FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet
Association as its official newsletter. You are encouraged to
submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission
standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from
node 1:1/1.
Copyright 1988 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 at (314) 576-4067. IFNA may also be contacted
at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141.
Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of
Fido Software, 164 Shipley Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 and
are used with permission.
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.
Table of Contents
1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1
2. COLUMNS .................................................. 3
Top Downloads 5/6/88 - 5/13/88 ........................... 3
3. FOR SALE ................................................. 5
U.S. Robotics 2400 bps internal modems ................... 5
4. NOTICES .................................................. 6
The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 6
Spirituality/World Peace ................................. 6
Latest Software Versions ................................. 7
FidoNews 5-21 Page 1 23 May 1988
IDEAS FOR A NEW -AND BETTER- FIDONET
(Let's make some changes...)
Time goes by, and FidoNet grows every day faster. I don't
think that, when creating the Fido Bulletin Board System, Tom
Jennings knew he was starting something this big.
I have lately read some articles, where sysops express
their discomformity regarding the way things are going right now,
specially with IFNA.
Some sysops chose to form another, parallel net (like
Ryugen Fisher, for example), some others just expressed their
disappointness.
Trhu this article, I want to give your my opinion, and to
present you a new idea, a new idea that also contains new
concepts.
I think something MUST BE DONE, before it is "too late".
The FidoNet nodelist has already 3000+ members, in all the
5 continents of the world, on about 30 countries. FidoNet has
become a totally INTERNATIONAL network, rather than an "American
one with some nodes overseas".
The new idea I want to propose is the following:
One "FidoNet Association" is created for each of the 4
zone (I'm assuming Latin America as Zone 4).
Those associations may vary in their internal
organization, since each zone's requirements and neccesities are
very different.
When they are finally established, each designates 3
members to take part on the International FidoNet Council, that
is finally formed by those 12 representants of the 4 zones.
Each zone has the right to have the presidency of the
Council for 6 months a year (each has the right to preside the
council once every two years).
The Council's president must be one of the 4 representants
sent by the zone who designates him/her, and has the right to a
double vote when a votation is tied.
The International Council is in charge of various things,
like designating the International Technical Coordinator, setting
the technical standards (either directly or by naming a
"technical comitee"), publishing the net's official newsletter,
and establishing the net's basic, international
rules. Comprehensive rules are established by each zone's
association.
The International Council also acts as a "supreme
tribunal" for interzonal disputes. Any disputes within a zone are
to be arbitrated by the zone's association.
The Zonal FidoNet Associations are to be TRANSPARENTLY
DEMOCRATIC, which ensures the democratic qualities of the
International FidoNet Council, as well as of the net itself.
The Zonal Associations have the right to name the
coordinators for all the networks, regions as well as the zone's.
I personally think this idea has still to be shaped
up. Anyway, the "main idea", that puts a special emphasis in
FidoNews 5-21 Page 2 23 May 1988
democracy, as well as on each sysops' right to determine their
coordinators, authorities and delegates to the main,
International Council, is there.
I would like everybody to participate in the development
of this new idea, to ensure it's representability of all the
sysop's wishes.
Please, send mail to node 368/101 (soon-to-be 800/1) with
your opinions.
If FidoNet's current authorities, as well as IFNA's
consider the idea feasible, an echomail conference could be
created to ensure everybody's participation on the development of
this new idea.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and
thanks IFNA for maintaining a publication where everyone can
express oneself freely.
Top Downloads: 5/6/88 - 5/13/88
A weekly report of the most popular downloads
from contributing FidoNet systems. Report created
on May 18, 1988.
There is a two issue delay in items submited to FidoNews, so
this column will reflect statistics from one or two weeks ago.
Contributing systems:
135/1
(Unidentified board was unable to participate this week)
Total downloads from contributing systems: 245
File Download Report -- Top 20
Rank Area\File Name # DL's
------------------------------------------------------------
1. lotto.arc 8 Computes random numbers
2. lotto.exe 5 Another FL lotto # picker
3. unws.arc 5 Convert Wordstar files to ASCII
4. cookie.arc 3 Recipie for Mrs. Fields' cookies
5. hoarad.arc 3
6. icon10.arc 3 Convert between graphic formats
7. moreram.arc 3 Utilize extra RAM above 640K
8. sorry.arc 3
9. adventur.arc 2
10. alarm.arc 2 Put clock on screen
11. arc521.com 2 THE Archive program
12. bios.arc 2 Asm macro file w/bios int's
13. cxmodem.arc 2 Info on CRC Xmodem protocol
14. dtpall.arc 2 Patches for ProComm+
15. ibmbds.arc 2 OLD list of Ibm dedicated BBS's
16. monop68.arc 2
17. pcplus11.arc 2 ProComm+. The premier comm program
18. popup.doc 2 Info on writing TSR programs
19. qedit203.arc 2 Good text editor
20. say.arc 2 Let PC talk through speaker
Selected Files of Interest
Area\Name #DL's
--------------------------------------------------
allmac.arc 1 Another way to view Mac pics
arcm211.arc 1 ArcMaster, manipulate Arc files
aseasy30.arc 1 Lotus 123 like spreadsheet
c_tutor1.arc 1 Tutorial on C language
c_tutor2.arc 1
crt43.arc 1 Replacement CRTINIT modules for TC 1.5
do280-01.exe 1 Dutchie.
do280-10.exe 1 A very good, 100% FTSC compatibile
do280-20.exe 1 Net-mailer, better than others
FidoNews 5-21 Page 4 23 May 1988
e88-42.arc 1 Text editor
hack.arc 1
kermit.arc 1 Info on Standard Kermit Protocol
kermitop.arc 1 Kermit transfer pgm (for Opus)
logrpt.arc 1 Reports on Opus log files
macpics2.arc 1 Collection of Mac pics
mathpad.arc 1 Math program
mjongg23.arc 1
nansi.arc 1 Enhancement of ANSI.SYS
nopkarc.txt 1 GOOD reasons for not using PKXARC
oecc_106.arc 1 Opus Embedded Command Compiler
sortf227.arc 1 Another sort utility
vga256.arc 1 Lib of 320x200,mode 13h VGA for TC 1.5
vgamac.arc 1 View mac pics on a VGA
If there are any other systems interested in being a part of
this weekly column, please send me your system stats in a similar
format via net-mail at 135/1. The system report from LogRpt would
be ideal. If at all possible, include a description of files with
unusual names. If there is a file you particularly want me to list,
let me know. I MUST have the information by Monday's Net-mail time
in order to get the stats compiled. Please keep your reports at 7
or 8 days, Friday to Friday if possible and no longer than 10 days.
(We can accept net-mail anytime of the day and are PC-Pursuitable).
James Gilbert
RAM-SOFT Archive Library (9600HST)
1:135/1
=================================================================
FOR SALE
=================================================================
John Hamilton, 1:143/8
U.S. Robotics 2400 bps internal, half-length modems are now available
to SysOps and friends for $150.00. This offer is subject to change
without further notice.
Contact John Hamilton at 143/8 for information if you wish to place
an order. There is no quantity limitation. You want 200 of them?
Go ahead, make my day! Discounts can be negotiated for quantities
over ten, but I will gladly sell one at a time.
I use these modems personally in four commercial Fido v12h (tm)
applications. To date they have performed as reliably as my
Courier 2400s, which is just about bullet proof!
29 May 1988
MetroFire Third Annual Birthday Bash and Floppy Disk Throwing
Contest. ALL FidoNet Sysops and their families are invited.
Contact Christopher Baker at 135/14 for more details. Details
available by SEAdog file request as FPICMAP.ARC or BASH.
5 Jun 1988
David Dodell's 31st Birthday
18 Jun 1988
Area Code 407 takes effect in East/Central Florida. All Sysops
should adjust their Nodelist entries immediately.
25 Jun 1988
EuroCon II starts in Tiel, Holland. Sponsored by the Dutch
Hobby Computer Club. Will run for 2 days. Contact Hans
Lichthelm at 2:2/999 for information.
16 Jul 1988
A new areacode, 508, will form in eastern Massachusetts and
will be effective on this date. The new area code will be
formed from the current areacode 617. Greater Boston will
remain areacode 617 while the rest of eastern Massachusetts
will form the new areacode 508.
25 Aug 1988
Start of the Fifth International FidoNet Conference, to be
held at the Drawbridge Inn in Cincinnati, OH. Contact Tim
Sullivan at 108/62 for more information. This is FidoNet's big
annual get-together, and is your chance to meet all the people
you've been talking with all this time. We're hoping to see
you there!
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 1:1/1.
Pagans, Christians, hippies, eclectics and Hindus are among
those frequenting the new Spirituality/World Peace echo offered
by The Angevin Empire. If you hunger for the unusual, this
echo is sure to satisfy.
FidoNews 5-21 Page 7 23 May 1988
People of all faiths (including atheists!) are encouraged to
participate. Instead of the commom face-offs and exclusive
proclamations of the "truth", we are looking for the ways we
are unified; the links which bind us together. Diverse
participation and thoughtful conversation is common.
The Spirituality/World Peace echo would do well both on a
metaphysical BBS and a technical or general one. It is an
interesting diversion from computer talk, and will serve to
boost system usage.
So, if you'd like to spice things up and perhaps do your bit
for world peace, contact Aaron Priven at 1:204/1154 (PC-
Pursuitable) and try a little "SPIRITUAL".
Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date by
reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list
all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity.
Ken Kaplan 100/22 Chairman of the Board
Don Daniels 107/210 President
Mark Grennan 147/1 Vice President
Dave Dodell 114/15 Vice President - Technical Coordinator
Tom Marshall 107/524 Secretary
Leonard Mednick 12/1 Treasurer
IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DIVISION AT-LARGE
10 Steve Jordan 102/2871 Don Daniels 107/210
11 Bill Allbritten 11/301 Hal DuPrie 101/106
12 Leonard Mednick 12/1 Mark Grennan 147/1
13 Rick Siegel 107/27 Brad Hicks 100/523
14 Ken Kaplan 100/22 Ted Polczyinski 154/5
15 Jim Cannell 128/13 Kurt Reisler 109/74
16 Vince Perriello 141/491 Robert Rudolph 261/628
17 Rob Barker 138/34 Greg Small 148/122
18 Christopher Baker 135/14 Bob Swift 140/24
19 Vernon Six 19/0 Larry Wall 15/18
2 Henk Wevers 2:500/1 Gee Wong 107/312
Membership for the International FidoNet Association
Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that
pays a specified annual membership fee. IFNA serves the
international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to
increase worldwide communications.
Member Name _______________________________ Date _______________
Address _________________________________________________________
City ____________________________________________________________
State ________________________________ Zip _____________________
Country _________________________________________________________
Home Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
Work Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
Zone:Net/Node Number ____________________________________________
BBS Name ________________________________________________________
BBS Phone Number ________________________________________________
Baud Rates Supported ____________________________________________
Board Restrictions ______________________________________________
Your Special Interests __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
In what areas would you be willing to help in FidoNet? __________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Send this membership form and a check or money order for $25 in
US Funds to:
International FidoNet Association
c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
700 Bishop Street, #1014
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-4112
USA
Thank you for your membership! Your participation will help to
insure the future of FidoNet.
Please NOTE that IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization
and Articles of Association and By-Laws were adopted by the
membership in January 1987. The first elected Board of Directors
was filled in August 1987. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been
established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your
input to this Conference.
The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido
1:1/10 or other FidoNet compatible systems, or by purchasing
them directly from IFNA. We ask that all our IFNA Committee
Chairmen provide us with the latest versions of each
publication, but we can make no written guarantees.
System Enhancement Associates SEAdog $60.00 _____
SEAdog price as of March 1, 1987
ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member
Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet $100.00 _____
Fido/FidoNet price as of November 1, 1987
ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member
International orders include $10.00 for
surface shipping or $20.00 for air shipping _____
SUBTOTAL _____
HI. Residents add 4.0 % Sales tax _____
TOTAL _____
SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER IN US FUNDS:
International FidoNet Association
c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
700 Bishop Street, #1014
Honolulu, HI. 96813-4112
USA
