F I D O N E W S -- Vol.11 No.46 (14-Nov-1994) +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | A newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet BBS community | "FidoNews" BBS | | _ | +1-519-570-4176 | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | Small animal psychology and | | (_| /_) | Spiritual guidance Department: | | _`@/_ \ _ | Rev. Richard Visage 1:163/409 | | | | \ \\ | | | | (*) | \ )) | Editors: | | |__U__| / \// | Donald Tees 1:221/192 | | _//|| _\ / | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 | | (_/(_|(____/ | Tim | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: editors 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | | | Don -- don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Tim Pozar -- pozar@kumr.lns.com | | David Deitch -- 1:133/411.411, deitch@gisatl.fidonet.org | | | submissions=> editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies of fidonews or the internet gateway faq | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ======================================================================== Table of Contents ======================================================================== 1. Editorial..................................................... 2 2. Articles...................................................... 2 FrontDoor License Interpretation: A Reply................... 2 A New Echo...CONSPIRACY..................................... 6 Dear Reverend Visage,....................................... 8 How to Piss Off an NC (in eight easy lessons)............... 9 New Product Offering!....................................... 17 NET 700 (CONT).............................................. 18 Santa's "Other" Address 1:107/25........................... 22 Dear Madam Emilia,.......................................... 22 3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 23 FidoNews 11-46 Page: 2 14 Nov 1994 ======================================================================== Editorial ======================================================================== Snooze time again. A mixed bag this week ... more net 700 problems, lots of stuff on Frontdoor, and a rather long bit from Toronto ... one of those interminable things that quotes echomail for five pages rather than writing an article that says something. I do not know about the rest of you, but I am tempted at times to just say anything that quotes echomail is cut. The articles that are nothing more than a bunch of mail quotations are invariably long, disjointed, and nearly unreadable unless one is a participant. (Probably then as well). I have been reading a lot of echomail lately about policy complaints based on shareware fees, triggered, of course, by the frontdoor policy. As a software author, I have a lot of sympathy for those that write software and do not get paid. I have a lot of problems, though, with the use of policy complaints to enforce commercial licencing. If I lodge legal charges against someone, and they are upheld, then perhaps I have a valid complaint. If, however, I do not lay charges, or the charges that I do lay are not upheld by a court, then I cannot possibly see how a policy complaint is valid. On with the articles. ======================================================================== Articles ======================================================================== FrontDoor License Interpretation: A Reply. By Darren Ryall FidoNet 1:153/822 Nameless Incensed Shmoe Sysop Unknown To Online Communications, Inc. Greetings to all...first of all, this letter is NOT a condoning of software piracy first and foremost! I want to make that clear from the start. I am a sysop that runs as much freeware software as possible so that I can cut my operating costs on my system. That's it. Now...that THAT'S out of the way...on to my diatribe. ... Well, they've finally done it. After running my copy of FrontDoor 2.02nc for the period of three years, and helping other to set up same...I've finally decided to stop using FrontDoor as soon as I possibly can. Why? Because I'm ashamed to have as the opener to MY BBS the product identifier for a product that I no longer believe in. Namely, the FrontDoor mailer. When JoHo decided to take his mailer and make it shareware...I was against it. I could not see the point of making a product that came in both a freeware and commercial form a shareware product. Besides FidoNews 11-46 Page: 3 14 Nov 1994 the obvious,"I'm not making enough money on my commercial sales to buy that Maserati this month...let's try gouging it out of somewhere else." A freeware product encourages the sysop to try a product much that same as shareware does. More so, in my opinion. And if the sysop LIKES the product enough and NEEDS the extra features enough, then he'll commit to buying the commercial product. Pure advertising, good policy. However... My cries were rather rudely knocked down in the FrontDoor support echo with shouts of:"Hey, we've lived off his fat for long enough...I'm a mindless drone and I believe that I should have to pay through the nose for ALL of my software...even the stuff I write for myself!" (ps: Please note, that sentence was Not To Be Taken Seriously by the Humourly Impaired.) (pps: That really was a sentence, I think) I dropped the echo in disgust. And have been happily tooling around in La-La Land since with my FREE FrontDoor 2.02nc. I've spiffed it up. Found that I could rename my FM.EXE program to whatever I wanted and compile a nice .BAT file so that I could call as many editors as I wanted to. And hark! I could do the same with FDSETUP.EXE, so that I could have my RemoteAccess config program AND FDSetup running from my mailer screen. Not to mention running my RA Nodelist and FDNC.EXE compilers....surely this is bliss, I thought. My FDNODE.CTL file was gladly spread around to people...many of which are now running FD 2.12SW. And then this rather ANAL letter appeared in my FIDONEWS one morning... > Our shareware agreement grants a limited use license for both > registered and unregistered non-commercial use of the product. > Non-registered use is limited to a 30 day trail or evaluation of our > shareware products. After 30 days, the user must stop using the > product, or register it by purchasing a license to use (LTU) through > Online Communications. Continued unlicensed use of the product > beyond the 30 day period constitutes copyright infringement which we > are prepared to litigate. Ummmm, excuse me? You mean that IF I were running your product beyond thirty days without registering it...and you found out I'd been running it for 31 days...you mean you'd be prepared to take me to court over it? Wow, that's a little HARSH isn't it? I could be living on a time zone boundary...and simply be confused as to the hour. And heaven's bells...if a blizzard hit and the mail truck were delayed...would I be responsible for that? Not to mention if the mail plane were to be shot down by alien gunners with nothing else to do on a Sunday afternoon. (ps: Note, alien gunners only do their drills on Friday afternoons, so this last sentence should also be taken with a grain of salt. I know this because Elvis told me so when I was on the UFO to Venus.) And if I DID register the program, then I'd still have all these wonderful keys that I could look at and go, "OOOOoooooo, gee, I wish that my newly purchased shareware key would unlock these features so that I could use them instead of them sitting there taking up useless FidoNews 11-46 Page: 4 14 Nov 1994 coding space. I'm paying for that space after all. Guess I'll just have to shell out another $100 for the Commercial (God's light shining down upon it) version so that I too, may be saved from the sins of having useless keys that do not function. All praises be to JoHo, he that programs my mailer...(bowing to the direction of wherever JoHo actually DOES live now...I hear he used to move a bit). WHY would anyone want to register the shareware product JUST to have features they can't use is beyond me. Though you can get around some by using third party utilities such as BGFAX to recieve your FAX's automatically, and similar workarounds. (This sentence can be taken seriously...I have actually SEEN BGFAX...the word is written on a diskette somewhere.) > Reporting Procedures: > Anyone having information and substantiating documentation of > license misuse of any of our products (e.g. FrontDoor, TosScan, > FDAPX), should forward such documentation and detail your > observations to Online Communications 1:132/300 or 1:132/301 or to > the OCI Liason at 1:132/300.12. We are particularly interested in > tracing sources of illegal keys being generated for our products > such as FrontDoor. Yes, the highly successful 1-800-NARC-COP program has hit shareware! You too can narc on your friends! Set up your enemies for embarassing midnight visits from the SPA! Not to mention the fact that you don't GET anything out of the deal but the pure satisfaction of seeing piracy stamped out of the world of FrontDoor mailers. CrimeStoppers gives you $2000 for a similar idea...I say Online Communications should ante up! And come up with a catchy tune like "Cops" did... =) > We will investigate the complaints (as we have done in the past), > and make a determination on what actions if any, we will pursue. The > actions can include policy complaints to NC and NECs, license > revocation pursuant to the terms of our licensing, and litigation. > Online Communications Inc. has retained the services of legal staff, > and has created the position of OCI Liason to pursue copyright > infringement of our products. Okay, if someone were using an illegal copy of FrontDoor 2.12SW now...and decided that they simply COULDN'T handle the strain on their moral fibre...and then switched back to a copy of FrontDoor 2.02nc...but AFTER a policy complaint had been issued by Online Communications...(hold yourself kids, this is where it gets confusing)...would the NC have the right to ban someone on what they choose to do with their mailer? And if so, would the license revoking affect the FrontDoor 2.02nc mailer? After all, it is a FrontDoor product...even if it were released (I assume) before Online Communications had anything to do with FrontDoor. Then, would the NC really CARE what a person had for a mailer? (Most of my hubs in this area...and in the higher up ranks use Binkleyterm because it supports not only the bi-directional transfers, but also UNLIMITED AKA's). Lastly, was Tom Baker REALLY that much BETTER of a Doctor than Jon Pertwee? =) FidoNews 11-46 Page: 5 14 Nov 1994 > We regret having to write a letter such as this. We have many > hundreds of legitimate, and legal users of our products. However, > software piracy and copyright infringement costs U.S. companies an > estimated $2 billion annually according to the Software Publisher's > Association. Online Communications will pursue all avenues to limit > its exposure to the illegal use of our products. > Sincerely, > James Smith Okay, now this is what sort of gets my goat. (Good thing, I was running out of places to hide the manure, buh-dum-bump) Using another companies figures to justify their own draconian measures. Surely, if they were so concerned about the enviornmental impact of their current mailer systems upon the FidoNet community, and the effect that piracy affects that product...then could could commision a committee to find out how much money THEY are losing to said pirates. Not how much money Microsoft loses to people copying MS-DOS 6.umpteenbillion/revision-a over in some underdeveloped country where software piracy laws do not exist. Being the only (as far as I know) shareware and commercial FidoNet mailer around currently...FrontDoor is operating at a disadvantage in the first place. Lacking features EVEN WHEN REGISTERED makes their shareware product Crippleware, and also lacking the bi-directional protocols and the ability to even add them in, makes this an inferior product. Even the commercial product lacks this ability, I believe. (Again, Elvis told me so. Bigfoot told his two friends..and so on.) All this simply stacks up against FrontDoor. Much better alternatives are out there. Both Binkleyterm (mover of hundred's of megs of mail a day!), and Portal of Power are good bi-directional front-end mailers. Both have their supporters. Binkley looks a little rough after FrontDoor, but is far more powerful when you finally get it all decked out. AND IT'S FREE! Portal is great if you're used to FrontDoor...similar look, although the feel takes a little getting used to. And all you have to do with this is send in five postcards to register this puppy I believe. Oooooo, $3.25 or so...I'm dying from having all the blood sucked from my veins here. Add that to the fact that it took me !10! minutes to convert over a 47k long ROUTE.FD file to a Portal equivalent...and we're not doing too bad. Bottom line: Look people...wake up to the fact that it's a changing world. FrontDoor was king when it was freeware...no longer. (Elvis is King! Ah-hem...sorry) Binkleyterm and others have pulled a lot of older sysops looking for new features away. Unlimited AKA's, bidirectional protocols, faster nodelist compiles (and compilers), definable editors...these are features that FrontDoor lacks. About all that has really been done for coding is making the product shareware, and the infamous "illegal product checksum" features. Improving the product should always be a programmers priority, and JoHo (or his team) seems to have lost touch with a sysop's realities. Moving the mail! As FAST as possible. I'm sure that JoHo probably realizes that it's a priority when he grabs his mail from his hub. (Bad hub, bad hub...it's my mail, you hear?! Mine...naughty, naughty) FidoNews 11-46 Page: 6 14 Nov 1994 Grab a copy of Portal of Power AND Binkleyterm as fast as you can people. Look at both products. Look at their features. Look at all the keys that DO NOT say "Only available in Commercial Version" on them! See what you can convert into config files for both products. See what you like. Then dump FrontDoor 2.12! Or your commercial version. And support FREEWARE for a change! Some local programmers right now are probably creating utilities for Binkleyterm and Portal just for the fun of it. Save some money! Use it to buy that new hard drive...or to treat your spouse to a really FINE dinner at some secluded hideaway. Save money AND your marriage! Do something CREATIVE with the money for Pete's sake! Buy a Beluga! Shave The Whales! Two hundred and five lines later, I think my audience is asleep. Good plan, good night Gracie...and all the ships at sea. (The preceeding message was not a paid advertisement for either Binkleyterm(tm) or Portal of Power(tm,(c),RRSP), or anything else. It is simply a plea to attempt to show alternatives where none seemed to have existed before.) ************************************************************************ * Darren Ryall * Internet: * * /___o___\ * Fidonet: 1:153/822 * * | | | * BBS: Night Scented Stock (1-604-572-4733) (2400 bps)* * \_/_\_/ * "Imagination is more important than Knowledge.." * ************************************************************************ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A New Echo...CONSPIRACY... by Zorch Frezberg, 1:205/1701 ______________________________ You've seen or heard of them. The Illuminati. The Shadow Government. The Men In Black. The Small Grey Men from Bellatrix. The Thirteen Old Men In Geneva Who Rule The World. Who are our Secret Masters? What bizarre hold do they have on our societies, our governments, even our very day-to-day existance? Is there a Bureau 13, an X-Files Division, a secret alien base at Area 51? What about the myriad plots, covert operations, and secret government plans being carried out under our very noses? This is the news that the Consortium of Publishing Houses do not want *you* to know about! This is the information denied to *you* by Those Who Truly Run The Government so that you can't take action to protect your FidoNews 11-46 Page: 7 14 Nov 1994 family, your country, or yourself! Welcome to CONSPIRACY (EchoTag: CONSPRCY), the echo conference designed to bring this news, information and much more to the light of Public Scrutiny! We are *not* the National Enquirer echo, looking for mutant children or Bigfoot's lover. Instead, we are looking for news and information, as well as open and free discussion of the nefarious plans being laid by those who control our lives and the information that we read or watch on television. We welcome believers and disbelievers, but will act immediately to remove anyone making personal attacks. We want to encourage the posting of news, information, rumors and theories about the secret plans to turn the US into a UN client state; about how the Communist Party of the Soviet Union is secretly still in power and threatening to finally control the West through economic manipulation; about how the US Congress still provides funding under a 'black' budget for the orbital mind-control laser satellites. Participants may post under an alias, in order to protect their identities; genuine discussion and reporting is encouraged. We ask only that copyrighted material be given credit as to the source so that 'fair use' of copyright is not violated. Ask your REC and NEC to bring in CONSPIRACY (EchoTag: CONSPRCY) and join in on the discussions that will free your mind, soul and spirit from the Dark Clutches of the Brahmin Conservancy! Freq MagicFileName CONSPIRE from 1:205/1701 for a copy of the Elist notice and the latest set of rules. >>>>>>Remember! FIDONET stands for F I D O N E T Fiends, Imps, Devils and Other Nasty Evil Things! ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Zorch Frezberg, 1:205/1701 Moderator, CONSPRCY FidoNews 11-46 Page: 8 14 Nov 1994 Swamp Swine Magazine, Shuckmagosh, Ohio Dear Reverend Visage, It is only Wednesday and I may miss important events in the week by filing early, but I have been urged by our four hundred pound Samoan attorney to sojourn in healthier and non-extradictable climes until a small matter involving three million harp seals and a bevey of Anti-Fur activists is cleared up. Who would have thought that bringing 50,000 cute, adorable seals to Cindy Crawdford's latest fashion show whould have caused so much alarm? I shall send her some humanely trapped lettuce as a peace offering. I am sadly disappointed in the Excited States. They refused to recognize Ollie North's obvious talents for dishonesty, right wing looniness, and bulletproof underware; and rejected his bid for the Senate. Mercifully, the distillery vote was able to pour Teddy Kennedy back into office. Carpooling to work from Massachusetts will continue to be such fun. And I am positively filled with mirth that someone named "Newt" would ascend to a position of prominence in their august assemblies. This pretty much assures that the Honourable Senator for Pineapple will have a clean shot at the presidency. Didja notice in the latest snooze where the most secretive cabal in Fidonet; the FTSC dudes, have suggested adding yet another kludge line to messages? Being a technical philistine, I am sure that this has nothing to do with the fact that it will provide one more line for brainless weenies to quote in their efforts to turn every Fidonet message into a near perfect imitation of Internet AntFarmMail. While I am on the topic of FTSC, who *are* these guys? Has anyone ever seen a list of committee members or seen their pictures on milk cartons? Speaking of missing in action, where the hell are you? As you can imagine, trying to plot your journeys by examining the petty cash vouchers you submit to the snooze editors has always been a dicey proposition, particularly since you seem to have developed a fondness for mail-order wine cellars. Sylvia & Don are becomming more than unusually suspicious that you may have taken the last advance and retired to your igloo to sit out the approaching winter. Need I remind you that you promised Nanook that you would help mush his dogsled down to Florida this year? As your pharmaceutical adviser, I suggest you lay in major stocks of ice-brewed beer for the journey. I must go Visage. Your secretary, Miss Labamba, has developed a peculiar expression on her face and this really has nothing at all to do with the fact that I told her she FidoNews 11-46 Page: 9 14 Nov 1994 was required to go out on the lake to cut the blocks of ice we require to keep Rick "As Sagacious as Euglena" Johnston from decomposing. I suggest, as a good and decent gesture, that we send her to the Canadian Airborne regiment and assure them that she is really a Somali that requires their unique brand of "peace-keeping." Regards, Doc Logger, Drumheller, Alberta Rolling Stones Museum ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How to Piss Off an NC (in eight easy lessons) Lesson 1 - Flame in local sysop base Lesley-Dee Dylan Area Sysop250, Msg#34, Oct-27-94 22:26:28 From: Barry Carter To: Luke Kolin Subject: Re: Whoops! Hello Luke! Thursday October 27 1994 09:48, Luke Kolin wrote to Lesley-Dee Dylan: LK> The REAL problem in Net 250 today is that the likes of Barry LK> Carter need to distort facts and mudsling to ease their bitterness LK> at not running the Net they way they want to. I will be very LK> interested in how long the sysops of Net 250 tolerate Barry's LK> antics. Answer two questions then you little asshole. WAS THE DISH DOWN? WHAT EXPENSES WERE INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE DOWN TIME? If you can answer these simple questions without all of your rhetoric, it will certainly be a first. Oh! By the way. See you in a year you little liar. I will personally miss your brand of politics. I do not feel that an appeal will be worthwhile as your "TRACK RECORD" is known very well beyond the boundaries of this net. I look forward to your return in one year 2 weeks. I will still be here as net historian to greet your return. Until then you little asshole! Area Sysop250, Msg#41, Oct-28-94 07:35:18 From: Barry Carter FidoNews 11-46 Page: 10 14 Nov 1994 To: Derren Whiteman Subject: Re: Whoops! Hello Derren! Thursday October 27 1994 18:07, Derren Whiteman wrote to Barry Carter: BC>> ù This message is not intended to solicit a debate or engage BC>> in any flame ù war. It is posted purely as a public service. DW> Yeah, right. Quite seriously. Indeed the choice to reply as you see fit or not is yours. Apart from a few petty dictators around, people should be able to say their piece (as I do frequently) without certain assholes teeling them the debate / discussion is off topic according to some contrived set of rules to suit the day. "One thing I know for sure", the dish was/is broken and James in his wisdom has chosen to hide that fact from the net. Bear! Area Sysop250, Msg#200, Oct-31-94 21:05:00 From: Barry Carter To: Derren Whiteman Subject: Re: Whoops! Hello Derren! Monday October 31 1994 10:58, Derren Whiteman wrote to Barry Carter: DW> The only problem I can see is that your messages are showing DW> up. Think of me as the energizer bunny. * Lesson 2 - Ignore NC's warnings # Originally by James Korolas, 1:250/501@fidonet # Originally to Barry Carter, 1:250/888 # Originally dated 1 Nov 1994, 23:53 Hello, Barry! Can you please stop with the personal flaming in SYSOP250? Contrary to your belief, I do not relish handing out suspensions, but you constant personal attacks are inflammatory, derogatory and in plain bad taste. I've received a few complaints about them, and have been asked to do something about it. I'm asking you nicely, to please cease this FidoNews 11-46 Page: 11 14 Nov 1994 behaviour. If this continues after noon (12:00pm) on Wednesday, I will suspend your access to SYSOP250. Take care! -James Area Sysop250, Msg#247, Nov-02-94 00:23:22 From: Barry Carter To: James Korolas Subject: Re: *** Answering a msg posted in NETMAIL. Tuesday November 01 1994 23:53, James Korolas wrote to Barry Carter: But it is OK for people to use abusive language and name calling when it is in my direction? Have you sent similiar netmail to those who enjoy using words like "moron", "shut the fuck up", "liar", "asshole" etc? I thought not. Were these the same people who are complaining? I thought so. When and if you ever have the occasion to be even handed in your criticisms I shall be pleased to discuss things rationally with you. Until you understand that you can not use this medium to censor those with whom you do not agree, and condone the actions of those who support you, you can go Korolas yourself. Do what you have been told by Luke to do. You have no other choice. Area Sysop250, Msg#279, Nov-03-94 23:21:00 From: James Korolas To: Barry Carter Subject: Re: Hi, Barry! According to gossip, on 02 Nov 94 00:23:22, Barry Carter said this to James Korolas: Do yourself a favour and stop "thinking" for me. Go back through all your messages and you will see a myriad of insults strewn about. The fact that more people didn't reply in kind to your messages astounds me. I sent you a netmail asking you to stop the personal flamming. You are more than welcome to continue posting messages in SYSOP250. Just try to excersize some control and leave out the colourful metaphores. Regards, -James FidoNews 11-46 Page: 12 14 Nov 1994 * Lesson 3 - Continue flaming Area Sysop250, Msg#288, Nov-04-94 07:27:08 From: Barry Carter To: James Korolas Subject: Re: Hello James! Thursday November 03 1994 23:21, James Korolas wrote to Barry Carter: Eat me doofus! Area Sysop250, Msg#311, Nov-05-94 00:02:22 From: Barry Carter To: Iain Grant Subject: Re: I'm baaack! Hello Iain! Friday November 04 1994 20:49, Iain Grant wrote to Luke Kolin: IG> Pull Pinochio's strings, and get it back for Ryan then. Wasn't Pinochio a skinny little guy? If Jimmy is Pinochio then he must have told a lot of lies to get that big! And to think he once called me a "prominent member" of whatever. :-)> I'll ask Dee for the full story. One thing I know for sure is that it will know. * Lesson 4 - Threaten NC # Originally by Barry Carter, 1:250/888 # Originally to James Korolas, 1:250/0 # Originally dated 6 Nov 1994, 21:18 I enjoy sending you mail, as all that is required is placing a ZERO in the "to:" field and your name shows up. Very telling indeed. I shall be using the N250LIST to reply to messages in SYSOP250. Could you make arrangements to send it to me as it comes out please? Will there be a problem with your system routing my replies and posts that would have gone in SYSOP250 on a regular basis? I am sure you have the correct routing set up for the hubs etc. Your decision to ban me from SYSOP250 will only cause you more problems. I did not violate your no flame edict in any way except in your imagination. No where in any of the messages you quoted back to me do I flame anyone. You are simply using any excuse that FidoNews 11-46 Page: 13 14 Nov 1994 you can find to limit any discusion / postings that are critical of you and your administration. Hang on for the ride of your life, big boy. I do not go away. I simply become more (as you said) prominent. I look forward to hearing more from you and of you. Enjoy! (46) Mon 7 Nov 94 0:21 Cost: 0 By: James Korolas To: Barry Carter, FOXWOOD! (1:250/888) Re: N250LIST Hello, Barry! With your efficient IT-Net, one would think that you would prefer to use your "superior, Luke-free" system for message routing. Barring that, you may wish to HUB route messages yourself (I can show you how to do this if you are incapable of reading that part of the manual). Incidentally, as a HUB, I advise you to obtain permission from each HUB prior to HUB-routing mass mailings. I, for one, would find it in poor taste if you tied-up my system unnecessarily to deliver mail which you could easily do yourself (except for the nodes marked PVT). Have a nice day! -James # Forwarded from "NETCON" # Originally by James Korolas, 1:250/597@fidonet # Originally to All # Originally dated 6 Nov 1994, 10:52 Greetings, everyone! Seems like Rick's friends are doing everything in their power to force another net election in Net250, by threatening me with policy complaints for various things I am alleged to have done. Rick's past history would indicate to me that he is more than likely to follow up on their bogus complaints (witness the one against Luke Kolin). In any event, just to fill you in on two of the upcomming complaints (and I'd like your input as to how I should counter them, as I loathe policy complaints, but may have no choice but to file a few of my own): #1 - Chris Unsworth routed some netmail through my HUB and claims that I intercepted it (not true, the message was forwarded in it's entirety to me by Bob Yeo) and that he will contempate a PC against me (don't this one sound familiar? ). He then proceeded to spread all kinds of accusations against me in REG12 & SYSOP250. This would strike me as "excessively annoying behaviour." I believe that if I filed a policy complaint, based on Rick's track record, my complaint would FidoNews 11-46 Page: 14 14 Nov 1994 have to be upheld, wouldn't it? Or do policy complaints only hold against those that the RC dislikes? #2 - Barry Carter was warned in Netmail to obey the rules in SYSOP250 and not to flame. Barry, of course, promptly quoted the netmail in SYSOP250 and then proceeded for several more days to continue the behaviour. He had his write- access revoked. He sent me a note today telling me that he would file a policy complaint with his friend Rick Johnston. No doubt Rick will act on this one as well... Take care! -James * Lesson 5 - Pitch out your V.34, drag up a 1200, demand nodelist # Originally by Barry Carter, 1:250/888 # Originally to James Korolas, 1:250/0 # Originally dated 7 Nov 1994, 23:44 Hello James! I will need the nodelist from you also on a regular basis as I am having a problem here with some utility grunging my list. When I figure out what is actually happening here I will let you know. I do not want to tie up my line as I move a significant amount of mail & files, so I will be using an old 1200 baud modem to get it from you. I hope this is not a problem for you. If it is I would be pleased to go over the policy document with you so that you are more understanding of the contents. I am looking forward to seeing you reverse your ruling of my status in SYSOP250. I requested of you clarification of why I was banned and you sent me nothing that can be construed as a flame on my part. I trust you will reconsider your decision. Thanks ever so much. Keep up the good work. I know how busy you are and how busy you are going to be for the next 90 days if the ban is not lifted. Warmest regards. * Lesson 6 - Route bombing runs # Originally by Barry Carter, 1:250/888 # Originally to James Korolas, 1:250/501 # Originally dated 7 Nov 1994, 17:58 Hello James! Monday November 07 1994 00:21, James Korolas wrote to Barry Carter: JK> HUB prior to HUB-routing mass mailings. I, for one, would find JK> it in poor taste if you tied-up my system unnecessarily to FidoNews 11-46 Page: 15 14 Nov 1994 JK> deliver mail which you could easily do yourself (except for the JK> nodes marked PVT). Tough. I shall be sending them all through you as you are required to do so according to policy. If you need assistance in sorting through the policy document please do not hesitate to ask. Systems that I can send direct will go direct, the rest you get as part of your mandated duties. The fact that you are a hub has nothing to do with your duties as NC. The NC position takes precedence over your "too many hats" positions. I thank you for having the correct routing set up, and look forward to utilizing your system per policy. In other words, I can play whatever gane you want to play. Have a nice day * Lesson 7 - Object to receiving nodelist at 1200 By: Barry Carter, FOXWOOD! (1:250/888@fidonet.org) To: Luke Kolin Re: Re: Thought I'd like to help St: Pvt Crash Kill Rcvd cc: James Korolas Thursday November 10 1994 20:00, Luke Kolin wrote to Barry Carter: LK> I've locked my modem at 1200 baud for your system, since I hear LK> you are having modem problems. This way we should be guaranteed LK> a connect. Whatever you send me, I shall send back to James times 10. You want to play little games fuckhead I can play harder and longer than you. James, I consider Luke Kolin's actions to wholly improper and I formally request that you order him to cease and desist else I will file a formal policy complaint against him. His campaign to load up my system is excessively annoying as I have not requested he send anything to my address. Do your job or be removed. Warmest regards # Originally by James Korolas, 1:250/501@fidonet # Originally to Barry Carter, 1:250/888 FidoNews 11-46 Page: 16 14 Nov 1994 # Originally dated 11 Nov 1994, 0:36 cc: Luke Kolin Hello, Barry! What's the problem? Your message to me has specifically stated that your modem can only operate at 1200 baud. And, since you have read policy, you surely must realize that: a) I am NOT required to provide nodelists, only to make nodediffs available. b) I can delegate responsibility. Therefore, since Luke is one of the "people that matter", I have asked him to take on this responsibility and to provide you with a full nodelist on a weekly basis at your specified 1200 baud. I should think you would be most greatful to Luke, as he is putting aside his personal differences to help you in your time of need. Incidentally, I'd watch who you threaten and what you threaten them with. Take care! -James (282) Fri 11 Nov 94 12:44a Rcvd: Fri 11 Nov 1:18a By: James Korolas, MetroHUB 5 (1:250/501@fidonet) To: Lesley-Dee Dylan Re: Failed request St: Pvt Kill Rcvd # Original to: Barry Carter (1:250/888) cc: Luke Kolin > fidonews File missing or password error > You can also request the actual filename you are looking for! > > Fix this please as the request was made within your > permitted time frame. Why not just request the actual issue of the fidonews you are looking for? Notice how it says "You can also request the actual filename..."? > Or let me back into SYSOP250, whichever is easiest. No problem, as soon as your suspension is over! :) Incidentally, since your modem has problems at speeds above 1200 baud, I will either have to change your nodelist entry to reflect this, or mark you as down. Which do you prefer? FidoNews 11-46 Page: 17 14 Nov 1994 Also, I am giving you notice that you are free to receive files that you get from me from either Luke Kolin (1:250/714) or Lesley-Dee Dylan, as both of these people have been delegated the responsibility (as per policy 4) of redistributing them to nodes who cannot get there modems to work above 2400 baud. Take care! -James * Lesson 8 - Threaten NC again # Originally by Barry Carter, 1:250/888 # Originally to James Korolas, 1:250/501 # Originally dated 11 Nov 1994, 7:23 Hello James! Friday November 11 1994 00:36, James Korolas wrote to Barry Carter: Let the games begin you fucking asshole. You have no idea what I am capable of and how your life can be made extremely miserable by actions that I can take within the bounds of policy. I have a very long attention span and you are about to know how focused I can be. You want to censor me in SYSOP250 then you get what you get. Stand by for your system to be used to route mail per policy. Take care! # Originally by Barry Carter, 1:250/888 # Originally to James Korolas, 1:250/501 # Originally dated 11 Nov 1994, 7:25 Hello James! Friday November 11 1994 00:44, James Korolas wrote to Barry Carter: Please show me in policy where it states that you are not required to make these files available. I have no wish to receive anything from your little fuckhead friends. * If these lessons don't work, Mr. Carter will continue his lessons. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- New Product Offering! by James Smith Online Communications, Inc. Distributor of FrontDoor for the Americas Online Communications, Inc. is pleased to announce the first in a FidoNews 11-46 Page: 18 14 Nov 1994 series of books on FrontDoor and related utility packages: "E-Mail Systems with FrontDoor and FrontDoor APX - a Setup Guide" by Gary A. Shade. E-Mail Systems provides the reader with a guided tour of setting up and using todays most popular mail software, and point package: FrontDoor 2.20/ml, and FrontDoor APX. Many of the setup tips and hints can also be applied to the shareware version of FrontDoor: FD2.12SW. Each and every setup option available to FrontDoor is shown and explained by the author. The book of 175 pages in length, contains many tables and illustrations depicting the author's own working setup for his BBS. Examples of batch files and other necessary files are discussed in detail. The author also discusses how to properly size the overall system, and the many administrative tasks that must be performed by modern day System Operators (SYSOPs). E-Mail Systems with FrontDoor and FrontDoor APX, builds upon the program's documentation with tested and proven examples. Whether you belong to an amateur network, or are a commercial user considering setting up your own private mail network between remote offices, E-Mail Systems with FrontDoor and FrontDoor APX is for you. Other topics discussed include: System security, tips on using BBS software and FAX software with FrontDoor, simple routing of mail and files, modem initialization strings, and more! Gary A. Shade is the author of three other published computer books. E-Mail Systems with FrontDoor and FrontDoor APX is available exclusively from Online Communications Inc., 22 State Street, Bangor ME, 04401 (207) 941-1110. The book is priced at $22.95 is now available at the introductory price of $19.95 (plus $3.00 for shipping and handling). File request ONLINE.EXE from 1:132/300 for complete ordering information. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NET 700 (CONT) This is a series of correspondence between a Hong Kong sysop and the International Co-ordinator on the problem in NET700. I hope this will set the record straight. Let's hope this saga will not happen to any other net. But that will be wishful thinking. Date: 10-07-94 22:05 From: Raymond Poon To: George Peace Subj: C:\QUICKBBS\NET700.280 Dear Mr George Peace, Hello, our dear international co-ordinator. You probably have heard a lot about the trouble in NET700 way down here in Hong Kong. As a FidoNews 11-46 Page: 19 14 Nov 1994 faithful Fidonet system operator for 6 years, I would like to draw your attention to the following. The new net co-ordinator, Chris Leung, who came out of nowhere and was forced upon net700 sysops by the unilateral decision of the zone co-ordinator, Samson Luk, had met great resistance from all corners of the net. Instead of selling himself as a responsible co-ordinator, he just tried to kick everyone who objected out of the game. The latest situation is that he made out a new nodelist which consists of 30 plus node and put it to the international nodelist; thus depriving the other over 600 innocent nodes the right to international communication under the Fidonet system. I suppose you can immediately see the impact of the 600 vs 30 situation which just shows how unpopular the new regime is. Furthermore, I strongly stress that a net of a few nodes and without a proper mailgate system cannot be called a network. The co-ordinator dismantle the international mail system for net700 maliciously and had done great injustice to the 600 plus sysops many of whom have contributed to the Fidonet for many years. He has no intention of improving the network but just wants to destroy it if he can't have it his way. Many of these sysops have not done anything. They just want to remain status quo. The Zone 6 co-ordinator seems to know about the case and has done nothing to stop this from happening. As the international co-ordinator, I appeal to you to stop this nonsense immediately. I attach with this mail the latest net700 nodelist which contains all active nodes. Please put this back into the international nodelist. Please also advise the Zone 6 co-ordinator that the interest of 600 plus Fidonet sysops cannot be sacrified to save the face of one or two persons. When the people want to impeach the president, the president can't just fire the congress and start again. He got to resign and have another election, isn't it. Regards, Raymond Poon Music Lovers' Board (6:700/7) Internet:MU270395@hkpcc.hkp.hk CompuServe: 100314,1152 --- QuickBBS 2.80 Ovr (Gamma-5) * Origin: Music Lovers' Board (885-9531) (6:700/7) Date: 11-02-94 14:18 From: Raymond Poon To: George Peace Subj: Net700 problem Hello Mr George Peace, It seems that the trouble of NET700 does not wish to go away and it comes back time and again to haunt you. It should occur to you that something is really wrong and that there are a lot of grievances which FidoNews 11-46 Page: 20 14 Nov 1994 need to be addressed. My understanding is that you remain unconvinced that the re-engineering of Net700 is a plot to undermine the network. The following are some points which you should consider: (a) There are sysops which re-applied but received no response. Alex Lee of 126 is one and CT Lee of 666 is another. So the *C is selective in his accepting old sysops. Those who he dislikes are purged. There are some sysops who responded thinking they just reponded to request of information. Many are ashamed to be included in the new nodelist. (b) The new nodelist of Net700 is nowhere to be seen. I have enquired some BBS on the new list but none of them received any nodelist from the NC. So the tiny Net700 nodelist only exists in the International Nodelist which the RC/ZC fed you. The whole re-engineering exercise is to cut Hong Kong BBS from the international nodelist. This proves that the *C has no intention of maintaining a Hong Kong network. (c) What can the BBS do? From my enquiry to the BBS on the new list, viz 269, 603 et al, all of them have to maintain the old nodelist and to use the old mailgates in order to maintain contact with others and the mail traffic. The new *C has no intention to run the network. He just want to destroy the network and get rid of his rivals. In fact the Hong Kong BBS scene is still maintained only with the enthusiasm of the sysops who have been ex-communicated from the international Fidonet. Since FidoNet has turned its back on them, Hong Kong sysops are planning to do the same by forming its own network and promote it worldwide. This is not a healthy scene and only an integrated international network can do best for international telecommunication. This has happened to Fidonet before as there are several international networks which are hived off from Fidonet because of similar events. Mr George Peace, you can do something to maintain the coherence of FidoNet by intervening the act of malice in the network. Expelling 500 BBS to satisfy a few is a laughing stalk. Please stop this absurdity of re-engineering the network and reinstate the original Net700 list into the international nodelist. Regards, Raymond Poon MU270395@hkpcc.hkp.hk 6:700/7 (ex-communicated) --- QuickBBS 2.80 Ovr (Gamma-5) * Origin: Music Lovers' Board (885-9531) (6:700/7) From: george.peace@paonline.com Message-ID: <9411021739.0OSYD00@paonline.com> Organization: Pennsylvania Online! X-Mailer: TBBS/PIMP v3.17 Date: Wed, 02 Nov 94 17:39:23 -0500 (EST) Subject: NET 700 PROBLEM AGAIN To: mu270395@hkpcc.hkp.hk FidoNews 11-46 Page: 21 14 Nov 1994 You cannot expect me to abandon FidoNet Policy in the same manner as is alleged in net 6:700. At risk of sounding trite, two wrongs do not make a right. I was shown evidence that NC 6:700 gave as much as a 3 month warning that anyone not updating their FidoNet node applications would be dropped. I also received evidence that the announcement was ignored. The evidence was presented to me by "excommunicated" 6:700 nodes who had ignored the order saying it was not required. The people who embarked on the letter writing campaign are completely missing the point I've been trying to make. File policy complaints to the Region Coordinator based upon actual personal experiences. Do not file based upon theories of conspiracy or reports of others' stories. Show actual personal experiences in accordance with FidoNet Policy. If there is wrong-doing in net 6:700 or the region or zone make it known using procedures of the Policy you want me to enforce on others. I will not abandon FidoNet Policy and jump over a Zone Coordinator and Region Coordinator whenever asked. I must see that those who demand that one clause of Policy is followed also recognize all other clauses of that Policy. /------------------------------------------------------------\ || george.peace@pao.com ftp pennsylvania online! || || telnet harrisburg pa usa || || fidonet 1:270/101 slip/ppp || || finger+mail info@pao.com uucp powered by tbbs+ipad || \------------------------------------------------------------/ From: Raymond Poon To: George Peace Subj: Net700 Trouble Again Dear Mr George Peace, First of all, I would apologise for your being annoyed by so many letters of complaints directly to you. I have no knowledge of any letter writing campaign except for a few letters from Alex Lee and Rogie Nie. It occur to me that there must be many other sysops who felt the same way that complaints to RC/ZC would be futile and they could only entrust in you for justice. You may wish to note that Region 61 only cover Hong Kong and Macau, with Macau being a small town close to Hong Kong. RC of Region 61 in fact is only controlling the FidoNet of Hong Kong and of course the NC of 6:700. Another point of fact is that the NC did not give 3 months' notice to sysops. He sent out his demand in September and set a deadline of 14 October. However, 600 nodes were already purged from the International Nodelist by the end of September. I fully appreciate your concern in upholding the actions of the NC/RC/ZC and that sysops should do their fair share in complying with reasonable request. However, I regret that you remain unconvinced, despite all the FidoNews 11-46 Page: 22 14 Nov 1994 facts shown to you, that the re-engineering of NET700 is a malicious act and should be called off right from the start. The NC/ZC did it with the full expectation that all their rivals would not respond. This is a purging exercise instead of an act to improve the network. Another important fact is that a very large majority of the 600 sysops will withdraw from Net700. This is a collective action arising from their own initiative and is equivalent to a vote of non-confidence to the people in power. If this happens in the British Parliament or in many other civilized countries, this is a consitutional upheaval and the government will automatic collapse and an election will have to take place. I also have to report, with deep regret, that Net700 sysops will emigrate en mass to a new HongKongNet which will be promoted worldwide. Though it is in no way intended to vie against the Fidonet, it does shed a bad light on Fidonet which has been damaged by the irresponsible act of a few. I would leave it to you as the IC to decide what to do to restore the name of Fidonet which I have enjoyed to work with as a sysop for many years. I hope you can do your best to protect the well-being of the few nodes remaining in 6:700. Regards, Raymond Poon MU270395@hkpcc.hkp.hk 6:700/7 (ex-communicated) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- by Santa Claus Santa's "Other" Address 1:107/25 Ho, Ho, Ho! Hello everyone. Just wanted to let you know that Santa is back online and waiting for your letters. Make sure to get them posted to me so I can get these elves working, and have everything ready for delivery on 12-24. Looking forward to hearing from you, and wishing everyone a joyous holiday season Santa Santa's Workshop North Pole 1:107/25 Happy Holidays Everyone! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Madam Emilia, You MUST stop being jealous of Ms. Labamba. Yeah, so what; so she got a motor bike ride and a football game, sculptural bananas, a maroon jumpsuit, a stolen car and a view of neon lights from a second FidoNews 11-46 Page: 23 14 Nov 1994 storey walk-up. You can't expect to compete with someone who wears spandex, and you will never have any fun if you keep yourself locked in a room wearing a mask all by yourself. Be grateful that it wasn't you who had to jump out of a hot tub rather too quickly and on a cold day, because some imaginative zealot or other had laced your H20 with pyrrannahs. Be relieved that it is not you, who must learn to spell, or be forever cast as an unemployed witch. Be amazed that you manage to get any mail whomsoever, considering that you pay no attention to your front end and barely tweak your tosser. Since all is well, that end's well, but never is enough more. If you bring Pelagian humours and your chevy to the Levey while bearing in mind a little read book and a few Zappa tunes, Ms. Labamba's gonna wanna parachute, provided that she can still manage to perform the dubious task of distinguishing between phenomes and phonemes. yours in tandem, anon-y-mouse ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== Fidonews Information ======================================================================== ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar Tom Jennings "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS) more addresses: Rev. Richard Visage -- 1:163/409 Don -- 1:221/192, don@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca sylvia -- 1:221/194, max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews 128 Church St. Kitchener, Ontario Canada N2H 2S4 max & Don voice: (519) 570-3137 Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR ELECTRONIC MAIL system. It is a compilation FidoNews 11-46 Page: 24 14 Nov 1994 of individual articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews. 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 the eds. Articles by Madam emilia may be retransmitted freely through cyber-space. OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue 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 by sending SASE to the above paper-mail address, or trade for copy of your 'zine. INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via FTP from ftp.fidonet.org, in directory ~ftp/pub/fidonet/fidonews. Anyone interested in getting a copy of the INTERNET GATEWAY FAQ may freq GISFAQ.ZIP from 1:133/411.0, or send an internet message to fidofaq@gisatl.fidonet.org. No message or text or subject is necessary. The address is a keyword that will trigger the automated response. People wishing to send inquiries directly to David Deitch should now mail to fidonet@gisatl.fidonet.org rather than the previously listed address. 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. "the pulse of the cursor is the heartbeat of fidonet"... -- END ----------------------------------------------------------------------