F I D O N E W S -- Vol.11 No.10 (07-Mar-1994) +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | A newsletter of the | | | FidoNet BBS community | Published by: | | _ | | | / \ | "FidoNews" BBS | | /|oo \ | +1-519-570-4176 1:1/23 | | (_| /_) | | | _`@/_ \ _ | Editors: | | | | \ \\ | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 | | | (*) | \ )) | Donald Tees 1:221/192 | | |__U__| / \// | Tim Pozar 1:125/555 | | _//|| _\ / | | | (_/(_|(____/ | | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: editors 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Internet addresses: | | | | Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com | | Both Don & Sylvia (submission address) | | editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies and other boring but important details, | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ======================================================================== Table of Contents ======================================================================== 1. Editorial..................................................... 1 2. Articles...................................................... 2 Unnecessary Expletives...................................... 2 Mercury Network............................................. 2 Small Article about swiscon/eurocon......................... 6 Dying Boy Needs Cards ... NOT!.............................. 7 New Network in Town......................................... 9 3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 11 ======================================================================== Editorial ======================================================================== FidoNews 11-10 Page: 2 07 Mar 1994 With International women's week coming up, Max is up to her eyeballs in getting ready for an art show. So her I am, stuck with the editorial. The snooze is relatively tame this week, with only one article chastising us for content. As Max went out the door, she said "I want to reply to that ... next week". So that will have to wait. A couple of new networks are announced; one in Britain and one down in Florida. I could never quite figure out why Florida is such a hotbed of BBS activety. I mean, up here in Canada it is so cold all winter that we woosies need an indoor activety all winter. But down there it is WARM. Why all the indoor stuff? MMM. Applies to California as well, I suppose. Anyway, here is the snooze. I am going to head out to the gallery and give Max a hand hanging stuff. ======================================================================== Articles ======================================================================== Unnecessary Expletives. I was reading the February 21, 1994 (Vol 11 No 8) edition of Fidonews and was shocked to see the use of an inflammatory word in the editorial. If you're wondering what word, go back and read it for yourself. There are many young users who read Fidonews. I've always enjoyed reading Fidonews, but this type of language is totally unnecessary. On our board, we try to maintain a family type atmosphere and when a young user or anyone else can go to the bulletin menu and read this type of trash does not give Fidonet and the BBS community a very good image. I hope that in the future that the editors will delete these unnecessary expletives. Robert Robertson 1:3607/5 eobytes!robert@vulcan.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Mercury Network by Nick Jay 2:441/6 As a regular reader of the 'Snooze' for about 6 months now, and having seen several articles over a period informing everyone about OTHERNETS, I'd just like to take this opportunity to tell everyone about a great 'new' network that is in operation here in the UK. It's called Mercury and has nothing to do with the telco of the same It was originally set up by Steve Woodmore, a FidoNet SysOp, in order to create a network that was both friendly, free of politics and policies and one that would give people total freedom of comms, choice of conversations, topics and expression. FidoNews 11-10 Page: 3 07 Mar 1994 It started small but now has almost 200 participating nodes in the UK alone. There are also many other users and points and the network has grown in size and scope ever since. There are currently around 150 echoes, catering to all needs and although some of them are currently being dropped through lack of participation, others are being imported from the States to replace these, via the VNet/VBBS network in the USA and Canada. A new RC in the Netherlands/Holland has also recently joined With spain, Germany and France to follow soon. it is hoped that this will continue to expand and encompass even more international countries than are already contributing and enjoying the network. To give you all an idea, here is a list of the echoes that are currently available to Mercury Network users:- ADULT_HUMOUR Adult sex-type jokes and chat AGA_AMIGA Amiga graphics and animation tips AMA_RADIO General amateur radio chat AMIGA_SOFT Amiga software news and advice BARREN Help with Barren Realms Elite BBS door game BBS_DOORS Discussion of BBS doors and interfaces CAPITAL Capital PUNishment - witty puns and jokes DR_WHO General discussion of TV programme Dr.Who DS9 Deep Space Nine the TV programme ELVIS_SIGHTINGS Spotted Elvis lately? GENE Worldwide geneology discussion GO_HMMM Things that make you go Hmmm! L_CALL UK <-> US general chatter MBEYOND 21st century and beyond MBIKE MotorCycle news and discussion MBLENDER Blender magik and rituals MBOOKS Books and literary chat MBOOK_SHADOWS Book of Shadows MCD_ROM CD ROM Discussion and Information MCHAOS_MAGIK Chaos Magik MCHESS Chess playing tips and strategies MCLOUD Living in a cloud MCOLLEGE College bound students MCOLL_LIFE College life and chatter MCOMICS Comics {Cards, Books, Cartoons} MCYBERPUNK Talk of the cyberpunk movement MDEEP Deep thought and lateral thinking MDEUTCH Deutch Fur Alles - German chatter MDEVIL Satanism and the devil MFALCON Falcon 3.0/Fighting Tiger MFLAMING The War Room - flames and swearing! MGENERALLAW General law discussion and help MGET_ODD Don't get even get odd! MGROUND Aviation groundschool - for beginners MHACK How to hack a computer system... MHATE_JOB I hate my job MHI_FI Hi-Fi Equipment news and discussion MHOMECOOK Home-cooking recipes and ideas FidoNews 11-10 Page: 4 07 Mar 1994 MLAWENFORCE Law enforcement discussion MLIVING_LARGE For those who weight in at 18+ stones MOS2_CONF General OS/2 conference MOS2_DOORS Running BBS doors under OS/2 MOS2_PROG OS/2 programming help MOS2_REXX Rexx programming under OS/2 MOS2_RTABLE The famous OS/2 round table MOS2_SUPPORT Beginners help for OS/2 MOS2_VSWINDOWS OS/2 versus Windows MPAGAN General Pagan chat MPC_PILOTS Armchair PC pilots and flight simulators MPENPAL UK <-> US penpals conference MPHOTO Photography discussion and news MPROTOCULTURE Japanese anime conference MRAYTRACE Raytracing - multi platform MSPACE Space conference and news MSTRATEGY Tips for strategy game players MSUB_NEW Announcement area for new subs available in Mercury MSUPRA Supra modems news and advice MTEACHERS Teachers advice and chat MTHIEVES Thieves and thieving conference MTRUE_CRIMES True crime stories MVAMPIRE All about vampires and their victims MVGA_PLANETS Help and tips for players of BBS game VGA planets MVIGILANTE Vigilante discussion MWAR Talk of war worldwide MWARGAMES Discussion of hit novel WarGames MWAVE Computer wave news MWORSHIP Satanic worship and more Satanism MYELLOW Virtualnet yellow pages conference M_AA Alcoholics anonymous M_AACLOSED AA Closed meetings M_ACCLOSED ACOA Closed meetings M_ALT Alternative music M_ANSIART ANSi art M_ANSIMUSIC ANSi music M_ASKCOPS Ask a cop - legal issues M_ASTRO General M_AUTOCAD Autocad discussion M_AVIATE Aviators M_CAP Combat-air-patrols M_CCLANG Future of the C and C++ programming languages M_CCPROG C and C++ programming hints and source M_ERIS Eris Goddess of Discordia M_EXPERTS Ask the experts - any subject M_GAP The gap between kids and adults M_GHOSTS Ghosts and other supernatural beings M_GRIDIRON US Football news and chat M_HHGTTG Talk of Douglas Adams' Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy novel M_INCENSE Incense oils, concoctions and brews M_INDNEWS US and worldwide industrial news M_INTERNET Internet help and advice M_JOKES Light hearted jokes of any nature M_KWIK Questions that go unanswered.. FidoNews 11-10 Page: 5 07 Mar 1994 M_MADNESS Enter madness M_MAGIK Spiritual conference general chatter M_MATTERS Compulsory echo for UK Mercury sysops M_MEDITATION Meditation and crystals M_MERCENARY Soldier of fortune M_MILCHAT US military chatter and views M_MILNEWS US military news M_MILPEOPLE US military people M_MOUNTBIKE Mountain bike chat and advice M_MYCOMP My Computer is better than yours (Fido gated) M_MYTH Mythology/Folklore conference M_NET Mercury UK general user and sysop chat M_NEWS Admin FEEDBACK ECHO M_OP_SYS Computer networking professionals M_PARADOX Paradox PC database support DOS & Windows M_PCSECURITY Advice and news on PC security M_PRAT Discussion of works by Terry Pratchett M_SCIFI General science fiction chatter M_SERENE Emptiness and serenity M_STARTREK Startrek the TV programme M_TASUP Worldwide Transamiga BBS software support M_TEEN Mindless teenagers chatter M_TEENWORLD The teenage world M_TELEPHONY Telephony and phreaking M_TNG Startrek The Next Generation TV programme M_TREK.WRITERS Startrek story writers advice M_UFO UFO sightings and discussion M_UKGENE UK geneology enquiries M_UNIX General Unix users lounge M_UNIXTIPS Unix operating system tips and techniques M_UNIX_FRONTIER Unix: the final frontier M_USMIL US military general talk M_VBI Visual Basic help and source DOS and Windows M_VETERAN War veterans from any war M_VIRUSDET Computer virus news and views M_WARGAMES Wargaming (Computers) M_SMEG Discussion of cult TV series Red Dwarf M_FILESUK UK file distribution and location queries M_CHESSUK General UK chess discussion and tips OLD_FARTS Over 30s hiding place ONLY_AMIGA Only the Amiga will do the job PLEASURE_PALACE Sex related chatter (MODERATED) PMO Things that really piss me off POV_RAY Persistence of Vision PC raytracer support PRO_WRESTLE Professional wrestling news RIP R.I.P graphics and BBS software interfaces SEX_STORIES Got any good sex stories? TA_TALK Transatlantic chatter As you can see, there are many varied echoes available and something to interest everyone. The adult areas are limited but are also strictly controlled so that only people *known* to be over the age of 18 are allowed access to them and are also moderated by VNet/VBBS from where they are imported. There are other echoes being added all the time, one of the latest being FidoNews 11-10 Page: 6 07 Mar 1994 my own M_PRISONER echo which aids discussions on the television programme of The Prisoner, that starred Patrick McGoohan and is so popular on both sides of the Atlantic. People are able to start their own echoes if there is a topic that isn't already available and these can be UK only areas or internationally gated, as the person wishing to start it so desires. We allow psudonyms or handles in *all* the echoes and hi-Ascii, Ansi and sigs are also freely allowed, subject to reasonable limitations of course. There are no rules and no official policies although, of course, like *all* networks, there have to be guidelines that need to be adhered to in order for things to run smoothly but they're extremely easy and very As I write, Mercury is looking for a Regional Co-ordinator from America and/or Canada to start feeding directly from Steve in England. They will have *full* administrative leeway to run their side of things totally as they wish with no interference from anyone else, subject of course to the guidelines. They would be expected to run .FTN software and to poll the UK perhaps 3 times a week to exchange mail. If you are interested or would like any further information or details, or may even know someone suitable, then please contact either Steve Woodmore (2:440/410) or myself. I'm sure Steve would be most grateful to hear from you. I know I would. :-) Thank you kindly for your attention. Be Seeing You!! Nick Jay FidoNet: 2:441/6 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Small Article about swiscon/eurocon From: Ruedi Kneubuehler (2:301/520) Dear Fidonetter, as you might know, the next CON will be held in Switzerland, therefore called SWISSCON/EUROCON. The same procedure as every year, we are looking for speakers. We are interested to have speakers, that can tell us something about new technologies that could be implemented whithin FidoNet. We think, that a lot of fellow sysop are interested in knowing how the future could be. That can be: How does Usenet News transport work, would it be a benefit for FidoNet, to use that method of transfering and distributing huge Echomailpackets. Any other not yet known Method, how to transfer and distribute FidoNews 11-10 Page: 7 07 Mar 1994 huge mailtraffic. New packetproposals, that solves all outstanding problems in one stroke. New transferprotocols that uses both channels for ISDN connections or any kind of TCP/IP over seriallines or any other brandnew invention. If you have special knowledge in such technologies and are willing to be speaker, please send a netmail to Ruedi Kneubuehler 2:301/520 or pingu@chg.imp.com, describing your topic. Any other question concerning SWISSCON/EUROCON, can be routed to 2:2/1994. Hope to see a lot of you in switzerland joining the SWISSCON, we will have a lot of fun... :-)) Thanks for taking time and reading this Mail. ruedi:- oe. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dying Boy Needs Cards ... NOT! Introduced by: Canadian Hoax Interception Project (CHIP) @ 1:250/730 Following up on the "Make Hoaxes Fast" of FNews v11#9, it should be noted for the record that the disease young Craig Shergold had was misidentified in that article. CHIP regrets the incorrect detail, although the general story is there. "Make Hoaxes Fast" (with correction made) is available for file request at 1:250/730 under the file HOAX.ART, for future reference. Here is a Usenet posting that explains the Craig Shergold story in good detail. Please pass this along wherever hoaxes can happen: [Usenet item follows...] from alt.folklore.urban ... From: PAPAI@kcgl1.eng.ohio-state.edu (Jonathan Papai) Subject: dying boy needs cards FAQ. Clip and save! Date: Mon Feb 21 09:42:25 EST 1994 Organization: The Ohio State University Lines: 93 clip and save! -Jon FidoNews 11-10 Page: 8 07 Mar 1994 -------------------------------------------------------------- From: spaf@cs.purdue.edu (Gene Spafford) Newsgroups: news.announce.important Subject: DO NOT SENT ANY {GET WELL, POST, BUSINESS} CARDS TO CRAIG SHERGOLD! Date: 17 Feb 92 19:43:21 GMT Organization: SERC, Department of Computer Sciences, Purdue Univ. If you call the ``Children's Make a Wish'' foundation, you will find that they are not soliciting any form of card for Craig Shergold or anyone else. Better yet, if you call the Guinness people (US publisher is "Facts on File" @ 212-683--2244 ext. 336), you can get this same story confirmed. You will also find that they will no longer endorse or support any effort to break this record. Many years ago, Craig Shergold had a brain tumor, believed inoperable. He sought to set the Guinness record for get-well cards. The call was well-publicized, and he did, indeed set the record (consult a recent edition of the book --- he has received in excess of 16 million cards to date; he officially set the record as of 17 Nov 1989). As part of this whole story, his plight caught the attention of John Kluge, the US billionaire, who paid for Craig to come to the US and receive specialized treatment. As a result, Craig has recovered completely from his tumor. He is also no longer seven, but well into his teens (you can see how out-of-date the request for cards is from this -- it's like circulating a letter encouraging people to vote for Carter for President). The problem is that the mimeographed sheets and letters seeking cards for Craig have continued to be circulated. As a result, cards continue to pour in to the post office for Royal Marsden Hospital in England. Worse, the appeal has mutated into various other versions, such as an appeal for business cards, one for postcards, and another version that appeals for holiday cards. The Shergold family has publicly appealed many times that people cease to mail them cards and letters, and that no more appeals be made on their behalf. One easily accessible way to verify this is with the article on page 24 of the 19 July 1990 NY Times. People Magazine wrote an article about it on June 1, 1991, page 63. Even Ann Landers has carried an item on this [6/23/91], but people still keep trying to send cards. Both Guinness and Royal Marsden have repeatedly issued press releases asking people to stop circulating requests for cards, as they are creating an undue burden on both the hospital and the postal service. The Guinness people have discontinued the category to prevent this kind of thing from ever happening again, and are doing their utmost to kill any further mailings. The Royal Marsden Hospital is at a loss what to do with the cards that continue to arrive --- most are being sold to stamp collectors and paper recyclers, and none go on to Craig. This appeal for Craig, as well as many urban legends, regularly appear FidoNews 11-10 Page: 9 07 Mar 1994 on electronic bulletin boards around the world, and in many organizational newsletters and bulletins. It is both heartening and unfortunate that there are so many well-meaning people who continue to propagate these stories. It is too bad that so many people are unwilling to verify their information before passing such things along, especially when a simple phone call will suffice to do so. In this case, opening a recent copy of a book carried by nearly every library and bookstore would illuminate the situation. If you would still like to do something for a dying child, consider making a donation to a charity such as UNICEF or to the International Red Cross (Red Crescent, Red Magen David). Many thousands of children are dying daily around the world from disease and starvation, and countless millions more are suffering from the ravages of war, famine, disease, and natural disaster. Think how many of them might be helped by the millions of dollars in postage spent on cards to Craig Shergold.... Addresses (in US) are: UNICEF American National Red Cross 1 UN Plaza 17th & D Streets New York, NY 10017 Washington, DC 20006 Attn: international children's aid [Also, I encourage you to save this announcement, in either electronic or hard copy form, and to post it to any bulletin board you've seen the original plea on. If you see it in the future, as you probably will, you can attach a copy of this announcement. Wouldn't it be great to finally kill this story, which spreads like a virus?] -- Professor Gene Spafford Dept. of Computer Sciences Purdue University W. Lafayette IN 47907-1398 spaf@cs.purdue.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- New Network in Town by John Creamer New Network in Town Join One Of The Fastest Growing Networks Of The 90's METALNET! MetalNet Zone 75 is now Based In Orlando, Florida and Is Currently Looking For Region Coordinators, Hosts, Hub And Nodes Across The Globe!!!! No Individual Will Be Refused! For More Information Please FREQ METALNET From The Following Network Address: Fido 1:363/198 NO ONE WILL BE REFUSED! Here Is A Listing Of Conferences Currently Offered! FidoNews 11-10 Page: 10 07 Mar 1994 MetalNet Echomail Conference Listing Updated January 1, 1994 New Echos & Suggestions Are Always Welcome And Are Encouraged!! Conference Name Description MN_4SALE Online Yard-Sale for Computer Users MN_ADULT Adult talk, must be 18+ for access MN_ALTER Alternative Music MN_AMIGA Amiga discussion area MN_B&B Discuss Beavis & Butt-Head topics MN_BBS Tech support for all BBS Software MN_BBSADS BBS advertisement area MN_BRE Barren Relms Elite dicusssion area MN_CBOOKS Comic Books discussions MN_CDROM CD ROM discussions MN_CHAT General Chat area MN_CLASSIC Discuss Classic Rock MN_CLASSICL Discuss Classical Music MN_CONCERTS Discuss upcoming concerts MN_COUNTRY Discuss Country Music MN_CPRO Discuss C & C++ Programing MN_DEBATE Place for Heated Debates MN_DOORS Discuss BBS Door Programs MN_DRDOS Discussion on DR Dos MN_ECHO Additions, deletions, changes to conference list MN_ENETS Discuss other Echomail Networks MN_FILESRCH File Search area for hard to find programs MN_HMETAL Discussion on Heavy Metal MN_HOSTS Discussion for Net Coordinators Only MN_HSM Discussions on High Speed Modems MN_HTECH Discussions on hardware problems MN_MAILER Discussions on Mailers, tossers, scanners MN_MOVIES New Movie Review area MN_MTLNWS For posting of MetalNet Newsletter MN_MUSICIAN Musicians discussion area MN_NET407 Discussion in Net407 Only MN_NEWBBS Discussion area for new BBS users MN_NODELIST Additions, deletions, changes to Nodelist MN_OS2 OS/2 Discussion area MN_PASCAL Discussion on programing in Pascal MN_POL Politics debating area MN_RAP Discussions on RAP Music MN_REGION400 Discussions in Region400 Only MN_REGIONS Discussions for Region Coordinators Only MN_RIP Discussions on RIP Graphics MN_RPG Role Playing Discussion area MN_SCARDS Sports Cards collectors discussion area MN_STECH Software technical discussion area MN_SYSOP Discussions by MetalNet Sysops Only MN_TEEN Discussion area for Teens MN_TOP40 Top 40 Music discussion area MN_UNIX Discussions on Unix Systems MN_VIRTUAL Virtual Realty Discussion area MN_WEAPONS Weapons & Guns Discussion area FidoNews 11-10 Page: 11 07 Mar 1994 MN_WINDOWS MicroSoft Windows discussion area MN_WRITERS Discussion area for writers This Network Has Just Started As Of September 1993. INTER-BBS BARREN REALMS ELITE, Is Offered To Any Member Wishing Its Involvement. If You Have Any Questions, Please Netmail Or Reply To This Advertisement... Thank You! John Creamer Zone Coordinator MetalNet Headquarters Orlando, Florida Fido # 1:363/198 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== Fidonews Information ======================================================================== ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, Tim Pozar Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tom Jennings IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address of the FidoNews BBS has been changed!!! Please make a note of this. "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS) Internet addresses: Don & Sylvia (submission address) editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com (Postal Service mailing address) (have extreme patience) FidoNews 128 Church St. Kitchener, Ontario Canada N2H 2S4 Published weekly by and for the members of the FidoNet international amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those FidoNews 11-10 Page: 12 07 Mar 1994 of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews. Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is copyright 1994 Sylvia Maxwell. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or FidoNews (we're easy). OBTAINING COPIES: The-most-recent-issue-ONLY of FidoNews in electronic form may be obtained from the FidoNews BBS via manual download or Wazoo FileRequest, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet. PRINTED COPIES may be obtained from Fido Software for $10.00US each PostPaid First Class within North America, or $13.00US elsewhere, mailed Air Mail. (US funds drawn upon a US bank only.) INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org, in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. If you have questions regarding FidoNet, please direct them to deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org, not the FidoNews BBS. (Be kind and patient; David Deitch is generously volunteering to handle FidoNet/Internet questions.) SUBMISSIONS: You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission requirements are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable from 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it. "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings, and are used with permission. Asked what he thought of Western civilization, M.K. Gandhi said, "I think it would be an excellent idea". -- END ----------------------------------------------------------------------