Volume 4, Number 21 1 June 1987 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|oo \ | | - FidoNews - (_| /_) | | _`@/_ \ _ | | International | | \ \\ | | FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) | | Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet Association as its official newsletter. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1. Copyright (C) 1987, by the International FidoNet Association. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact IFNA. Eleven Weeks to FidoCon! Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1 Seeing is Believing ...................................... 1 2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2 Arc-Pkarc-Zoo - Which Should I Use? ...................... 2 Better BBS??? ............................................ 5 Why doesn't anyone laugh anymore? Or the story of UN-FU .. 10 3. COLUMNS .................................................. 13 The Regular Irregular Column ............................. 13 4. NOTICES .................................................. 17 FidoNews Bug ............................................. 17 The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 17 Latest Software Versions ................................. 17 IFNA Board of Directors Ballot ........................... 18 FidoNews 4-21 Page 1 1 Jun 1987 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= Seeing is Believing So you've gotten into network mail. Maybe not directly -- maybe you're mainly into echomail. Regardless, you've found youself interacting with all sorts of people you've never met before. In fact, you STILL haven't met them. Maybe you've sent them messages, and maybe you haven't. Maybe you've just been reading messages they have written. Some you like, and some you hate. Either way, you think you know them. But you don't. Not really. An example: I went to a local area sysop meeting not long ago and met a great many people that I had previously known through the network. One guy in particular sat off in the corner, watching a monitor. A few people took turns at a keyboard, typing. Turns out they were typing a running commentary about what was going on. You see, he was deaf, and couldn't hear a word of what was happening around him. I knew him already from netmail, but I never respected him half so much as I did once I found out the hardships he was dealing with. I also know more about the people who took turns at that keyboard, and respect them all the more for it. Another example: At a local sysop meeting I met a guy with whom I had earlier come to blows on one conference or another. On meeting him and talking with him, I realized that there was much more than met the eye. I understand him better now, and messages from him that before would have piqued my ire now cause me to pause and think. Electronic mail as a means of communications has some severe shortcomings, but many of them can be alleviated by a little personal contact. Your big chance of the year to meet those people you've been hearing from is coming up soon. On the next to last weekend of August is our big annual get-together, being held this time in Washington DC. Please don't miss out on it. We'll be looking forward to seeing you there. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-21 Page 2 1 Jun 1987 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Jean Coppola 107/201 In response to over 147 messages I have run the benchmark tests again, this time including Zoo in the testing. I thank all of you for your suggestions and have incorporated most of them in this current test. Computer Configuration ---------------------- Panasonic Sr. Partner running at 4.77 Mhz (Norton SI 1.0) with 640k of Ram with a 20 Meg Mini-scribe hard disk. My current configuration is as follows: A) Buffers = 35 B) Files = 20 C) Stacks = 10,128 D) Cluster Size = 1k I hope this helps the people who asked what I ran the tests on and what configuration I used during the tests. Test File Information --------------------- The tests were run against a collection of 17 files with a total length of 291134 bytes. This averages out to a file size of 17125.53 bytes per file. The files used are a collection of 'com', 'exe', 'txt' and 'ovl' files. I can make the disk available for anyone who desires to see it. The tests were run on the hard drive this time and the disk was optimized (disk optimizer) between tests to assure the most accurate results possible. All tests were run three (3) times and the times reported below are the average of the three test runs. Please note in the first article several weeks ago the files were read in from the floppy drive and the archive was produced on the hard drive. In this series of tests the files were read from the hard drive and the archives were produced on the hard drive. Versions Of Software Tested --------------------------- The following versions of software were used in this test and are FidoNews 4-21 Page 3 1 Jun 1987 the latest versions to the best of my knowledge. Arc - Version 5.20 Pkarc - Version 3.50 Zoo - Version 1.41 Actual Test Results - Creation Of Archive Files ----------------------------------------------- Software Time (mm:ss:hh) File Size Created ---------------------------------------------------- Arc 07:02:41 199956 Pkarc 01:12:90 195015 Zoo 02:20:64 197753 ---------------------------------------------------- Actual Test Results - Unpacking Of Archive Files ---------------------------------------------------- Software Time (mm:ss:hh) ---------------------------------------------------- Arc 04:14:39 Arce 01:05:28 Pkxarc 00:50:17 Zoo 01:15:93 Percentage Of Size Reduction As Reported By Software ----------------------------------------------------- Software Source Size Arc Size Percentage Smaller ----------------------------------------------------- Arc 291134 199956 32% Pkarc 291134 195015 34% Zoo 291134 197753 32% ----------------------------------------------------- Again these numbers are what the software reported as the source, output and percentage of reduction. Self Extraction Creation - Extraction Results ----------------------------------------------------- Software Creation Time Extraction Time ----------------------------------------------------- Pkarc 01:09:09 00:57:89 ----------------------------------------------------- Although Arc is now distributed as a self extracting archive the creation program is not distributed with Arc, as it is with Pkarc so Arc could not be tested in this area. FidoNews 4-21 Page 4 1 Jun 1987 So Which One Should I Use? -------------------------- Although Pkarc is faster and produces smaller archive files there is one small problem in its exclusive use. Currently Arc is not compatible with the files that Pkarc produces. So if you use Pkarc I suggest you create self un- packing archives or some how inform the people that might have access to your archives that you use Pkarc as well as Arc. As a Sysop I use Pkarc because it produces smaller files and thus saves valuable disk space. I am currently in the process of converting my arc files to self-extracting files thus avoiding the question of which utility to use when un-arcing a file downloaded from my system. An interesting feature of the Pkarc self extraction is the possiblities it creates for software distribution. By this I mean that a self-extracting archive or group of archives in conjunction with a batch file could make installing software easier in some cases. Copyright 1987 By Jean Coppola - All Rights Reserved IFNA, FIDONEWS, FIDO AND OPUS SYSOPS ARE GRANTED A NON-EXCLUSIVE LICENSE TO COPY, PROCESS, AND DISTRIBUTE THIS ARTICLE IN ANY MATTER THEY SEE FIT. COMMERCIAL RIGHTS GRANTED AT NO COST UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE AUTHOR. REQUESTS MAY BE SENT BY FIDO MAIL TO 107/201. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-21 Page 5 1 Jun 1987 Critical Mass P.O. Box 629 Gualala, Ca. 95445 Fido Net (125/144) 300/1200/2400 bauds (707) 994-4221 With considerable respect I wag my finger disapprovingly at the network of Fido boards. Don't get me wrong; it's not what exists that irks me but what is missing. However, before I go any further allow me introduce myself and my background. I am an old fossil, gas bag, traditional wooden boat builder. My ancestors have been tormenting cedars, oaks, elms and other defenseless life forms into artificial shapes for generations with only minor changes in method, style, or flexibility of opinion. I am, in effect, a dinosaur, a creature of an earlier age. For me the echoes of the distant past and present are not separated by well defined boundaries of epoch, nation, or clan. Rather, each segment of time appears as well worn shelves from which to draw tools. It is not uncommon to find a broad ax and computer resting comfortably side by side on my cluttered bench. Both posses a cutting edge, one no keener than the other. Morning may find me hunched over, wielding an ax like some neolithic brute; satisfying wack wacks resound through the shop. If you listen carefully you can hear the blows echo through hundreds of centuries. The afternoon buzzes to the whine of a bandsaw chewing through a plank. Echoes here are juvenile, spanning less than a hundred years. Evenings are spent peering into my computers trying to meld the shapes of the past into a being that will give pleasure and utility of graceful motion. Here, the infantile echos are barely heard at all. The most ancient echos are the chatter of voices discussing and arguing the sense and form of wood and metal. They are building a HER --- not a thing but a being. Boats are known as HER or SHE simply because boat builders have always worship curves. Stressed and contesting angles are heresy --- worse, obscenity. How could the gentle grace of a well-formed craft be anything other than SHE? Her future status as a BEING is framed, not in her shape but in her evolved history. There is nothing proprietary about a traditional wooden boat; each is founded on the existence of her predecessor, evolved not invented. The echoing voices are not aware in these terms, but every act, every action is framed by this concept. The echoes here are vastly older than our kind -- as old as evolution. FidoNews 4-21 Page 6 1 Jun 1987 It was with this sense of continuity that I purchased my first computer about nine years ago. My patterns where driving me out of my shop. I would either have to build a large shed or find a better way to store them. A computer seemed the ideal solution. Eight years and dozens of different of types of systems later odd looking contraptions laying disemboweled on work benches. I operated an S-100 based RCP/M for public domain and commercial hacks and more money in my equipment and software than in the bank -- in other words, the whole nine yard cliche. I had fallen in love with the IDEA of remote systems. Here was tradition at its best. Yes tradition! Each board operated independently but everything within was cooperative, evolved from what came before. Ward Christensen, Paul Traina, Erving Hoff and countless others produced magnificent hacks, free to all. ZCPR, BYE, XMODEM, MDM7## and hundreds of other utilities formed the backbone of RCP/M systems. Each a separate module but framed to act as a whole. The vast majority of this software was in source. One man would originated a given utility but many worked to polish and improve. Bounced from board to board, embellished with care and passed on, they grew in power and flexibility far beyond their beginnings. Though they improved at the hands of others, their founders where never forgotten. The top of each application was rich in bylines and comments reflecting its lineage and fascinating to read. There was only one thing missing, a networking mail system. When I found out about FidoNet I could barley control my excitement. The missing ingredient necessary for an electronic world wide community of shared ideas was finally here! Though my old S-100 based RCP/M was functioning faithfully I gave it an affectionate pat and closed it down. I Installed in its place a PC clone with two thirty-two meg hard disks and began collecting the necessary software. To my dismay I discovered that the PC family of BBS programs and support utilities where not a step forward in possibilities, but rather a disappointing step backwards. By this I don't mean that MS Dos systems lack in imaginative ideas, far from it. The problem is that each competes rather than cooperates in an evolving whole. Fido for example is one monolithic piece, its source code proprietary and unavailable to its users. Fido is a brilliant program but one man could not be expected to accomplish everything. My board supports more than one operating system; if I could segregate CP/M and MS Dos users though the use of a menu of operating systems the board would be much less confusing. As it is, users are exposed to a vast list of bewildering choices. If I had the source code I could rewrite what was appropriate to my users needs. Now, my only choice is to write an entirely new board -- not a pleasant prospect! Even if I had fido's soruce code it still wouldn't resolve the most important issue, modular design. In RCP/M systems the user FidoNews 4-21 Page 7 1 Jun 1987 IS allowed within the operating system. CP/M's soruce code is available to all and can be easily modified so that destructive commands will answer ONLY to the sysop. Unlike Fido the RCP/M message system, file transfer utility, elaborate help routines, and many more are in separate, independent, and, most important, modifiable modules. This approach allows for VERY powerful and friendly systems. XMODEM and KMD are file transfer utilities in that tradition. Fido's transfer system is clever and versatile allowing several protocals. XMODEM and KMD do not possess KERMIT but they do have something even better, they can transfer just one file from within a library of files without having to send you the whole thing if you don't want it. In a single monolithic program there is just so much room, cooperating modules are another mater. Signing on to a good RCP/M is like entering a spacious library, one is free to wonder through countless shelves. Any volume may be withdrawn whole or in part. In contrast, entering Fido's cramped nooks and crannies is both frustrating and limiting. Please forgive me; the problem is not that Fido is too small but that it's too large. The application's brilliance is due solely to its mail system. It should have been confined to that, or at least broken up into parts. What I Think is Needed A patch to MS/PC Dos that would turn off and, on dangerous commands such as DEL, MKDIR, RENAME, and the like, operate only with a password selected by the sysop. The utility would also ascribe security- level clearances to given directories based on references within a file, much as Fido does now. In RCP/M systems this program is usually ZCPR or ZCMD, they are patches to the CCP. I imagine that a modified COMMAND.COM would be all it would take to accomplish this. Another more powerful possibility would be a high memory overseer running all other applications within its shell. A utility that answers the phone, determines the baud rate, identifies the caller, patches its findings into high memory or a file and then links the caller to the message system would be helpful. RCP/M systems call this utility BYE. The reason for the name BYE is so that when the polite user calls its name it gives the length of time on, number of up and down loaded files, and anything else the sysop might like to remind the user of before sign off. In many ways BYE resembles WATCHDOG or GUARD. If simultaneous callers are to be supported this would be the only application that need understand it. The message system could be VERY powerful because it would not be burdened with any other responsibilities other than messages. It defiantly should not contain the actual network mail algorithms, only flags for the mail mover to access. Because of its compactness true word processing features could be employed and governed by terminal definition files flagged to the user's FidoNews 4-21 Page 8 1 Jun 1987 machine. If the users machine was not on the list he or she would either have to download them or be satisfied with lesser capabilities. Actually, it is fairly easy to obtain a comprehensive list, most programmers possess fifty or more. One feature that I feel is a must: an automatic search-through on all messages areas for the users mail at sign on! I was astonished that Fido didn`t possess this ability. A utility, much like OUTSIDE, linked by the message system and possessing a sysop supplied menu of applications, including a gateway to the protected operating system, should be added. Also include an independent file transfer utility that is accessed from within the protected operating system. Fido's transfer algorithms are GREAT but they should be outside, not inside Fido. Further, they SHOULD be able to extract any given file from within an archive or library. The RCP/M uses XMODEM or KMD to accomplish this. RCP/M systems employ scores of useful utilities: extensive help system; MAP to display files within the system; FILE or FIND to locate files; LDIR to display the contents of a library; LTYPE to display ASCII files within a library, and many more. Because the user has access to the operating system, independent utilities can be robust, instead of crowded within one large program. The mail system MUST be independent in the fashion of SeaDOG but it should also be protected from users within the operating system. The simplest way to do that is place it in a protected area graded by the proposed patch to Dos or the high memory shell. Most important of all, each and every module MUST be in source and the code as portable as possible! Systems may vary considerably but the file structure of messages and the protocol of the mail system MUST remain universally compatible. For this reason, as well as others, an international coordinator of standards, much like the French Academy of Language, needs be established. The International FidoNet Association is already established and a logical candidate. FidoNet is a wonderful idea but it is far too parochial. Fido acts as though IBM and its clones where the only systems out there. Years ago I called my board Critical Mass because I believed that enough minds working in concert produce an explosion of ideas and insights. I believe this still. We are in desperate NEED of a few insights! There are countless thousands of boards supporting hundreds of thousands of users world wide. What an opportunity! What a potential tradition! Restricting this potential to a handful of segregated boards, borders on criminal negligence! Anyone out there know how to protect Dos? How about an independent utility supporting KERMIT, XMODEM, YMODEM, and ASCII file transfer? FidoNews 4-21 Page 9 1 Jun 1987 For my part I intend to serve as both irritant and cheer leader for a TRULY international collection of minds. I am beating the electronic bushes for algorithms, ideas, and modules with an eye to making them available to all who are interested. If you have anything to contribute PLEASE send them to (125/144) and I will see to it that they get around. Please send ideas, comments, or code to: Ken Mobert sysop Critical Mass (125/144) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-21 Page 10 1 Jun 1987 >>I WAKE UP AND CHECK THE MAIL BOX<< What do I find from our friendly net? flames, hurt feelings, more flames. So what do I do? I flame of course, isn't that what BBS's is all about? >>I QUICKLY WRITE A MESSAGE TO THE NET SYSOPS<< What, has everything gotten so boring that all we can do is poke jabs at each other. As usual I screwed up by correcting previous mistakes. So what happens, Bill does nothing other than run his board and gets blamed for my mistake. So what, who cares, what the f*ck. Another case in point, Dan offers to help with the echo mail but in the mean time John is coordinating with Seattle to get echomail for us for free. Randy sends an abrupt message to Dan (yes Randy, you do get abrupt) and Dan get's pissed. Now comes the statement that gets everyone pissed at me. So now everyone is throwing tantrums (you know, like the ones our children throw). Oh lets not be reasonable, and lets be sure not to re read those quick messages we drop in the mail, lets be sure not to ask ourselves how the other party is going to interpret this, lets just do it anyway. A lot of you may not know this, but we are considered an abnormality to the rest of the Region, we are strange, we don't bicker, we don't have nasty politics, we get along. Well it's nice to know that has changed, we aren't abnormal any more, were getting just as f*cked up as everyone else. I don't know why but for some reason I don't feel any better. Bill >>LATER THAT DAY<< Well my hot little mis-spelling little fingers have cooled down a bit. You know, when this type of crap happens I ask myself "Bill, why do you run a BBS?" and since I usually get good answers from myself, I generally reply "Because it's fun." Now comes the hard part and what I believe is different for each of us. I ask myself (yes, I really do talk to myself) "what makes it fun?" Well that's a hard question to answer. I generally find it easier to think of the things that don't lend enjoyment to it. First of all it's a GAME, and like all good games you need players. To me this means both other sysops and USERS. Now a BBS without users isn't much fun is it? and without fellow FidoNews 4-21 Page 11 1 Jun 1987 syslops to share (and be competitive) with there isn't as much fun. On the subject of sysops, the reason I got tired of the national echo's was that there weren't any USERS, just sysops, and you know what were like. Another thing that limits the fun of running a bbs is letting it get stagnate. I don't know about the rest of you but I have to tweak my system all the time, make it run faster, make it cleaner, make friendlier. I have to change things around, not to make it harder to use, but to make it easier and for the life of no matter what I do to it today, tomorrow there will be something else. The trouble with tweaking is that it usually takes two weeks to fix the bugs created while solving other problems. This generally creates havoc else where, like on your boards. Well I'm sorry about that, but even us gods make screw ups. Now I also ask myself (see I'm still doing it) what should I do when someone else screws up while working on their board (are you listening J M), like finding a couple of hundred messages out of the blue and where I don't want them. Ah the first thought is to grab a shotgun, how dare he mess my system up. (Yes Randy, I'll loan you one of my shotguns for the next time I do it to you) or do I drop him a note, or place a voice call to let him know something went wrong. And heaven forbid the same mistake be made the next night, how can anyone be so incompetent that they don't instantly forgo dinner, tell the kids to shut up, kiss the wife (if she's still talking to you) and spend the entire evening tracking down the fact that you have VANPORT and CALENDAR reversed in your areas#.bbs I guess what all this babbling is about is the job is only worth doing if you have fun doing it. Like even writing this note I using DUTCHED, it still writes the same note, but it does it differently and that's fun. When's the last time any of you took the trouble to join in the conversations your users have started? Well I can tell you that's fun, when's the last time you designed a new log on screen? That's fun to. There are so many ways to enjoy ourselves with these little pieces of software that I can't imagine trying to have UN-FUN. We all have our own areas of expertise, why not be creative, make mistakes, even make a mess (I remember when I thought I didn't have fun if my mother didn't have to cut the dirty clothes off me). Make your BBS a great BBS and help make your fellow sysops board a great one as well. Lets help each other, not attack. Remember that you can't see the face on the other end, you can't see if he's smiling as he say that, or not, so lets assume that he is. Bill FidoNews 4-21 Page 12 1 Jun 1987 >>THE NEXT DAY<< It was suggested that I share my little tirade with all of you, so I combined the two notes, corrected many spelling errors (and a little bad grammar), and submit not for your approval but for your reflection. I'll close with a quick question (or 3). Is this fun anymore? Why isn't it? (assuming you answered the first one honestly). And lastly, What can I do to make it fun again? Bill Jones 105/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-21 Page 13 1 Jun 1987 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= -- The Regular Irregular Column -- Dale Lovell 157/504 I'm going to hit some unusual items this time around. By unusual I mean something that is not piece of computer hardware or software. It is something that every hacker (in the true meaning, not the current media distorted meaning) should own, and almost anyone who is programming (or learning to program) in assembly language or C (maybe Pascal as well, I'm not sure). This column may turn out to be a little short as well. I just got a new machine at work with a 1.2 meg floppy and my home machine's 360K floppy does not get along with it at all. Since I often put part of this column together during my lunch break, this poses a minor problem. -- Casio CM-100 (list price ???, mine cost about $20) -- In the beginning there was assembly language. Then due to the monumental efforts of many people there came BASIC. While this was fine for those who didn't feel like learning assembly language, it was bad for those who still thought in terms like LDA. Many did not forsake these adventurers however, TI made a calculator especially for them that included all their favorite operations (like AND, XOR, etc) in all the myriad number bases (Hex, Octal, Binary, and lowly Decimal). The only problem was that TI wanted an exorbitant amount of money for this wonderful device (at least I always found it out of my price range). So things stood for many a year. While the "mainstream" of computer users went over to applications, many still programmed in their beloved assembly language. While the TI calculator would have been nice, they were forced to use their computers do this wonderful work (needlessly complicating their debugging). So things stood until a few months ago when Casio announced that they had not forsaken the programmers, and here is a new calculator that does all that the TI model does and is within all peoples budgets. The great corporation named this device the CM- 100, and it was made widely available. Like the previous paragraph? My mom always did want me to go into preaching, problem was someone had already written the bible! It's kind of a biblical description of my experiences in assembly language programming (I did a little work in 6502 with my first computer. No, it wasn't a Commodore). Many of us familiar with low-level languages have run into the problem of coping with the unusual functions and number bases involved with programming in these languages. Be honest, how many hex-dec conversion programs or "programmer's calculator" programs have you seen over the years? I know I've seen a few, and written some from scratch on occasion. The problem I always ran into was I FidoNews 4-21 Page 14 1 Jun 1987 only had one computer and couldn't run my non-debugged program and my calculator program at the same time (this was before TSRs became available). Texas Instruments did make a calculator that was ideal for this type of work, the problem was I couldn't justify spending over eighty dollars on it. These problems ended a few months back I came across an ad in one of my magazines for a new Casio calculator. From the ad's picture I could tell that it did all the great things the TI calculator did, and the ad claimed prices under twenty-five dollars. I quickly started calling up the retail stores in the area, and soon came across a discount store that had them in stock (they were even on sale!). Since the calculator has proven itself useful, I thought I'd pass on my discovery. The Casio CM-100 (or Computer Math Calc) has two modes of operation, the normal calculator mode and the computer math mode. While some operations can be carried across between modes (memory, +/-, parentheses) many can't (square root, hms conversions, shift, rotate). Unless otherwise stated everything from here on is going to deal with the computer math mode. You have your choice of bit size for all operations. The available bit sizes are 1, 4, 8, 16 and 32 bits. I've found this to adequate for almost all of my needs. It's capable of using the binary, octal, decimal and hexidecimal base numbers and mixing the number bases in an equation. For example what is 76d+8ah-32o in binary, with the CM-100 the I have the answer in seconds (10111100 binary). You could also use it do quick number conversions. People who are debugging programs will have use for its more computer oriented math functions like AND (4 AND 4 is not 8 believe it or not), OR, eXclusive OR, and NOT. It's also capable of shifting and rotating the bits. While the you can only look at 8-10 digits at a time (varies by number base), the calculator is keeping track of complete number. Casio uses a combination of the BLK key and up to 3 decimal points to let you know what part of a number you're looking at. If the number you're trying to look at is 10110011100011110000111110000011 and you see .1.0.000011 you know that it's displaying the least significant (or right most) digits. If it's showing .1000111.1. you know that you have one set of 8 bits to the left and two sets of 8 bits to the right. The decimal points show how many "blocks" are to each side of the number. Please note that these decimal points only show up in the octal or binary displays. The decimal and hexadecimal displays are capable of showing all of the digits at one time. The calculator is capable of signed and unsigned arithmetic, so it is reasonably flexible. One of the drawbacks is that it can't handle numbers greater than 32 bits in size (maximum unsigned integer of 4,294,967,295 decimal). While this may sound like a lot, I remember some of my college classes on 370 assembler and it's 64 bit results in multiplication. The only other drawback that I have with it is that it doesn't understand floating point numbers or any of the other strange ways of representing a number in a computer (packed decimal for example). Since I've always tried to avoid floating point numbers in FidoNews 4-21 Page 15 1 Jun 1987 assembler (granted I haven't done much with 8088 assembler yet), it has been sufficient for 80-90% of my work. If nothing else it's an easy way for a beginning Computer Science student to get an A on their first exam in their class on assembly language (which is usually convert these numbers to different bases and perform an AND, OR, addition or subtraction on these numbers). While I can't condone using it for this, I do wish I could sell them right outside the class on the day of that first exam! -- Winding down -- I'm still playing Silent Service from MicroProse. I've gotten up a few levels in the past two weeks and am about ready to give up on the higher reality levels. I'm getting tired of being destroyed by depth charges. One thing I forgot to mention in my quick look at it before is the boss key. This is beginning to pop up in more and more games. What it basically does is you press a certain key and a "legitimate" screen pops up. This is meant for those who insist on playing games at work and need something better than the three finger salute (Ctrl-Alt-Del) when the boss walks in on them. This supposedly helps prevent much embarrassment (and help you keep your job). I've never been that tempted to play any games at work, and besides my work machine is a monographics machine that won't work with most games. I know how an EGA Wonder can overcome this problem, but right now that card is busy in my home machine. I'm still looking for a good LEX for my PC, so the valspeak program is not yet completed. If I ever do find one, I'm working on converting valspeak into the type of speech found in old Italian grandmothers. No disrespect intended here, that's how my net host put it and he is going to help in the conversion. Please let me know if you find a good Unix LEX for the PC. If it's in the Public Domain ever better, although I am now willing to buy it. Some people on Usenet have been making extensive use of valspeak and I've decided I must have it! This week you get yet another book on C. This one is a lot easier to get through than the K&R book I mentioned last week. It's the "C Programming Guide Second Edition" by Jack Purdum (Que books, list price $19.95). One of "features" of this book that many will be thankful of is that the book occasionally uses a comparison between the C structure and BASIC. Since almost everyone has looked at BASIC at one time or another, it may be helpful to those making the transition to C (which I think is much superior to BASIC). Jack Purdum starts off with an introduction to C (declaring variables, braces and such) and gradually progresses up to file I/O. Along the way it covers the major structures (if, if-else, loops of varying types, etc.), how to write a function, pointers (VERY important in C), simple I/O. Two chapters are dedicated to some of the more unusual data types. The first merely covers the extensions to the "fundamental" data types (What's the difference between a short and unsigned integer?) while the second chapter covers structures and unions. If you don't have access to a computer, text editor, and C compiler beware! Two underlying assumptions of the book FidoNews 4-21 Page 16 1 Jun 1987 (given to you in the preface) are that 1) you have to write programs to learn a language and 2) if you can visualize what a statement does, learning it will be easier. This book should work as a great introduction before you try and manage the K&R book as it explains much more. I've tried to avoid to much in this column as it's my thirteenth column and I'm superstitious! It's also been a little short because of the new difficulties with transporting files between my work machine and home. I welcome any comments or suggestions on my column, one of things I enjoy is hearing from you! Below you'll find my FidoNet net/node number, usenet site (working on getting more of a path, thanks to the advice of Marc Randolph on 170/220), and US mail address. I'd especially like to hear from those of you who are very satisfied with some piece of software or hardware. This has the capability of saving me a lot of time separating out the wheat from the chaff. Hopefully by next week I'll have cleared up the problems between my work and home machines and this will be a little better. Until then.... Dale Lovell 3266 Vezber Drive Seven Hills, OH 44131 uucp: ..!ncoast!lovell FidoNet: 157/504 (or 1:157/504.0?) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-21 Page 17 1 Jun 1987 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= Due to a hardware glitch, last week's issue of FidoNews mistakenly went out as volume 5, number 1 of 25 May 2010. It should have been volume 4, number 20 of 25 May 1987. We have corrected it here in our archives. The corrected edition is available for download from (201) 472-8065. Volume 5 number 1 will be reissued correctly as the first issue of 1988 (we hope). ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Interrupt Stack 20 Aug 1987 Start of the Fourth International FidoNet Conference, to be held at the Radisson Mark Plaza Hotel in Alexandria, VA. Contact Brian Hughes at 109/634 for more information. This is FidoNet's big annual get-together, and is your chance to meet all the people you've been talking with all this time. We're hoping to see you there! 24 Aug 1989 Voyager 2 passes Neptune. If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Latest Software Versions BBS Systems Node List Other & Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version Dutchie 2.51* EDITNL 3.3 ARC 5.21* Fido 11w LISTGEN 05.25.86 ARCmail 0.60 Opus 0.00 Prune 1.40 EchoMail 1.31 SEAdog 4.00 RouteGen 2.81* FastEcho 2.00* TBBS 2.0S TestList 8.3* Renum 3.30 XlatList 2.81* * Recently changed Utility authors: Please help keep this list as current as possible by reporting new versions to 1:1/1. It is not our intent to list all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-21 Page 18 1 Jun 1987 Bob Morris 141/333 Chairman, Elections and Nominations Committee The next two pages are your Official ballot for the Election of the IFNA Board of Directors. The following are the few rules which must prevail in this election: 1. You must send a legible copy of this ballot to the address listed on the ballot. It must be signed and bear your net/node number. 2. You may vote for any one person in your region for the position of Regional Director. This vote is to be cast in the LEFT column of the ballot. 3. You may vote for any eleven people in any regions for the position of Director at Large. These votes are to be cast in the RIGHT column of the ballot. 4. Voting will continue until the end of registration at the Conference in August. The results will be read during the opening of the business meeting on the first day of the conference. 5. Write-in Votes will be accepted and are requested during this election. FidoNews 4-21 Page 19 1 Jun 1987 IFNA Board Of Directors Ballot Regional At Large Region 10: Steve Jordan _________ ________ Region 11: Ryugen Fisher _________ ________ Theodore Polczynski _________ ________ Region 12: Region 13: Don Daniels _________ ________ John Penberthy _________ ________ Thom Henderson _________ ________ Gee Wong _________ ________ Brian Hughes _________ ________ Region 14: Ben Baker _________ ________ Ken Kaplan _________ ________ Brad Hicks _________ ________ Region 15: David Dodell _________ ________ Larry Wall _________ ________ Region 16: Bob Hartman _________ ________ Hal Duprie _________ ________ Region 17: Rob Barker _________ ________ Randy Bush _________ ________ Bob Swift _________ ________ Region 18: Wes Cowley _________ ________ FidoNews 4-21 Page 20 1 Jun 1987 Region 19: Mark Grennan _________ ________ Wynn Wagner _________ ________ Region 2: Henk Wevers _________ ________ Write-in candidates: ___________________ _________ ________ ___________________ _________ ________ Name ______________________________ Net/Node ___________ Signature______________________________ Date ___________ Please complete this and mail it to: Robert Morris IFNA Elections Committee 210 Church Street West Haven, Ct. 06516 or bring it with you when you come to the conference in August. These ballots will be counted by myself since with 200 members the charges for a CPA would be very high. Hard copies will be made available to anyone wishing to insure that their vote was included. Thank You Bob Morris Elections and Nominations Committee -----------------------------------------------------------------