F I D O N E W S -- Volume 14, Number 1 6 January 1997 +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet community | "FidoNews" | | _ | 1-904-409-7040 [1:1/23] | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | | | (_| /_) | | | _`@/_ \ _ | | | | | \ \\ | Editor: | | | (*) | \ )) | Christopher Baker 1:18/14 | | |__U__| / \// | | | _//|| _\ / | | | (_/(_|(____/ | | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: FidoNews Editor 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | | | submissions=> cbaker84@digital.net | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ WHAT AWAITS FIDONET IN 1997? Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1 Volume 14 of FidoNews begins 1997! Volume E! ............. 1 2. CORRECTIONS .............................................. 2 Oopsies in the FidoNet by Internet section last week! .... 2 3. ARTICLES ................................................. 3 Where does FIDO Fit? ..................................... 3 4. COLUMNS .................................................. 5 Fidonet In Europe ........................................ 5 5. GETTING TECHNICAL ........................................ 6 FSC-0009 - Nodelist Flag Changes draft ................... 6 FSC-0010 - RESYNC SEALink protocol enhancement ........... 9 FSC-0011 - Corrections to FTS-0001 ....................... 16 6. COORDINATORS CORNER ...................................... 27 Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 003 ...... 27 7. NET HUMOR ................................................ 28 Need a new report form for the New Year? ................. 28 8. COMIX IN ASCII ........................................... 31 Happy Gnu Year? .......................................... 31 9. ADVERTISE YOUR FREE SERVICE/EVENT ........................ 32 Announcing the CRICKET_ECHO .............................. 32 Announcing the WRESTLING_CHAT Echo ....................... 32 10. FOR SALE ................................................ 33 US Robotics Courier v.everything upgrade ................. 33 11. NOTICES ................................................. 34 And more! FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 1 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= We have a full Issue for the new year including republishing the ARTicle SPECifications for FidoNews submissions in the NOTICES section. The only change was the addition of the .INT filetype for listing Internet addresses where FidoNet info/ops may be found. I discovered quite a few more Internet addresses for FidoNet in my surfing last week and got a couple of email contributions to the list. Send the info to me anyway you wish [see Masthead] if you want your listing in the new section. There were also a couple errors in last week's listings. They have been corrected in this Issue. There are also some new Canadian contributions to the calendar [Future History] section. If you have something for the calendar, send it in. The ice has been broken on the .BIO submissions but nothing came in for this week's Issue. YooHoo? My continued thanks to jim barchuk for running the FidoNews HTML site; to Mike Riddle for the flow of .JOK material; Dave Aronson et al for the .CMX art in ASCII; and to the ftp sites for carrying the FidoNews around the world. Let's hope that 1997 will bring us a new International Coordinator, a new FidoNet Policy that makes sense for the 21st century, a continued spirit of hobby and fun instead of commercial and antagonism, and a complete distribution of FidoNews by ALL ZCs/RCs/NCs to their Nodes! Anybody know when Chinese New Year begins the Year of the Ox? Also be sure to adjust your batch files for the NEW Volume letter of E instead of last year's letter of D! [Did you get caught? {grin}] C.B. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 2 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= CORRECTIONS ================================================================= The errors were corrected in today's Issue but they were: portal.com instead of portal.ca in the R17 homepage; and missing www. for the WWW Resources page. Sorry about that. [sheepish grin] Ed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 3 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Where Does FIDO Fit? by Michael Wilson (1:143/370) There has been much talk of the shrinking nodelist. Many commentators believe this is a sign of a shirking FIDOnet. Many also say that FIDO is in cometition with the Internet. With all these tales of woe, we must ask where does FIDO fit in the over scheme of world-wide communication. FIDO is a hobby. It consists of a loose federation of sysops, many who have BBS systems. It is apparent that the heyday of independant BBS systems located in people's garages, bedrooms and basements is gone. I started my first BBS in 1985. I have been running this current incarnation of THE VILLAGE since 1991. I used to boast 75-90 callers per day. I was forced to get a second phone line to minimize busy signals. I was able to charge for access, and people glady paid. Today, however, I am lucky to get fifteen calls per day, and no one will charge for access. This drop in BBS callers is directly related to the rise of the internet. As more and more people get WEB access, the ANSI world of a BBS looses its appeal. It is difficult to complete against thirty-two million color jpegs of Cindy Crawford, and Pamela Lee. I believe the shirnking of the nodelist is directly related to the decreasing number of BBS systems. We must understand that for someone to maintain a line in the nodelist, they must dedicate a computer system and phone line. If this "hobby" gets too expensive, then the BBS goes away, and the nodelisting goes away. Perhaps the nodelist is not the place to look to determine the size of FIDO. When America On-line publishes their numbers, they do not publish the quantity of access numbers. Instead, they publish the number of people who regularly interface (through memberships). We really have no idea how large FIDO is from a user stand point, we just know how large it is based on access points. Also, accessing FIDO is much more difficult than using the Internet. If someone wants to use America On-line, MSN, a web browser, or some other online service, they simply start the application and dial a single number. No matter where they are, or where they want to go, a single access number is all they need to dial. In FIDO, a user will need to dial up systems all over the U.S. or world to get various applications, or obtain support for various products. This is too time consuming for the computer user of today. I believe FIDO offers a service and has a place today. The file distribution and message distribution are quick and painless. However, the Internal, and most email programs are quicker. Therefore, I make the following suggestion. FIDO needs a downloadable front-end with address book and look-up capabilities. FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 4 6 Jan 1997 We need a program that callers can download, and use to dial into a FIDO system to get mail and/or files. If the callers want the normal BBS with its doors and such, they can use any comm program. However, if they want quick, easy and painless FIDO access, they can use the FIDO front-end. This front-end will need to auto-update the nodelist on the callers local machine, and allow them to maintain an address book of favorite sites. If we want the FIDOnet to only be sysops, then the nodelist will shrink. However, you will see your nodelist grow if we came up with a way to increase callers based on the nodelist. Give people with modems a reason to call FIDO boards, and a quick and easy (maybe even Windows!) front-end, and FIDO will grow. FIDO is not dead, it just needs a prettier front door. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 5 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= FIdonet In Europe ----------------- by Dave Meikle (2:259/25.105) Hope you had a Merry Christmas , I did. Lets get down to the Biz :-) I have had a Request from Jean Parrot , If I had a list of Fido nodes in Germany specificallyaround Lorrach in the Black Forrest because he/she would like to talk to a Friend in Blansingen , Can anyone help by sending me a Nodelist or sending Jean Parrot it at Jean Parrot@1:167/722 . Dave --- TerminateMail ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 6 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= GETTING TECHNICAL ================================================================= [This is part of our continuing series of FidoNet Technical Standards and Proposals. This Issue contains the next three in numerical order. They have been reformatted to the 70 column limit where required and are also part of the FidoNet History series.] Ed. FSC-0009 *Nodelist Flag Changes Draft Document The following is a proposed change to the nodelist. Please send your comments to either Ken Kaplan at 100/22, Ray Gwinn at 109/634, or David Dodell at 114/15. We will not be replying to all comments but wish to get a general feeling from the network about this proposed change. Nodelist Flag Draft Document Primary Author: Ray Gwinn Secondary Author: David Dodell Contact 114/15 or 1/0 with comments Version 1 (11-15-87) I proposed that the Nodelist (comment) Flags be replaced with a capabilities identifier. After all, the bottom line is that we want to know the capabilities of the remote node before it is contacted. If the remote is not capable of performing the desired function, then there is no need to contact it. The problem(s) with the existing method is that it originally started as a comment field and was not planed. At the time SEAdog was the only "extended protocol" program around. But, along came Opus with a different "extended protocol". I think that additional flags like WZ, BR, WR, etc is only extending the previously unplanned system and will lead to problems in the future. For example, XP today includes file update requests, but XP a year ago did not. So, a node using SEAdog V3.xx will have an XP flag but it is not capable of doing update requests (I think). Thus, XP does not really tell you what the remote node is capable of doing. The capabilities identifier that I propose will do nothing more than define the program(s) that the remote node is using to accept incoming calls/mail/requests. Some may say that this is nothing more than the product code that already exists in the mail packet. The primary difference is that the capabilities identifier will exist in the nodelist. This means it is available without contacting the remote node, while the product FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 7 6 Jan 1997 code is not. Also the product code is limited to 256 possibilities. I assume that it is desired that the nodelist flags field be two non-control characters. If so, then I propose that the capabilities identifier be a two digit, base 36 number. The digits being 0 through 9 and A through Z and are assigned sequentially. For example, Fido may be 01 and Dutchie may be 02. Also note that as defined, XP and WZ are valid. However, I think they should be done away with, and identifiers be assigned starting with 00 (00 meaning generic FTSC net mail protocol). This number, once converted to binary, can be used by programmers as an index into application specific data bases or tables. One example is a simple program that will tell a user the capabilities of a remote node. Given the node's address and the nodelist, the program could search the nodelist to get the capabilities identifier. Then the program could use that identifier as an index into a data base to obtain the capabilities of the remote node and display them to the user. Another example is a program that can use the identifier as an index into a capabilities table that allows determination in advance that the remote is capable of the desired session prior to contacting it. Implementation ---------- First, all nodes in the network are assigned a capabilities identifier of 00. This is the capabilities code of a net mail program that meets the basic requirements of the FTSC specification. Once again, the purpose of this identifier (except 00) is to define the program(s) that the node is using to process calls/requests/mail. Also remember that the identifier reflects the mail handler. For example, TBBS with a BINKLEY front end will be identified by its BINKLEY identity. The program author (or project leader) will request a capabilities identifier from the assigner. Who does the assigning is another subject. Along with the request must be a written and detailed description of all enhances features of the program. Remember, we are dealing with automated contacts between nodes. In this context, the ability of a program to handle 50 simultaneous callers is not an enhanced feature. The list of features can be provided to other authors so that they may consider a compatible feature. Note, that if the description of the enhanced features is not sufficient for other authors to add a compatible feature, then the program may be assigned the basic 00 capabilities flag. This little enforcement rule has the potential of lifting a tremendous burden of documentation from the FTSC. If the committee accepting the written definition is programmers, the documentation is likely to be understandable. I think the same committee should assigns new capabilities codes (other than those grandfathered). The ego of the program authors would probably insure sufficient FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 8 6 Jan 1997 documentation for a capabilities identifier other than 00. After consideration, the FTSC could choose to adopt the definition (possibly modified) as a standard. I feel this gives the a creative programmer's new features a way into the nodelist and the FTSC the ability to consider enhancements with 20/20 hindsight. At the same time, the FTSC must only modify the provided documentation to define a new standard instead of starting from scratch. But, I'm drifting, this is another subject. If a new revision of the same program has additional capabilities that need to be defined, then the author should request a new capabilities code. There should be a policy that only one or two revisions back will have individual capabilities identifiers. If revisions more than one or two old are still in use they can be assigned the basic 00 identifier. The program authors should be required to prominently display the capabilities identifier. This will allow the Sysop to easily provide the identifier to his network coordinator for inclusion in the nodelist. This a basically a take off of the ringer equivalent code that you find in your modem manual. As I have defined it, the committee that assigns the capabilities identifiers can not reject the new features. They can only reject the documentation of the new features as not being understandable. This should keep most developers happy because no one can tell them not to do something. It should make the job of the FTSC simpler because they will only accept documentation, not create it. The ego's of the developers, anxious to be identified in the nodelist, should keep the documentation flowing to the FTSC. As pointed out by David Dodell, the same type of identifier can be applied to modems. That is modem 00 can be a 1200 baud Hayes (true) compatible, type 02 can be a USR Courier, etc. What I have proposed here solves many problems, but not all. For example, there is no way to tell when the wierd BBS has SEAdog running. So, a CM type flag is still required. I think that 3 flags will take care of everything. One identifies the mail handler, another identifies his modem type and a third should identify when mail/file requests can be accepted. The other flags --------- The other two flags would represent mail reception times and modem type. For example the flag 00 would represent mail can only be received during NMH. Flag 01 would mean mail could be received 24 hours, identical to the meaning of the CM flag now. Other variations FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 9 6 Jan 1997 could be: 00 National Mail Hour Only for Mail 01 Continuous Mail 24 hour/day 02 Continuous Mail 24 hour/day with 24 hr File Request Capability 03 CM 24 hrs/day, File request all but NMH The third flag would represent modem types: 00 300 baud Bell standard 01 1200 baud Bell standard 02 2400 baud 03 1200 baud w/MNP 04 2400 baud w/MNP 05 USR HST Modem 06 Telebit Trailblazer Modem 07 Hayes V9600 Modem 08 Microcom Modem 9600 baud -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FSC-0010 RESYNC, a sealink protocol enhancement by Henk Wevers 2/0 ========================================================== What is resync (recovarable sealink) ------------------------------------ Resync is a protocol enhancement on Sealink by Sea corporation that allows the protocol to pickup broken transfers were it was interrupted. The coding overhead is very minor because almost all routines needed are already part of most sealink implementations. As a sideeffect transmissions of exact duplicate files (from whatever source) will only result in the two programs exchanging EOT and thus saving a lot of transfertime and costs. The protocol ------------- The capability of doing ackless sealink is signalled by the SENDER by having byte 41 (1 based) in block 0 of a sealink file transfer being <> 0. Recovery is signalled in the sameway by byte 42 <> 0. Recoverable sealink starts off like normal (unrecoverable sealink). After the receiver has received block zero without errors the receiver checks for a duplicate filename in its incoming file directory. When a match is found the time and datestamp are checked and when they match the resync procedure is started otherwise` the transfer goes on like normal. FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 10 6 Jan 1997 Recovery procedure: RECEIVER -------- The receiver sends the following block to the sender: sync = $22 blocknumber: ascii , number of block to resume with, 1 based eot = $03 crc as usual The reason this form is choosen is that it is the same block as used for passing the filename in sealink based filerequests so the code was already there. now the receiver waits ontil the line dies (looks for a 1 sec pause) then sends $05 and waits for ACK or NAK from the sender. If nak is received the recovery procedure is restarted . After a given number of failed tries the session is aborted. After an ACK the receiver 'seeks' at the given block and resumes sealink transfer. SENDER ------ The sender has the capability to recognize returning ACK, NAK and SYNC. When a SYNC is received the sender stops all output, purges its outputbuffers and tries to get the resyncinfo. (some smart programming to allow an unintended sync caused by linenoise may make the protocol more stable. You may also test for ack/nack directly after the SYNC because the ascvii blocknumer garantees that a received ack/nak probably means a spurious sync. ). As soon as the blocknumber is received the sender acks and resume the sealink transfer at the given block. NOTES ------ This only works if the receiver closes a partly recived file properly, gives it the right name and sets the right time/date. In the current dutchie 2.80 implementation it also only works for files, not for mailpackets, but that is only a question of implementation and choise. IMPLEMENTATION --------------- Currently only dutchie 2.80 implements this enhancement. testing has shown that the protocol is very stable and works well. Some code in turbo pascal follows to help those who want to FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 11 6 Jan 1997 implement it. 1. The code used for transferring the wanted restart blocknumber to the sender. In real implementations this code will be shared by the filerequest stuff. function resyncok(blknum:integer):boolean; Var blockstring : string[5]; tries, ch, n : Integer; Begin str(blknum,blockstring); tries := 0; repeat tries := tries +1; if ((not Comm_Carrier(Comport)) or keyescape or ( tries >=8)) then begin If not Comm_Carrier(Comport) then Logit(3,1,'Lost Carrier') else If (tries>=8) then Logit(3,1,'Too much errors') else Logit(3,1,'Keyboard '); dumerr := fileerr; resyncok := false; exit; end; Comm_purge_in(ComPort); ClearCrC; comm_transmit(comport,22); For n:= 1 to length(blockstring) do Begin Comm_transmit(Comport,Ord(blockstring[n])); UpdatCrc(ord(blockstring[n])); End; UpdatCrc(0); UpdatCrc(0); Comm_Transmit(Comport,$03); Comm_Transmit(ComPort,Lo(CrcAccum)); Comm_Transmit(ComPort,Hi(CrcAccum)); Comm_purge_in(comport); {wait for a 1 sec pause} {Wait until line dies} Repeat Ch := timed_read(ComPort, 10); Until (Ch = $FFFF); comm_transmit(comport,05); ch := timed_read(Comport,20); until (ch=ACK); resyncok := true; end; 2. part of sender ack/nack logic to handshake above code FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 12 6 Jan 1997 function getsyncblock(var c:integer):Boolean; var t1 : real; n, Crclo, CrcHi, pl, code, ch : integer; temp1, temp : string64; label 100; begin ReqName := ''; getsyncblock := false; t1 := timerset(50); repeat ch := timed_read(comport,0); if ((ch > $1F) and (ch <$7F)) then ReqName := ReqName + Chr(ch); if ((ch = ack) or (ch = nak)) then begin c:= ch; goto 100; end; if not comm_carrier(Comport) then goto 100; until ((ch = $03) or timeup(t1)); CrcLo := Timed_Read(Comport,10); CrcHi := Timed_Read(Comport,10); ClearCrc; For n := 1 to length(ReqName) do UpdatCrc(ord(reqName[n])); UpdatCrc(0); UpdatCrc(0); {now wait for enquiry (must be within 5 secs)} t1 := timerset(50); repeat ch := timed_read(comport,50); until ((ch = $05) or timeup(t1)); If ((Lo(CrcAccum) = CrcLo) and (Hi(CrcAccum) = CrcHi)) then Begin val(reqname,outblk,pl); Comm_transmit(Comport,ACK); getsyncblock :=true; end else begin fixwindow; Writeln(' Bad Checksum'); Comm_transmit(comport,Nak); end; 100: end; Procedure AckChk; FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 13 6 Jan 1997 { The Various ACK/NAK states are: 0: Ground state, ACK or NAK expected 1: ACK received 2: NAK received 3: ACK, bloknumber received 4: NAK, bloknumber received } Var c : Integer; label 100; Begin ackrep := false; c := timed_read(ComPort,0); While c <> $FFFF Do Begin If ((Ackst = 3) Or (Ackst = 4)) Then Begin Slide := 1; If (Rawblk = (c Xor $FF)) Then Begin Rawblk := Outblk-((Outblk-Rawblk) And $FF); If ((Rawblk >= 0) And (Rawblk <= Outblk) And (Rawblk > (Outblk-128))) Then Begin If (Ackst = 3) Then {advance for an ACK} Begin If (Ackblk <= Rawblk) Then Ackblk := Rawblk; Slide := SeaWindow; ackseen := ackseen + 1; if (ackless and (ackseen > 10)) then begin ackless := false; fixwindow; writeln(#13,'- Overdrive disengaged '); end; fixwindow; Write(#13, ' ACK ', Rawblk:5, ' == ') End Else Begin If (Rawblk < 0) Then Outblk := 0 Else Outblk := Rawblk; If numnak < 4 then slide := seawindow else slide := 1; fixwindow; Write(#13, ' NAK ', Rawblk:5, ' == '); End; Ackrep := true; End; End; Ackst := 5; End; If ((Ackst = 1) Or (Ackst = 2)) Then Begin FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 14 6 Jan 1997 Rawblk := c; Ackst := Ackst+2 End; If (Not(Slide = SeaWindow) Or (Ackst = 0)) Then Begin If (c = syn) then begin Write(#13, ' Resync received ',#13); if not getsyncblock(c) then begin if ((c = ack) or (c=nak)) then goto 100; numnak := 255; exit; end; ackblk := outblk-1; beginblk := outblk-1; end; 100: If (c = Ack) Then Begin If (Not(Slide = SeaWindow)) Then Begin Ackblk := Ackblk+1; fixwindow; Write(#13, ' ACK ', Ackblk:5, ' -- '); ackrep := true; End; Ackst := 1; NumNak := 0; End Else Begin If ((c = Crc) Or (c = Nak)) Then Begin If (Chktec > 1) Then Begin If (c = Nak) Then Chktec := 0 Else Chktec := 1; If (Modem Or Modem7) Then Ackblk := 0; End; Comm_purge_out(Comport); TimeWait(6); If Not(Slide = SeaWindow) Then Begin Outblk := Ackblk+1; fixwindow; Write(#13, ' NAK ', Ackblk+1:5, ' -- '); Ackrep := true; End; Ackst := 2; NumNak := NumNak+1; If BlkSnt > 0 Then Toterr := Toterr+1; End; End; End; FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 15 6 Jan 1997 If (Ackst = 5) Then Ackst := 0; c := timed_read(ComPort,0); End; End; 3. part of receiver logic ---------------------------- {we come here after successfully receiving block zero} If Sealink then begin Timestring := Seatime((((Buffer[8]*256.0)+Buffer[7])*256.0+Buffer [6])*256.0+Buffer[5]); ackless := false; If (Buffer[41] <> 0) then begin writeln('- Overdrive engaged'); ackless := true; end; If (Buffer[42] <> 0) then begin writeln('- Recovery enabled'); recovers := true; end; end; Assign(Afile, FileDir+filenm); Reset(Afile); If IOResult = 0 Then Begin if sealink and recovers then begin {find date/time} code := FindFirst(Filedir+filenm); If code = 0 Then begin {we have a duplicate ?} If file_name = filenm then begin {check timestamp} tstring[0] := #4; tstring[1] := Chr(dir.time[1]); tstring[2] := Chr(dir.time[2]); tstring[3] := Chr(dir.date[1]); tstring[4] := Chr(dir.date[2]); if tstring = timestring then begin Blknum :=Trunc(file_size/128)+1; startblk := blknum-1; Str(blknum,blkstring); LogIt(3,1, 'Resynced from '+blkstring); if resyncok(blknum) then begin resyncflag := true; longseek(afile,(blknum-1)*128); FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 16 6 Jan 1997 truncate(afile); end else begin sealinkrx := false; goto 150; end; end; end; end; end; if not resyncflag then begin if not overwrite then begin filenm[1] := '$'; LogIt(3,1, 'Renamed to '+filenm); end else Logit(3,1,'Overwrote old file !'); end; End; PLEASE COMPARE THESE TO THE ORIGINAL SEA DOCUMENTS ON SEALINK (IN C) -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FSC-0011 by Bob Hartman These are some thoughts that I had on FSC001 after implementing things in BinkleyTerm. The state tables I show I believe reflect a little bit more of reality than the older tables. I think that BT corresponds to 99% of the stuff that I wrote, and it can talk to everything that is out there. The biggest thing is to be able to trick everyone currently in existance into doing what they do best without killing someone that can't do all the fancy stuff (ie Fido 11w). Let me know if I can be of any help deciphering any of it. I think it is pretty straightforward. I would prefer if it was not published in FSC001 (since that really should not change, except perhaps for typos and the EOT stuff mentioned below), but this can be an addendum (I'll write something a bit more involved if you want) to be given to developers so that they can be most efficient in transfers with other systems. I just put all this stuff in, and looking at the time (3:33am) I may have goofed in some places. Let me know if you see anything that looks fishy. Let me know if you want me to go any further with this (I probably will anyway, simply as an example of the type of documentation on features that I think would be acceptable in the future). This is the current state table for sending mail: FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 17 6 Jan 1997 .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S0 | SendInit | | dial modem | S1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S1 | WaitCxD | 1 carrier detected | delay 1-5 seconds | S2 | | | | 2 busy, etc. | report no connection | exit| | | | 3 voice | report no carrier | exit| | | | 4 carrier not detected | report no connection | exit| | | | within 60 seconds | | | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S2 | WhackCRs | 1 over 30 seconds | report no response | exit| | | | 2 ?? s received | delay 1 sec | S3 | | | | 3 s not received | send | S2 | | | | | delay ??? secs | | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S3 | WaitClear| 1 no input for 0.5 secs | send TSYNCH = AEH | S4 | | | | 2 over 60 seconds | hang up, report garbage | exit| | | | and line not clear | | | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S4* | SendMail | | (XMODEM send packet XS0)| S5 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+---------- ---------------+-----| | S5 | CheckMail| 1 XMODEM successful | (Fido registers success)| S6 | | | | 2 XMODEM fail or timeout| hang up, report mail bad| exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----| | S6* | SendFiles| | (BATCH send files BS0) | S7 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------- -----------------+-----| | S7 | CheckFile| 1 BATCH send successful | | S8 | | | | 2 BATCH send failed | hang up, rept files fail| exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+---------- ---------------+-----| | S8 | TryPickup| 1 wish to pickup | note send ok | R2* | | | | 2 no desire to pickup | delay 5 secs FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 18 6 Jan 1997 | exit| | | | | hang up, rept send ok | | `-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----' This note is mentioned: Although the above shows the sender emitting only one TSYNCH, it is recommended that a timeout of 5-20 seconds should initiate another TSYNCH. The receiver should tolerate multiple TSYNCHs. The correct state table should be: .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S0 | SendInit | | dial modem | S1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S1 | WaitCxD | 1 carrier detected | delay 1-5 seconds | S2 | | | | 2 busy, etc. | report no connection | exit| | | | 3 voice | report no carrier | exit| | | | 4 carrier not detected | report no connection | exit| | | | within 60 seconds | | | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S2 | WhackCRs | 1 over 30 seconds | report no response | exit| | | | 2 ?? s received | delay 1 sec | S3 | | | | 3 s not received | send | S2 | | | | | delay ??? secs | | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S3 | WaitClear| 1 no input for 0.5 secs | send TSYNCH = AEH | S4 | | | | 2 over 60 seconds | hang up, report garbage | exit| | | | and line not clear | | | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | S4* | TSyncChk | 1 'C' or NAK (peeked at)| (XMODEM send packet XS1)| S5 | | | | 2 over 2 seconds | eat noise, resend TSync | S4 | | | | 3 over 30 seconds | hang up report not FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 19 6 Jan 1997 Fido | exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+--------- ----------------+-----| | S5 | CheckMail| 1 XMODEM successful | (Fido registers success)| S6 | | | | 2 XMODEM fail or timeout| hang up, report mail bad| exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----| | S6* | SendFiles| | (BATCH send files BS0) | S7 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------- -----------------+-----| | S7 | CheckFile| 1 BATCH send successful | | S8 | | | | 2 BATCH send failed | hang up, rept files fail| exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+---------- ---------------+-----| | S8 | TryPickup| 1 wish to pickup | note send ok | R2* | | | | 2 no desire to pickup | delay 5 secs | exit| | | | | hang up, rept send ok | | `-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----' In state S4, the phrase "peeked at" means that the character is not removed from the buffer. Therefore when XS1 is started the proper character for beginning the Xmodem transfer will be detected. Notice also that XS1 is a change from the XS0 that is given in the original. XS0 is for doing Telink, not Xmodem. Since the first part (the mail packet) is sent Xmodem, the proper place to enter is XS1 (I think). This next is the current table for Xmodem receiving: XMODEM/TeLink Receiver .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XR0 | RecStart | 1 prefer crc mode | Send "C" | XR1 | | | | 2 want checksum mode | send NAK | XR1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XR1 | WaitFirst| 1 10 retries or 1 minute| report receive failure | exit| | | | 2 > 3 retries or 30 secs| set want checksum mode | XR0 | | | | 3 EOT received | send ACK, report no file| exit| | | | 4 TeLink block recd | send ACK, set crc/cksm | XR2 | | | | 5 data block recd | send ACK, set crc/cksm | XR2 | | | | 6 bad block or 2-10 secs| incr retry count FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 20 6 Jan 1997 | XR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XR2 | WaitBlock| 1 10 retries or 1 minute| report receive failure | exit| | | | 2 EOT received | send ACK, report recd ok| exit| | | | 3 data block received | send ACK | XR2 | | | | 4 bad block or 2-10 secs| send NAK, incr retry cnt| XR2 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----' The following inserts the small fix I mentioned in FTSC about the EOT probs: XMODEM/TeLink Receiver .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XR0 | RecStart | 1 prefer crc mode | Send "C" | XR1 | | | | 2 want checksum mode | send NAK | XR1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XR1 | WaitFirst| 1 10 retries or 1 minute| report receive failure | exit| | | | 2 > 3 retries or 30 secs| set want checksum mode | XR0 | | | | 3 EOT received | delay 1 sec, purge input| exit| | | | | send ACK, report no file| | | | | 4 TeLink block recd | send ACK, set crc/cksm | XR2 | | | | 5 data block recd | send ACK, set crc/cksm | XR2 | | | | 6 bad block or 2-10 secs| incr retry count | XR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XR2 | WaitBlock| 1 10 retries or 1 minute| report receive failure | exit| | | | 2 EOT received | delay 1 sec, purge input| exit| | | | | send ACK, report recd ok| | | | | 3 data block received | send ACK | XR2 | | | | 4 bad block or 2-10 secs| send NAK, incr retry cnt| XR2 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----' As I mentioned in the FTSC conference, the delay to eat characters is needed in order to purge the extra EOT's that some software sends out. The delay can be shorter than 1 second (in practice 2/10ths seems to FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 21 6 Jan 1997 work well), but 1 sec fit nicely in the little box. This is the current Modem7 filename sender: MODEM7 Filename Sender .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MS0 | WaitNak | 1 20 retries or 1 minute| filename send failed | exit| | | | 2 NAK received | send ACK & 1st ch of fn | MS1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----| | MS1 | WaitChAck| 1 ACK rcd, fname done | send SUB = 1AH | MS2 | | | | 2 ACK rcd, fname ~done | send next ch of fname | MS1 | | | | 3 other char or 1 sec | send "u", incr retry cnt| MS0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----| | MS2 | WaitCksm | 1 cksum recd and ok | send ACK, report fn ok | exit| | | | 2 cksum recd but bad | send "u", incr retry cnt| MS0 | | | | 3 no cksum in 1 sec | send "u", incr retry cnt| MS0 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----' The drawbacks of this one are that it does not take into account the possibility of a SEAdog at the other end (or other software) that does not wish to do Modem7 filename transfer. The other end will send a "C" instead of the usual NAK, and that should be accounted for: MODEM7 Filename Sender .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MS0 | WaitNak | 1 20 retries or 1 minute| filename send failed | exit| | | | 2 NAK received | send ACK & 1st ch of fn | MS1 | | | | 3 C received | return fn skipped | exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MS1 | WaitChAck| 1 ACK rcd, fname done | send SUB = 1AH | MS2 | FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 22 6 Jan 1997 | | | 2 ACK rcd, fname ~done | send next ch of fname | MS1 | | | | 3 other char or 1 sec | send "u", incr retry cnt| MS0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----| | MS2 | WaitCksm | 1 cksum recd and ok | send ACK, report fn ok | exit| | | | 2 cksum recd but bad | send "u", incr retry cnt| MS0 | | | | 3 no cksum in 1 sec | send "u", incr retry cnt| MS0 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+----------- --------------+-----' If a C is received, it should trigger that the other end does not wish to do a Modem7 filename transfer. Since the data in a Telink header block (as well as SEAlink header block) makes the Modem7 filename redundant, the sender can return a good filename and slip into Telink send with no problem. Substituting SEAlink send for Telink send is also a viable possibility. Currently this is the state machine for Modem7 receiver: MODEM7 Filename Receiver .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR0 | SendNak | 1 20 tries or 1 minute | report filename failure | exit| | | | 2 | send NAK, incr try cnt | MR1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+--------- ----------------+-----| | MR1 | WaitAck | 1 rcd ACK | | MR2 | | | | 2 rcd EOT | report no files remain | exit| | | | 3 5 secs & no ACK/EOT | | MR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR2 | WaitChar | 1 recd EOT (can happen?)| report no files remain | exit| | | | 2 recd SUB | send checksum byte | MR3 | | | | 3 recd "u" | | MR0 | | | | 4 recd char of name | send ACK | MR2 | | | | 5 no char in 1 second | | MR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR3 | WaitOkCk | 1 recd ACK within 1 sec | report recd filename ok | exit| | | | 2 recd "u" or other char| | MR0 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----' FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 23 6 Jan 1997 To get rid of the necessity for the Modem7 filename, do the following: MODEM7 Filename Receiver .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR0 | SendC | 1 5 tries | cannot skip, must do it | MR0b| | | | 2 | send C , incr try cnt | MR0a| |-----+----------+-------------------------+--------- ----------------+-----| | MR0a| WaitSkip | 1 SOH or SYN peeked at | return fname skipped | exit| | | | 2 1 second passes | | MR0 | | | | 3 other char received | eat character | MR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR0b| SendNak | 1 20 tries or 1 minute | report filename failure | exit| | | | 2 | send NAK, incr try cnt | MR1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+--------- ----------------+-----| | MR1 | WaitAck | 1 rcd ACK | | MR2 | | | | 2 rcd EOT | report no files remain | exit| | | | 3 5 secs & no ACK/EOT | | MR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR2 | WaitChar | 1 recd EOT (can happen?)| report no files remain | exit| | | | 2 recd SUB | send checksum byte | MR3 | | | | 3 recd "u" | | MR0 | | | | 4 recd char of name | send ACK | MR2 | | | | 5 no char in 1 second | | MR0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | MR3 | WaitOkCk | 1 recd ACK within 1 sec | report recd filename ok | exit| | | | 2 recd "u" or other char| | MR0 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----' This allows the filename receiver to notice that he has triggered the other system into skipping the Modem7 filename stuff. Once that happens, as in the Modem7 sender, the filename can be done away with and simple Telink or SEAlink transfer can commence. Note that once again, the byte received is peeked at, so that it can remain in the buffer to start the Telink/SEAlink transfer. Returning fname skipped, rather than fname ok signals the other states not to send an FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 24 6 Jan 1997 originating NAK (see below): BATCH File Receiver .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | BR0*| RecvName | | (MODEM7 FName recv MR0) | BR1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+--------- ----------------+-----| | BR1 | CheckFNm | 1 MODEM7 no more files | report files recd ok | exit| | | | 2 MODEM7 Filename ok | (TeLink recv file XR0) | BR2 | | | | 3 MODEM7 Filename skip | (TeLink recv file XR1) | BR2 | | | | 4 MODEM7 Filename bad | report name recv bad | exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | BR2 | CheckFile| 1 TeLink recv ok | | BR0 | | | | 2 TeLink recv bad | report file recv bad | exit| `-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----' Now, the sender must also have a slight adjustment: BATCH File Sender .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | BS0*| MoreFiles| 1 more files to send | (MODEM7 FName send MS0) | BS1 | | | | 2 no more files to send | | BS3 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | BS1 | CheckFNm | 1 MODEM7 Filename ok | (TeLink send file XS0) | BS2 | | | | 2 MODEM7 Filename skip | (Telink send file XS0a) | BS2 | | | | 3 MODEM7 Filename bad | report name send bad | exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | BS2 | CheckFile| 1 TeLink send ok | | BS0 | | | | 2 TeLink send bad | report file send bad | exit| |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 25 6 Jan 1997 -----------+-----| | BS3 | EndSend | 1 rec NAK for next file | send EOT, report send ok| exit| | | | 2 10 seconds no NAK | send EOT, report no NAK | exit| `-----+----------+-------------------------+---------- ---------------+-----' Here is the modified Xmodem sender: XMODEM/TeLink Sender .-----+----------+-------------------------+---------------------- ---+-----. |State| State | Predicate(s) | Action(s) | Next| | # | Name | | | St | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XS0a| SendTeLnk| | send TeLink, incr tries | XS0 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------- -----------------+-----| | XS0 | WaitTeLnk| 1 over 40-60 seconds | report sender timeout | exit| | | | 2 over 2 tries | note TeLink block failed| XS1 | | | | 3 NAK or "C" received | send TeLink, incr tries | XS0 | | | | 4 ACK received | TeLink ok, set crc/cksm | XS2 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+----- --------------------+-----| | XS1 | WaitStart| 1 over 40-60 seconds | report sender timeout | exit| | | | 2 over 20 tries | report send failed | exit| | | | 3 NAK received | set checksum mode | XS2 | | | | 4 "C" recd, I can crc | set crc mode | XS2 | | | | 5 "C" recd, I can't crc | | XS1 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XS2 | SendBlock| 1 more data available | send next data block | XS3 | | | | | as checksum or crc | | | | | 2 last block has gone | send EOT | XS4 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XS3 | WaitACK | 1 10 retries or 1 minute| report send failed | exit| | | | 2 ACK received | | XS2 | | | | 3 NAK (or C if 1st blk) | resend last block | XS3 | |-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----| | XS4 | WaitEnd | 1 10 retries or 1 minute| report send failed | exit| FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 26 6 Jan 1997 | | | 2 ACK received | report send successful | exit| | | | 3 NAK received | resend EOT | XS4 | `-----+----------+-------------------------+-------------- -----------+-----' -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 27 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= COORDINATORS CORNER ================================================================= Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 003 By Ward Dossche, 2:292/854 ZC/2 +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+ |Zone|Nl-341|Nodelist-348|Nodelist-355|Nodelist-362|Nodelist-003|%%| +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+ | 1 | 10931|10737 -194 |10564 -173 |10452 -112 |10370 -82 |36| | 2 | 16185|16150 -35 |16127 -23 |16104 -23 |16056 -48 |55| | 3 | 882| 882 0 | 878 -4 | 876 -2 | 869 -7 | 3| | 4 | 578| 572 -6 | 413 -159 | 556 143 | 552 -4 | 2| | 5 | 94| 94 0 | 93 -1 | 93 0 | 93 0 | 0| | 6 | 1006| 1003 -3 | 1003 0 | 1075 72 | 1073 -2 | 4| +----+------+------------+------------+------------+------------+--+ | 29676|29438 -238 |29078 -360 |29156 78 |29013 -143 | +------+------------+------------+------------+------------+ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 28 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= NET HUMOR ================================================================= From: "Mike Riddle" To: "Baker, Christopher" Subject: Fwd: New -- Standardized System Problem Report (Tripe) ==================BEGIN FORWARDED MESSAGE================== I found this in my Net travels today, and think this will be "invaluable" for anyone who is a system administrator, the resident firm computer guru, or outside consultant. I love the response options. Though it's based in humor, I have to admit I've gotten problem reports in real life that were more entertaining/frustrating than this one. Jeff Beard ____________________________________________________________ Jeffrey J. Beard, Esq. MicroLaw, Inc., 825 S. 60th St., Milwaukee, WI 53214 Voice: (414) 476-8433 Fax: (414) 476-8461 E-mail: microlaw@execpc.com Web Site: http://www.microlaw.com ____________________________________________________________ SYSTEM PROBLEM REPORT This is a form to make the reporting of problems consistent, allow records of problems to be kept, and a method of discouraging users from reporting faults in the first place. Your name? ___________________ Your login name? ____________________ The date? __/__/__ The date the problem first occurred if different? __/__/__ Problem Severity: Minor__ Minor__ Minor__ Minor__ Which machine? ____________________ Which area appears to be at fault? Communications__ Disk__ Base Unit__ Network__ Keyboard__ Screen__ Mouse__ Everything__ Don't Know__ Is it plugged in? Yes__ No__ Is it switched on? Yes__ No__ Has it been stolen? Yes__ No__ Have you tried to fix it yourself? Yes__ No__ FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 29 6 Jan 1997 Have you made it worse? Yes__ Have you read the manual? Yes__ No__ Are you sure you've read the manual? Yes__ No__ Are you absolutely certain you've read the manual? Yes__ No__ Did you understand it? Yes__ No__ If `Yes' then why can't you fix it yourself? _____________________________________________________________ Is the equipment unexpectedly noisy? Yes__ No__ If `Yes' what sort of noise? Grinding__ Rattling__ Whirring__ High pitched whine__ Sound of disk head scouring disk__ Strange, out of tune whistling or humming__ Is there a smell of burning? Yes__ No__ If `Yes' is the equipment on fire? Yes__ No__ Is the fault repeatable? Yes__ No__ What were you doing (with the equipment) at the time the fault occurred? ______________________________________________________ If `Nothing', then explain why you were logged in. _______________________________________________________________ Are you sure you aren't imagining the problem? Yes__ No__ Do you have any independent witnesses of the problem? Yes__ No__ Describe the problem. _______________________________________________________________ Now, describe the problem accurately. _______________________________________________________________ Speculate wildly about the cause of the problem. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Can't you do something else, rather than bothering me? Yes__ No__ ____________________________________________________________ Jeffrey J. Beard, Esq. MicroLaw, Inc., 825 S. 60th St., Milwaukee, WI 53214 Voice: (414) 476-8433 Fax: (414) 476-8461 E-mail: microlaw@execpc.com Web Site: http://www.microlaw.com ____________________________________________________________ ===================END FORWARDED MESSAGE=================== FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 30 6 Jan 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 31 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= COMIX IN ASCII ================================================================= --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Wed Jan 01 01:20:02 1997 From: Dave Aronson @ 1:109/120 To: chris baker @ 1:18/14 Date: 31 Dec 96 11:03:08 Subj: Happy Gnu Yr ASCII comic >< .-----------------. /\ | HAPPY GNU YEAR! | . /XX\ . `-----------------' ||__/XXXX\___|| __-`----'o o\----' ___--~~ \\ \ _____---\~~~\ \\_\\ \ ##/ \ 1 \ [><] \\_@) ## | \ 9 \ _/ \_ ## `. ' \ 9 \ \ / / ### \_@ fweee! # \ )--____\_7_\--| |-' |## # / // | || | # / // ( )) / ## |=| ||| ||| |KORB## |:| ||| ||| | Brut## `V' \_\\ \_\\ @= |_____### _|_ Remember, alcohol and calculus don't mix -- so don't drink and derive! ___ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 32 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= ADVERTISE YOUR FREE SERVICE/EVENT ================================================================= Emanuel Edwards 1:348/963 emanuel@pangea.ca Hello all Cricket Lovers: This ad is to inform you that there is a cricket echo now on fidonet. The echo tag is called CRICKET_ECHO. The cricket_echo describe all aspects on how the game is played, the latest scores and upcoming tours and events in the cricket world. Please request the cricket_echo onto your bbs. Thanks Emanuel Moderator. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Emanuel Edwards 1:348/963 emanuel@pangea.ca Hello all Wrestling Fans: This ad is to inform you that there is a new wrestling echo on the fidonet backbone. The echo tag is called WRESTLING_CHAT. This echo is a free speech wrestling echo. It gives all the latest rumours of what's going on in the wrestling world, upcoming matches and events in the wrestling world. The WRESTLING_CHAT is also linked to the Internet through Emanuel's homepage. All Sysops that read this ad please request the WRESTLING_CHAT onto your bbs. Thanks Emanuel Moderator. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 33 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= FOR SALE ================================================================= USR Courier v.everything upgrade offer by Michael Wilson (1:143/370) I am offering the upgrade daughterboard that will upgrade most ANY USE Courier modem to the new v.everything. This upgrade will add 33.6, caller-ID, FAX and automatic speed adjust. These come with complete instructions, new Courier manual and the daughterboard. I have two left: $89.00. I will ship anywhere in the U.S. I can take VISA and Mastercard. Crash mail me if your are interested. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 34 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= FidoNews Article Submission Guidelines FidoNet address 1:1/23 Updated 29 Dec 1996 by Christopher Baker Updated 29 May 1991 by Tom Jennings Based on the original work by Thom Henderson | denotes a change since the last update |. "Fido" and "FidoNet" are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings, Box 410923, San Francisco CA 94141, USA and are used with permission. -------- SYNOPSIS: FidoNews is the newsletter of the FidoNet computer network, its Sysops and users. It is passed to its readers electronically via the FidoNet and other computer networks and to non-network readers as well. This document intends to tell you how to write and submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Much of it describes the technical specifications which an article must meet in order to be included in the newsletter, as well as broad (very) guidelines on content. (Of course you realize articles can be submitted only electronically.) Please read it carefully. The article you save might be your own. ------------ INTRODUCTION: FidoNews was originally founded in early 1984 to include all parts of the lives of its member Sysops and users, which of course means not just technical matters. We do not have fixed goals of maximum distribution or maximum readership (i.e. lowest common denominator) but only to meet the needs of our individual network members. The success of this venture has always been contentious at best (ahem). In any case the grand experiment continues. Twelve years later (at this writing) and over 30,000 Nodes in the network, the editorial policy, or lack of one, of FidoNews has shown to best fit our ever-changing and unpredictable needs. -------------- SUBJECT MATTER: FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 35 6 Jan 1997 Articles on any subject of interest to FidoNet members and users are welcome and encouraged, not necessarily of a technical nature, though priority may be, but not necessarily, given to articles of importance to the FidoNet, its technology and its uses; other networks such as uucp and the Internet; social aspects of communications; ethical issues; other related matters. -------------- ARTICLE LENGTH: Try to keep articles short. The longer it is, the less likely people are to read it. Consider splitting long articles (more than five pages) into smaller articles to be run serially. Exceptions will be made at the whim of the editors. For practical reasons, we will attempt to keep FidoNews to a "reasonable size", which is of course a highly subjective and variable thing. As of May 1991, the goal is under 100,000 bytes. Decisions regarding content may be made based upon this, though in general it shouldn't be an issue. ------------------ WRITING GUIDELINES: We are not all professional writers, nor is that even a goal for the FidoNews -- we want real communication to and from real people; even at the expense of so-called "good writing", which is frequently a tool to exclude. There are a few minimum requirements though for any successful writing, even for the lowly FidoNews: * The subject discussed must be clear to people other than the author! Don't assume that people will pick up the context from your writing. Tell them explicitly. * Why are you writing this? It may seem obvious -- "Review of the new Acme 75-baud Modem" -- but it's not. Are you the manufacturer? An irate customer? Let us know your point of view. * Who are you? A good question! Anonymity is acceptable, though most people want to take credit for their work. Include full contact information including electronic mail addresses. * Articles submitted via Netmail or email must contain all the technically required lines and delimiters in the BODY of the message. This includes the *[title] line and the 70 character width requirement. To indicate the filename type for one of these message submissions, place the FILENAME.TYP in the Subj: line of your email, Netmail, or Echomail. Those that require extra editing may be delayed from appearing in FidoNews. * Articles will appear when space becomes available, not necessarily the "next" issue. If your article is of a time- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 36 6 Jan 1997 critical nature, please say so when you submit it; the editor still has final say. * The editor reserves the right to request changes from an author to meet these "standards", which you have to admit are pretty loose. It is not the intent for this to be a mechanism to refuse articles the editor does not like, but simply to keep the contents intelligible. * If we have a backlog of articles, we may get fussier about things. Historically, this has not been a serious problem. --------------------- SUBMITTING AN ARTICLE TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS: If all that hasn't scared you away, the next step is to create a text file which contains the text of your article. The resulting file should be sent or uploaded to "Editor", FidoNet address 1:1/23. The "physical" location (and phone number) of FidoNews varies, and hence must be found elsewhere, such as within a recent copy of FidoNews itself. Filenames must follow the MSDOS standard: FILENAME.TYP a 1 to 8 character file name (A - Z, 0 - 9) a period, a 0 to 3 character file type (A - Z, 0 - 9) File types are used to distinguish types of submissions, as follows: .ART An article, commentary, open letter, or general news item. .GUE Want to write a Guest Editorial? [*Name & Node on line 1] .RET Need to make a Retraction of a previous article or notice? .COL Want to become a regular contributor with your own column? .ANS Answers to the Question of the Week. .BIO FidoNet biographies - tell us your story. .HIS FidoNet history - got an anecdote to share? .REV Reviews of related product, services, or programs. .JOK Net humor in print. .CMX Comics in ASCII. [watch those lines at 70 columns!] .PRF Want to Proofread? Get a cookie for spotting errors. .AD Advertising FREE services or events. .SAL "For Sale" .WAN "Wanted" .NOT A notice for the back of the issue. Keep them short. | .INT Internet addresses for FidoNet webpages of general interest.| FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 37 6 Jan 1997 If your file doesn't have one of the above extensions, then it will lay around taking up disk space until someone takes a look at it and realizes what it is. Maybe. The name of the file is up to you, though you should use a name which is not likely to be "stepped on" by someone else -- the system will not guarantee file names are unique. For example, FNEWS.ART is probably not a good name for an article. -------------- CHARACTER SETS: The character by character contents of the file itself must meet the following standards or it cannot be published in FidoNews. The FidoNews staff WILL NOT be responsible for making file contents conform to these standards. * FLUSH LEFT MARGIN: Please do not put a "left margin" on your articles. Have the text start at the very first column. * RIGHT MARGIN AT COLUMN 70 OR LESS: Less is tolerable, more is definitely not. If your cursor is resting at column 71 when your line is ended, you're okay. One character past that even with trailing spaces and MAKENEWS will barf on your submission. If your submission is physically rejected, the Editor will have to fix it manually or send it back for reformatting. * RAGGED-RIGHT TEXT: Word-Star style "justification" (inserting spaces into sentences so that a paragraph is perfectly rec- tangular) is extremely hard to read, and consumes needless space. Please don't use it! * NO FUNNY CHARACTERS: This includes formfeeds, returns without linefeeds, linefeeds without returns, tabs and other oddities. The only control codes (character codes 0 through 31 decimal) allowed are carriage return (CR) and linefeed (LF). The only exception is: Control-Z "end of file" terminator characters are tolerated. Not required. * NO GRAPHICS CHARACTERS: Believe it or not, not everyone in the world has an IBM PC. Please restrict yourself to printable ASCII characters in the range 20 hex to 7E hex (space to tilde). * LINES TERMINATED: Each line in the article should be terminated with a 'newline' -- either the MSDOS standard (CR/LF) or the unix standard (LF only). ----------------- SUBMISSION FORMAT: Below is a sample article properly formatted. Features of it are discussed further below. FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 38 6 Jan 1997 --article file example begins below this line-- *A Sample Article [this is in LINE 1 starting at COLUMN 1] This is My Title by Joe Schmoe, [Netmail/email address] And here is my article. Note that it is flush left (zero indent). Also note that the right margin is at column seventy so that it won't overflow "most" text windows. Each line has a newline. Note the *'ed first line. My article will be listed in the table of contents exactly as it appears after the * above. Figure 1. Table 1. +-------+ ======== | A Box | Alpha +-------+ Bravo Note that we am not using any funny-o characters. This ensures that the final article will look the same to every user, no matter what sort of hardware he has. This is the last sentence of our article. --article file example ends above this line-- The FIRST line of text is the Table of Contents line. It MUST begin with an asterisk * as shown above. NO BLANK lines above title line are permitted. If you do not follow this instruction exactly, the article will not be listed in the Table of Contents. This Table of Contents listing method works for all submission file types. * Everything that follows the *'ed line will appear in the body of the newsletter. The *'ed line will be stripped out of your article text so if you want it repeated as your title in the article BE SURE to repeat it on a second line without the *. * Next should be the title or name of your article, your name, and contact information (network address(es), Postal Service address, etc) Try to keep it to one or two lines each. * Put a blank line between paragraphs. Paragraphs that all run together are very difficult to read, and may be rejected. * If you want to put in a table or a figure, go right ahead. We do not rearrange text, so your table or figure will remain exactly as you entered it. Try to limit them to ones that make the communication CLEARER. * Don't put a lot of blank space at the top or bottom. The FidoNews-generator programs will visually separate articles automatically. * Please check for basic errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. We're not publishing a textbook, but you don't FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 39 6 Jan 1997 want it to embarrass yourself do you? * Don't use FidoNews to grind your personal axes against other FidoNet members. An article presenting a side of an internal dispute is one thing. An article defaming or perseverating over several Issues is another. Articles that merely quote endlessly from other sources to no particular effect are also not a good idea. * Don't republish copyrighted material from other sources WITHOUT the permission of those sources. Include the permission in such articles. * Remember that FidoNews is no better or worse than the articles submitted to it. If you want FidoNews to be a useful newsletter, get involved and submit useful articles. It's up to YOU to make it work. -------------------- SUBMISSION DEADLINES: FidoNews is published on Monday of every week. Deadline for file submissions to the FidoNews Editor via file-attach is 2300 ET [0300 UTC/GMT] the previous Saturday. Deadline for submissions via Netmail, email, or in the FIDONEWS Echo is 2300 ET [0300 UTC/GMT] the previous Friday. Submissions which miss the deadlines will be processed the following week. Submission by deadline is not a guarantee of appearance in that week's FidoNews but it is likely depending on volume of submissions. -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Future History 26 Jan 1997 Australia Day, Australia. 6 Feb 1997 Waitangi Day, New Zealand. 16 Feb 1997 Eleventh Anniversary of invention of Echomail by Jeff Rush. 29 Feb 1997 Nothing will happen on this day. 25 May 1997 Independence Day, Argentina 11 Jun 1997 Independence Day, Russia 1 Jul 1997 FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 40 6 Jan 1997 Canada Day - Happy Birthday Canada 13 Oct 1997 Thanksgiving Day, Canada 22 May 1998 Expo '98 World Exposition in Lisbon (Portugal) opens. 1 Dec 1998 Fifteenth Anniversary of release of Fido version 1 by Tom Jennings. 31 Dec 1999 Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed. 15 Sep 2000 Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens. -- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 41 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ================================================================= Latest Greatest Software Versions by Peter E. Popovich, 1:363/264 I think the worst part of playing "catch-up" is having to write "I'm sorry for the incredibly long delay in getting back to you." I've had to write that a lot lately; it sucks rocks. On the other hand, the holidays are finally over, so I've actually been able to put an hour or two here and there. It's good to actually have the time to actually do at least a little catching up... Phased out this week: SimplexBBS 1.05, SLBBS 2.15C RBBS 17.3b, and RemoteAccess 1.11 Phase-out highlights: This week: SuperComm 0.99 and TAG 2.5g Deadline for info: 17 Jan 1997. Last week: Socrates 1.11 and SuperBBS 1.12 Deadline for info: 10 Jan 1997. -=- Snip -=- Submission form for the Latest Greatest Software Versions column OS Platform : Software package name : Version : Function(s) - BBS, Mailer, Tosser, etc. : Freeware / Shareware / Commercial? : Author / Support staff contact name : Author / Support staff contact node : Magic name (at the above-listed node) : Please include a sentence describing what the package does. Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264 -=- Snip -=- MS-DOS: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Act-Up 4.6 G D Chris Gunn 1:15/55 ACT-UP ALLFIX 4.40 T S Harald Harms 2:281/415 ALLFIX Announcer 1.1 O S Peter Karlsson 2:206/221 ANNOUNCE BGFAX 1.60 O S B.J. Guillot 1:106/400 BGFAX CheckPnt 0.5 beta O F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 CHECKPNT FidoBBS (tm) 12u B S Ray Brown 1:1/117 FILES FrontDoor 2.12 M S JoHo 2:201/330 FD FrontDoor 2.20c M C JoHo 2:201/330 FDINFO FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 42 6 Jan 1997 GIGO 07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler 1:1/141 INFO Imail 1.75 T S Michael McCabe 1:297/11 IMAIL ImCrypt 1.04 O F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 IMCRYPT InfoMail 1.11 O F Damian Walker 2:2502/666 INFOMAIL InfoMail/386 1.20 O F Damian Walker 2:2502/666 INFO386 InterEcho 1.19 T C Peter Stewart 1:369/35 IEDEMO InterMail 2.29k M C Peter Stewart 1:369/35 IMDEMO InterPCB 1.52 O S Peter Stewart 1:369/35 INTERPCB IPNet 1.11 O S Michele Stewart 1:369/21 IPNET Jelly-Bean 1.01 T S Rowan Crowe 3:635/727 JELLY Jelly-Bean/386 1.01 T S Rowan Crowe 3:635/727 JELLY386 MakePl 1.8 N F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 MAKEPL Marena 1.1 beta O F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 MARENA Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAX McMail 1.0g5 M S Michael McCabe 1:1/148 MCMAIL MDNDP 1.18 N S Bill Doyle 1:388/7 MDNDP MsgEd 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED Opus CBCS 1.73a B P Christopher Baker 1:374/14 OPUS O/T-Track 2.63a O S Peter Hampf 2:241/1090 OT PcMerge 2.7 N F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 PCMERGE PlatinumXpress 1.1 M C Gary Petersen 1:290/111 PX11TD.ZIP RAR 2.00 C S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 RAR RemoteAccess 2.50 B S Mark Lewis 1:3634/12 RA Silver Xpress Door 5.4 O S Gary Petersen 1:290/111 FILES Reader 4.3 O S Gary Petersen 1:290/111 SXR43.ZIP Squish 1.11 T P Tech 1:249/106 SQUISH StealTag UK 1.c... O F Fred Schenk 2:284/412 STEAL_UK StealTag NL 1.c... O F Fred Schenk 2:284/412 STEAL_NL T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAIL Terminate 4.00 O S Bo Bendtsen 2:254/261 TERMINATE Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK TriBBS 10.0 B S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRIBBS TriDog 10.0 M S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRIDOG TriToss 10.0 T S Patrick Driscoll 1:372/19 TRITOSS WaterGate 0.92 gamma T S Robert Szarka 1:320/42 WTRGATE WWIV 4.24a B S Craig Dooley 1:376/126 WWIV WWIVTOSS 1.30 T S Craig Dooley 1:376/126 WWIVTOSS xMail 2.00 T S Thorsten Franke 2:2448/53 XMAIL XRobot 3.01 O S JoHo 2:201/330 XRDOS OS/2: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ALLFIX/2 1.10 T S Harald Harms 2:281/415 AFIXOS2 BGFAX 1.60 O S B.J. Guillot 1:106/400 BGFAX FleetStreet 1.18 O S Michael Hohner 2:2490/2520 FLEET GIGO 07-14-96 G S Jason Fesler 1:1/141 INFO ImCrypt 1.04 O F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 IMCRYPT Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAXP MsgEd 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 43 6 Jan 1997 PcMerge 2.3 N F Michiel van der Vlist 2:500/9 PCMERGE RAR 2.00 C S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 RAR2 Squish 1.11 T P Tech 1:249/106 SQUISHP T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAIL2 Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK XRobot 3.01 O S JoHo 2:201/330 XROS2 Windows (16-bit apps): Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BeeMail 1.0 M C Andrius Cepaitis 2:470/1 BEEMAIL Windows (32-bit apps): Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- BeeMail 1.0 M C Andrius Cepaitis 2:470/1 BEEMAIL Maximus 3.01 B P Tech 1:249/106 MAXN PlatinumXpress 2.00 M C Gary Petersen 1:290/111 PXW-INFO T-Mail 2.599I M S Ron Dwight 2:220/22 TMAILNT Unix: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ifmail 2.8g M G Eugene Crosser 2:293/2219 IFMAIL ifmail-tx 2.8g-tx7.8 M G Pablo Saratxaga 2:293/2219 IFMAILTX MsgEd 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK Amiga: Program Name Version F C Contact Name Node Magic Name ---------------------------------------------------------------------- CrashMail 1.23 T X Fredrik Bennison 2:205/324 CRASHMAIL CrashTick 1.1 O F Fredrik Bennison 2:205/324 CRASHTICK MsgEd 4.00 O G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 MSGED Tobruk 0.33 T G Paul Edwards 3:711/934 TOBRUK Function: B-BBS, M-Mailer, N-Nodelist, G-Gateway, T-Tosser, C-Compression, O-Other. Note: Multifunction will be listed by the first match. Cost: P-Free for personal use, F-Freeware, S-Shareware, C-Commercial, X-Crippleware, D-Demoware, G-Free w/ Source Old info from: 01/27/92 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MS-DOS Systems -------------- BBS Software Other Utilities Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Socrates 1.11 2DAPoint 1.50* Netsex 2.00b SuperBBS 1.12* 4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18 OFFLINE 1.35 FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 44 6 Jan 1997 SuperComm 0.99 ARCAsim 2.31 Oliver 1.0a TAG 2.5g ARCmail 3.00* OSIRIS CBIS 3.02 TBBS 2.1 Areafix 1.20 PKInsert 7.10 TComm/TCommNet 3.4 ConfMail 4.00 PolyXarc 2.1a Telegard 2.7* Crossnet 1.5 QM 1.00a TPBoard 6.1 DOMAIN 1.42 QSort 4.04 WildCat! 3.02* DEMM 1.06 RAD Plus 2.11 XBBS 1.77 DGMM 1.06 Raid 1.00 DOMAIN 1.42 RBBSMail 18.0 Network Mailers EEngine 0.32 ScanToss 1.28 Name Version EMM 2.11* ScMail 1.00 -------------------- EZPoint 2.1 ScEdit 1.12 BinkleyTerm 2.50 FGroup 1.00 Sirius 1.0x D'Bridge 1.30 FidoPCB 1.0s@ SLMail 2.15C Dreamer 1.06 FNPGate 2.70 StarLink 1.01 Dutchie 2.90c GateWorks 3.06e TagMail 2.41 Milqtoast 1.00 GMail 2.05 TCOMMail 2.2 PreNM 1.48 GMD 3.10 Telemail 1.5* SEAdog 4.60 GMM 1.21 TGroup 1.13 SEAmail 1.01 GoldEd 2.31p TIRES 3.11 TIMS 1.0(mod8) GROUP 2.23 TMail 1.21 GUS 1.40 TosScan 1.00 Compression Harvey's Robot 4.10 UFGATE 1.03 Utilities HeadEdit 1.18 VPurge 4.09e Name Version HLIST 1.09 WEdit 2.0@ -------------------- ISIS 5.12@ WildMail 2.00 ARC 7.12 Lola 1.01d WMail 2.2 ARJ 2.20 Mosaic 1.00b WNode 2.1 LHA 2.13 MailBase 4.11a@ XRS 4.99 PAK 2.51 MSG 4.5* XST 2.3e PKPak 3.61 MsgLnk 1.0c YUPPIE! 2.00 PKZip 1.10 MsgMstr 2.03a ZmailH 1.25 MsgNum 4.16d ZSX 2.40 NodeList Utilities MSGTOSS 1.3 Name Version -------------------- EditNL 4.00 FDND 1.10 MakeNL 2.31 Parselst 1.33 Prune 1.40 SysNL 3.14 XlatList 2.90 XlaxNode/Diff 2.53 OS/2 Systems ------------ BBS Software Other Utilities(A-M Other Utilities(N-Z) Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- Kitten 1.01 ARC 7.12 oMMM 1.52 SimplexBBS 1.04.02+ ARC2 6.01 Omail 3.1 ConfMail 4.00 Parselst 1.33 EchoStat 6.0 PKZip 1.02 FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 45 6 Jan 1997 Network Mailers EZPoint 2.1 PMSnoop 1.30 Name Version FGroup 1.00 PolyXOS2 2.1a -------------------- GROUP 2.23 QSort 2.1 BinkleyTerm 2.50 LH2 2.11 Raid 1.0 BinkleyTerm(S) 2.50 MSG 4.2 Remapper 1.2 BinkleyTerm/2-MT MsgLink 1.0c Tick 2.0 1.40.02 MsgNum 4.16d VPurge 4.09e SEAmail 1.01 Xenix/Unix 386 -------------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- ARC 5.21 C-LHARC 1.00 |Contact: Willy Paine 1:343/15,| MSGLINK 1.01 |or Eddy van Loo 2:285/406 | oMMM 1.42 Omail 1.00 ParseLst 1.32 Unzip 3.10 VPurge 4.08 Zoo 2.01 Macintosh --------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- FBBS 0.91 Copernicus 1.0 ArcMac 1.3 Hermes 1.6.1 Tabby 2.2 AreaFix 1.6 Mansion 7.15 Compact Pro 1.30 Precision Sys. 0.95b EventMeister 1.0 Red Ryder Host 2.1 Export 3.21 Telefinder Host Import 3.2 2.12T10 LHARC 0.41 MacArd 0.04 Mantissa 3.21 Point System Mehitable 2.0 Software OriginatorII 2.0 Name Version PreStamp 3.2 -------------------- StuffIt Classic 1.6 Copernicus 1.00 SunDial 3.2 CounterPoint 1.09 TExport 1.92 MacWoof 1.1 TimeStamp 1.6 TImport 1.92 Tset 1.3 TSort 1.0 UNZIP 1.02c Zenith 1.5 Zip Extract 0.10 FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 46 6 Jan 1997 Amiga ----- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Software Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 4D-BBS 1.65 BinkleyTerm 1.00 Areafix 1.48 DLG Pro. 0.96b TrapDoor 1.80 AReceipt 1.5 Falcon CBCS 1.00 WelMat 0.44 ChameleonEdit 0.11 Starnet 1.0q@ ConfMail 1.12 TransAmiga 1.07 ElectricHerald 1.66 XenoLink 1.0 Compression FFRS 1.0@ Utilities FileMgr 2.08 Name Version Fozzle 1.0@ NodeList Utilities -------------------- Login 0.18 Name Version AmigArc 0.23 MessageFilter 1.52 -------------------- booz 1.01 Message View 1.12 ParseLst 1.66 LHARC 1.30 oMMM 1.50 Skyparse 2.30 LhA 1.10 PolyXAmy 2.02 TrapList 1.40 LZ 1.92 RMB 1.30 PkAX 1.00 Roof 46.15 UnZip 4.1 RoboWriter 1.02 Zippy (Unzip) 1.25 Rsh 4.07a Zoo 2.01 Tick 0.75 TrapToss 1.20 |Contact: Maximilian Hantsch 2:310/6| Yuck! 2.02 Atari ST/TT ----------- BBS Software Network Mailers Other Utilities Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- FIDOdoor/ST 2.5.1 BinkleyTerm 2.40n9 ApplyList 1.00@ FiFo 2.1v The Box 1.95* Burep 1.1 LED ST 1.00 ComScan 1.04 QuickBBS/ST 1.06* ConfMail 4.10 NodeList Utilities Echoscan 1.10 Name Version FDrenum 2.5.2 Compression -------------------- FastPack 1.20 Utilities ParseList 1.30 Import 1.14 Name Version EchoFix 1.20 oMMM 1.40 -------------------- sTICK/Hatch 5.50 Pack 1.00 ARC 6.02 Trenum 0.10 LHARC 2.01i PackConvert STZip 1.1* UnJARST 2.00 WhatArc 2.02 Tandy Color Computer 3 (OS-9 Level II) -------------------------------------- BBS Software Compression Utility Other Utilities FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 47 6 Jan 1997 Name Version Name Version Name Version -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- RiBBS 2.02+ Ar 1.3 Ascan 1.2 DeArc 5.12 AutoFRL 2.0 OS9Arc 1.0 Bundle 2.2 UnZip 3.10 CKARC 1.1 UnLZH 3.0 EchoCheck 1.01 FReq 2.5a LookNode 2.00 ParseLST PReq 2.2 RList 1.03 RTick 2.00 UnBundle 1.4 UnSeen 1.1 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Key to old info: + - Netmail Capable (Doesn't Require Additional Mailer Software) * - Recently Updated Version @ - New Addition -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Please send updates and suggestions to: Peter Popovich, 1:363/264 ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 48 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= FIDONEWS PUBLIC-KEY ================================================================= [this must be copied out to a file starting at column 1 or it won't process under PGP as a valid public-key] -----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Clear-signing is Electronic Digital Authenticity! 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BBS at 1-904-409-7040 anytime except 0100-0130 ET and Zone 1 ZMH at 1200-9600+ HST/V32B. The FidoNews key is also available on the FidoNews homepage listed in the Masthead information. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 49 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= FIDONET BY INTERNET ================================================================= This is a list of all FidoNet-related sites reported to the Editor as of this appearance. ============ FidoNet: Homepage http://www.fidonet.org FidoNews http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html HTML FNews http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6894/ WWW sources http://www.scms.rgu.ac.uk/students/cs_yr94/lk/fido.html FTSC page http://www.blaze.net.au/ftsc.html Echomail http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/index.html ============ Zone 1: http://www.z1.fidonet.org Region 10: http://www.psnw.com/~net205/region10.html Region 15: http://www.smrtsys.com/region15/ Region 17: http://www.portal.ca/~awalker/region17.htm Region 18: http://www.citicom.com/fido.html Region 19: http://ccove.n-link.com/ ============ Zone 2: http://www.z2.fidonet.org Region 36: http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/7207/ ============ Zone 3: http://www.z3.fidonet.org ============ Zone 4: ============ Zone 5: ============ Zone 6: http://www.z6.fidonet.org FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 50 6 Jan 1997 ============ ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 51 6 Jan 1997 ================================================================= FIDONEWS INFORMATION ================================================================= ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ------- Editor: Christopher Baker Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar, Tom Jennings, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees "FidoNews Editor" FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS 1-904-409-7040, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(ds) more addresses: Christopher Baker -- 1:18/14, cbaker84@digital.net cbaker84@aol.com cbaker84@msn.com cbak.rights@opus.global.org (Postal Service mailing address) FidoNews Editor P.O. Box 471 Edgewater, FL 32132-0471 U.S.A. voice: 1-904-409-3040 [1400-2100 ET only, please] [1800-0100 UTC/GMT] ------------------------------------------------------ FidoNews is 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 OF THE AUTHORS and not necessarily those of FidoNews. Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is Copyright 1996 Christopher Baker. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact the original authors, or the Editor. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= OBTAINING COPIES: The most recent issue of FidoNews in electronic form may be obtained from the FidoNews Editor via manual download or file-request, or from various sites in the FidoNet and Internet. PRINTED COPIES may be obtained by sending SASE to the above postal address. File-request FIDONEWS for the current Issue. File-request FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 52 6 Jan 1997 FNEWS for the current month in one archive. Or file-request specific back Issue filenames in distribution format [FNEWSDnn.LZH] for a particular Issue. Monthly Volumes are available as FNWSmmmy.ZIP where mmm = three letter month [JAN - DEC] and y = last digit of the current year [6], i.e., FNWSMAY6.ZIP for all the Issues from May 96. Annual volumes are available as FNEWSn.ZIP where n = the Volume number 1 - 12 for 1984 - 1995, respectively. Annual Volume archives range in size from 48K to 1.2M. INTERNET USERS: FidoNews is available via: http://www.fidonet.org/fidonews.htm ftp://ftp.fidonet.org/pub/fidonet/fidonews/ ftp://ftp.aminet.org/pub/aminet/comm/fido/ You can read the current FidoNews Issue in HTML format at: http://www.geocities.com/athens/6894/ STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request - Available for FReq from 1:396/1 or by anonymous FTP from: ftp://ftp.sstar.com/fidonet/fnews/ Each yearly archive also contains a listing of the Table-of-Contents for that year's issues. The total set is currently about 11 Megs. =*=*=*= The current week's FidoNews and the FidoNews public-key are now also available almost immediately after publication on the Editor's new homepage on the World Wide Web at: http://ddi.digital.net/~cbaker84/fidonews.html There are also links there to jim barchuk's HTML FidoNews source and to John Souvestre's FTP site for the archives. There is also an email link for sending in an article as message text. Drop on over. =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= A PGP generated public-key is available for the FidoNews Editor from 1:1/23 [1:18/14] by file-request for FNEWSKEY or by download from Rights On! BBS at 1-904-409-7040 as FIDONEWS.ASC in File Area 18. It is also posted twice a month into the PKEY_DROP Echo available on the Zone 1 Echomail Backbone. *=*=*=*=* 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 Editor, or file-requestable from 1:1/23 [1:18/14] as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". ALL Zone Coordinators also have copies of ARTSPEC.DOC. Please read it. FIDONEWS 14-01 Page 53 6 Jan 1997 "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings, P.O. Box 410923, San Francisco, CA 94141, and are used with permission. "Disagreement is actually necessary, or we'd all have to get in fights or something to amuse ourselves and create the requisite chaos." -Tom Jennings -30- -----------------------------------------------------------------