F I D O N E W S -- Vol.13 No.17 (22-Apr-1996)
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| A newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: |
| FidoNet BBS community | "FidoNews" BBS |
| _ | +1-519-570-4176 |
| / \ | |
| /|oo \ | |
| (_| /_) | |
| _`@/_ \ _ | |
| | | \ \\ | Editors: |
| | (*) | \ )) | Donald Tees 1:221/192 |
| |__U__| / \// | |
| _//|| _\ / | |
| (_/(_|(____/ | |
| (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. |
| | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
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| Submission address: editors 1:1/23 |
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| MORE addresses: |
| |
| submissions=>
[email protected] |
| Don --
[email protected] |
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| For information, copyrights, article submissions, |
| obtaining copies of fidonews or the internet gateway faq |
| please refer to the end of this file. |
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Table of Contents
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1. Articles...................................................... 1
The demise of Fidonet....................................... 2
SHARING-the FidoNet World Class, Global Communication Echo.. 3
2. Fidonews Information.......................................... 6
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Articles
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FidoNews 13-17 Page: 2 22 Apr 1996
The demise of Fidonet
"Goodbye Fidonet" - A prelude to the network's demise
by Gamey Garcia Varela, Fidonet Zone 4 Coordinator
Many of you might have noticed that in recent times, the years-old
lack of innovation and progress in Fidonet has turned into a
forthright disintegration of the network, as more and more nodes
leave. Obviously, the advancement and popularity of the Internet
has much to do with this, but I believe that the main reason is
owed to the inaction of those in charge of the top admninistration
of the network, amongst whom I should include myself.
It's been two years already that we have had no International
Coordinator. The coordinators of zones 2, 4 and 6 many months ago
urged our counterparts to choose an "activist" I.C. that would
promote innovation and progress in Fidonet. We nominated Pablo
Kleinman, known by many for being the only one to ever put forth -
without success- a proposal to reformulate the present autocratic
and outdated Fidonet Policy.
But the same forces that several years ago made fail all efforts to
promote changes to Fidonet policy, or to implement new mechanisms
for the adoption of more updated technical standards, have used
every possible maneuver and subterfuge to prevent the election of
a reformist as the new I.C. With the leadership of Afrikanner Henk
Wolsink, the apparatchik of the "odd zones" (1, 3 and 5) is once
again responsible for the failure of Ward Dossche and myself, with
the explicit support of the zone 6 coordinator, to promote changes
that would have saved Fidonet from further sinking into
cyberspace's antiquity.
Pablo Kleinman won the election for I.C. 3 to 2 (the other
candidate was Wolsink, who received the votes of Bob Satti and
Colin Wheat), but since he's not presently a Zone Coordinator,
Wolsink and friends refuse to accept this result, saying Mr.
Kleinman, a former ZC, isn't elegible. Curiously enough, the two
previous I.C.'s were both former ZC's at the time they were
elected.. And a past policy interpretation issued by a former I.C.
allows for both present and past ZC's to contend for the
position. However, this group is pushing to get Mr. Wolsink,
"ZC-for-life" of the most backward, smallest and stagnant zone in
Fidonet to be the new "I.C.-for-life" and therefore guarantee the
impossibility of any sort of future reform in the network's
administration and operation.
I am extremely fatigued and sick of having to deal with the
uscrupulous parasites whose only evident interest is maintaining
"control" of the network amongst the same old clique, or at least
the leftovers of it. These people are indeed responsible for the
lack of advancement and stagnation of Fidonet, and still today,
as Fidonet begins its slow demise, they continue to block the
necessary and long-overdue reforms. And the dinosaurs have finally
driven me too to giving up: I have already sent my resignation to
FidoNews 13-17 Page: 3 22 Apr 1996
the RC's in my zone, and once a new ZC is in place, I will
permanently withdraw from Fidonet.
The future demise of Fidonet has been guaranteed by the same group
who for years has stood in the way of change and prevented Fidonet
from changing and progressing along with the rest of cyberspace.
Naming names, they are: Bob Satti (the "ZC-in-absentia" who managed
to singlehandedly delay the election process for months at a time),
Colin Wheat (evidently the current representative of the infamous
anti-change establishment from zone 3) and the Afrikanner Wolsink,
head of the most backwards and slowest-growing zone who has never
withstood an election since becoming ZC in the late 80's, and who
now also aspires to become FidoNet "I.C. for life" as well.
"Till [Fidonet's] death do us apart." --Henk Wolsink?
Goodbye, Fidonet. And good luck to Ward Dossche who from now
on will remain as the only loud voice in the ZCC who's still
committed to change and the eventual survival of Fidonet.. See you
on the Internet.. (
[email protected])
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SHARING-the FidoNet World Class, Global Communication Echo
Christopher Baker
Rights On!, 1:374/14
Titusville_FL_USA
There's a new Echo in town dedicated to the REAL spirit of FidoNet
Sysoping. It's called SHARING. Here's the blurb from the EListing:
What Sysops will see and learn in SHARING will make it "the
place to be." What they will see will be up to them but there
will be laughter and wonders and mysteries of FidoNet technology
will be explained. SHARE the wonderful experience of our hobby.
This Echo will be Awesome. It's the Swiss Army knife of information!
There's plenty to learn. Sysops can SHARE everything!
Every Sysop in the FidoNet phonebook [Nodelist] is invited to
participate but we will have a few simple rules. POLITENESS to each
other is EXPECTED! It is REQUIRED! The few off-topic topics are
contained in the accompanying SHARING.RUL file. The Moderators
reserve the right to declare off-topic any subject getting out of
the bounds of politeness and cooperation. The Backbone or any
backbone is off-topic automatically except as noted in the rules.
mod Christopher Baker, 1:374/14
mod jim barchuk, 1:141/355
mod Debra Milner, 1:112/285
mod Emeritus-Don Dawson, 1:150/730
Backbone status has been in effect for months so Areafix a link from
your local Backbone feed or contact any of the Moderators for a direct
link via Netmail.
FidoNews 13-17 Page: 4 22 Apr 1996
Here's the SHARING Echo Guidelines for those without a copy of the
current ELRUL file:
--- Following message extracted from SHARING @ 1:374/14 ---
By Christopher Baker on Sat Apr 20 23:38:03 1996
From: Christopher Baker
To: All
Date: 15 Apr 96 00:52:32
Subj: SHARING Echo Guidelines - regular repost
From: [by Don Dawson]
To: Y'all
Date: 4 Aug 95 22:27:48
Subj: Da Rulz
Sorry, it's dirty work but someone has to do it. :-)
What is this echo?
------------------
FidoNet is a World Class, Global, Communications Network of, by and for
FidoNet Sysops around the Globe. There are other FTN networks but
none are of the size of FidoNet.
What Sysops will see and learn in SHARING will make it "the place to
be". What might they see? We don't have an agenda, hidden or
otherwise, but I'm sure we'll laugh at ourselves, cry for each other
and everyone will be "just themselves".
The wonders and mysteries of FidoNet Technology will be explained!.
Learn how and where files fall into dishes. Learn how and where files
pop out of the InterNet tunnel. Learn how to eat the Echomail Elephant
rather than have it eat you! Learn how to send e-mail to anywhere on the
Globe often with a local phone call, including to AOL, Prodigy, C$erve,
and perhaps that office down the street. Learn there's no such thing as
FREE!
SHARE the wonderful experience of our hobby. This echo is Awesome, it's
the Swiss Army knife of information! There's plenty to learn, learn,
learn and it doesn't matter what hardware, operating system, mailer or
BBS Software a sysop uses.
Sysops can share those funny experiences we all have. One of mine is a
brief story about NERF.BAT. We can laugh with each other and cry with
each other. Yes, tragedy, sometimes simple, sometimes bizarre, hits us
all. Why not share it? There's good news too: someone is a new parent
for the first time, a new grandparent even.
Sysops find good deals on all sorts of goods and services. Why not
SHARE where, how much and how good so we can all get the most out of our
hobby budget?
Please!
--------
FidoNews 13-17 Page: 5 22 Apr 1996
What won't you see? No anger. No threats. No intimidation. No
inappropriate language. And none of that politistrivial junk so common
in other Sysop Echos. No Zeroes. No Binary addresses allowed. If
you're a 0 or a 1, stay away! No a.k.a.'s allowed! Use your real,
primary address or stay out, especially those 0's and 1's! Simple
enough?
Every Sysop in any FTN phonebook is invited to participate, invited to
just be themselves and SHARE the FidoNet Technology Experience. FidoNet
Technology Sysops are *very* special people, this echo is by, for and
about them.
Politeness to each other is EXPECTED! It IS REQUIRED. Almost no topic
is "off topic" except as noted below. The Moderators reserve the right
to BAN any topic. I reserve the right to "suspend discussion" of a
topic for a time certain. Be CERTAIN of your FACTS, NAME names, don't
take the cowards way out by using "They said, He said". Be SPECIFIC.
There are three Moderators. They are:
Christopher Baker;
jim barchuk; and
Debra Milner.
They are the only ones who will make Moderatorial pronouncments to
anyone else. Leave any Moderating to them. We don't expect to have to
do much in the way of moderating in a friendly and cooperative Echo.
Definitions:
------------
Phonebook: The Nodelist
FidoGawd: (or its variations) are prohibited from this Echo.
Fight-o-Net: (or its variations) are also prohibited.
Policy: Policy4 as indicated in the nodelist. The ONLY policy. If
your zone/region/net also has a local policy, be specifc.
If you use Policy by itself, POLICY4 is assumed.
EchoPol: It does not exist, never did. Maybe never will.
CRP: Cost Recovery Plan/Program. I prefer Cost Sharing but you
call it what you wish.
CRaP: Something that sometimes accompanies particpation in a CRP.
It is and is intended to be an unflattering term.
Grunt Sysop: All 30,000+ PEOPLE in the FidoNet phonebook and or any FTN
phone book.
backbone: or Backbone, whichever you prefer is OFF Topic [except we
we will share how to get an Echo on the Backbone if asked.]
FidoNews 13-17 Page: 6 22 Apr 1996
As Mr. Bartles and Mr. James are known to say: Thank you for your
support!
Short and sweet (?)
Moderator Emeritus, former 1:150/730
B-) Don
TTFN.
Chris
Christopher Baker
jim barchuk
Debra Milner
Moderators, SHARING
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Fidonews Information
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------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------
Editor: Donald Tees
Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar
Tom Jennings, Sylvia Maxwell
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Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
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FidoNews 13-17 Page: 7 22 Apr 1996
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