F I D O N E W S --       Volume 15, Number 36         7 September 1998
    +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
    |  The newsletter of the     |   ISSN 1198-4589 Published by:          |
    |    FidoNet community       |   "FidoNews"                            |
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    |         /  \               |                                         |
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    |       |     | \   \\       |   Editor:                               |
    |       | (*) |  \   ))      |        Henk Wolsink    5:7104/2         |
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                       Table of Contents
    1. EDITORIAL  ................................................  1
    2. GUEST EDITORIAL  ..........................................  2
       Why Fido is at risk? - by Adriano Garcia  .................  2
       The Shrinking Nodelist - an optimist's view  ..............  3
    3. ARTICLES  .................................................  5
       North American Backbone Echo Changes  .....................  5
    4. COLUMNS  ..................................................  6
       Last chance for your Scientology refunds?  ................  8
    5. NET HUMOR  ................................................ 10
       Dark Side of the Farce - Fido stars at war  ............... 10
    6. NOTICES  .................................................. 12
    7. FIDONET BY INTERNET  ...................................... 14
    8. FIDONEWS INFORMATION  ..................................... 17
    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 1                    7 Sep 1998


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

    Greetings,

    Last weeks editorial about the ECHOLIST, did bring in a few netmails
    and e-mails, for which I thank you.

    All made some form or another comment, in that those echo's which
    do not form part of FidoNet, are gated between the 'othernet' and
    FidoNet, hence being listed.  Should the listing then also not
    display the gateway address, so that those who would like to obtain
    it, can make contact?

    Lekker lees.
    (Happy reading).

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

Sep 1998


    =================================================================
                             GUEST EDITORIAL
    =================================================================


    Why Fido is at risk?
    by Adriano Garcia (former 4:801/53) [email protected]

    When the Internet started to be as widespread as it is today,
    many people asked: "What is the future of FidoNet?". This question
    has no simple answer, but many factors may prove that Fido was
    doomed before the expansion of the commercial Internet.

    Let's start with a small personal biography: I was a sysop in
    Sao Paulo, Brazil back in 1993, when Fido was growing exponentially
    there and many things that I will expose here are commonplace for
    many of our readers.

    First, and foremost, the main factor that scares people away from
    helping the grow of Fidonet are the power trips. And they are present
    in different flavors to please everyone. One example: for a long time,
    before I joined Fido, local sysops were barred from entering Fido just
    because it was a `qualified network' that should be run only by the
    'best sysops'. Not for everyone. And the criteria used to determine
    who were the `best' were subjective, being the level of friendship
    with any *C a decisive factor.

    It's also a reality that Policy4 isn't what we could call a
    "democratic rule", but the same law can be interpreted differently
    by two different persons. That's why we have courts. But, when
    the person that enforces it is the same one that decides what
    is right, then we have a problem. Or a dictatorship, if you prefer.

    The last moment of growth of Fidonet Brazil was stopped by the first
    "ideological cleansing" of the history of cyberspace in South
    America. Many nodes were excommunicated just because they thought
    differently from the newly appointed RC of 1994. The curious about
    it is that the ones excommunicated had the same ideas of democracy
    and development of Fido that the RC had before being nominated...

    Now things seems to be getting back to normality, with another RC in
    place. But who will tell this to the many who closed down their
    systems just because it became one more problem instead of a pleasure?

    And what about the sysops who wish to return as mail-only nodes or
    point systems and cannot because nodes are charging big money for
    mail or because *Cs do not assign mail-only nodes anymore, even
    when there isn't a local BBS in the area?

    Now we have the Internet. And people say that Fidonet is a "competing
    network", with the Internet. An it's not. Fido is supposed to be an
    amateur network where people communicate and participate as a
    hobby, when the Internet is now a commercially oriented network that
    has a completely different technology and environment. And there are
    limitations in Usenet (the "Internet echomail") that are not present
    in Fido.
    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 3                    7 Sep 1998


    They can really coexist. But only if the *C structure realises that
    they aren't the "owners" of the network but only the ones that
    *coordinate* the efforts of many into the development of a NEW
    Fidonet. It's obvious that the technology is already in place,
    with packets flowing through the Internet reducing the once
    expensive international mail exchanges. This should be, by itself,
    one good reason for Fido to expand, not to collapse.

    We can get Fido into the 21st century. But only if we stop pretending
    that we are dead and act. Putting people into the net, not keeping
    them out.

    (This may be my first and last submission to Fidonews, as the only
    one telnettable BBS that I know that provides free access to Fido
    is closing down and I have no other way to access the network
    anymore. Sad news...)

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


                An Optimistic View of the Shrinking Nodelist
                Douglas Myers   1:270/720   [email protected]

    One of the most persistant topics of echotalk is the shrinking Fido
    nodelist.  That nodes are leaving Fidonet has been no big secret,
    but it's been most dramatic recently as the text copy of the
    international nodelist has gone below 2 megabytes where it was three
    just a few years ago.

    There's real concern here.  Some sysops want to revive BBSING by
    posting ads in the local laundromats.  Some want to put up an
    HTML-based BBS and go "head-to-head" against the Internet!
    Power-politicians are chastised for creating this net flight.
    Developers are being asked why our technology isn't better.  And at
    least one net is supplying local computer-buyers with instructions
    to turn Hyper-Terminal into the Fidonet Explorer.

    Will all this concern turn the situation around?  Will the BBS once
    again flourish and the Fido nodelist expand to consume our hard
    drives?  My optimistic guess is "No."

    Fidonet was never destined to own cyberspace.  It briefly (in an
    historical sense, anyway) caught the imagination of the world, and
    it even spurred that imagination on to greater things.  But it's
    role in history is more that of amateur radio.  Amateur radio
    operators were once king, and their association also spurred the
    imagination of the world.  But their role, too, was as harbinger. To
    see how the bbs system operator of the future fares, we can look at
    the amateur radio operator of today... they're still a strong,
    active group - still widely respected.  But they no longer own the
    airwaves, having passed it on to their heirs.

    The BBS sysop never owned cyberspace, but he took his turn at the
    helm when few could see where these machines called computers could
    take us.  He still stands tall in cyberspace.

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 4                    7 Sep 1998


    And Fidonet, the community of sysops, will be around for a while.
    Folks always come home to stay for a piece, and there are always
    those who keep a place prepared.  Even now, those who have mastered
    the technology of the internet are polishing Fido.  Our messages
    move faster and more reliably through new channels.  Some are adding
    new wings to the traditional structure.  And we're all gathered
    around the fire in the evening quibbling over the seating
    arrangements for tomorrow's dinner.

    We're busy getting ready for the folks coming home.


            -------------- Footnote --------------

    I'm hoping that this is the first of a few more editorials of an
    upbeat nature.  I'd like to explore the theme of preparing the ol'
    place for our guests... and maybe promote some methods for making
    our community a friendly place to stay in the vastness of
    cyberspace.  Whether I can follow through depends, of course, on my
    malicious employer who places crass commercial interests above
    community development.  And, of course, it depends on Henk Wolsink,
    who might fill the pages of Fidonews with the works of real writers
    and crowd me out before I can say my piece :)

    ---

    --
    | Fidonet:  Douglas Myers 1:270/[email protected]
    | Internet: [email protected]
    | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.
    | From Mdtn_BBS  @mdtnbbs.com  [ In the Heart of Three Mile Island ]


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

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 5                    7 Sep 1998


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


    North American Backbone Echo Changes [Jul-Aug]
 by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/9
    [email protected]

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

    Brought to you courtesy of (unix) diff.

    diff (backbone.na + backbone.no) 05-Jul-98 06-Sep-98 [edited].

    Added to the backbone
    ---------------------
    > ELEBBS_SUPPORT      The Official EleBBS Support Conference
    > GEOWORKS            Geoworks software conference.
    > SUPER-BITCH         Super Bitch Discussion Area
    > WEBUTIL             International WEBUTIL Echo
    > WWIV                WWIV BBS Software

    Removed from the backbone or quasi-backbone
    -------------------------------------------
    < BASIC7              (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < BASSGTR             (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < CYBER_AUCTION       Cyber Auction echo
    < DAIRY_FARM          Dairy Farming Conference
    < DEBATE_ON_ABORTION  (low traffic since  6/1/98)
    < DTP                 Desktop Publishing discussion
    < ET_SIGHTINGS        ET_SIGHTINGS Discussion Conference
    < FTN_INTERNET        (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < GAMES4SALE          (low traffic since  6/1/98)
    < GENDATA             (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < IRC_CHAT            IRC_CHAT Discussion Conference
    < LORD2_IGM           (low traffic since  4/1/98)
    < LORD2_SYSOP         (low traffic since  4/1/98)
    < MED_MOANS           (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < NANFE               North America Native Fish Echo.
    < SLEEP_APNEA         (low traffic since  6/1/98)
    < STARTREK_CCG        (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < STTOS               (low traffic since  6/1/98)
    < SYNCHRONET          (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < TRI_SYSOP           (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < VIRUS_NFO           (low traffic since  2/1/98)
    < WC4DOS              WildCat! 4 Systems Discussion and Support.
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
    o There are 609 echos in backbone.na [06-Sep-98] (down 24)
    o There are 107 echos in backbone.no [06-Sep-98] (up 7)
    o for a total of 716 backbone & quasi-backbone echos (down 17)


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

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 6                    7 Sep 1998


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

    Dear Editorbeing,

    I trust that this article will find itself buried beneath
    the fold after the Artspec document in your esteemed organ.
    With any kind of luck, the momentum gained by all six
    readers of the Snooz as they lean on their <RETURN> buttons
    will carry them right past this drivel to the exciting
    Internet gating information. This article is submitted by
    Doc Logger (163/110) who was eagerly awaiting the 29,000
    pounds of bananas which Ruth Argust had shipped to his
    address.

    Roll da flic, Henk....

    Dear Reverend Visage,

    Nice work ace. Submitting your petty cash bills to Swamp
    Swine Magazine and asking for payment in Russian Rubles will
    surely prop up their sagging currency and avert a global
    meltdown of various economies. I guess you noticed that the
    Canadian peso is now worth slightly less than the virtue of
    an Australian woman.

    What amazes me in the various commentaries that I have read
    is that there is a lack of perception about what causes such
    huge currency fluctuations. What they fail to note is that
    currency trading is conducted by cocaine-crazed twenty year
    olds who wouldn't recognize a Gross National Product if it
    sat on their faces. The little snakes who do the buying and
    selling of foreign currencies are merely gamblers. The fact
    that they gamble with your jobs, your national economies,
    and inflate the costs of blended Scotch to ruinously high
    levels, is but a mere trifle. What really matters is that
    the money trading weasels will be paid six figure salaries
    without having put in a productive day's work in their
    lives. Only lawyers have a greater claim to being economic
    bloodsuckers.

    Mercifully, having invested all of my spare funds in badger
    sperm futures, I am immune to currency fluctuations. For
    those of global ambition, this seems like a golden
    opportunity because there must be countries who can be
    purchased for a mere $1.95 in hard currency.

    In last week's Snooz His Immensity, Jerry Schwartz, pointed
    out that Eldridge Cleaver had become a "diversity
    consultant" in his dotage. It could have been worse, Cleaver
    could have become either a sociologist or a statistician. I
    think most of the fervent revolutionaries of the 60s and
    70's have come to the realization that starving has its
    drawbacks. If George Washington were alive today, he'd be
    flogging fat free cookware on infomercials.
    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 7                    7 Sep 1998


    Finding the pithy quote I wanted for this week's Chautauqua
    will be problematic because I decided to undo the work of my
    Evil Cleaning lady. My Evil Cleaning lady had arranged all
    of my books by colour and so I have attempted to put them
    back in alphabetical order. In the process, I have
    discovered an immutable law of bookshelves which states: If
    you unload several bookshelves and then attempt to put the
    books back, the shelves will become full long before the
    pile of books has been restored. Somewhere in the pile of
    books the one I want remains hidden. With the daunting
    prospect of finding a real quote, I shall dive into my
    journals and select something random and appropriate.

    "Your lamp isn't dead...it's just sick." Joe's Lamp
    Reconstruction, Miami, January 17, 1975.

    When I recorded that philosophical gem from a billboard, I
    had a sense that it served as a metaphor for not just ailing
    lamps, but also for America. When I recorded it, I was on my
    way to the sybaritic pleasures of a Caribbean Cruise (pass
    the prune juice, let's party) and was young enough to be
    optimistically naive about the future. To turn this into a
    proper Chautauqua, the metaphor should be expanded to
    encompass the notion that social systems aren't supposed to
    be terminal conditions, but rather systems capable of being
    "fixed." I see that same notion of futile optimism expressed
    by those who think that some gee-whiz technology applied to
    Fidonet will miraculously stave off its decline. In truth,
    adding IP connectability will just make for a better looking
    corpse, but won't breath any new vitality into the medium.

    Here at Cassandra's 'R Us, I believe that the only thing
    that matters is the content of messages. There is more than
    a little irony to be found in the fact that while my
    opinions are about as welcome as a skunk at a wedding, the
    style of my messages seems to make some people assert that
    they remain connected to some echos merely for the
    opportunity of reading my drivel. What most of these people
    don't realize is that most of the entertaining writers in
    Fidonet are long gone...discouraged by the cascades of
    quoted drooling and the generally cretinous approach to
    communication.

    I must go Visage. This has already gone on too long and I
    know that you'll be pleased that Andrea Santos has returned
    from her tryst with vegetables. As Fidonet's official
    Mistress of Antfarms she has been sorely missed. (Special
    note to Lee Aryton's finch: Cute buns, babe.) I had hoped to
    meet with you last week but your secretary informed me that
    you'd missed your flight for the fourteenth straight week.

    Regards,
    Doc Logger
    Furlang Island,
 South Pacific

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 8                    7 Sep 1998


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

    Ex-contributors and ex-staff members may only have until December 31,
    1998

    FACTNet alert
    August 26, 1998

    Ex-Scientologists who may be eligible for refunds and/or back-pay from
    Scientology may never have a better opportunity or more leverage to
    retrieve their money than between now and December 31.

    In December, 1998, Scientology s tax-exempt status will be reviewed by
    the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for the final time, and then if
    the IRS is convinced Scientology has abided by its 1993 IRS agreement
    Scientology s nonprofit status will become permanent. Thus for the
    next few months, it is crucial for Scientology to see that its
    operations appear to be above legal reproach.

    According to Scientology s application for tax-exempt status, it must
    refund donations it has received if donors so request. If you feel you
    were deceived by Scientology or did not receive what you were
    promised, demand your donations back!

    And legally, Scientology could be liable to provide back-pay for the
    many who have labored long hours for the  church  far below minimum
    wage, often only receiving $10 or $24 per week. Receiving $24 for a
    40-hour workweek equals sixty cents an hour; for a not-unheard-of
    100-hour week, twenty-four cents an hour. An individual would be owed
    almost $10,000 for each year worked at $24 per week rather than a
    minimum wage of $5.15 an hour, assuming only a 40-hour workweek; at an
    80-hour week it would be over $20,000. It is illegal to pay workers
    less than minimum wage. Don't let Scientology get away with profiting
    from your slave labor! Demand the back pay you are owed.

    To request refunds and/or back pay, FACTNet would recommend sending
    a very brief letter to each of the organization(s) money was donated
    to or worked for, stating the amount of money requested, and providing
    a date by which it is expected (e.g., by October 31, 1998). Make sure
    you tell them who to make out the check to and where to send it.
    FACTNet will set up a section on the web site with sample letters
    (see www.factnet.org over the next week or so for details).

    If Scientology does not immediately recompense you be sure to report
    it to the IRS and/or to federal and state departments of labor. As a
    result, the IRS may not finalize the Scientology s nonprofit IRS
    status, and departments of labor may investigate illegal employment
    practices.

    FACTNet believes that people who are owed remuneration from
    Scientology deserve to know that the next few months are crucial.
    Please contact anybody and everybody you know who may stand to be
    justly compensated, and let them know this may be their last real
    chance to get their money back.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 9                    7 Sep 1998


    This editorial opinion provided by FACTNet, Inc. FACTNet is a
    nonprofit Internet library dedicated to protecting freedom of mind
    from harms caused by destructive cults and mind control. FACTNet's
    web page is located at <http://www.factnet.org> and has received
    over 1,950,000 hits since January 1997. To search numerous Internet
    sites on cults and mind control, visit the FACTNet web site. To
    subscribe to FACTNet's free monthly newsletter, email
    [email protected] with "Subscribe-FACTNews" in the subject line.
    Appropriate re-distribution and re-posting of this document is
    appreciated.

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

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 10                   7 Sep 1998


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


                         The Dark Side of the Farce
                         Douglas Myers    1:270/720

    It's late at night, at the end of a weekend in which I tried to
    catch up on all the mail I didn't quite get around to reading during
    the work week.  The echos are still running through my mind and
    combining in unlikely ways.

    The ZEC echo is in an interregnum right now, Bob Kohl having been
    fired and Gary Gilmore, the interim ZEC, in somewhat of a pickle.
    Gary is charged by his job description with conducting an election
    for a new ZEC, but Bob Satti has apparantly charged the RECC with
    the task of determining how the new ZEC should be selected.

    Meanwhile, Bob Kohl has not been silent.  He is currently in a
    shouting war with John Souvestre charging him with lack of moderator
    support in the past.  John maintains that he just wanted a little
    bit of decorum - that maybe it was a good idea to talk with the
    local sysop or his uplink or the next uplink or the next uplink
    before asking for a feed cut for an entire net.

    And in the ever-popular SUPER-BITCH echo, the bitches are trying to
    assign the appropriate Fidonet Stars to the roles of the Seven
    Dwarfs.  As my eyes close I recall Bob Satti being nominated for
    Sleepy...

    ... and suddenly I realize the appropriate role for Bob Kohl.  What
    famous character was originally a force for Good (as many of his
    former supporters maintain) and a rising star in the Fido Empire
    before he finally succumed to the Dark Side?  Why it was Darth
    Vadar!

    Eyes still closed and slumber falling upon me, it doesn't occur to
    me that Darth never made the cast of Snow White.

    And what famous Princess, a member of the Imperial Senate, was
    chased across the galaxy by Darth and forced to retreat with her
    Rebel Alliance to a new region even as the mighty forces of Darth's
    Empire were destroying her home?  This would be Princess Ruth
    Argust, of course.

    One sysop, irate over zone 2 nodelist errors, has already ranted
    about "Satti the Hut."  Durn, that man takes a beating...

    But to my weary mind, another role is more suitable.  Which young
    man wishes to leave the farm and reach for the stars?  Though
    inexperienced and making a few mistakes along the way, he is
    nonetheless privy to some routed netmail to Obie Wan Kanobie and
    rushes to rescue the Princess.  As young Luke Satti embarks on his
    adventure, he finds that within himself are the seeds of the last
    Jedi Knight.  Though he must ultimately confront the Dark Side, he
    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 11                   7 Sep 1998


    eventually rises to dispose of Darth Vadar.

    Drifting to sleep, I wonder who is Yoda, who will take Luke by the
    hand and teach him to use The Force.  As sleep overtakes, I recall
    that Yoda wasn't one of the Seven Dwarfs either...

    ---

    --
    | Fidonet:  Douglas Myers 1:270/[email protected]
    | Internet: [email protected]
    | Standard disclaimer: The views of this user are strictly his own.
    | From Mdtn_BBS  @mdtnbbs.com  [ In the Heart of Three Mile Island ]


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

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 12                   7 Sep 1998


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

                      Future History

      5 Oct 1998
        29th Anniversary of "Monty Python's Flying Circus".

      10 Sep 1998
         9th Anniversary of Zone 5 operations.

      14 Sep 1998
         Start of International BBS Week [thru 20 Sep 98].

    22 Sep 1998
         First anniversary of the FidoNews domain of www.fidonews.org.

      23 Nov 1998
         35th Anniversary of Doctor Who.

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

      16 Feb 1999
         13th Anniversary of the introduction of EchoMail by Jeff Rush.

      12 May 1999
         12th Anniversary of Fido Operations in Zone 4;
         10th Anniversary of the creation of FidoNet Zone 4.

      24 Jul 1999
         XIII Pan American Games [through 8 Aug 99].

       9 Jun 1999
         Tenth Anniversary of the adoption of FidoNet Policy 4.07.

      10 Sep 1999
         10th anniversary of Zone 5 operations.

      26 Oct 1999
         Thirty years from release Abbey Road album by the Beatles.

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

       1 Jan 2000
         The 20th Century, C.E., is still taking place thru 31 Dec.

       1 Jun 2000
         EXPO 2000 World Exposition in Hannover (Germany) opens.

      15 Sep 2000
         Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens.

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 13                   7 Sep 1998


       1 Jan 2001
         This is the actual start of the new millennium, C.E.

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

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

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 14                   7 Sep 1998


    =================================================================
                           FIDONET BY INTERNET
    =================================================================

    This is a list of all FidoNet-related sites reported to the
    FidoNews Editor as of this issue; see the notice at the end.

    FidoNet:

    Homepage    http://www.fidonet.org
    FidoNews    http://www.fidonews.org             [HTML]
                http://209.77.228.66/fidonews.html  [ASCII]
    WWW sources http://www.scms.rgu.ac.uk/students/cs_yr94/lk/fido.html
    FTSC page   http://www.goldware.dk/ftsc
    Echomail    [pending]
    WebRing     http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fnetring.html  [TFN]
    General     http://owls.com/~jerrys/fidonet.html
                http://www.trak-one.co.uk/foti

    ============

    Zone 1:       http://www.z1.fidonet.org

      Region 10:  http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html

      Region 11:  http://oeonline.com/~garyg/region11/

      Region 18:  http://techshop.pdn.net/fido/

      Region 19:  http://www.compconn.net

    ============

    Zone 2:       http://www.z2.fidonet.org

    ZEC2:
    Zone 2 Elist: http://www.fbone.ch/echolist/

      Region 20:  http://www.fidonet.pp.se (in Swedish)

      Region 23:  http://www.fido.dk (in Danish)

      Region 24:  http://www.swb.de/personal/flop/gatebau.html (German)
        Fido-IP:  http://home.nrh.de/~lbehet/fido (English/German)

      Region 25:  http://www.bsnet.co.uk/net2502/net/

       Region 26: http://www.nemesis.ie
          REC 26: http://www.nrgsys.com/orb

      Region 27:  http://telematique.org/ft/r27.htm

      Region 29:  http://www.rtfm.be/fidonet/  (French)

      Region 30:  http://www.fidonet.ch  (Swiss?)

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 15                   7 Sep 1998


      Region 33:  http://www.fidoitalia.net (Italian)

      Region 34:  http://www.pobox.com/cnb/r34.htm  (Spanish)
          REC34:  http://pobox.com/~chr

      Region 36:  http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/

      Region 38:  http://public.st.carnet.hr/~blagi/bbs/adriam.html

      Region 41:  http://www.fidonet.gr (Greek/English)

      Region 48:  http://www.fidonet.org.pl

      Region 50:  http://www.fido7.com/  (Russian)
       Net 5010:  http://fido.tu-chel.ac.ru/  (Russian)
       Net 5015:  http://www.fido.nnov.ru/  (Russian)
       Net 5030:  http://kenga.ru/fido/  (Russian & English)
       Net 5073:  http://people.weekend.ru/soa/  (Russian)

    ============

    Zone 3:       http://www.z3.fidonet.org

    ============

    Zone 4:       http://www.altern.org/zone4

      Region 90:  http://visitweb.com/fidonet
        Net 903:  http://www.playagrande.com/refugio
        Net 904:  http://members.tripod.com/~net904 (Spanish)

    ============

    Zone 5:       http://www.eastcape.co.za/fidonet/index.htm

    ============

    Zone 6:       http://www.z6.fidonet.org

      Region 65:  http://www.cfido.com/fidonet/cfidochina.html (Chinese)

    ============

    Pages listed above are as submitted to the FidoNews Editor,
    and generally reflect Zone and Regional Web Page sites.  If
    no Regional site is submitted, the first Network page from
    that Region is used in its place.  Generally, Regional pages
    should list access points to all Networks within the Region.

    TCP/IP accessible node access information should be submitted
    to the FidoNews Editor for inclusion in their Region or Zone.

                     -----------oOo-------------

                      Fidonet Via Internet Hubs

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 16                   7 Sep 1998


    Node#      | Operator          | Facilities (*) | Speed | Basic Rate
    -----------+-------------------+----------------+-------+-----------
    1:12/12    | Ken Wilson        | FTP            | T1    | $24mo.
    1:13/25    | Jim Balcom        | FTP            | 56k   | $20mo.
    1:124/7008 | Ben Hamilton      |FTP,VMoT,F2I,UUE| 64k   | $10/$20mo.
    1:140/12   | Bob Seaborn       | FTP            | T1    | $5/$20
    1:270/101  | George Peace      | FTP            | T1    | $30mo.
    1:271/140  | Tom Barstow       | F2I            | ???   | $2mo.
    1:275/1    | Joshua Ecklund    | UUE,F2I        | 28.8  | $10/yr.
    1:280/169  | Brian Greenstreet | FTP            | 33.6  | $2mo.
    1:2401/305 | Peter Rocca       | FTP,UUE        | T1    | unkn
    1:2424/10  | Alec Grynspan     | FTP,VMoT       | T1    | $1mo.
    1:2424/3121| Earl Clark        | UUE            | 33.6  | n/c
    1:2604/104 | Jim Mclaughlin    | FTP,VMoT,UUE   | 33.6  | $1mo.
    1:2624/306 | D. Calafrancesco  | VFOS           | 33.6  | $15yr.
    1:345/0    | Todd Cochrane     | FTP            | T1    | n/c
    1:346/250  | Aran Spence       | FTP,UUE        | T1    | $10mo.
    1:342/1022 | Steve Steffler    | UUE,F2I        | 33.6  | n/c
    1:3651/9   | Jerry Gause       | FTP,VMoT       | 33.6  | $3/$6
    1:396/1    | John Souvestre    | FTP,VMoT       | T1    | $15mo.
    2:2411/413 | Dennis Dittrich   | UUE            | 64k   | n/c
    2:33/505   | Mario Mure        | VMoT,UUE       | 64k   | n/c
    2:335/610  | Gino Lucrezi      | UUE            | 33.6  | n/c
    2:469/84   | Max Masyutin      | VMoT           | 256k  | n/c
    2:2474/275 | Christian Emig    | UUE            | 64k   | unkn
    2:2490/5170| Lenny Murphy      | F2I            | ???   | n/c
    5:7104/2   | Henk Wolsink      | FTP            | 28.8  | n/c
    --
     + VMoT = Virtual Mailer over Telnet (various)
     + F2I  = Fido2Int (W95)
     + UUE  = uuencode<->email packet transfers

    compiled by C. Ingersoll, 1:2623/71, (609)814-1978, [email protected]
    Posted on the 1st of every month in FN_SYSOP, R13SYSOP and Fidonews.
    -
    ___
     ! Origin: * Fly By Night * (609)814-1978 *(1:2623/71)


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

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 17                   7 Sep 1998


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


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

      Editor: Henk Wolsink

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

      "FidoNews Editor"
          FidoNet  5:5/23
          BBS  +27-41-515-913,  2400/9600/V.34/V.90

       more addresses:
          Henk Wolsink -- 5:7104/2,    [email protected]

       (Postal Service mailing address)
          FidoNews Editor
          P.O. Box 12325
          Port Elizabeth,
          6006
          South Africa

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

    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
    does not diminish the rights of the authors.  OPINIONS EXPRESSED in
    these articles ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHORS and not necessarily those of
    FidoNews and/or the Editor.

    Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is
    Copyright 1998 Henk Wolsink.  All rights reserved.  Duplication
    and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only.  For
    use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or
    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 [FNEWSFnn.ZIP] for a
    particular Issue.  Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP
    where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the
    current year [8], i.e., FNWSJAN8.ZIP for all the Issues from Jan 98.

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 18                   7 Sep 1998


    Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number
    1 - 15 for 1984 - 1998, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in
    size from 48K to 1.4M.


       INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via:

                       http://www.fidonews.org
                       http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm
                       ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/
                       ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/
                       ftp://ftp.irvbbs.com/fidonews/
                       ftp://ftp.nwstar.com/Fidonet/Fidonews

       And in non-English formats via:

                       http://www.hvc.ee/pats/fidonews (Estonian)
                       http://www.fidonet.pp.se/sfnews (Swedish)

                                  *=*=*

    You may obtain an email subscription to FidoNews by sending email to:

                       [email protected]

    with a Subject line of: subscribe fnews-edist

    and no message in the message body. To remove your name from the
    email distribution use a Subject line of: unsubscribe fnews-edist
    with no message to the same address above.

                                     *

    You may retrieve current and previous Issues of FidoNews via FTPMail
    by sending email to:

                       [email protected]

    with a Subject line of: help

    and FTPMail will immediately send a reply containing details and
    instructions. When you actually make a file request, FTPMail will
    respond in three stages. You find a link for this process on
    www.fidonews.org.

                                   *=*=*

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

                 http://www.fidonews.org

    STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request -
    Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from:

                       ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/

    FIDONEWS 15-36               Page 19                   7 Sep 1998


    Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents
    for that year's issues.  The total set is currently about 13 Megs.

                                 =*=*=*=

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

                       http://209.77.228.66/fidonews.html

    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.

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

    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 5:5/23 [5:7104/2] 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

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