The F I D O N E W S Volume 24, Number 34 20 Aug 2007 +--------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | |The newsletter of the | | | | | FidoNet community. | | Netmail attach to (POTS): | | | | | Editor @ 2:2/2 (+46-31-960447) | | | ____________| | | | | / __ | Netmail attach to (BinkP): | | | / / \ | Editor @ 2:203/0 | | | WOOF! ( /|oo \ | | | \_______\(_| /_) | Email attach to: | | _ @/_ \ _ | bfelten @ telia dot com | | | | \ \\ | | | | (*) | \ ))| | | |__U__| / \// | Editor: Bj”rn Felten | | ______ _//|| _\ / | | | / Fido \ (_/(_|(____/ | Newspapers should have no friends. | | (________) (jm) | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +--------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ Table of Contents 1. FOOD FOR THOUGHT ......................................... 1 2. GENERAL ARTICLES ......................................... 2 When we were pioneers .................................... 2 3. ROBERT COUTURE'S FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ................ 5 FidoNet Software References .............................. 5 4. SPECIAL INTEREST ......................................... 10 Nodelist Stats ........................................... 10 5. FIDONEWS INFORMATION ..................................... 12 How to Submit an Article ................................. 12 Credits, Legal Infomation, Availability .................. 14 FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 1 20 Aug 2007 ================================================================= FOOD FOR THOUGHT ================================================================= A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 2 20 Aug 2007 ================================================================= GENERAL ARTICLES ================================================================= When we were pioneers Richard Webb, 1:116/901 I started putting hands to keyboard composing this article some months ago and then laid it aside. Business and other projects demanded my attention and it became one of those things I'd eventually finish and submit to fidonews. As I note the dearth of original content in the snooze other than the nodelist stats and fidonet software listings most weeks I thought it was time I put my efforts into polishing it and getting it ready for submission. The issue I just finished reading was the catalyst for me, as well as some recent echomail I've seen. First to fidonews 2433 which I just finished reading. The article on nodelist discrepancies was quite enlightening as I'd never really thought about it before. But, before I read that article I read Jeff Smith's piece on death and his comments about those who complained his echomail in the fidonews article on the bridge collapse and feeling of loss was off topic for that echo. Then I got to contemplating the echomail I'd seen. A moderator complains to the keeper of the echolist that "you hijacked my echo" to which the echolist keeper responds that said moderator did not submit his update in a timely fashion. Not just has this schoolyard bickering occupied the echo in question but has spilled over into at least two other echoes. It might be worth saying at this point that the policy and guidelines for keeping ones echo listed are published and widely available. If said moderator didn't follow them, then, "you snooze, you lose." It would seem to me that the matter of nodelist discrepancies however is something we should be discussing, and solving. Logistical issues regarding building and maintaining our network are far more important and worth our effort. For many reasons I recently decided to put a fidonet node up again. Eventually I plan to make it available via telnet, and not just over a plain old telephone line via modem as it is now. That tells you brieflly about me, and now I can get to the point of this article. Often as I look through the fidonet traffic through my system from the overnight hours I note the dearth of activity in most of the echoes. The email link I have through fidonet is much more reliable than my dial-up internet connection however, and there's always one or two internet emails contained in it. I'll read over the White House press releases; stats; and new file announcements in the relevant echoes and hearken back to the day when my BBS was the connection to the internet for many in southeastern Iowa circa 1995 to 1997. I think back to those days when we were often the only connection our local users had with the internet thanks to uucp, when local users FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 3 20 Aug 2007 kept our phone lines busy and there was a lot of traffic. We were the first introduction to email and online resources for many of these users, and when they moved on to a local internet service provider many never called their friendly local fidonet board again. Often when they did call back a few months later they found the canned voice of the phone company automation telling them that this number is no longer in service, or no BBS there to interact with. If they bothered to call back at all they found when they got no answer that they were missing something that was as valuable as what they got from their internet connection. If you take a moment or two to consider that last statement you'll see what they're missing. I don't have to tell you, the fidonet sysop who still is active, what they miss, but for the casual reader of the snooze and the sysop who's thinking about pulling the plug maybe a reminder is in order. They missed that interaction with a human who provided their link. When you call your internet service provider to discuss a technical problem chances are good that your call is answered by a person who may as well have no name or no face so far as you're concerned. ThIs person may be on the other side of the world, and has to hurry through your call because others are waiting, and if they take too much time to answer your questions and help you solve a problem they're not considered productive enough and will find themselves once again searching for employment. Often such folk aren't able to provide assistance beyond the canned script they've been provided. Contrast that with the user who interacts with his friendly local sysop who might just be able to suggest a shareware utility to solve a problem, or the friendly text of another echo participant who can help you find that needed tool or suggest a technique. Yes I know, there are friendly people on web boards and in usenet newsgroups too, and I've interacted with many. Yet web boards are often slow to load with too much advertising, popups and fraught with dangers from malicious spyware and other nasties. Contrast that with your friendly fido system on the web or dialed into on your telephone line running Remote Access or Maximus etc. Your friendly fido sysop vets his files available for download and weeds out anything malicious, makes sure that things run smoothly and the mail moves. eMail from my fidonet connection is much more reliable than my regular internet service provider, and this is one of the big players in the game here in the U.S. Many of us blazed the trail, and still offer that same spirit of friendliness and an interest in the avocation of running our systems. Though our echoes aren't as busy as they were in days gone by and our phone lines no longer hum with so much traffic that users had to fight to get in between busy signals we still offer something often missing from those internet java based chat rooms and usenet newsgroups plagued with endless flamewars and spam. We offer a sense of community, some friendly text to help solve a problem, and the ability to log on, get to what interests you and log off without worrying about trojans and other malicious software. In fact, on certain boards I'm sure that the juvenille users can even find some interaction with others safely, as our sysops make sure that the younger users can't FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 4 20 Aug 2007 access anything they shouldn't. As with many articles, this one is going to ask you to do something. Don't jump ahead just yet, but consider for a moment what I'm asking you to do. Next time somebody in your presence complains about that slow to load web site with the discussion areas all based around the java and popups remind them that back in the day when the internet was only available to folks at military research centers and large universities, tinkers such as Tom Jennings were developing fidonet as we know it, and their friendly fidonet BBS is still accessible and available, whether through telnet, their web browser or on a dial-up connection. Yes you can put ads up at the local computer shop and get listings in places such as google, but the users only show up when they know they're getting something that isn't available somewhere else. So, talk up your favorite fido board, even if it's your own, at work, at school, while watching your child's soccer game. Explain the advantages of offline readers to those without cable modems and dsl. Talk about the extra measure of safety they can feel when downloading files from their friendly fidonet board where chances are pretty good they've been checked for nasties before being offered to the public for download. Regards, Richard ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 5 20 Aug 2007 ================================================================= ROBERT COUTURE'S FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ================================================================= -=:{ FidoNet Software Reference }:=- Type: M=Mailer T=Tosser B=BBS D=Door C=Comm/Terminal P=Points E=Editor I=Internet U=Utility ?=Info .- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -. |Software: Author |Type |URL, Contact, Ver, Notes Help Node| `- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -' Argus |MI |http://www.ritlabs.com/argus/ 2:469/84 | | argus@ritlabs.com Tel: 373-2-246889 | | v3.210 on Mar 20th 2001 BinkleyTerm XE |M |http://btxe.sourceforge.net 1:1/102 | | v2.60XE/Gamma-6 on Nov 11th 1998 BinkD |MI |http://2f.ru/binkd/ | | maloff@corbina.net | | v0.94 on Jul 24th 2000 (Outdated) FIDO-Deluxe IP |MPUI |http://www.fido-deluxe.de.vu 2:2432/280 Michael Haase | | m.haase@gmx.net | | v2.4 on Sep 26th 2003 FrontDoor, FD/APX: |MTPC |http://www.defsol.se 2:201/330 Definite Solutions | | sales@defsol.se 1:1/101 | | v2.26SW & v2.33ml FD, v1.15 APX Husky Project |MTPUI|http://sf.net/projects/husky/ | | v1.4 RC2 on Sep 22nd 2003 Radius |MI |http://radius.pp.ru 2:5012/38 (based on Argus) | | fido5012@zaural.net Tel: 7-3522-469463 | | Last Release: v4.010 on Jan 3nd 2005 Taurus |MI |http://taurus.rinet.ru (Russian) 2:461/70 | |http://www.fidotel.com/taurus (English) (based on Radius) | | E-mail: taurus@rinet.ru | | v5.000 alpha on Oct 11th 2004 Tmail |MI |http://www.tmail.spb.ru v2608 | | Website is in Russian only WildCat! Interactive |MTBEI|http://www.santronics.com Net Server, Platinum| | sales@santronics.com Xpress: Santronics | | Tel: (305) 248-3204 Software, Inc. | | AUP 451.1 on April 26th 2004 +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ Fidogate |TUI |http://www.fidogate.org | | Martin_Junius@m-j-s.net v4.4.10 FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 6 20 Aug 2007 FMail |T |http://fmail.nl.eu.org | | support@fmail.nl.eu.org v1.60 JetMail: JetSys |TU |http://www.jetsys.de js@jetsys.de (ATARI ST only) | | v1.01 on Jan 1st 2000 Squish |T |http://maximus.sourceforge.net/ | | Lanuis site redirects to above | | Squish is part of Maximus. +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ BBBS |BI |http://www.bbbs.net b@bbbs.net | | v4.00MP on Oct 25th 1999 2:22/222 ELEBBS: The Elevator |B |http://www.elebbs.com Software Production | | elebbs@elebbs.com | | v0.10.RC1 on Jun 9th 2002 EZYCom BBS |BT |http://ezycom.sytes.net | |http://members.westnet.com.au/centuryp/ | | ezycom@westnet.com.au 3:690/682 | | v2.0 on 3 May 2003 Hermes II Project |B |http://www.hermesii.org | | info@HermesII.org v3.5.9 Beta Final Maximus BBS |B |http://maximus.sourceforge.net/ | | v3.03 | |Archives back online at: | |http://maximus.outpostbbs.net/ MBSE BBS: |BI |http://mbse.sourceforge.net 2:280/2802 Michiel Broek | | mbroek@users.sourceforge.net | | v0.60.0 on June 5th 2004 Mystic BBS |B |http://www.mysticbbs.com | | v1.07.3 on May 13th 2001 Nexus BBS |B |http://www.nexusbbs.net | | groberts@nexusbbs.net | | v0.99.41-Beta on Oct 16th 2002 | | [Note: No Longer under active | | development.] Proboard BBS |B |http://www.proboard.be | | v2.17 on Jun 9th 2002 RemoteAccess BBS: |B |http://www.rapro.com 1:1/120 Bruce Morse | | bfmorse@rapro.com | | v2.62.2SW Spitfire BBS: Buffalo|B |http://www.angelfire.com/ia/buffalo/ Creek Software | | MDWoltz@aol.com 1:1/150 | | v3.6 on Aug 20th 1999 FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 7 20 Aug 2007 Synchronet BBS |BT |http://www.synchro.net | | sysop(at)vert(dot)synchro(dot)net | | v3.10L Beta Telegard BBS |B |http://www.telegard.net | | support@telegard.net | | v3.09g2 SP4 +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ Atlantis Software |D |http://www.jimmyrose.com/atlantis/ | | Last Update: August 2004 Cheepware |DU |http://outpostbbs.net Sean Dennis | | sean@outpostbbs.net 1:18/200 DDS (Doorware |D |http://www.doorgames.org 1:2404/201 Distribution System)| | ruth@doorgames.org Ruth Argust | | DoorMUD |D |http://doormud.com | | v0.98 Jun 1st 2002 | | Website is down after | | past the splash page. Jibben Software |D |http://www.jibbensoftware.com | | scott@jibben.com | | 1995-99 Release dates John Dailey Software |D |http://www.johndaileysoftware.com | | support@johndaileysoftware.com Shining Star |D |http://www.shiningstar.net/bbsdoors/ | | nannette@shiningstar.net Sunrise Doors: |D |http://www.sunrisedoors.com Al Lawrence | | al@sunrisedoors.com | | Tel: (404) 256-9518 The Brainex System |D |http://www.brainex.com/brainex_system/ | | stanley@brainex.com 1994-99 Releases Trade Wars |D |http://www.eisonline.com/tradewars/ | | jpritch@eisonline.com | | v3.09 (DOS-32) in 2002 Vagabond Software: |D |http://www.vbsoft.org 1:124/7013 Bryan Turner | | vagabond@vbsoft.org | | last update: Jul 17th 2002 +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ APoint |PI |http://www.apoint-mail.de | |http://www.apoint-mail.de/indexe.htm | | (English Version) | | dirk.pokorny@apoint-mail.de | | v1.25 2:2426/1210.13 FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 8 20 Aug 2007 CrossPoint (XP) |P |http://www.crosspoint.de (German Only) | | pm@crosspoint.de v3.12d Dec 22nd 1999 FreeXP |P |http://www.freexp.de 2:2433/460 | | support@freexp.de | | v3.40 RC3 Aug 31st 2003 (Snapshot) OpenXP/32 |PI |http://www.openxp.com 2:248/2004 | | (Site is in German Only) | | mk@openxp.de v3.8.15 Beta Feb 10th 2004 | | Download Page comes back 404 not found. +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ GoldEd+ |E |http://mik.nu/golded-plus/ 2:203/6600 | | v1.1.5 Snapshot on Feb 28th 2003 SqEd32 |E |http://www.sqed.de | | v1.15 on Dec 15th 1999 TimEd |E |http://blizzard.dnsalias.org/fidonet | | mail@ozzmosis.com /timed | | v1.11.a5 in March 2003 3:633/267 +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ GiGo |UI |http://www.gigo.com | | v0109 on Jan 9th 1997 Internet Rex: |UI |http://members.shaw.ca/InternetRex/ Charles Cruden | | telnet://xanadubbs.ca 1:342/806 (Khan Software) | | v2.29 on Oct 21st 2001 TransNet |UI |http://www.ressl.com.ar/transnet/ | | transnet@ressl.com.ar | | v2.11 on Jul 18th 1998 TransX: Multiboard |UI |http://www.start.ca/software/multiboard Communications, Inc.| | Unsure about support now but Free Keys | | are now available. Donations accepted. | | v3.5 (Note: KeyGen is a Windows Program) Ifmail |UI |http://ifmail.sourceforge.net | | crosser@average.org 2:5020/230 | | Ifmail is a FTN <-> E-Mail/News Gateway | | Program. Meltdown-BBS |UI |http://meltdown-bbs.sourceforge.net/ | | meltdown-bbs.project.petkan | | @spamgourmet.com | | Fido: 2:350/5 | | Meltdown-BBS is an FTN <-> | | Web/PHP/MySQL BBS forum system. MakeNL |U | http://hub2000.darktech.org/makenl | | fidonet.hub2000 [at] gmail [dot] com FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 9 20 Aug 2007 | | Fido: 1:229/2000 | | FidoNet Nodelist Processor +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ National BBS List |? | http://www.usbbs.org Hispanic FIDO/BBS's |? | http://www.conecta2.org/pucela_bbs/ (in Spanish only) | | (Extensive software & BBS Listings) +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+ File Archives: http://archives.thebbs.org http://www.filegate.net http://sysopscorner.thebbs.org http://www.juge.com http://www.dmine.com/bbscorner/ http://garbo.uwasa.fi http://www.simtel.net http://wuarchive.wustl.edu http://www.bbsfiles.com http://hobbes.nmsu.edu Note: most also provide FTP access (use ftp:// instead of http:// above) *=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=* Please send corrections & additions to: Robert Couture, 1:229/2000 E-Mail: rpa4email (at) rogers (dot) com Telnet: runekeep.darktech.org (Leave Feedback as Guest or create an account) Emeritus: Ben Ritchey, Todd Cochrane, Frank Vest, Peter Popovich ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 10 20 Aug 2007 ================================================================= SPECIAL INTEREST ================================================================= Nodelist Stats Input nodelist nodelist.229 size 616.2kb date 2007-08-17 The nodelist has 5091 nodes in it and a total of 6866 non-comment entries including 6 zones 42 regions 311 hosts 337 hubs admin overhead 696 ( 13.67 %) and 636 private nodes 220 nodes down 223 nodes on hold off line overhead 1079 ( 21.19 %) Speed summary: >9600 = 423 ( 8.31 %) 9600 = 3906 ( 76.72 %) (HST = 79 or 2.02 %) (CSP = 0 or 0.00 %) (PEP = 1 or 0.03 %) (MAX = 0 or 0.00 %) (HAY = 1 or 0.03 %) (V32 = 1966 or 50.33 %) (V32B = 100 or 2.56 %) (V34 = 2698 or 69.07 %) (V42 = 2242 or 57.40 %) (V42B = 108 or 2.76 %) 2400 = 35 ( 0.69 %) 1200 = 5 ( 0.10 %) 300 = 722 ( 14.18 %) ISDN = 349 ( 6.86 %) ---------------------------------------------------------- File Req Flag Applicable software Number of systems ---------------------------------------------------------- XA Frontdoor <1.99b 1533 Frontdoor 2.02+ Dutchie 2.90c Binkleyterm >2.1 D'Bridge <1.3 TIMS Xenia -------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 11 20 Aug 2007 XB Binkleyterm 2.0 8 Dutchie 2.90b -------------------------------------- XC Opus 1.1 2 -------------------------------------- XP Seadog 2 -------------------------------------- XR Opus 1.03 25 -------------------------------------- XW Fido >12M 204 Tabby KittenMail -------------------------------------- XX D'Bridge 1.30 2007 Frontdoor 1.99b Intermail 2.01 T-Mail -------------------------------------- None QMM 1310 -------------------------------------- CrashMail capable = 1861 ( 36.55 %) MailOnly nodes = 2856 ( 56.10 %) Listed-only nodes = 425 ( 8.35 %) Other = -51 ( -1.00 %) [Report produced by NETSTATS - A PD pgm] [ Revised by B Felten, 2:203/208] ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 12 20 Aug 2007 ================================================================= FIDONEWS INFORMATION ================================================================= How to Submit an Article If you wish to submit an article for inclusion in the Fidonews, here are some guidelines, if you send it as an attached file; the preferred method if you want reasonable control over how the published article will appear in the Fidonews: a) Plain ASCII text. If you could type it on your keyboard, it's probably quite OK. No line may be longer than 70 characters. b) Put a title to the article. Put the title in two times. The first time, on the first line, with an * before it. The second time, on the second line, without the * and centered. This will help in the format since the title with the * is removed and used in the index, the second line will become the headline. On the third line, put your name and FidoNet address, present or former. If former, you may want to add some other address where you can be reached for personal comments. c) Deadline for article submission is Sunday, 22:00 UTC. Help the Editor by following the above guides. Below are some subjects and the file extension for the article as set in the configuration file for the making of the Fidonews. Please help by putting the file extension of the correct subject on the file name if known. Ideas for Subject areas: Subject File | Subject File ----------------------------------|---------------------------------- From the *C's *.css | Rebuttals to articles *.reb Fidonet Regional News *.reg | Fidonet Net News *.net Retractions *.rtx | General Fidonet Articles *.art Guest Editorial *.gue | Fidonet Current Events *.cur Fidonet Interviews *.inv | Fidonet Software Reviews *.rev Fidonet Web Page Reviews *.web | Fidonet Notices *.not Getting Fidonet Technical *.ftc | Question Of The Week *.que Humor in a Fido Vein *.hfv | Comix in ASCII *.cmx Fidonet's Int. Kitchen *.rec | Poet's Corner *.poe Clean Humor & Jokes *.jok | Other Stuff *.oth Fidonet Classified Ads *.ads | Corrections *.cor Best of Fidonet *.bof | Letters to the Editor *.let If you don't know or are not sure, send the article anyway. Put a .TXT on it and I'll try to figure out where it should be in the Fidonews. If you follow these simple guidelines, there should be little problem in getting your article published. If your submission is too far out of specs for the Fidonews, it will be returned to you and/or a message sent informing you of the problem. This DOES NOT mean that your article is not accepted. It means that there is something in it that I can not fix and I need your help on it. FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 13 20 Aug 2007 Send articles via e-mail or netmail, file attach or message to: Bj”rn Felten Fidonet 2:2/2 E-Mail bfelten @ telia dot com Skype file bfelten IMPORTANT! If you send the article via e-mail, make sure you put the word "fidonews" somewhere in the subject line! That way it will always pass the spam filter, ending up in the proper folder. Please include a message, telling me that you have sent an article. That way I will know to look for it. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 24-34 Page 14 20 Aug 2007 Credits, Legal Infomation, Availability + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- FIDONEWS STAFF - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + | | | Editor: Bj”rn Felten, 2:2/2 | | Columnists: Frank Vest - Frank's Column | | Thom LaCosta - Fidonet Related Websites | | Robert Couture - Fidonet Software Listing | | Daryl Stout - Telnet BBS Guide | | | + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - EDITORS EMERITI - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + | | | Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince | | Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, | | Christopher Baker, Zorch Frezberg, Henk Wolsink, | | Doug Meyers, Warren D. Bonner, Frank L. Vest | | | + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of Fidonet. There is no copyright attached to Fidonews, though authors retain rights to their contributed articles. Opinions expressed by the authors is strictly their own. Noncommercial duplication and distribution within Fidonet is encouraged. Authors are encouraged to send their articles in ASCII text to the Editor at one of the addresses above. The weekly edition of Fidonews is distributed through the file area FIDONEWS, and is published as echomail in the echo FIDONEWS. These sources are normally available through your Network Coordinator. The current and past issues are also available from the following sources: + -- -- -- -- -- -- - FIDONEWS AVAILABILITY - -- -- -- -- -- -- + | | | File request from 2:2/2: | | current issue FIDONEWS | | back issue, volume v, issue ii FNEWSvii.ZIP | | | | On the web: | | http://felten.yi.org/fidonews | | http://www.fidonet.ca/fidonews | | | | The Snooze *and* the FIDONEWS echo in your newsreader: | | news://felten.yi.org/FIDONEWS | | | + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- + -----------------------------------------------------------------