
                     __
The World's First   /  \                              New-Sysop
   BBS Network     /|oo \                             Orientation
   * FidoNet *    (_|  /_)                            Information
                   _`@/_ \    _
                  |     | \   \\                      published by IFNA
                  | (*) |  \   ))
     ______       |__U__| /  \//                      (International FidoNet
    / Fido \       _//|| _\   /                          Association)
   (________)     (_/(_|(____/ (tm)
                                                      Steve Bonine (115/777)
                                                         editor

                                                      Version 1.1
                                                      2/22/88

Copyright (c) 1987, International FidoNet Association.  All rights reserved.
May be freely copied and distributed for noncommercial purposes.

Fido(tm) is a trademark of Tom Jennings.
FidoNet(R) is a registered trademark of Tom Jennings.
The ASCII dog-with-diskette is a trademark of IFNA.

The purpose of this little treatise is to provide introductory information for
persons who are interested in starting a computer bulletin board system or
connecting an existing system with FidoNet.  In this one document you will find
an introduction to many different aspects of running a bulletin board and
information on where to go for more information in those cases where the
introduction sounds interesting.

This document is distributed under the auspices of IFNA, the International
FidoNet Association.  IFNA's chief responsibility is the maintenance and
administration of the network which forms the backbone of this collection of
diverse bulletin board systems.  Part of this job involves orientation of new
members of the network.  The growth and health of FidoNet speaks well of the
ability of the systems and the operators of those systems to work together, and
you can't work together if you don't know the ground rules.

Introduction to FidoNet
------------ -- -------

The network is a loose coalition of many different bulletin board systems.
"FidoNet" and "Fido" are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings; a formal
agreement allows IFNA to use these in the name of the organization.  The
network is by no means limited to the Fido software; there are several "FidoNet
compatible" systems which interface with the network.  By joining, you as a
sysop can take advantage of the expertise of thousands of other users.

A short history lesson will help in understanding FidoNet.  Tom Jennings was in
San Francisco, and John Madill was in Baltimore, both working on the Fido BBS
software.  In the spirit of finding out if it could be done, they decided to
add code to the system to support a dialup connection with no human interven-
tion during the wee hours when the sysops were sleeping and the systems were
free.  This quickly became a useful function, since both systems and both
sysops were busy and it was a convenient method of exchanging information.

From this chance beginning in May 1984, growth was phenomenal.  By August 1984,
there were 30 nodes; by September there were 50.  By February 1985, there were
160 systems, and a group of sysops in St. Louis had taken over the administra-
 tion of the list of systems.  In June 1985 the network converted to the
currently-used two-part addressing scheme to support the growth.  As this is
written in late 1987, the size of the network has passed 2000 nodes and change
continues with a zone-based nodelist to facilitate communication with systems
overseas.  But we get ahead of the story . . .

Network Organization
------- ------------

Today's network is organized into geographical divisions of zones, regions,
networks, individual systems, and points.  A zone is a very large division;
zone 1 is North America, zone 2 is Europe, and zone 3 is Australia, New
Zealand, etc.  Of more interest are regions, networks, and points.

North America is divided into regions.  For example, the central region, region
11, includes Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Regions are assigned 2-digit numbers to differentiate them from networks.

Regions are further broken down into networks.  A network usually covers a
rather small geographic area, such as a metropolitan area.  Chicagoland is
network 115.

Individual systems are assigned a node number within the appropriate network or
directly within the region if no network covers that specific location.

A point is a usually a one-person BBS.

There is an analogy with telephone numbers.  Think of the zone as the country
code, the network as the area code, the node number as the telephone number,
and the point as an extension for the individual.  This is written as
zone:network/node.point.  For example, Chicago is covered by network 115, and
is in zone 1.  The specific BBS which has been assigned node 100 in the Chicago
network would be 1:115/100.  If there were point systems served by this BBS,
they would be 1:115/100.1, 1:115/100.2, and so on.

The purposes of this organization are twofold.  First, decentralization means
that no one person has the task of administering the entire network.  Since it
is a volunteer and amateur operation and such an assignment would be a big job,
it became obvious early in the life of FidoNet that decentralization was
necessary to support growth of the network.

The second reason for such a hierarchy is to improve the flow of mail.  One
system in each network takes on the responsibility of Network Co-ordinator, and
that BBS becomes node zero in the network.  One of the tasks of the Network Co-
ordinator is to forward incoming mail.  Thus, if I have ten messages for
different systems in the Chicagoland network, I need to make not ten telephone
calls but only one -- to system 115/0, which is the NC for Chicagoland.  The
mailer software automatically routes messages for nodes in network 115 to
115/0, saving me money and making the network work better.

The Nodelist and FidoNews
--- -------- --- --------

All of this is held together by two documents, each published weekly.  One of
these is a list of every system in the network, with network/node address,
telephone number, and other useful information; this is called the NODELIST.
The other document is a newsletter, FidoNews.  Both the nodelist changes and
FidoNews are distributed using the network; once your system is up and running
you will have a source for the most current information.

 What's in it for Me?
------ -- -- --- --

This is all well and good, but other than the thrill of being a part of all
this exciting technology, what good is FidoNet to the average sysop?  Through
the magic of echomail, your system can have thousands of callers a day, posting
messages, asking questions, and receiving answers.  This use of the network has
eclipsed the original sysop-to-sysop communication, although this is still a
strong motivation, especially when used to exchange data and/or programs.  More
about echomail later.

What Must I Do?
---- ---- - --

There are really only two rules to follow to be a part of the network.  The
first is that your BBS system must be "FidoNet compatible" and able to receive
network messages during one hour each day.  The second is that you must not
unduly annoy other members of the network, or yourself be unduly annoyed.  Like
a large family, the members of the network must all learn to live together, if
not in perfect harmony, at least working together.

A formal policy document exists which states in more detail the expectations
of systems as members of the network.  It should be available from the same
source where you found this document; for example, as an additional file in the
ARC or an additional file in the download area where you found this.  Look for
POLICYx.ARC.

How do I join FidoNet?
--- -- - ---- -------

If you live in an area covered by a network, you will normally join that net-
work; if your geographic area is not covered by a network then you can join the
region as an independent system.

The method for becoming a part of the network is described in the policy
document mentioned above.  It involves actually using your BBS to send a
message to the network co-ordinator.  This insures that you have a working
system, providing an important cross-check on your request.  (This became
important early in the history of the network as wrong numbers crept into the
nodelist.  Imagine explaining to someone why their telephone rang dozens of
times between 3 and 4 AM, with no one on the other end when they answered it.)

Many networks have a document available to prospective members which
supplements the Policy document and contains local requirements.  The best
course of action is to find a BBS in your area and quiz the sysop on local
procedures.  Failing this, find a nodelist (see below) and send a message to
the General Help node listed in Region 1.

The Nodelist
--- --------

Perhaps the single most-important file on your system is the nodelist.  From
it, your system obtains the information necessary to communicate with other
systems, be they across the street or in another country.

The most basic format of nodelist is described by the FidoNet Technical
Standards Committee (FTSC) and is generally called the "St. Louis format"
nodelist.  If you find a file named NODELIST.nnn, where nnn is a number, that
is an FTSC nodelist.  The number is the date associated with the nodelist; for
example, NODELIST.275 was issued on day 275.  Nodelists are often ARC'ed;
 NODELIST.A75 is the ARC'ed version of NODELIST.275.  (No, Virginia, all ARC
files don't end with .ARC.)  FTSC nodelists (which no longer come from St.
Louis) are issued each Friday.

The FTSC nodelist contains information on every BBS in the network.  Luckily,
it is rare that you will need to transmit or receive an entire nodelist.
CHANGES are distributed each week in a file named NODEDIFF.nnn.  For example,
let's say that you are running with NODELIST.267.  When the next nodelist is
ready, you will obtain a file named NODEDIFF.275.  When you run the XLATLIST
program (see below) it will automatically apply the changes in the nodediff
file, and as if by magic you will have NODELIST.275 on your system.

Here is an excerpt from NODELIST.275 which illustrates the FTSC format:

Host,115,Chicagoland,Homewood_IL,Rick_Moore,1-312-799-4790,2400,#CM:
,333,Solar_Wind,Homewood_IL,Rick_Moore,1-312-799-4790,2400,#CM:
,500,Sit_UBU_Sit_HST,Skokie_IL,Henry_Senk,1-312-982-5092,9600,#CM:
,108,Samson,Arlington_Heights_IL,Larry_Miglore,1-312-394-0071,2400,
Down,123,Chicago_DECUS,Elk_Grove_IL,Chuck_Garrett,1-312-640-5667,1200,
,640,Computer_Guild,Elk_Grove_IL,Dick_Sonka,1-312-640-7980,2400,RE:

This is part of the definition of network 115 ("Host,115").  The network co-
ordinator is listed first, and becomes node zero in the network.  After that,
individual nodes are listed.  Notice that 115/333 is really the same BBS as
115/0.  System 115/123 has been marked in the nodelist as "down", which gives
other systems notice that it is unavailable.

The FTSC nodelist is the only file which is consistent throughout FidoNet.
Virtually all systems process this file into other forms before it is actually
used by the BBS software.  In the interest of attempting to clarify, the
current process for MS-DOS will now be described.  If your system does not use
this method, don't let the explanation confuse you -- instead consider it an
example of nodelist processing.

For most systems, the next flavor of nodelist is NODELIST.BBS.  This one is
similar to the FTSC format, but some of the information is dropped (name of
sysop, for example), and some is customized (for example 1-312 in the telephone
number could be removed if you are in area-code 312).  NODELIST.BBS is created
by a program named XLATLIST.  This program and its documentation are usually
found in a file named XLATRGEN.ARC.  (Another program in the same ARC file is
ROUTEGEN.  XLATRGEN=XLATlist+RouteGEN.  ROUTEGEN will not be discussed here; if
you choose to use it read the documentation carefully.)  Input to XLATLIST is
the FTSC nodelist, optionally a nodediff file containing changes for the week,
and a control file, XLATLIST.CTL.  The control file specifies options like
telephone-number customization and how much you want to charge your users to
send mail to various locations.

Here is an example of the same segment of the nodelist as it might appear in
NODELIST.BBS:

HOST 115 0 2400 Chicagoland 9-799-4790 Homewood_IL
333 0 2400 Solar_Wind 9-799-4790 Homewood_IL
500 0 9600 Sit_UBU_Sit_HST 9-982-5092 Skokie_IL
108 0 2400 Samson 9-394-0071 Arlington_Heights_IL
640 0 2400 Computer_Guild 9-640-7980 Elk_Grove_IL

Notice that the sysop name is not included and the format is slightly
different.  The telephone number has been "customized" based upon the
XLATLIST.CTL file -- this system needs to prefix local numbers with a "9".
The zero after the node number is the cost of calling that system; these are
 free calls for the example system.  The system marked "down" in the FTSC
nodelist was not included in NODELIST.BBS.

The last flavor of nodelist is created from NODELIST.BBS by your BBS software,
and is specific to the system (Opus, SEAdog, etc.).  This step is called
"compiling" the nodelist. Its exact implementation varies with the type of BBS
software, but usually there is a program similar to XLATLIST which takes
NODELIST.BBS as its input and creates internal files used by the BBS while it
is running.  For example, Opus has a program named OPUSNODE.EXE which creates
NODELIST.SYS and NODELIST.IDX.  During actual execution, Opus uses these files
to look up information on network addresses.

Finally, a real-life example from my system, running Opus with an address of
1:115/777.  The current nodelist is NODELIST.268.  On Saturday I receive from
my network co-ordinator a file named NODEDIFF.A75 which when un-ARC'ed becomes
NODEDIFF.275.  Being a conscientious sysop who knows that maintaining a current
nodelist is one of the requirements of FidoNet policy (and also not wanting to
jangle someones telephone at 0400) I will update the nodelist.  I have a file
named XLATLIST.CTL which looks like this:

node 1:115/777
seadog
nocomments
DIAL
     1-312-                             ;
    ;
END
cost 0 0
  1-312  0
end

This is a simple control file which tells XLATLIST I am node 1:115/777, that I
want a SEAdog-format NODELIST.BBS, that I don't want to see the comments in the
nodelist, that the text "1-312" should be removed from telephone numbers, and
that the cost for all calls is zero.

After un-ARCing the NODEDIFF, I execute XLATLIST.EXE.  Its input is
NODELIST.268, NODEDIFF.275, and XLATLIST.CTL.  Its output is a short summary on
the screen, NODELIST.275, and NODELIST.BBS.

Now I execute the command "OPUSNODE -f".  This creates Opus' internal-format
nodelist files.  And that's it.  Next week, I'll receive a file named
NODEDIFF.282 and repeat the process.  Very painless, actually.


Which BBS System is the Best?
----- --- ------ -- --- ----

You will find no answer to that question here, as each sysop has good reasons
for choosing a particular system.  You must decide for yourself, based upon what
you observe as a user of the system and what you may be able to find out from
sysops of that particular type of system.  A quick overview of the various
types of software available will be provided here, and even that is done with
fear and trembling, since new versions and new products are upon us always.

There are two distinct components required for a FidoNet BBS:  the part that
interfaces with the NETWORK (which we'll call the MAILER) and the part which
interfaces with the USER (which we'll call the BBS).  Some products contain
both of these functions (Fido, Opus), some contain only the BBS portion (TBBS,
RBBS), and some contain only the mailer function (SEAdog, Dutchie,
 BinkleyTerm).  This provides the flexibility to interface existing BBS products
such as TBBS and RBBS to the network.

Specific information on how to obtain the systems is provided at the end of
this document.

Full-Function:  BBS and Mailer
--------------  --- --- ------

Fido:  This is where it started.  Fido version 11 is copyrighted software which
may be used for free if the use meets certain conditions (free access and non-
commercial are two).  Fido version 12 is a commercial product with a list
price of $175, available to IFNA members for $100.  Fido version 12 has several
new features, including the ability to receive network mail any time and
locks/keys for message areas.  An echomail conference exists for Fido support.

Opus:  A more recent entry in the Fido-compatible BBS field is Opus.  This BBS
is copyrighted software which is free to users who observe the restrictions of
the license, and from the caller's perspective behaves much the same as Fido;
this makes the conversion from Fido to Opus easy for the caller.  For the
sysop, the conversion is also easy as Opus supports the user list, file areas,
and messages from Fido.  However, from the sysop perspective, Opus is
significantly different from Fido, more flexible, and supports 24-hour mail.
Several echomail conferences exist devoted to Opus support.

BBS-function (User Interface) Only
------------ ----- ---------- ----

TBBS: In the opinion of many, this system is the premier BBS.  It costs
$299.95, plus $99.95 for SEAdog to handle network mail.  (Note:  Because of the
method used to package the extension to TBBS for network operation, it is not
possible to order SEAdog through IFNA and TBBS from the vendor.  The TBBS mail
processors and SEAdog are bundled together.)  TBBS is a very flexible system
from the sysop perspective and very easy to use for callers.  TBBS will even
support a multi-line and online chat option if you want to get fancy.  An
echomail conference exists for TBBS sysops.

QBBS:  A shareware clone of TBBS, this BBS combines much of the flexibility of
TBBS with the economy of a shareware product ($25 registration).  It requires a
mailer front end to interface with the network; BinkleyTerm works nicely for
this purpose.  It can use outboard echomail processing (e.g. ConfMail) or
integral echomail utilities.  A QBBS echomail conference exists.

RBBS:  A recent entry in the FidoNet arena by virtue of interfacing an existing
BBS how to a mailer.  RBBS uses a separate mailer system to interface with
FidoNet and a program written by Bob Westcott (132/114) to convert netmail-
style messages into the RBBS message base.  RBBS is public domain, available
from most sysops which run it.

PCBoard:  There is now a Door written by Peter Vernaglia (101/149) that lets
PCBoard V11 or V12 be FidoNet compatible by using SEAdog or BinkleyTerm.
PCBoard is a commercial BBS that must be purchased from the author, Fred Clark.
The version that supports Doors costs $120.  PCBoard's main features are that
any file can be downloaded from the main menu, it can be networked to support
multiple phone lines and is very easy to set up and maintain.

Mail-function (Network Interface) Only
------------- -------- ---------- ----

There are two options when using a separate mailer system.  The mailer can
 answer the phone and, if it detects a human caller, load the BBS.  Or the
mailer can be run only during specific time periods, such as during National
Mail Hour, to send and receive network messages.  With the first option, the
system is able to receive network mail at any time, but callers are slightly
inconvenienced by waiting for the BBS to load.  With the second, network
interface is limited to the specific time period.  The best choice for an
individual system depends upon whether it is primarily human-caller oriented or
primarily FidoNet-mail oriented.

SEAdog:  SEAdog began its life as a commercial mail system for standalone use.
It became popular in FidoNet as an improved mail processor for Fido version 11.
SEAdog is a commercial product of System Enhancement Associates, costing $100;
it is available to members of IFNA for $60.  A SEAdog echomail conference
exists to provide support for those who obtain the product thru the IFNA offer.

DUTCHIE:  Dutchie began its life in FidoNet as the first system designed
specifically to operate as a point, but has since grown to a full FidoNet mail
system similar to SEAdog, but with a more amateur user oriented interface and
setup.  Unlike SEAdog, Dutchie is free to non-commercial users.

BinkleyTerm:  This package can be used as a mailer for a BBS, as a terminal
program, or to support a point system.  It is copyrighted code, distributed
with source code with no charge for use in noncommercial applications.  The
authors request recognition for their work, which may take the form of a simple
"thank you", a post card, or best of all, helpful hints on special applications
or new utilities.  A BinkleyTerm echomail conference exists for support
questions.

EchoMail:  What is it?
--------   ---- -- --

For many sysops, echomail is the primary reason to hook up to FidoNet.  It
provides the opportunity to share information with large numbers of callers on
other BBS's which may be in other parts of the world.  This is a particularly
important advantage for those BBS's which do not have large numbers of local
callers, or for those subjects in which the interest level on any particular
BBS is low.

The concept of echomail operation is simple.  A group of systems decides to
form a conference on some topic.  Each of them sets aside a message area on the
local BBS.  Then any message posted on one board is automatically echoed to all
the other systems.  Functionally, it is as if all the participants were dialing
into the same local BBS.

This concept was invented in late 1985 by Jeff Rush, a sysop in Dallas.  Growth
since then has been phenomenal, with network volume associated with echomail
eclipsing person-to-person volume.  Conferences exist today on hundreds of
topics with more being started every week.  Computer/technical topics are
covered (programming, general-technical, mainframe) as well as non-computer
topics (debate, Bible, music, disABLED, humor), providing every sysop with a
wide variety of interesting conferences, even in subject areas that have
limited local expertise.

The advantages of echomail are obvious, but it has a few disadvantages.  In
most cases, the sysop pays telephone charges to obtain echomail; the routing
discussed above is not used for echomail because of the volume involved.
Connecting to other systems to obtain the conferences can be a headache,
depending upon how well the local network has organized echomail.  There are
delays in response which take some getting used to, and there can be "too much
of a good thing" with active conferences averaging in excess of 100 messages a
 day.  Like anything, echomail is best taken in moderation, and the sysop must
use good judgement.  For example, an attempt to maintain 50 echomail
conferences with a 10-meg hard drive is doomed to failure.

Operation of EchoMail
--------- -- --------

Various echomail utilities are used to move the messages between the mail area
and the message area.  The words used to describe the operation of these
utilities are different with the different BBS software, but the same functions
are performed in all cases.  A summary of processing using several popular
packages is provided after the "generic" explanation.

Several fields within the message are used to control this process.  Some of
these fields may be invisible, depending upon the type of software and
parameters specified when it was installed.

There are two basic functions required to support echomail.  Messages posted by
local users must be sent to all the other systems participating in the
conference; we'll call that EXPORT here.  Messages arriving from other systems
must be placed where the users can see them; we'll call that IMPORT here.  The
import/export process is controlled by information within the message itself,
and the utilities use a control file named AREAS.BBS or ECHO.CTL.

The first line of each echomail message, when it is sent through the network,
is AREA:something.  The "something" is what determines into which area the
message will be placed.  A file named AREAS.BBS or ECHO.CTL controls the
correspondence between this field and the BBS area; in other words,
AREA:MAINFRAME might correspond to area 12 on your BBS and area 3 on mine.

Near the end of each message is a SEEN-BY line.  This is the control field
which is used to determine which system(s) have not yet seen the message.
Again, AREAS.BBS or ECHO.CTL lists which systems see messages, based upon the
AREA:something.

The last piece of control information in the message is the Origin line, near
the end of the message, which is placed there during the export process.  This
is primarily for us humans to know from which system the message originated; it
is not used in routine operation of the echomail utilities.

A few examples may make this easier to understand.  The syntax of the ConfMail
product is used in the examples, but consider them generic to the echomail
process, rather than specific to one product.

Assume that the following line exists in AREAS.BBS:

c:\msg\mframe MAINFRAME 115/123 115/234

which defines the message area corresponding to the conference with
AREA:MAINFRAME to be subdirectory c:\msg\mframe, and defines systems 115/123
and 115/234 as recipients of this conference.  Also assume that this is system
115/777.

Example 1:
A user on this board (115/777) posts a new message in the area.

The export process will find no SEEN-BY line at the end of the message.  It
will add a SEEN-BY line to the existing message which reads
SEEN-BY 115/123 234 777
It will also add an Origin line to the existing message.  Then that message
 will be sent to systems 115/123 and 115/234.

Example 2:
A incoming netmail message has as its first line AREA:MAINFRAME, and it's SEEN-
BY line lists 115/123 and 115/777.

IMPORT moves the message into the MAINFRAME message subdirectory,
c:\msg\mframe.  The first line, AREA:MAINFRAME, is removed.

When EXPORT runs, it compares the SEEN-BY line with AREAS.BBS and discovers
that the message has not been seen by 115/234.  A copy is sent to 115/234 via
netmail.  (The copy sent to 115/234 will have AREA:MAINFRAME as its first
line.)  The SEEN-BY line in the message in the local area is also updated to
indicate that the message has been sent to 115/234.

Echomail Terms
-------- -----

One thing that makes echomail difficult for many people is that each echomail
processor uses different words to describe the same thing.  The discussion
above used the vocabulary of Bob Hartman's popular ConfMail system.  Messages
are IMPORTED from the netmail area into the actual conference, and EXPORTED
from the conference to the netmail area.  Other products are available to
process echomail:  Jeff Rush's original utilities, Opus, TBBS, and MGM.

ARCMAIL is a utility normally used in connection with echomail processing,
although its application is not limited to echomail.  Early in the life of
echomail, it became obvious that thousands of messages sent as normal network
mail were causing problems.  To address this problem, Thom Henderson at SEA
provided the ARCMAIL utility.  ARCMAIL searches through the netmail area and
finds all messages which are to be sent to a system and packs all these
messages into one ARC file.  It then deletes these messages from the netmail
area and creates one message to that system, with the ARC file attached.  This
saves significant connect time for the systems involved, and provides the side
benefit that a point-to-point routing will be used since the message has a file
attached.  Of course, ARCMAIL also provides the function of expanding the ARC
file into netmail messages at the receiving system; if you receive a funny-
looking file attached to a null message, chances are it is an ARCmail file.
ConfMail has the ARCmail function integrated; in other systems it is a separate
step.

The original Jeff Rush echomail utilities used the terms TOSS and SCAN --
messages were TOSSED from netmail into the conference, and the conferences were
SCANNED, creating the outgoing messages in the netmail area.

Opus uses the Jeff Rush terms -- scanning and tossing can be done automatically
by the Opus system, or an external processor like ConfMail can be used.  There
are restrictions on what Opus' internal scan/toss mechanism can handle, but
these restrictions will not affect the casual sysop -- only the active echomail
hub.

MGM also uses the Jeff Rush terms.  Its operation is similar to the original
echomail utilities.  Incoming messages are unARC'ed using ARCMAIL and tossed
(from the netmail area to the actual conference area) using MGM TOSS.  MGM SCAN
is similar to the original scan function, in that it moves messages from the
actual conference to the netmail area.  However, once in the netmail area, all
msessages are addressed to your own system.  An additional step, MGMFWD, is
required to address the outgoing messages to their actual destination.
Finally, ARCMAIL is normally used to pack the outgoing messages.

 TBBS has an interesting situation, since it uses SEAdog to interface with
FidoNet.  TBBS maintains all message subboards in one DOS file, as opposed to
the Fido method of one message per DOS file which is used by SEAdog.  Thus,
there is a utility named PREMAIL which searches the TBBS message file for
messages which need to be sent out and converts them to messages in the SEAdog
netmail area.  There is a similar utility named POSTMAIL which pulls the
messages back into the TBBS file from SEAdog's area.  The ECHOLINK utility
establishes reply chains within the TBBS message base and also checks for
duplicate messages.  Finally, if there is a need to forward to additional
systems, the ECHOFWD utility handles that chore.


Routing of Echomail
------- -- --------

It is not unusual for a moderately-sized echomail hub to handle dozens of
conferences and thousands of messages a day.  This volume would quickly swamp
the structure which was set up to handle person-to-person communication in
which mail flows into a network through the network co-ordinator.  For this
reason, separate structures have been established to expedite the movement of
echomail conferences.  Echomail co-ordinators have the responsibility to
administer this activity.  In some cases, the same individual handles both the
job of a network or region co-ordinator and echomail co-ordinator; many times
these different jobs are performed by different individuals.

There are entire systems dedicated to the movement of echomail.  These
"echomail backbones" serve as repositories for large numbers of conferences and
links to the next level down on the hierarchy.

The actual topology of echomail is unimportant.  The point is simple -- do not
route echomail through normal channels!  Send a few hundred echomail messages
to some network co-ordinator and find out the real meaning of "annoying
behavior".

To get started in echomail, first get a working BBS.  Get into the network, and
get settled.  Then talk with your network co-ordinator, or perhaps by then you
will have found out who the echomail co-ordinator is.  Regional echomail co-
ordinators are listed in Region 1 of the nodelist, with the help nodes.  You
should start by receiving a small number of conferences from another node and
you will route your traffic (that is, messages your users enter) back to that
node. As your knowledge and confidence grows, you can ask for more conferences.

Echomail Etiquette
-------- ---------

There are a few simple things you can do to make echomail more pleasant for
everyone.  These are common-sense issues but they may not be immediately
obvious when you are just getting started with echomail.

Do not send person-to-person messages using echomail.  If you have a message
for Joe Klutz, and no one else is interested in it, then use standard netmail.
Even if you mark the message private, every sysop in the conference will pay to
receive it!  A message between two sysops across town in New York, received on
a BBS in California, isn't likely to win any friends.

Every conference has a subject; don't get too far off of it.  Most conferences
have a moderator who will step in and shout if the topic strays too much.
Unless you have been involved in a conference and have a good grasp of its
scope, be cautious about starting a new topic.

 When you reply to a message in echomail, mention enough of the previous message
so that readers can tell what you are replying to.  It is maddening to see
someone discussing the merits of a previous message when you can't figure out
what the previous message is about.  Remember, reply chains in echomail are
imperfect at best and some echomail processors don't even attempt to
reconstruct reply chains.

Also, remember the delay inherent in echomail.  If you post a question, don't
expect a response tomorrow.  If you reply to a question, realize that many
others may be replying at the same time, a flood which will pour in over the
next several days.

Flames
------

The term "flame" is used within FidoNet to describe a "hot" message which
disagrees violently with some issue.  Unfortunately, flames often are attacks
on persons, not ideas.  This can be very annoying, using the term in its
"technical" context from FidoNet policy.

There is no excuse within FidoNet for personal attacks by one individual upon
another individual, yet it happens all the time.  When you compose a message,
remember that the electronic media does not convey facial expressions or voice
tones.  This can make it very difficult to convey the real meaning of what you
are trying to say.

Flames are contagious.  If you see an attack on something you believe in, or on
someone you like, it is human nature to want to answer the challenge.  Instead,
think about whether you really should reply.  If you violently disagree with
what you just read, a reply may not be the best idea. . . at least not until
you have had time to calm down.  It is bad form (although altogether too
common) to spend more time in the reply discussing personalities than the real
issues.  Calm reasoning will win over more support than calling your opponent
names. Remember, it's not the COMPUTER you are jousting with; there is a real
human being out there, with feelings.  Sure, the modem does a great job of
insulating you, but don't say anything in an electronic message which you would
not say face-to-face.

On the other hand, if someone attacks YOUR ideas, don't take it personally.
Humor is often the best response to a flame.  Remember, everyone has a right to
their opinion, and the lack of verbal queues in echomail makes disagreement
sound like attack.  It is not necessary to respond to each and every message
which states an opinion different from your own.  There are times when ignoring
a message is the right thing to do, even though it is much more difficult than
replying to it.


An Alternative for EchoMail Junkies
-- ----------- --- -------- -------

Are you the type of person who is addicted to echomail?  You call up your local
BBS and spend hours online reading all the messages in twenty different confe-
rences?  Perhaps the major reason you're even considering opening a BBS is to
have your own local source for echomail, where you can sit in front of your own
computer, and read without worrying about tying up a telephone line.

Welcome to the world of POINTS and SERVERS.  There is an alternative to much of
the hassle which you've just read about -- instead of starting a full-service
BBS, become a POINT instead.  Here's the way it works.

 A POINT system operates as an adjunct to another system which is a traditional
nodelisted FidoNet system, the SERVER.  The POINT system is much like a one-
person BBS.  The point system dials the server at some pre-arranged time,
usually in the wee hours, and downloads echomail.  Then the owner of the point
can read it, enter replies, and upload this information at the next call.

This has many advantages for all concerned.  (1) The point system doesn't tie
up the server BBS for hours reading messages online in the traditional way.
(2) The owner of the point may save lots of money in telephone charges if there
is a connect-time charge involved in the call.  (3) The point owner doesn't
have to worry about busy signals, and can peruse the messages at any convenient
time.  (4) If the point owner types slowly, this is even more of an advantage.
(5) The point system isn't listed in the nodelist, but can still participate in
network mail.  With growth of the nodelist, this is a serious consideration.
(6) Compared to setting up a full-service BBS, setting up a point is easier.

The disadvantage of being a point is that you must have a server.  This is
becoming less of a problem with the development of point/server software.  If
you routinely tie up a popular system for hours reading mail, the sysop will
likely be more than happy to provide you with point access, since it will make
the BBS more available for other callers.  If you fall into the category of
"echomail junkie", consider discussing point/server with your favorite sysop;
it may be what you really want to do rather than open a full-service BBS.

There are several alternatives available now for point/server software, and the
capabilities of the software are growing by the day.  DUTCHIE was the first
package, and introduced the concept.  Other alternatives include ConfMail, MGM,
and BinkleyTerm.  Obviously the point must use a system which is compatible
with the server.

Common "Gotcha's"
------ ----------

Here's a collection of little tips that may save you from having to ask your
fellow sysop when something looks bad. . . or keep your system running more
smoothly.

You'll have an interesting problem once a year with XLATLIST.  It "knows" that
the most current changes to the nodelist are in a file named NODEDIFF.nnn where
nnn is the largest.  What happens at the first of a new year?  Guess what --
it's not true, once a year, that the most current nodediff file has the
"highest" name.  So watch for this; it can keep your nodelist update from
working correctly in early January.  The solution is simple:  Rename the old
nodelist (the one you want the nodediff applied to) to NODELIST.000, and make
sure that there aren't any other NODELIST.nnn files present in the
subdirectory.

A similar problem exists with Daylight Savings Time.  FidoNet does not observe
daylight savings time.  If your area does, then the LOCAL time for your
National Mail Hour changes twice a year -- once in the spring when DST begins,
and once in the fall when it ends.  When you change the time on your computer
(using the TIME command), remember to also change the time for your mail events
in whatever mailer program you are using.  If you don't change both at the same
time, you'll be observing National Mail Hour during the wrong hour.

Many new FidoNet sysops find out the hard way that messages which have files
attached do not follow normal routing.  No matter which BBS software you are
using, if a message has a file attached it will be sent direct to its
destination, and no routing that you request will affect it.  This can come as
a shock to the new sysop who thinks that all the outgoing messages are routed
 to another local system; attach a file to a message and your system will gladly
call Australia if you let it.

Sources
-------

To obtain help on FidoNet or a related software product, use FidoNet!  The best
source is a local sysop who has done what you want to do.

There are echomail conferences on many of the products discussed in this
document.  Refer to the echomail section to discover how to join them.

The first part of the nodelist, "Region 1", contains help nodes for many
software products and functions.  This is a partial list (taken from the
current nodelist):

1/0   International FidoNet Co-ordinator    1-602-235-9653  Scottsdale AZ
1/1   FidoNews Editor                       1-216-642-1034 FidoNews Editor
1/10  Internation FidoNet Association       1-314-576-2743 St Louis MO
1/11  IFNA Finance                          1-808-533-0190 Honolulu HI
1/12  IFNA Legal                            1-201-326-9870 Parsippany NJ
1/16  IFNA Membership data                  1-216-291-3048 Clevland OH
1/17  IFNA Membership information           1-216-883-0578 Clevland OH
1/20  FidoNet Technical Standards           1-503-297-9145 Portland OR
1/88  FidoCon 88                            1-606-727-3811 Cincinnati OH
1/100 General Help                          1-201-245-6614 Clifton NJ
1/102 BinkleyTerm Help                      1-615-875-4131 Chattanooga TN
1/113 OPUS Information                      1-916-893-9019 Chico CA
1/114 Quick BBS  (QBBS) Help                1-516-328-7064 Floral Park NY
1/116 Dutchie Help                          1-314-334-6359 CapeGirardeau MO
1/117 Fido Help                             1-408-296-2329 San Jose CA
1/200 National Echomail Coordinator         1-415-672-2504 Concord CA
1/201 EchoList Coordinator                  1-201-286-2567 Toms River NJ
1/210 Region 10 Echomail Coordinator        1-714-544-3369 Tustin CA
1/211 Region 11 Echomail Coordinator        1-216-883-0578 Clevland OH
1/213 Region 13 Echomail Coordinator        1-201-249-1898 E. Brunswick NJ
1/214 Region 14 Echomail Coordinator        1-612-377-3398 Minneapolis MN
1/215 Region 15 Echomail Coordinator        1-303-973-9338 Littleton CO
1/216 Region 16 Echomail Coordinator        1-603-888-8179 Nashau NH
1/217 Region 17 Echomail Coordinator        1-206-848-5317 Puyallup WA
1/218 Region 18 Echomail Coordinator        1-901-853-3116 Memphis TN
1/219 Region 19 Echomail Coordinator        1-405-691-0863 Okla City OK
1/300 SoftWare Coordinator                  1-301-574-1984 Essex MD
1/302 SoftWare Distribution West            1-915-857-1974 El Paso TX
1/311 Software Distribution Region 11       1-312-982-5092 Region 11
1/313 Software Distribution Region 13       1-412-856-1428 Region 13
1/314 Software Distribution Region 14       1-612-377-3469 Region 14
1/315 Software Distribution Region 15       1-303-252-9235 Region 15
1/316 Software Distribution Region 16       1-617-433-8452 Region 16
1/318 Software Distribution Region 18       1-305-226-3310 Region 18
1/319 Software Distribution Region 19       1-405-848-2828 Region 19


Any user of FidoNet is eligible to join the International FidoNet Association
to assist in the administration of the network and to take advantage of special
offers on software available to members.  An application blank and order form
can be found at the end of each issue of FidoNews, and are included below:

                                      __
                 The World's First   /  \
                     BBS Network     /|oo \
                    * FidoNet *    (_|  /_)
                                    _`@/_ \    _
                                   |     | \   \\
                                   | (*) |  \   ))
                      ______       |__U__| /  \//
                     / Fido \       _//|| _\   /
                    (________)     (_/(_|(____/ (tm)

            Membership for the International FidoNet Association

     Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that
     pays  a  specified  annual   membership  fee.   IFNA  serves  the
     international  FidoNet-compatible  electronic  mail  community to
     increase worldwide communications.

     Member Name _______________________________  Date _______________
     Address _________________________________________________________
     City ____________________________________________________________
     State ________________________________  Zip _____________________
     Country _________________________________________________________
     Home Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
     Work Phone (Voice) ______________________________________________
     Zone:Net/Node Number ____________________________________________
     BBS Name ________________________________________________________
     BBS Phone Number ________________________________________________
     Baud Rates Supported ____________________________________________
     Board Restrictions ______________________________________________
     Your Special Interests __________________________________________
     _________________________________________________________________
     _________________________________________________________________
     In what areas would you be willing to help in FidoNet? __________
     _________________________________________________________________
     _________________________________________________________________
     Send this membership form and a check or money order for $25 in
     US Funds to:
                   International FidoNet Association
                   c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
                   700 Bishop Street, #1014
                   Honolulu, Hawaii 96813-4112
                   USA

     Thank you for your membership!  Your participation will  help  to
     insure the future of FidoNet.

     Please  NOTE  that  IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization
     and Articles of Association  and  By-Laws  were  adopted  by  the
     membership in January 1987.  The first elected Board of Directors
     was filled in August 1987.  The IFNA Echomail Conference has been
     established  on  FidoNet  to  assist  the Board.  We welcome your
     input to this Conference.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------




                     INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION
                                 ORDER FORM

                                 Publications

     The IFNA publications can be obtained by downloading from Fido
     1:1/10 or  other FidoNet compatible  systems, or by purchasing
     them directly from IFNA.  We ask that  all our  IFNA Committee
     Chairmen   provide  us   with  the  latest  versions  of  each
     publication, but we can make no written guarantees.

     Hardcopy prices as of October 1, 1986

        IFNA Fido BBS listing                       $15.00    _____
        IFNA Administrative Policy DOCs             $10.00    _____
        IFNA FidoNet Standards Committee DOCs       $10.00    _____

                                                  SUBTOTAL    _____

                      IFNA Member ONLY Special Offers

        System Enhancement Associates SEAdog        $60.00    _____
        SEAdog price as of March 1, 1987
        ONLY 1 copy SEAdog per IFNA Member

        Fido Software's Fido/FidoNet               $100.00    _____
        Fido/FidoNet price as of November 1, 1987
        ONLY 1 copy Fido/FidoNet per IFNA Member

        International orders include $10.00 for
               surface shipping or $20.00 for air shipping    _____

                                                  SUBTOTAL    _____

                    HI. Residents add 4.0 % Sales tax         _____

                                                  TOTAL       _____

        SEND CHECK OR MONEY ORDER IN US FUNDS:
        International FidoNet Association
        c/o Leonard Mednick, MBA, CPA
        700 Bishop Street, #1014
        Honolulu, HI.  96813-4112
        USA

     Name________________________________
     Zone:Net/Node____:____/____
     Company_____________________________
     Address_____________________________
     City____________________  State____________  Zip_____
     Voice Phone_________________________

     Signature___________________________

     -----------------------------------------------------------------


For information on International FidoNet Association:
IFNA
PO Box 41143
St. Louis, MO  63141   USA
314 576-4067 (voice)

 NOTE:  If you wish to avail yourself of the IFNA sysop offer for SEAdog or
Fido, please use the order form above; do not contact the vendors at the
address below to take advantage of the IFNA offer.  One of the reasons that the
IFNA offer can exist is the ability of IFNA to offer distribution and support
services.

For information on ConfMail:
Bob Hartman  (132/101)
Spark Software
427-3 Amherst Street
Nashua, NH  03061

For information on commercial purchase of Fido:
Fido Software
164 Shipley
San Francisco, CA  94107
415 764-3785

For information on Opus, please provide a self-addressed stamped envelope and
write to:
Opus "Snail"
PO Box 16410
San Francisco, CA  94116
or
request information from the following FidoNet nodes:  1:1/113 (Chico, CA),
3:3/113 (North Ryde NSW Australia), 1:133/302 (Atlanta, Ga), 1:125/9 (San
Francisco, CA), 1:150/1 (Wilmington, DE).

The author of QBBS is Adam Hudson, 8020-A Holland Ct, Arvada CO  80005; his
FidoNet address is 104/24.  Claude Warren (104/51) wrote the documentation for
QBBS.

For information on System Enhancement Associates' products, including SEAdog:
System Enhancement Associates
21 New Street
Wayne, NJ  07470

For information on TBBS:
eSoft, Inc.
4100 S. Parker Road   #305
Aurora, CO  80014
303 699-6565  (voice)

A nationwide listing of echomail conferences is available from Thomas Kenney,
107/316.  Request ELST*.ARC.

Acknowledgements
----------------

This document is a group effort.  It has to be; no one person can know every
piece of software which is in common use in the network.  When you run a
particular type of BBS software, you become familiar with that piece of
software and the utilities that it uses; that doesn't help the potential sysop
who isn't using your configuration.

So, readers, if you have made your way through the implementation of something
which is not covered here, and you want to share your experience with your
fellow users, please write something and send it to me.  I would be happy for
this document to grow so that more topics are covered.  To corrupt a popular
phrase. . . send prose!

Information was adapted from published documents by the following persons:

Bob Hartman  -- ConfMail and the history of EchoMail
Tom Jennings -- FidoNet history


Thanks to the following individuals for "sending prose":

Randy Bush       -- Dutchie and the term "public domain"
Norm Henke       -- PCBoard
Thom Henderson   -- SEAdog and TBBS
Ken Kaplan       -- Specific <tm> information and IFNA background
Brian McCullough -- A careful reading; many useful suggestions
Vince Perriello  -- BinkleyTerm
Dick Sonka       -- TBBS
Bob Westcott     -- RBBS
James Zachary    -- MGM



Steve Bonine    115/777


