1096 lines
51 KiB
Plaintext
1096 lines
51 KiB
Plaintext
Volume 3, Number 37 29 September 1986
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| /|oo \ |
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| - FidoNews - (_| /_) |
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| _`@/_ \ _ |
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| International | | \ \\ |
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| FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) |
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| Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// |
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| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
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| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
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| (jm) |
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Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
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Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
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FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International FidoNet
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Association, and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1.
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You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in
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FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file
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ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1.
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Copyright (C) 1986, by the International FidoNet Association.
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All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted
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for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances,
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please contact IFNA.
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The contents of the articles contained here are not our
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responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them.
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Everything here is subject to debate.
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Table of Contents
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1. EDITORIAL
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Amateur Radio and Electronic Mail
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2. ARTICLES
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IFNA Expenditures
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The Fidogram free telegram service
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Country Level Support for FidoNet
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The View from Europe
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3. COLUMNS
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Perfect Calc to dBASE Files
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Bug Column - or Does Fido Still have Fleas?
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Computer Industry Spotlight
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Review of USR Micro-Link 2400bps Modem
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4. WANTED
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Wanted: IBM PC programs for publication!
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5. FOR SALE
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Public Domain Software Library Sale!!
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6. NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
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WARNING: Node List Snafu
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Fidonews Page 2 29 Sep 1986
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EDITORIAL
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This week's guest editorial is by Karl Schinke, "The Wizard of
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Bendix", node 107/16
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Amateur Radio and Electronic Mail
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I gather from some references to "amateur radio
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organizations" that someone has pointed out a parallel between
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the state of Fido sysops now and the state of radio "Hams" before
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Hiram Walker and friends founded the ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay
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League).
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Hams had demonstrated that wavelengths shorter than 200
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meters (yeah, 200 METERS) were usable for communications, and
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commercial pressure groups were squeezing the FCC and
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international equivalents into allocating all the radio space to
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commercial use, with no room for the "hams". This after they had
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gobbled up all the space below 200 and left the hams the
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"useless" frequencies above, where they "could do no harm".
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Hmmm. Commercial pressure for "pay BBS" like Compuserve?
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The ARRL has provided many useful services for hams, members
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and non, by "watching for their interests" in Washington DC and
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internationally, publishing handbooks and guides, etc etc. THEY
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REQUIRE A MEMBERSHIP FEE.
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I'm sure we can think of many other parallels where hobbyists
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have had to band together under an organization to make their
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hobby practical, make sure that our friends in Washington don't
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make it illegal, and to assist the hobbyist with executing his
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hobby.
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Even without the 25,000 Fidos that have been postulated (a
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not unlikely situation), but even AS WE NOW ARE we have problems.
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In a flick of a few pens, our "representatives" can wipe our
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hobby out WITHOUT EVEN KNOWING THEY ARE DOING IT, as the rumors
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about various "kiddy porn" bills and "freedom of information" and
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"right to privacy" stuff has shown.
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Can we exist much longer without a lobby? I doubt it. And
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who will support such a lobby, if not we, the BBS sysops who CAN
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COMMUNICATE with each other. But still we can't without an
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organization. None of us individually can afford it!
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This even without the question of media relations that is
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killing Kaplan (from what I hear). What is the "man in the
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street" opinion of BBS's? A bunch of smartaleck kids who try to
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start World War Three, or break into banks, or move satellites
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out of orbit. How do you think they'd vote on whether we should
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be allowed to operate? Who's gonna change public opinion? The
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"media". And whose gonna sway them? Hunh?
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Fidonews Page 3 29 Sep 1986
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Fidonews Page 4 29 Sep 1986
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ARTICLES
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Ken Kaplan, node 1/2
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IFNA Expenditures
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I apologize for taking so long to make this data public. Due to
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the enormous amount of Net mail, voice phone calls, and an
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increased work load (and traveling) at my "real" job, I have had
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very little time since the conference to respond. This is not an
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IFNA budget, but it *IS* a start, and eventually, may become part
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of the IFNA budget.
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The IFNA expenditures in St. Louis are running between $6000 and
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$7000 a year at current expenses and growing as the nodelist
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expands. This includes voice phone bills originated by Ben Baker
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and I that are running around $400/month of which some $100/month
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goes to overseas support. This includes three support Fido
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systems, supplies, stationary, marketing, press releases,
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answering some 50 letters per week about Fido, stamps, P.O. Box,
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hardware maintenance, checking account and IFNA Conference
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preparation. The legal and accounting fees to incorporate are
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also included.
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The IFNA expenses are those dollars spent to support the Network
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as a whole. The data phone bills for Ben and I are low since
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neither of us is the outbound host, so all of our direct traffic
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is FidoNet network support. Our data expenses only run around
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$100-$125 per month, on the other side of the coin, our voice
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expenses run around $400 per month (a lot of months it is even
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higher). We would love to distribute that cost, unfortunately,
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when people call either Ben or myself, they want *US* to call
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them back. Also, it only takes 3 or 4 overseas phone calls to
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inflate our monthly phone bills. After Henk Weaver, Fido 2/0,
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took over as the European Coordinator, those calls did go
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considerably down and I would expect Brian Gatenby, soon to be
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Fido 3/0, to have a similar impact in Australia. That still
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doesn't stop other countries to call me and expect me to return
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their calls too. As Fido continues to spread overseas, my phone
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bill will be high as I have to talk to them at least a few times
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to get them organized and started.
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The above expenditures do *NOT* include rent, secretary,
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salaries, travel, lobbying, selling SEAdog(c) and Fido(c), phone
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costs for sending nodediffs or FidoNews, IFNA owned micros, etc.
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I would suggest we get over the first hurdle and get organized as
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a non profit tax exempt and then discuss other ways to spend
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money if we can solve the funding problems. Remember the original
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reason for going non profit and tax exempt was to seek funding
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from big corporations who are already targeting us as a serious
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market such as AT&T Reach Out America(tm), GTE PC Pursuit(tm),
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USRobotics Courier(tm), etc. I will start investigating what it
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Fidonews Page 5 29 Sep 1986
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will cost to do some of the above and present the findings to the
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Bylaws Committee. If anyone wants to help out here please let me
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know. Even if we agree that some of the above expenditures make
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sense we need more people to make them happen.
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The current rule regarding tax exempt status filing states that
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an organization will not be treated as tax exempt for any period
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before the filings are make within 15 months from the end of the
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month in which we were organized. In our case, that was the end
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of August. However, it is more difficult to obtain tax exempt
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status the longer you wait to apply. We need to get our Bylaws
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done and decide which direction is best for IFNA. The Bylaws
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Committee being Co-Chaired by Bob Hartman and Steve Jordon are
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already hard at work coming up with a first draft.
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I would propose that IFNA should reimburse the extraordinary
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costs of the Executive Director, Technical Manager (the person
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who takes care of the nodelist), FidoNews Editor, plus any other
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officers as defined by the Bylaws. Whomever fills these positions
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should be able to recover their costs (within budget) above any
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reasonable and customary costs of running a board. If the
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officers need to send their bills to an IFNA Treasurer who has an
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approved list to eliminate the paranoia, then so be it. I would
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also propose we refrain from "second tier" funding, ie; Help
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Nodes, Regional Coordinators, Network Hosts, etc. until IFNA
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covers it's initial organizational expenses. We can talk about
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"second tier" funding next year at the conference. I also think
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that our Treasure should publish an annual statement that goes
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into FidoNews and I will do my utmost to cooperate in order to
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see that this gets done.
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I feel that the primary mission of IFNA is to sustain and improve
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FidoNet on an International level through technological
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coordination. The secondary goals of IFNA are numerous and for
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the most part still under discussion in the IFNA conference.
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On a more personal note, I would like to express my thanks to all
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of you who have supported me during the past three years. It has
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been very gratifying to see the net grow and expand and have the
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international impact that it has had so far. Granted, maybe not
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EVERYTHING has been handled perfectly or to everyone's taste, but
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I have tried long and hard to work to make FidoNet exciting and
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up to date. The fact that SEAdog(c) and all the other wonderful
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utilities have joined forces with us makes us even stronger and
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have eventually greater impact both in the U.S. and worldwide.
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Please send any feedback or comments to Fido 1/2, which is the
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new node number for IFNA.
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Ken Kaplan
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Fido 1/2
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Fidonews Page 6 29 Sep 1986
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Luck Hurder
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Cape Cod Fido 101/105
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Cape Cod Fido is still offering the free Fidogram service!
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There are many uses for Fidograms. Examples:
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1. Sending greetings during holidays, birthdays, or just
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to renew old acquaintances.
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2. Sending batches of messages to your club members who are
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scattered all over the country.
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3. Making all your old cronies green around the edges by
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announcing your next month-long cruise to Timbuktu, or
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bragging about your recent engagement to Mr/Ms wonderful.
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4. College students: telling Ma how much you miss
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her apple pie.
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5. Requesting health and welfare information on friends or
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family located (or not yet located!) in a disaster area.
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As with anything neat like this - some cautions are
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in order.
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Since FidoGrams are not sent over commercial circuits, but
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rather by FCC-controlled Amateur Radio Circuits, there are
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some constraints. First, if you really want to make Fido curl
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up his lip, bare his teeth and growl, just try sending a free
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telegram that relates in any way to business, or the making of
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a profit by any party. Fido will make kitty litter out of any-
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thing that does not look like a personal, non-business message.
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Don't even attempt it. Ditto for profanity, codes, or ciphers.
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Finally, user normal-conversation words. Avoid difficult ones.
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How will your free telegrams be delivered? After being routed
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through the National radio Traffic System to the ultimate point
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of destinatiion, the telegram will be telephoned - just like
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with the commercial boys.
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Here's what Fido needs in order to keep his telegram tail-a-
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-waggin.
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1. Y-o-u-r name, address, and telephone number in case we need
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to get back with you, or in case there is a return message going
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your way.
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2. The full name, adddress, and telephone number of the persons
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you wish to send telegrams to.
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3. The message.
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4. A signature.
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That's the grand total.
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Where can you send free FidoGrams? To anyone in the USA or
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Canada who has a telephone.
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Is there a limit to the number of free FidoGrams that you can
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send at any one time? No. As a matter of fact, the Amateur
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Radio Operators use these telegrams as a way of exercising their
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emergency communications apparatus. They welcome large loads
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of message traffic in order to practice for the times when emer-
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Fidonews Page 7 29 Sep 1986
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emergencies demand strains on their system. Go ahead - try to
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inundate them...
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If you wish to send FidoGrams, or if you have further questions
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send them to Luck Hurder at Cape Cod Fido 101/105. Be absolute-
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ly sure to include your complete name, address and voice phone
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number so that we wont have to incur Fidomail expenses.
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We hope you'll use this service often, and that you'll gain
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much enjoyment from it.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 8 29 Sep 1986
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Kilgore Trout, 107/7
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FidoNet Study Group
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Country Level Support for FidoNet
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A Proposed Approach
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Tom Jennings has declared his intention of providing country
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level support for FidoNet. This is an excellent idea. I have a
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proposal on one possible way to do it.
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International mail has thus far been handled in a very different
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manner than domestic mail. I'll use Europe and Massnet as an
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example, even though they don't operate this way any more.
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Anyone sending mail to Europe routed it to Dave Rene in Massnet,
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who then passed it via DECnet to England, where it was
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distributed. This was implemented in multinet Fido by making
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England a part of the Massachusetts area. (The tail is definitely
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wagging the dog here!)
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Instead, assume that the U.S. is zone 1, and Europe is zone 2.
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Dave Rene would then be designated as the "link" from zone 1 to
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zone 2. An example of the node list might be:
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ZONE 1 United_States
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LINK 2 20 2400 Europe 1-617-632-1861 Gardner_MA
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LINK 3 22 1200 Indonesia 1-808-486-0407 Honolulu_HI
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HOST 100 22 2400 St_Louis_Area 1-314-432-4129 St_Louis_MO
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507 22 1200 Sky_King 1-618-462-3550 Alton_IL
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(rest of the U.S. nodes)
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ZONE 2 Europe
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LINK 1 20 2400 United_States 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
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LINK 3 20 2400 Indonesia 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
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HOST 1 20 2400 HCC_net_Holland 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
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1 20 2400 Fido_Nl1 31-8380-37156 Ede_HOLLAND
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(rest of the European nodes)
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ZONE 3 Indonesia
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LINK 1 20 2400 United_States 62-21-79-3286 Jakarta_JAYA
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LINK 2 20 2400 Europe 62-21-79-3286 Jakarta_JAYA
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HOST 131 20 2400 Indonesia_Net 62-21-71-7406 Jakarta_JAYA
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369 20 1200 Aditya_BBS 62-23-1-6049 Cirebon_JAYA
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391 20 2400 Computeria 62-21-71-7406 Jakarta_JAYA
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(rest of the Indonesian nodes)
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The idea here is that if (for example) you want to send mail to
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someone in zone 3, then you route it instead to whoever is
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"link 3" in your own zone, and he takes care of getting it there.
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If there is no link designated, then current routing practices
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take over.
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The assumption here is that whoever is the link will have some
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other way of getting the mail there, such as Dave Rene used to
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have with DECnet, but it would still work with the current
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procedure of picking up mail.
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Fidonews Page 9 29 Sep 1986
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Fidonews Page 10 29 Sep 1986
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Henk Wevers, 500/1
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To IFNA or not to IFNA, that's the question
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an European view by Henk Wevers.
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Courtesy Neal of 138/14 Europe is tied into the IFNA conference.
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If that is a blessing has to be decided yet. After reading all
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this barking and other emotional stuff I suggest we change
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directions in this area and try to rationally find out:
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1) If we really need an IFNA
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2) If we are really serious about IFNA, how to raise money for
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IFNA
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3) If we find ways to raise money, how to organize IFNA.
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4) If we get IFNA organized what else do we want from IFNA.
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If we start with point 1 and find us having a real NO somewhere
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along the line, we can stop answering the next points, so let's
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begin at the first one.
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Do we really need IFNA
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----------------------
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Oh well, this is a really difficult question to answer, because,
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except from food, water and housing, do we really need anything?
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So the answer must be NO. We don't need a computer, we don't
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need a net, we don't need IFNA. But still, if we are running a
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BBS like Fido the real question is, makes IFNA things work better
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for us. My personal answer here is YES, but I figure that for
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others the answer will be no. To make this clear for ourselves
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let's see where IFNA can help to make things work better for us.
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1. We need some central point to give out the nodelist. This is
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true if we all want to be in a BIG worldwide net. Probably
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without a central point for the nodelist we will see a lot of
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small nets, some die, others are born again. No international
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communications, no nationwide communication. Perhaps YOU
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don't care, I do.
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2. We need some central point to give out a newsletter. Well,
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without a newsletter you have to find out all kind of things
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by yourself. Could you really live without FidoNews? If yes,
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I guess you can live without Fido.
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3. We need some central point to control the netstandard. Hmmm,
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I think without this kind of thing we will end up like the
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modem situation in Europe. Don't you think the situation in
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the USA is much better?
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4. We need to reach the point of critical mass. If an
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Fidonews Page 11 29 Sep 1986
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organization reaches a certain point in membership, the
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numbers alone are enough to open a lot of doors. With FidoNet
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we reached that point already, but we need a concentration
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point. I have seen this power used in FidoNews by publishing
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bad experiences with firms. It can be used (wisely) for other
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things.
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5. We need long term stability. If we want to be in a FidoNet,
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it better lasts long. At the moment, if some people decide to
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stop tomorrow the net collapses a few days after that. With
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an organization you can avoid that.
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6. We need something so we can be proud to be part of it. NO I
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don't mean you. I know this is not your reason to be in
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FidoNet, but why want people a net/nodenumber before they have
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their boards running and before they can mail, huh?
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7. Fill in your personal reasons here
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--> Every single point is enough reason for me to want something
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like IFNA.
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--> How about you?
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How to raise money for IFNA
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---------------------------
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First things first, at the conference I have followed the
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discussion about tax deduction for IFNA. The discussions about
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this point took about 1 hour of our limited time there. At a
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proposed $25 a year, I am told tax deduction could be about $5 a
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year. Yeach... most of the guys talking spend $60 a night in the
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Hilton and flew to Colorado....
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My suggestion is the following: Charge an entry fee in the
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nodelist and an annual fee to stay in the nodelist. Divide the
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money between the people doing the work: the regional
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coordinators, the nethosts, the zone coordinators and IFNA. This
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must be independent from a membership of IFNA, it just should pay
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for the costs involved (hosts and coordinators downloading
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FidoNews and the nodelist updates). It will also get rid of
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nodes not really up or serious about the mail part of Fido.
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Suggested fees:
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Entry: $10
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$2 for IFNA
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$2 for zonecoordinator,
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$6 for host/region coordinator.
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Annual: $ 5
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$1 for IFNA
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$1 for zonecoordinator
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$3 for host/region coordinator
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Fidonews Page 12 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Ok hosts, calculate your costs in maintaining the nodelist, eg
|
|
uploading changes and downloading the diff files. you must have a
|
|
better estimation.)
|
|
|
|
Besides that a membership fee of IFNA giving you some advantages
|
|
(later) and the right to vote. If you don't want to vote and
|
|
don't want the advantages and still want to be part of FidoNet,
|
|
fine.
|
|
|
|
How to organize IFNA
|
|
--------------------
|
|
|
|
This is the crucial point. I stands for international but so far
|
|
all talking has been done for a (USA) national FNA (UFNA ?) For
|
|
your information, long ago the Finnish FidoNet sysops have formed
|
|
a Finnish FidoNet organization (just to share the costs of
|
|
hosting and getting the news and nodelist updates). I think a
|
|
lot of talking and thinking has to be done about this point. If
|
|
you make mistakes you can end up with an organization busy
|
|
talking about its own organization instead of servicing its
|
|
members. Points to be decided:
|
|
|
|
- Who are members of IFNA, national FNA's, zones, regions, nets,
|
|
or people?
|
|
|
|
- Who can be assured that we have a democratic organization that
|
|
can act fast enough?
|
|
|
|
- Do we want a democratic organization? Aren't we better off
|
|
with a service bureau?
|
|
|
|
- If we vote, how to organize that on this large scale?
|
|
|
|
I am not so sure we are ready for a democratic organization,
|
|
maybe we are better off without it for a year or so. I gladly pay
|
|
a little fee for being in the nodelist, and if being a member of
|
|
IFNA makes my life better I will pay for that too. No need to
|
|
vote yet.
|
|
|
|
What do we want from IFNA
|
|
-------------------------
|
|
|
|
Ok, here is my wish list.
|
|
|
|
1. All points mentioned above
|
|
|
|
2. Concentration point for FidoNet related software (this alone
|
|
will be worth it, ordering a disk from IFNA with the latest
|
|
updates of Fido/SEAdog/Collie utilities)
|
|
|
|
3. Some day in the future I hope IFNA will run hosts to
|
|
concentrate traffic between countries (states). Maybe a
|
|
satellite?
|
|
|
|
4. Validation of FidoNet software
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 13 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
5. Help for people writing FidoNet software
|
|
|
|
6. ----
|
|
(please fill in)
|
|
|
|
|
|
One last point
|
|
--------------
|
|
|
|
FidoNet, the bigger the better? Well, that depends. I rather
|
|
have a small cooperating FidoNet community than a big FidoNet
|
|
that in the end will fall apart due to lack of organization. You
|
|
too? Tell us, I haven't seen any comment from most of you
|
|
there....
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 14 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
COLUMNS
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
CONVERTING PERFECT CALC FILES TO dBASE
|
|
|
|
|
|
Like the discovery of America, the atomic bomb, and many others
|
|
of our blessings, the main secret is disclosed once you know that
|
|
it can be done. With some helpful guidance from our resident
|
|
dBase expert Edie Harris, I can report that you can easily take
|
|
spreadsheet data from Perfect Calc files and enter it without
|
|
retyping into a dBase file.
|
|
|
|
I had always thought of dBase as a filer program, analogous to
|
|
Perfect Filer, and having nothing to do with a spreadsheet and
|
|
calculation program like Perfect Calc. It turns out, however,
|
|
that dBase will do simple arithmetic on its numeric entries as
|
|
well as make logical selections that qualify it for much of the
|
|
work of a spreadsheet.
|
|
|
|
Perfect Calc will do some mathematical operations that dBase will
|
|
not; trigonometric and logarithmic functions, squares and roots,
|
|
for example. But my main application was to keep my checking
|
|
account in order. I also keep track of the categories of tax
|
|
deductible expenses evidenced by each check. For this, the
|
|
ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide was plenty.
|
|
|
|
I've always like Perfect Calc. It thinks the way I do. I like
|
|
the way you enter data, labels, and formulas; I like the ability
|
|
to control column widths and justification, and the ability to
|
|
enter information in one cell and then replicate it in a whole
|
|
region.
|
|
|
|
But Perfect it ain't. there is no way to locate a particular
|
|
entry other then by visual search. Worse than that, it gets
|
|
distinctly buggy when you try to enter too much data or
|
|
(particularly) too many formulas. You are led to believe that
|
|
you can have up to seven buffers, each containing a spreadsheet
|
|
with 52 columns and 155 lines, with proliferation of formulas
|
|
tying then all together. Just try it! Long before those
|
|
theoretical bounds are reached, your program will bomb out.
|
|
|
|
Now take a look at dBase. It has been expensive, but many books
|
|
have been written on it. You'll never walk alone, and it may not
|
|
be so expensive, since dBase III is now coming out.
|
|
|
|
Once my data is transferred to dBase, I will be able to locate
|
|
any check with a simple search command, and get a sum of any tax
|
|
category with another. If you have lots of important information
|
|
in Perfect Calc files, knowing that this can be done will
|
|
encourage you to get and learn dBase.
|
|
|
|
Here's how to transfer the data:
|
|
|
|
Call up the PC spreadsheet. Make sure all numerical entries are
|
|
Fidonews Page 15 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
justified to the right and all labels to the left (these are the
|
|
default settings, so they will be unless you've changed them).
|
|
Mark the region of the spreadsheet which contains the data you
|
|
want transferred, by marking one corner of the region with a
|
|
"Mark-set" (ESC SPACE) and moving the cursor to the other. This
|
|
will ordinarily exclude the titles and text at the top, and some
|
|
calculations at the bottom.
|
|
|
|
Then write it to a text file by using the command CTRL-XP. Do
|
|
not hold the CTRL key down while you type the "P". That would
|
|
act on the entire spreadsheet instead of the region you have
|
|
designated. Do not type a carriage return (that would send it to
|
|
the printer, or lock up the program if you don't have one
|
|
connected and turned on). Instead, give a filename of a file to
|
|
which it is to be 'printed', i.e. saved as a text file. You may
|
|
give it any name you wish left of the period, but the extent
|
|
(filetype) must be the letters "TXT". Then after giving the new
|
|
file its filename.TXT name, press the carriage return.
|
|
|
|
It is probably a wise precaution to call this file up in a word
|
|
processor so as to count the number of spaces that are actually
|
|
in each column. These spaces are critical to the process that
|
|
follows, and may not correspond exactly to those in your Perfect
|
|
Calc spreadsheet.
|
|
|
|
Next, enter dBase with the command "DBASE", and at the dot
|
|
prompt, "CREATE" a file with headings and columns exactly
|
|
corresponding to those of your Perfect Calc text file. Then
|
|
APPEND the Perfect Calc data with the command: APPEND FROM
|
|
(filename).TXT SDF.
|
|
|
|
Then examine the file with the DISPLAY, TEXT, or BROWSE commands.
|
|
Despite your precautions, you may find you need to MODIFY
|
|
STRUCTURE of the dBase file to change column widths, and these
|
|
will destroy the data you have just APPENDed. But the APPEND
|
|
process is so easy and fast that it isn't much work to repeat
|
|
that part of it.
|
|
|
|
There you have it; a block of data that you are already familiar
|
|
with to manipulate, sort, index, calculate sums of all or nay
|
|
particular part. It's a great way to get into a new program.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 16 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fido Bug Column
|
|
David Dodell, Fido Bugs' West, 1/98
|
|
Marvin Shelton, Fido Bugs' East, 1/99
|
|
|
|
|
|
Before we start with the bug reports and Tom Jenning's replies,
|
|
Chris Baker of 135/14 sent the following which may be of interest
|
|
to other sysops.
|
|
|
|
The 'bug' you describe (note: how to log in on one line with user
|
|
i.d. Sysop) is something i was having problems understanding,
|
|
till it hit me. Try this next time:
|
|
|
|
Sysop | | Y Password <cr>.
|
|
|
|
You've got to get past the Last Name prompt so it takes TWO
|
|
pipelines to get to the Yes/password prompt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
BUG
|
|
---
|
|
|
|
The bug is that in the message sections, the number indicated as
|
|
the "last message read" is frequently actually the first unread
|
|
message. This can cause a user to miss a message. This bug
|
|
seems to have persisted through quite a few Fido revisions.
|
|
|
|
I think what the "Last Read" indicator OUGHT to do is start at
|
|
zero when a new user logs in for the first time, and thereafter
|
|
stay at the number of the last message he has read. Instead, it
|
|
seems to start at 1, and thereafter it frequently advances one
|
|
higher than it should be.
|
|
|
|
Tom Jenning's Reply:
|
|
--------------------
|
|
|
|
The last message read is a mess; it will re-read the highest
|
|
message if you've read them all for instance. Fido is
|
|
inconsistent in its display of the number, it displays last read
|
|
+ 1 in some cases. It shouldn't cause a message to be missed; I
|
|
will look for that one.
|
|
|
|
BUG:
|
|
----
|
|
|
|
It seems that when users use the <C>hange feature to change their
|
|
parameters, the changes don't always seem to "stick"... for
|
|
example a user set a screen width of 40 and a length of 8 (for
|
|
one of those little portable computers with a tiny screen) and
|
|
that seemed to get reset to 24 lines, 79 columns when he logged
|
|
off.
|
|
|
|
On the other hand, other users have made various changes with no
|
|
problem. The problem seems to occur when you change your screen
|
|
length to something very small like the above example.
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 17 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tom Jenning's Reply:
|
|
--------------------
|
|
|
|
Ahh ... I think I know what's up with the screen dimension thing.
|
|
Fido lets you set it alright, but when the user logs on next
|
|
time, Fido sanity checks things like screen width ... the logon
|
|
check obviously thinks the screen dimensions are silly, and
|
|
resets to defaults. This will not happen in v12.
|
|
|
|
BUG:
|
|
----
|
|
|
|
I'm not sure if I remember the circumstances ... use "1 x" to
|
|
move to a nonexistant area (such as 9 if the highest current
|
|
system file is 7). Fido will then show the contents of SYSTEM7
|
|
but will say "Msg Area 9:". Any access with "1" shows 7, while
|
|
the header shows 9.
|
|
|
|
Tom Jenning's Reply:
|
|
--------------------
|
|
|
|
The 1 command: Fido wont let you say "1 9" if the highest is 7;
|
|
it will only let you say "1 8". (Highest + 1). Fido creates the
|
|
new system.bbs file (in this case SYSTEM8.BBS) by duplicating the
|
|
one last accessed ... you have to change the contents yourself.
|
|
Not a bug.
|
|
|
|
-------
|
|
|
|
This is the report for the week. Please send your reports
|
|
directly to 1/98 or 1/99. They will be forwarded to Tom
|
|
Jennings.
|
|
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 18 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
William/Eunhee Hunter
|
|
Fido 109/626
|
|
Computer Industry Spotlight on:
|
|
|
|
CONTROL DATA CORPORATION -- Control Data, one of the nation's
|
|
largest computer and financial services firms, offers solutions
|
|
for problems in business and industry, urban and rural
|
|
revitalization, education, small enterprise services, health
|
|
maintenance, energy conservation, and corrections. Control Data
|
|
has openings for electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineers
|
|
for manufacturing, design, production, quality control, field
|
|
service, and research and development. Computer science
|
|
graduates can find openings in business and scientific
|
|
programming, testing, and support.
|
|
Contact: Recruitment Officer, Control Data Corporation,
|
|
8100 34th Ave., S., Minneapolis, MN 55440.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 19 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerry Hindle
|
|
123/6
|
|
Memphis,TN
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have been using U.S. Robotics "Micro-Link 2400" internal modem
|
|
now for about a year with the Fido I am running and have so far had
|
|
excellent service from this unit. I will attempt to pass on my
|
|
findings on this modem to those out there who may be considering a
|
|
purchase from USR in the near future, and although this was written
|
|
about the internal version I have others in this net using the
|
|
"Courier" and other brands of 2400bps modems and from the reports I
|
|
have been getting from them I will try to give you as complete a
|
|
rundown of the various modems as I possibly can.
|
|
|
|
I ordered the modem from USR and requested they send it UPS to
|
|
my business address COD. They accomplished this feat with expertise
|
|
far beyond anything I have seen before. I had the modem the 2nd day
|
|
after talking to the sales people. Considering the service I get from
|
|
UPS this in itself it a miracle. The modem comes packaged with
|
|
terminal software and an extensive user manual. The terminal software
|
|
also has its own user manual almost as big as the modems. I will
|
|
touch briefly on the software.
|
|
|
|
Like Hayes the USR software was designed to operate the Micro-
|
|
Link and thus has some special commands strictly for this purpose. It
|
|
will however do an admirable job of operating both the Hayes internal
|
|
and external modems, the Leading Edge internal 1200 and 2400 modems
|
|
and naturally the USR "courier" external 2400bps modem. It has an
|
|
autoanswer feature allowing you to call your own system with password
|
|
security and have access to your files via telephone. The "BEST"
|
|
feature of this software is it's ability to write an autologon file
|
|
(script) the first time you call a system. If you call a system and
|
|
it is your first call you can elect to have the terminal capture the
|
|
logon sequence "AS YOU TYPE", no more editing script files to
|
|
"create" a script ! Let the program do it for you !
|
|
|
|
The modem card is a full length card requiring a "FULL LENGTH"
|
|
slot (sorry the Tandy slot is too short) and comes with instructions
|
|
on setting the modem for any of the 4 com ports available. It has a
|
|
small speaker built onto the board that allows you to "hear????"
|
|
what's going on when you make a call. I find that this speaker is too
|
|
small to hear easily over the roar of the hard drive in my machine
|
|
unless I place it in high volume, which is too loud. I would suggest
|
|
that they add a volume pot to the rear plate and do away with the
|
|
software volume setting and have just either on during connect, on
|
|
all the time, or off all the time.
|
|
|
|
The telephone connections like all other modems come in thru the
|
|
rear plate, but unlike other modems the are NOT labeled as to which
|
|
is line and which is for the phone. They are also sideways and this
|
|
makes it rather difficult to disconnect the modem by feel since the
|
|
lock tab on the modular phone line is recessed into the rear panel of
|
|
the computer when the modem is installed. I suggest they turn it 90
|
|
degrees so as to put the tab either on the top or bottom of the
|
|
connection hole, and LABEL the connections.
|
|
Fidonews Page 20 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
The modem has the dip switches on the back panel (getting
|
|
crowded back there now) for setting the default parameters on the
|
|
modem. These switches are easy to move with a small pointed tool such
|
|
as a pencil and stay put once they are set. The toggle on them is
|
|
hefty enough to prevent accidental switching and easy enough to do
|
|
from the front of the computer by feel or with a mirror. Here again
|
|
though the ON or OFF position is not labeled. Although the manual
|
|
clearly shows the user where everything goes , is set, or where to
|
|
move it, the labeling would help a great deal. The switches are
|
|
labeled for their NUMBER though and you have to look in a mirror or
|
|
have a good memory to be able to remember if the numbering starts at
|
|
the top or bottom of the plate.
|
|
|
|
I had a modem filter on the line when I first installed the
|
|
modem. This filter had been working very nicely with my Hayes modem
|
|
but after installing the modem inside the computer I noticed that it
|
|
would fail to connect on the first ring about 75 percent of the time.
|
|
After repeated calls to USR tech support I still had the problem. I
|
|
even went so far as to call the telephone company and have the lines
|
|
checked to see if I was getting enough signal. I can't fault tech
|
|
support because they did everything they could think of to help me
|
|
and even offered to swap out to the external modem at no charge if I
|
|
elected to do so. I understand they have since improved on their
|
|
already excellent record in this department. I finally found the
|
|
problem to be that the modem was not sensitive enough to detect the
|
|
ring AFTER it passed thru the filter, and not have any SCHEMATICS
|
|
(hint to USR) I could not find the trim pot to adjust the sensitivity
|
|
to compensate for this. I have since removed the filter from the line
|
|
and am running "bare". I hate to do this since lightening could do
|
|
considerable damage to the system thru the phone line. I think I will
|
|
call tech support and see if they can tell me where the trim pot for
|
|
sensitivity is or at least provide me a SCHEMATIC. Block diagrams are
|
|
nice but useless to me.
|
|
|
|
Again I say the modem has operated flawlessly since the removal
|
|
of the filter and I have had the filter checked out by the
|
|
manufacturer and they say it is 100% operational. I also must applaud
|
|
USR for their policy of rom updates. They updated my rom from version
|
|
242 to 243 free and all I did was call them. I didn't even have to
|
|
send the modem in. They sent the new chip out to me with instructions
|
|
on how to change it out. All they requested was that I send the old
|
|
chip back (for reprogramming I suppose) which is fair enough. After
|
|
all they are the ONLY ones that do this, try getting Hayes to update
|
|
the rom in your modem, they will but you better get the wallet ready
|
|
and be prepared to do without the modem for a while.....
|
|
|
|
I am thoroughly pleased with the support given me by the sales
|
|
people and tech support (except for the lack of a schematic) and the
|
|
documentation is well written (where this article isn't) and through.
|
|
I feel that for the money there is no other modem comparable to the
|
|
USR 2400. I acquired my modem thru their "sysop deal" and would
|
|
suggest that as many of you as can qualify do the same. I mean they
|
|
can't keep a good thing going forever. I intend to purchase the
|
|
"courier" next for the "other computer"
|
|
|
|
If you have ANY questions, suggestions, comments, rebuttals, or other
|
|
Fidonews Page 21 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
information you feel would benefit others please send it to my
|
|
attention either at FIDO 123/6 , FIDO 123/0 or via the US Postal
|
|
service to:
|
|
|
|
Jerry Hindle
|
|
P.O. Box 16223
|
|
Memphis,TN 38186-0223
|
|
|
|
To USR (if you are reading this) I NEED A SCHEMATIC OF THE MICRO-
|
|
LINK. I must use my filter if at all possible.....Thx
|
|
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
Fidonews Page 22 29 Sep 1986
|
|
|
|
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
WANTED
|
|
=================================================================
|
|
|
|
Daniel Tobias, Soft Fido, 19/216
|
|
|
|
WANTED: IBM PC PROGRAMS FOR PUBLICATION!
|
|
|
|
SOFTDISK, INC., the already-successful publisher of magazines on
|
|
diskette for Apple II and Commodore 64 computers, will produce a
|
|
monthly disk-based publication for the IBM PC. The first issue
|
|
of this publication, to be named BIG BLUE DISK, and which will be
|
|
contained entirely on a floppy disk, will be shipped to thousands
|
|
of retail outlets in October, including B. Dalton Booksellers and
|
|
Waldenbooks.
|
|
|
|
- - OFF-BROADWAY - -
|
|
If you have written a program for the IBM PC, please consider
|
|
publishing it on BIG BLUE DISK; it's your chance to make some
|
|
money, and get your name in print. Programs of all categories
|
|
are being accepted.
|
|
|
|
- - YOUR REWARD - -
|
|
We will select the best programs submitted, and publish them on
|
|
issues of BIG BLUE DISK. If we choose to publish your program,
|
|
we will pay you a minimum of $50, and possibly more-- as much as
|
|
$500, depending on the nature and quality of the program. This
|
|
money is for the privilege of publishing your program. You
|
|
retain full rights to it.
|
|
|
|
- - HOW TO SUBMIT IT - -
|
|
Submissions can be sent by FIDONET to node 19/216, or uploaded
|
|
directly to our BBS at (318) 636-4402. Alternatively, you can
|
|
send them on a floppy disk to: BIG BLUE DISK, PO BOX 30008,
|
|
SHREVEPORT, LA 71130-0008.
|
|
|
|
BIG BLUE DISK is a widely-distributed, carefully-prepared
|
|
publication, so make sure your programs are well-tested and
|
|
debugged, and include adequate instructions within the program.
|
|
Include a note (on paper, in a text file, or in a message to the
|
|
sysop of our BBS) describing what your program does, what files
|
|
are necessary to run it, and what system configuration (hardware
|
|
and software) is required. Please include the source code to
|
|
all compiled or assembled programs so we can make revisions if
|
|
necessary. If you have marketed your software as "shareware",
|
|
please remove all requests for money or other advertisements
|
|
from the version you submit for publication; alternatively you
|
|
can contact us for information on other terms for such programs.
|
|
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- - NOTE TO SYSOPS - -
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There is a finder's fee of 10% for you if you submit a program on
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behalf of one of your users and it is published. Thus, you may
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|
wish to publicize BIG BLUE DISK and our search for programs.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Fidonews Page 23 29 Sep 1986
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=================================================================
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FOR SALE
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=================================================================
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Now available from Micro Consulting Associates!!
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|
Public Domain collection - 550+ "ARC" archives - 20+ megs of
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|
software and other goodies, and that's "archived" size!
|
|
When unpacked, you get approximately 28 megabytes worth of
|
|
all kinds of software, from text editors to games to
|
|
unprotection schemes to communications programs, compilers,
|
|
interpreters, etc... Over 66 DS/DD diskettes!! This
|
|
collection is the result of more than 15 months of intensive
|
|
downloads from just about 150 or more BBS's and other
|
|
sources, all of which have been examined, indexed and
|
|
archived for your convenience. Starting a Bulletin Board
|
|
System? Want to add on to your software base without
|
|
spending thousands of dollars? This is the answer!!!
|
|
|
|
To order the library, send $100 (personal or company check,
|
|
postal money order or company purchase order) to:
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|
Micro Consulting Associates, Fido 166/1
|
|
Post Office Box 4296
|
|
200-1/2 E. Balboa Boulevard
|
|
Balboa, Ca. 92661-4296
|
|
|
|
Please allow 3 weeks for delivery of your order.
|
|
|
|
Note: No profit is made from the sale of the Public Domain
|
|
software in this collection. The price is applied entirely
|
|
to the cost of downloading the software over the phone
|
|
lines, running a BBS to receive file submissions, and
|
|
inspecting, cataloguing, archiving and maintaining the
|
|
files. Obtaining this software yourself through the use of a
|
|
computer with a modem using commercial phone access would
|
|
cost you much more than what we charge for the service...
|
|
|
|
The following format choices are available:
|
|
|
|
- IBM PC-DOS Backup utility
|
|
- Zenith MS-DOS 2.11 Backup Utility
|
|
- DSBackup
|
|
- Fastback
|
|
- ACS INTRCPT 720k format (Requires a 1.2m floppy
|
|
drive and PC-DOS 3.2)
|
|
- Plain ol' files (add $50)
|
|
|
|
Add $30 if you want the library on 1.2 meg AT disks (more
|
|
expensive disks). There are no shipping or handling
|
|
charges. California residents add 6% tax.
|
|
|
|
For each sale, $10 will go to the FidoNet Administrators.
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|
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|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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|
|
Fidonews Page 24 29 Sep 1986
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|
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|
=================================================================
|
|
NOTICES
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|
=================================================================
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|
|
The Interrupt Stack
|
|
|
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|
|
24 Aug 1989
|
|
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
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|
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|
|
|
If you have something which you would like to see on this
|
|
calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1/1.
|
|
|
|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
|
|
|
My appologies for the SNAFU Friday. A minor (but NOT
|
|
insignificant) bug in a change I made to "improve" the build
|
|
program caused it to produce NODELIST.269 with a bad CRC. The
|
|
accompanying "good" NODEDIFF was incapable of recreating the bad
|
|
CRC, and the edit process kinda fell apart.
|
|
|
|
The error was not discovered and corrected in time to prevent
|
|
several copies of the bad stuff from getting out.
|
|
|
|
If your NODELIST.269 has the following CRC at the end of line 1:
|
|
32001, you are the proud owner of a "corrupt" nodelist. Actually
|
|
it is eminently usable, but will not be editable next week. It
|
|
can be transformed with the following editing procedure:
|
|
|
|
If you have a NODEDIFF.269 containing the CRC "32001", delete it.
|
|
For God's sake DO NOT DISTRIBUTE IT. Either do not distribute a
|
|
NODEDIFF this week, or get a corrected version to distribute.
|
|
Incidently, if you edited this nodediff to produce a nodelist,
|
|
you do not have the latest version of EDITNL, XLATLIST or both!
|
|
|
|
Ben
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|
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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