F I D O N E W S -- Vol.11 No. 1 (02-Jan-1994) +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | A newsletter of the | | | FidoNet BBS community | Published by: | | _ | | | / \ | "FidoNews" BBS | | /|oo \ | +1-519-570-4176 1:1/23 | | (_| /_) | | | _`@/_ \ _ | Editors: | | | | \ \\ | Sylvia Maxwell 1:221/194 | | | (*) | \ )) | Donald Tees 1:221/192 | | |__U__| / \// | Tim Pozar 1:125/555 | | _//|| _\ / | | | (_/(_|(____/ | | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: editors 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Internet addresses: | | | | Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | | Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com | | Both Don & Sylvia (submission address) | | editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies and other boring but important details, | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ ======================================================================== Table of Contents ======================================================================== 1. Editorial..................................................... 2 2. Articles...................................................... 2 Hi, I'm Alan. Hear me speak!................................ 2 A reply to Steve Winter in Fidonews 1052.................... 3 Is it correct to force one's beliefs on others?............. 4 Is The Snooze An Echo Or A Newsletter?...................... 5 "Thank You Mr. Archie Bunker"............................... 6 Fidonet systems connected to X.25........................... 7 Educating the Unwashed Masses............................... 7 SimTel Software Repository in FidoNet....................... 9 Thoughts of a former sysop.................................. 10 What's going on here? (An open letter)...................... 11 EMag - Another new electronic magazine?..................... 13 A LISTING OF MACINTOSH ECHOMAIL CONFERENCES (v2.0).......... 13 Is Netmail slow or is it me?................................ 17 3. Fidonews Information.......................................... 18 FidoNews 11-01 Page: 2 02 Jan 1994 ======================================================================== Editorial ======================================================================== Got a good article in today called "Is the snooze an echo ...". I must say that I agree with Mr. Perricone. Six or seven months back, we decided that we would accept netmail for articles rather than just files (as specified in artspec). The main reason was that routing was easier, and we wanted to encourage a more global participation. That has happened, but we seem to have gotten into a different rut. I am tired of articles that are 90% quotations with the odd "right on" stuck in. The snooze is for stuff *YOU* write, not for transcripts of E-mail. For a while anyway, we are going to start sending stuff that has too many quotations back ... we want things that are written, not cribbed. Not to say that a quotation will disqalify an article, but editors get to edit. It is a privilege gained by doing the work and *we* are tired of excess quotations. ;<) It is a biggish issue this week. A lot of articles. There are a big group of the standard anti-winter, anti-geo, anti-censorship thingies, but also a few interesting ones on what is happening out there. More please. When I was a kid, one of my favourite books was "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" by C. S. Lewis. The plot contained a masterfull image: a wicked witch who caused it to be always winter, never christmass. Editing can be like that. ======================================================================== Articles ======================================================================== Hi, I'm Alan. Hear me speak! [ ANONYMOUS: DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO WROTE THIS? ] Here is my .plan file: I am a dynamic figure, often seen scaling walls and crushing ice. I have been known to remodel train stations on my lunch breaks, making them more efficient in the area of heat retention. I translate ethnic slurs for Cuban refugees, I write award-winning operas, I manage time efficiently. Occasionally, I tread water for three days in a row. I woo women with my sensuous and godlike trombone playing, I can pilot bicycles up severe inclines with unflagging speed, and I cook Thirty-Minute Brownies in twenty minutes. I am an expert in stucco, a veteran in love, and an outlaw in Peru. Using only a hoe and a large glass of water, I once single-handedly defended a small village in the Amazon Basin from a horde of ferocious army ants. I play bluegrass cello, I was scouted by the Mets, I am the subject of numerous documentaries. When I'm bored, I build large suspension bridges in my yard. I enjoy urban hang gliding. On Wednesdays, after school, I repair electrical appliances FidoNews 11-01 Page: 3 02 Jan 1994 free of charge. I am an abstract artist, a concrete analyst, and a ruthless bookie. Critics worldwide swoon over my original line of corduroy evening wear. I don't perspire. I am a private citizen, yet I receive fan mail. I have been caller number nine and have won the weekend passes. Last summer I toured New Jersey with a traveling centrifugal-force demonstration. I bat .400. My deft floral arrangements have earned me fame in international botany circles. Children trust me. I can hurl tennis rackets at small moving objects with deadly accuracy. I once read Paradise Lost, Moby Dick, and David Copperfield in one day and still had time to refurbish an entire dining room that evening. I know the exact location of every food item in the supermarket. I have performed covert operations for the CIA. I sleep once a week; when I do sleep, I sleep in a chair. While on vacation in Canada, I successfully negotiated with a group of terrorists who had seized a small bakery. The laws of physics do not apply to me. I balance, I weave, I dodge, I frolic, and my bills are all paid. On weekends, to let off steam, I participate in full-contact origami. Years ago I discovered the meaning of life but forgot to write it down. I have made extraordinary four course meals using only a Mouli and a toaster oven. I breed prizewinning clams. I have won bullfights in San Juan, cliff-diving competitions in Sri Lanka, and spelling bees at the Kremlin. I have played Hamlet, I have performed open-heart surgery, and I have spoken with Elvis. But I have not yet gone to a Grateful Dead concert. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A reply to Steve Winter in Fidonews 1052 Mark Gwynn FidoNet 1:11/510 ->Here are both old testament and new testament scriptures that ->document that homosexuality is totally incompatable with ->true Christianity or true Judaism. Excuse me, Steve, but what does this have to do with Fidonet? I wasn't aware that Fidonet had a sexual preference. Why don't you take your bigoted antics someplace where they are wanted? Maybe you would be interested in joining the fun in the Flame echo? You are more than welcome there! ->I encourage anyone deceived into the sewers of homosexuality to ->repent and find a true Acts 2:38 Church. The sin is fatal, but it ->is not unforgivable. Could you please point out to me WHERE in the Bible it says that Acts 2:38 is ANY MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER VERSE IN THE BIBLE?? FidoNews 11-01 Page: 4 02 Jan 1994 You constantly berate people for not "following" Acts 2:38, as if that is the only verse in the whole bible that means anything. Isn't John 3:16 at LEAST as important as Acts 2:38? Yet all you ever have to say about John 3:16 is that it's "beautiful". It's too bad that you've never learned anything that you preach. Should I post some of the "nice" things that you've said about my RC/REC? Yet they did nothing against you. You're one sick puppy, Steve. When are you going to get some help? AFTER you've created another Jonestown or Waco? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Is it correct to force one's beliefs on others? Is it correct to force one's beliefs on others? An Article by Dave Blaser Fido: 1:221/700 Hi guys and gals out there in Fido Land! How are ya'll today?! Quite honestly, I'd much rather be off skiing somewhere. :) I was reading FidoNews 10 52 and saw this article by one Steve Winter. Now, normally, I wouldn't respond to an artivle that I don't really think is in good taste, or that may offend some, but this kinda struck a note with me (and let me tell you, it wasn't a good note.. very off key, and slightly too loud). Don't worry, this will be a short article and our regularly scheduled bitching and flaming can continue on as it undoubedly will. SW> The Bible is clear regarding the sin of homosexuality. It may very well be Steve, but that give you no right to stuff your beliefs down everybody's throat. SW> Here are both old testament and new testament scriptures that SW> document that homosexuality is totally incompatable with SW> true Christianity or true Judaism. [ ... much snipped ... ] SW> I hope I've been "exhaustive" enough here with this brief Bible study. SW> It does seem from these verses that God does have strong feelings SW> concerning certain matters.... It (God, whatever it may be, and wether or not it actually exists) may very well have strong feelings about homosexuality, and no doubt that those feelings are totally against it, but again, this gives you absolutely no right whatsoever to tell those people who may wish to take part in the act of Homosexuality that they're completely wrong, and that they've got to repent to god. While you do have the "Freedom of Speech" (which, as I understand it, is in some serious trouble of being revoked) to speak your mind, you have to realize that homosexuals also have rights and freedoms. Homosexuals have the Freedom of Speech like you and me. They have the Freedom of Religion like you and me. More importantly, they also have the Freedom of Expression. Both Homo and Hetrosexuality can be considered an expression of who we are. FidoNews 11-01 Page: 5 02 Jan 1994 SW> I encourage anyone deceived into the sewers of homosexuality to SW> repent and find a true Acts 2:38 Church. The sin is fatal, but it SW> is not unforgivable. Now this is just a nasty little flame to homosexuals. Chill out and relax some.. let people do as they will and they'll be much nicer to you. SW> Steve Winter PreRapture BBS 919-286-3606 USR-H16/V.32b SW> Moderator/founder HOLY_BIBLE (The Wholly Bible Echo) Figures, the moderator taking sides in a discussion.. time for new blood in the moderators seat.. someone who isn't so partial mabye. Replies, Threats, Offers of Absolutions, and, above all else, Flames can be sent via NetMail and need not be sent through the snooze. I think we've taken up enough band-width on this topic. Dave Blaser, UFP BBS - 1:221/700 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Is The Snooze An Echo Or A Newsletter? by Frank Perricone, 1:325/611, VNet 45:560/602, perricone@wsyd.com Is The Snooze An Echo Or A Newsletter? Of course we've all grown used to the Snooze becoming a forum for dissatisfied people to try to ram their ideas down each other's throats. But there comes a point when the back-and-forth begins to resemble a flame echo just a bit too much. If I wanted to read a Fidopolitics Debate echo, I would subscribe to one. Perhaps those of you who are involved in such exchanges could make an effort to avoid using Echo Format, that is, quoted "opponent" text set off by your own "arguments"? It's merely a question of proper media format. When in an echo, use echo style; when in a newsletter, write in newsletter style, that is, write ARTICLES, pieces of text, argumentative prose designed to establish your proposition through the use of logic, argument, and evidence. Perhaps the need to format your ideas in a structured, original format each time will help cut back on the endless point-by- point, pointless rhetoric and refine the Snooze into a newsletter again. Maybe this could provide a good criteria for rejecting articles--the Greater Than Sign Quotient (GTSQ) must be below 1% of all characters in the article. :) FidoNews 11-01 Page: 6 02 Jan 1994 "Thank You Mr. Archie Bunker" By Glen Pannicke SysOp: The Digital Abyss BBS, 1:107/398 (908) 422-4130 [14.4Kbps v.32b v.42b] Dear Mr. Winter, Your article in FidoNews Vol.10 No.52 regarding homosexuality and the Bible is clear in displaying your blatant discrimination and outright self-righteous ignorance. I have no idea what relevance your article has towards issues involving FidoNet. In fact, it only adds more fuel to the many bonfires which burn in the good old "Fight*O*Net". Thank you Mr. Archie Bunker! I am not a homosexual. As a matter of fact, I am 100% heterosexual. I am also not your stereotypical "bleeding heart liberal" either, but your article made me choke. I cannot believe you seriously have the gaul to submit this article for publication! I make FIDONEWS available for on-line viewing on my BBS and I have received replies from many disturbed users regarding your article. It is our contention (mine & a few other user's here) that you gay-bash from behind the sacred shield of religious belief. Quoting Steve Winters:" I encourage anyone deceived into the sewers of homosexuality to repent and find a true Acts 2:38 Church. The sin is fatal, but it is not unforgivable." Well Steve, I encorage those who have been deceived into the sewers of your ignorance to seriously consider focusing on some of the more virtuous disciplines of the Bible. I would like to know if your "true Acts 2:38 Church" is totally devoted to gay-bashing or is it devoted to the spirit of Christ? Does your congregation all wear white sheets to mass? Do you focus on just homosexuals or do you employ Equal Opportunity Hatred in your congregation by including Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, Jews, Muslims, Native Americans, Taoist-Communist-Bisexual-One-Eyed-VietNam-Veterans too? Discrimination in any form is banned on my BBS out of plain old common courtesy to all. I guess the HOLY_BIBLE echo is too. Your message of ignorance and hatred won't reach here. FidoNews 11-01 Page: 7 02 Jan 1994 Fidonet systems connected to X.25 Good Evening, Ultinet is the biggest Fidonet-mail network in Israel (about 80 systems all over the country). We are serving more than 2,000 users with 43 local folders, we are totally free, and we are growing. Our dream, however, is to serve our users with international Fidonet echomail (of the backbone). Ofcourse, we want this service to be free for all, as we are a free net. Finally, we came to an agreement with a local company, which will give us an almost unlimited access to the X.25 network, for bringing international mail to Israel. But the story just begins. We need someone abroad that carries the mail we want, and that has a connection to X.25. If you know about such one, or think you can help us in any way, please contact me. I can be reached on the Internet (gaad105@bgumail.bgu.ac.il) or on Fidonet (2:402/400). If you know about someone else that can help us, please forward her my message, or tell me about her. Thank you. Shvat Shaked, Ultinet Administrative Coordinator ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Educating the Unwashed Masses By Steve Barnes 1:224/150@fidonet.org Educating the Unwashed Masses ----------------------------- My my, the snooze lately has become rather, uhm, anemic lately, all this talk about censorship & region 25 politics... yawn.. Back in FNEWS1046, David Slavin @ 2607/203 wrote a brief article about the experiences he and his other Fido-Entities had regarding 'advertising' FIDO via a flea-market at the local mall. Hats off to David the rest who donated their time/equipment and expertise. That article jives really nicely with something those of us in 224 are attempting. See, I've been a sysop for the past 8 years (!), in that time, I've seen our hobby change a great deal. Those of us who were around in the days when a big system had a 1200 baud modem and two floppies remember what it was like. Brutal! :) But not just the technology has changed but the callers to the bbs as well. Back then it wasn't uncommon for a single line system to receive only a handful of callers per day, but, the level of participation was incredible. FidoNews 11-01 Page: 8 02 Jan 1994 Nowadays, it seems that the overwhelming majority of callers are dropping in for files or to play a few games and they split. It's that old 90:10 rule in action. 90% of the activity on any system comes from 10% of the callers. But over the past year or so, its gotten even worse. Obviously, its not the callers fault, their attracted to a bbs by promises of gigs of files, online games etc. We as sysops encourage this type of behaviour. It seems now that were paying the price. The number of callers on my system is at an all time high, while participation, or rather contribution is at an all time low. In the fall of '93, I was elected as Net-Coordinator for 224. Besides promising high-paying jobs to all my friends, jetting around the world at the taxpayers expense... no wait, thats my prime ministers speech.. I promised I'd see what I could do about attracting some new callers into our net. The logic being that new callers won't be attracted, at least initially, by promises of multi-megabytes of .GIFs. Why, they might even see this as an incredible means of communications. God forbid! So, I contacted our local newspaper about running the numbers of the local bbs systems. They were more than willing to do this as a public service announcement. After speaking to the City Editor at some length, he expressed some interest in doing an article on the local online community. After which, he backed down. Shoot. The newspaper is right across the road from the main branch of the public library, being in the neighbourhood, I stopped by. Got talkin' to the system manager their about their online databases. He mentioned that they were having an incredible amount of trouble with people just plain not knowing how to use their computers/modems. BING! The library has a 300 seat auditorium. I suggested that if they would loan us the auditorium, I'd arrange a seminar to do an introduction to modems. Let me tell you, he nearly kissed me on the lips (But I'm wiry and threatened to crash his system AGAIN :). After about a month of meetings we finally secured a date for the auditorium, arranged for equipment to be brought in etc. I called the OTHER local newspaper and requested an article, they showed some interest. With the library involved in the seminar, why, they'd be downright pleased as punch to do a feature on us. Things were rolling right along now. The reporter who is writing the article came over for a brief background introduction the other day. My system carries over 100 echos, none of which are overly technical, mostly public interest and health related. Two of the echos are WRITING & PROF_WRITER (of which I'm neither). I showed him these echos and to say that he was blown away is an understatement. Well, it now isn't a feature anymore, but a front page article in the Life section, he's coming back over in a few days with the photographer and to play with my system some more :-) Originally the article had that hacker/pornography slant to it, after he *SAW* what the average BBS is really like the standard print media ignorance was gone. The article is now about the blind girl in a nearby town whose only contact with the world is through her computer, or the homemakers in the Crafting and Cooking echos. Its about the Canada Chat echo where regular people can express their views nationally. Its about netmail being cheaper than a stamp and faster FidoNews 11-01 Page: 9 02 Jan 1994 than the post office. Its about the missing children echo ... The library called back the other day with a problem, we originally estimated that _maybe_ 50-75 people would show up. JUST THEIR NEEDS is looking like 300+ people. . It looks like were going to be doing a few of these seminars. The response has been overwhelming to say the least. The article has yet to be published, were already making plans for at least one more seminar. Guys, their is a HUGE number of people out their with modems that just plain don't have a clue how to use them. I'm not talking about kids looking for .GIFs, I'm talking about mature people who actually use their computers for something other than playing DOOM. These are people with genuine interests in contacting people about similar interests and problems. That number of people that have volunteered either time, equipment or expertise is phenomenal. You just have to ask. If nobody is going to profit financially from this, their more than willing to bend over backwards to accommodate you. If your sick and tired of the same old phantoms pillaging your system for files or tying up your system playing TradeWars, consider this article. Donate some time, be creative, have some fun and spread the word. I'll write back after the seminar to let you all know how it went. -Steve Barnes @ The Logic Church 1:224/150@fidonet.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- SimTel Software Repository in FidoNet ...by Paul Boakes, 2:440/14, boakesy@sunrise.infocom.co.uk Hi Guys, Just a brief note to let you know that the new files announced at the infamous SimTel Software Repository are now available in FidoNet by Tick or file request. The files that are announced daily into comp.archives.msdos.announce are now available daily at 2:440/14 to anyone who wants them. They are collected daily (Monday thru' Friday) from oak.oakland.edu. A quick reference list of the file areas available is below. Typical traffic for all the areas is around five to six meg per day, although it has been known to jump as high as 22 meg when a new version of the djgpp compiler was released. In addition, a echo conference is available listing the new files as they arrive, and the newgroup comp.archives.msdos.announce is also FidoNews 11-01 Page: 10 02 Jan 1994 available as a FidoNet echo. If anyone is interested in fixing into these areas, the please feel free to contact me at either of the addresses above. 4dos decode graph notabene swap ada demacs graphics novell sysinfo ai deskacss gtsmusic oberon sysutil animate deskjet hamradio oemacs tagbbs archiver deskpub handicap offline taxes arcutil desqview hebrew opus teaching asm_mag dirutil hypertxt packet telegard asmutil disasm iconlang pascal telix astrnomy diskutil info pathutil tex at djgpp io_util pcboard textutil autocad dv_x irit pcmag tiff awk editor ka9q pcpursut tsrutil bakernws educatin kermit pctech turbo_c basic eel keyboard pctecniq turbobas batutil ega lan perl turbopas bbs electric langtutr pgmutil turbovis bbsdoor emulator laser pibterm ubasic bbslist engineer legal pktdrvr uemacs bible envutil linguist plot uucp binedit execomp litratur postscrp ventura biology ezycom logo printer vga bootutil fido lotus123 procomm virus borland filedocs mac prodigy visbasic c fileutil mapping qbasic viscii cad finance math qedit voice calculat flowchrt mathcopr qemm voicmail catalog food memutil qmodem waffle cdrom formgen menu qtrdeck weather chemstry forth microsft ramdisk windows3 cis fortran misclang rbbs_pc wordperf citadel fossil modem satelite worldmap clipper freemacs modula2 screen wpj_mag clock genealgy mormon security wwiv compress genie mouse simulatn x_10 cpluspls geogrphy msjournl sound xlisp cron geology music spredsht xwindows crossasm geos1x naplps sprint zip database geos2x ncsatlnt starter zmodem dbase geosnews network statstic zoo dbms_mag gif neurlnet stunnpc ddjmag gnuish nfs surfmodl Paul Boakes Tequila Sunrise BBS, Ashford, Kent, UK ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Thoughts of a former sysop Jay Maynard jmaynard@oac.hsc.uth.tmc.edu FidoNews 11-01 Page: 11 02 Jan 1994 After reading the latest Snooze and RC25's apologia for forcing everyone to connect his way, all I can say is...GET A LIFE!! I was a sysop of an FTN node once. It was #64. Not 1:106/64.0, not even 106/64, just 64. Back then, life was a lot simpler. Some of the changes were needed, most notably the fragmentation into network and node numbers; zones and points were logical extensions. Others, most notably the way Policy4 is being used to bludgeon folks into specific means of connecting to the net, are downright silly. I much prefer the Usenet model: If you want a connection, find one and go. No policy, no bullshit about only being able to connect to one specific place, no mandatory politics. Just connect and have fun. You know...like Fidonet was in the good old days. Before you argue that finding a connection is tough, I'll comment that I found one, knowing nothing at all about Usenet, in a couple of days of asking folks. Enforcing geonets when folks obviously don't want to do it that way is nothing more than sheer power addiction. It's trivial to predict that people will resist, and lo and behold! that's exactly what's happening. RC25, what's more important: your ego, or communicating? Get off your power trip! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- What's going on here? (An open letter) by Erik Ratcliffe (1:109/615.6, 1:109/370.2) What's going on here? (An open letter) Yes, I'm a measly point in a forest of you big ol' nodes. I haven't sent money in to become "legit" as a node myself, and to be honest, I don't plan to. At least not for the time being. In fact, I'm seriously considering how much I need this network anymore. Explanation time... Let me first state that I'm not someone who is easily annoyed. It takes a lot to make me mad, and sometimes even then I bite my tongue and let it bounce off of me. It isn't easy, but usually it's the best policy. Unfortunately, I'm at the end of my rope here. So... WHAT THE BLOODY HELL HAS GOTTEN INTO YOU PEOPLE?! It's bad enough that I have to deal with attitudes and anal retentive individuals in the conferences; now I have to deal with them in Fidonews! All I ever read here anymore is bitching and complaining about *C's, censorship, policy, etc... Don't you people have ***ANYTHING*** good to say anymore?! FidoNews 11-01 Page: 12 02 Jan 1994 Personally, I couldn't give less of a rat's ass if you want to complain; at least here in the USA (I can't speak for other countries) freedom of speech is important... But my GOD! You people have ABSOLUTELY ***NOTHING*** good to say anymore! Not here, not in the conferences, not ANYWHERE! Can't you guys submit something NICE every now and then?! Here's the bottom line: 1) If you don't like the network, GET OUT! (Something I'm seriously considering myself if things don't change.) 2) If you do like the network but don't approve of free speech, de-queue the conferences that offend you and post Fidonews for FREQing with a PG-13 warning. I don't see why this is so hard... I really don't. I would think that a network like this one -- one that has such a NASTY reputation behind it (and believe me, it's looked at the same way all over) -- would be putting more effort into appearing more tolerant to its users and sysops. Does anyone honestly believe that freedom of speech is in jeopardy here? HONESTLY?! I didn't think so. There will always be someone out there to object to whatever it is you're doing, no matter what it is; why get bent up over it? If they think that the network has turned Rated R, they can leave. As for the individuals who argue with these people, let me congratulate you on being suckered into yet another stupid argument; the likes of which is becoming typical of this network. Listen closely, children, and learn: FREEDOM OF SPEECH IS NOT IN JEOPARDY HERE! Arguing over it is a waste of time, a waste of energy, and a waste of a perfectly good newsletter! If you want to argue about Constitutional freedoms, bring up the subject here, then hash it out in netmail or some other debate oriented conference. And remember; if you don't like the direction a conference is going in, whether it's because the moderator is censoring your words or because Jerry Falwell decided to become a user, GET RID OF IT!!! If enough people eliminate the conference, guess what kiddies... It'll DISAPPEAR! Yes, that's right! Without support, a conference collapses! What a concept... I should write self-help books... P.S.- Christmas was WONDERFUL! Thanks for asking... FidoNews 11-01 Page: 13 02 Jan 1994 EMag - Another new electronic magazine? EMag - Another new electronic magazine? by Mark Bylok I had started working on EMag a few months ago, having in mind the thought that electronic magazines were something rare that very few people came across. Releasing the first issue in December had showed me otherwise. I had come across four fairly quickly. It was encouraging to see others had made this form of media work, and EMag was original in form and idea as compared to those that I had seen. EMag's slogan is "The electronic magazine that's not just about computers". What does this mean to the reader? Well, its simple. Although there are articles on computers and electronics, there are also articles on cars, stereos, politics, and then some articles that are just for 'interesting reading'. I try to keep a variety to attracted different people with different interests. Users and SysOps can view EMag through a easy to install door. Issues can be requested on the first of every month and just copied to the proper directory. EMag will do the rest, giving the user a choice of old or new issues they can read. From the first month EMag had been out I had received many complements, it seems users do seem to take the time to read the articles. Although EMag does have its share of articles, we are always looking for people to write. If you think you have a 'talent' in writing and something to say that someone out there would be interested in reading, just send it in! It can be about anything 'legal', but nothing too technical that the majority of users would not be able to understand. You can FREQ EMag under the magic name of EMAG from 1:250/808. That will send you the complete package with EXE files. After that time you will only have to FREQ EMAGMONTH for the current issue on the 1st of every month. I am sure you will find EMag interesting and entertaining, so give it a try! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A LISTING OF MACINTOSH ECHOMAIL CONFERENCES (v2.0) Ralph Merritt SysOp, The MACnetic BBS (908)469-4603 14.4 USR DS HST w/V32b, V42b Fidonet 1:2605/611 America Online: RMerritt CompuServe: 71222,1330 The following is a listing of known Macintosh-oriented echomail conferences. This is certainly not a comprehensive listing, but it should give an idea of "what's out there". It is presented FidoNews 11-01 Page: 14 02 Jan 1994 as an information sharing experience; in v1.0, I limited the list to those echos distributed on a somewhat national/international basis; in v2.0, I have included MUG-specific, beta-test and other restricted distribution echos previously excluded. If you have any comments, please contact me at 1:2605/611. My BBS, The MACnetic BBS, has been operating as an informal mail hub for many of the "non-backbone" areas for a number of years. There are many additional systems that link to MACnetic and also hub these non-backbone echos; the major sites are listed below: Sysop State Address BBS Phone # Supports -------------- ------ ---------- ------------- ------------- Ralph Merritt NJ 1:2605/611 (908)469-4603 14.4 H14/V32b Louis Oaken FL 1:135/292 (305)238-2880 16.8 H16/V32b Raul Almquist MN 1:282/105 (612)546-2490 14.4 HST/V32b Richard Bollar CA 1:125/110 (415)589-5411 14.4 H14/V32b [NOTE: This distribution channel applies only to the NON-BACKBONE areas listed below. Backbone echos are subject to local policies] While several conferences are non-backbone by moderator choice (for various reasons, one being a desire freely distribute the echo as needed, vs. complying with sometimes restrictive regional echomail policies), this informal distribution network has been helpful in placing new mac echos on the "official" Fidonet echomail backbone. Many of these echos are currently distributed on portions of the Fidonet backbone on an informal basis. Check with your network echomail coordinator (NEC) for availability. If you cannot find a link, please contact one of the sysops above, and we can either provide a link or refer you to a closer node. Echos with an asterisk (*) next to their name means they are not currently hubbed by the MACnetic BBS. The MACnetic BBS is located in Bridgewater, New Jersey, on Fidonet node 1:2605/611, (908)469-4603. The system runs Front Door, Remote Access and GEcho, with a US Robotics 14.4 HST w/V32b & V42b modem. The MACnetic BBS supports users, points and Fidonet sysops who have an interest in Macintosh echos/files, and recently expanded into Newton MessagePad, Windows 3.1, Windows/NT and OS/2 v2.x topics. ---------------------------------------------------- Macintosh: Backbone Echos (listed in FIDONET.NA/.NO) ---------------------------------------------------- ECHOMAC National General Macintosh Conference HERMES_SYSOPS Hermes BBS Support Conference MAC4SALE Macintosh Wanted/For-Sale Conference MACCOMM Macintosh Communications MACDEV Macintosh Developers MACFSALE Macintosh For Sale Echo MACHW Macintosh Hardware Topics MACHYPE Macintosh Hypercard-related Topics FidoNews 11-01 Page: 15 02 Jan 1994 MACSW Macintosh Software Topics MACSYSOP Macintosh Sysop-only Conference MACWOOF MacWoof Support Conference MAC_GAMES Macintosh Games and Entertainment MAC_TELEFINDER Telefinder BBS Support Conference MANSION Software Design Support Conference NEWTON Apple's Newton MessagePad SYSTEM7 System 7.X Discussion Echo ----------------------------- Macintosh: Non-Backbone Echos ----------------------------- ALTERMAC AlterMac General Mac-oriented Echo BBB BMUG Guide to Bulletin Boards & Beyond CPOINT COUNTERpoint Support Echo FIRSTCLASS FirstClass BBS Support Echo MAC_ADS Macintosh Advertisements/For Sale Echo MAC_HELP Macintosh Help for Beginners MAC_SCIENCE Macintosh Scientific Applications MACDTP Macintosh Desktop Publishing MACFILES Macintosh Files for FREQ (No Points) MACFREQS Macintosh Files for FREQ (Points Allowed) MACNOV Macintosh Novice Programming MACPB Macintosh PowerBook Echo MACUK Macintosh United Kingdom-U.S. Conference MACVIRUS Macintosh Virus Prevention MSDNSYSOP Macintosh Software Distribution Network MUGADMIN Macintosh User Group Administration NOVALINK Novalink BBS Support Conference PCMAC PC-to-Mac Connectivity Echo PUBADD Public Address BBS Support Echo RRH Second Sight BBS Support Echo SIMCITY Discussions of the SimCity Game TABBY Tabby (Macintosh Mailer) Support Echo TBBSMAC TBBS Conference for Mac Sysops WWIVMAC World War IV BBS Support Echo [Some of the above echos have very low traffic volume] ------------------------------------------ Macintosh: MUG/Beta/Local/Restricted Echos ------------------------------------------ AMUG Arizona Macintosh User Group Conference AMUGNEWS AMUG Applelink/Product Announcements * ASSOCIATED_MUG Association Macintosh Users Group BAYNETADMIN BMUG/Bay Area Macintosh Conference * MAC_FILES Macintosh File Announcements * MAC_MAILERS Macintosh Mailer Discussions MACLIST MACLIST Administration/Nodelist Updates MACNETIC The MACnetic BBS Conference MACQA Macintosh Q&A From Fidonet's Mac Help Node MACSYS7 System 7 Echo (BMUG/BCS/TC Hub Echo) METROMAC NY/NJ Metropolitan Macintosh Conference FidoNews 11-01 Page: 16 02 Jan 1994 NEWMACFILES Newly Received Mac Files on MACnetic BBS PABETA Public Address Beta Testers RIMAC BMUG RimeNet Macintosh Conference [Some of the above echos have an even lower traffic volume] ----------------------------- Macintosh - Usenet NewsGroups ----------------------------- * COMP.BINARIES.MAC Macintosh Files in BinHex Format COMP.LANG.FORTH.MAC Macintosh Forth Programming * COMP.LANG.LISP.MCL Macintosh LISP Programming COMP.PROTOCOLS.APPLETALK Macintosh AppleTalk * COMP.SOURCES.MAC Macintosh Source Code COMP.SYS.MAC.ADVOCACY Macintosh Advocacy COMP.SYS.MAC.ANNOUNCE Macintosh Product Annoucements COMP.SYS.MAC.APPS Macintosh Applications COMP.SYS.MAC.COMM Macintosh Communications COMP.SYS.MAC.DATABASES Macintosh Databases COMP.SYS.MAC.DIGEST Macintosh Digest COMP.SYS.MAC.GAMES Macintosh Gaming COMP.SYS.MAC.GRAPHICS Macintosh Graphics COMP.SYS.MAC.HARDWARE Macintosh Hardware COMP.SYS.MAC.HYPERCARD Macintosh Hypercard COMP.SYS.MAC.MISC Macintosh Miscellaneous COMP.SYS.MAC.OOP.MACAPP3 Macintosh MacApp Programming COMP.SYS.MAC.OOP.MISC Macintosh Object-Oriented Programming COMP.SYS.MAC.OOP.TCL Macintosh Think C Library COMP.SYS.MAC.PORTABLES Macintosh Powerbooks COMP.SYS.MAC.PROGRAMMER Macintosh Programming COMP.SYS.MAC.SCITECH Macintosh Science & Technology COMP.SYS.MAC.SYSTEM Macintosh System Software COMP.SYS.MAC.WANTED Macintosh Want Ads/For Sale COMP.SYS.NEWTON.ANNOUNCE Newton Announcements COMP.SYS.NEWTON.MISC Newton Miscellaneous COMP.SYS.NEWTON.PROGRAMMER Newton Programming COMP.SYS.POWERPC PowerPC Topics COMP.UNIX.AUX Macintosh Unix MISC.FORSALE.COMPUTERS.MAC Macintosh For Sale [Local naming conventions may apply to the Usenet conferences) ----------------------------- Macintosh: Discontinued Echos ----------------------------- * HERMES Hermes BBS General Support Echo * HULKMSGS Required for Networked Wrestling Games * MACHULK Wrestling (On-Line Game) Match Reports * MACNETCOM Macintosh Networking & Telecommunications * MACPOINT Macintosh Point Software * MEGALOECHO On-line Games Support (Erik Selberg) * NJMUG New Jersey Macintosh User's Group Echo * WIRETAP_SUP Wiretap Telecom Program Support FidoNews 11-01 Page: 17 02 Jan 1994 --- Last Updated: 12/31/93 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Is Netmail slow or is it me? by Brian Murphy (1:324/121), Lawrence, Mass. murph@buscard.fidonet.org 1-508-682-5329 CAN I HELP IMPROVE THE SPEED OF LPM NETMAIL? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Are there any speed demons among us? You bet! About once a year or so I go on and on about netmail routing. It's that time of year again. I champion netmail routing whenever I get the chance. Got some comments on netmail routing speed and all I can say is that you have yourself to blame! YOU DON'T USE IT ENOUGH!! Ask your echomail hauler how often he polls for echomail. I'll bet dollars to dougnuts that nine times out of ten it's more than once a day. Why? Because of the heavy traffic and the importance people place on it! Netmail should have more of both! Read your favorite echomail conferences and see how many personal notes you find in it that you KNOW should have been sent privately through netmail to save you the expense of transferring it and bother for reading it. ONE personal note and EVERY system in Fidonet has to carry it! It's a terrible waste and is a pet peeve of mine. We have echo haulers screaming for cost recovery plans, satellite dishes, ANYTHING to help with the costs. As a sysop, you can do your part by making netmail available! Easily and readily available. Put it on every menu. Make it part of your bulletins. Ask your new users to SWEAR to use it if they want higher access. We have NC's and Hubs making a phone call to deliver ONE message in the wee hours of the night. Most of the cost of that phone call is in the first minute. After that, the rate goes down per minute. It's more effective if he can deliver THREE messages in that same minute! (Not messages the length of mine, though!) We have routing paths rotting on the vine because of lack of use! Look. Every election for ANYTHING gets many candidates. Even end nodes volunteer to help out if they can, just for the "glory" of being able to say that they're a part of the gang. They don't get used because the FidoNews 11-01 Page: 18 02 Jan 1994 demand is not there! I say increase the demand and watch service go up markedly!! I'm on the border with the New Hampshire network and two others as well. Can route straight to them with a local call - no need to increase the traffic on my Hub or NC; who knows, these networks could be long-d calls to them! I asked the border node in the network to the south if he'd handle mail from me going into his network. "That's what the NC and NEC are for", says he. No regard for others, no desire to help out. No consideration that maybe our NCs are long-d to each other and/or the RC. No thought that one local link will make the networks crashable instead of late-night routing. But he'll complain about the speed, I bet! I know the man is technically capable. Knows what he's doing. Been around for a long time, has the space, etc. I suppose he can't be bothered for that one message per year. Can't blame him. Suppose the traffic was IMPORTANT PERSONAL MAIL that others were relying on that would cause those others to think kindly of you that you'd get the mail to them? Would he reconsider? Probably. I dunno. I agree with those who say netmail routing can be improved. There _is_ something screwy with it and I really believe it's because there is no importance placed on it. There isn't enough traffic to justify calling it anything other than "Low Priority Mail." Imagine. Your important personal mail being called "low priority!" Can it get any lower than having to rely on ECHOMAIL to get your message to where it's going? THAT'S low. Next time you post in echomail, please consider netmail. It'll grease the rails of the network. Trust me. - - - Murph ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================== Fidonews Information ======================================================================== ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION ---------------- Editors: Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, Tim Pozar Editors Emeritii: Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince Perriello, Tom Jennings IMPORTANT NOTE: The FidoNet address of the FidoNews BBS has been changed!!! Please make a note of this. "FidoNews" BBS FidoNet 1:1/23 BBS +1-519-570-4176, 300/1200/2400/14400/V.32bis/HST(DS) FidoNews 11-01 Page: 19 02 Jan 1994 Internet addresses: Don & Sylvia (submission address) editor@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Sylvia -- max@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Donald -- donald@exlibris.tdkcs.waterloo.on.ca Tim -- pozar@kumr.lns.com (Postal Service mailing address) (have extreme patience) FidoNews 128 Church St. Kitchener, Ontario Canada N2H 2S4 Published weekly by and for the members of the FidoNet international amateur electronic mail system. It is a compilation of individual articles contributed by their authors or their authorized agents. The contribution of articles to this compilation does not diminish the rights of the authors. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of FidoNews. Authors retain copyright on individual works; otherwise FidoNews is copyright 1993 Sylvia Maxwell. All rights reserved. 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Article submission requirements are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from the FidoNews BBS, or Wazoo filerequestable from 1:1/23 as file "ARTSPEC.DOC". Please read it. "Fido", "FidoNet" and the dog-with-diskette are U.S. registered trademarks of Tom Jennings, and are used with permission. Asked what he thought of Western civilization, M.K. Gandhi said, "I think it would be an excellent idea". -- END ----------------------------------------------------------------------