F I D O N E W S --       Volume 13, Number 38          16 September 1996
    +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
    |  The newsletter of the     |   ISSN 1198-4589 Published by:          |
    |    FidoNet community       |   "FidoNews"                            |
    |          _                 |        1-407-383-1372    [1:1/23]       |
    |         /  \               |                                         |
    |        /|oo \              |                                         |
    |       (_|  /_)             |                                         |
    |        _`@/_ \    _        |                                         |
    |       |     | \   \\       |   Editor:                               |
    |       | (*) |  \   ))      |        Christopher Baker  1:374/14      |
    |       |__U__| /  \//       |                                         |
    |        _//|| _\   /        |                                         |
    |       (_/(_|(____/         |                                         |
    |             (jm)           |     Newspapers should have no friends.  |
    |                            |                    -- JOSEPH PULITZER   |
    +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
    |               Submission address: FidoNews Editor 1:1/23             |
    +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |  MORE addresses:                                                     |
    |                                                                      |
    |    submissions=> [email protected]                                |
    +----------------------------------------------------------------------+
    |    For  information,   copyrights,   article   submissions,          |
    |    obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ          |
    |    please refer to the end of this file.                             |
    +----------------------------------------------------------------------+


   WHATEVER HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE ASCII ARTISTS OUT THERE?


                       Table of Contents
    1. EDITORIAL  ................................................  1
       How long should FidoNews be? and other musing  ............  1
    2. ARTICLES  .................................................  2
       Response to Mr. Rice and Mr. Frezberg  ....................  2
    3. FIDONET HISTORY  ..........................................  4
       The IFNA Primer had some good info  .......................  4
    4. REVIEWS  .................................................. 23
       Six Mail Processors Reviewed [V]  ......................... 23
    5. COORDINATORS CORNER  ...................................... 26
       Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 257  ...... 26
    6. ECHOING  .................................................. 27
       Backbone Echo Changes [Jul-Aug]  .......................... 27
    7. WE GET EMAIL  ............................................. 29
       ZCs rated by Nodelist performance  ........................ 29
    8. NET HUMOR  ................................................ 31
       Let it C?  ................................................ 31
    9. COMIX IN ASCII  ........................................... 33
       Cownt on George for ASCII Art  ............................ 33
    10. QUESTION OF THE WEEK  .................................... 35
       Pictures in FidoNews?  .................................... 35
    11. NOTICES  ................................................. 36
       Future History  ........................................... 36
    12. FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING  ................................ 38
       Latest Greatest Software Versions  ........................ 38
    And more!
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 1                   16 Sep 1996


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


    Does it really matter how long FidoNews or any of its component
    sections becomes? Is there a qualitative difference between a FidoNews
    of 50K and one of 110K? With today's high speed modems and byte
    scrunching archivers, is concern about a 150 line Masthead genuine or
    just that habit of complaint so common in many FidoNet venues? Let's
    stop picking nits for sport and start making actual contributions to
    this hobby. Break the habit. Send something positive into FidoNews. We
    still need ASCII art for the Comix section [even if it adds 10K to the
    weekly Issue]. [grin]

    Nearly three months after the change and we still have NO UPDATE to
    the Zone 3 section of our Nodelist in Zone 1. Who is sitting on their
    hands in this lack of exchange? Somebody please step up and get us an
    accurate Nodelist! Would an IC be a good idea? [sheesh]

    Don't forget that FidoNews goes into ZIP archive format beginning with
    Issue 1340 on 30 Sep 96. Get those batch file adjustments ready.

      NOTE: NODELIST.257 shows 1:1/23 and 1:1/113 [FidoNews & OpusHelp]
            with the NEW phone numbers in Edgewater_FL but they were
            changed two weeks EARLY so DON'T try to send to them now. Use
            my primary Node [1:1/374] or put the current number in as an
            override for 1:1/23 and 1:1/113. The current number is:

                          1-407-383-1372 in Titusville_FL.

            The new number [1-904-409-7040] will not be active UNTIL
            27 Sep 96!

    Thanks.

    C.B.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 2                   16 Sep 1996


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


    What do we want FidoNet to be?
    by Fredrik Bennison  --  2:205/300, [email protected]

    I'm glad to see that my articles stirred up some response, that at
    least shows that this old Snooze of ours still manages to be
    interesting enough
    to read.

    I'd like to comment on two articles in FidoNews 1337, to clarify my
    point of view and to perhaps inspire others to write their views as
    well.

    Firstly, Mr Fredric Rice (nice name by the way... 8) states that it is
    better to vote NCs that doesn't perform certain duties out of office
    rather than implementing more rules regarding their behaviour in
    Policy.  I agree, if a NC or RC or whatever doesn't perform the duties
    that can be expected of them, one should try to remove them
    democratically and replace them with another person that would perhaps
    perform more satisfactorily.  But the question of routed netmail is
    such a basic service in a mail network like this that it should be
    clearly stated in Policy that routing netmail is one of the NCs
    required duties.

    Besides, if Policy _doesn't_ require this, who is to say that an NC
    isn't performing his duties?

    Next, a reply to Mr Zorch Frezberg who asked where in P4 it says that
    message content is grounds for excommunication.  The answer to that is
    simple;, nowhere.  P4 hardly mentions EchoMail at all, except for the
    part which was quoted in FidoNews 1337 and which I won't repeat here.
    What P4 _does_ state however is

    "If a node in your network is acting in a sufficiently annoying
    manner, then you can take whatever action you deem fit, according to
    the circumstances of the case."  (Section 4.3)

    In other parts it mentions that echomail cannot be allowed to degrade
    the performance of the network and that bombing runs are considered
    annoying.  But annoying behaviour does not in itself constitute
    grounds for Excessively annoying behaviour.  It is only when such
    annoying behaviour persists that it can be deemed XAB.

    I would also like to point out that I am not primarily talking about
    message _content_, but more specifically of the impact of the messages
    in question.  If a sysop (or user) persists in sending obscene
    material in a family echo despite repeated warnings from the
    moderator, he is excessively annoying.  The same goes for a sysop who
    repeatedly spams several echoes with nonsense messages, or messages
    that is clearly off-topic.  I'm not talking first time offences, but
    offences repeated over a period of time and which persists after they
    have been pointed out to the sysop.
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 3                   16 Sep 1996


    I want no more than Mr Frezberg a Fidonet where the freedom of speech
    is impaired by a holier-than-thou *C-structure, but what I don't want
    is a Fidonet which disintegrates into a hopeless state of disarray
    much like the UseNet newsgroups are today with spammers and a
    impossibly low S/N-ratio.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 4                   16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                             FIDONET HISTORY
    =================================================================


    [IFNA was the first and only attempt to make FidoNet a legal entity-
    part of the continuing series of FidoNet histories. IFNA no longer
    exists so don't try to contact it.] Ed.

                         __
    The World's First   /  \                 New-Sysop
       BBS Network     /|oo \                Orientation
       * FidoNet *    (_|  /_)               Information
                       _`@/_ \    _
                      |     | \   \\         published by IFNA
                      | (*) |  \   ))
         ______       |__U__| /  \//         (International FidoNet
        / Fido \       _//|| _\   /           Association)
       (________)     (_/(_|(____/ (tm)
                                          Steve Bonine (115/777) editor

                                          Version 1.1
                                          2/22/88

    Copyright (c) 1987, International FidoNet Association.  All rights
    reserved.  May be freely copied and distributed for noncommercial
    purposes.

    Fido(tm) is a trademark of Tom Jennings.
    FidoNet(R) is a registered trademark of Tom Jennings.
    The ASCII dog-with-diskette is a trademark of IFNA.

    The purpose of this little treatise is to provide introductory
    information for persons who are interested in starting a computer
    bulletin board system or connecting an existing system with FidoNet.
    In this one document you will find an introduction to many different
    aspects of running a bulletin board and information on where to go for
    more information in those cases where the introduction sounds
    interesting.

    This document is distributed under the auspices of IFNA, the
    International FidoNet Association.  IFNA's chief responsibility is the
    maintenance and administration of the network which forms the backbone
    of this collection of diverse bulletin board systems.  Part of this
    job involves orientation of new members of the network.  The growth
    and health of FidoNet speaks well of the ability of the systems and
    the operators of those systems to work together, and you can't work
    together if you don't know the ground rules.

    Introduction to FidoNet
    ------------ -- -------

    The network is a loose coalition of many different bulletin board
    systems.  "FidoNet" and "Fido" are registered trademarks of Tom
    Jennings; a formal agreement allows IFNA to use these in the name of
    the organization.  The network is by no means limited to the Fido
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 5                   16 Sep 1996


    software; there are several "FidoNet compatible" systems which
    interface with the network.  By joining, you as a sysop can take
    advantage of the expertise of thousands of other users.

    A short history lesson will help in understanding FidoNet.  Tom
    Jennings was in San Francisco, and John Madill was in Baltimore, both
    working on the Fido BBS software.  In the spirit of finding out if it
    could be done, they decided to add code to the system to support a
    dialup connection with no human intervention during the wee hours when
    the sysops were sleeping and the systems were free.  This quickly
    became a useful function, since both systems and both sysops were busy
    and it was a convenient method of exchanging information.

    From this chance beginning in May 1984, growth was phenomenal.  By
    August 1984, there were 30 nodes; by September there were 50.  By
    February 1985, there were 160 systems, and a group of sysops in St.
    Louis had taken over the administration of the list of systems.  In
    June 1985 the network converted to the currently-used two-part
    addressing scheme to support the growth.  As this is written in late
    1987, the size of the network has passed 2000 nodes and change
    continues with a zone-based nodelist to facilitate communication with
    systems overseas.  But we get ahead of the story . . .

    Network Organization
    ------- ------------

    Today's network is organized into geographical divisions of zones,
    regions, networks, individual systems, and points.  A zone is a very
    large division; zone 1 is North America, zone 2 is Europe, and zone 3
    is Australia, New Zealand, etc.  Of more interest are regions,
    networks, and points.

    North America is divided into regions.  For example, the central
    region, region 11, includes Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan,
    Ohio, and Wisconsin.  Regions are assigned 2-digit numbers to
    differentiate them from networks.

    Regions are further broken down into networks.  A network usually
    covers a rather small geographic area, such as a metropolitan area.
    Chicagoland is network 115.

    Individual systems are assigned a node number within the appropriate
    network or directly within the region if no network covers that
    specific location.

    A point is a usually a one-person BBS.

    There is an analogy with telephone numbers.  Think of the zone as the
    country code, the network as the area code, the node number as the
    telephone number, and the point as an extension for the individual.
    This is written as zone:network/node.point.  For example, Chicago is
    covered by network 115, and is in zone 1.  The specific BBS which has
    been assigned node 100 in the Chicago network would be 1:115/100.  If
    there were point systems served by this BBS, they would be
    1:115/100.1, 1:115/100.2, and so on.

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 6                   16 Sep 1996


    The purposes of this organization are twofold.  First,
    decentralization means that no one person has the task of
    administering the entire network.  Since it is a volunteer and amateur
    operation and such an assignment would be a big job, it became obvious
    early in the life of FidoNet that decentralization was necessary to
    support growth of the network.

    The second reason for such a hierarchy is to improve the flow of mail.
    One system in each network takes on the responsibility of Network Co-
    ordinator, and that BBS becomes node zero in the network.  One of the
    tasks of the Network Coordinator is to forward incoming mail.  Thus,
    if I have ten messages for different systems in the Chicagoland
    network, I need to make not ten telephone calls but only one -- to
    system 115/0, which is the NC for Chicagoland.  The mailer software
    automatically routes messages for nodes in network 115 to 115/0,
    saving me money and making the network work better.

    The Nodelist and FidoNews
    --- -------- --- --------

    All of this is held together by two documents, each published weekly.
    One of these is a list of every system in the network, with
    network/node address, telephone number, and other useful information;
    this is called the NODELIST.  The other document is a newsletter,
    FidoNews.  Both the nodelist changes and FidoNews are distributed
    using the network; once your system is up and running you will have a
    source for the most current information.

     What's in it for Me?
    ------ -- -- --- --

    This is all well and good, but other than the thrill of being a part
    of all this exciting technology, what good is FidoNet to the average
    sysop?  Through the magic of echomail, your system can have thousands
    of callers a day, posting messages, asking questions, and receiving
    answers.  This use of the network has eclipsed the original sysop-to-
    sysop communication, although this is still a strong motivation,
    especially when used to exchange data and/or programs.  More about
    echomail later.

    What Must I Do?
    ---- ---- - --

    There are really only two rules to follow to be a part of the network.
    The first is that your BBS system must be "FidoNet compatible" and
    able to receive network messages during one hour each day.  The second
    is that you must not unduly annoy other members of the network, or
    yourself be unduly annoyed.  Like a large family, the members of the
    network must all learn to live together, if not in perfect harmony, at
    least working together.

    A formal policy document exists which states in more detail the
    expectations of systems as members of the network.  It should be
    available from the same source where you found this document; for
    example, as an additional file in the ARC or an additional file in the
    download area where you found this.  Look for POLICYx.ARC.
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 7                   16 Sep 1996


    How do I join FidoNet?
    --- -- - ---- -------

    If you live in an area covered by a network, you will normally join
    that net-work; if your geographic area is not covered by a network
    then you can join the region as an independent system.

    The method for becoming a part of the network is described in the
    policy document mentioned above.  It involves actually using your BBS
    to send a message to the network coordinator.  This insures that you
    have a working system, providing an important cross-check on your
    request.  (This became important early in the history of the network
    as wrong numbers crept into the nodelist.  Imagine explaining to
    someone why their telephone rang dozens of times between 3 and 4 AM,
    with no one on the other end when they answered it.)

    Many networks have a document available to prospective members which
    supplements the Policy document and contains local requirements.  The
    best course of action is to find a BBS in your area and quiz the sysop
    on local procedures.  Failing this, find a nodelist (see below) and
    send a message to the General Help node listed in Region 1.

    The Nodelist
    --- --------

    Perhaps the single most-important file on your system is the nodelist.
    From it, your system obtains the information necessary to communicate
    with other systems, be they across the street or in another country.

    The most basic format of nodelist is described by the FidoNet
    Technical Standards Committee (FTSC) and is generally called the "St.
    Louis format" nodelist.  If you find a file named NODELIST.nnn, where
    nnn is a number, that is an FTSC nodelist.  The number is the date
    associated with the nodelist; for example, NODELIST.275 was issued on
    day 275.  Nodelists are often ARC'ed; NODELIST.A75 is the ARC'ed
    version of NODELIST.275.  (No, Virginia, all ARC files don't end with
    .ARC.)  FTSC nodelists (which no longer come from St.  Louis) are
    issued each Friday.

    The FTSC nodelist contains information on every BBS in the network.
    Luckily, it is rare that you will need to transmit or receive an
    entire nodelist.  CHANGES are distributed each week in a file named
    NODEDIFF.nnn.  For example, let's say that you are running with
    NODELIST.267.  When the next nodelist is ready, you will obtain a file
    named NODEDIFF.275.  When you run the XLATLIST program (see below) it
    will automatically apply the changes in the nodediff file, and as if
    by magic you will have NODELIST.275 on your system.

    Here is an excerpt from NODELIST.275 which illustrates the FTSC
    format:

    Host,115,Chicagoland,Homewood_IL,Rick_Moore,1-312-799-4790,2400,#CM:
    ,333,Solar_Wind,Homewood_IL,Rick_Moore,1-312-799-4790,2400,#CM:
    ,500,Sit_UBU_Sit_HST,Skokie_IL,Henry_Senk,1-312-982-5092,9600,#CM:
    ,108,Samson,Arlington_Heights_IL,Larry_Miglore,1-312-394-0071,2400,
    Down,123,Chicago_DECUS,Elk_Grove_IL,Chuck_Garrett,1-312-640-5667,1200,
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 8                   16 Sep 1996


    ,640,Computer_Guild,Elk_Grove_IL,Dick_Sonka,1-312-640-7980,2400,RE:

    This is part of the definition of network 115 ("Host,115").  The
    network coordinator is listed first, and becomes node zero in the
    network.  After that, individual nodes are listed.  Notice that
    115/333 is really the same BBS as 115/0.  System 115/123 has been
    marked in the nodelist as "down", which gives other systems notice
    that it is unavailable.

    The FTSC nodelist is the only file which is consistent throughout
    FidoNet.  Virtually all systems process this file into other forms
    before it is actually used by the BBS software.  In the interest of
    attempting to clarify, the current process for MS-DOS will now be
    described.  If your system does not use this method, don't let the
    explanation confuse you -- instead consider it an example of nodelist
    processing.

    For most systems, the next flavor of nodelist is NODELIST.BBS.  This
    one is similar to the FTSC format, but some of the information is
    dropped (name of sysop, for example), and some is customized (for
    example 1-312 in the telephone number could be removed if you are in
    area-code 312).  NODELIST.BBS is created by a program named XLATLIST.
    This program and its documentation are usually found in a file named
    XLATRGEN.ARC.  (Another program in the same ARC file is ROUTEGEN.
    XLATRGEN=XLATlist+RouteGEN.  ROUTEGEN will not be discussed here; if
    you choose to use it read the documentation carefully.)  Input to
    XLATLIST is the FTSC nodelist, optionally a nodediff file containing
    changes for the week, and a control file, XLATLIST.CTL.  The control
    file specifies options like telephone-number customization and how
    much you want to charge your users to send mail to various locations.

    Here is an example of the same segment of the nodelist as it might
    appear in NODELIST.BBS:

    HOST 115 0 2400 Chicagoland 9-799-4790 Homewood_IL
    333 0 2400 Solar_Wind 9-799-4790 Homewood_IL
    500 0 9600 Sit_UBU_Sit_HST 9-982-5092 Skokie_IL
    108 0 2400 Samson 9-394-0071 Arlington_Heights_IL
    640 0 2400 Computer_Guild 9-640-7980 Elk_Grove_IL

    Notice that the sysop name is not included and the format is slightly
    different.  The telephone number has been "customized" based upon the
    XLATLIST.CTL file -- this system needs to prefix local numbers with a
    "9".  The zero after the node number is the cost of calling that
    system; these are free calls for the example system.  The system
    marked "down" in the FTSC nodelist was not included in NODELIST.BBS.

    The last flavor of nodelist is created from NODELIST.BBS by your BBS
    software, and is specific to the system (Opus, SEAdog, etc.).  This
    step is called "compiling" the nodelist. Its exact implementation
    varies with the type of BBS software, but usually there is a program
    similar to XLATLIST which takes NODELIST.BBS as its input and creates
    internal files used by the BBS while it is running.  For example, Opus
    has a program named OPUSNODE.EXE which creates NODELIST.SYS and
    NODELIST.IDX.  During actual execution, Opus uses these files to look
    up information on network addresses.
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 9                   16 Sep 1996


    Finally, a real-life example from my system, running Opus with an
    address of 1:115/777.  The current nodelist is NODELIST.268.  On
    Saturday I receive from my network coordinator a file named
    NODEDIFF.A75 which when un-ARC'ed becomes NODEDIFF.275.  Being a
    conscientious sysop who knows that maintaining a current nodelist is
    one of the requirements of FidoNet policy (and also not wanting to
    jangle someones telephone at 0400) I will update the nodelist.  I have
    a file named XLATLIST.CTL which looks like this:

    node 1:115/777
    seadog
    nocomments
    DIAL
         1-312-                             ;
        ;
    END
    cost 0 0
      1-312  0
    end

    This is a simple control file which tells XLATLIST I am node
    1:115/777, that I want a SEAdog-format NODELIST.BBS, that I don't want
    to see the comments in the nodelist, that the text "1-312" should be
    removed from telephone numbers, and that the cost for all calls is
    zero.

    After un-ARCing the NODEDIFF, I execute XLATLIST.EXE.  Its input is
    NODELIST.268, NODEDIFF.275, and XLATLIST.CTL.  Its output is a short
    summary on the screen, NODELIST.275, and NODELIST.BBS.

    Now I execute the command "OPUSNODE -f".  This creates Opus' internal-
    format nodelist files.  And that's it.  Next week, I'll receive a file
    named NODEDIFF.282 and repeat the process.  Very painless, actually.


    Which BBS System is the Best?
    ----- --- ------ -- --- ----

    You will find no answer to that question here, as each sysop has good
    reasons for choosing a particular system.  You must decide for
    yourself, based upon what you observe as a user of the system and what
    you may be able to find out from sysops of that particular type of
    system.  A quick overview of the various types of software available
    will be provided here, and even that is done with fear and trembling,
    since new versions and new products are upon us always.

    There are two distinct components required for a FidoNet BBS:  the
    part that interfaces with the NETWORK (which we'll call the MAILER)
    and the part which interfaces with the USER (which we'll call the
    BBS).  Some products contain both of these functions (Fido, Opus),
    some contain only the BBS portion (TBBS, RBBS), and some contain only
    the mailer function (SEAdog, Dutchie, BinkleyTerm).  This provides the
    flexibility to interface existing BBS products such as TBBS and RBBS
    to the network.

    Specific information on how to obtain the systems is provided at the
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 10                  16 Sep 1996


    end of this document.

    Full-Function:  BBS and Mailer
    --------------  --- --- ------

    Fido:  This is where it started.  Fido version 11 is copyrighted
    software which may be used for free if the use meets certain
    conditions (free access and non-commercial are two).  Fido version 12
    is a commercial product with a list price of $175, available to IFNA
    members for $100.  Fido version 12 has several new features, including
    the ability to receive network mail any time and locks/keys for
    message areas.  An echomail conference exists for Fido support.

    Opus:  A more recent entry in the Fido-compatible BBS field is Opus.
    This BBS is copyrighted software which is free to users who observe
    the restrictions of the license, and from the caller's perspective
    behaves much the same as Fido; this makes the conversion from Fido to
    Opus easy for the caller.  For the sysop, the conversion is also easy
    as Opus supports the user list, file areas, and messages from Fido.
    However, from the sysop perspective, Opus is significantly different
    from Fido, more flexible, and supports 24-hour mail.  Several echomail
    conferences exist devoted to Opus support.

    BBS-function (User Interface) Only
    ------------ ----- ---------- ----

    TBBS: In the opinion of many, this system is the premier BBS.  It
    costs $299.95, plus $99.95 for SEAdog to handle network mail.  (Note:
    Because of the method used to package the extension to TBBS for
    network operation, it is not possible to order SEAdog through IFNA and
    TBBS from the vendor.  The TBBS mail processors and SEAdog are bundled
    together.)  TBBS is a very flexible system from the sysop perspective
    and very easy to use for callers.  TBBS will even support a multi-line
    and online chat option if you want to get fancy.  An echomail
    conference exists for TBBS sysops.

    QBBS:  A shareware clone of TBBS, this BBS combines much of the
    flexibility of TBBS with the economy of a shareware product ($25
    registration).  It requires a mailer front end to interface with the
    network; BinkleyTerm works nicely for this purpose.  It can use
    outboard echomail processing (e.g. ConfMail) or integral echomail
    utilities.  A QBBS echomail conference exists.

    RBBS:  A recent entry in the FidoNet arena by virtue of interfacing an
    existing BBS how to a mailer.  RBBS uses a separate mailer system to
    interface with FidoNet and a program written by Bob Westcott (132/114)
    to convert netmail-style messages into the RBBS message base.  RBBS is
    public domain, available from most sysops which run it.

    PCBoard:  There is now a Door written by Peter Vernaglia (101/149)
    that lets PCBoard V11 or V12 be FidoNet compatible by using SEAdog or
    BinkleyTerm.  PCBoard is a commercial BBS that must be purchased from
    the author, Fred Clark.  The version that supports Doors costs $120.
    PCBoard's main features are that any file can be downloaded from the
    main menu, it can be networked to support multiple phone lines and is
    very easy to set up and maintain.
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 11                  16 Sep 1996


    Mail-function (Network Interface) Only
    ------------- -------- ---------- ----

    There are two options when using a separate mailer system.  The mailer
    can answer the phone and, if it detects a human caller, load the BBS.
    Or the mailer can be run only during specific time periods, such as
    during National Mail Hour, to send and receive network messages.  With
    the first option, the system is able to receive network mail at any
    time, but callers are slightly inconvenienced by waiting for the BBS
    to load.  With the second, network interface is limited to the
    specific time period.  The best choice for an individual system
    depends upon whether it is primarily human-caller oriented or
    primarily FidoNet-mail oriented.

    SEAdog:  SEAdog began its life as a commercial mail system for
    standalone use.  It became popular in FidoNet as an improved mail
    processor for Fido version 11.  SEAdog is a commercial product of
    System Enhancement Associates, costing $100; it is available to
    members of IFNA for $60.  A SEAdog echomail conference exists to
    provide support for those who obtain the product thru the IFNA offer.

    DUTCHIE:  Dutchie began its life in FidoNet as the first system
    designed specifically to operate as a point, but has since grown to a
    full FidoNet mail system similar to SEAdog, but with a more amateur
    user oriented interface and setup.  Unlike SEAdog, Dutchie is free to
    non-commercial users.

    BinkleyTerm:  This package can be used as a mailer for a BBS, as a
    terminal program, or to support a point system.  It is copyrighted
    code, distributed with source code with no charge for use in
    noncommercial applications.  The authors request recognition for their
    work, which may take the form of a simple "thank you", a post card, or
    best of all, helpful hints on special applications or new utilities.
    A BinkleyTerm echomail conference exists for support questions.

    EchoMail:  What is it?
    --------   ---- -- --

    For many sysops, echomail is the primary reason to hook up to FidoNet.
    It provides the opportunity to share information with large numbers of
    callers on other BBS's which may be in other parts of the world.  This
    is a particularly important advantage for those BBS's which do not
    have large numbers of local callers, or for those subjects in which
    the interest level on any particular BBS is low.

    The concept of echomail operation is simple.  A group of systems
    decides to form a conference on some topic.  Each of them sets aside a
    message area on the local BBS.  Then any message posted on one board
    is automatically echoed to all the other systems.  Functionally, it is
    as if all the participants were dialing into the same local BBS.

    This concept was invented in late 1985 by Jeff Rush, a sysop in
    Dallas.  Growth since then has been phenomenal, with network volume
    associated with echomail eclipsing person-to-person volume.
    Conferences exist today on hundreds of topics with more being started
    every week.  Computer/technical topics are covered (programming,
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 12                  16 Sep 1996


    general-technical, mainframe) as well as non-computer topics (debate,
    Bible, music, disABLED, humor), providing every sysop with a wide
    variety of interesting conferences, even in subject areas that have
    limited local expertise.

    The advantages of echomail are obvious, but it has a few
    disadvantages.  In most cases, the sysop pays telephone charges to
    obtain echomail; the routing discussed above is not used for echomail
    because of the volume involved.  Connecting to other systems to obtain
    the conferences can be a headache, depending upon how well the local
    network has organized echomail.  There are delays in response which
    take some getting used to, and there can be "too much of a good thing"
    with active conferences averaging in excess of 100 messages a day.
    Like anything, echomail is best taken in moderation, and the sysop
    must use good judgement.  For example, an attempt to maintain 50
    echomail conferences with a 10-meg hard drive is doomed to failure.

    Operation of EchoMail
    --------- -- --------

    Various echomail utilities are used to move the messages between the
    mail area and the message area.  The words used to describe the
    operation of these utilities are different with the different BBS
    software, but the same functions are performed in all cases.  A
    summary of processing using several popular packages is provided after
    the "generic" explanation.

    Several fields within the message are used to control this process.
    Some of these fields may be invisible, depending upon the type of
    software and parameters specified when it was installed.

    There are two basic functions required to support echomail.  Messages
    posted by local users must be sent to all the other systems
    participating in the conference; we'll call that EXPORT here.
    Messages arriving from other systems must be placed where the users
    can see them; we'll call that IMPORT here.  The import/export process
    is controlled by information within the message itself, and the
    utilities use a control file named AREAS.BBS or ECHO.CTL.

    The first line of each echomail message, when it is sent through the
    network, is AREA:something.  The "something" is what determines into
    which area the message will be placed.  A file named AREAS.BBS or
    ECHO.CTL controls the correspondence between this field and the BBS
    area; in other words, AREA:MAINFRAME might correspond to area 12 on
    your BBS and area 3 on mine.

    Near the end of each message is a SEEN-BY line.  This is the control
    field which is used to determine which system(s) have not yet seen the
    message.  Again, AREAS.BBS or ECHO.CTL lists which systems see
    messages, based upon the AREA:something.

    The last piece of control information in the message is the Origin
    line, near the end of the message, which is placed there during the
    export process.  This is primarily for us humans to know from which
    system the message originated; it is not used in routine operation of
    the echomail utilities.
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 13                  16 Sep 1996


    A few examples may make this easier to understand.  The syntax of the
    ConfMail product is used in the examples, but consider them generic to
    the echomail process, rather than specific to one product.

    Assume that the following line exists in AREAS.BBS:

    c:\msg\mframe MAINFRAME 115/123 115/234

    which defines the message area corresponding to the conference with
    AREA:MAINFRAME to be subdirectory c:\msg\mframe, and defines systems
    115/123 and 115/234 as recipients of this conference.  Also assume
    that this is system 115/777.

    Example 1:
    A user on this board (115/777) posts a new message in the area.

    The export process will find no SEEN-BY line at the end of the
    message.  It will add a SEEN-BY line to the existing message which
    reads SEEN-BY 115/123 234 777 It will also add an Origin line to the
    existing message.  Then that message will be sent to systems 115/123
    and 115/234.

    Example 2:
    A incoming netmail message has as its first line AREA:MAINFRAME, and
    it's SEEN-BY line lists 115/123 and 115/777.

    IMPORT moves the message into the MAINFRAME message subdirectory,
    c:\msg\mframe.  The first line, AREA:MAINFRAME, is removed.

    When EXPORT runs, it compares the SEEN-BY line with AREAS.BBS and
    discovers that the message has not been seen by 115/234.  A copy is
    sent to 115/234 via netmail.  (The copy sent to 115/234 will have
    AREA:MAINFRAME as its first line.)  The SEEN-BY line in the message in
    the local area is also updated to indicate that the message has been
    sent to 115/234.

    Echomail Terms
    -------- -----

    One thing that makes echomail difficult for many people is that each
    echomail processor uses different words to describe the same thing.
    The discussion above used the vocabulary of Bob Hartman's popular
    ConfMail system.  Messages are IMPORTED from the netmail area into the
    actual conference, and EXPORTED from the conference to the netmail
    area.  Other products are available to process echomail:  Jeff Rush's
    original utilities, Opus, TBBS, and MGM.

    ARCMAIL is a utility normally used in connection with echomail
    processing, although its application is not limited to echomail.
    Early in the life of echomail, it became obvious that thousands of
    messages sent as normal network mail were causing problems.  To
    address this problem, Thom Henderson at SEA provided the ARCMAIL
    utility.  ARCMAIL searches through the netmail area and finds all
    messages which are to be sent to a system and packs all these
    messages into one ARC file.  It then deletes these messages from the
    netmail area and creates one message to that system, with the ARC file
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 14                  16 Sep 1996


    attached.  This saves significant connect time for the systems
    involved, and provides the side benefit that a point-to-point routing
    will be used since the message has a file attached.  Of course,
    ARCMAIL also provides the function of expanding the ARC file into
    netmail messages at the receiving system; if you receive a funny-
    looking file attached to a null message, chances are it is an ARCmail
    file.  ConfMail has the ARCmail function integrated; in other systems
    it is a separate step.

    The original Jeff Rush echomail utilities used the terms TOSS and SCAN
    --messages were TOSSED from netmail into the conference, and the
    conferences were SCANNED, creating the outgoing messages in the
    netmail area.

    Opus uses the Jeff Rush terms -- scanning and tossing can be done
    automatically by the Opus system, or an external processor like
    ConfMail can be used.  There are restrictions on what Opus' internal
    scan/toss mechanism can handle, but these restrictions will not affect
    the casual sysop -- only the active echomail hub.

    MGM also uses the Jeff Rush terms.  Its operation is similar to the
    original echomail utilities.  Incoming messages are unARC'ed using
    ARCMAIL and tossed (from the netmail area to the actual conference
    area) using MGM TOSS.  MGM SCAN is similar to the original scan
    function, in that it moves messages from the actual conference to the
    netmail area.  However, once in the netmail area, all messages are
    addressed to your own system.  An additional step, MGMFWD, is required
    to address the outgoing messages to their actual destination.
    Finally, ARCMAIL is normally used to pack the outgoing messages.

     TBBS has an interesting situation, since it uses SEAdog to interface
    with FidoNet.  TBBS maintains all message subboards in one DOS file,
    as opposed to the Fido method of one message per DOS file which is
    used by SEAdog.  Thus, there is a utility named PREMAIL which searches
    the TBBS message file for messages which need to be sent out and
    converts them to messages in the SEAdog netmail area.  There is a
    similar utility named POSTMAIL which pulls the messages back into the
    TBBS file from SEAdog's area.  The ECHOLINK utility establishes reply
    chains within the TBBS message base and also checks for duplicate
    messages.  Finally, if there is a need to forward to additional
    systems, the ECHOFWD utility handles that chore.


    Routing of Echomail
    ------- -- --------

    It is not unusual for a moderately-sized echomail hub to handle dozens
    of conferences and thousands of messages a day.  This volume would
    quickly swamp the structure which was set up to handle person-to-
    person communication in which mail flows into a network through the
    network coordinator.  For this reason, separate structures have been
    established to expedite the movement of echomail conferences.
    Echomail coordinators have the responsibility to administer this
    activity.  In some cases, the same individual handles both the job of
    a network or region coordinator and echomail coordinator; many times
    these different jobs are performed by different individuals.
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 15                  16 Sep 1996


    There are entire systems dedicated to the movement of echomail.  These
    "echomail backbones" serve as repositories for large numbers of
    conferences and links to the next level down on the hierarchy.

    The actual topology of echomail is unimportant.  The point is simple -
    - do not route echomail through normal channels!  Send a few hundred
    echomail messages to some network coordinator and find out the real
    meaning of "annoying behavior".

    To get started in echomail, first get a working BBS.  Get into the
    network, and get settled.  Then talk with your network coordinator, or
    perhaps by then you will have found out who the echomail coordinator
    is.  Regional echomail coordinators are listed in Region 1 of the
    nodelist, with the help nodes.  You should start by receiving a small
    number of conferences from another node and you will route your
    traffic (that is, messages your users enter) back to that node. As
    your knowledge and confidence grows, you can ask for more conferences.

    Echomail Etiquette
    -------- ---------

    There are a few simple things you can do to make echomail more
    pleasant for everyone.  These are common-sense issues but they may not
    be immediately obvious when you are just getting started with
    echomail.

    Do not send person-to-person messages using echomail.  If you have a
    message for Joe Klutz, and no one else is interested in it, then use
    standard netmail.  Even if you mark the message private, every sysop
    in the conference will pay to receive it!  A message between two
    sysops across town in New York, received on a BBS in California, isn't
    likely to win any friends.

    Every conference has a subject; don't get too far off of it.  Most
    conferences have a moderator who will step in and shout if the topic
    strays too much.  Unless you have been involved in a conference and
    have a good grasp of its scope, be cautious about starting a new
    topic.

     When you reply to a message in echomail, mention enough of the
    previous message so that readers can tell what you are replying to.
    It is maddening to see someone discussing the merits of a previous
    message when you can't figure out what the previous message is about.
    Remember, reply chains in echomail are imperfect at best and some
    echomail processors don't even attempt to reconstruct reply chains.

    Also, remember the delay inherent in echomail.  If you post a
    question, don't expect a response tomorrow.  If you reply to a
    question, realize that many others may be replying at the same time, a
    flood which will pour in over the next several days.

    Flames
    ------

    The term "flame" is used within FidoNet to describe a "hot" message
    which disagrees violently with some issue.  Unfortunately, flames
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 16                  16 Sep 1996


    often are attacks on persons, not ideas.  This can be very annoying,
    using the term in its "technical" context from FidoNet policy.

    There is no excuse within FidoNet for personal attacks by one
    individual upon another individual, yet it happens all the time.  When
    you compose a message, remember that the electronic media does not
    convey facial expressions or voice tones.  This can make it very
    difficult to convey the real meaning of what you are trying to say.

    Flames are contagious.  If you see an attack on something you believe
    in, or on someone you like, it is human nature to want to answer the
    challenge.  Instead, think about whether you really should reply.  If
    you violently disagree with what you just read, a reply may not be the
    best idea. . . at least not until you have had time to calm down.  It
    is bad form (although altogether too common) to spend more time in the
    reply discussing personalities than the real issues.  Calm reasoning
    will win over more support than calling your opponent names. Remember,
    it's not the COMPUTER you are jousting with; there is a real human
    being out there, with feelings.  Sure, the modem does a great job of
    insulating you, but don't say anything in an electronic message which
    you would not say face-to-face.

    On the other hand, if someone attacks YOUR ideas, don't take it
    personally.  Humor is often the best response to a flame.  Remember,
    everyone has a right to their opinion, and the lack of verbal queues
    in echomail makes disagreement sound like attack.  It is not necessary
    to respond to each and every message which states an opinion different
    from your own.  There are times when ignoring a message is the right
    thing to do, even though it is much more difficult than replying to
    it.


    An Alternative for EchoMail Junkies
    -- ----------- --- -------- -------

    Are you the type of person who is addicted to echomail?  You call up
    your local BBS and spend hours online reading all the messages in
    twenty different conferences?  Perhaps the major reason you're even
    considering opening a BBS is to have your own local source for
    echomail, where you can sit in front of your own computer, and read
    without worrying about tying up a telephone line.

    Welcome to the world of POINTS and SERVERS.  There is an alternative
    to much of the hassle which you've just read about -- instead of
    starting a full-service BBS, become a POINT instead.  Here's the way
    it works.

     A POINT system operates as an adjunct to another system which is a
    traditional nodelisted FidoNet system, the SERVER.  The POINT system
    is much like a one-person BBS.  The point system dials the server at
    some pre-arranged time, usually in the wee hours, and downloads
    echomail.  Then the owner of the point can read it, enter replies, and
    upload this information at the next call.

    This has many advantages for all concerned.  (1) The point system
    doesn't tie up the server BBS for hours reading messages online in the
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 17                  16 Sep 1996


    traditional way.  (2) The owner of the point may save lots of money in
    telephone charges if there is a connect-time charge involved in the
    call.  (3) The point owner doesn't have to worry about busy signals,
    and can peruse the messages at any convenient time.  (4) If the point
    owner types slowly, this is even more of an advantage.  (5) The point
    system isn't listed in the nodelist, but can still participate in
    network mail.  With growth of the nodelist, this is a serious
    consideration.  (6) Compared to setting up a full-service BBS, setting
    up a point is easier.

    The disadvantage of being a point is that you must have a server.
    This is becoming less of a problem with the development of
    point/server software.  If you routinely tie up a popular system for
    hours reading mail, the sysop will likely be more than happy to
    provide you with point access, since it will make the BBS more
    available for other callers.  If you fall into the category of
    "echomail junkie", consider discussing point/server with your favorite
    sysop; it may be what you really want to do rather than open a full-
    service BBS.

    There are several alternatives available now for point/server
    software, and the capabilities of the software are growing by the day.
    DUTCHIE was the first package, and introduced the concept.  Other
    alternatives include ConfMail, MGM, and BinkleyTerm.  Obviously the
    point must use a system which is compatible with the server.

    Common "Gotcha's"
    ------ ----------

    Here's a collection of little tips that may save you from having to
    ask your fellow sysop when something looks bad. . . or keep your
    system running more smoothly.

    You'll have an interesting problem once a year with XLATLIST.  It
    "knows" that the most current changes to the nodelist are in a file
    named NODEDIFF.nnn where nnn is the largest.  What happens at the
    first of a new year?  Guess what -- it's not true, once a year, that
    the most current nodediff file has the "highest" name.  So watch for
    this; it can keep your nodelist update from working correctly in early
    January.  The solution is simple:  Rename the old nodelist (the one
    you want the nodediff applied to) to NODELIST.000, and make sure that
    there aren't any other NODELIST.nnn files present in the
    subdirectory.

    A similar problem exists with Daylight Savings Time.  FidoNet does not
    observe daylight savings time.  If your area does, then the LOCAL time
    for your National Mail Hour changes twice a year -- once in the spring
    when DST begins, and once in the fall when it ends.  When you change
    the time on your computer (using the TIME command), remember to also
    change the time for your mail events in whatever mailer program you
    are using.  If you don't change both at the same time, you'll be
    observing National Mail Hour during the wrong hour.

    Many new FidoNet sysops find out the hard way that messages which have
    files attached do not follow normal routing.  No matter which BBS
    software you are using, if a message has a file attached it will be
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 18                  16 Sep 1996


    sent direct to its destination, and no routing that you request will
    affect it.  This can come as a shock to the new sysop who thinks that
    all the outgoing messages are routed to another local system; attach a
    file to a message and your system will gladly call Australia if you
    let it.

    Sources
    -------

    To obtain help on FidoNet or a related software product, use FidoNet!
    The best source is a local sysop who has done what you want to do.

    There are echomail conferences on many of the products discussed in
    this document.  Refer to the echomail section to discover how to join
    them.

    The first part of the nodelist, "Region 1", contains help nodes for
    many software products and functions.  This is a partial list (taken
    from the current nodelist):

    1/0 International FidoNet Coordinator  1-602-235-9653  Scottsdale AZ
    1/1 FidoNews Editor                     1-216-642-1034 FidoNews Editor
    1/10  International FidoNet Association   1-314-576-2743 St Louis MO
    1/11  IFNA Finance                      1-808-533-0190 Honolulu HI
    1/12  IFNA Legal                        1-201-326-9870 Parsippany NJ
    1/16  IFNA Membership data              1-216-291-3048 Cleveland OH
    1/17  IFNA Membership information       1-216-883-0578 Cleveland OH
    1/20  FidoNet Technical Standards       1-503-297-9145 Portland OR
    1/88  FidoCon 88                        1-606-727-3811 Cincinnati OH
    1/100 General Help                      1-201-245-6614 Clifton NJ
    1/102 BinkleyTerm Help                  1-615-875-4131 Chattanooga TN
    1/113 OPUS Information                  1-916-893-9019 Chico CA
    1/114 Quick BBS  (QBBS) Help            1-516-328-7064 Floral Park NY
    1/116 Dutchie Help                     1-314-334-6359 CapeGirardeau MO
    1/117 Fido Help                         1-408-296-2329 San Jose CA
    1/200 National Echomail Coordinator     1-415-672-2504 Concord CA
    1/201 EchoList Coordinator              1-201-286-2567 Toms River NJ
    1/210 Region 10 Echomail Coordinator    1-714-544-3369 Tustin CA
    1/211 Region 11 Echomail Coordinator    1-216-883-0578 Cleveland OH
    1/213 Region 13 Echomail Coordinator   1-201-249-1898 E.  Brunswick NJ
    1/214 Region 14 Echomail Coordinator    1-612-377-3398 Minneapolis MN
    1/215 Region 15 Echomail Coordinator    1-303-973-9338 Littleton CO
    1/216 Region 16 Echomail Coordinator    1-603-888-8179 Nashua NH
    1/217 Region 17 Echomail Coordinator    1-206-848-5317 Puyallup WA
    1/218 Region 18 Echomail Coordinator    1-901-853-3116 Memphis TN
    1/219 Region 19 Echomail Coordinator    1-405-691-0863 Okla City OK
    1/300 SoftWare Coordinator              1-301-574-1984 Essex MD
    1/302 SoftWare Distribution West        1-915-857-1974 El Paso TX
    1/311 Software Distribution Region 11   1-312-982-5092 Region 11
    1/313 Software Distribution Region 13   1-412-856-1428 Region 13
    1/314 Software Distribution Region 14   1-612-377-3469 Region 14
    1/315 Software Distribution Region 15   1-303-252-9235 Region 15
    1/316 Software Distribution Region 16   1-617-433-8452 Region 16
    1/318 Software Distribution Region 18   1-305-226-3310 Region 18
    1/319 Software Distribution Region 19   1-405-848-2828 Region 19

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 19                  16 Sep 1996


    Any user of FidoNet is eligible to join the International FidoNet
    Association to assist in the administration of the network and to take
    advantage of special offers on software available to members.  An
    application blank and order form can be found at the end of each issue
    of FidoNews, and are included below:

                                          __
                     The World's First   /  \
                        BBS Network     /|oo \
                        * FidoNet *    (_|  /_)
                                        _`@/_ \    _
                                       |     | \   \\
                                       | (*) |  \   ))
                          ______       |__U__| /  \//
                         / Fido \       _//|| _\   /
                        (________)     (_/(_|(____/ (tm)

                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
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 20                  16 Sep 1996


         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.

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




                         INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
                                     ORDER FORM

                                     Publications

         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.

         Hardcopy prices as of October 1, 1986

            IFNA Fido BBS listing                       $15.00    _____
            IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs             $10.00    _____
            IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs       $10.00    _____

                                                      SUBTOTAL    _____

                          IFNA Member ONLY Special Offers

            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

         Name________________________________
         Zone:Net/Node____:____/____
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 21                  16 Sep 1996


         Company_____________________________
         Address_____________________________
         City____________________  State____________  Zip_____
         Voice Phone_________________________

         Signature___________________________

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


    For information on International FidoNet Association:
    IFNA
    PO Box 41143
    St. Louis, MO  63141   USA
    314 576-4067 (voice)

     NOTE:  If you wish to avail yourself of the IFNA sysop offer for
    SEAdog or Fido, please use the order form above; do not contact the
    vendors at the address below to take advantage of the IFNA offer.  One
    of the reasons that the IFNA offer can exist is the ability of IFNA to
    offer distribution and support services.

    For information on ConfMail:
    Bob Hartman  (132/101)
    Spark Software
    427-3 Amherst Street
    Nashua, NH  03061

    For information on commercial purchase of Fido:
    Fido Software
    164 Shipley
    San Francisco, CA  94107
    415 764-3785

    For information on Opus, please provide a self-addressed stamped
    envelope and write to:
    Opus "Snail"
    PO Box 16410
    San Francisco, CA  94116
    or
    request information from the following FidoNet nodes:  1:1/113 (Chico,
    CA), 3:3/113 (North Ryde NSW Australia), 1:133/302 (Atlanta, Ga),
    1:125/9 (San Francisco, CA), 1:150/1 (Wilmington, DE).

    The author of QBBS is Adam Hudson, 8020-A Holland Ct, Arvada CO
    80005; his FidoNet address is 104/24.  Claude Warren (104/51) wrote
    the documentation for QBBS.

    For information on System Enhancement Associates' products, including
    SEAdog: System Enhancement Associates
    21 New Street
    Wayne, NJ  07470

    For information on TBBS:
    eSoft, Inc.
    4100 S. Parker Road   #305
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 22                  16 Sep 1996


    Aurora, CO  80014
    303 699-6565  (voice)

    A nationwide listing of echomail conferences is available from Thomas
    Kenney, 107/316.  Request ELST*.ARC.

    Acknowledgments
    ----------------

    This document is a group effort.  It has to be; no one person can know
    every piece of software which is in common use in the network.  When
    you run a particular type of BBS software, you become familiar with
    that piece of software and the utilities that it uses; that doesn't
    help the potential sysop who isn't using your configuration.

    So, readers, if you have made your way through the implementation of
    something which is not covered here, and you want to share your
    experience with your fellow users, please write something and send it
    to me.  I would be happy for this document to grow so that more topics
    are covered.  To corrupt a popular phrase. . . send prose!

    Information was adapted from published documents by the following
    persons:

    Bob Hartman  -- ConfMail and the history of EchoMail
    Tom Jennings -- FidoNet history


    Thanks to the following individuals for "sending prose":

    Randy Bush       -- Dutchie and the term "public domain"
    Norm Henke       -- PCBoard
    Thom Henderson   -- SEAdog and TBBS
    Ken Kaplan       -- Specific <tm> information and IFNA background
    Brian McCullough -- A careful reading; many useful suggestions
    Vince Perriello  -- BinkleyTerm
    Dick Sonka       -- TBBS
    Bob Westcott     -- RBBS
    James Zachary    -- MGM

    Steve Bonine    115/777

     -30-

    [Please note that many of these addresses and phone numbers are NOT
    current. This is HISTORY not a Nodelist. {grin}] Ed.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 23                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                                 REVIEWS
    =================================================================


    Six Mail Processors Reviewed [V]
    Damian Walker, 2:2502/666

    Last week's article was about IMail, the 386 echomail processor by
    Andreas Klein.  In this, the penultimate article of this review
    series, I will move on to JMail by PROZ Software.  Next week's article
    will include a full feature table for all six mail processors.

    JMAIL

        JMail 2.80 is the creation of Jason Steck of 1:285/424.  It is a
    shareware product, costing $15.  The evaluation period is 30 days,
    after this period there will be delays during the program's execution
    to remind you that your registration is overdue.
        This evaluation version is dated 2/95.  Although I do not know
    what later versions are available, I have seen messages from Jason in
    the NET_DEV echo with tear lines mentioning version 2.81.  Whether
    this version has been released or not, I have no idea.

    First Impressions

        I first heard of JMail last year some time when, in a local
    conference, someone was asking about mail processors which processed
    large messages.  Without even looking at the package, this will make
    JMail a good choice for many sysops, since it is one of a very few
    programs which claims to handle messages of any size.
        The advantages of unlimited size messages are apparent after only
    a few moments thought.  For anyone reading gated Usenet newsgroups,
    the size limits imposed by most mail processors will cause missing or
    truncated messages; this is especially apparent with autoposted tables
    and informational bulletins-- just the sort of thing you _don't_ want
    to see truncated.  If the gating software allows large messages, a
    sysop using JMail will not have this problem.
        Upon unpacking the archive, the first surprise I got was that
    there is no full-screen setup program.  I should have expected that
    some programs of this type would be configured using text files, but
    my experience of mail processors before I started on this series was
    limited to only a few packages (all with setup programs).  Although I
    have nothing against text file configuration myself, it did take the
    fun out of browsing around the package's setup :-)

    On Further Examination...

        In the absence of a full screen set-up program, I settled down
    with a cup of tea and JMail's documentation.  At 48 pages it isn't too
    big; in fact it's surprisingly small considering the fact that text
    files are used to configure the program.  You'd expect software using
    this configuration method to need a lot in the way of examples and
    explanation.
        However, part of the manual's reduced size is explained by the
    sample configuration files.  Like many packages configured using text
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 24                  16 Sep 1996


    files, the sample configuration files contain extensive commenting.
    Each option keyword is provided with information and examples in the
    setup file itself.
        This is handier than having to constantly switch between the
    configuration file and the manual, as the information you need is in
    the file you are editing.  The manual is needed only to get more
    information about a particular keyword.
        For those of you who are in doubt about the merits of
    configuration using normal ASCII text files, ponder for a moment upon
    the seemingly unrelated subject of batch files, especially in such
    improved command shells as 4DOS.  Because the configuration and area
    files are plain text, they can easily be modified by batch files
    automatically.  If you're not scared of batch file editing, or even
    writing little 'quick & dirty' programs in QBASIC or C, the
    possibilities of automation quickly become apparent when you look at
    JMail's system of keywords (or that of any text-file configured
    software).
        Now that I have dwelt excessively upon JMail's method of
    configuration, let's move on and look at some other aspects of the
    package.
        JMail boasts the best support for message bases of any package
    reviewed here, although this support is implemented in an unusual way.
    JMail supports the Hudson, *.MSG, JAM, Squish and GoldBase message
    bases (it's the only program reviewed to cover GoldBase).  However,
    each of these message base types (with the exception of *.MSG)
    requires a different installation of JMail.  There are separate
    distribution archives for Hudson, JAM, Squish and GoldBase message
    bases, although each of the JMail versions also supports *.MSG and
    pass-thru areas.
        As I could only find the Hudson version locally, I was unable to
    investigate the practicalities of using multiple JMail installations
    in a setup where multiple message base types are used side by side.
    This also dictated that the only speed tests given for JMail are
    Hudson and *.MSG.
        The manual specifies that you need an existing message base to
    start using JMail, and this is indeed the case.  Usually, you will
    have created your message base using your BBS software, but in the
    case of points, mail-only nodes, and me doing this review, this is not
    the case.  Luckily, I had to hand 4 other mail processors which are
    capable of creating a Hudson message base :-)  It is a minor niggle,
    but bear it in mind if you are planning to use JMail with a BBS-less
    system.
        JMail provides an elementary AreaFix feature, which can be
    addressed using any name the sysop chooses; this allows JMail to be
    used for systems with downlinks, without the aid of an external
    AreaFix program.
        Oddly, JMail appears not to have a message base maintenance
    feature included.
        Users who count speed as a very high priority will probably not
    wish to use JMail, unless they also need unlimited size messages. The
    speed test used for JMail is the same as for the other software, that
    is, a 91-message 50k package, imported into a newly-created Hudson
    base and empty *.MSG areas.
        Strangely, JMail came up with the same timings for Hudson and
    *.MSG areas-- 34 seconds.  This may or may not be a direct consequence
    of the special algorithm required for processing unlimited length
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 25                  16 Sep 1996


    messages, since JMail does not achieve this by simply using a large
    buffer in memory (messages would be limited by available memory if
    this was the case).
        One feature which seems to be posessed by JMail alone (among the
    packages reviewed) is the twit filter.  Although not going under that
    name, the no-import feature which can be used to exclude messages from
    certain people is the closest thing I've seen to the twit filter
    feature of many point systems.

    Summary

        JMail is most suitable for systems where its principal advantage
    is a priority-- the ability to process messages of unlimited size.
    Systems which gate Usenet newsgroups are obvious candidates which
    spring to mind.
        It is seemingly oriented towards BBS's rather than mail-only
    systems.  This is suggested by the lack of two essential features
    which are often performed by BBS software rather than the mail
    processor-- the initial creation of a message base, and message base
    maintenance tools such as purge and pack.
        When comparing JMail to the other software on test, bear in mind
    that it costs only $15 to register.  If JMail contains all the
    features that you want, this more than offsets its simplicity compared
    to some other mail processors.
        Next week brings the final article in this review series.  I will
    be looking at Squish, a package for those using the Squish message
    base (surprisingly enough).  That final article will also contain a
    feature table to help you decide which package best suits your needs.
    Squish does, however, have its own message base maintenance utility.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 26                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                           COORDINATORS CORNER
    =================================================================


    Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 257
    By Ward Dossche, 2:292/854
       ZC/2

     +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
     |Zone|Nl-229|Nodelist-236|Nodelist-243|Nodelist-250|Nodelist-257|%%|
     +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
     |  1 | 12530|12435   -95 |12313  -122 |12131  -182 |11962  -169 |40|
     |  2 | 16408|16391   -17 |16366   -25 |16311   -55 |15412  -899 |51|
     |  3 |  1023|  969   -54 |  966    -3 |  958    -8 |  958     0 | 3|
     |  4 |   637|  638     1 |  634    -4 |  630    -4 |  630     0 | 2|
     |  5 |    99|   99     0 |   99     0 |  100     1 |  100     0 | 0|
     |  6 |  1020| 1020     0 | 1020     0 | 1020     0 | 1020     0 | 3|
     +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+
          | 31717|31552  -165 |31398  -154 |31150  -248 |30082 -1068 |
          +------+------------+------------+------------+------------+

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 27                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                                 ECHOING
    =================================================================


    Backbone Echo Changes [Jul-Aug]
    by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/16
    [email protected]

    Summary of backbone & quasi-backbone echo changes during Jul & Aug.

    Brought to you courtesy of (unix) diff.

    diff (backbone.na + backbone.no) 30-Jun-96 08-Sep-96 [edited].

    Echotag changes
    ---------------
    < XPRESS_SUPPORT      Silver Xpress OPX/QWK Reader Support [old tag]
    > PLATINUM_XPRESS     Silver Xpress OPX/QWK Reader Support [new tag]

    < XPRESS_SYSOP        Silver Xpress OPX/QWK Mail Door SysOp [old tag]
    > SILVER_XPRESS       Silver Xpress OPX/QWK Mail Door SysOp [new tag]

    Note: I suspect the descriptions of the new echos did not get updated
    in backbone.na. ELIST609 shows them thusly:

    PLATINUM_XPRESS
         Platinum Xpress Frontend Mail Server for WC! Conference.

    SILVER_XPRESS
         Silver Xpress OPX/QWK Offline Mail System Conference.

    Echotag deleted; echo merged with AMIGASALE
    -------------------------------------------
    < AMIGA_SALE          (not in EchoList since  6/1/96)

    Added to the backbone
    ---------------------
    > AOP                 Association of Online Professionals
    > BBSDOOR_DISCUSSION  The BBS Doorgame and Utility Discussion Echo
    > BUSINESS            For Business Discussions
    > CAR_AUDIO           Car Stereo Discussion
    > CRIME_QUEST         Crime Quest doorgame discussion area
    > CYBER_AUCTION       The CyberSpace Auction Echo
    > DESCENT             Descent Players Echo
    > DIRTY_DOZEN         Warnings on Trojans, Viruses, Bombs etc
    > FIDONEWS            FidoNews Discussion Echo
    > HOT_SITES           Hot Sites on the Internet
    > MOVIETV             Movies, Television, and Video Rentals
    > NETSCAPE            The Netscape Discussion and Support Echo
    > OS2FORSALE          For buyers and sellers of OS2 compatible
                          products
    > OSDEBATE            Operating System Debate
    > QUAKE               Discussion of id Software's Quake
    > RAPTORBBS           Raptor BBS Software Support Echo
    > SHOTGUN             (low traffic since  8/1/96)
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 28                  16 Sep 1996


    > SHOTGUN             Shotgun Professional SVGA BBS Support
    > SINGLE_DADS         (low traffic since  8/1/96)
    > SINGLE_DADS         Information relating to Single Fathers
    > STARTREK_RUMORS     Startrek Rumors
    > TEEN_SYSOP          National Conference for TeenAge Sysops
    > TENNIS              Tennis Conference
    > WIN_VS_OS2          Windows VS OS/2 Discussion

    Note: DIRTY_DOZEN is a returning echo. Echos with two entries
          (SHOTGUN and SINGLE_DADS) are listed both in backbone.na
          and backbone.no, which is probably a mistake.

    Removed from the backbone or quasi-backbone
    -------------------------------------------
    < CB_RADIO_C4SALE     CB Radio Commercial For-Sale
    < CREDIT              (low traffic since  6/1/96)
    < CW_BATTLES          (not in EchoList since  5/1/96)
    < DB_NOVICE           (low traffic since  5/1/96)
    < DW_GAMER            (low traffic since  5/1/96)
    < GRAPEVINE           GrapeVine BBS Support
    < GUNS                (not in EchoList since  6/1/96)
    < IEEE                (not in EchoList since  6/1/96)
    < INTEL_MODEMS        Intel Modems
    < LAW_&_FREEDOM       Discussions on Law & Freedom
    < MCMOO_SUPPORT       (low traffic since  5/1/96)
    < MIDRANGE            (not in EchoList since  6/1/96)
    < MOD1000             Tandy 1000 Personal Computers Users Conference
    < NETXPRES            (not in EchoList since  4/1/96)
    < NEURAL_NET          (low traffic since  6/1/96)
    < NEWTON              (low traffic since  5/1/96)
    < NEW_WORLD_ORDER     (not in EchoList since  6/1/96)
    < OCI.TECH            OCI Technical Support
    < OJ_SIMPSON          (not in EchoList since  5/1/96)
    < OPTOMETRY           Optometry
    < PARALEGAL           (low traffic since  6/1/96)
    < PETADOPT            (low traffic since  6/1/96)
    < RELOAD              (not in EchoList since  6/1/96)
    < RYBBSOP             RYBBS Support Echo
    < SAR                 Search and Rescue Discussion Conference
    < SOFTNET             McSoft - Motor City Software Support Echo.
    < TBB4SALE            The Bread Board Distribution System
    < THI_CVA             Brain Injuries
    < TOTT_SOS            Survivors of Suicide Loss
    < ULTRASUP            UltraBBS Support Conference
    --------------------------------------------------------------
    o There are 792 echos in backbone.na [08-Sep-96] (down 42)
    o There are 71 echos in backbone.no [08-Sep-96] (up 35)
    o for a total of 863 backbone & quasi-backbone echos (down 7)
      [actually 861 echos, see Note above]

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 29                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                              WE GET EMAIL
    =================================================================


    --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:374/14 ---
        By Christopher Baker on Thu Sep 12 10:33:15 1996

    From: John Souvestre @ 1:396/1
    To: Christopher Baker @ 1:374/14
    Date: 12 Sep 96  02:57:52
    Subj: NodeList

    Hello Chris.

    Feel free to post the following message in FidoNews.

    John

    ===

     * Original to FN_SYSOP echo at 1:396/1 in "FN_SysOp"
     * Forwarded Thu Sep 12 1996  03:00:26 by John Souvestre at 1:396/1

    cc: Bob Satti 1:153/6
        Ward Dossche 2:292/854
        David Nugent 3:632/348
        Ariel Nardelli 4:4/0
        Henk Wolsink 5:7104/2
        Kazuyoshi Shinada 6:730/9
        ZONEGATE echo
        FN_SYSOP echo

    Hello all.

    This is a follow up to my message of July 6, 1996.  Here is a summary
    of the files in the ZSEGS area from 7/10/96 to 9/11/96 (9 weeks):

        Zone 1:  9 diff's
        Zone 2:  1 segment, 8 diff's
        Zone 3:    (none)
        Zone 4:  10 segments
        Zone 5:  3 segments
        Zone 6:  2 segments

    Based on the above, this is how I rate the ZC's in the performance of
    their single most important duty:

        Zone 1:  C    Diff's are useless if even one is missed.
        Zone 2:  C+   Diff's are useless if even one is missed.
        Zone 3:  F    What can I say?  Will Zone 3 die like the FTSC did?
        Zone 4:  A+   Hurray!
        Zone 5:  B-   One segment a month isn't timely enough.
        Zone 6:  B-   One segment a month isn't timely enough.

    Regards,
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 30                  16 Sep 1996


    John

     -30-

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 31                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                                NET HUMOR
    =================================================================


    From: "Mike Riddle" <[email protected]>
    To: "Baker, Christopher" <[email protected] (Christopher Baker)>
    Date: Sun, 08 Sep 96 12:52:54 -0500
    Reply-To: "Mike Riddle" <[email protected]>
    Subject: Fwd: sing along now...

    ==================BEGIN FORWARDED MESSAGE==================
    >From: Gracely_James/[email protected]

    Write in C (to the tune of the Beatles' "Let it Be")

    When I find my code in tons of trouble,
    Friends and colleagues come to me,
    Speaking words of wisdom:
    "Write in C."

    As the deadline fast approaches,
    And bugs are all that I can see,
    Somewhere, someone whispers:
    "Write in C."

    Write in C, Write in C,
    Write in C, oh, Write in C.
    LOGO's dead and buried,
    Write in C.

    I used to write a lot of FORTRAN,
    For science it worked flawlessly.
    Try using it for graphics!
    Write in C.

    If you've just spent nearly 30 hours
    Debugging some assembly,
    Soon you will be glad to
    Write in C.

    Write in C, Write in C,
    Write in C, yeah, Write in C.
    Only wimps use BASIC.
    Write in C.

    Write in C, Write in C
    Write in C, oh, Write in C.
    Pascal won't quite cut it.
    Write in C.

    Write in C, Write in C,
    Write in C, yeah, Write in C.
    Don't even mention COBOL.
    Write in C.

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 32                  16 Sep 1996


    ===================END FORWARDED MESSAGE===================

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 33                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                             COMIX IN ASCII
    =================================================================


    --- Following message extracted from Z1_POLITICAL @ 1:374/14 ---
        By Christopher Baker on Thu Aug 31 02:22:20 1995

    From: George Vandervort
    To: James Ray
    Date: 30 Aug 95  14:57:03
    Subj: Maturity 'vs' Livestock?
    =====================================================================
    Monday August 28 1995 16:04, James Ray wrote to Elaine Loveless:

    JR> Whew!   I promise to leave the livestock along.   :-)

    Hello James!
    U_FLAG This!!!   <grin>

    === Cut ===

    HERE ya go..."Cows of the Fido echos":

          (__)                                     (__)
        /   oo      ______                       /   @@      ______
       |  /\_|     |      \                     |  /\_|     |      \
       |  |___     |       |                    |  |___     |       |
       |   ---@    |_______|                    |   ---@    |_______|
    *  |  |   ----   |    |                     |  |   ----   |    |
     \ |  |_____                                |  |_____
      \|________|                         *____/|________|

        CompuCow                          CompuCow After an All-niter

             (__)                                   (__)
           /   --      ______                     /  .\/.     ______
          |  /\_|     |      \                   |  /\_|     |      \
          |  |___     |       |                  |  |___     |       |
          |   ---@    |_______|                  |   ---@    |_______|
          |  |   ----   |    |                *  |  |   ----   |    |
          |  |_____                            \ |  |_____
    *____/|________|                            \|________|

    CompuCow Asleep at the Keyboard  CompuCow Discovers U_FLAG in Nodelist


               (__)    *        (__)    *        (__)          (   )
               (oo)     \       (oo)     \       (OO)       (         )
        /-------\/     ..\-------\/       \-------\/      (   (         )
       / |     ||     .   |     ||         /     \\        (      )    )
      *  ||W---||     .   ||----||        //------\\          (     )
         ^^    ^^         ^^    ^^       ^^        ^^
      Cow about to       Cow giving     Cow who's just     Cloud of dust
      give milk          U.H.T. milk    seen a McDonalds   where same cow
                                                           was before
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 34                  16 Sep 1996


               (__)             (__)  s                     *     )__(
               (oo)             (@@) s                     /      (oo)
        /-------\/       /-------\===          (__)        \--___--\/
       / |     ||       / |     ||      /------(xx)         |      |
      *  ||----||      *  ||----||     * \     /\/          /\----/ \
      WWWWWWWWWWWWW       ^^    ^^     ===----====         ^  ^   ^ ^
      Cow standing in  Cow SMOKING      Dead cow             Mad Cow
      long grass          grass

               (__)             (__)             (___)   *        (___)
               (00)             (oo)             (@ @)    \       (* *)
        /-------\/       /-------\/       /-------\ /      \-------\ /
       / |     ||       / |     ||       / |      |O        |      |O
      *  ||----||      *  ||O---||      *  ||O---||         ||@>--||
         ^^    ^^        [__].  ^^        [__].  ^^         ^^    ^^
      Norwegian cow     Calf having      Calf making      Same bull after
                        drink            mistake          calf went away

                  \ (__)                       (__)
                  \\(oo)                       (\/)
             /-----\\\/                 /-------\/
            / |    (##)                / |     ||
           *  ||----||"               *  ||----||
              ^^    ^^                   ~~    ~~
        This cow plays bagpipes.      Cow from Beijing

             (__)                     (__)                     (__)
             (\/)                     ($$)                     (**)
      /-------\/               /-------\/               /-------\/
     / | 666 ||               / |=====||               / |     ||
    *  ||----||              *  ||----||              *  ||----||
       ^^    ^^                 ^^    ^^                 ^^    ^^
    Satanic cow           This cow is a Yuppie         Cow in love

             (__)                                              (__)
             (oo)                                              (oo)
      /-'''''-\/                            /-------------------\/
     / |'''''||                            / |                 ||
    *  ||''''||                           *  ||----------------||
       ^^    ^^                              ^^                ^^
     Cow in Argyle                                Stretch Cow

    Cows to ya!

    === Cut ===

    Regards,
    George Vandervort - NEC Net382
    InterNet: [email protected] (No FTP)

     Origin: Lounge Lizard's Retreat <tm> (1:382/8)

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 35                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                          QUESTION OF THE WEEK
    =================================================================


    Many years ago, a previous Editor toyed with the idea of adding
    pictures to weekly Issues of FidoNews. The pictures weren't embedded
    in the Issue directly. They were noted in the text and added as
    separate files within the FidoNews archive for that week.

    The Question of the Week is:

    Would you like to see picture files in the FidoNews? If so, what
    format is most universally accessible across platforms? Should there
    be a size limit on picture files?

    As always, send in your answers as Netmail, email, Echomail in the
    FIDONEWS Echo [Z1 Backbone and others], or as an .ART file for
    publication. See Masthead for mail details.

    Thanks.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 36                  16 Sep 1996


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

                               Future History

    12 Oct 1996
       General Elections, New Zealand.

    29 Oct 1996
       Republic Day, Turkey.

     5 Nov 1996
       Election day, U.S.A.

     5 Nov 1996
       Guy Fawkes Day, England.

     1 Dec 1996
       Twelfth Anniversary of FidoNews Volume 1, Issue 1.

    12 Dec 1996
       Constitution Day, Russia

    26 Jan 1997
       Australia Day, Australia.

     6 Feb 1997
       Waitangi Day, New Zealand.

    16 Feb 1997
       Eleventh Anniversary of invention of Echomail by Jeff Rush.

    29 Feb 1997
       Nothing will happen on this day.

    11 Jun 1997
       Independence Day, Russia

    26 Jul 1997
       FidoNews Editor turns 48.

     6 Dec 1997
       Gallileo takes close-ups of Europa to resolution
       of 11 meters at the north pole.

     1 Dec 1998
       Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by
       Tom Jennings.

    31 Dec 1999
       Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed.

    15 Sep 2000
       Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens.

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 37                  16 Sep 1996


    -- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this
       Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 38                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                        FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING
    =================================================================


    Latest Greatest Software Versions
    by Peter E. Popovich, 1:363/264

    I'm glad to say, I'm moderately up-to-date. My inbound is pretty much
    caught up. I gained a new skill in the process: I can now type "My
    apologies for the delay. It's been a mahdouse over here." from muscle
    memory... ;-)

    In an effort to avoid confusion at this point, I'll point out that I
    crash mail to Zone 1 and tothe Zonegates. I do not crash overseas. If
    you're outside Zone 1 and you've sent in info that isn't listed
    below, chances are there's mail on the way to you asking for a
    clarification.

    Phased out this week: DMG 2.93.

    Phase-out highlights:
      This week: Genesis Deluxe 3.2 Deadline for info: 26 Sep 1996.
      Last week: DreamBBS 1.05 Deadline for info: 19 Sep 1996.

    -=- Snip -=-

    Submission form for the Latest Greatest Software Versions column

    OS Platform                             :
    Software package name                   :
    Version                                 :
    Function(s) - BBS, Mailer, Tosser, etc. :
    Freeware / Shareware / Commercial?      :
    Author / Support staff contact name     :
    Author / Support staff contact node     :
    Magic name (at the above-listed node)   :

    Please include a sentence describing what the package does.

    Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264

    -=- Snip -=-

    MS-DOS:
    Program Name   Version    F S Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    FidoBBS (tm)   12u        B S Ray Brown         1:1/117     FILES
    FrontDoor      2.12       M S Joaquim Homrighausen
                                                    2:201/330   FD
    FrontDoor      2.20c      M C Joaquim Homrighausen
                                                    2:201/330   FDINFO
    GIGO           07-14-96   G S Jason Fesler      1:1/141     INFO
    Imail          1.75       T S Michael McCabe    1:297/11    IMAIL
    InfoMail       1.11       O F Damian Walker     2:2502/666  INFOMAIL
    InterEcho      1.19       T C Peter Stewart     1:369/35    IEDEMO
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 39                  16 Sep 1996


    InterMail      2.29k      M C Peter Stewart     1:369/35    IMDEMO
    InterPCB       1.52       O S Peter Stewart     1:369/35    INTERPCB
    IPNet          1.11       O S Michele Stewart   1:369/21    IPNET
    Maximus        3.01       B P Gary Gilmore      1:1/119     MAX
    McMail         g5         M S Michael McCabe    1:1/148     MCMAIL
    Opus CBCS      1.73a      B P Christopher Baker 1:374/14    OPUS
    PlatinumXpress 1.1        M C Gary Petersen     1:290/111   PX11TD.ZIP
    Silver Xpress
      Door         5.4        O S Gary Petersen     1:290/111   FILES
      Reader       4.3        O S Gary Petersen     1:290/111   SXR43.ZIP
    SquishMail     1.11       T P Gary Gilmore      1:1/119     SQUISH
    TriBBS         10.0       B S Patrick Driscoll  1:372/19    TRIBBS
    TriDog         10.0       M S Patrick Driscoll  1:372/19    TRIDOG
    TriToss        10.0       T S Patrick Driscoll  1:372/19    TRITOSS
    WWIV           4.24a      B S Craig Dooley      1:376/126   WWIV

    OS/2:
    Program Name   Version    F S Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    GIGO           07-14-96   G S Jason Fesler      1:1/141     INFO
    Maximus        3.01       B P Gary Gilmore      1:1/119     MAXP
    SquishMail     1.11       T P Gary Gilmore      1:1/119     SQUISHP

    Windows (32-bit apps):
    Program Name   Version    F S Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Maximus        3.01       B P Gary Gilmore      1:1/119     MAXN
    PlatinumXpress 2.00       M C Gary Petersen     1:290/111   PXW-INFO

    Unix:
    Program Name   Version    F S Contact Name      Node        Magic Name
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    ifmail         2.8f       M G Eugene Crosser    2:293/2219  IFMAIL
    ifmail-tx      2.8f-tx7.7 M G Pablo Saratxaga   2:293/2219  IFMAILTX


    F: B-BBS, M-Mailer, N-Nodelist, G-Gateway, T-Tosser, C-Compression,
       O-Other. Note: Multifunction will be listed by the first match.
    S: P-Free for personal use, F-Freeware, S-Shareware, C-Commercial,
       X-Crippleware, G-Source


    Old info from: 01/27/92
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------

                            MS-DOS Systems
                            --------------

    BBS Software            NodeList Utilities      Compression
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Utilities
    --------------------    --------------------    Name         Version
    DreamBBS        1.05    EditNL          4.00    --------------------
    Genesis Deluxe   3.2    FDND            1.10    ARC             7.12
    GSBBS           3.02    MakeNL          2.31    ARJ             2.20
    Kitten          1.01    Parselst        1.33    LHA             2.13
    Lynx            1.30    Prune           1.40    PAK             2.51
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 40                  16 Sep 1996


    Merlin         1.39n    SysNL           3.14    PKPak           3.61
    Oracomm       5.M.6P@   XlatList        2.90    PKZip           1.10
    Oracomm Plus     6.E@   XlaxNode/Diff   2.53
    PCBoard        14.5a
    Phoenix         1.07*
    ProBoard        1.20*   Other Utilities(A-M)    Other Utilities(N-Z)
    QuickBBS        2.75    Name         Version    Name         Version
    RBBS           17.3b    --------------------    --------------------
    RemoteAccess    1.11*   2DAPoint        1.50*   Netsex         2.00b
    SimplexBBS      1.05    4Dog/4DMatrix   1.18    OFFLINE         1.35
    SLBBS          2.15C*   ARCAsim         2.31    Oliver          1.0a
    Socrates        1.11    ARCmail         3.00*   OSIRIS CBIS     3.02
    SuperBBS        1.12*   Areafix         1.20    PKInsert        7.10
    SuperComm       0.99    ConfMail        4.00    PolyXarc        2.1a
    TAG             2.5g    Crossnet         1.5    QM             1.00a
    TBBS             2.1    DOMAIN          1.42    QSort           4.04
    TComm/TCommNet   3.4    DEMM            1.06    RAD Plus        2.11
    Telegard         2.7*   DGMM            1.06    Raid            1.00
    TPBoard          6.1    DOMAIN          1.42    RBBSMail        18.0
    WildCat!        3.02*   EEngine         0.32    ScanToss        1.28
    XBBS            1.77    EMM             2.11*   ScMail          1.00
                            EZPoint          2.1    ScEdit          1.12
                            FGroup          1.00    Sirius          1.0x
    Network Mailers         FidoPCB         1.0s@   SLMail         2.15C
    Name         Version    FNPGate         2.70    StarLink        1.01
    --------------------    GateWorks      3.06e    TagMail         2.41
    BinkleyTerm     2.50    GMail           2.05    TCOMMail         2.2
    D'Bridge        1.30    GMD             3.10    Telemail         1.5*
    Dreamer         1.06    GMM             1.21    TGroup          1.13
    Dutchie        2.90c    GoldEd         2.31p    TIRES           3.11
    Milqtoast       1.00    GROUP           2.23    TMail           1.21
    PreNM           1.48    GUS             1.40    TosScan         1.00
    SEAdog          4.60    Harvey's Robot  4.10    UFGATE          1.03
    SEAmail         1.01    HeadEdit        1.18    VPurge         4.09e
    TIMS       1.0(mod8)    HLIST           1.09    WEdit            2.0@
                            ISIS            5.12@   WildMail        2.00
                            Lola           1.01d    WMail            2.2
                            Mosaic         1.00b    WNode            2.1
                            MailBase       4.11a@   XRS             4.99
                            MSG              4.5*   XST             2.3e
                            MSGED           2.06    YUPPIE!         2.00
                            MsgLnk          1.0c    ZmailH          1.25
                            MsgMstr        2.03a    ZSX             2.40
                            MsgNum         4.16d
                            MSGTOSS          1.3


                            OS/2 Systems
                            ------------

    BBS Software            Other Utilities(A-M     Other Utilities(N-Z)
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    Kitten          1.01    ARC             7.12    oMMM            1.52
    SimplexBBS   1.04.02+   ARC2            6.01    Omail            3.1
                            ConfMail        4.00    Parselst        1.33
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 41                  16 Sep 1996


                            EchoStat         6.0    PKZip           1.02
    Network Mailers         EZPoint          2.1    PMSnoop         1.30
    Name         Version    FGroup          1.00    PolyXOS2        2.1a
    --------------------    GROUP           2.23    QSort            2.1
    BinkleyTerm     2.50    LH2             2.11    Raid             1.0
    BinkleyTerm(S)  2.50    MSG              4.2    Remapper         1.2
    BinkleyTerm/2-MT        MsgEd          2.06c    SquishMail      1.00
                 1.40.02    MsgLink         1.0c    Tick             2.0
    SEAmail         1.01    MsgNum         4.16d    VPurge         4.09e


                            Xenix/Unix 386
                            --------------

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
                                                    ARC             5.21
                                                    C-LHARC         1.00
                                                    MsgEd           2.06
     |Contact:  Willy Paine 1:343/15,|              MSGLINK         1.01
     |or Eddy van Loo 2:285/406      |              oMMM            1.42
                                                    Omail           1.00
                                                    ParseLst        1.32
                                                    Unzip           3.10
                                                    VPurge          4.08
                                                    Zoo             2.01


                            QNX
                            ---

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    QTach2          1.09    QMM            0.50s    Kermit          2.03
                                                    QCP             1.02
    NodeList Utilities      Archive Utilities       QSave            3.6
    Name         Version    Name         Version    QTTSysop      1.07.1
    --------------------    --------------------    SeaLink         1.05
    QNode           2.09    Arc             6.02    XModem          1.00
                            LH            1.00.2    YModem          1.01
                            Unzip           2.01    ZModem         0.02f
                            Zoo             2.01


                            Apple II
                            --------

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    DDBBS +          8.0*   Fruity Dog       2.0    deARC2e          2.1
    GBBS Pro         2.1                            ProSel          8.70*
                                                    ShrinkIt        3.30*
     |Contact: Dennis McClain-Furmanski 1:275/42|   ShrinkIt GS     1.04
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 42                  16 Sep 1996


                            Apple CP/M
                            ----------

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    Daisy             2j    Daisy Mailer    0.38    Filer            2-D
                                                    MsgUtil          2.5
                                                    Nodecomp        0.37
                                                    PackUser           4
                                                    UNARC.Com       1.20


                            Macintosh
                            ---------

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Software
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    FBBS            0.91    Copernicus       1.0    ArcMac           1.3
    Hermes         1.6.1    Tabby            2.2    AreaFix          1.6
    Mansion         7.15                            Compact Pro     1.30
    Precision Sys. 0.95b                            EventMeister     1.0
    Red Ryder Host   2.1                            Export          3.21
    Telefinder Host                                 Import           3.2
                 2.12T10                            LHARC           0.41
                                                    MacArd          0.04
                                                    Mantissa        3.21
    Point System                                    Mehitable        2.0
    Software                                        OriginatorII     2.0
    Name         Version                            PreStamp         3.2
    --------------------                            StuffIt Classic  1.6
    Copernicus      1.00                            SunDial          3.2
    CounterPoint    1.09                            TExport         1.92
    MacWoof          1.1                            TimeStamp        1.6
                                                    TImport         1.92
                                                    Tset             1.3
                                                    TSort            1.0
                                                    UNZIP          1.02c
                                                    Zenith           1.5
                                                    Zip Extract     0.10


                            Amiga
                            -----

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Software
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    4D-BBS          1.65    BinkleyTerm     1.00    Areafix         1.48
    DLG Pro.       0.96b    TrapDoor        1.80    AReceipt         1.5
    Falcon CBCS     1.00    WelMat          0.44    ChameleonEdit   0.11
    Starnet         1.0q@                           ConfMail        1.12
    TransAmiga      1.07                            ElectricHerald  1.66
    XenoLink         1.0    Compression             FFRS             1.0@
                            Utilities               FileMgr         2.08
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 43                  16 Sep 1996


                            Name         Version    Fozzle           1.0@
    NodeList Utilities      --------------------    Login           0.18
    Name         Version    AmigArc         0.23    MessageFilter   1.52
    --------------------    booz            1.01    Message View    1.12
    ParseLst        1.66    LHARC           1.30    oMMM            1.50
    Skyparse        2.30    LhA             1.10    PolyXAmy        2.02
    TrapList        1.40    LZ              1.92    RMB             1.30
                            PkAX            1.00    Roof           46.15
                            UnZip            4.1    RoboWriter      1.02
                            Zippy (Unzip)   1.25    Rsh            4.07a
                            Zoo             2.01    Tick            0.75
                                                    TrapToss        1.20
    |Contact: Maximilian Hantsch 2:310/6|           Yuck!           2.02

                            Atari ST/TT
                            -----------

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    FIDOdoor/ST    2.5.1    BinkleyTerm   2.40n9    ApplyList       1.00@
    FiFo            2.1v    The Box         1.95*   Burep            1.1
    LED ST          1.00                            ComScan         1.04
    MSGED           1.99                            ConfMail        4.10
    QuickBBS/ST     1.06*   NodeList  Utilities     Echoscan        1.10
                            Name         Version    FDrenum        2.5.2
                            --------------------    FastPack        1.20
    Compression             ParseList       1.30    Import          1.14
    Utilities               EchoFix         1.20    oMMM            1.40
    Name         Version    sTICK/Hatch     5.50    Pack            1.00
    --------------------                            Trenum          0.10
    ARC             6.02
    LHARC          2.01i
    PackConvert
    STZip            1.1*
    UnJARST         2.00
    WhatArc         2.02


                            Archimedes
                            ----------

    BBS Software            Network Mailers         Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    ARCbbs          1.61    BinkleyTerm             ARC             1.20
    Odyssey         0.37              2.06f-wimp    !AskFor         1.01
    RiscBBS      0.9.85m                            BatchPacker     1.00
                                                    DeLZ            0.01
                                                    MailED          0.95
                                                    NetFile         1.00
                                                    ParseLst        1.30
                                                    Raul            1.01
                                                    !Spark          2.16
                                                    !SparkMail      2.08
                                                    !SparkPlug      2.14
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 44                  16 Sep 1996


                                                    UnArj           2.21
                                                    UnZip           3.00
                                                    Zip             1.00


                            Tandy Color Computer 3 (OS-9 Level II)
                            --------------------------------------

    BBS Software            Compression Utility     Other Utilities
    Name         Version    Name         Version    Name         Version
    --------------------    --------------------    --------------------
    RiBBS           2.02+   Ar               1.3    Ascan            1.2
                            DeArc           5.12    AutoFRL          2.0
                            OS9Arc           1.0    Bundle           2.2
                            UnZip           3.10    CKARC            1.1
                            UnLZH            3.0    EchoCheck       1.01
                                                    FReq            2.5a
                                                    LookNode        2.00
                                                    ParseLST
                                                    PReq             2.2
                                                    RList           1.03
                                                    RTick           2.00
                                                    UnBundle         1.4
                                                    UnSeen           1.1

    --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --
    Key to old info:
          + - Netmail Capable (Doesn't Require Additional Mailer Software)
          * - Recently Updated Version
          @ - New Addition
    --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --

    Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 45                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
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    =================================================================


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     it won't process under PGP as a valid public-key]


    -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
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    File-request FNEWSKEY from 1:1/23 [1:374/14] or download it from the
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    This section will contain only this disclaimer and instructions until
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    Sorry for any inconvenience.

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

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 46                  16 Sep 1996


    =================================================================
                          FIDONEWS INFORMATION
    =================================================================

    ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ----------------

    Editor: Christopher Baker

    Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
                      Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar,
                      Tom Jennings, Sylvia Maxwell,
                      Donald Tees

    "FidoNews Editor"
        FidoNet  1:1/23
        BBS  1-407-383-1372,  300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(ds)

     more addresses:
        Christopher Baker -- 1:374/14, [email protected]
                                       [email protected]

    (Postal Service mailing address)
        FidoNews Editor
        P.O. Box 471
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        U.S.A.


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

    FidoNews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET
    INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ELECTRONIC MAIL system.  It is a compilation
    of individual articles contributed by their authors or their
    authorized agents.  The contribution of articles to this compilation
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    Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
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    the Editor.

                           =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

    OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic
    form may be obtained from the FidoNews Editor via manual download or
    file-request, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet.
    PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above postal
    address.  File-request FIDONEWS for the current Issue.  File-request
    FNEWS for the current month in one archive.  Or file-request specific
    back Issue filenames in distribution format [FNEWSDnn.LZH] for a
     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 47                  16 Sep 1996


    particular Issue.  Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP
    where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the
    current year [6], i.e., FNWSMAY6.ZIP for all the Issues from May 96.

    Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number
    1 - 12 for 1984 - 1995, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in
    size from 48K to 1.2M.


    INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via:

                         http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm
                         ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/


    You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at:

                         http://www.geocities.com/athens/6894


    STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request:

    Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from ftp.sstar.com
    in the FIDONET\FNEWS directory:

      FNEWSTOC.ZIP  FidoNews, Table of Contents, all issues (1984 - 1995)
      FNEWS1.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 1, all issues (1984)
      FNEWS2.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 2, all issues (1985)
      FNEWS3.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 3, all issues (1986)
      FNEWS4.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 4, all issues (1987)
      FNEWS5.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 5, all issues (1988)
      FNEWS6.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 6, all issues (1989)
      FNEWS7.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 7, all issues (1990)
      FNEWS8.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 8, all issues (1991)
      FNEWS9.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 9, all issues (1992)
      FNEWSA.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 10, all issues (1993)
      FNEWSB.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 11, all issues (1994)
      FNEWSC.ZIP    FidoNews, Vol. 12, all issues (1995)
      FNEWSD01.ZIP  FidoNews, Vol. 13, Nr. 01 (January 1, 1996)
      FNEWSD02.ZIP  FidoNews, Vol. 13, Nr. 02 (January 8, 1996)
       (etc)
      FNEWSD34.ZIP  FidoNews, Vol. 13, Nr. 34 (August 19, 1996)
      FNEWSD35.ZIP  FidoNews, Vol. 13, Nr. 35 (August 26, 1996)
       (etc)

    Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents
    for that year's issues.  The total set is currently about 11 Megs.

                                =*=*=*=

    The current week's FidoNews and the FidoNews public-key are now also
    available almost immediately after publication on the Editor's new
    homepage on the World Wide Web at:

                 http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html

     FIDONEWS 13-38               Page 48                  16 Sep 1996


    There are also links there to jim barchuk's HTML FidoNews source and
    to John Souvestre's FTP site for the archives. There is also an email
    link for sending in an article as message text. Drop on over.

                           =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=

    A PGP generated public-key is available for the FidoNews Editor from
    1:1/23 [1:374/14] by file-request for FNEWSKEY or by download from
    Rights On! BBS at 1-407-383-1372 as FIDONEWS.ASC in File Area 18.  It
    is also posted twice a month into the PKEY_DROP Echo available on the
    Zone 1 Echomail Backbone.

                               *=*=*=*=*

    Anyone interested in getting a copy of the INTERNET GATEWAY FAQ may
    file-request GISFAQ.ZIP from 1:133/411.0, or send an internet message
    to [email protected].  No message or text or subject is
    necessary.  The address is a keyword that will trigger the automated
    response.  People wishing to send inquiries directly to David Deitch
    should now mail to [email protected] rather than the
    previously listed address.

                               *=*=*=*=*

    SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
    FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file
    ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews Editor, or file-requestable
    from 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC".  ALL Zone Coordinators also have
    copies of ARTSPEC.DOC. Please read it.

    "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered
    trademarks of Tom Jennings, P.O. Box 410923, San Francisco, CA 94141,
    and are used with permission.

            "Disagreement is actually necessary,
             or we'd all have to get in fights
             or something to amuse ourselves
             and create the requisite chaos."
                               -Tom Jennings

     -30-


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



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