     Volume 6, Number 50                              11 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. ARTICLES  .................................................  1
        Announcing: SysNL v3.01  ..................................  1
     2. COLUMNS  ..................................................  4
        Idle Jottings From Zone 2  ................................  4
     3. LATEST VERSIONS  ..........................................  7
        Latest Software Versions  .................................  7
     4. NOTICES  .................................................. 10
        The Interrupt Stack  ...................................... 10
     FidoNews 6-50                Page 1                   11 Dec 1989


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

                          Announcing: SysNL v3.01

           "The fastest nodelist utility on the planet, period."

      Constellation Software, 1:250/714.0@FidoNet, 89:480/210.0@Imex

     With the FidoNet nodelist hitting almost half a meg, it is taking
     longer and longer  to  process  the  darn  thing.    Saving a few
     seconds here and there  is  all  you  used  get  if  you switched
     processors.  I'd like to present a viable alternative.

     To get you to switch  compilers,  you want something that makes a
     REAL  difference in your compilation time.    From  what  I  have
     heard, Scott Samet's XlaxNode is the fastest  around here.  Could
     I get you to switch to a compiler if it was FOUR TIMES AS FAST AS
     XLAXNODE?  Or maybe SIX times as fast as  ParseLst...?  TEN TIMES
     AS FAST AS XLATLIST?

     Then  I'd  like  to  introduce  you  to  SysNL  v3.01.   Nodelist
     processing in the modern age.

     SysNL  is optimised for speed.  A lot of frills have  been  taken
     out of the code.  It is small, and tight.  SysNL  uses  more  ASM
     code than any  other  compiler,  and  all the high-level language
     code in it has been written with speed in mind.

     SysNL can compile QuickBBS  and Version 5 nodelists from either a
     raw  St.    Louis  nodelist  file,  or  from  a  NodeList.Bbs/Fon
     combination.      SysNL  can  also  create    NodeList.Bbs    and
     Nodelist.Fon.  SysNL is also the most accurate Version 6 compiler
     around.  It is the only processor to support the most recent Opus
     v1.1x Version 6 ZMH flags.  ParseLst does not.

     SysNL v3.01 is also the only nodelist compiler that  supports the
     SEAdog<tm> v4.51  nodelist.    ParseLst  does not.  XlaxNode does
     not.  As  well,  SysNL will also compile the SEAdog<tm> v4.10 and
     TBBS v2.0 nodelists.  Faster than anything else.

     SysNL checks nodelist CRCs  faster  than  any  other  utility.  A
     16-bit CRC goes through at  the  rate  of 30-35K a second, faster
     than CRCnode or any other such utility you may have been using.

     SysNL merges nodelists and diff files.  Fast.  Automatically.  So
     you don't have to worry what about what your hub or NC sends you.
     SysNL finds the newest, and gets it done quickly.

     SysNL allows you to edit your nodelist.   If  you  are an NC or a
     Hub,  you can use its full-screen ANSI nodelist editor  to  mani-
     pulate your nodelist segment.  If you are an NC,  RC or ZC, SysNL
     can  easily  merge  all  the  updatres you get into one nodelist.
     Faster  than  MakeNL.    And MakeNL can't give you a visual ANSI-
     compatible  full-color   editor,  with  complete  nodelist  error
     FidoNews 6-50                Page 2                   11 Dec 1989


     checking.

     Right now, all  you  have gotten is hot air.  Let me provide some
     cold and rather sobering figures to back me up.  The figures are:
     The first is the time  and the second is processing rate in bytes
     per second.  All tests were  done  on a 6MhZ IBM AT, with 512K of
     150ns RAM, and a Rodine Type 20 30meg HD.  Times may vary, due to
     your hardware, and your setup.

         IMEXLIST.307 November 3rd, 1989 RCSA/AlterNet nodelist.
         Size of Imexlist.307: 45 892 bytes.

      Scan nodelist = Compile in wrong zone ie. Do not process any
                      entries.
        -#########- = Xlatlist<tm> cannot create a Version 6 list.

           Compiled into: NodeList.Bbs    Version 6    Scan nodelist

         ParseLst v1.30: 18.7 / 2454    14.2 / 3232    11.8 / 3889
            SysNL v3.01:  5.2 / 8825     6.1 / 7523     3.9 / 11767
         Xlatlist v2.90: 30.8 / 1490    -#########-    15.1 / 3039
         Xlaxnode v2.31: 14.5 / 3165    16.1 / 2851    11.9 / 3856

     Now, let's try it on something a little  bit bigger.  Errors will
     have been made in the timing of such a small 44K nodelist;  let's
     try a 480K one.

        NODELIST.237 August 25th, 1989 FidoNet nodelist.
        Size of Nodelist.237: 478 164 bytes.

      All compilers were configured as being in Zone 1.

         Compiled into: NodeList.Bbs    Version 6   Scan nodelist

        ParseLst v1.30: 187.9 / 2545  131.1 / 3647  111.7 / 4191
           SysNL v2.65:  81.8 / 5846   83.3 / 5740   48.1 / 9941
           SysNL v3.01:  33.8 / 14147  35.0 / 13662  13.8 / 34650
        Xlatlist v2.90: 325.2 / 1470  -##########-  110.6 / 4323
        Xlaxnode v2.31: 115.8 / 4129  129.8 / 3684  102.2 / 4679

     As  you  can  see,  SysNL  v3.01 beats all challengers, including
     v2.65, and also Xlaxnode v2.31.  Now we move to the  area  of CRC
     checks.  Again we use our FidoNet nodelist #237, and combat SysNL
     against CRCnode.

          SysNL v3.01:   21.1 sec / 22662 bytes per sec
        CRCnode v1.00:   27.8 sec / 17200 bytes per sec

     Again, SysNL  reigns supreme.  But SysNL can also make Version 5,
     Version 6, and QuickBBS nodelists from a Nodelist.Bbs/Fon combin-
     ation.  Let's sic  SysNL  on  OpusNode  and  Qnode  and  see what
     happens.

     FidoNews 6-50                Page 3                   11 Dec 1989


      Size of NodeList.Bbs (NodeList.237/SysNL v3.01): 254 572 bytes.

         SysNL v3.01 (QBBS):  21.2 / 12008
         SysNL v3.01 (Ver5):  20.1 / 12665
                Qnode v2.00: 125.7 / 2025
            OpusNode v1.4.6:  75.4 / 3376

     No matter what your nodelist  processor is, SysNL is faster.  Why
     not switch to it right now?   It's available on the SDS, and also
     at 1:250/714 as SYSNL.  An SFX  version is also available here as
     SYSNLSFX.

       Credit, where credit is due:

              SysNL: Luke Kolin
           ParseLst: Bob Hartman
           OpusNode: Wynn Wagner III, Wes Cowley
              Qnode: Adam C. Hudson
             MakeNL: Ben Baker
         SEAdog<tm>: System Enhancement Associates
       Xlatlist<tm>: System Enhancement Associates
           Xlaxnode: Scott Samet
            CRCnode: David Gilbert

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 6-50                Page 4                   11 Dec 1989


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


     Steve Townsley
     2:256/117

     I couldn't think of a sensible title for what is, I hope, going
     to be a regular contribution from Zone 2. Not that I represent
     Zone 2 on any way. My BBS is a node. In the words of technical
     standards documentation - the lowest form of address.

     My node came into the network a few weeks ago after a pause of
     almost a year not being involved with BBS's at all. So the first
     job was to download this years' back issues of FidoNews from my
     Host.

     Much to my shock I read a few articles from people explaining
     that FidoNews was no longer relevant anymore. According to these
     self-proclaimed guardians of access to exclusive information, the
     REAL NEWS comes in Echomail.

     At best Echomail is a genuine advance in communication. At its
     worst Echomail encourages the unthinking response of simply
     hitting 'R' on the keyboard to reply to the last 'flame'.

     Echomail also has a tendency to be a temporary medium. How many
     SysOps really read the megabytes of information floating around
     the net. We are hopefully more selective than that. We take some
     Echos for our users, some for our specialised interests and some
     to keep up to date with our particular concerns in the net.

     Rarely does a SysOp take every Echo.

     Echomail focuses widely on the particular as if to satisify a
     demand to discuss more and more about less and less. Thus, like
     Sheep, we are led into ever increasing arguement without really
     addressing major issues.

     However I am not here to throw my hands up and condem Echomail
     for destroying the moral fibre of arguement. It is my purpose to
     emphasise that by its very nature Echomail has a tendency to the
     specific, addressing the problem immediately, limiting itself to
     short responses, and within the week disappears into a deleted
     file on many a hard disk.

     Yet for this temporary medium we employ 'backbones', 'hubs', and
     'co-ordinators'. We spend hours on discussion and Echomail itself
     generates a political hierachy of distribution, rules and costs.

     FidoNews 6-50                Page 5                   11 Dec 1989


     The volume of Echomail causes as many worrys as it attempts to
     solve. We become obsessed with how long Echomail should be held
     before it's deleted, do we censor Echomail, and can Hosts afford
     to buy a 100 megabyte hard disk to cope with Echomail traffic.

     Amongst all this the balance of the network itself appears to
     have gone. I feel very strongly that the case needs to be put for
     FidoNews to bring people back together.

     FidoNews should be the place where we abandon the temporary,
     write for a larger audience, and make sure every SysOp can read
     FidoNews. It is my view, in my small backwater of Zone 2, that my
     Host should concentrate his efforts on getting me FidoNews at the
     expense of Echomail. Doing this in every net would restore much
     of the balance to the network as a whole and produce a higher
     level of debate about the issues facing us all.

     PC-Browse
     ---------

     On a totally different topic I have just bought a really neat
     little program from Quicksoft called PC-Browse. In essence it's a
     lot like the LIST utility which allows you to view files. However
     it also has the added advantage that it can be made memory
     resident.

     So I can read this weeks' FidoNews with PC-Browse and, if I need
     to, flip into a word processing session at the touch of a hot-
     key. The overall result is a pleasant use of the 60K of memory
     needed to run the program.

     However it does much more than this. You can create PC-Browse
     applications in a hyper-text environment. You can mark entries
     for quick access, even run a program from inside PC-Browse. The
     capability to cut and paste makes it ideal for calling up mames
     and addresses from inside other applications. All in all a very
     good buy.

     The program is marketed as Shareware in the USA, New Zealand, and
     Australia. For reasons of their own Quicksoft have excluded the
     UK as a Shareware zone.

     PC-Browse is available from:

     Quicksoft
     219 First Avenue N 224
     Seattle
     Washington
     WA 981109
     USA

     FidoNews 6-50                Page 6                   11 Dec 1989


     Tel: (1) 206 282 0452

     Cost $49.00 (cheaper if you are a registered user of PC-Write).









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     FidoNews 6-50                Page 7                   11 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!      2.10*


     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          3.01*   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 6-50                Page 8                   11 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 6-50                Page 9                   11 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 6-50                Page 10                  11 Dec 1989


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

                          The Interrupt Stack


     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 6-50                Page 11                  11 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

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     FidoNews 6-50                Page 12                  11 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 6-50                Page 13                  11 Dec 1989


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