     Volume 8, Number 14                                  8 April 1991
     +---------------------------------------------------------------+
     |                                                  _            |
     |                                                 /  \          |
     |                                                /|oo \         |
     |        - FidoNews -                           (_|  /_)        |
     |                                                _`@/_ \    _   |
     |         FidoNet (r)                           |     | \   \\  |
     |  International BBS Network                    | (*) |  \   )) |
     |         Newsletter               ______       |__U__| /  \//  |
     |                                 / FIDO \       _//|| _\   /   |
     |                                (________)     (_/(_|(____/    |
     |                                                     (jm)      |
     +---------------------------------------------------------------+
     Editor in Chief:                                  Vince Perriello
     Editors Emeritii:                    Thom Henderson,  Dale Lovell
     Chief Procrastinator Emeritus:                       Tom Jennings
     
     Copyright 1991, Fido Software.  All rights reserved.  Duplication
     and/or distribution permitted  for  noncommercial  purposes only.
     For use in other circumstances, please  contact  Fido Software.
     
     FidoNews  is  published  weekly by and for  the  Members  of  the
     FidoNet (r) International Amateur Electronic Mail System.   It is
     a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors
     or authorized agents of the authors. The contribution of articles
     to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors.
     
     You  are  encouraged   to  submit  articles  for  publication  in
     FidoNews.  Article submission standards are contained in the file
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     Fido and  FidoNet  are  registered  trademarks of Tom Jennings of
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                        Table of Contents
     1. EDITORIAL  ................................................  1
        WorldPol ... A good excuse to start on Policy6  ...........  1
     2. ARTICLES  .................................................  5
        WorldPol is no nonsense  ..................................  5
        WorldPol: Not Perfect, but the Best so Far  ............... 11
        Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator Election  ..................... 12
        R U Canajan Eh?  The CanaChatter Echo  .................... 13
        Zone 1 FidoCon '91 Update  ................................ 15
        The Unfulfilled Promise of Fidonet  ....................... 22
     3. LATEST VERSIONS  .......................................... 27
        Latest Software Versions  ................................. 27
     And more!
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 1                    8 Apr 1991


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


     For the past two weeks I have been trying to figure out just how
     to tell you what I think about the new Policy proposal. The exact
     method that would best serve my need to get it all off my chest,
     and your need to figure out whether my comments were best ignored
     or heeded.

     Before I push you to the point of making that decision regarding
     my words, please at least heed this advice: read the proposed
     Policy carefully, read the Policy it replaces, and do some "what
     if" scenarios. Consider some situations where someone was kept
     from doing something by present Policy; determine whether you
     feel that person should be able to do that thing; see if the new
     Policy addresses it. Consider the additional freedom of action
     offered by the new Policy. Good or Bad? Look at what effect the
     changes will have on the day-by-day operation of the net. Do
     they seem to be positive or negative? Discuss it with others.
     Pass on your advice to your NC. Be a part of this process.

     OK. Thanks. Now I'll cut to the chase.

     Worldpol seems to me to be a well-intentioned effort to correct
     a few perceived flaws in Policy 4. For some reason, the
     resultant document seems to have basically started from a blank
     sheet of paper, without considering the reason for any of those
     sections of Policy 4 which demonstated those perceived flaws.

     Without going completely Luddite on you, let me still point out
     that Policy1-Policy4 seem to have been a fairly good set of
     rules. After all, they got us here. I don't see why all of a
     sudden the entire fabric needed to be torn out in favor of a new
     one. Perhaps I'm just not farsighted enough. Hell, some mornings
     I can't even remember the name of the kid who played Pugsley.

     Right up front, let me tell you what the biggest problem with
     this document is. There are a lot of noises swirling around
     these days with words like "liability" and "punitive damages" in
     them. This document blows enough of the structure of FidoNet
     away to make a number of lawyers very rich and send a few
     coordinators to a new home in a cardboard box. The fact that it
     was written by a person for whom English is a second language
     (although his command of it is better than many Americans of my
     acquaintance) really doesn't hold a single drop of water in a
     court of law. To add to this problem, the disclaimer stating
     that fact is in a section that will be deleted should the vote
     be in favor of ratification. Sic transit NC's.

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 2                    8 Apr 1991


     Next problem: the concept of "areas" is diluted to the point of
     being meaningless. This works great in combination with another
     feature which I'll address in a minute. But for now, consider
     this: there is nothing in Worldpol to keep someone from being RC
     of every region in a Zone. All that person has to do is maintain
     a node in every region, which is perfectly allowable under the
     new Policy -- and that makes him/her part of the "area" which
     she/he would be coordinating, and eligible for election. Yeah,
     sure, that could never happen. And O-rings never burn through and
     the Libyans are only manufacturing pharmaceuticals.

     How about the local net policies? Did anyone notice that local
     net policy is not subordinate to regional policy? But the RC
     has to deal with policy disputes. Now that's fair, isn't it?

     Harry has already mentioned a number of the things that bother
     me most about this one. I'll bet anyone five dollars that there
     will be at least one white-only net in North America by the end
     of the year if this policy passes. I'll bet anyone ten dollars
     that Zone 4 will have communists-not-allowed nets and regions in
     less time than that.

     Would the Z4C care to comment on whether Cubans should be
     allowed in FidoNet? And how convenient it will be to have a
     policy that lets you tell them where to stick their modems?

     Has anyone heard from Russia recently, and will prospective
     members of FidoNet have to show a prison tattoo or a burned-up
     party card to join?

     What is a Western-style democracy for the purposes of Worldpol?

     The United States? Let's put that to the test. I'll send in a
     voter registration form to Duluth, Minnesota. I'll say that while
     I actually live and work in New Hampshire, I like Minnesota best
     and I want to vote and pay taxes there. I bet New Hampshire will
     go along with it, too.

     Here's another thing: There is a substantial body of legislation
     and judicial action which helps to dampen the "tyranny of the
     majority" in the United States. This takes the form of
     representation in local governments by the minority party,
     affirmative action quotas, and many other things which if just
     left to a popular vote would probably fail resoundingly. Ask the
     people of Boston or Yonkers if they favor busing. If the United
     States worked like Worldpol, there would be no such thing.

     If not the United States, then perhaps El Salvador? Haiti? Cuba?
     (Forget I said Cuba, I just remembered that Communists live
     there) This is an important point. You can't just say "Western
     standards" and expect that to suffice.

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 3                    8 Apr 1991


     Worldpol says that FidoNews is the official newsletter. It says
     that members of an area (whatever that is) can vote not to
     receive it. Did anyone mention that since FidoNews is the
     official newsletter, the *C is liable in any case involving
     prior notice, if FidoNews was not provided? If the person who
     did not receive that prior notice (and because of the "official
     newsletter" clause, FidoNews is the only place that has any
     legal standing) in FidoNews wasn't in favor of dropping it, the
     *C loses and some lawyer gets rich.

     Why didn't the authors didn't put something in Worldpol saying
     that I didn't have to accept FidoNews submissions from an area
     that has voted not to receive it? After all, why should the rest
     of the net have to pay to move, or to read, something submitted
     by someone who never intends to read it her/himself?

     Most of my other objections have been voiced equally well or
     better by others. I'm glad to be able to say that. I'm not a
     lone voice in the wilderness. Perhaps I'm one of a few hundred
     such voices, but I suspect the real numbers are very different.

     Hello, Jack? Jack Decker? I have an answer to your question from
     last week. Why weren't people such as myself involved in the
     effort to pull Worldpol from the ashes of Policy4? Perhaps
     because unlike yourself, we saw no ashes.

     There is some need for improvement in the document, but it
     neither needs nor deserves to be discarded just because you and
     a few dozen others don't understand why it is the way it is.
     Discussions leading to corrective surgery would have garnered a
     great deal more interest from myself and others than what we
     observed to be the case:  the proposition that the basis of
     FidoNet's "new world order" was the scrapping of previous
     documents and a fresh start with fresh minds, unencumbered by
     outmoded views. In other words, smart young turks at work, old
     fogies stay out!

     So many of us did (BTW, Harry asks me to note that he sent
     comments after each published revision to his NC, RC and ZC).

     Since the net continued to work all the time you guys were
     plugging away at this, we figured there was no need to fix
     anything right away. I still feel that way. Almost. I think that
     Worldpol needs a LOT of fixing before it should be adopted.

     Democracy in FidoNet is a great idea. But just like every great
     thing, it's best in moderation. Worldpol proposes too much of
     that good thing. We'll all get tummy aches if we have it.

     Worldpol is not a keeper. Throw it back and let it mature a bit.

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 4                    8 Apr 1991


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 5                    8 Apr 1991


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


         Folks Who Oppose Democracy In FidoNet Are Nervous But...
                        WORLDPOL IS NO NONSENSE

     A lot has been said about WorldPol. Both recently and before.
     WorldPol was first released in October of 1989 and published
     on FidoNews. Since then, all comments by anyone interested
     were happily received and considered. The document was
     re-released in 7 other opportunities as changes were been
     proposed and critics were made. All versions have been
     published on FidoNews.
     It is the first time in FidoNet history that a policy document
     is written by the network's sysops and not just by coordinators.
     The first time that anybody interested was able to
     participate and actually invited to do so.
     It is the first time that democracy is proposed for FidoNet.

     In an article by Harry Lee on a past number of FidoNews, he
     says that WorldPol changes too many things at one time. Whereas
     it's a fact that many things are changed, I can well sit and
     argue if it's really "too many things". I would rather say
     "many", but never "too many".

     The comparison of WorldPol and Policy4 as two mailers with
     different codes and different protocols does only to the purpose
     of creating a bigger confusion. Things are not really like that.
     And the contradiction comes later in the same text: the author
     subsequently claims that WorldPol uses a lot of Policy4 wording,
     which is true.

     Policy4 besides being an evolution of Policy3 as Harry likes to
     say, is also a degeneration of the latter.
     How did the authors know that FidoNet (and by that I refer to
     "the sysops members of FidoNet") wanted a system of elections
     analogous of the most popularly known dictatorial regimes in the
     world?

     Yes, that's what Policy4 proposes: John ZC elects Jim RC, Peter
     RC and Paul RC. And then Jim RC, Peter RC and Paul RC elect John
     ZC! Added to this is the fact that then Jim RC, Peter RC and
     Paul RC go and choose their respective regions' NCs.
     In between, where are the FidoNet sysops? They are right there:
     forgotten and ignored. But according to those that defend
     Policy4, the poor sysops like to be forgotten and ignored!
     Excusez-moi, but I simply don't buy that.

     Democracy is probably the point that, along with "geography",
     doesn't let WorldPol's most staunch opponents sleep at night.
     So let's talk about "geography:"
     I am not a supporter of non-geographic nets and never was. In
     Zone-4, where I belong, there aren't any non-geographic networks
     at all.
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 6                    8 Apr 1991


     But I know very well that across the Ocean, in Europe, things
     are different. The two biggest regions there: Holland and
     Germany, have non-geographic nets.
     Should I, from Buenos Aires, tell the guys in Antwerpen and
     Hamburg that what they do is wrong? I rather chose to sit and
     watch. It is their experience and if they do it that way, it's
     maybe because that is the best for them. It does not and will not
     in any way, harm the rest of FidoNet... So why should I complain?
     Why should anyone complain?

     I will probably support establishing geographic restrictions
     in Zone-4, when we write our Zone policy. I believe it will be
     better that way for us but why in the world should I pretend
     to indicate somebody thousands of miles away what to do?

     Telling many strangers what to do is it precisely what Policy4
     intends to do, and unquestionably fails. Policy4 is not enforced
     in many parts around the world because it is unenforceable!
     And this does not only refer to smallZone-4, it also refers to
     Zone-2, Zone-5 and Zone-6.
     Not aiming at describing all the reasons why Policy4 is not fully
     enforced worldwide, let me just mention a few assorted examples:

     . Zone-2: overlapping nets, according to geography, in several
               regions.
     . Zone-4: we don't use English for any of our 'official stuff'
               as we use instead Spanish and Portuguese. All the
               coordinators are elected by the common sysops, not
               appointed as Policy4 establishes.
     . Zone-5: single-node regions because of political motivations.
     . Zone-6: at least one region officially charges a fee to member
               sysops according to its regional policy document.

     One thing particularly annoying on the text by Harry Lee is when
     it says that "the problems with WorldPol are rooted in an
     absolute lack of understanding of history." I see it as a token
     of the arrogance used throughout the article to attack this
     independently-written policy proposal.

     As painful as it is to me, it gives those around me yet another
     reason to say that the fact that WorldPol emerges from the
     Third World goes along with the fact that Policy4 is yet
     another example of "imperialismo yanqui". No, I don't coincide
     with that point of view and will not. But it is sad that some
     people think that it is correct to impose procedures on others
     without bothering to inform themselves about what are the
     necessities of those others.
     Policy4 was written in North America by North Americans, and
     while Europeans did not participate or support it, we Latin
     Americans were denied a say. And Zone-4 did exist even before
     Policy4 was approved.

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 7                    8 Apr 1991


     I will refer quickly to the list of credits: ALL the persons
     that in one way or another -including Bill Bolton- contributed
     to the document, usually by questioning it and proposing
     changes, were listed.
     The reason why Thom Henderson, Harry Lee and maybe others were
     not included regards to the fact that the parts WorldPol have
     in common with Policy4 were extracted from "FidoNet's current
     policy document" and not from an article written by either of
     them. Policy4 does not indicate who wrote it and one is not
     supposed to know the list by heart.

     Let me now refer to a few other points made by Lee:

     - Different Social Orientation

     It is NOT true that WorldPol was written by a fundamentally
     different society, Zone-4. WorldPol contains input from people
     from all over the world. And that is surely more appropriate for
     an international network than a group just from North America.
     It is not a problem of "Zone sizes" as Europe played a big
     role on WorldPol development too. And there isn't a zone around
     the world containing so many countries and different languages
     as Zone-2.

     When Harry Lee says that Zone-4 is the writer of WorldPol he is
     just helping to confuse, because the statement is anything but
     reality.

     - A case of tail wagging the dog?

     Again, this is not a case of minority (Zone-4) trying to impose
     a document on the majority (Zone-1). Since the sysops without
     a coordinator title were never consulted in Zone-1 with regard
     to Policy, is he referring to a voteless majority?

     On the other hand and again I say it, even Zone-1 and Zone-3 are
     represented on WorldPol. And there is probably more from Zone-2
     on WorldPol than from myself or others in Zone-4.

     FidoNet Latin America hasn't been around since the times of
     TJ's Fido version 8 but it has for almost four years. And Zone-4
     has existed within FidoNet since before Policy4 was adopted.

     Now: is sustaining democratic values a symptom of adolescence?

     -  Mediator Insanity

     The above referred title Mr. Lee has used is already prejudice.
     The mediation mechanisms proposed in WorldPol simply state that
     the natural mediator should be the coordinator of the smallest
     structure that contains accuser and accused. Is that so insane?
     Antidemocratic? Give me a break!

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 8                    8 Apr 1991


     - Coordinator Requirements

     Harry Lee poses a very significative question when referring to
     a supposed problem here: "what happens if a net sets up
     requirements that cannot be attained or sustained?"

     This simply shows how much he trusts the criteria of the common
     FidoNet sysop member. If a net's policy is written by the members
     of a net, would they self-impose unattainable or unsustainable
     requirements?
     Do you really believe this is likely to happen?

     - Elimination of FidoNews Requirement

     "The tyranny of the majority strikes again" he said, and I agree.
     Official notices, to my understanding, are published on the
     nodelist itself (on the nodediffs), which is mandatory.

     Problem with FidoNews: while it costs $0.30 a week to a sysop
     (*C) in Anytown,USA to get it, it costs $30 a week to a sysop
     in Lima,Peru, where international communication prices are now
     skyrocketing, and costs around $10 a week to a sysop (*C) in my
     own country or Brazil.

     I believe that in some countries in Eastern Europe, they don't
     even have direct-dial to the United States to be able to file
     request FidoNews if they wanted to. Some other sysop around there
     mentioned once that though he could dial direct to the United
     States, the telco bills him $30 for each minute.

     How can we dictate that every net in the world should spend that
     money for something apart from technical operation of the
     network? What happens if -like happened to us under
     hyperinflation a number of times- we simply can't afford it? Are
     we violating policy? Are we out?

     - Unanimous Election of IC

     Here's the requested explanation:
     The IC should be someone 'okay for all zones'. That's the purpose
     of the unanimous vote and the majority for removal. The ZCC acts
     as a council of Zone Coordinators. If there is no agreement,
     there is no IC and the ZCC is in charge.

     Having the IC as executive allows the possibility of not having
     to vote each decision that reaches the top of the coordinator
     structure. But he who decides must be an 'okay figure' to all the
     zones he represents.

     Remember that the ZCC members are the ones that process the
     nodelist and ultimately the network's highest authority. The IC
     coordinates ZCC work and executes what is decided at the top
     level, but -I hope it doesn't happen- if the ZCC decides to have
     no IC, it will have to determine how things work at that level
     and probably vote on each decision instead of letting an IC
     decide.
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 9                    8 Apr 1991


     - Transitional Problems

     I don't agree with Harry's claim that it created contradiction.
     WorldPol reads clearly:

     ---start of quote---
     7.3 Transition to a 'Worldwide Policy environment'

       After the approval of this Worldwide Policy, the previously
     existing policy will still be in effect for the Zone level until
     the approval of a new Zone policy, according to the methods
     provided in this document.

       All the procedures introduced by this Worldwide Policy document
     adjourn the procedures existing in the previous policy document.
     ---end of quote---

     ... it says ALL the procedures ADJOURN the existing in the
     previous policy document. Clear as water.

     - Not Final And Yet We're Voting On It?

     You are voting on what you are reading. That leaves no doubts.

     This document is something concrete and, if approved, will
     probably be modified by the network's sysops in the future, as
     FidoNet progresses. This, according to the prescriptions on the
     document itself for updating.



     As final words, I would like to remind some, explain to others,
     that WorldPol is an independent effort originated in the need of
     a worldwide enforceable policy.
     This fact has been disregarded and ignored by much of the past
     and current individuals rejecting it nowadays.

     I don't know what will come up from the vote, but in one way
     or another, they know there is a group on FidoNet that advocates
     to democracy and the rights of every sysop in the network.
     These rights include the possibility of the groups of sysops
     in different parts of the world to organize and operate
     according to their customs and not to which some intend to
     dictate from some faraway place.

     This ideal, today expressed by the current policy proposal
     WorldPol, is likely to win. Sooner or later. The sooner, the
     better for FidoNet.

     Pablo Kleinman
     Democratically Elected Zone-4 Coordinator
     April 5, 1991

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 10                   8 Apr 1991


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 11                   8 Apr 1991


     Alejandro Hopkins
     FidoNet 4:900/211.0


                WORLDPOL: NOT PERFECT, BUT THE BEST SO FAR


     A very important discovery seems to have been made in FidoNet,
     and we have read a lot about it in the last three issues of
     FidoNews:  WORLDPOL ISN'T PERFECT. Gee, you don't need to be
     Stephen Hawking to find that out: I could have told you.
     WorldPol is far from perfect, but it's also far better than
     Policy 4, and that's what counts in the current situation. It
     was written to change the aspects of the Policy 4
     administration that require immediate solution, not to be THE
     policy document until the end of times.

     That's why it makes it much easier for the ones proposing new
     policy documents to get them voted. It was very tough to get
     WorldPol voted: we had to beat the whole boureaucracy intalled
     by Policy 4. If WorldPol doesen't become Policy 5, people
     proposing other documents will have the same trouble that we
     overcame. And they might not be that lucky.

     There are some things in WorldPol that may need changing. The
     language IS vague, granted. It's a pity that nobody pointed that
     out before the final version was released for vote. Maybe point
     operators should be considered different from other users, and
     maybe there's no such thing as a "Western Democracy". What
     won't change in OUR Policy 6 project is the base of WorldPol:
     democratic and universal vote. But that might not be so in
     other Policy 6 proposals. If the majority of the network
     doesen't want to vote, then be it. Some say it will be
     difficult to count the votes of the whole network. That is (at
     least) a silly argument. I remember having voted on the IFNA
     affair, and no big problems arised.

     Democracy should be the next step in the evolution of FidoNet.  It's
     strange that it will come so late in an organization that was born in
     America. Maybe that's because people there are so used to democracy,
     that they fail to understand how vital it is. You have to lose it to
     really know how much it's worth. I lived in a non-democratic regime
     for too long, and now that we regained democracy in our country, I'd
     like to have it in FidoNet, too. Let's give it a shot, OK?

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 12                   8 Apr 1991


     Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator Election Final Results
     George Peace
     1:1/0

     We finally made it to the end of the Z1EC election. I learned
     a little more about "democracy" in FidoNet. I certainly hope the
     experience was one of growth. Here are the final votes by region:

                Davis   Nissan    None     Other
     Region     -----    -----    -----    -----

       10         11        2        1        -
       11         36        -        -        -
       12          -        2        -        -
       13         11        2        3        -
       14          3        4        -        1
       15          3        2        -        -
       16         11        -        -        -
       17          4        -        -        -
       18          3       71        -        -
       19         50        4        -        -

      total      132       87        4        1


     Congratulations to Tony Davis, our new Zone 1 EchoMail
     Coordinator.

     I once again extend my sincere Thanks to all Z1EC candidates for
     your continuing efforts on all our behalf.

     Rick McWilliams, outgoing Z1EC, deserves credit and praise for
     all that he accomplished behind the scenes as Z1EC. Thanks!


       Peace to All,
       George

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 13                   8 Apr 1991


     Joe Lindstrom
     1:134/55 @FidoNet
     99:9305/55 @EggNet
     201:5500/55 @MetroNet

                             The CanaChatter Echo
                             ====================

        Some time ago, we began an echo conference with the tagname
     CANACHAT.  The idea was a general-discussion echo, but with a
     topic of "Canada" (you know, that wasteland to the north?).
     Pretty much anything is acceptable, just so long as it has
     something to do with the Great White North.  Conversations have
     ranged from the Gulf War (and Canada's rather limited partici-
     pation in it) to capital punishment to Star Trek.  Barring the
     latter topic, the signal-to-noise ratio is quite high and I
     think you will find it an excellent forum to air your views and
     to debate others on theirs.

        This echo, up until now, has been essentially a private echo
     with my system as the top-star.  A few systems have been
     polling me regularly for this and other echoes, and we have
     managed to build quite a following.  However, as traffic levels
     increased, so did phone bills for the systems pulling it in
     directly from my system.  I have in mind, specifically, Russell
     McOrmond of 1:163/109 and Richard Hatfield of 1:342/16, who
     have spent some hard-earned CanuckBucks so that they and their
     Nets could participate.  In Russell's case, he was in turn
     feeding other nets, so he was sending traffic two ways.

        So we decided to go to the backbone.  My primary concern
     here was the fact that FidoNet isn't the only network that is
     carrying this echo.  After speaking with John Souvestre, the
     REC for Region 19, about this at length, we now feel that the
     time is right.  With John's help, we've managed to jump through
     all the required hoops, including listing the echo in ELIST and
     getting the support of two REC's.  In short, the echo may be on
     the backbone by the time you read this.

        I've had several sysops in the U.S. netmail me in regards to
     getting a connection to CanaChatter.  I'm sorry to all of you
     that wrote and didn't get a reply back from me: had I done so,
     my local phone company would probably have sent me a letter of
     sincere thanks!  They'd address it to the poorhouse... anyways,
     the response has been rather overwhelming.  I've had letters
     from Canadians who are now living in the U.S. and want CANACHAT
     on their systems, sort of as a link "back home".  One fella who
     wrote me was doing so on behalf of a couple of users of his,
     and goodness knows how they found out about the echo.  They
     wanted it, he couldn't care less but could I connect him?

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 14                   8 Apr 1991


        Hopefully this new backbone linkup will solve all of these
     problems, and alleviate some rather expensive weekly
     connections for Richard and Russell.  A tip of the toque to you
     both for making CANACHAT what it is today!

        I should also point out that CANACHAT will be available to
     you folks in OtherNets (TM) via authorized zonegates.  Systems
     in either EggNet or MetroNet may optionally come straight to my
     system (if they can handle the expensive of 20-40 messages a
     day), I am "zone-gating" the echo to these two nets already and
     adding you will be a simple matter.  It will, however, be
     cheaper for you and technically simpler if you can get the echo
     via a closer echo hub.

        A final few words on the echo itself: although I was the
     original moderator of the echo, I've passed that duty on to
     those better able to monitor it on a daily basis.  Since Canada
     has two official languages, English and French, CANACHAT has
     two official moderators, one for each language.  Messages in
     either language are ACCEPTABLE (note that this is one of the
     few backbone echoes where this holds true).  Your CANACHAT
     moderators are:

     English/Anglais: Racey Sealock of/du 1:134/42
                                          99:9305/42
                                          201:5500/42
     French/Francais: Peter Donald of/du  1:249/126

        We hope to see you there!

     [~] Sarek [~]


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 15                   8 Apr 1991


     FidoCon '91 Committee
     @Fidonet 1:1/91

                             FidoCon '91
                      August 16th through 18th, 1991
          1:1/91@Fidonet {or something like that}

          FidoCon '91 Membership
          P.O. Box 486
          Louisville, CO  80027
          Contact telephone (303) 426-1847

          FidoCon '91 VIP Membership         $104 US*
          Banquet                              25 US
                                              ===
                                              $94 US

                                        * After July 15,       $169
         *NEW*
         A "No Frills", good from 9am to 6pm, for Seminar and
         Dealers Rooms ONLY membership (no Convention Hospitality
         Suite access or ticket for the SuperSystem Drawing) is
         available for $45 US for the three days or $20 US per day.
         Full credit can be applied to a VIP membership if you elect
         to upgrade.
         *NEW*
         A "Supporting Membership" for those unable to attend, is
         available for $25 US.  Supporting members Will receive the
         progress reports and program book.

            Hotel:   Sheraton Lakewood
                     690 Union Blvd
                     Lakewood, CO
                     (303) 987-2000

            Rooms:

              Single/Double                     $59 US per night
              Adjoining Rooms (Pseudo-Suite)     118 US
              Triple/Quad                        78 US
              Adjoining Rooms (Pseudo-Suite)     156 US
              Suites from                       450 US



     FidoCon '91 is a limited attendance event.

     Guests of Honor:

      Tom Jennings      -- FidoCon '91 Guest of Honor
      Tim Pozar         -- Gateway Guru
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 16                   8 Apr 1991


      Ray Gwinn         -- The Fossil master his self
      Vince Perriello   -- President of Bit Bucket Software &
                           publisher of FidoNews.
      Alan Applegate    -- VICE-President of Bit Bucket, Writer of
                           the infamous Binkley Docs & Technical
                           Support for eSoft.
      Bob Hartman       -- From Bloom County to you.
      Phil Becker       -- CEO of eSoft .. publisher of TBBS/TDBS/TIMS
      Steve Jackson     -- CEO of Steve Jackson Games ..  Publisher of
                           GURPS CYBERPUNK and center of Secret
                           Service attention for over 8 months.
      John Perry Barlow -- Internet Guru, one of the founders of the
                              Electronic Frontier Foundation.

     Guests of Dishonor:

      Terry Travis      -- Vince and Alan's prime target in the SYSOP
                              Mud pie Fight

     Those indicating they will be attending:

      Tom Tcimpids
                         Several notable writers of computer columns
                         Several popular Science fiction authors
      Mitch Kapor        Founder of the Electronic Frontier Foundation

     Invited and not yet committed:

      Steve Wozniack     The WOZ, one of the founders of Apple

     Convention Hospitality Suite by:

     Kevin "DOC" McNeil and the FidoNet COOKING echo {newsgroup}

     Featuring: Seadog Casserole, Zip-Tarts, Pak-Man Cookies,
                Roast Opus

     Paid Memberships:

       George Peace &         Steve Jackson
       Christine Keefer       Charlie Bass
       Eric L. Smith &        Rodney A. Aloia
       Diane B. Smith         Girard Westerberg
       Marshall Barry &       Daniel D. Segard
       Michelle Weisblat      Russell Anderson
       Jim Burt &             Brian P. Bartee
       Karen Burt             Tom Jennings
       Scott Munhollon &      Ray Gwinn
       Tammy Munhollon        Tim Pozar
       Peter N. White &       Terry Travis
       Cheryl Gordon          Phil Becker
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 17                   8 Apr 1991


       Thomas Pat Nefos &     Bob Hartman
       Judy Nefos             Alan Applegate
       Peter Stewart &        Chris Anderson
       Michele Hamilton       Jeff P. Brothers
       Daniel L. Bonner &     Andrew Milner
       Linda L. Bonner        James F. Smith
       Terry N. Rune' &       Joaquim Homrighausen
       Wayne A. Rune'         Joe Dehn
       James H. Dunmyer &     Bruce H. Kirschner
       Janice L. Dunmyer      Ken Zen
       Mike Ratledge &        Ben Cunningham
       Donna Ratledge         John P. Roberts Jr.
       Michael Kanavy &       Chris Rand
       Elizabeth Kanavy       Norman B. Henke
       Bob Whiston &          Stanley A. Hirschman
       Cheryl Whiston         John R. Souvestre
       William M. Van Glahn & Steven L. Rusboldt
       Janet Van Glahn        Emmitt W. A. Dove
       Sam Saulys
       George R. Cornell
       Bill Bacon
       Zhahai Stewart
       Michael Pratt
       John Johnson
       Brenda Donovan
       Ed Moore
       Mike Eckles
       Don Marquart
       Jeff Tensly
       Thomas Lange





     Attending Banquet

       Jim Burt &             Charlie Bass
       Karen Burt             Rodney A. Aloia
       Peter N. White &       Girard Westerberg
       Cheryl Gordon          Daniel D. Segard
       Daniel L. Bonner &     Russell Anderson
       Linda L. Bonner        Brian P. Bartee
       James H. Dunmyer &     Jeff P. Brothers
       Janice L. Dunmyer      Andrew Milner
       Mike Ratledge &        James F. Smith
       Donna Ratledge         Joaquim Homrighausen
       Michael Kanavy &       Ben Cunningham
       Elizabeth Kanavy       John P. Roberts Jr.
       William M. Van Glahn & Norman B. Henke
       Janet Van Glahn        Tom Jennings
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 18                   8 Apr 1991


       Marshall Barry &       Phil Becker
       Michelle Weisblat      Bob Hartman
       John R. Souvestre
       John Johnson
       Brenda Donovan
       Ed Moore
       Don Marquart
       Alan Applegate
       Tim Pozar
       Ray Gwinn

     Seminars:

      Surviving Government Scrutiny     The Ultimate BBS/BBSing
                                        in the future.  Network
                                        evolution

      TBBS\TDBS\TIMS                    Getting the most from
                                        BinkleyTerm

      AMAX made easy                    Gateways - the
                                        internetwork connection

      Dealing with SYSOP burnout        BBSing in the 90's and beyond

      The Ethical Software Hacker       For this I gave up my
                                        Love Life?

      How to moderate an Echo           Copyrights demystified

      Software Development Roundtable   DOS 4/5, Windows

      Developers Roundtable             Modem Roundtable

      file your own copyrights for $10  XRS/RAX/QMX/SeX/XOR/OREO
                                        /MORE

      Association of Shareware          XRS (the Universal Off-Line
                                        Reader Editor
      Professionals

      BBS Role Playing Gaming Forum     Promoting your BBS

      BBS Business Sense                Network Ethics

     BBS Users Groups Activities:

      TBBS Users Group will be convening as FidoTUG '91 during the
      convention.

      AlterCon will be sharing the facilities.
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 19                   8 Apr 1991


           AlterNet Costume Banquet          Royal Court
           Meeting of the Dukes

     Fun Activities:

      Traditional Hard Diskus Throw     Floppy Fling
      The Big Three Brewery Bash        National SYSOP Mud Pie Fight
      Air Force Academy Tour            Garden of the Gods
      Psychic and Physical Tours        Golfing Tours of
      of Colorful Colorado              Colorado

     We are scheduling additional seminars and social activities.
     Fire off a message letting us know what you'd like to see and
     do.  If you would like to see someone special, let us know as
     well.

     *** FidoCon '91 Dealers Room will be open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
     *** Friday and Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm Sunday

     Manufacturers Invited:

       AAC Telecomm                     Adaptec, Inc.
       Alloy Computer Products, Inc.    American MiTAC Corporation
       Anchor Automation                Artisoft
       AST Research, Inc.               ATI Technologies Inc.
       Bit Bucket Software              BIX
       Borland                          Chesterfield Financial Corp.
       Clark Development Company, Inc   Coconut Computing, Inc.
       Compucom                         Connect Tech, Inc
       DigiBoard                        Everex Systems, Inc.
       Fujitsu                          Galacticomm, Inc.
       Gates Distributing               GVC Technologies Inc.
       GW Associates                    Hayes Microcomputer Products
       Hitachi                          Microcom, Inc.
       Microsoft                        Motorola Computer Group
       Multi-Tech Systems, Inc.         Online Communications, Inc.
       Practical Peripherals            Prodigy Services
       Quarterdeck Office Systems       Searchlight Software
       Supra Corporation                Surf Computer Services
       System Enhancement Associates    Telebit Corporation
       U.S. Robotics, Inc.              VSI Telecommunications, Inc.
       Western Digital                  Zoom Telephonics, Inc.

     Confirmed dealers

       Bit Bucket Software    CDB Systems              eSoft
       Mustang Software, Inc.

     Drawings & Prizes

       Including:
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 20                   8 Apr 1991


       16 Line TBBS/TDBS/TIMS Sysop Dream SYSTEM CPU with a 486 or a
       386, at least 3/4 Gig disk, 16 ports and several modems ..
       depending on number of attendees.  A portion of the
       memberships go to purchasing this system.

       Autographed copies of the books that made Steve Jackson a
       household name, GURPS CYBERPUNK.

       For the SYSOP that has everything
       300 baud acoustic Sysop Nightmare System

       All kinds of donated equipment and software, some even working.

     Hospitality Suites

        eSoft                   Bit Bucket Software

        More as it comes to being.  Subscribe to the FIDOCON_91 Echo.

        This will be THE BBSing Event of '91, BE THERE.

     ================== FidoCon '91 Registration Form ================

     Name: ___________________________________________________________

     Street Address: _________________________________________________

     City: ________________________ State/Province: __________________

     Postal Code: ________________________ Country: __________________

     Voice #: ___________ Data #: ______________ Net Address: ________

     Name: ______________________ Membership Type: _____ Amount: _____

     Name: ______________________ Membership Type: _____ Amount: _____

     No. of T-Shirts:  ___ Sizes(S/M/L/XL): _______  @  $15/ea = _____

     Complaints (Print): ______ Banquet Tickets: ___ @  $25/ea = _____

                                                         TOTAL $ _____

     Visa/Mastercard Number _____________________ Expire Date: _______

     Signature: _______________________ Date: ________

     Please make checks payable (in U.S.A. Dollars) to FIDOCON '91
     and Mail To: FidoCon '91, P.O. Box 486, Louisville, CO 80027-0486


     FidoNews 8-14                Page 21                   8 Apr 1991


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 22                   8 Apr 1991


     Jack Decker
     1:154/8 Fidonet

     The Unfulfilled Promise of Fidonet

     I guess in some ways this article is my "one last attempt" to
     try and explain some things about Fidonet that have bothered me
     for a long time.  I've been in Fidonet for a few years now, and
     have observed certain things that continue to happen even
     though, in my opinion, they are destructive to our hobby.

     This is not my "farewell to Fidonet" but in some ways it comes
     close.  My role in Fidonet henceforth will be much lower key,
     unless something happens to cause me to take much greater
     interest.

     One thing I have noticed is that from time to time we quietly
     lose some good people.  They just can't put up will all the
     B.S. anymore so they either leave Fidonet or quietly retire to
     the sidelines.  Nobody seems to care.

     I can understand why these people leave.  You can only beat
     your head against a stone wall for so long before you decide
     that the wall isn't going to move, and you might as well get on
     with more profitable (and less painless!) pursuits.

     Unfortunately, there are also those people who, in my opinion,
     do things that are more destructive than helpful for Fidonet.
     I won't name names, but some of them seem to have been around
     nearly forever, and haven't changed their opinions much in that
     time.

     What bugs me is that Fidonet has so much potential, but in most
     cases it's underutilized.  Take a look at the echo conferences.
     In many of them, you have at least a 50% signal to noise ratio
     (for every on-topic, well-thought-out, valuable message,
     there's at least one that is of no real use to anyone).

     Also, development of truly NEW technology in the net seems to
     have come to a standstill.  I feel this is partly due to the
     proliferation of various software from different authors,
     coupled with a lack of clear, enforceable standards.  It's no
     longer possible to pick a node from the nodelist at random,
     dial it with your mailer, and expect that 99.5% of the time
     you'll make a good connect.  Three years ago, if you couldn't
     complete a mail session, it was most likely due to bad phone
     lines.  Now many of the phone companies use all digital
     circuitry that has almost totally eliminated static and noise
     in many areas, but now our mailers have their little quirks
     that may keep them from talking to each other, unless the guy
     on the other end is running the exact same software you are.

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 23                   8 Apr 1991


     And once you've exchanged mail, the echomail scanners/tossers
     don't view it all the same way.  Various software has its own
     little quirks that in many cases cause perfectly valid messages
     to be discarded as dupes.

     So, there is (in my opinion) an unacceptably high error rate in
     the system, mostly again because of a lack of any will to
     adhere to standards.  You could blame the software developers
     for this, and in a few cases it is their fault (one author
     blatently refuses to even look at SEEN-BY lines when processing
     echomail, except to add a node to them, in violation of every
     accepted practice of echomail handling.  Unfortunately, this
     author's software is used a lot in Fidonet).  BUT, in most
     cases it's because we don't have a viable mechanism for
     reviewing and officially sanctioning new standards.  In most
     cases the authors are doing things far ahead of existing
     standards, and each is doing their own thing, and it's just a
     happy coincidence if two pieces of software from different
     author happen to work together at anything more than the most
     basic level.  In the meantime, mail is being lost, but it's no
     big deal, right?!

     And, our present technological level (that everyone accepts)
     still has plenty of limitations, many of which were originally
     due to political decisions rather than technical ones.  In my
     opinion, political decisions should be enforced by the
     political types, and not by software.  For example, in Fidonet
     there's no easy way to attach a file to a message and forward
     it through an intermediate system, NOT because software can't
     be written to do it (in fact we've developed much more kludgey
     ways to move files around) but because "way back when" some
     political types decided that files should not be forwarded...
     never mind that in certain instances (such as a local net or a
     private net), someone might actually be willing to allow
     forwarded files to pass through their system.

     And will we ever be able to use character sets other than
     English, or send graphics or even audio data as part of a
     message?  I'll bet that some folks would love to have the
     capability to run BBS's that could actually support voice
     messaging in addition to written messages, especially within a
     local calling area, but the current Fidonet message formats
     won't accept such extensions and I see little hope of getting
     any real agreement on any new standards.

     How about interfacing Fidonet with FAX machines?  During the
     recent experiment in sending messages to the troops in Saudi
     Arabia (which, you may note, had to be carried out in a private
     Fidonet-technology network due to Fidonet politics), only those
     with computer modems could participate.  Wouldn't it have been
     nice if those with FAX machines could have dialed up a system
     and the Fidonet mailer would have recognized an incoming FAX
     transmission and accepted it, stored it, digitized and
     compressed it (possibly even using OCR techniques to convert
     typewritten documents to ASCII, and extract addressing
     information), and then sent it on to its destination, with
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 24                   8 Apr 1991


     minimal or no human intervention?  Or maybe the reverse is
     possible - receive a message off the net and automatically
     forward it to a FAX machine in the local calling area.  These
     types of challenges (designing the hardware and software to
     allow such things) would really excite some folks, but when you
     keep getting told "we don't do things that way and if you
     design such a system, nobody will use it, and you're some sort
     of real lowlife for even suggesting it", you soon figure out
     that there's better ways to spend your time.

     If you need an example of this, take a look at GroupMail.  It
     really IS a superior system (to Echomail) for handling
     conferences (with one exception, that being a relatively low
     message size limit of 8K, but that could be gotten around,
     too).  Between the folks who haven't looked at GroupMail since
     version 1.01 and therefore haven't the slightest notion of the
     current capabilities (but think they do), and those who had a
     grudge of some sort against the author, and the political types
     who didn't like it because geographic restrictions on where one
     obtained conferences couldn't be enforced, and those who simply
     didn't want to bother with it, it all but died in Fidonet.  And
     we are all the poorer for it.

     Let me digress just a moment:  Some people didn't like
     GroupMail because they felt it could be used for "censorship"
     by a conference moderator.  Well, in the first place, there are
     times when removing one message from the message stream can
     save a whole lot of off-topic or flame messages that everyone
     has to pay for.  Everyone (well, almost everyone) accepts the
     notion that a sysop can selectively remove messages from a
     local conference area on his BBS, but a good sysop rarely uses
     that ability.  What is the difference if a conference moderator
     has that same ability, as long as they don't use it too often?

     And in the second place, censorship is alive and well in
     Fidonet.  I hate to tell you folks this, but if you have
     opinions that are not "politically correct",  you WILL be
     removed (or your speech severely restricted) from certain
     conferences.  Don't believe it?  Try espousing a politically
     conservative viewpoint in many conferences, and folks will be
     trying to get rid of you almost immediately.  Or if you REALLY
     want to draw fire, just try explaining (not even necessarily
     advocating) the Biblical (fundamentalist) viewpoint on feminism
     or homosexuality.  Unless you happen to follow your message
     with a strong denial ("this is what THEY believe and I totally
     reject it"), you'll have people calling for your head!  The
     concept of "Freedom of Speech" in Fidonet is very, very sick...
     if you say the RIGHT (or, I should say, the left) things,
     you'll have folks defending your freedom of speech against all
     comers.  Express an unpopular viewpoint, and suddenly an
     entirely different standard is applied ("this is a private
     echo, you have no freedom of speech here").  My point is that
     TRUE freedom of speech is a myth in Fidonet anyway, and it is
     less than honest to say that we shouldn't use certain software
     because it might make a conference moderator's job a bit
     easier.  Once again, this is a political consideration and
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 25                   8 Apr 1991


     should be handled by political means, not by crippling the
     software we use.

     The whole real problem with Fidonet is that the politicians are
     making technical specs, and the software people are writing
     political considerations into the software.  Let me give you
     just one example:  Suppose that you are running a BBS, but for
     whatever reason you want to get your echo feeds from out of
     town and, as it happens, a different geographic reason.  Now,
     if you are willing to be a point off of the system that feeds
     you, you can do that, but then you can't be listed in the
     nodelist.  Or, if you are listed in the nodelist, your freedom
     to get echoes from wherever you want is restricted by policy.
     This is absolutely NUTS... in most cases, the folks making such
     decisions are not paying your phone bill, YOU are... and yet
     they come up with some of the stupidest reasons I've ever heard
     for maintaining geographic restrictions.  If I were some of
     these folks, I'd be ashamed to show my ignorance in making some
     of the statements they've made in support of continued
     geographic restrictions.

     The most idiotic one I've heard goes something like this:  If I
     have a system one block away from you, but for some reason I'm
     in a net from across the country (so my net host is a long
     distance call to you), then you have to make a long distance
     call to send me netmail.  Now in the first place, who says you
     have a God-given right to send me netmail in the first place?
     But the fact is that any technically competent sysop can figure
     out how to bypass host routing and send mail direct, where it
     is less expensive to do so (and some of the folks making these
     statements definitely have been around long enough to know how
     to set up such routing), and besides, if I opt to be a point
     rather than a full node, not only will you have the same
     problem but you won't have the convenience of finding me in the
     nodelist.  But what you are really saying to those in this
     situation is this:  "You have no right to get your echomail
     from the most cost-effective source for you because I *MIGHT* -
     just *MIGHT*, mind you - decide to send you some netmail
     someday."  How arrogant and selfish can you get?

     I just wish that those folks who were so defensive of freedom
     of speech were as concerned about freedom of association - that
     is, the right to sysops to associate with each other based on
     their wants and needs, and particularly on least-cost-routing
     concerns, and not because of the desires of some coordinator
     structure that can't understand topology unless it follows
     lines on a map (again, if I were that mentally incompetent, I'd
     be ashamed to admit it!).

     So what do we have?  A network of several thousand nodes, but
     few high quality conferences.  A network where certain
     political viewpoints are actively suppressed.  A network where
     technology is stagnating because the politicians are trying to
     set technical restrictions, and the technically astute are
     given little say in setting new technical standards, which
     aren't enforced anyway.
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 26                   8 Apr 1991


     It seems as though there is a lack of balance in Fidonet.  I
     would like to close with a thought adapted from a writer named
     Larry Johnson in a business publication I received recently.
     Mr. Johnson states that he believes in guidelines, standards,
     and accountability to authority, but he also believes in
     personal initiative, creativity, and resourcefulness.  He then
     goes on to say:  "These two basic aspects must be KEPT IN
     BALANCE.  Lack of balance in either direction IS THE MARK OF
     IMMATURITY.  Neither anarchy, nor dictatorship has been proven
     useful in the human endeavors OF ANY FIELD.  That is true in
     religion, government, social fields, medicine,..."  and, I
     might add, it certainly applies to Fidonet!  Mr. Johnson then
     gives the following advice:

     "AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE people in any walk of life who encourage
     a state of either anarchy or dictatorship.  I don't care how
     good their intentions seem to be.  Anarchy is an absence of law
     and structure.  Dictatorship is when law and authority is
     presented for its own sake."

     In Fidonet we have many who advocate total anarchy, and others
     who want to impose a particular structure for its own sake (or
     worse yet, because they feel it will empower them or their
     little group in some way).  I hope that neither of these
     extremes will gain (or stay in) control, because if that
     happens, Fidonet will never reach its full potential.  It will
     remain an unfulfilled promise, a technology that could have
     benefited many but that was misused and abused by those with
     their own particular special interests, while the voice of the
     common sysop was all but ignored.  I want to quickly add that I
     do NOT advocate another IFNA type structure (may it Rest In
     Peace!) because that just attracts "control freaks", but just
     because we don't have that structure does not mean we should
     accept total anarchy, or "government by who can scream the
     loudest, longest, and make the biggest pain of themselves."

     I apologize for the negative tone of this article, but I hope
     it will cause some of you to think about what's been happening
     (or not happening, as the case may be).  If you feel that
     Fidonet isn't quite what you expected or hoped for when you got
     into it, maybe the answer is here somewhere.  I leave it to the
     reader to judge whether there's and validity in these comments.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 27                   8 Apr 1991


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

                         Latest Software Versions

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

                           Bulletin Board Software
     Name        Version    Name        Version    Name       Version

     DMG            2.93    Phoenix         1.3    TAG           2.5g
     Fido            12s+   QuickBBS       2.66    TBBS           2.1
     GSBBS          3.02    RBBS          17.3B    TComm/TCommNet 3.4
     Lynx           1.30    RBBSmail      17.3B    Telegard       2.5
     Kitten         2.16    RemoteAccess   1.00*   TPBoard        6.1
     Maximus        1.02    SLBBS          1.77A   Wildcat!      2.55
     Opus           1.14+   Socrates       1.10    WWIV          4.12
     PCBoard        14.5                           XBBS          1.15

     Network                Node List              Other
     Mailers     Version    Utilities   Version    Utilities  Version

     BinkleyTerm    2.40    EditNL         4.00    ARC            7.0
     D'Bridge       1.30    MakeNL         2.31    ARCAsim       2.30
     Dutchie       2.90C    ParseList      1.30    ARCmail       2.07
     FrontDoor     1.99c    Prune          1.40    ConfMail      4.00
     PRENM          1.47    SysNL          3.14    Crossnet      v1.5
     SEAdog         4.60*   XlatList       2.90    DOMAIN        1.42
     TIMS      1.0(Mod8)    XlaxDiff       2.35    EMM           2.02
                            XlaxNode       2.35    4Dog/4DMatrix 1.18
                                                   Gmail         2.05
                                                   GROUP         2.16
                                                   GUS           1.30
                                                   HeadEdit      1.15
                                                   InterPCB      1.31
                                                   LHARC         2.10
                                                   MSG            4.1
                                                   MSGED         2.06
                                                   MSGTOSS        1.3
                                                   Oliver        1.0a
                                                   PK[UN]ZIP     1.20
                                                   QM             1.0
                                                   QSORT         4.03
                                                   Sirius        1.0x
                                                   SLMAIL        1.36
                                                   StarLink      1.01
                                                   TagMail       2.41
                                                   TCOMMail       2.2
                                                   Telemail      1.27
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 28                   8 Apr 1991


                                                   TMail         1.15
                                                   TPBNetEd       3.2
                                                   TosScan       1.00
                                                   UFGATE        1.03
                                                   XRS           4.10*
                                                   XST            2.2
                                                   ZmailH        1.14


                                OS/2 Systems
                                ------------

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     Maximus-CBCS       1.02   BinkleyTerm  2.40   Parselst      1.32
                                                   ConfMail      4.00
                                                   EchoStat       6.0
                                                   oMMM          1.52
                                                   Omail          3.1
                                                   MsgEd         2.06
                                                   MsgLink       1.0C
                                                   MsgNum        4.14
                                                   LH2           0.50
                                                   PK[UN]ZIP     1.02
                                                   ARC2          6.00
                                                   PolyXARC      2.00
                                                   Qsort          2.1
                                                   Raid           1.0
                                                   Remapper       1.2
                                                   Tick           2.0
                                                   VPurge        2.07


                                 Xenix/Unix
                                 ----------

     BBS Software                  Mailers         Other Utilities
     Name             Version  Name      Version   Name       Version

                               BinkleyTerm 2.30b   Unzip         3.10
                                                   ARC           5.21
                                                   ParseLst     1.30b
                                                   ConfMail     3.31b
                                                   Ommm         1.40b
                                                   Msged        1.99b
                                                   Zoo           2.01
                                                   C-Lharc       1.00
                                                   Omail        1.00b

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 29                   8 Apr 1991


                                   Apple II
                                  ----------

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     GBBS Pro            2.1   Fruity Dog    1.0   ShrinkIt       3.2
     DDBBS +             4.0                       ShrinkIt GS   1.04
                                                   deARC2e        2.1
                                                   ProSel        8.65


                                 Apple CP/M
                                 ----------

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     Daisy               v2j   Daisy Mailer 0.38   Nodecomp      0.37
                                                   MsgUtil        2.5
                                                   PackUser        v4
                                                   Filer         v2-D
                                                   UNARC.COM     1.20


                                 Macintosh
                                 ---------

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     Red Ryder Host     2.1    Tabby         2.2   MacArc         0.04
     Mansion            7.15   Copernicus    1.0   ArcMac          1.3
     WWIV (Mac)         3.0                        LHArc          0.33
     Hermes             1.01                       StuffIt Classic 1.6
     FBBS               0.91                       Compactor      1.21
                                                   TImport        1.92
                                                   TExport        1.92
                                                   Timestamp       1.6
                                                   Tset            1.3
                                                   Import          3.2
                                                   Export         3.21
                                                   Sundial         3.2
                                                   PreStamp        3.2
                                                   OriginatorII    2.0
                                                   AreaFix         1.6
                                                   Mantissa       3.21
                                                   Zenith          1.5
     FidoNews 8-14                Page 30                   8 Apr 1991


                                                   Eventmeister    1.0
                                                   TSort           1.0
                                                   Mehitable       2.0
                                                   UNZIP         1.02c

                                   Amiga
                                   -----

     Bulletin Board Software   Network Mailers     Other Utilities

     Name            Version   Name      Version   Name       Version

     Paragon           2.082+  BinkleyTerm  1.00   AmigArc       0.23
     TransAmiga         1.05   TrapDoor     1.50   AReceipt       1.5
                               WelMat       0.42   booz          1.01
                                                   ConfMail      1.10
                                                   ChameleonEdit 0.10
                                                   ElectricHerald1.66
                                                   Lharc         1.30
                                                   MessageFilter 1.52
                                                   oMMM         1.49b
                                                   ParseLst      1.30
                                                   PkAX          1.00
                                                   PK[UN]ZIP     1.01
                                                   PolyxAmy      2.02
                                                   RMB           1.30
                                                   RoboWriter    1.02
                                                   Skyparse      2.30
                                                   TrapList      1.12
                                                   Yuck!         1.61
                                                   Zippy (Unzip) 1.25
                                                   Zoo           2.01



                                Atari ST/TT
                                -----------

     Bulletin Board         Network                Node List
     Software    Version    Mailer      Version    Utilities  Version

     FIDOdoor/ST    2.12*   BinkleyTerm   2.40l*   ParseList     1.30
     QuickBBS/ST    1.02    The BOX        1.20    Xlist         1.12
     Pandora BBS   2.41c                           EchoFix       1.20
     GS Point       0.61                           sTICk/Hatch   5.10*
     LED ST         1.00
     MSGED         1.96S

     Archiver               Msg Format             Other
     Utilities   Version    Converters  Version    Utilities  Version

     FidoNews 8-14                Page 31                   8 Apr 1991


     LHARC          0.60    TB2BINK        1.00    ConfMail      4.03
     ARC            6.02    BINK2TB        1.00    ComScan       1.02
     PKUNZIP        1.10    FiFo           2.1j*   Import        1.14
                                                   OMMM          1.40
                                                   Pack          1.00
                                                   FastPack      1.20
                                                   FDsysgen      2.16
                                                   FDrenum       2.10
                                                   Trenum        0.10



                                Archimedes
                                ----------

     BBS Software           Mailers                Utilities
     Name        Version    Name        Version    Name       Version

     ARCbbs         1.44    BinkleyTerm    2.03    Unzip        2.1TH
                                                   ARC           1.03
                                                   !Spark       2.00d

                                                   ParseLst      1.30
                                                   BatchPacker   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 8-14                Page 32                   8 Apr 1991


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

                          The Interrupt Stack


     12 May 1991
        Fourth anniversary of FidoNet operations in Latin America and
        second anniversary of the creation of Zone-4.

     15 Aug 1991
        5th annual Z1 Fido Convention - FidoCon '91 "A New Beginning"
        Sheraton Denver West August 15 through August 18 1991.

      8 Sep 1991
        25th anniversary of first airing of Star Trek on NBC!

      7 Oct 1991
        Area code  415  fragments.   Alameda and Contra Costa Counties
        will  begin  using  area  code  510.   This includes  Oakland,
        Concord, Berkeley  and  Hayward.    San  Francisco, San Mateo,
        Marin, parts of  Santa Clara County, and the San Francisco Bay
        Islands will retain area code 415.

      1 Feb 1992
        Area  code 213 fragments.    Western,  coastal,  southern  and
        eastern portions of Los Angeles  County  will begin using area
        code 310.  This includes Los  Angeles  International  Airport,
        West  Los  Angeles,  San  Pedro and Whittier.    Downtown  Los
        Angeles  and  surrounding  communities  (such as Hollywood and
        Montebello) will retain area code 213.

      1 Dec 1993
        Tenth anniversary of Fido Version 1 release.

      5 Jun 1997
        David Dodell's 40th Birthday


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

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

