Subj : Funny code section
To   : Mike Luther
From : Janis Kracht
Date : Wed Mar 24 2010 04:36 pm

Hi Mike,

>> number... also, there's been many times that i've seen someone
>> online on my bbs that was obviously having problems or was needing
>> assistance while they were online... if they only list phone number,
>> it is rather hard to call them to help if they are using that number
>> for their connection... however, if they list two numbers, then it
>> is a much easier task to call them and walk them thru things while
>> they are online or trying to come online...

>> MvLe> Are you serious ? You actually spend money to -call- people to
>> MvLe> assist their BBS use ? ...

> Yes and ABSOLUTELY necessary in some cases for Emergency Operations Center
> (EOC) mission critical military and public service reasons.  Read on please.

>> what $$$? we're talking about a local call... not
>> something half way around the world... local calls
>> don't cost a thing over here...

> And in MANY cases now in the whole USA there is no such thing as $$ long
>distance calls anywhere in the whole USA or even into MANY countries using POT
>call techniques.  There are now many telephone services here that include *ALL
> long distance calls completely in your monthly phone bill flat rate service
>charge.  Even as I think I am correct in stating that it may even be less than
> USD $20 a month for such services.

> Which absolutely CAN be used in many cases for BBS message and file transfer
> work, particularly for BACKUP mission critical communication when what most
>people think is total bliss IP service ** is gone.  For however long 'gone' is
> or is going to be.  Please read on.

And how many of us NOW having calling plans when our Tel. co. requires it..
It's so much easier and CHEAPER to call LD these days.  It's not even a thought
any more over here.  My problem with POTS these days is that not enough people
take advantage of it :(

>FidoNet 1/117 here of which I'm the NC has a lot more responsibility that just
> the 'normal' message stuff that we tend to think is the purpose of FidoNet.
> Although it has very few nodes published in the formal NodeList, it also has
>some 50 more PRIVATE nodes which are *NOT* published in the formal NodeList an
>have *NEVER* been the subject of a problem for FidoNet as to 'improper' access
> This very special collection of nodes is TOTALLY capable of POTS phone
>connections for backup and emergency file data and message purposes in case th
> normal IP service for an EOC or a medical facility or whatever ceases to be
> available for whatever reason.  But a telephone connection still can be made
> between two facilities that are desparate to share even low level data and
> message service.

> Don't laugh.  It *CAN* and *DOES* happen.  Here in the USA, for actual fact,
>hurricane penetration on the Gulf Coast has taken down the complete electrical
> power grid operations for entire major land areas for longer than a week at a
> time.  And in certain rural areas, even though now power is there, POTS
> telephone line operation is still present in that the phone lines, which in
> many cases are buried cables,are still there, still work, and still connected
> to rural POTS switches which are kept operational with emergency generator
>services.  I have actually seen East Texas small town medical service which ha
> POTS service but no IP service for even two weeks that *COULD* access the
> mission critial 1:117/3000 FidoNet node by no other than POTS phone
> connections.  And in some cases the FidoNet Net 117 *HAS* been used for such
> emergency data service as was needed.  By POTS long distance service work.

> Which *CAN*, in the case of ZIPLOG mission critical professional support
> template sofware for which I am responsible and author, be used for condensed
> but SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT life and death support for the people that choose to
>use this techqnique in time of emergency.  And I have a formal thank you lette
> from the USA ARRL ham radio organization hanging on the wall for proof that
>this *CAN* be done even all across the world from FidoNet while even operating
> for test purposes from the ham radio Field Day operations with the fully
>integrated ZIPLOG managment software template matched to FidoNet.  Should this
>ever be needed and people choose to use the technique.  Yes with PRIVATE nodes
>in the network that DO NOT show up in the FidoNet formal NodeList for VERY goo
> reasons which I think most reading this can appreciate.

> You also BADLY need to realize that there are a whole host of evolving IP
> service corruption and destruction possibilities that are part of what all of
> us telecommunications professional folks know is going to be a part of the
> telecommunications revolution.  Which has only, seriously,just begun.  That
> includes wartime and conflict deliberate issues, as well as the threat of EMP
>pulse destruction of virtually all copper wired technology, as well as what is
> even less understood, the probablity of Solar Flare massive eruption.  Do not
> laugh.  The total loss of the entire power grid operations in the whole world
> is also possible from solar flare eruptions.  Few here know about the last
>major one we took here on earth in the mid 1800's at the time of the driving o
> the Golden Spike when the railroad was first finished connecting the East and
> West coast of the USA.  1867 from memory here right now.

> At that time the communications for the whole affair was by copper wired
> telegraph instruments and telegraph code.  And yes, land line Morse Code is
> different in the characters than what virtually all of us today know as
> International Morse Code.  A long dash for a number zero instead of what we
>know as five dashes as in '- - - - -', today.  That actual Solar Flare took ou
>and burned up almost ALL of the telepgraph sounders in the whole USA!  As well
> in some places, the electrical charge that the railroad rails picked up, from
> the electromagnetic pulse that hit us from the sun, actually set the wooden
> cross ties on fire where it arced across them to the ground from the rails!

> Just one nuclear blast sets forth at least a 30,000,000 volt per METER
> wavefront moving out to the horizon at the speed of light, folks.  The last
>test atomic airborne blast in the Pacific about 650 miles from Hawaii, took ou
>about half of all the traffic signals in the whole island area in 'sight line'
> with no ground mountain blockabge, from the US Navy test blast there at the
>Johnson Island complex.  Tough luck if you have a pacemaker heart device.  You
> die.

>And true, we *CAN* defend against this type of a problem with fiber optic cabl
> connected devices and not metal cable connected service. And buried phone
> lines; not upstairs phone line service.  And we *CAN* use correctly designed
> computer systems with power supplies that *DO* block the pulse pickup from
> power line and printer and phone connections of sorts.  As fact I have a test
> relay rack server case here on site which I cooperated with the vendor on EMP
>pulse protection desging which can be certified for such service.  But we will
>no be able to protect any Cell Phones or Ipods or anything like that.  Life as
> we know it will be GONE for who knows how long if we get hit.

> But at the final step backwards in providing even food, water, basic medical
> care and even knowing where to send the first, second, third responders;
> whatever, we *MUST* have communications programs which *CAN* use ----

> PLAIN ORDINARY TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR ADDRESSING.

> Case closed.

> Please *DO NOT* remove this from the work on MAX, BINK; Whatever.  To do so
>would be a horrible step in taking away what we *CAN* do for all the world, if
>we continue to contribute to FidoNet as some of us do still today for reasons
> have shown you above.

> It is ABSOLUTELY necessary to preserve the POTS phone number access and use
> techniques in BBS software.


Most definitely agree here.  There is no need to remove POTS access in BBS or
Mailer software.  It would be a big mistake to do so IMO.  Forgive my 'over
quoting', I just feel it can't be said enough.

Matter of fact, Mike, do you mind if I put your comments in FidoGazette? We've
had some articles there by Richard and this fits right in with his and my
ideas.

Take care,
Janis

--- BBBS/LiI v4.01 Flag
* Origin: Prism bbs (1:261/38)