     Volume 6, Number 12                                 20 March 1989
     +---------------------------------------------------------------+
     |                                                  _            |
     |                                                 /  \          |
     |                                                /|oo \         |
     |        - FidoNews -                           (_|  /_)        |
     |                                                _`@/_ \    _   |
     |        International                          |     | \   \\  |
     |     FidoNet Association                       | (*) |  \   )) |
     |         Newsletter               ______       |__U__| /  \//  |
     |                                 / FIDO \       _//|| _\   /   |
     |                                (________)     (_/(_|(____/    |
     |                                                     (jm)      |
     +---------------------------------------------------------------+
     Editor in Chief:                                  Vince Perriello
     Editors Emeritii:                                     Dale Lovell
                                                        Thom Henderson
     Chief Procrastinator Emeritus:                       Tom Jennings
     Contributing Editors:                                   Al Arango
     
     FidoNews  is  published  weekly  by  the  International   FidoNet
     Association  as  its  official newsletter.  You are encouraged to
     submit articles for publication in FidoNews.  Article  submission
     standards  are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC,  available from
     node 1:1/1.    1:1/1  is  a Continuous Mail system, available for
     network mail 24 hours a day.
     
     Copyright 1989 by  the  International  FidoNet  Association.  All
     rights  reserved.  Duplication  and/or distribution permitted for
     noncommercial purposes only.  For  use  in  other  circumstances,
     please contact IFNA at (314) 576-4067. IFNA may also be contacted
     at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141.
     
     Fido  and FidoNet  are registered  trademarks of  Tom Jennings of
     Fido Software,  164 Shipley Avenue,  San Francisco, CA  94107 and
     are used with permission.
     
     We  don't necessarily agree with the contents  of  every  article
     published  here.  Most of these materials are  unsolicited.    No
     article will be rejected which is properly attributed and legally
     acceptable.    We   will  publish  every  responsible  submission
     received.


                        Table of Contents
     1. ARTICLES  .................................................  1
        A Domain Proposal For Fidonet(tm) Based Networks  .........  1
        New Nodelist User Flags - Intents and Usage  ..............  3
     2. COLUMNS  ..................................................  8
        The Old Frog's Almanac - Update II  .......................  8
        Facts And Questions  ...................................... 10
        Let's YACK about Egg On The Face  ......................... 12
     3. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR  .................................... 13
     4. WANTED  ................................................... 15
        Wanted - Recipe Conversion Program!  ...................... 15
     And more!
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 1                   20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                                 ARTICLES
     =================================================================

              A Domain Proposal For Fidonet(tm) Based Networks

                                  jim nutt
                      Chair, FTSC Domains Working Group
                             1:114/15.11@fidonet

     A. Rationale

     A recent proliferation of alternative networks based on Fidonet(tm)
     technology has brought  to  light  the  difficulty of maintaining a
     fully coupled addressing method  for  Fidonet(tm).  It is therefore
     proposed  that  a system be  established  whereby  geographical  or
     political  sub units of the network  can  be  broken  off  into  an
     independent  network  called a "domain".  These  networks  will  be
     fully independent, even to the point of having  duplicate  net/node
     numbers.   This will allow continued growth of Fidonet(tm)  without
     necessitating that the nodelist grow to an unmanageable size (if it
     isn't already there).  Among the advantages of this type of  system
     are reduced nodelist overhead, easier  inter-network  communication
     and greater autonomy of alternative networks.

     B. Description

     It is proposed that domain addressing  be  implemented in a fashion
     similar  to the current ZONE extended addressing  method.    Domain
     names will be a maximum of eight alphanumeric  characters in length
     and case insensitive.  The domain extended addressing line  will be
     comprised  of  a  leading  SOH  (^A, 0x01) followed by the  keyword
     "DOMAIN",  the  destination domain of the message and then the full
     address  (zone:net/node.point)  of the  destination  node  in  that
     domain, followed by the source  domain  of the message and the full
     address of the originating node.   The line will be terminated by a
     <CR> (0x0d) and an optional linefeed (0x0a), fields within the line
     will be separated by one or more spaces or tabs.  i.e.

         ^ADOMAIN  dstdmn dz:dne/dno.dp srcdmn sz:sne/sno.sp

     Where  dstdmn is the destination domain, dz the  destination  zone,
     dne  the  destination  net,  dno  the destination node and  dp  the
     destination point (if any).  Srcdmn, sz, sne, sno and  sp  are  the
     corresponding source fields.    Message  editors and other programs
     supporting domains should present  and accept addresses of nodes in
     domains other than the default  in  the  format "z:ne/no.p@domain".
     This makes it easy for non-domain  aware  packages  to  ignore  the
     domain address.  This system is NOT designed for interfacing to the
     Internet or through Usenet, it is intended solely  for  use between
     Fidonet(tm) compatible networks.

     C. Summary

     Domains  are  independent Fidonet(tm) style networks that are fully
     decoupled  from the IFNA nodelist.  Message traffic is passed  back
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 2                   20 Mar 1989


     and  forth  between domains via domain gateways that can understand
     the DOMAIN  extended  addressing  line and act accordingly upon the
     message.  The  advantages  include reduced nodelist size and easier
     communication with other Fidonet(tm) based networks.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 3                   20 Mar 1989


                       User Flags - Intents and Usage
         David Dodell, FidoNet International Coordinator, 1:114/15
      Rick Moore, Chairperson, FidoNet Technical Standards, 1:115/333


                        Definition Of The USER FLAG
                        ============================

     The new FidoNet Technical Standards Committee  publication,  FSC-
     0005,  regarding  the  specification of the form and content of a
     FidoNet Nodelist added a new flag  to  the  "flags"  field.  This
     flag  was  called  the  USER  FLAG and was rather vague as to the
     intended purpose  and  application  of  the  USER  FLAG.  It  was
     defined   as   "Ux....x"   wherein   the   x....x   portion   was
     representative of up to 32 alphanumeric characters and containing
     no space (ASCII decimal 32) characters. Additionally, if present,
     the USER FLAG must be the last item on the nodelist entry line.


                                The Problem
                                ===========

     One alarming possibility of the USER FLAG is that should all 5600
     FidoNet nodes (the size of the FidoNet nodelist when  USER  FLAGS
     were  first  mentioned)  decide  to  add  33  characters to their
     nodelist entries,  then the distribution nodelist would  grow  by
     180K  overnight  and  that  no  real  benefit to the net would be
     obtained from that growth.

     If we assume that the typical FidoNet Node has a 2400 baud modem,
     then the combined additional telephone time to transfer just  the
     USER  FLAGS  portion of that week's NODEDIFF file would amount to
     over 1200 HOURS.  Assuming that 10% of  the  NODEDIFF  files  are
     sent via toll calls,  then 120 hours of long distance calls would
     be added to the normal (over)load.  If a typical minute  of  toll
     call  is  $.20  (intrastate  rates),  then  it would cost FidoNet
     participants about $1400 ADDITIONAL to  distribute  it.  If  hard
     disk storage costs $12.50/Megabyte,  the cumulative storage costs
     on all of  the  5600  nodes  would  amount  to  $12,600  of  disk
     capacity.

     With no attempt at SOME standardization of the content,  there is
     not much possibility of gaining any real benefits from  the  USER
     FLAG.


              Some Clarifications from FidoNet Administration
              ===============================================

     Due  to  confusion  and  lack  of  guidelines  as to the purposes
     intended for application of the USER FLAG,  the use of that  flag
     was temporarily suspended until some clarification was available.

     The  following guidelines regarding the new FidoNet Nodelist USER
     FLAG were developed jointly by the International Coordinator  and
     the Chairman of the FTSC.
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 4                   20 Mar 1989


                      General Intent of the USER FLAGS
                      ================================

     The  nodelist  is  a  list  for  the  functional  uses of fidonet
     mailers, it is not a BBS listing.

     Also the U flag was not intended as a replacement field for flags
     that were removed from the nodelist,  i.e.  "RE" which defines  a
     BBS user limitation, does not belong in the nodelist, or in the U
     flag.  The  same  goes for restricted hours,  etc.  A mailer only
     needs to know if a node is in ZMH mode,  or CM mode.  It  doesn't
     care if a system comes up a 6 p.m.  and goes down a 6 a.m.  to be
     able to deliver mail.


                Some Specific Comments Regarding USER FLAGS
                ===========================================

     (1) The suggested uses from the *C  structure  need  to  be  just
     that... not rigid specifications, but guidelines.

     (2)  Anything  after  the  U  flag  should  be  of a technical or
     administrative nature.  Experimentation of new software functions
     using this flag should be encouraged.

     (3) Advertisement is strictly prohibited.

     (4)  Mention  of  specific software is prohibited.  It is not for
     the use of advertising the specific software you are running,  or
     the size of your hard drive.

     (5)  It  should  not  be used for denoting alternative addresses,
     either in FidoNet or any other network.

     (6) The flag should be used to minimize duplicate listings in the
     nodelist,  i.e.  a node that has UNEC does not  need  a  separate
     listing  in  his network.  Since use of a USER FLAG for an NEC or
     an REC could serve to reduce the bulk of the nodelist,  this  use
     of the User Flag is the preferred method of denoting a *EC in the
     nodelist.

     (7)  Any  information  found  in  the U flag should not duplicate
     information already found in that listing,  or can be  found  any
     place  else in the nodelist (i.e.  A couple of nets had after the
     xxx/0 listing UNC).

     (8) It is not a total free form field for anything to appear.

     (9) The *C structure has the  ultimate  responsibility  for  what
     appears in the nodelist, including the USER FLAG.

     (10) By standardizing certain USER FLAGS, it may then be possible
     for  software developers to put the USER FLAGS to some beneficial
     uses.


     FidoNews 6-12                Page 5                   20 Mar 1989


              A Standard (Defined) Set of Available USER FLAGS
              ================================================


     The USER FLAGS which seem to offer the greatest possibilities for
     real benefit to the general network are:

                     Established Software Distributors
                     =================================
               USDS for Software Distribution System nodes
               USDN for Shareware Distribution Network nodes
               UTDN for TBBS Distribution Network

                           EchoMail Coordinators
                           =====================
               UNEC for Net Echo Coords
               UREC for Regional Echo Coords
               UZEC for Zone Echo Coords

            - Allows those both in and outside the  net  to  scan  the
              nodelist  for  Addressing information regarding EchoMail
              help.   Assuming  mailers  can  be  made  to  use   this
              information  as  well,  some  of the parts of a standard
              Zone:Net/Node address could be obtained from  the  *EC's
              location  in  the nodelist,  or his "real" address could
              simply be substituted when outbound dialing is required.

                                 UPCP:x...x
                                 ==========

            - Potentially allows mailer software to glean PCP  routing
              and dialing data from a USER FLAG. Example: UPCP:NJNEW

                                    UHUB
                                    ====

            - Note that there are TWO kinds of hubs.....

                -  Some  HUBs are like mini-NC's since they do inbound
                  mail routing and/or maintain a nodelist segment  for
                  the  NC.  They  usually  distribute the NODEDIFF and
                  FNEWS files, as well.

                - The other type of hubs are only set up to pass along
                  the NODEDIFF and FNEWS files,  do not  do  any  mail
                  routing nor do they maintain any nodelist segments

             -  The  FIRST  type  of hub listed above NEEDS a separate
               (duplicate) nodelist entry,  since it does mail routing
               service.  The  nodes  which  he serves are to be listed
               below his entry and before the next HUB (or end of  the
               local  net's  segment)  in  the  nodelist.  His primary
               nodelist entry is also listed as "under" his HUB entry.
               His primary address should be set and the  HUB  address
               is  set as his AKA address.  The first kind of HUB does
               NOT get a UHUB flag.
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 6                   20 Mar 1989


             - The SECOND type of hub listed above  DOES  get  a  UHUB
               flag  and  the  nodes  to which he forwards the routine
               files should still be listed between  his  listing  and
               the  next hub (or end of the net segment) so that those
               nodes will know who to contact should there  develop  a
               problem  with  receipt  of the files.  This type of hub
               does NOT have an AKA address.


                                  UPNx..x
                                  =======

           - This flag denotes the Host  of  a  Private  Net.
           -  Only  those  Private  Net  Numbers  assigned by the Zone
             Coordinator, or by his designate,  should be used in this
             flag.
           - Don't use this flag unless there is a GOOD reason.  There
             are many reasons,  including the potential to  become  an
             unwitting "OutBound HOST" for the world, to not advertise
             too openly your private net host status.

                      Suggested Implementation Method
                      ===============================

     As always, the front line of the nodelist is the Net Coordinator.
     The Net Coordinators will make most of the USER FLAG assignments.
     The NC is authorized to employ any applicable USER FLAGS from the
     "defined  set".  If  more than one USER FLAG is appropriate for a
     given node,  they may be all placed in a  single  USER  FLAG  and
     separated by a comma.  There is no implied order of precedence of
     one flag over another.

     Example - suppose a node is an NEC and is also an SDS node and is
     a nodediff and FNEWS distributor as well.  His  USER  FLAG  could
     look like one of these:

                                USDS,NEC,HUB
                                   - or -
                                UHUB,SDS,NEC
                                   - or -
                                UNEC,HUB,SDS


                          Non-Standard USER FLAGS
                          =======================

     There will be times when, for software development work, that one
     or  more  nodes  may  need  a non-standard USER FLAG.  Such flags
     SHOULD be allowed,  as it is a goal of FidoNet to  encourage  the
     development of new and better telecommunications software.

     The  Local  Net  Coordinator  is  authorized  to assign such non-
     standard flags,  provided they  are  not  for  trivial  purposes.
     "Trivial  purposes"  include,  but  are not limited to,  "vanity"
     listings, advertisements, and listing of baud rates not supported
     by the nodelist processors.
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 7                   20 Mar 1989


     The rest of the *C structure may from time to time  examine  non-
     standard flags and occasionally may request clarification of them
     from the NC.

     Since  non-standardized  USER  FLAGS are intended for development
     and experimentation purposes,  it expected that most of them will
     either  eventually become a part of the standard set or else will
     disappear when the experimentation period is completed.


               Modifications to the Defined Set of USER FLAGS
               ==============================================

     The International Coordinator,  or  his  designate,  may  add  or
     remove  USER  FLAGS  from  the  standard defined set as is deemed
     necessary.

     When a developer has successfully completed  his  experimentation
     and has implemented a useful USER FLAG,  he should advise the IC,
     or his designate,  that a new USER FLAG is available for  general
     application by others.  Upon satisfaction of purpose, it may then
     be added to the standard set of defined USER FLAGS.


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 8                   20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                                  COLUMNS
     =================================================================


                "Too zoon oldt unt too late schmart..."
                      by Ken McVay, 1:153/20
                          Part the Two

     The Sirius  routine  has  not  changed  -  but everything else has.
     Using the FOR  command,  which  I  had  seen  but never bothered to
     understand, he eliminated 250  lines  from  SEAdog.Bat and replaced
     them with:

     @ECHO OFF
     f:
             FU LOG C:\logs\system.log EGREP Begin
             if %ALMANAC% == OFF goto END
             cd\WORK
             SET E=EGREP -V
             SET P=PAK U
             FOR %%X IN (*.   ) DO CALL EREP.BAT %%X
     :CLEANUP
             SET E=
             SET P=
             SET T=
     :END
     I:
             FU LOG C:\logs\system.log EGREP End

     My method, as you may  recall, was to include a separate section of
     about 4 lines to handle the  EGREP routines for each topic...as the
     list grew, of course, so did SEAdog.Bat....consider:    at the time
     Ken showed me how to do this, there  were  220 Almanac topics being
     extracted,  each  requiring  4 lines to handle.  Simple  arithmetic
     will  tell you why the batch file grew.  Not  only  that,  but  the
     margin  for  errors  due  to mis-spelled labels, etc.  was far  too
     high,  and  the  system crashed regularly - ah, who out there knows
     not the morning greeting "Label Not Found" followed with a flashing
     C:> prompt?   All  of  these space-killers were eliminated with the
     above batch file and  EREP.BAT, which simply accepts variables from
     ALMANAC.BAT, above:

     :EGREP
     f:
     cd\WORK
       SET T=%1
       %E% "^SEE ALSO " %T% | %E% "^--- " | %E% "^--\[SEEN-BY: \]" >tmp
       %E% "^.#[0-9]*" tmp | %E% "AREA:" | %E% "^REPLY TO ">tmp1
       %E% "^.?$" tmp1 >> \f1\%T%0389.MSG
       del %T%
       %P% F:\f6\%T%0389  F:\F1\%T%0389.MSG
       del TM*.*
     :Note that the FILE AREA PATH must now be changed each month,
     :along with the filespec/date.
     I:
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 9                   20 Mar 1989


     PRESTO!  Over 1200 lines  of  commands became less than 20, with NO
     possibility of error, since whatever Sirius created for a flat file
     was simply passed through the entire system  unchanged.  I couldn't
     see the forest for the trees :-)

     The batch file above (EREP.BAT) also eliminated 220  lines later on
     in the batch file which looked in each working  archive and updated
     it if the text file had changed.  Now, of  course,  the system only
     processes  whatever  files  Sirius  left  it,  and PAK updates each
     archive that needs it, and ignores the rest.

     I also  (finally!) got my hands on a copy of the manuals for Sirius
     V0.50, and discovered  hundreds of un-needed script lines in all of
     my Sirius scripts.  I also learned how to make Sirius return to DOS
     on error, instead of hanging  the  system  up  until I awoke in the
     morning, and how to write to  the system log from within Sirius, so
     I  could  tell when an error had  occured  and  deal  with  it  the
     following morning.

     I won't post the changes here, since they  are all available within
     the  file ALMANAC.PAK, should anyone want them.  If  your  copy  of
     ALMANAC.PAK  is more than 10 days old, you should get  it  again  -
     it'll save you lots of hassles.  Included in the file  are  all the
     appropriate batch  files,  three sample Sirius scripts with the new
     coding and error-trapping,  and a complete list of all of the files
     available from The Almanac's topical extraction system.

     One note:  Binkley  users should use PLEASE or BARKREQ, since I run
     a SEAdog system.

     Another note:  I have  received  several  notes from Europe, asking
     how these files might be obtained.    I  am  certain that Sirius is
     available  somewhere in Europe, and would appreciate  hearing  from
     anyone in Zone 2 that has either Sirius  or  EGREP  V1.0,  so I can
     refer European inquiries there.  As to ALMANAC.PAK, I will be happy
     to send it to the zonegate (1/2), if he will  make it available for
     request,  or  to  any  other  system (HST) regularly serving Zone 2
     connections.   Just send me a netmail request and I will attach  it
     to you immediately.

     Ain't this grand?

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 10                  20 Mar 1989


     Michael Aikman
     Fido 1:340/12


                              F & Q
                              -----
                  (The Fact & Question of the Q&A)



     Fact:     9 out of 10 Canadians believe Christmas is too
               commercialized.
     Question: "Where are you going to shop for John this year?"

     Fact:     Forty years after the bomb was dropped on
               Hiroshima and Nagasaki birth defects are still
               showing up.
     Question: "Daddy, why do they have Nuke-lear bombs?"

     Fact:     Every year the rich get 15% richer at the
               expense of the poor getting 15% poorer.
     Question: "They can't buy it from anybody else so why
               shouldn't we raise our price?"

     Fact:     Tropical rain forests are permanently destroyed
               or are seriously injured more than any other
               form of vegetation each year; mostly for the
               purpose for the purpose of producing beef for
               the first world countries.
               These forests produce over 70% of the earth's
               oxygen.
     Question: "Hey, John, wanna go grab a burger to eat?"

     Fact:     Television has allowed millions of North
               Americans to see horrors of the third world
               starvation firsthand.
     Question: "Can't you turn that warped starvation
               B.S. off?"

     Fact:     The world has more than enough to feed everyone
               in the world adequetaly but millions of people in
               third world still starve or are malnourished.
     Question: "If you aren't going to eat the rest of it
               then why don't you just throw it out?"

     Fact:     The attitudes we instill in our children
               today are the ones they will still have when it
               comes our time to let tyhem run the future.
     Question: "Mamma, can you get me some G.I. Joe action
               figures for my birthday?"

     Fact:     Of the the 15,000 babies born every hour only
               1 in every 15 will be born in a good enviroment
               with a good genetic background.
     Question: "So you're having your abortion tommorow?"

     FidoNews 6-12                Page 11                  20 Mar 1989


     Fact:     The world is headed for a major period of
               decision making.
     Question: Do you care?

                                           -M.D.A.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 12                  20 Mar 1989


                                    YACK
                      Yet Another Complicated Komment

                            by Steven K. Hoskin
                        ( STEVE HOSKIN at 1:128/31 )

                        Episode 24:  Egg On The Face


     Okay.  I guess we all come to some difficult times in our  lives.
     The  first date.  The first speech.  The first bad grade you have
     to show your parents.  The first time you caused somebody trouble
     and had to say "I'm sorry".  The missed basket or home  run  that
     would've  saved  the  game.  The day you land your airplane at an
     airport and have to ask which one you landed at.

     The day you claim a virus hit your machine and it really didn't.

     Awhile back in YACK 17 I rambled on about my  hard  disk  crashes
     and was convinced,  after moderate examination, that I had become
     the victim of a virus.

     I work in a computer services center at a help desk; a great deal
     of  my  day  is  either  recovering  lost  files  from  disks  or
     confirming/denying  alleged  virus  attacks.   I am well equipped
     (normally)  to unquestionably state that a given situation is not
     a  virus  attack  simply because other evidence clearly indicates
     some other fault.  And so,  after examining  my  disk  after  its
     second  or third crash and finding the root directory and most of
     the FAT of the C: drive scrambled,  I came to the conclusion that
     I  had  actually  been  hit.  Especially when reformatting the D:
     drive, my BBS, seemed to permanently solve the problem on C:.

     Well, okay, permanently for a month.  Then the machine died again
     -- same symptoms as before.  Now wait a minute.

     Well,  I did the (YET AGAIN!!!)  reinstallation of the hard drive
     very  differently  this time.  I was starting to suspect hardware
     and I wasn't very happy with just how  strong  that  new  opinion
     seemed.  Well,  the new approach to setting up the drive seems to
     have solved the problem.  I haven't crashed in two months  (knock
     on wood!) and things seem to be operating just fine.

     As  luck  would  have  it,  of  course,  now that I'm RELIGIOUSLY
     backing up my system it won't fail;  when my backup was weeks  or
     even months old,  of COURSE that's when it died.  Murphy's Law, I
     guess.

     Anyway, the virus scare that I get so disgusted with every day at
     work just bit me in the tail feathers.  Scrambled eggs...

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 13                  20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                           LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
     =================================================================

     From:   Michael Nelson of 143/20.0
     To:     Vince Perriello of 1/1.0
     Subj:   FrontDoor Article

           Hello...   In  the latest FidoNews, there is an article about
     the FrontDoor Mailer.    I wrote that article for our local Net 143
     Newsletter, the NET 143 RAG, about a month ago.

           I was very suprised to see it appear in FidoNews, since I DID
     NOT SUBMIT IT or give permission for it to be published there.

           Please understand that it was originally written for a small,
     local audience.  As such, in  that  article  I encouraged people to
     send me NetMail if they had questions,  and  I also encouraged them
     to freq it from me.

           Since this unauthorized appearance in FN, I am  being deluged
     with file requests for the program from all over North America, and
     people  are  sending me NetMail requesting assistance and advice on
     FrontDoor.  Normally, I am the first to jump in and  help  a fellow
     sysop,  but  I  cannot  AFFORD  ($$$$) to do all this long distance
     assistance on my nickle!!

           I  would  appreciate your help.  #1, I would like to know who
     it was  that  submitted the article.  I have checked within our net
     and nobody will  own  up to it.  I have put a message in the FDECHO
     requesting other FD sysops  to  post  a  message in their local net
     echo areas advising people that the file is available locally, from
     them, and that assistance is available  locally  too.  #2...  since
     this unauthorized appearance in FidoNews has caused  me nothing but
     grief, I would appreciate it if you could  put a notice in the next
     issue,  stating that the article was published in error,  and  that
     the  author  (Me,  Michael  Nelson)  requests  that those requiring
     assistance with  FrontDoor  should contact Joaquim Homrighausen, on
     135/20.

           In any case,  if  you  can't see your way clear to helping me
     with item #2, I  would  really  like  to know who has caused me all
     this trouble, so please let me know where you got the article.

           Thank you very much.....  Michael Nelson

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

     From:   Vince Perriello of 141/491.0
     To:     Michael Nelson of 143/20.0
     Subj:   FrontDoor Article

     I don't know what to  tell  you about who submitted the FD article.
     It was already in Dale's directory  of  to-be-published  items.  It
     was in the form of an article, which means that someone went to the
     effort of doing that.  All I did  was  clean  up  the  ragged  line
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 14                  20 Mar 1989


     breaks  and  frequent  FF  hex  codes  in the file  before  running
     MAKENEWS.

     Future  submissions  to  Fidonews are under my control and will  be
     much more carefully monitored for origin, objectionable content and
     potential legal liabilities,  but  I haven't the $$$ to confirm the
     source of everything Dale  had, nor can we afford to scrap what had
     already been assembled.  I  can  only  assume that the materials he
     had were OK.  Unfortunately, in  this  case,  they  apparently were
     NOT.

     Needless to say, seeing an FD article  there  on  the  eve of a new
     BinkleyTerm  release presented a quandary to me as  to  whether  it
     should be published right away or not.  I  chose  to publish, since
     it had already apparently lain in Dale's area for a  while,  and  I
     wanted to avoid any "favoritism" charges, which could possibly have
     surfaced had I assembled and published an article about BinkleyTerm
     2.10 (which I  had  been  considering).  So I took the path which I
     thought was that of  objective  journalism,  and  got  burned.  I'm
     sorry, first for the grief  I caused you, and second, for not being
     a jerk and putting my own  stuff there -- since doing so would have
     saved you the hassle.

     On the article itself, I differed personally  with  several of your
     points but thought that in general it was a really good piece.  I'd
     like to encourage you to submit future work to  FidoNews.  I assure
     you  that  future work from you will only be published  if  my  log
     shows  that  the  file  actually  was  SENT  by  you.  Third  party
     submissions  will  only  be    allowed    by   explicit  individual
     arrangement;    unsolicited third party  submissions  WILL  NOT  BE
     PUBLISHED.

     I will try to remember to  put  in  a notice at the end of FidoNews
     about Jo being the point of contact  for  FD,  I  know  the cost of
     being "world famous"...  and I don't blame  you  for  being put out
     about the whole thing.  Again, my apologies.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 15                  20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                                  WANTED
     =================================================================


     Christopher Baker
     MetroFire, 1:135/14(0)
     Miami_FL_USA

     If anyone is aware of a shareware or freeware program that
     handles recipe storage, analysis, and conversion to larger
     and smaller sizes, please send Netmail to me at 1:135/14
     and tell me where I can find and obtain such a beast.

     It would be very helpful if the program could take
     ingredient measurements by volume (cups, tsps, etc.) or by
     weight (lbs, ozs, etc.) and convert from one system to
     another.

     I have one program that does nutritional analysis but it
     only stores ingredients not instructions and doesn't
     convert recipe size or measuring methods.

     Maybe this is too much to ask of a shareware program? If
     so, does anyone know of a reasonably priced commercial
     program of this nature? [grin]

     Thanks, in advance, for any info.


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 16                  20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                              LATEST VERSIONS
     =================================================================

                          Latest Software Versions

                           Bulletin Board Software
     Name        Version    Name        Version    Name       Version

     Fido            12k*   Opus          1.03b    TBBS           2.1
     QuickBBS       2.03    TPBoard         5.0    TComm/TCommNet 3.4*
     Lynx           1.22    Phoenix         1.3    RBBS         17.1D


     Network                Node List              Other
     Mailers     Version    Utilities   Version    Utilities  Version

     Dutchie       2.90C*   EditNL         4.00    ARC           6.01*
     SEAdog         4.50*   MakeNL         2.12    ARCmail        2.0*
     BinkleyTerm    2.10*   Prune          1.40    ConfMail      4.00
     D'Bridge       1.18*   XlatList       2.90*   TPB Editor    1.21
     FrontDoor       2.0    XlaxNode       2.32*   TCOMMail       2.1*
     PRENM          1.40    XlaxDiff       2.32*   TMail         8901*
                            ParseList      1.30    UFGATE        1.02*
                                                   GROUP         2.04*
                                                   EMM           1.40
                                                   MSGED         1.99*
                                                   XRS            1.2*

     * Recently changed

     Utility authors:  Please help  keep  this  list  up  to  date  by
     reporting  new  versions  to 1:1/1.  It is not our intent to list
     all utilities here, only those which verge on necessity.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 17                  20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                                  NOTICES
     =================================================================

                          The Interrupt Stack


      8 May 1989
        Digital Equipment Corporations User Society (DECUS) will be
        holding its semi-annual symposium in Atlanta, GA. Runs
        through May 12. As usual sysop's will get together and chat.

     19 May 1989
        Start of EuroCon III at Eindhoven, The Netherlands

     24 Aug 1989
        Voyager 2 passes Neptune.

     24 Aug 1989
          FidoCon '89 starts at the Holiday Inn in San Jose,
          California.  Trade show, seminars, etc. Contact 1/89
          for info.

      5 Oct 1989
        20th Anniversary of "Monty Python's Flying Circus"

     If you have something which you would like to see on this
     calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1:1/1.

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


     Christopher Baker
     MetroFire, 1:135/14(0)

                   An Echo whose Time has Come:
                    The FidoNet Democracy Echo

     This is to announce the formation and operation of a
     new, NON-Backbone Echo conference called DEMOCRACY.

     The purpose of this Echo is to discuss the best way to
     implement a fully representative democracy within FidoNet.

     This is not a *C bashing area. This is not a place to keep
     saying 'You can't do this.", "Democracy in FidoNet is
     impossible.", or "You are preaching treason and will be
     excommunciated."

     This area is for rational discussion and debate on HOW we
     will make FidoNet democratic not IF we will.

     When you enter this Echo and participate, you accept the
     premise that making FidoNet fully representative is a
     foregone conclusion and your purpose here is to discover
     HOW it will be done and WHEN it will be done.
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 18                  20 Mar 1989


     Personal attacks of any kind will not be tolerated. Name
     calling, libelous or slanderous pronouncements, deliberate
     distortion of facts or insertion of misinformation will not
     be tolerated. This Echo is not going to be allowed to
     degenerate into a shouting match or an ego contest.

     All are welcome and encouraged to make constructive comments
     and to offer solutions. We all know what the problems are.
     There is no sense in belaboring the problems beyond some
     initial outlines. Don't play the "Yes, but..." game. Devil's
     advocacy should be confined to constructive illustration of
     discussion topics and not an excuse for forensic debate.
     This is not a college course. This is living, breathing
     FidoNet. Everyone will be encouraged to use their common
     sense and to offer well thought out plans of action.

     At present, you may link into DEMOCRACY at 1:135/14,
     1:135/10, or 1:133/302. DEMOCRACY is being co-moderated by
     Steve Antonoff and yours truly. The Echo is open to anyone
     with a REAL interest in the goals stated above and the
     intent to observe the simple conference guidelines.
     Alternate Network links may be established as required or
     requested. The FidoNet, EggNet and AlterNet Nodelists are
     maintained at this system. Other Networks may be supported
     at other systems linking in.

     That said, let's get started! [grin]

     Thanks, for your attention.


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


     Christopher Baker
     MetroFire, 1:135/14(0)
     Miami_FL_USA

                        A NEW Fire Service Related Echo

     This is to announce (or remind you of) a new, NON-Backbone
     Echo conference called FHCOOK.

     The FireHouse Cooking Echo is originated at MetroFire,
     1:135/14, operated by the Metro-Dade County Fire & Rescue
     Department in Miami_FL. Anyone who wishes to link into
     this Echo is welcome to send NetMail to 1:135/14 for a
     connection. It is also available on the FireNet Leader at
     1:128/16 in Colorado Springs_CO and probably a few more
     distribution points; hopefully AROUND the world!  (There are
     Firehouses everywhere are there not?)

     What's different about Firehouse Cooking that should require
     a separate, cooking-type Echo, you ask? Well, I'll tell
     you [grin].

     FidoNews 6-12                Page 19                  20 Mar 1989


     First off, FireHouse cooks are some of the most accomplished
     improvisational cooks around. This is sometimes due to
     necessity and sometimes due to having ALL those guinea pigs
     to experiment on at the station [evil grin]. Second, cooking
     for an entire station full of people requires LARGE amounts
     of everything and major adjustments not normally needed for
     a family size meal. Get the idea?

     So, this Echo is for REALLY BIG recipes (serving ten or
     more), FireHouse cooking trade secrets, and anything related
     to getting the chow on the table from planning and
     purchasing to prepping and preparing to consuming and
     cleaning up [grin]. Anecdotes related to any of the above
     are also welcome. We may have some contests over chili,
     barbeque sauce, and the other things FireHouse cooks
     consider their personal domain. We'll also hear from the
     smallest meals (in the really rural stations) to the biggest
     ones (airport stations come to mind).

     That being said, this Echo is open to anyone who wants to
     talk FireHouse cuisine, who wants to keep it friendly, and
     who wants to make contact with other Fire/Rescue Service
     types or big eaters [grin]. Arguments about whose chili is
     best are okay so long as they do not become violent or
     abusive [wider grin].

     This is a Moderated Echo and I am the Moderator. I'll only
     have to put my Moderator Hat on if somebody gets WAY out of
     line (which I don't expect to happen but you know Echos).

     Got it? All set? Okay, let's go!

     FireNet East Coast Hub
     FireHouse Cooking Host and Moderator
     MetroFire, 1:135/14, 1-305-596-8611, Miami_FL_USA


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

     Announcing a new Backbone Echomail Conference--- THI_CVA


     PURPOSE:   The  purpose  of  this  conference is to provide for the
     discussion of Traumatic  Head  Injuries, Cerebrovascular Accidents,
     and other related Intracranial  Malformations.    It  is hoped that
     this conference will provide a  clearing  house  for information on
     the above topics, on facilities that specialize in the treatment of
     Intracranial  problems,  and  most  importantly a conference  where
     victims and their families can meet to discuss  problems, concerns,
     and successes.  An electronic international support group.


     CONFERENCE RULES:  This is a Fidonet Echomail Backbone  Conference,
     however  participation  by  networks  other  than Fidonet is highly
     encouraged.  The basic rules are simple.

     FidoNews 6-12                Page 20                  20 Mar 1989


     1) If  you  distribute this conference to another system, please do
     everything in your  power  to  assure  that  no duplicate links are
     created.

     2) The purpose of this conference is to help and support, therefore
     no FLAMING of any sort will be tolerated.

     3)  The  discussions  WILL  remain  on topic.    The  moderator  or
     co-moderators will be the judge/judges as to whether  a  message is
     on topic or not.


     MODERATOR:        This  conference  was  started  by  Butch  Walker
     (1:161/1&2).   The  current moderators are:  Butch Walker - 161/1 -
     Data - 415-672-2504 or 415-672-9408 Susan Beck - 346/1


     Why is this conference being formed?


     When I was  a  teenager  my  grandfather  suffered  a stroke.  That
     didn't mean much to  me  at the time other than it was tougher as a
     kid to be at my  grandparents home.  When I was in college a friend
     of my mother's suffered a stroke,  again not much meaning, I really
     didn't know the lady.  Several years  ago,  another  friend  of the
     family had a THI, but she was a  thousand  miles  away and I wasn't
     there  to  see  the  pain, suffering and frustration, so  again  it
     really didn't hit home.

     On January 24th of this year, everything became more clear and very
     personal.    My  wife  Ellen  (who  will  be  participating in this
     conference) suffered  a  brain hemorrhage caused by a Arteriovenous
     Malformation.  Unlike  those  listed  above,  she was only 29 years
     old.  Talk about reshaping your concept of reality.

     Since that time, Ellen  has  spent  time in 4 different facilities,
     had a 5 1/2 hour  brain  surgery, gone through weeks when she could
     not move her limbs on her  left  side,  nor  talk  coherently,  nor
     remember  from  one  moment  to  the  next   what  was  just  said.
     Thankfully she has made a great deal of progress.

     For me, the most frustrating part of the  ordeal  was  the  lack of
     information,  and  the  lack  of  people  to  talk  with  that  had
     experienced  something  similar.    I  am  hoping that through this
     conference, someone,  sometime  will  not feel the same frustration
     that Ellen, I, and our families have felt.

     We look forward to your participation.

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

     FidoNews 6-12                Page 21                  20 Mar 1989


     =================================================================
                                  REPORTS
     =================================================================


            From The St. Louis IFNA Board of Directors Meeting:
                             FidoNews Policies

                        by Mort Sternheim, 321/109
                           Chairman of the Board
                     International FidoNet Association

     This article is mostly about the FidoNews policies adopted at the
     IFNA Board of Directors meeting held February 17-19th in St.
     Louis.  However, let me first introduce myself.  I replaced Hal
     DuPrie as an at-large member of the Board in December, 1988 and
     was elected Chairman of the Board at the St. Louis meeting.  In
     fact, looking at the list of IFNA officers at the end of this
     FidoNews issue, you'll see a lot of new names, or at least old
     names in new slots.  That's at least part of the reason that it
     is taking a bit longer to report on the meeting than we'd like.

     Although I'm new to the IFNA Board and also to the position of
     Chair, I am not new to FidoNet.  As a FidoNet sysop for nearly
     four years, I'm not one of the first pioneers, but rather an
     early settler.  If you read the Educator, Science, or Physics
     echoes, you may have seen the not-so-profound remarks entered by
     me as Mort sysop.  I'm a Net Coordinator, Net Echomail
     Coordinator, SDS and SDN point sysop, etc., and I organized two
     successful regional sysop conferences.  I run a users group bbs
     as well as one for teachers.  Unlike many sysops, I'm a
     physicist, not a computer professional, but I've been using
     computers in my work since before FORTRAN (ugh!) was developed.

     Now let's get back to the FidoNews policy question.  In St.
     Louis, we had extensive discussions of FidoNews policy matters.
     At the request of the IFNA Board, Publications Committee Chair
     Rick Siegel had invited FidoNews readers to send him netmail
     comments on whether FidoNews should limit the range of materials
     printed.  Rick submitted a written report to the Board which
     indicated that over 80 percent of those who accepted his
     invitation favored an open Editorial policy.  This was a self-
     selected group of responders, not a random sample or Gallup Poll
     survey of FidoNet sysops, but nevertheless we believe that the
     tally does reflect the prevailing desires of those who read
     FidoNews.  Hence the Board rejected any suggestion of limiting
     the scope of the material published.

     However, the Board did enact two rules concerning FidoNews
     submissions.  They are as follows:

     1.  All submissions must include the real name and electronic
     mail or postal address of the submitter.

     2.  Articles with any illegal content, or that may include
     language that may be considered obscene or libelous, or may be in
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 22                  20 Mar 1989


     conflict with copyright laws shall be rejected for publication by
     the Editor.  Anything that the Editor chooses to not publish is
     subject to review by the Publications Committee and, on appeal by
     the submitter, to the Executive Committee of IFNA.

     Rule number 1 means that the submitter - who need not be the
     author - has to tell the Editor who he/she is.  That means that
     the Editor has the opportunity to verify the authorship if there
     is any doubt about the source of the article, or to discuss the
     material if there are questions about it.  It does not mean the
     Editor will publish the submitter's name if he/she wishes it
     withheld, but anonymous contributions will no longer be accepted.
     It also enable the Editor to contact the submitter if there is a
     need to discuss questions relating to rule 2.

     Rule 2 is intended to protect all of us - the Editor, IFNA
     officers, the RC's and NC's who distribute FidoNews, sysops, etc.
     - from the possible legal repercussions of including articles in
     violation of the laws.   No disclaimer posted in FidoNews nor in
     any other publication will stand up in court if anyone with deep
     pockets cares to sue over a libelous article or one that violates
     copyright laws.  For example, no matter how noble our intentions,
     we cannot publish copyrighted material without permission.  Also,
     FidoNews is not the Humor or Flame echo, and the type of language
     contained in it ought to reflect the fact that FidoNews is
     available to a wide range of readership, and that it is
     distributed in many countries where sysops can run into serious
     legal problems with local obscenity laws.  In short, FidoNews is
     the official publication of IFNA, and we are legally  responsible
     for its contents.

     Under the policies in effect until now, the Editor could let
     FidoNews go to press completely automatically - untouched by
     human hands, if you will.  Run from a batch file, the MakeNews
     program can produce a newsletter from articles submitted in a
     given format without any help from the Editor.  This will no
     longer be possible under our new rules; the Editor or an
     assistant will have to review everything.  However, we are not
     trying to make the job of FidoNews Editor overly burdensome.

     The point of the Board is that REASONABLE STEPS should be taken
     to ensure that we are not entertaining serious liability, nor
     creating situations which would be untenable for those in other
     locales regarding content.  Every article has to have a source,
     recorded in some private file of the Editor if not in the article
     itself.  Must the Editor personally verify every single
     submittal?  Is that reasonable - considering the salary?  No, the
     Editor should spot check and generally make sure that all seems
     OK.  If anything looks dubious, the Editor should look into it,
     communicate with the submitter about possible changes, and
     ultimately decide to withhold the article from publication if
     that seems best.  In those cases, however, the Publications
     Committee is to review the article and make a "final"
     determination regarding publication.  "Final" is in quotes
     because the author only may appeal the Publications Committee
     decision.  In such a case, the Executive Committee acts as the
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 23                  20 Mar 1989


     Supreme Court and can override the earlier Publications Committee
     decision and cause something to be published.

     In sum, it is the hope of the Board that establishing standards
     for articles will enable FidoNews to become a more positive
     force, attracting an increasing readership and a playing a
     greater role in the FidoNet community.

     I'd like to thank Don Daniels and David Drexler for helping to
     draft the policies we have adopted and the language clarifying
     their intent.  Even more importantly, I want to acknowledge the
     contributions of Dale Lovell, who has resigned as FidoNews
     Editor.  He has produced an issue every week without fail for the
     better part of two years.  Many voluntary organizations have
     trouble getting out a monthly newsletter, so this is indeed a
     remarkable accomplishment!  Vince Perriello, who is well known in
     the FidoNet community, has assumed the Editorship.  Let's all
     help him by sending him the articles he needs do an outstanding
     job.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 24                  20 Mar 1989


            OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION

     Mort Sternheim 1:321/109  Chairman of the Board
     Bob Rudolph    1:261/628  President
     Matt Whelan    3:3/1      Vice President
     Bill Bolton    3:711/403  Vice President-Technical Coordinator
     Linda Grennan  1:147/1    Secretary
     Kris Veitch    1:147/30   Treasurer


            IFNA COMMITTEE AND BOARD CHAIRS

     Administration and Finance     Mark Grennan    1:147/1
     Board of Directors             Mort Sternheim  1:321/109
     Bylaws                         Don Daniels     1:107/210
     Ethics                         Ivan Schaffel   1:141/390
     Executive Committee            Bob Rudolph     1:261/628
     International Affairs          Rob Gonsalves   2:500/1
     Membership Services            David Drexler   1:147/1
     Nominations & Elections        David Melnick   1:107/233
     Public Affairs                 David Drexler   1:147/1
     Publications                   Rick Siegel     1:107/27
     Security & Individual Rights   Jim Cannell     1:143/21
     Technical Standards            Rick Moore      1:115/333


                      IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

         DIVISION                               AT-LARGE

     10  Courtney Harris   1:130/732    Don Daniels     1:107/210
     11  Bill Allbritten   1:11/301     Mort Sternheim  1:321/109
     12  Bill Bolton       3:54/61      Mark Grennan    1:147/1
     13  Irene Henderson   1:107/9       (vacant)
     14  Ken Kaplan        1:100/22     Ted Polczyinski 1:154/5
     15  Scott Miller      1:128/12     Matt Whelan     3:54/99
     16  Ivan Schaffel     1:141/390    Robert Rudolph  1:261/628
     17  Neal Curtin       1:343/1      Steve Jordan    1:206/2871
     18  Andrew Adler      1:135/47     Kris Veitch     1:147/30
     19  David Drexler     1:147/1       (vacant)
      2  Henk Wevers       2:500/1      David Melnik    1:107/233

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-12                Page 25                  20 Mar 1989


                                      __
                 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
                   PO Box 41143
                   St Louis, Missouri 63141
                   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 second elected Board of Directors
     was filled in August 1988.  The IFNA Echomail Conference has been
     established on FidoNet to assist the Board.  We welcome your
     input to this Conference.

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