, address and voice phone
number so that we wont have to incur Fidomail expenses.
We hope you'll use this service often, and that you'll gain
much enjoyment from it.
Country Level Support for FidoNet
A Proposed Approach
Tom Jennings has declared his intention of providing country
level support for FidoNet. This is an excellent idea. I have a
proposal on one possible way to do it.
International mail has thus far been handled in a very different
manner than domestic mail. I'll use Europe and Massnet as an
example, even though they don't operate this way any more.
Anyone sending mail to Europe routed it to Dave Rene in Massnet,
who then passed it via DECnet to England, where it was
distributed. This was implemented in multinet Fido by making
England a part of the Massachusetts area. (The tail is definitely
wagging the dog here!)
Instead, assume that the U.S. is zone 1, and Europe is zone 2.
Dave Rene would then be designated as the "link" from zone 1 to
zone 2. An example of the node list might be:
ZONE 1 United_States
LINK 2 20 2400 Europe 1-617-632-1861 Gardner_MA
LINK 3 22 1200 Indonesia 1-808-486-0407 Honolulu_HI
HOST 100 22 2400 St_Louis_Area 1-314-432-4129 St_Louis_MO
507 22 1200 Sky_King 1-618-462-3550 Alton_IL
(rest of the U.S. nodes)
ZONE 2 Europe
LINK 1 20 2400 United_States 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
LINK 3 20 2400 Indonesia 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
HOST 1 20 2400 HCC_net_Holland 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
1 20 2400 Fido_Nl1 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
(rest of the European nodes)
ZONE 3 Indonesia
LINK 1 20 2400 United_States 62-21-79-3286 Jakarta_JAYA
LINK 2 20 2400 Europe 62-21-79-3286 Jakarta_JAYA
HOST 131 20 2400 Indonesia_Net 62-21-71-7406 Jakarta_JAYA
369 20 1200 Aditya_BBS 62-23-1-6049 Cirebon_JAYA
391 20 2400 Computeria 62-21-71-7406 Jakarta_JAYA
(rest of the Indonesian nodes)
The idea here is that if (for example) you want to send mail to
someone in zone 3, then you route it instead to whoever is
"link 3" in your own zone, and he takes care of getting it there.
If there is no link designated, then current routing practices
take over.
The assumption here is that whoever is the link will have some
other way of getting the mail there, such as Dave Rene used to
have with DECnet, but it would still work with the current
procedure of picking up mail.
Fidonews Page 9 29 Sep 1986
Courtesy Neal of 138/14 Europe is tied into the IFNA conference.
If that is a blessing has to be decided yet. After reading all
this barking and other emotional stuff I suggest we change
directions in this area and try to rationally find out:
1) If we really need an IFNA
2) If we are really serious about IFNA, how to raise money for
IFNA
3) If we find ways to raise money, how to organize IFNA.
4) If we get IFNA organized what else do we want from IFNA.
If we start with point 1 and find us having a real NO somewhere
along the line, we can stop answering the next points, so let's
begin at the first one.
Do we really need IFNA
----------------------
Oh well, this is a really difficult question to answer, because,
except from food, water and housing, do we really need anything?
So the answer must be NO. We don't need a computer, we don't
need a net, we don't need IFNA. But still, if we are running a
BBS like Fido the real question is, makes IFNA things work better
for us. My personal answer here is YES, but I figure that for
others the answer will be no. To make this clear for ourselves
let's see where IFNA can help to make things work better for us.
1. We need some central point to give out the nodelist. This is
true if we all want to be in a BIG worldwide net. Probably
without a central point for the nodelist we will see a lot of
small nets, some die, others are born again. No international
communications, no nationwide communication. Perhaps YOU
don't care, I do.
2. We need some central point to give out a newsletter. Well,
without a newsletter you have to find out all kind of things
by yourself. Could you really live without FidoNews? If yes,
I guess you can live without Fido.
3. We need some central point to control the netstandard. Hmmm,
I think without this kind of thing we will end up like the
modem situation in Europe. Don't you think the situation in
the USA is much better?
4. We need to reach the point of critical mass. If an
Fidonews Page 11 29 Sep 1986
organization reaches a certain point in membership, the
numbers alone are enough to open a lot of doors. With FidoNet
we reached that point already, but we need a concentration
point. I have seen this power used in FidoNews by publishing
bad experiences with firms. It can be used (wisely) for other
things.
5. We need long term stability. If we want to be in a FidoNet,
it better lasts long. At the moment, if some people decide to
stop tomorrow the net collapses a few days after that. With
an organization you can avoid that.
6. We need something so we can be proud to be part of it. NO I
don't mean you. I know this is not your reason to be in
FidoNet, but why want people a net/nodenumber before they have
their boards running and before they can mail, huh?
7. Fill in your personal reasons here
--> Every single point is enough reason for me to want something
like IFNA.
--> How about you?
How to raise money for IFNA
---------------------------
First things first, at the conference I have followed the
discussion about tax deduction for IFNA. The discussions about
this point took about 1 hour of our limited time there. At a
proposed $25 a year, I am told tax deduction could be about $5 a
year. Yeach... most of the guys talking spend $60 a night in the
Hilton and flew to Colorado....
My suggestion is the following: Charge an entry fee in the
nodelist and an annual fee to stay in the nodelist. Divide the
money between the people doing the work: the regional
coordinators, the nethosts, the zone coordinators and IFNA. This
must be independent from a membership of IFNA, it just should pay
for the costs involved (hosts and coordinators downloading
FidoNews and the nodelist updates). It will also get rid of
nodes not really up or serious about the mail part of Fido.
Suggested fees:
Entry: $10
$2 for IFNA
$2 for zonecoordinator,
$6 for host/region coordinator.
Annual: $ 5
$1 for IFNA
$1 for zonecoordinator
$3 for host/region coordinator
Fidonews Page 12 29 Sep 1986
(Ok hosts, calculate your costs in maintaining the nodelist, eg
uploading changes and downloading the diff files. you must have a
better estimation.)
Besides that a membership fee of IFNA giving you some advantages
(later) and the right to vote. If you don't want to vote and
don't want the advantages and still want to be part of FidoNet,
fine.
How to organize IFNA
--------------------
This is the crucial point. I stands for international but so far
all talking has been done for a (USA) national FNA (UFNA ?) For
your information, long ago the Finnish FidoNet sysops have formed
a Finnish FidoNet organization (just to share the costs of
hosting and getting the news and nodelist updates). I think a
lot of talking and thinking has to be done about this point. If
you make mistakes you can end up with an organization busy
talking about its own organization instead of servicing its
members. Points to be decided:
- Who are members of IFNA, national FNA's, zones, regions, nets,
or people?
- Who can be assured that we have a democratic organization that
can act fast enough?
- Do we want a democratic organization? Aren't we better off
with a service bureau?
- If we vote, how to organize that on this large scale?
I am not so sure we are ready for a democratic organization,
maybe we are better off without it for a year or so. I gladly pay
a little fee for being in the nodelist, and if being a member of
IFNA makes my life better I will pay for that too. No need to
vote yet.
What do we want from IFNA
-------------------------
Ok, here is my wish list.
1. All points mentioned above
2. Concentration point for FidoNet related software (this alone
will be worth it, ordering a disk from IFNA with the latest
updates of Fido/SEAdog/Collie utilities)
3. Some day in the future I hope IFNA will run hosts to
concentrate traffic between countries (states). Maybe a
satellite?
4. Validation of FidoNet software
Fidonews Page 13 29 Sep 1986
5. Help for people writing FidoNet software
6. ----
(please fill in)
One last point
--------------
FidoNet, the bigger the better? Well, that depends. I rather
have a small cooperating FidoNet community than a big FidoNet
that in the end will fall apart due to lack of organization. You
too? Tell us, I haven't seen any comment from most of you
there....
Like the discovery of America, the atomic bomb, and many others
of our blessings, the main secret is disclosed once you know that
it can be done. With some helpful guidance from our resident
dBase expert Edie Harris, I can report that you can easily take
spreadsheet data from Perfect Calc files and enter it without
retyping into a dBase file.
I had always thought of dBase as a filer program, analogous to
Perfect Filer, and having nothing to do with a spreadsheet and
calculation program like Perfect Calc. It turns out, however,
that dBase will do simple arithmetic on its numeric entries as
well as make logical selections that qualify it for much of the
work of a spreadsheet.
Perfect Calc will do some mathematical operations that dBase will
not; trigonometric and logarithmic functions, squares and roots,
for example. But my main application was to keep my checking
account in order. I also keep track of the categories of tax
deductible expenses evidenced by each check. For this, the
ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide was plenty.
I've always like Perfect Calc. It thinks the way I do. I like
the way you enter data, labels, and formulas; I like the ability
to control column widths and justification, and the ability to
enter information in one cell and then replicate it in a whole
region.
But Perfect it ain't. there is no way to locate a particular
entry other then by visual search. Worse than that, it gets
distinctly buggy when you try to enter too much data or
(particularly) too many formulas. You are led to believe that
you can have up to seven buffers, each containing a spreadsheet
with 52 columns and 155 lines, with proliferation of formulas
tying then all together. Just try it! Long before those
theoretical bounds are reached, your program will bomb out.
Now take a look at dBase. It has been expensive, but many books
have been written on it. You'll never walk alone, and it may not
be so expensive, since dBase III is now coming out.
Once my data is transferred to dBase, I will be able to locate
any check with a simple search command, and get a sum of any tax
category with another. If you have lots of important information
in Perfect Calc files, knowing that this can be done will
encourage you to get and learn dBase.
Here's how to transfer the data:
Call up the PC spreadsheet. Make sure all numerical entries are
Fidonews Page 15 29 Sep 1986
justified to the right and all labels to the left (these are the
default settings, so they will be unless you've changed them).
Mark the region of the spreadsheet which contains the data you
want transferred, by marking one corner of the region with a
"Mark-set" (ESC SPACE) and moving the cursor to the other. This
will ordinarily exclude the titles and text at the top, and some
calculations at the bottom.
Then write it to a text file by using the command CTRL-XP. Do
not hold the CTRL key down while you type the "P". That would
act on the entire spreadsheet instead of the region you have
designated. Do not type a carriage return (that would send it to
the printer, or lock up the program if you don't have one
connected and turned on). Instead, give a filename of a file to
which it is to be 'printed', i.e. saved as a text file. You may
give it any name you wish left of the period, but the extent
(filetype) must be the letters "TXT". Then after giving the new
file its filename.TXT name, press the carriage return.
It is probably a wise precaution to call this file up in a word
processor so as to count the number of spaces that are actually
in each column. These spaces are critical to the process that
follows, and may not correspond exactly to those in your Perfect
Calc spreadsheet.
Next, enter dBase with the command "DBASE", and at the dot
prompt, "CREATE" a file with headings and columns exactly
corresponding to those of your Perfect Calc text file. Then
APPEND the Perfect Calc data with the command: APPEND FROM
(filename).TXT SDF.
Then examine the file with the DISPLAY, TEXT, or BROWSE commands.
Despite your precautions, you may find you need to MODIFY
STRUCTURE of the dBase file to change column widths, and these
will destroy the data you have just APPENDed. But the APPEND
process is so easy and fast that it isn't much work to repeat
that part of it.
There you have it; a block of data that you are already familiar
with to manipulate, sort, index, calculate sums of all or nay
particular part. It's a great way to get into a new program.
Before we start with the bug reports and Tom Jenning's replies,
Chris Baker of 135/14 sent the following which may be of interest
to other sysops.
The 'bug' you describe (note: how to log in on one line with user
i.d. Sysop) is something i was having problems understanding,
till it hit me. Try this next time:
Sysop | | Y Password <cr>.
You've got to get past the Last Name prompt so it takes TWO
pipelines to get to the Yes/password prompt.
BUG
---
The bug is that in the message sections, the number indicated as
the "last message read" is frequently actually the first unread
message. This can cause a user to miss a message. This bug
seems to have persisted through quite a few Fido revisions.
I think what the "Last Read" indicator OUGHT to do is start at
zero when a new user logs in for the first time, and thereafter
stay at the number of the last message he has read. Instead, it
seems to start at 1, and thereafter it frequently advances one
higher than it should be.
Tom Jenning's Reply:
--------------------
The last message read is a mess; it will re-read the highest
message if you've read them all for instance. Fido is
inconsistent in its display of the number, it displays last read
+ 1 in some cases. It shouldn't cause a message to be missed; I
will look for that one.
BUG:
----
It seems that when users use the <C>hange feature to change their
parameters, the changes don't always seem to "stick"... for
example a user set a screen width of 40 and a length of 8 (for
one of those little portable computers with a tiny screen) and
that seemed to get reset to 24 lines, 79 columns when he logged
off.
On the other hand, other users have made various changes with no
problem. The problem seems to occur when you change your screen
length to something very small like the above example.
Fidonews Page 17 29 Sep 1986
Tom Jenning's Reply:
--------------------
Ahh ... I think I know what's up with the screen dimension thing.
Fido lets you set it alright, but when the user logs on next
time, Fido sanity checks things like screen width ... the logon
check obviously thinks the screen dimensions are silly, and
resets to defaults. This will not happen in v12.
BUG:
----
I'm not sure if I remember the circumstances ... use "1 x" to
move to a nonexistant area (such as 9 if the highest current
system file is 7). Fido will then show the contents of SYSTEM7
but will say "Msg Area 9:". Any access with "1" shows 7, while
the header shows 9.
Tom Jenning's Reply:
--------------------
The 1 command: Fido wont let you say "1 9" if the highest is 7;
it will only let you say "1 8". (Highest + 1). Fido creates the
new system.bbs file (in this case SYSTEM8.BBS) by duplicating the
one last accessed ... you have to change the contents yourself.
Not a bug.
-------
This is the report for the week. Please send your reports
directly to 1/98 or 1/99. They will be forwarded to Tom
Jennings.
William/Eunhee Hunter
Fido 109/626
Computer Industry Spotlight on:
CONTROL DATA CORPORATION -- Control Data, one of the nation's
largest computer and financial services firms, offers solutions
for problems in business and industry, urban and rural
revitalization, education, small enterprise services, health
maintenance, energy conservation, and corrections. Control Data
has openings for electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineers
for manufacturing, design, production, quality control, field
service, and research and development. Computer science
graduates can find openings in business and scientific
programming, testing, and support.
Contact: Recruitment Officer, Control Data Corporation,
8100 34th Ave., S., Minneapolis, MN 55440.
I have been using U.S. Robotics "Micro-Link 2400" internal modem
now for about a year with the Fido I am running and have so far had
excellent service from this unit. I will attempt to pass on my
findings on this modem to those out there who may be considering a
purchase from USR in the near future, and although this was written
about the internal version I have others in this net using the
"Courier" and other brands of 2400bps modems and from the reports I
have been getting from them I will try to give you as complete a
rundown of the various modems as I possibly can.
I ordered the modem from USR and requested they send it UPS to
my business address COD. They accomplished this feat with expertise
far beyond anything I have seen before. I had the modem the 2nd day
after talking to the sales people. Considering the service I get from
UPS this in itself it a miracle. The modem comes packaged with
terminal software and an extensive user manual. The terminal software
also has its own user manual almost as big as the modems. I will
touch briefly on the software.
Like Hayes the USR software was designed to operate the Micro-
Link and thus has some special commands strictly for this purpose. It
will however do an admirable job of operating both the Hayes internal
and external modems, the Leading Edge internal 1200 and 2400 modems
and naturally the USR "courier" external 2400bps modem. It has an
autoanswer feature allowing you to call your own system with password
security and have access to your files via telephone. The "BEST"
feature of this software is it's ability to write an autologon file
(script) the first time you call a system. If you call a system and
it is your first call you can elect to have the terminal capture the
logon sequence "AS YOU TYPE", no more editing script files to
"create" a script ! Let the program do it for you !
The modem card is a full length card requiring a "FULL LENGTH"
slot (sorry the Tandy slot is too short) and comes with instructions
on setting the modem for any of the 4 com ports available. It has a
small speaker built onto the board that allows you to "hear????"
what's going on when you make a call. I find that this speaker is too
small to hear easily over the roar of the hard drive in my machine
unless I place it in high volume, which is too loud. I would suggest
that they add a volume pot to the rear plate and do away with the
software volume setting and have just either on during connect, on
all the time, or off all the time.
The telephone connections like all other modems come in thru the
rear plate, but unlike other modems the are NOT labeled as to which
is line and which is for the phone. They are also sideways and this
makes it rather difficult to disconnect the modem by feel since the
lock tab on the modular phone line is recessed into the rear panel of
the computer when the modem is installed. I suggest they turn it 90
degrees so as to put the tab either on the top or bottom of the
connection hole, and LABEL the connections.
Fidonews Page 20 29 Sep 1986
The modem has the dip switches on the back panel (getting
crowded back there now) for setting the default parameters on the
modem. These switches are easy to move with a small pointed tool such
as a pencil and stay put once they are set. The toggle on them is
hefty enough to prevent accidental switching and easy enough to do
from the front of the computer by feel or with a mirror. Here again
though the ON or OFF position is not labeled. Although the manual
clearly shows the user where everything goes , is set, or where to
move it, the labeling would help a great deal. The switches are
labeled for their NUMBER though and you have to look in a mirror or
have a good memory to be able to remember if the numbering starts at
the top or bottom of the plate.
I had a modem filter on the line when I first installed the
modem. This filter had been working very nicely with my Hayes modem
but after installing the modem inside the computer I noticed that it
would fail to connect on the first ring about 75 percent of the time.
After repeated calls to USR tech support I still had the problem. I
even went so far as to call the telephone company and have the lines
checked to see if I was getting enough signal. I can't fault tech
support because they did everything they could think of to help me
and even offered to swap out to the external modem at no charge if I
elected to do so. I understand they have since improved on their
already excellent record in this department. I finally found the
problem to be that the modem was not sensitive enough to detect the
ring AFTER it passed thru the filter, and not have any SCHEMATICS
(hint to USR) I could not find the trim pot to adjust the sensitivity
to compensate for this. I have since removed the filter from the line
and am running "bare". I hate to do this since lightening could do
considerable damage to the system thru the phone line. I think I will
call tech support and see if they can tell me where the trim pot for
sensitivity is or at least provide me a SCHEMATIC. Block diagrams are
nice but useless to me.
Again I say the modem has operated flawlessly since the removal
of the filter and I have had the filter checked out by the
manufacturer and they say it is 100% operational. I also must applaud
USR for their policy of rom updates. They updated my rom from version
242 to 243 free and all I did was call them. I didn't even have to
send the modem in. They sent the new chip out to me with instructions
on how to change it out. All they requested was that I send the old
chip back (for reprogramming I suppose) which is fair enough. After
all they are the ONLY ones that do this, try getting Hayes to update
the rom in your modem, they will but you better get the wallet ready
and be prepared to do without the modem for a while.....
I am thoroughly pleased with the support given me by the sales
people and tech support (except for the lack of a schematic) and the
documentation is well written (where this article isn't) and through.
I feel that for the money there is no other modem comparable to the
USR 2400. I acquired my modem thru their "sysop deal" and would
suggest that as many of you as can qualify do the same. I mean they
can't keep a good thing going forever. I intend to purchase the
"courier" next for the "other computer"
If you have ANY questions, suggestions, comments, rebuttals, or other
Fidonews Page 21 29 Sep 1986
information you feel would benefit others please send it to my
attention either at FIDO 123/6 , FIDO 123/0 or via the US Postal
service to:
Jerry Hindle
P.O. Box 16223
Memphis,TN 38186-0223
To USR (if you are reading this) I NEED A SCHEMATIC OF THE MICRO-
LINK. I must use my filter if at all possible.....Thx
SOFTDISK, INC., the already-successful publisher of magazines on
diskette for Apple II and Commodore 64 computers, will produce a
monthly disk-based publication for the IBM PC. The first issue
of this publication, to be named BIG BLUE DISK, and which will be
contained entirely on a floppy disk, will be shipped to thousands
of retail outlets in October, including B. Dalton Booksellers and
Waldenbooks.
- - OFF-BROADWAY - -
If you have written a program for the IBM PC, please consider
publishing it on BIG BLUE DISK; it's your chance to make some
money, and get your name in print. Programs of all categories
are being accepted.
- - YOUR REWARD - -
We will select the best programs submitted, and publish them on
issues of BIG BLUE DISK. If we choose to publish your program,
we will pay you a minimum of $50, and possibly more-- as much as
$500, depending on the nature and quality of the program. This
money is for the privilege of publishing your program. You
retain full rights to it.
- - HOW TO SUBMIT IT - -
Submissions can be sent by FIDONET to node 19/216, or uploaded
directly to our BBS at (318) 636-4402. Alternatively, you can
send them on a floppy disk to: BIG BLUE DISK, PO BOX 30008,
SHREVEPORT, LA 71130-0008.
BIG BLUE DISK is a widely-distributed, carefully-prepared
publication, so make sure your programs are well-tested and
debugged, and include adequate instructions within the program.
Include a note (on paper, in a text file, or in a message to the
sysop of our BBS) describing what your program does, what files
are necessary to run it, and what system configuration (hardware
and software) is required. Please include the source code to
all compiled or assembled programs so we can make revisions if
necessary. If you have marketed your software as "shareware",
please remove all requests for money or other advertisements
from the version you submit for publication; alternatively you
can contact us for information on other terms for such programs.
- - NOTE TO SYSOPS - -
There is a finder's fee of 10% for you if you submit a program on
behalf of one of your users and it is published. Thus, you may
wish to publicize BIG BLUE DISK and our search for programs.
=================================================================
FOR SALE
=================================================================
Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
Public Domain collection - 550+ "ARC" archives - 20+ megs of
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size!
When unpacked, you get approximately 28 megabytes worth of
all kinds of software, from text editors to games to
unprotection schemes to communications programs, compilers,
interpreters, etc... Over 66 DS/DD diskettes!! This
collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
downloads from just about 150 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 166/1
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...
The following format choices are available:
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
- DSBackup
- Fastback
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format (Requires a 1.2m floppy
drive and PC-DOS 3.2)
- Plain ol' files (add $50)
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.
My appologies for the SNAFU Friday. A minor (but NOT
insignificant) bug in a change I made to "improve" the build
program caused it to produce NODELIST.269 with a bad CRC. The
accompanying "good" NODEDIFF was incapable of recreating the bad
CRC, and the edit process kinda fell apart.
The error was not discovered and corrected in time to prevent
several copies of the bad stuff from getting out.
If your NODELIST.269 has the following CRC at the end of line 1:
32001, you are the proud owner of a "corrupt" nodelist. Actually
it is eminently usable, but will not be editable next week. It
can be transformed with the following editing procedure:
If you have a NODEDIFF.269 containing the CRC "32001", delete it.
For God's sake DO NOT DISTRIBUTE IT. Either do not distribute a
NODEDIFF this week, or get a corrected version to distribute.
Incidently, if you edited this nodediff to produce a nodelist,
you do not have the latest version of EDITNL, XLATLIST or both!
