Volume 4, Number 34 7 September 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 1:1/1. Copyright 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 at (314) 576-4067. Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1 Copyrights ............................................... 1 2. ARTICLES ................................................. 2 ONE TO ONE - The Newest Communications Software .......... 2 IFNA Committee Information ............................... 5 DIPLOMACY via BBS ........................................ 8 CORRECTION - Recent Articles on PC-Write ............... 9 Fido Offer for IFNA Members .............................. 10 The first INTERNATIONAL user conference .................. 11 PC-Write Now Checks Spelling! ............................ 12 IFNA Welcomes Poland to FidoNet .......................... 14 Tandy User Group Newsletter... September 87 .............. 15 FidoNet Node ID's: Names or Numbers? ..................... 20 WaZOO File request available for Fido or SEAdog .......... 22 3. COLUMNS .................................................. 26 Origin: Angevin Empire ................................... 26 4. NOTICES .................................................. 29 The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 29 Latest Software Versions ................................. 29 IFNA Order Form .......................................... 30 IFNA Membership Application .............................. 31 FidoNews 4-34 Page 1 7 Sep 1987 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= Copyrights Have you looked at the top of the node list lately? More than half of the first page is taken up with jawbreaking legalese that's supposed to be our copyright notice. And it just recently got worse! The original intent was clear enough. We wanted to keep people from selling the node list. Somehow in the process we ended up forbidding all commercial use. What's wrong with that, you ask? Well, what about the various product support conferences? What about the various companies who transact business, announce new products, and do product support over the net? Doesn't that constitute commercial use of the node list? The Interim Board concluded that it did, and was in the process of working out a commercial license. The new Board decided otherwise, and chose to amend the copyright notice to allow those types of commercial activity that have always taken place on the net. That's cool. Whatever they want. The thing that bothered me is that they ended up with a copyright notice even more convoluted than before! Now I realize that it was a quicky "band-aid" job to hold us over. I didn't understand it myself on a first reading, but I understood what the lawyer who wrote it said it meant, and I have no objection to the intent. I object to the wording! Speaking ex-officio from the Peanut Gallery I objected to the language, and suggested that the Board at least have the Executive Committee work on something a little closer to English. I heard the lawyer who drafted it tell all sysops, in essence, "get a lawyer!" I heard a member of the Executive Committee state that of course that was one of the many things they would continually think about. I did NOT hear anything to make me think that we can expect a comprehensible copyright notice any time in the forseeable future. This thing is supposed to be protecting us sysops, right? So why can't it be worded so that we can understand it? ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 2 7 Sep 1987 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Jean Coppola, 107/246 ONE TO ONE - The Newest Communications Software ONE TO ONE is a telecommunications package designed for those of us who sometimes call friends with computers. The many sophisticated programs that are currently available do a great job for accessing bulletin boards, information services, etc.. HOWEVER, they all are less than desirable when it comes to two human beings trying to communicate with each other over the phone lines via computers. ONE TO ONE is the first communications program available that attempts to address the special needs of people that need to share data with other people. What does ONE TO ONE offer that the others don't? With ONE TO ONE, you and your friend can... 1) Type messages to each other while a file transfer is in progress! 2) Never worry about garbled text caused by two people typing at the same time. Incoming and Outgoing text appear in seperate windows on screen. 3) "Share" a text file. You and a friend can be looking at the same text file at the same time. Both of you will have control over scrolling the files contents in a window. At any time, you can pause and type notes to each other about the file that you are sharing. 4) Enjoy the snazziest "user-interface" in all of telecommunications. System Requirements - IBM Compatible Computer - PC-DOS Or MS-DOS (version 2.0 or later) - One Floppy Disk Drive (hard disk not required) - At Least 192k Of RAM. - One RS-232 Serial Port - A HAYES COMPATABLE modem (must support the Hayes AT command set) - Someone To Call ONE TO ONE works with Monochrome as well as Color video cards. If you have an Enhanced Graphics Adapter, ONE TO ONE will use the CGA mode. FidoNews 4-34 Page 3 7 Sep 1987 When you install ONE TO ONE, you will be asked whether you have Touch Tone or Pulse phone service. ONE TO ONE will work with either. ONE TO ONE version 2.2 is distributed in an archived form. The "ARC" archiving utility by System Enhancment Associates was used to compress the files in order to keep downloading time to a minimum. ARC has become the standard file compression program used for electronic software distribution. You should have no problem obtaining a copy of the latest version of ARC from your friendly neighborhood bulletin board. Please remember that ARC is not free. It will save you money in the long run so why not go ahead and pay for it? The name of the archived file is 121-V22.ARC. After "un-arching" this file you will see the files below: 121.EXE - The program. 121.DOC - The documentation for the program. 121READ.ME - Notes reflecting any last minute changes. WHATSNEW.121 - Notes describing improvements in 2.2 The only file required to start ONE TO ONE is the file named 121.EXE. When you run the program for the first time ONE TO ONE looks for other files and creates them if they cannot be found. Terminal Mode And Menu Mode ONE TO ONE has somewhat of a split personality. You are either in TERMINAL MODE where you are waiting for the phone to ring, typing messages to a friend, etc., or you are in the MENU MODE where you are pulling down menus and making selections from them. The first screen you see when ONE TO ONE executes is the title screen. This screen tells what this program is, warns you that this is not free software, begs for compensation, tells who wrote it, and waits for you to press a key. Just your typical User Supported software title screen. When you press a key to continue, the modem initialization string will be sent to the modem. After this is accomplished, you are in TERMINAL MODE. This is where you will spend most of your ONE TO ONE life. TERMINAL MODE is where you perform communications with your friends. Each key you press will be sent out the comm port to whoever's out there. (The exception to this occurrs when the keys that you press are menu selections.) All of the vital choices from the menus have been mapped to the keyboard. You could call a friend (or be called), establish a connection,type messages, send and receive files, and hang up without ever once pulling down a menu. Once the computers have started transferring the file, you can just sit back and relax if you like. BUT, if the other person is FidoNews 4-34 Page 4 7 Sep 1987 also using ONE TO ONE, you can continue to type messages to each other while the file transfer takes place! In either case you will see a status report of the file transfer displayed on the Dividing Bar. After the file transfer is complete, you will hear a beeping sound indicating that the transfer is complete. Share A File - This is a nifty feature! Share A File gives you the ability to share a text file with a friend. One of you acts as the Sender and the other acts as the Receiver. BOTH USERS MUST BE USING ONE TO ONE FOR THIS FEATURE TO WORK PROPERLY. When you and a friend Share A File, your screens change into a large area at the top two-thirds of the screen. The bottom portion of the screen is split into 2 sections so that you may continue to type to each other while sharing the file. Available on 107/246 as 121-V22.ARC for SEAdog request or download. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 5 7 Sep 1987 Don Daniels, 107/210 COMMITTEE INFORMATION One of the areas in which we have discovered some start-up problems is that of Committee Membership. According to the Bylaws, the President is supposed to name the various members of the standing committees at the annual meeting. However, due to the fact that: o So many other priorities had to be addressed during the annual meeting, o We don't have any real track record as to who can do what, or who wishes to do what, o We wanted to open the committees to as many qualified people as possible, what we decided to do was to name provisional members of the various committees and then provide the opportunity for the Chairman of each commmittee (as appointed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Ken Kaplan) to select more members from the additional volunteers. What I am also suggesting to the Committee Chairman is that they consider a two-tiered arrangement when it comes to membership. The reason for this is based on a combination of things: In order for each committee to operate in session, it is necessary that a quorum be present. With all of us scattered all over not only the U.S., but the world as well, this could present difficulties if all recommended parties and volunteers are automatically made members. In certain cases then, it may be advisable to make up the committee of those who do not have constraints of time and distance, while at the same time utilizing the services of the other volunteers as either "associate members" or as workers on special projects. The point is to try to open up participation to as many as possible, provide opportunities for them all to contribute (and receive appropriate recognition), and yet not be encumbered with an inoperable arrangement. I hope that the membership will bear with us as we all learn how to deal with a new and sometimes complex situation. Below I am providing the list of those individuals that have either voluntereed or been recommended for the various standing committees. We expect to add to this list with other volunteers from throughout the Net. We hope that each of our supporters will consider carefully the opportunities and will volunteer to participate in those areas in which they feel they could be most productive. Please make your request directly to the Chairmen of the specific committee(s) in which you are interested. Indicate any FidoNews 4-34 Page 6 7 Sep 1987 constraints you may have and whether you think that you could best participate as a full member or as an "associate", perhaps handling a special project or requirement. Also, if you have been suggested for a particular committee but feel that your participation there would not be in our mutual best interests, don't hesitate to say so. In any event, please get in touch with the Committee Chairmen by September 15th. At that time we want the Committee Chairmen to provide the Secretary with a list of their recommendations for both full and "associate" members. Note: If you volunteered before but we lost your name in the hassle, DON'T FEEL BAD - just volunteer again! PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP LIST The individuals listed below have volunteered or been recommended for the following committees (*Current Chairman is listed first): ADMINISTRATION AND FINANCE (We need a good administrator to be Chairman of this Committee!) Ken Kaplan* (Acting) 100/22 Gene Clayton Leonard Mednick Wynn Wagner NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS Dave Dodell* 114/5 Hal DuPrie (Bob Morris has offered to be a 'consultant' to this committee) TECHNICAL STANDARDS Ryugen Fisher* 220/1 Chris Baker* (FTSC Sub-committee Chairman) Bob Hartman* (9600 Sub-committee Chairman) Jim Cannell Mark Grennan Ray Gwynne Vince Perriello Tom Jennings Thom Henderson Henk Wevers Ben Baker Wynn Wagner Randy Bush Steve Sullivan Michael Connick Hal DuPrie Mike Johnson Jim Cannell Marshall Presnell Gee Wong Bob Morris Amnon Nissan FidoNews 4-34 Page 7 7 Sep 1987 INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS Don Daniels* (Zone 1 Liaison) 1:107/210 Henk Wevers* (Zone 2 Liaison) 2:500/1 ???????????* (Zone 3 Liaison) 3:????? Mark Grennan Joop Mellaart Allwyn Smith Raymond Richmond Rob Barker Michael White Randy Bush BY-LAWS AND RULES Steve Jordan* 102/2871 Dave Drexler David Bodman Gerrie Blum Mark Peters PUBLICATIONS Brian Hughes* 109/634 Thom Henderson Irene Henderson Brad Hicks Kurt Reisler Wynn Howard Wes Cowley MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Phil Ardussi* 157/1 Irene Henderson Chris Baker Randy Bush Neal Curtain Dave Dodell Brian Hughes Chuck Sanders Jim Cannell Also, as all Directors are required to be on at least one standing committee, the following are available: Larry Wall Ted Polczyinski Rick Seigel Bob Swift ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 8 7 Sep 1987 Les Casey, 163/13 DIPLOMACY via BBS Diplomacy, the popular Avalon-Hill boardgame, is now available for play in an e-mail format. As of this writing, there are two BBS's (163/13 124/109), where games are available. 163/13 Diplomacy Online Ottawa,Ont Fido (613)225-5836 is the only BBS in North America dedicated solely to the play of the popular war game. At any time, up to six games are in progress at once, thus permitting users to join more than one game, if desired. Additionally, several online features enhance the playability, making, in this writer's opinion, the e-mail format the best alternative to "live" play. The game is best played in a live, round-table scenario, but it is not always easy to obtain seven experienced players, who have several hours to participate. Thus, many other formats of play have evolved (eg. E-mail, telephone, mail). The main feature of playing Diplomacy on 163/13 is convenience. Players can login and receive all of their mail immeditely, dwell upon the offers and suggestions of the other players, then return comments at another time when convenient. Assuming a deadline of once per week, the average player will require 10 - 20 minutes per week per game on the BBS to post messages and to receive results from the previous week's orders. Add to this approx. 10-20 mins to determine strategy. Thus, 3 sessions at 10 mins. each is all that is required. Other benefits derived from on-line play: 1. Online help files of strategy 2. Access to other players, and the sysop for advice 3. No fees 4. BBS operates 24 hrs/day - all year 5. A competitive rating system 6. Access to a N. A. Diplomacy E-mail conference as coordinated by (124/109) There are other BBS's who host Diplomacy. If you are interested as either a sysop or player, I suggest you contact the Diplomacy conference coordinator - Robert Eskridge at THE DIPLOMAT BBS (124/109). Those players wishing to participate on Diplomacy Online will be pleased to learn that several individuals in the U.S. presently are regular users on this BBS. A diplomacy echomail is available from the 124/109 as well. There is always a gamestart available. Login today and take part in the mayhem! ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 9 7 Sep 1987 CORRECTION - Recent Articles on PC-Write John Herro, 1083 Mandarin Dr. NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905 Are you wondering why on earth FidoNews 4-32 (24 Aug 1987) reprinted a review of PC-Write version 2.6, when 2.7 with its spelling checker has been out for some time now? The review must have be re-mailed to FidoNews by mistake. Recently I uploaded, to a bulletin board that happens to be a Fido node, an archive containing two reviews of PC-Write. These were my review of version 2.6 from FidoNews 3-30, and my review of version 2.7 from FidoNews 3-48. The Sysop, unpacking the archive, probably thought that I wanted these articles mailed to FidoNews now. By the time you read this, my review of version 2.7 may also have been inadvertantly "reprinted" in FidoNews. Interestingly, at the end of my review of 2.6, I mentioned that PC-Write lacks two features found on some expensive word pro- cessors: it can't handle very large files, and there's no spelling checker. We all know that a spelling checker was added in version 2.7. The newsletter from Quicksoft says that version 3.0, now being written, will handle large files. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 10 7 Sep 1987 Fido Offer for IFNA Members IFNA is proud to announce that it will make Fido version 12.00 available to its members (limit one per member) for only $65.00. As you may already know. Tom Jennings of Fido Software announced at FidoCon 87 that IFNA would be permited to sell Fido version 12.00 under a special arrangement. So here are the restrictions. IFNA must not compete for sales with Fido Software or its authorized distributors. This means that we may offer Fido only to IFNA members, and only one copy to each registered member. Members must understand and agree that Fido Software is NOT prepared to offer technical support to IFNA purchasers. Tom Jennings has agreed to participate in an Echomail Conference called "FIDO" if a volunteer comes forward to Host it. To order, send $65 (Missouri residents add $3.72 sales tax. Overseas members please make payment in US dollars, and include $5.00 for surface shipping or $15.00 for air shipping and handling) to: IFNA PO Box 41143 St. Louis, MO 63141 Sorry we are not prepared to handle credit card or COD orders. Only prepaid orders will be accepted. Orders received by Friday of each week will be shipped prepaid via UPS-ground the following Monday (provided that sufficient inventory is available). If you are not an IFNA member yet, but would like to participate in the offer, fill out the membership application at the end of this newsletter and include it and an additional $25.00. Fido Software has indicated that this is a LIMITED TIME OFFER at this terrific price. Orders postmarked by midnight October 31st, 1987 will be filled. Orders received on or after November 1st, 1987 will cost $100 for IFNA members so order TODAY! Ken Kaplan 1:1/10 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 11 7 Sep 1987 Joaquim Homrighausen FrontDoor BBS (Opus 1:135/20) The first INTERNATIONAL user conference After all these echo mail areas and debates I got very tired of the simple fact that there wasn't any REALLY INTERNATIONAL user conference. And I feel that this is one of the major drawbacks with the net today, the lack of respect for other nations. Not just BY the Americans, not just FROM the Americans, but from a lot of other nations as well. So what I did was a very simple thing. I established the first truly international user echo mail conference. The first two nodes to be included in this were 1:135/20 (my own) and 2:501/4607 (Mats Knuts, host of Sweden). Then, a couple of days ago ... some other sysops seemed to be noticing what was going on and requested the conference from me, and the heat was on. If you want to be serious about carrying user echo mail, please contact the INTERUSER Zone coordinators for more information on where you could pick up this conference. It's very simple ... keep the politics, flames and general BULL out of there and we all got what we wanted in the first place. Joaquim Coordinator USA: Coordinator Europe: Joaquim Homrighausen Mats Knuts FrontDoor BBS SSF Opus 1:135/20 Opus 2:501/4607 (PS. I blame all spelling errors in the above text on my flaky power equipment and the fact that it is 3:25 in the morning Ds.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 12 7 Sep 1987 John Herro Fido 107/211 NOTE: This article first appeared in FidoNews, Vol. 3, No. 48, 15 Dec., 1986. The author now lives at 1083 Mandarin Dr. NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905, and is a Staff Software Engineer for Grumman Aerospace. He is no longer at Fido 107/211. User's Review of PC-WRITE With Spelling (The author has no connection with Quicksoft, the producers of PC-WRITE, except for being a registered user of that Shareware.) The long-awaited version 2.7 of the PC-WRITE word processor is out. Since PC-WRITE is Shareware, you can download it and try it for free. If you have an older version of PC-WRITE, it will def- initely be worth the time to download the latest version. Since I recently reviewed version 2.6 in FidoNews 330, I will discuss only new features here. The biggest new feature is the spelling checker. This is very handy not only for poor spellers, but for bad typists like me. I've used three different spelling checkers from bulletin boards before, but none of them compares with the one built into version 2.7 of PC-WRITE. For one thing, the PC-WRITE spelling checker handles words divided by a hyphen at the end of a line, and the other spellers I've tried do not. I was tired of being told that "tion" is not a word. Also, the dictionary resides in memory, so the checking is very fast. Finally, the dictionary is large: 50,000 words. I'm impressed that the program manages to squeeze 50K English words into fewer than 110K bytes of memory. Alternate-F2 brings up the spelling menu. You can check spelling in three ways. The program can check words as you type them, beeping at you like some of the newer typewriters. You can check an entire document, or check only the word at the cursor. When you check an entire document, the program highlights the first unknown word. You can ignore it, add it to a personal dic- tionary, edit it, or ask the program to guess the correct word. In the last case, I've found that some of the guesses seem to bear little relation to the word typed, while other guesses are very useful. After you select one of these four options, the program highlights the next unknown word, etc. The same four options are available when you check the single word at the cursor, or when you ask PC-WRITE to beep whenever you type an unknown word. You can have as many personal dictionaries as you like, but only one can be in memory at a time, along with the main 50,000-word dictionary. The personal dictionaries are not compressed like the main one. A separate program is provided to merge a personal dictionary with the main one, producing a new main dictionary. FidoNews 4-34 Page 13 7 Sep 1987 Dictionaries are lower case; the speller ignores capitalization. Working with a large dictionary in memory is a pleasure. I was surprised that the program accepted "Boise," "elaboration," "esc," "Hoover," "identifier," "Qatar," and "Terre Haute." The catch is that you can't use the speller if your computer has less than 320K of memory. There are a few new features besides the spelling checker. You can now define a single keystroke to insert the current date and/or time in any format you like. (Date first, spell the day, abbreviate the month, two-digit year, 24-hour time, etc.) The help file is now loaded only when you need it, giving a fast startup. Word wrapping can be disabled without disturbing the right margin. More printers are supported, including those with XON/XOFF protocol. Finally, PC-WRITE can now "import" text placed on the screen by another program. PC-WRITE now includes a pamphlet, ready for you to print out, ex- plaining the differences between versions 2.6 and 2.7. This is in addition to the familiar tutorial manual and quick reference guide. If I may say so, some of you FidoNews authors out there urgently NEED a spelling checker! Version 2.7 of PC-WRITE can be found on Daniels-Fido 107/211, (516) 367-9626, 300/1200/2400 baud. I uploaded the program in two files, PCWRITE1.ARC and PCWRITE2.ARC. PLEASE download it and improve the appearance of FidoNews!! ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 14 7 Sep 1987 Don Daniels, 107/210 The following is the text of my message titled "Welcome to FidoNet!" that was sent to our "Fellow Sysops and Users in Poland" via the Zone 2 Coordinator Henk Wevers. As IFNA's (International FidoNet Association) first elected President, it gives me special pleasure as one of my first official acts to extend a welcome to those nodes that have recently begun operation in Poland. All FidoNet Sysops the world over are dedicated to the free exchange of information. That is why we are all so pleased to learn of the existence of FidoNet systems beyond the barrier we in the West refer to as "The Iron Curtain". We hope that the future exchange of information, ideas, and even feelings through FidoNet will be an aid to the removal of other barriers that have traditionally kept all of us from enjoying a world-wide peace and understanding. The other officers and members of IFNA join me in welcoming all of you to FidoNet. Many of us here in America and in other countries have become personal friends solely through our contacts in FidoNet. We look forward to extending such friendship to those of you who are joining our Network in Poland. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 15 7 Sep 1987 Bill Crawford Chattanooga, TN OpusNODE 1:362/1.0 NEW PRODUCTS This month, I'm going to "cop out" to a degree, but I think you'll forgive me. With the amount of work to be done to prepare for our August 3 product announcement, there just isn't time to put together my usual newsletter information. Since the big news is our new products, I'm going to reprint our news release on these items, with a few comments (( in double parens )). RADIO SHACK ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTS ON TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FIRST PERSONAL COMPUTER NEW YORK, NY - In a "Nationwide Anniversary Celebration", today, personal computer pioneer Radio Shack unveiled four new and two upgraded PC-compatible Tandy computers, plus three new printers, giving the company the industry's most extensive line of personal computers. The new computers are additions to Tandy's line. No existing models have been discontinued. Also introduced were two new cellular telephone models. The Waldorf-Astoria press conference was satellite-linked to Dallas, Texas and Anaheim, California, where more than 1600 Radio Shack managers were attending annual meetings of the company's business products and western consumer divisions. (( In attendance in New York were a number of industry chief executives including Paul Brainard of Aldus, Mark Eppley of Traveling Software, Ed Esber of Ashton-Tate, Bill Gates of Microsoft, Fred Gibbons of Software Publishing, Trip Hawkins with Electronic Arts, Roger Johnson from Western Digital, and Bill Krause and Bob Metcalf of 3-Com. Brainard, Gates and Krause spoke.)) Tandy President, CEO, and Chairman John V. Roach expressed Tandy's commitment to product value, unique technologically innovative products, and providing compatibility with existing and future operating systems, user-interface and connectivity environments and applications software. He spoke of key strategic directions including simplification of computer use and a "building block" selection of system configuration options. TANDY 4000 WITH 80386 Stating, "The 80386 is now an affordable option for all users," Roach introduced the new Tandy 4000 personal computer. This 16Mhz, 80386-based PC, priced at $2,599, uses software based on the latest MS- DOS and UNIX operating systems, and is "OS/2 ready" for future applications. The 4000 comes with one 3.5-inch 1.44-megabyte (Mb) floppy disk drive. Two additional storage device slots let the buyer choose the options needed from a broad range of 3.5-inch and 5.25-inch floppies, hard disks, and internal cartridge or tape backup systems. Also included are nine expansion slots, 1Mb RAM (expandable to 16Mb), serial and parallel ports, and keylock. Currently-owned and widely available expansion options are supported through two "XT" and six "AT"-compatible slots. One 32-bit slot is dedicated to memory expansion. TANDY 3000 AND 3000 HL UPGRADED The popular 80286-based Tandy 3000 computer received a speed FidoNews 4-34 Page 16 7 Sep 1987 increase to 12 Mhz, a keylock/chassis locking system, and a lower price of $1,999. At $1,499, the lowest priced of Tandy's "OS/2 Ready", 80286- based 3000 family is the Tandy 3000 HL computer. It now includes a 101- key enhanced keyboard, and keylock system. (( Although there is no longer officially a "3000 HD", our 1988 catalog lists system prices for the 3000 and 3000 HL when purchased with a 20 or 40 Mb hard drive and controller.)) Roach revealed reliability statistics (held in confidence by most manufacturers) for Tandy's 3000 family, which included a calculated Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of over 58,000 hours, and end user out-of- box failure rate of less than one percent. DYNAMITE SOFTWARE AND NEW LOW-COST NETWORK ! ((This is one you won't find reviewed in the monthly magazines... we kept a few things up our corporate sleeve when we previewed products to them.)) Roach announced a new Professional DeskMate integrated software product scheduled for bundling with Tandy 3000 operating system options in the fourth quarter of this year. It will be available for other PC- compatible products as well. This new version of a Tandy-designed favorite uses pull-down menus, pop-up dialogue boxes, and features mouse, joystick or simple keyboard control. New and considerably enhanced features have been tailored specifically to office use. The most significant change is a utility called DeskLink which allows small workgroups to share a common calendar, phone directory, an electronic mail system, file transfers, and even share a printer. Connectivity options range from a simple RS-232 cable for two users, to sophisticated networks such as the one Radio Shack offers from 3Com Corporation. Available along with the Professional DeskMate software will be a very low-cost network hardware interface called TandyLink. This "twisted-pair" system is ideal for connecting Professional DeskMate workgroups. TandyLink is not only compatible with the AppleTalk network system but can run three times faster than their normal speed. (( Yes, this means using the proper third-party software such as TOPS from Centram, Macintosh and Tandy computers can network together.)) Delivering on the company's promise to make networking simple ((and inexpensive)) enough for everyone, these products provide a "plug in and go" workgroup system, requiring no special training or expert user to install, implement and use. PC-COMPATIBLE LAPTOP The company's entry into the PC-compatible laptop market, the new Tandy 1400 LT computer answers a common MS-DOS laptop complaint of short battery life by providing a unique, removable rechargeable battery pack. The $1,599 unit is based on a high-performance NEC V-20 microprocessor and features the latest high-contrast "backlit supertwist" liquid crystal display technology, two 3.5-inch 720-kilobyte (Kb) disk drives, and 768Kb memory. Additional standard features include 76-key keyboard, real time clock, parallel and serial ports, input socket for a 101-key enhanced keyboard, and outputs for RGBI and composite video monitors. (( One visiting editor - who happens to be a laptop computer devotee - told me our screen is by far the best he has seen yet.)) TWO ADDITIONAL TANDY 1000 COMPUTERS PROVIDE SPEED, FidoNews 4-34 Page 17 7 Sep 1987 NEW DIMENSION IN EASE OF USE Two additions to Tandy's best-selling 1000 family were shown. Operating at three times the speed of IBM's latest PS/2 Model 30, and over six times the speed of the PC/XT, the new $1,199 Tandy 1000 TX computer brings 80286 speed to the PC/XT market. The TX comes with 640Kb memory, one 3.5-inch 720Kb floppy drive plus one open drive slot, joystick, serial and parallel ports, enhanced CGA graphics, three-voice sound, headphone jack and volume control, MS-DOS and GW-BASIC software, and a new enhanced version of Tandy's DeskMate 2 program. The Tandy 1000 TX computer offers unmatched speed and value in a low-cost, American- made brand name PC. ((One prominent industry analyst called the TX an "absolute killer machine.")) The Tandy 1000 HX computer is a truly functional one-drive PC- compatible, designed to provide a new dimension in ease of use, without any sacrifice in performance. Tandy executives say the $699 HX's unique features represent more technology per dollar than any other MS-DOS computer can claim. The MS-DOS operating system is contained in read only memory (ROM), eliminating the need for an ever-present MS-DOS disk. The HX also features an Electrically Erasable Programmable (by the user) Read Only Memory (EEPROM), which stores system configuration and user-selected start-up information, for "Power and Run" operation. The user can specify processor speed, an external drive as the primary drive, immediate power-on execution of the Personal DeskMate 2 program, a utility menu, or a selected application program (in lieu of DOS). A user never has to see the MS-DOS "A>" prompt or worry with switch- selected configuration options. Students can insert a program disk, turn the power on, and see their lesson on-screen with no intermediate steps... a unique capability available in no other personal computer system. Supplied with one 3.5-inch 720Kb drive, the HX will accept a second 3.5-inch internal drive, and an external 5.25-inch drive. Standard memory is 256Kb, expandable to 640Kb. Portions of Personal DeskMate 2 are included in ROM for fast operation. The HX also includes printer and joystick ports, three-voice sound, headphone jack and volume control, plus enhanced CGA graphics. 80286 UPGRADE FOR 1000 & 1000 SX Citing Tandy's commitment to superior value, Roach announced a move rarely seen in the PC industry - a technology upgrade for existing products. Owners of existing Tandy 1000 and 1000 SX computers will be offered an accessory 80286 board which replaces their original 8088 processor for faster performance. PERSONAL DESKMATE IMPROVED Enhanced Personal DeskMate 2 software is included with the Tandy 1000 TX and 1000 HX personal computers. Especially when used with a mouse, it brings a graphics-oriented user interface - rivaling the best available today, yet in color - to low-cost PC compatible computers. This multi-function software product takes advantage of the 1000 family's "enhanced" CGA graphics. Simplified keyboard control of pull- down menus and pop-up dialogue boxes has been added, along with a music composition program. Also, "Paint" is expanded from four to 16 colors. Cursor control options include mouse, joystick, or keyboard. FidoNews 4-34 Page 18 7 Sep 1987 NEW LASER PRINTER ANNOUNCED To fully implement low-cost desktop publishing based on Tandy's 3000 family and new 4000, the company introduced the LP 1000, a $2,199 laser printer. The unit features full-page (1.5Mb) memory and on-board controller, and produces six pages per minute in Tandy, IBM, and HP LaserJet Plus-compatible modes, with 300 x 300 dot-per-inch resolution. NEW DOT-MATRIX PRINTERS Two new dot-matrix printers were shown. The DMP 2120 is a $1,599, PC-compatible, 240 character per second letter-quality printer with color ribbon option. A 24-wire print head can produce a variety of internal or downloaded fonts. A push-type "zero tear" tractor is supplied. The DMP 440 is a 300 character per second, PC-compatible nine-wire 132-column printer, selling for $699. It also accepts downloaded fonts in addition to those supplied. NEW CELLULAR PHONES INCLUDE HAND-HELD PORTABLE Included in the announcement were two new Radio Shack cellular telephones, giving the company three versatile models. The CT-300 portable cellular telephone is an ultra-small, battery- powered, hand-held unit no larger than many cordless phones. Advanced features include 40-number memory, one-button re-dial, dial lock, and lighted LCD multi-function display. The CT-300 is supplied with built-in rechargeable battery pack, portable antenna, carrying case and strap, for $1,499. The new CT-100 phone is a low-cost, feature-rich mobile unit delivering full 3-watt performance. Complete with handset, speaker and visor microphone, the CT-100 retails for $799. An improved version of Radio Shack's popular 3-watt Transportable Cellular Telephone (mobile mount or battery-operated portable) continues at $1,199. (Portable adapter and batteries optional). ----------------------------------------------------------------- So there you have the news. All of the products are detailed in our new 124-page 1988 Tandy Computer Catalog & Software Reference Guide. It should be showing up in your neighborhood stores within the next few days. I think you'll be as excited as we are about the line. You'll also see "first looks" in most of the major computer trade journals over the next couple of months. There is plenty to see in the new catalog. For example, there's a 40-Mb internal tape cartridge (backup) system, selling for only $699. Most tape systems are pre-configured to either XT or AT formats, and are not interchangeable. Ours works with either. I don't want to spoil your fun, so that's the only additional "teaser" I'll give you. Yes, this was an MS-DOS announcement. No, there wasn't another version of the CoCo, Model 4D or 6000, but those products continue in our 1988 catalog. The only computer not listed in this one is the Tandy 2000. See you next month... ----------------------------------------------------------------- Material contained herein may be reproduced in whole or in part in user group newsletters. Please quote source as Tandy Corporation/Radio Shack. Send questions/topic suggestions to: Ed Juge, director of market planning Radio Shack FidoNews 4-34 Page 19 7 Sep 1987 1700 One Tandy Center Fort Worth, TX 76102 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 20 7 Sep 1987 From: Robert Heller, SysOp of Locks Hill BBS 321/148 FidoNet Node ID's: Names or Numbers? 1. Introduction. Although I am new to FidoNet, I have had some experience using other network mail systems (including local DECNet and ARPANet (by way of CSNet)). The big machine mail networks use names for nodes at the user level - that is users don't need to know the network address numbers for the nodes they send mail to, all that is handled by the mailer software at one level or another. It seems to me that FidoNet has gotten big enough to also move in this direction. I don't mean that we should eleminate the nodelist and the node numbers, just to phase out the use of raw network node numbers as part of user-visible mail headers. 2. Motivation. The motivation for going to a named node identification at the user level is to help users in understanding the network address. It is usually easier to remember someone (and to refer to someone) by name rather than by say a telephone number or a zip-code. The translation from a person's name to their telephone number (needed to call them on the phone) is done with a telephone directory. The same can be done with FidoNet node names. We already have the directory - the nodelist itself! With named-node addressing at the BBS level users can refer to netmail destinations by *name* rather than by network node id numbers. 3. Proposed Syntax Since there are alot of nodes (more than 2100), we will probably still need a multi-part addressing scheme. I propose the following syntax (which is much like what is used on ARPANet): user-name @ point-name.node-name.net-name.zone-name with the provision that trailing parts can be dropped when they are the same as the parts in the local nodes address. That means that nodes in the same network only need specify the point and node names. Point names can also be dropped if the destination is a node rather than a point. For example: Robert Heller @ Locks Hill BBS.MassNet West.USA Canada is the same as Robert Heller @ 1:321/148 (There are no points under Locks Hill BBS.) The ".USA Canada" part can be dropped if sent from a node in zone 1 and ".MassNet West.USA Canada" can be dropped if sent from FidoNews 4-34 Page 21 7 Sep 1987 another node in network 321 (MassNet West). 4. Conclusion This scheme can be implemented in future versions of BBS programs. It could even be implemented without changing the format of message files as they exist on disk. Fido (or Opus, etc.) would simply display the message header with names replacing network and node numbers and users entering netmail would just enter network and node names, which would be translated by the BBS software to *internal* network numbers. Users would never see network or node numbers. The numbers would still exist, since they are needed to resolve routing and in cost accounting and in the mail packets. That is, the software involved in transporting the mail message would use numbers and users would only see names, with the BBS software performing the translatation interface. This is just a idea of mine that I am tossing out to the readership of FidoNews. If you have comments on this idea send me netmail. Or write a counter-proposal. I am not commited to the syntax I proposed. Other syntaxes are certainly posible. Robert Heller EMail addresses: ARPANet: Heller@CS.UMass.EDU BITNET: Heller@UMass.BITNET BIX: Heller GENIE: RHeller CompuServ: 71450,3432 <- CIS uses primitive software! FidoNet: 321/148, Locks Hill BBS.MassNet West ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 22 7 Sep 1987 The Dallas Mafia Opus 124/xxx +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | | | Chisolm's Third Law, Corollary 2: | | If you do something which you are sure will meet with | | everyone's approval, somebody won't like it. | | | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ Making File Requests using Fido ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Opus-Cbcs v1.03 allows WaZOO File Requests from non-WaZOO systems. For example, if you run a Fido system, you can now make file requests to an Opus system. Naturally, this assumes the Opus sysop supports file requests. This file describes the method for making file requests to an Opus-Cbcs v1.03+ system. It can be used by any netmail program capable of sending/receiving "file attaches". +---------------------------+ | | | "Who's LoTek?" | | "Not us boss..." | | | | --- William Gibson | | | +---------------------------+ It really is simpler than it looks. In a nutshell, you build a text file that lists all the files you want. Then you send that file to the Opus system using the "file attach" mechanism of your netmail software, and Opus will send back the files. There really is nothing more complicated than that... nevertheless, here are some step-by-step instructions in agonizing detail: 1. Create a file called `aaaabbbb.REQ'. `aaaa' is a 4-digit hex number that is the net of the Opus system you are calling. `bbbb' is a 4-digit hex number that is the node of the Opus system you are calling. EXAMPLES: 00010002.REQ ... a WaZOO request for 1/2. 038493e8.REQ ... a WaZOO request for 900/1000. 2. Use a text editor to list the files you are requesting. Put one file name to a line, and end the FidoNews 4-34 Page 23 7 Sep 1987 line with a or . The file name should NOT contain a drive or path. You can use wildcards in the .REQ file. The .REQ file is a garden-variety text file. You can create it with any text editor that produces plain ASCII files. 3. Transmit the file to the Opus system like you would any other `file attach'. 4. When the session turns around (ie. when Opus starts transmitting to you), it will send any files you have requested which are available for transmission. NOTE 1: There are two reserved file names. The Opus sysop has to support them, but most do. These two file names are special signals to Opus, and the name of the file you actually receive will be called whatever the Opus sysop wants to call them. ABOUT ... If you request the file "About" you will probably get a short summary of the Opus system. You will also get the file designated as the Opus system's ABOUT file if the Opus system can't fulfill one of your requests. FILES ... If you request the file "Files" you will probably get a listing of the files available to file requests. NOTE 2: Some files may be password protected. If that's the case for the file you want, put the password behind a bang character on the same line as the file name in the .REQ file. Like this: filename !pswrd That's the file name followed by a single space, followed by a bang ("!") followed by the password followed by a . A password has six or fewer characters. NOTES ----- * If your software requires it, don't forget to enable PICKUP. * This only works if you initiate the call. If the Opus system is calling you, you cannot make a file request. In other FidoNews 4-34 Page 24 7 Sep 1987 words, the whole thing has to be on your nickle. * If there is some kind of fatal transmission trouble while you are receiving the requested file(s), just call back with a "poll." Assuming the .REQ file made it okay, the Opus system will remember what files you have requested. You should not send the .REQ file more than once... unless you want two copies of everything. * There is a utility available that will do the file-attach for you, with a proper .REQ file. it is called WZ_SRC.ARC and is available from 124/111, 161/1, and 150/1 (as well as other places I don't know about.) +-------------------------------------------------------+ | | | "Arrogance is the mother of invention." | | | | --- Guido Palermo | | Opus ByLaws & Covert Action Committee | | | +-------------------------------------------------------+ VOCABULARY ---------- OO ........ "Opus outbound" LoTek ..... 1. a street gang in a cyberpunk novel 2. the netmail method that involves XModem and TeLink (or TeLink variety) for file transfer. WaZOO ..... "Warp-Zillion Opus-To-Opus", netmail system used when one Opus talks to another Opus. WaZOO is a collection of protocols. Right now, Opus supports two WaZOO protocols: DietIfna and ZedZap. DietIfna... A streamlined LoTek available to WaZOO systems. In fact, if you are talking to an Opus sysop, he/she will probably refer to the file request method described here as "DietIfna WaZOO File Request." ZedZap..... The WaZOO protocol used most of the time. File transfers are done using ZModem. B-) ....... The symbol for a smiling Opus sysop wearing mirror shades. +----------------------------------------------------+ | | | There are two kinds of people in the world... | FidoNews 4-34 Page 25 7 Sep 1987 | those that divide things into two catagories, | | and those that don't. | | | +----------------------------------------------------+ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 26 7 Sep 1987 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= O r i g i n : A n g e v i n E m p i r e Issue #1: Echomail and PC-Pursuit Aaron Priven (1:161/1154) _Origin: Angevin Empire_ commences as a semi-regular column (semi-regular means that I'll try to write it on schedule, but no promises) in this issue of FidoNews. Usually, with the start of a work of this sort, the whys and wherefores of the work are found, and submitted to public display. Sadly, I feel this cannot be the case with this column. In looking for a good, logical reason to write a column for FidoNews, nothing seems to fit. I would like to entertain; I hope to make people laugh; and I wish to be informative. Nevertheless, I cannot promise to be any of these things. Further, I cannot delude myself that my view is more important than, or has special qualities not found in the viewpoints of others. And I cannot believe that I am the only one who wishes to write. So I leave you without a reason. I hope despite this that you find a purpose in my work. _Origin: Angevin Empire_ has no one particular subject. The first few columns have already been written, and are about the Matrix, but that doesn't mean that a column down the way won't be about the shapes of floppy disks, or my high school, or the vicissitudes of file cabinet manufacture. In any case, I do hope you enjoy reading _Origin: Angevin Empire_, and please, help me to write better columns by giving me feedback. In many of my columns (including this one) I will write about ideas I have had, and in all probablility many of the ideas expressed will be infeasible or simply dumb; please, always feel free to tell me in fine language just how dumb they are. ------- Do you all remember the commercials for "Reese's Peanut Butter Cups," in which chocolate lovers and peanut lovers put them together and find that they're better than they were apart? I hope I can be in the position of catalyzing the combination of PC-Pursuit and echomail. I was reading a bunch of PC-Pursuit ads I found on a BBS the other day, when I started to think about how all my local sysops are routing things through PC-Pursuit for echomail. I suddenly realized that there was a lot of routing going on that wasn't really necessary. Take a theoretical example. A local node routes echomail through PC-Pursuit to a nearby city (call it Aarongrad); tolls FidoNews 4-34 Page 27 7 Sep 1987 are $0.08/minute. He gets PC-Pursuit and routes for free -- to Aarongrad. Aarongrad routes through Bell lines to Fidoville, who routes through PC-Pursuit to Opus City. Opus City routes through PC-Pursuit to Seadogtown, on BOC lines to Compaqia, on PC-Pursuit to La Computadora ... It's a long, long chain. The problem with the long chain is, of course, that it takes a week to get from our "local node" to "Nomansland". Now I know that this isn't entirely the case -- we have backbones and other such things that make it faster. But nevertheless, one hears of the "10-day limit". That's too long! And in the main, the reason for this is because PC-Pursuit is not being used to its fullest advantage. It seems to me that there is a good alternative to the long chain, using PC-Pursuit. A new unit in the Matrix could be introduced: the Echomail Distribution Center. There probably should be one per echomail conference, although this is not cast in stone; the point is that there would be a _lot_ of traffic. An EDC would be: a Matrix node, that can both make and receive PC- Pursuit calls, that is set up to talk to _all_ PC-Pursuit-able nodes carrying the conferences that the EDC supports. The following would be done by the EDC: Keep track of all nodes carrying the conference; Make outbound calls to _all_ PC-Pursuitable nodes carrying the conference; and Accept inbound calls from any nodes carrying the conference. This way, any node either in a PC-Pursuit city, or who uses PC-Pursuit themselves, will have the fastest turnaround possible. And to carry a conference, all one has to do is send a netmail message to the EDC; no routing (or weekly pleas in SYSOP), no worrying, no hassles. In many areas, even those without PC-Pursuit and outside of a PC-Pursuit area will have their service improved; more than likely those people get or can get their feeds from PC-Pursuit subscribers, and thus will have if not one-day turnaround, two- or three-day turnaround. In any case there is nothing stopping them from continuing their current routing. There are some drawbacks to this plan. Mainly, PC-Pursuit is not always "up" and is rather slow. This is something that has already been evidenced; my local node routes things via PC- Pursuit and was without TECH, COMM, and ECPROG for quite a while. This will happen only rarely, however, and I think will not affect the conference all that much; PC-Pursuit is up most of the time. As for slowness, that is largely solved by more up-to-date transfer protocols and I think will not be a problem in the future. Another drawback is that it isn't possible to extend this system internationally; still, it doesn't hurt the overseas nodes to have fast US service. FidoNews 4-34 Page 28 7 Sep 1987 There is also the fact that for a large conference like TECH, it takes a lot of time and disk space to process all that mail. If necessary, there could be two or three EDC's for a single conference; odd-numbered nodes call EDC #1, and even-numbered nodes call EDC #2. The good thing about this plan is that the EDC's do not have to be shared geographically, making two EDC's in the same city just as valuable as one in New York and one in Los Angeles. Finally, there is the $5 packet/switched network charge that may come forth in January. I can only reply that if we all try, and write letters, it may not happen; and we can always go back. Apologies to all who may have thought of this idea first, and of whom I have not heard (which I'm sure is a lot!) (This was written about a month ago, and since then I have learned more about how much traffic an Echomail area really entails; and more about the "backbone". I don't now believe one EDC per conference is really viable for any but the smallest conferences. Nevertheless, the major idea of the column -- geographic irrelevance -- still stands.) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 29 7 Sep 1987 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 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 1:1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Latest Software Versions BBS Systems Node List Other & Mailers Version Utilities Version Utilities Version Dutchie 2.51 EditNL 3.3 ARC 5.21 Fido 12* MakeNL 1.10* ARCmail 1.0 Opus 1.03a Prune 1.40 ConfMail 3.00 SEAdog 4.10* XlatList 2.84* EchoMail 1.31 TBBS 2.0M MGM 1.0 * Recently changed Utility authors: Please help keep this list up to date 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 4-34 Page 30 7 Sep 1987 INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION ORDER FORM Publications The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido 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. IFNA Fido BBS listing $15.00 _____ IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs $10.00 _____ IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs $10.00 _____ Special offers for IFNA members ONLY: System Enhancement Associates SEAdog $60.00 _____ ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member. Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet $65.00 _____ ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member. As of November 1, 1987 price will increase to $100. Orders including checks for $65 will be returned after October 31, 1987. SUBTOTAL _____ Missouri Residents add 5.725 % Sales tax _____ International orders include $5.00 for surface shipping or $15.00 for air shipping _____ TOTAL _____ SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO: IFNA P.O. Box 41143 St. Louis, Missouri 63141 USA Name________________________________ Net/Node____/____ Company_____________________________ Address_____________________________ City____________________ State____________ Zip_____ Voice Phone_________________________ Signature___________________________ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 4-34 Page 31 7 Sep 1987 __ The World's First / \ BBS Network /|oo \ * FidoNet * (_| /_) _`@/_ \ _ | | \ \\ | (*) | \ )) ______ |__U__| / \// / Fido \ _//|| _\ / (________) (_/(_|(____/ (jm) Membership for the International FidoNet Association Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that pays an annual specified membership fee. IFNA serves the international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to increase worldwide communications. ** Name _________________________________ Date ________ Address ______________________________ City & State _________________________ Country_______________________________ Phone (Voice) ________________________ Net/Node Number ______________________ Board Name____________________________ Phone (Data) _________________________ Baud Rate Supported___________________ Board Restrictions____________________ Special Interests_____________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Is there some area where you would be willing to help out in FidoNet?_______ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Send your membership form and a check or money order for $25 to: International FidoNet Association P. O. Box 41143 St Louis, Missouri 63141 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 was filled in August 1987. The IFNA Echomail Conference has been established on FidoNet to assist the Board. We welcome your input on this Conference. -----------------------------------------------------------------