     Volume 6, Number 49                               4 December 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
     
     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 submitted  by  a  FidoNet SysOp will be rejected if it is
     properly attributed and  legally  acceptable.    We  will publish
     every responsible submission received.


                        Table of Contents
     1. EDITORIAL  ................................................  1
        Well, it's finally over  ..................................  1
     2. ARTICLES  .................................................  2
        User Convicted of Destroying Data Faces 15 Years  .........  2
        A Reply to Bob Moravsik  ..................................  4
        Come to FidoCon 1990!  ....................................  7
     3. LATEST VERSIONS  ..........................................  9
        Latest Software Versions  .................................  9
     4. NOTICES  .................................................. 12
        The Interrupt Stack  ...................................... 12
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 1                    4 Dec 1989


     =================================================================
                                 EDITORIAL
     =================================================================


     I'm really pleased to mark the end of the Great IFNA Election
     Campaign. Friday, December 1, was the final voting deadline.
     From what I have seen thus far, an awful lot more people, both in
     terms of raw numbers and percentage of the net as a whole, voted
     in this election than in the original one, a few years back.

     This is probably due mostly to the fact that the FidoNet
     Coordinators were so heavily involved in conducting the election,
     and that ballots were cast using electronic mail rather than
     "real" mail. Last time, not enough people felt strongly enough to
     buy a stamp. This time, there certainly were strong feelings. I
     feel that these emotions also contributed to the final turnout.

     Now we have to get on with things. Whether IFNA gets its fifty
     percent or not, it's time to bury the hatchet, folks. And not in
     each other. Let's clean up the burst bubbles and useless confetti
     and good intentions and bad karma and get back to the business at
     hand. It's time to get back to promoting the free exchange of
     information.That's the underlying reason for FidoNet anyway,
     isn't it?

     Try something novel. The next time you wade through your
     conference mail (of whatever flavor) and you come upon some
     postings from somebody you've really pegged as useless -- give
     that person a break for once. Try to reverse your roles. Look
     past the rhetoric and really do your best to see things from
     their perspective. Even if you find that you can't, try to be
     tolerant of their views. Ask questions of them. Maybe you're just
     missing one strand in the entire fabric.

     We're all in this boat together. Let's all work the oars instead
     of arguing over who needs to be tossed overboard.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 2                    4 Dec 1989


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

     User Convicted of Destroying Data - Faces Fifteen Years

     by Phil Buonomo, 1:107/583@FidoNet 520/583@AlterNet

     According to an article in the November 27th issue of PC Week,
     Richard March reports that Marshall Williams, a former cost
     estimator for Southeastern Color Lithographers Inc., was
     convicted on November 16th of using his former employers
     computer network to destroy billing and accounting data AND
     backup copies of that data, worth an estimated $400,000.00 in
     lost business and downtime.

     Williams, who faces up to 15 years in prison for his conviction,
     maintains that he knew nothing about the Athens printing firms
     XENIX operating system, and therefore could not have issued the
     commands to remove files from his terminal, despite the fact
     that a computer detection program written by Tim Plotner, a
     programming consultant for Computer Connection Inc. in
     Clarkesville Ga., traced the commands to Williams' terminal.

     A witness for the prosecution testified that Williams was at his
     terminal at least one time that the detection program traced the
     commands there.  According to prosecutor Steve Jones, Williams
     motivation was "the pleasure of messing up the company."

     Those familiar with computer law feel that the conviction has
     broad implications for users of computer network system.
     According to this ruling, users who delete data can be
     prosecuted, whether such erasure was accidental or not.  Since
     this is the first case were an employer was forced to prove that
     a defendant was "computer-knowledgeable", this case also
     challenges the legal defense of technical ignorance.

     Since this case introduced evidence created by a computer (the
     tracing data), it also raises the possibility that users of
     these networks could be framed.

     Plotner claimed that the possibility of someone modifying his
     program to frame Williams was far fetched because none of
     William's co-workers knew about it.  But, Plotner added,
     tampering would have been possible if someone knew the program
     was installed and was familiar with the operating system.

     He also made it clear that the program only identified the
     terminal used to issued the removal commands, not the user
     himself.  He said "We have been very careful here.  We are not
     accusing Marshall Williams of doing something."

     FidoNews 6-49                Page 3                    4 Dec 1989


     Williams said last week, "I want everyone who uses a computer to
     know about this.  It's a bad dream."

     Further discussions on this topic can be found in the SYSLAW
     Groupmail conference, available at 1:107/583@FidoNet.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 4                    4 Dec 1989


     A Reply to Bob Moravsik

     by John Knox, 147/7

      * Originally to Bob Moravsik in area SYSOP

     I've been resisting reply this for weeks.  I just can't handle
     anymore.  I'm sick of your GONGS and every other attempt by you
     to totally destroy the FidoNet we know today or that we might
     have tomorrow.  Your article in FidoNews made me almost throw
     up.

     I only have a few things to say:

     WHAT small godforsaken rock did you crawl out from under?  I've
     been in FidoNet for 5 years and to this day I've never seen
     ANYBODY come up will more crap than you have.  Not even the
     Rouster.  Compared to him, you are anybody's worst nightmare.
     Compared to you, he is made of gold.  At least he provided
     positive input sometimes.  I have yet to see that from you.

     You have done more to destroy this net in the past few months
     than I've done in 5 years to promote it, and believe me, I've
     pushed it almost every day.  Oh, you wonder where I've been the
     last few months?  Helping people, like I always do.  I have had
     no desire to participate in the battles being fought, since they
     are meaningless and a waste of my time.  I can do more by
     helping people than fighting with them.  I've run our net as NC,
     I distribute echos as NEC, not to mention doing whatever else I
     can to help any sysop in need.  But I will not fight with people
     who are totally insane.  It is just pointless.

     Most of your remarks about Deathnet are totally incorrect and
     inconceivable.  I have conversed with Thom, Fabian and Phil for
     only the past year, but I met them for the first time at
     FidoCon, and they are NOT bad guys.  They have an idea that
     could promote this net far into the future.  Unfortunately it's
     the people like you who spoil the fun for everybody else.  You
     have NOTHING positive to say about anything, only negative.  If
     you are so damn smart, why don't you come up with a solution,
     instead of whimpering about everything.  All you do is promote
     general discontent and anger, which we DON'T need at the current
     time.

     FidoNet started as a group of people with an idea to promote
     communications and to form a network.  Back in 1985 when I
     joined, there were only 400 nodes and not many hassles to worry
     about.  Everybody was excited about this amazing new concept,
     and we all worked our asses off to help each other out and make
     the net florish, because we supported the concept.  As the years
     went on, more and more people joined, not knowing really why
     they were joining, but just to get on the bandwagon.  The more
     people we got, the harder it was for everyone to agree on
     everything, but we still tried.  Notice the word "tried".  Have
     you done that lately?

     FidoNews 6-49                Page 5                    4 Dec 1989


     IFNA was formed to attempt to provide some backbone, support and
     leadership for the net.  Unfortunately, a few things went
     slightly wrong and suddenly it was the FidoNet flame for months
     to come.  The net wanted somebody to lead us, but then they
     screamed because they weren't the ones leading.  There were too
     many people wanting to be chiefs and not enough normal Indians.
     Everybody wanted to be President, but nobody wanted to be the
     blue collar worker.

     Today, we are in that same situation, but compounded tenfold.
     More widespread personalities, more people wanting control, and
     more people with gripes and complaints but no solutions.  Have
     you ever proposed a solution?  If so, I have never seen it, and
     believe me, I've seen every one of your messages for the past
     few months in this echo and many others.

     FidoNet is a concept.  Without some leadership, the concept will
     die a bloody death.  Without followers, there can be no
     leadership.  If everybody wants to be a leader, there are no
     followers...just leaders arguing over who will be the "top"
     leader.  That isn't a concept, it's a war just like the many
     this earth has already endured.  Why do we need another war?

     Last few personal comments:

     In the past year, I have seen this net turn into one thing, and
     one thing only...a huge playground with hundreds of little kids
     running around starting fights and calling people names.  This
     is exactly the scenario I see from my point of view.  There are
     the few of us who stand back and stay out of the "games" because
     we have better things to do than petty bickering.  I just wish
     there were more like our minority.

     Oh yeah...you keep griping about the FidoCon IFNA votes and
     such.  You know where they are?  Right here on this machine,
     safe from people like you who would only use them to start some
     other battle.  I suppose you will flame me for that.  I'm ready
     for it.  It's called DEV>NUL.

     As acting secretary of IFNA at the Bod meeting, I watched the
     votes tallied.  I approved the proxies and I oversaw then
     general agenda.  I also sat through many many hours of Bod
     meetings watching a group of people with a fantastic concept.  I
     took the minutes.  I didn't say a word, because the Secretary
     can't vote.  Nobody influenced me in any way.  I didn't even
     know most of these people.  I was an innocent bystander.  I
     watched 20 people work their asses off and dedicate an entire
     weekend to form the ballot we are voting on now.  Less than half
     were what you call DeathNet.  The other half may not have
     originally liked the DeathNetters, but they supported their
     concept.  That concept is DEMOCRACY.  Call it what you want, but
     it is the ONLY thing that will keep FidoNet together today,
     tomorrow and far into the future.  Call me whatever you want,
     but I know I'm right and you're not.  That's all that matters.

     FidoNews 6-49                Page 6                    4 Dec 1989


     I can tell you that each one of the people at those meetings
     have a GENUINE desire to make FidoNet grow and florish for the
     people of the world.  They have NO DESIRE WHATSOEVER to "take
     over", "rule the net" and do the so many other things you keep
     accusing them of.  The people there were ones who have been in
     the net for years.  They are the ones who have formed this net,
     along with many others like myself.  None of us have any desire
     to "rule" or "take over" FidoNet.  If we did, we would and could
     have probably done it long ago.  There is no benefit to ruling.
     We want to PEOPLE of FidoNet to rule it.  Isn't that what a
     democracy is?

     Oh, and one last thing.  If I were the host of the FidoNet Gong
     Show, and if you ever showed your face on stage, I would break
     at least 10 gong mallets and make numerous dents in the gong
     itself for the non-class act you have performed.  You wouldn't
     last 10 seconds before you'd be gonged off the stage.  I'm sick
     of your gongs, I'm sick of your attitude, and I'm sick of your
     whining.  If you want something done, then DO IT, but stop
     calling names and defacing people when you don't even know most
     of what you are talking about.

     There.  I've said my peace.  It probably won't do any good,
     since obviously things go in one side of your head and
     immediately out the other side.  Of course with nothing in
     between, what's to stop them.

     To Butch: I sincerely apologize for this outburst, but I was
     just about to explode.  Don't worry about removing me from this
     echo.  I'm gone.  I have been here, participating only
     occasionally but basically in the background for 2 years, and
     there is just no point in staying when there are all the people
     like Bob M to contend with.

     To everybody else:  I apologize to you too.  You shouldn't have
     to read this kind of stuff.  We should be here talking about
     constructive things instead of wasting our time arguing.
     Ah...the old days when we used to help each other instead of
     attempting to behead each other.  Those were the good old days.

     I wish you all luck in your battle.  I have made my  YES  vote.
     I know what I want in FidoNet.  I only wish other people could
     have the same positive outlook and see it the same way.

     Cheers to you all!

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 7                    4 Dec 1989


     Come to FidoCon 1990!

     by Jim Vaughan, 1:226/300, IFNA Membership Services Committee

     Well, the tabulations are in, and we've made a decision.

     FidoCon 1990 is hereby awarded to:

     Net 107, New York/New Jersey MetroNet!

     The decision was rather easy, actually.  Since announcing that
     we were accepting bids for next year's FidoCon back in October
     (right here in FidoNews), we only received two bids, one for New
     Jersey (less than a week after the announcement), and one for
     Colorado Springs.

     While the guys in Colorado did a great job (and a big THANKS for
     their submission!), there were several good reasons for holding
     FidoCon in Net 107.

     o Net 107's proposal was more cost efficient.  On a per day
     basis, their proposal was the most inexpensive in at least the
     three years.

     o Recent FidoCons have been in San Jose, CA; Cincinnati, OH;
     Arlington, VA; and originally, Colorado.  As you can see,
     there's never been a FidoCon in the Northeast, while virtually
     every other area of the US has had one.

     o Net 107's proposal listed a number of activities that were
     designed around making the conference one worthy of being a
     family vacation as well as just a sysops conference.

     o Colorado's already had a FidoCon.  While widely acclaimed as
     the 'best' FidoCon, it seemed unfair not to give someone else a
     crack at it.

     As you can see, there were several good reasons for awarding it
     to Net 107, and a good reason NOT to give it to Colorado, so the
     choice was really simple.  It might not have been so simple if
     there were more proposals submitted, but it seems that there
     just aren't that many people willing to do the work.  The Net
     107 proposal made it quite clear that they have the manpower,
     the drive, and the financial know-how to pull off the next
     conference.

     I'm sure there'll be lots of folks who'll claim that "DEATHNET
     STOLE FIDOCON". For those of you who feel that way, all I can
     say is,

     "Hey, man, where was YOUR proposal?"  ;-)

     FidoNews 6-49                Page 8                    4 Dec 1989


     In the next few weeks you'll probably be hearing from Bill
     VanGlahn, the Net 107 FidoCon committee chairman, on how to go
     about registering, activities, lectures, etc.  Node 1/90 in zone
     1 is available for information, and will soon be changed to
     Bill's system.

     Well, if I can get up the bucks to make it to New Jersey from
     Ohio, I hope to see you ALL there next year!

     Jim

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 9                    4 Dec 1989


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

                          Latest Software Versions

                               MS-DOS Systems
                               --------------

                           Bulletin Board Software
     Name        Version    Name        Version    Name       Version

     Fido            12q+   Phoenix         1.3    TBBS           2.1
     Lynx           1.30    QuickBBS       2.04    TComm/TCommNet 3.4
     Kitten         2.16    RBBS          17.2B    TPBoard        6.0
     Opus          1.03b+   RBBSmail       17.2    Wildcat!     2.00P


     Network                Node List              Other
     Mailers     Version    Utilities   Version    Utilities  Version

     BinkleyTerm    2.30    EditNL         4.00    ARC           6.02
     D'Bridge       1.21    MakeNL         2.20    ARCA05        2.01
     Dutchie       2.90C    ParseList      1.30    ARCmail        2.0
     FrontDoor       2.0    Prune          1.40    ConfMail      4.00
     PRENM          1.47    SysNL          2.65    EMM           2.02
     SEAdog        4.51b    XlatList       2.90    Gmail         2.01
                            XlaxDiff       2.32    GROUP         2.16
                            XlaxNode       2.32    GUS          1.20M
                                                   LHARC         1.13
                                                   MSG            4.0
                                                   MSGED         1.99
                                                   PK[UN]ZIP     1.02*
                                                   QM             1.0
                                                   QSORT         4.03
                                                   StarLink      1.01
                                                   TCOMMail       2.2
                                                   TMail         1.12
                                                   TPBNetEd       3.2
                                                   UFGATE        1.03
                                                   XRS            3.0
                                                   ZmailQ        1.09

                                 Macintosh
                                 ---------

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     Red Ryder Host   v2.1b3   Macpoint     0.91*  MacArc        0.04
     Mansion            7.12   Tabby         2.1   ArcMac         1.3
     WWIV (Mac)          3.0                       StuffIt       1.51
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 10                   4 Dec 1989


                                                   TImport      1.331
                                                   TExport       1.32
                                                   Timestamp      1.6
                                                   Tset           1.3
                                                   Timestart      1.1
                                                   Tally          1.1
                                                   Mehitabel      1.2
                                                   Archie        1.60
                                                   Jennifer   0.25b2g
                                                   Numberizer    1.5c
                                                   MessageEdit    1.0
                                                   Mantissa       1.0
                                                   PreStamp      2.01
                                                   R.PreStamp    2.01
                                                   Saphire       2.1t
                                                   Epistle II    1.01
                                                   Import        2.52
                                                   Export        2.54
                                                   Sundial        2.1
                                                   AreaFix        1.1
                                                   Probe        0.052
                                                   Terminator     1.1
                                                   TMM           4.0b
                                                   UNZIP         1.01*
                                   Amiga
                                   -----

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     Paragon            2.00+* BinkleyTerm  1.00   AmigArc       0.23
                               TrapDoor     1.11   booz          1.01
                               WelMat       0.35*  ConfMail      1.10
                                                   ChameleonEdit 0.10
                                                   Lharc         1.00*
                                                   ParseLst      1.30
                                                   PkAX          1.00
                                                   RMB           1.30
                                                   UNzip         0.86
                                                   Zoo           2.00


                                    Atari ST
                                    --------

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailer      Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     FIDO/FoReM Door    1.1*   BinkleyTerm 1.03g   ConfMail      1.00
     Pandora BBS        2.41c* The BOX     1.10*   ParseList     1.30
     QuickBBS/ST        0.40*                      ARC           5.21
     GS Point           0.61                       TurboArc       1.1
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 11                   4 Dec 1989


                                                   LHARC         0.40
                                                   PKUNZIP       1.00
                                                   MSGED        1.96S
                                                   SRENUM         6.2
                                                   OMMM          1.40*
                                                   Timestop      1.00


     + Netmail capable (does not require additional mailer software)
     * 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 6-49                Page 12                   4 Dec 1989


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

                          The Interrupt Stack


     11 Dec 1989
        Deadline for local IFNA vote tally challenges

     15 Dec 1989
        Network Coordinators report votes in IFNA plebiscite to
        Regional Coordinators

     18 Dec 1989
        Regional Coordinators report votes in IFNA plebiscite
        to Zone Coordinators

     22 Dec 1989
        IFNA plebiscite results posted in NODELIST.356

     30 Dec 1989
        Telephone area codes (5, 3 and 0) are abolished in Hong Kong

      1 Feb 1990
        Deadline for IFNA Policy and Bylaws election

      5 Jun 1990
        David Dodell's 33rd Birthday

      5 Oct 1990
        21st 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.

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

     FidoNews 6-49                Page 13                   4 Dec 1989


             OFFICERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FIDONET ASSOCIATION

     Thom Henderson 1:107/528  Chairman of the Board
     Les Kooyman    1:204/501  President
     Fabian Gordon  1:107/323  Vice President
     Bill Bolton    3:3/0      Vice President-Technical Coordinator
     Kris Veitch    1:147/30   Secretary
     Kris Veitch    1:147/30   Treasurer


                      IFNA COMMITTEE AND BOARD CHAIRS

     Administration and Finance   *
     By-laws and Rules            John Roberts     1:385/49
     Executive Committee (Pres)   Les Kooyman      1:204/501
     International Affairs        *
     Membership Services          Jim Vaughan      1:226/300
     Nominations and Elections    Steve Bonine     1:1/0
     Public Affairs               David Drexler    1:147/30.20
     Publications                 Irene Henderson  1:107/9
     Technical Standards          Rick Moore       1:115/333
     Ethics                       *
     Security and Privacy         *
     Grievances                   *

         * Position in abeyance pending reorganization


                          IFNA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

        DIVISION                               AT-LARGE
     10 Courtney Harris  1:102/732   Don Daniels      1:107/210
     11 John Rafuse      1:12/900    Phil Buonomo     1:107/583
     12 Bill Bolton      3:711/403   Mark Hawthorne   1:107/238
     13 Fabian Gordon    1:107/323   Tom Jennings     1:125/111
     14 Ken Kaplan       1:100/22    Irene Henderson  1:107/509
     15 Kevin McNeil     1:128/45    Steve Jordan     1:206/2871
     16 Ivan Schaffel    1:141/390   Robert Rudolph   1:261/628
     17 Kathi Crockett   1:134/30    Dave Melnik      1:107/233
     18 Andrew Adler     1:135/47    Jim Hruby        1:107/536
     19 Kris Veitch      1:147/30    Burt Juda        1:107/528
      2 Henk Wevers      2:500/1     Karl Schinke     1:107/516
      3 Matt Whelan      3:54/99     John Roberts     1:147/14

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-49                Page 14                   4 Dec 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.

     FidoNews 6-49                Page 15                   4 Dec 1989


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