Volume 5, Number 44 31 October 1988 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|oo \ | | - FidoNews - (_| /_) | | _`@/_ \ _ | | International | | \ \\ | | FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) | | Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief Dale Lovell Editor Emeritus: Thom Henderson Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings Contributing Editors: Al Arango FidoNews is published weekly by the International FidoNet Association as its official newsletter. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1:1/1. Copyright 1988 by the International FidoNet Association. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact IFNA at (314) 576-4067. IFNA may also be contacted at PO Box 41143, St. Louis, MO 63141. Fido and FidoNet are registered trademarks of Tom Jennings of Fido Software, 164 Shipley Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94107 and are used with permission. The contents of the articles contained here are not our responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them. Everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING received. Table of Contents 1. ARTICLES ................................................. 1 Bodies Behind the BBS: New FidoNews Column .............. 4 Discovery Press Conference Day 2 ......................... 5 DOS? What, me worry? ..................................... 14 NAFT Not Another File Tosser!? ........................... 15 National MegaList ........................................ 19 2. COLUMNS .................................................. 20 Bodies Behind the BBS: Rick Moore ....................... 20 Rogel's Corner: Introduction; Xtree 2.0 vs. Tree86 1.0 .. 22 3. NOTICES .................................................. 32 The Interrupt Stack ...................................... 32 Latest Software Versions ................................. 32 FidoNews 5-44 Page 1 31 Oct 1988 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= David, it's time for you to step aside David, I feel it's time for you to step aside. You have served FidoNet well, but I believe the time has come when you can serve it best by resigning your position as International Coordinator. I've tried to express this to you privately, and quietly shared these concerns with a number of people in key positions in FidoNet. I've hesitated from making a public statement to this effect, as have others, because I'm sure my words will be twisted and used by those who regard you as Satan Incarnate. However, I see far too many cases where other people's silence is being interpreted as support for your actions, much to their detriment and the detriment of FidoNet as a whole. For the record, I do not question your motives. I believe you have, in all cases, acted in good faith and to the best of your abilities, under extremely adverse circumstances. Further, I believe the root problems are not of your creation - simply that the situation has gone beyond your ability to deal with it. Fundamental Problems Poor Communications Skills The fundamental problem it is paradoxical to have a communications network headed by someone with limited communications (and for that matter, technical) skills. Simply stated, you do not effectively use the tools at your disposal to communicate with the body of FidoNet. When you do share your thinking directly with the network, very often the chapter and verse don't reflect what you really think. More importantly, you don't share your thinking often enough, even with the upper echelons of the network. Burnout It is my personal observation that you are burned out. You've talked about resignation with me and others. My feeling is that if you've considered it as much as you have, you probably should. Would you be happier not being IC? If the answer is yes, then by definition, you can't be doing the best possible job. I can tell you I'm happier not being an RC. I have more time to code, which is what I do best in service to the net and myself. Your experience with internet gateways and medical conferencing will result, in the long run, in more good than your service as IC. I hate to quote trite EST-isms, but there is logic in FidoNews 5-44 Page 2 31 Oct 1988 "Putting your good where it will do the best". You are a doctor, not a manager or politician or technician. Erratic Management The network is being managed in an extremely erratic manner. I do not question your right to have made many of the decisions you have, or even the logic. But I do have problems with the manner in which nearly all the top level decisions have been made over the past three to five months. Decisions have been on-again, off-again, and are not evenly applied across regions. It's difficult to say if this is a basic problem, or a symptom of the communications problem - but it hardly matters; as problems go, this one has taken on a life of its own. Making Decisions for the Wrong Reasons You are making decisions for the wrong reasons. Even if the decisions happen to be right, that doesn't mitigate anything. To say it does approaches Machiavellian (The Ends Justify the Means.) An Irretreivable Situation Essentially, I believe your "mandate" has been so badly eroded that even if you started to communicate, and even if sound decisions were evenly made and applied, little or no progress would be made. FidoNet is in stalemate. In FidoNet, perception is reality. I don't believe you can overcome your perception in FidoNet, and therefore, the reality is the best way to break the stalemate is for you to step aside. Ancillary Comments You can't find a replacement if you don't look The thing that convinced me to step aside from my position as RC was an argument that destroyed my principal reason for staying - I didn't see anyone willing and able to do the job. But one very wise sysop kept telling me I'd never find one if I didn't let people know the job was available. You might not see a suitable replacement for yourself; I see several (NOT ME!), and I'm sure there are others that've not occurred to me. Every "Major Player" I've talked to agrees with this FidoNews 5-44 Page 3 31 Oct 1988 I've talked to a number of people in key positions in FidoNet/IFNA, and many influential sysops. I've yet to talk to anyone who feels differently. They all understand that your resignation will be regarded as a victory for this faction or that, and loudly cheered here and there. But that will ALWAYS be true, and is therefore a moot point. I'd like to see those sysops I've spoken to, and any others that agree, to rationally, logically express their thoughts on the matter, preferably in some public forum. If you disagree, do the same. But I'd like to ask the sysops who are screaming for David's head to stop. Don't stop because I ask - be pragmatic and self-serving. Look at it this way - do you respond logically to ad-hominum attacks? Or do you become more stubborn, and dig in? EVERY one of the sysops referred to a couple of paragraphs back cites a common reason for not being more forthright in expressing their thoughts - they don't want to be used as fodder by this faction or that. A Clean Sweep I believe there are many people in the upper echelons of the network who are similarly burned out. Given that the ZEC is resigning, and I'm advocating the IC resign, I believe EVERY regional level coordinator should submit their resignations, and more than a couple should be accepted. Harry Lee (1:321/202) ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 4 31 Oct 1988 Steve Bonine 115/777 An Attempt to Personalize FidoNet A New Column for FidoNews FidoNet is not a collection of computers. It's a collection of people, some of whom use computer bulletin boards and some of whom run computer bulletin boards. Judging from echomail, we sometimes get confused and forget that there is a person sitting back there behind that net/node address. It's pretty easy to treat people like they are computers (without feelings) when you have never met them, and don't know anything about them. I know that I can't introduce all 3500 sysops in FidoNet with a column in FidoNews, but I'm going to try to provide a bit of background on some of the more interesting players. Maybe this will even lower the flame level in echomail by the slightest amount. If it does, it's worth it. At any rate, it will give me an outlet for an occasional editorial comment, as well as give all of us insight into who these people are that we "talk with". So each week you can look forward with baited breath for a few juicy tidbits about someone whose name you probably know. This week you'll meet Rick Moore, the new head of the FTSC. Next week is Tom Hendricks, who is to head up the certification process for FidoNet-compatible software. After that -- well, let me know who you would like to know about. A brief netmail note to 115/777, and I'll do what I can. In the absence of direction, I plan to go after the IFNA board of directors and a number of other colorful characters whose names keep popping up in echomail. If you like the column, let me know. If you don't let me know that, too. If you want to be kind, let me know how I might improve it. And if you would like to be featured, send in your bio! ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 5 31 Oct 1988 Fredric L. Rice (103/503.3) During the entire Discovery mission, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena offered the ham radio community a two meter downlink of the air-ground voice communications link. Through several repeater systems owned privately and governmentally, the ham radio world and short wave receiver world were able to monitor much of what was said through this link. Because of the many satellite and repeater links used to bring the signal into the Southern California area, and the many problems we had with unauthorized transmitters attempting to jam the NASA broadcast, many gaps and system failures occurred, causing breaks in the link. In addition, as the shuttle moved between ground station communication facilities and, indeed, between radio black outs, there are some gaps in the transcribed audio-tape-to-paper article. I am attempting to obtain a proper recording of the mission commanders comments right before the press conference. It's a fitting comment for our space efforts and I felt angry at the person who was able to overpower the downlink causing me to miss the recording session, (the jammer was caught within seconds; Doppler direction finding equipment; is now cooling it in county lock up for frigging with a utility). Here, then, is a somewhat scratchy copy of the press conference. I might add that I have transcribed the flight starting from two hours to touch down and will be posting all of that as well. Note: For the benefit of the MENSA members in our network, LOS is short for Loss Of Signal and AOS is short for Acquisition Of Signal. TV is short for television. - - - [] Gazing outside, we can understand why mankind has looked towards the heavens with awe and wonder since the dawn of human existence. We can comprehend why our countrymen have been driven to explore the vast expanse of space. We are convinced that this is the road, the road that Americans must travel to maintain the dream of our constitution. To secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our prosperity. As we, the crew of Discovery, witness this Earthly splendor from Americas spacecraft less than 200 miles separate us from the remainder of mankind. In a fraction of a second, our words reach your ears. But less we ever forget that these few miles represent a great gulf. That to ascend through this seemingly FidoNews 5-44 Page 6 31 Oct 1988 tranquil sea will always be fraught with danger let us remember the Challenger crew who's voyage was so tragically short. With that we shared a common purpose; with that we shared a common goal. At this moment, our places in the heavens makes us feel closer to them than ever before. Those on the Challenger who have flown before have seen these sights; they would know the meaning of our these thoughts. Those who had gone to view them for the first time; they would know why we set forth. They were our fellow soul journeys. They were our friends. Today, up here where the blue sky turns to black, we can say at long last, to Dick, Mike, Judy, [], "Dear friends, we have resumed the journey that we promised to continue for you. Dear friends, your loss has ment that we could begin anew [] that your spirit and your dreams, are still alive in our hearts". - - - They would have thought their deaths to have been in vain had we stumbled completely, only to fall back silently, forever. They would have though their sacrifice meaningless were we never again to venture upwards. It is hoped that for those they left behind, some small measure of comfort can be gained by witnessing the strength of those Brave who have followed them: The crew of Discovery; Who made it all right again. - - - H: Discovery, over to you. D: Ok, go ahead. H: Discovery? On behalf of the Challenger families, and all of us down here, it sure does feel good to see the Challenger mission continue and America back in space. And now Discovery, we have a good downlink from the middeck, if you're ready to start with the press conference, we'll start with the voice check and then ... D: Roger, we're ready. H: GSCPAO, this is Houston, please go ahead with your call. G: Discovery, this is GSCPAO, were ready to proceed with this news conference if you are. Ok, the first question is from Laura Collie of the Associated Press. Associated Press: Commander [] you said before the flight that you expected to see some surprises? Can you tell us what FidoNews 5-44 Page 7 31 Oct 1988 surprises you've seen in this flight? D: Well I guess the first surprise right after lift off; we had a caution and warning tone; actually an alert tone which got our attention real quick. And gave us a few moments to concern ourselves about it and we also has a problem with one of our flash evaporators; those are technical problems, I guess I was rather pleased that I wasn't surprised at how much I enjoyed it up here though, we clearly enjoy being up here in this tremendous machine and seeing the beautiful sites we've seen. ABC: Gentlemen, you are all veterans of space flight, [], all of you, is there any difference in being back in space? What have you observed and do you feel different or does it feel the same? D: [] to say that I think its surprising to see how little it has changed, I think all of us; we've got to space really quickly, and communications with mission control, seem like it really hasn't been two and a half years. I think that everyone was adapt in their jobs that we had to do and i think we got back in business very well. CNN: Gentlemen your wives said the other day that watching the launch they were filled with excitement but also fear that it was wonderful and awful at the same time. I'm interested in your feelings as you took off. D: [] I think I speak for the crew when I say I think it was really wonderful when we lifted off, it certainly was a lot more anxiety producing than we anticipated, at least I had throughout the entire assent, I had forgotten what it was like to accelerate to at two gees for a sustained period of time and how helpless you really feel during that time period. []: You have flown before but after this flight is over, what special moment do you want to tell your family about? D: I think there are going to be an awfully lot of moments that I'm going to be telling my family about, so many things that we've shared up here; I think some of the Earth views that we've seen and some of the night time scenes and the stars, those are just so indescribable that I [] pictures back to them but I'll try my best to describe them. [] very busy up there at times. Was your flight plan too conservative and would your time have been better spent with a busier flight plan? D: I think we've been very busy. Here in the middeck we've done twelve different scientific experiments of one sort or another and the days have seen very full. In the future we hope to get back into the business off putting on space suits and building space stations and repairing satellites but theirs a lot of good science that can be done in this facility that you see us in right now. FidoNews 5-44 Page 8 31 Oct 1988 Aviation Week: To follow on your opening, and Daves comments there a moment ago, can you tell us specifically of some of the more spectacular sites you've seen around the world? And let's go to Pinky. D: [] well I guess I'll delay it into three different parts... In the daytime we've had some spectacular ... [los] Ground: We'll pick that up when we get back D: ... for us and big cities down their and the sky at night is a completely different view; we spend some time just looking with our eyes and some time looking with our low eye level cameras, they've given us some views that I've always enjoyed seeing in the Southern Hemisphere and have been dragging people to the windows showing them the imaginary clouds and the southern cross. []: I have a question for Rick, or Dick: Can you give us some idea of your flight plan for tomorrow; your landing patterns and what land marks you'll be looking for as you come in. D: Well we'll be coming in just about between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara over coast about a hundred [] the weather permits and the winds permit to land on Edwards runway 17. We'll pass overhead the field at about 40,000 feet becoming subsonic you all can hear as; we all become supersonic you'll hear a double sonic boom. When you hear that you'll know we're about five minutes from landing. Then we'll make our standard approach; three hundred miles an hour coming down to a touch down coming to about two hundred miles an hour on that lake bed. Orlando Sentinel: This is for Mike: there are two men running for president. What would you say to them from the shuttle to convince them to fully support the space program and its long term future even if it means putting up budget increases for NASA at a time of considerable deficits? D: That's a tough one. I think we have to take the long view; this is a very important flight simply because it's the first step and I would hope that all of the enthusiasm that we've seen across the country for this flight [] the dozens and dozens of flights that we have before us if we are to make the space program grow to the point that it needs to grow to get us on the path to the future. []: Discovery gentlemen, the Challenger crew set out to teach some very important lessons they felt to the children of the world, I would like to know what you would hope what lessons would be taken from your flight and the effort it took to get to where you are today. D: I've got a couple of young daughters and I know that [] what I've done that there's always a reward for hard work, both individually and as a group. Much like the effort that was put FidoNews 5-44 Page 9 31 Oct 1988 forth by NASA and [] to get the space shuttle flying again. And [] space is one of them and hopefully all the young children out their that want to come to space someday will at least have the opportunity to try. Channel 13 Houston: For commander [] [] truly told us yesterday that quote NASA really threaded the needle on your launch with the extra emphasis on safety and with a lot of flexibility apparently in the long schedule do you think that the launch came a little too close to violating safety criteria. D: [] I understand your question; do you think the launch came to close to violating safety criteria. Not from my perspective. That is, we were very comfortable with the lift off as it executed; we though the launch team as a matter of fact after low engine cut off we were complimentary within ourselves to the launch team with they way they handled a few minor anomalies, I'll call them, down close to the launch; the question of our cabin pressure and so forth. From our perspective we couldn't have been happier with the way that launch went off with [] San Francisco Chronicle: I have a question for Pinky as a trained research scientist, can you tell us how well the several experiments that you have managed could have been executed by automated equipment on a spacecraft with no people on board. D: Well to be honest with you, a number of these could have been. The advantage of running them in the mode we have... [los] ... have built prototypes and test out new types of experiments. New York Times: Do you feel [] D: [] and that is that all the [] that have been brought on board at this time have exceeded my expectations in the way they've run; its been an outstanding assortment. New York Times: Do you feel you have fulfilled all the objectives of the mission [] recommendations you have for changes in the orbiter? [los] Ground: I had to lock off the S band antenna; they'll let me know when it's ready. D: Houston, Discovery, how do you read us? Ground: We read you loud and clear at GSC News center, Discovery, New York Times: fulfilled all the objectives of your mission and what recommendations do you have for changes in the orbiter? D: Well, Tom, The machine itself has worked superbly, I'm not sure we have had a mission that has been this trouble free with an orbiter before. I've had to [] I guess we have a [] with our [] entry suits for the first time since the first four missions; we do find these to be a bit of an encumbrance FidoNews 5-44 Page 10 31 Oct 1988 we'll need to talk very seriously about what is a, I'll call it a bit of a compromise, [] the suit gives us should we have a problem and the fact that it does not allow is quite the flexibility that we've had before. I guess that's the major one, and I can't think of any others. [] Spanish Network to the United States: What's the hispanic contribution to the space program so far? [pause] D: Repeat the question please... [pause] D: What did he say? Ground: He said what is the hispanic contribution to space so far. D: I'd say theirs no doubt about it. We've got tens of thousands of people throughout the United States that have worked on the space program and I think that every race, every minority group is represented; maybe not be represented to the degree that that group would like to be [] the country [] to the various [] and the contractors we have spoken with a number of hispanics and [] we worked closely with at the Johnson space center and I think it's really a contribution of the American People. That really were very proud of. USA Today: Rick, we have heard a lot of these past few days about the cabin getting warm. Can you tell us how comfortable are you and the rest of the crew as far as the cabin temperature and what [] D: It was a little warmer than it is now the first couple of days of the flight because of the flash evaporator problem. Today we seem to have gotten that working well, we have been boiling water all day long to cool the vehicle and I put on a long sleeve shirt and we've all got long pants on for the first time; It's not been bad at all, really. KS[] St. Paul: Pinky's home state; Pinky: Good wishes from everyone in Minnesota especially your home town in Wilma. Before you left, you said that you were going to monitor your own physical and mental responses to the lift off phase of the mission because you had no specific task. What did you learn? D: We're going to have a good tolerance for heat, I guess, It's pretty warm in the suit and [] this is where I launched and [] was sitting and I didn't have much of a view so I paid a lot of attention to my body. It was a little difficult to breath during the three gee part of the flight mainly because of the weight of the suit and the harness. Felt... You can feel a little bit of the inside of your body shifting around with the weight and and shifting back again as the engine cut off. I've FidoNews 5-44 Page 11 31 Oct 1988 got some more on the [] tapes; I'll have to tell you about it later. Los Angeles Times: This is a question for Rick: We thought they were going to keep you on the ground; it was blowing at high speeds in the wrong direction. During your assent, could you tell at all; did it have any affect whatsoever on the vehicle when you reached thirty to forty thousand foot? D: [] there are forces that are masked and would be masked by the vibrations that we feel just from the acoustical resonance of the solid rocket motors. We would not have expected to feel it and we did not. Dallas: For Mike: In the opening comments you talked about dreams of the Challenger; Dream being alive in your heart []. and to the satellite deployment on thursday I was wondering if you might be able to share with us some of the [] heart [] to heart talks that you all might have felt yourselves during the flight. D: No possibly not, those are not the things you share. We've done a lot of think about the friends that we lost two and a half years ago and I've done a lot of contemplating on that. Personally, as I've drifted off to sleep at night, and it's good to be back where they wanted to be so badly. French TV: For Rick or for Pinky: When it comes to safety and rescue, do you think United States should go together with Russia and Europe and Canada and other countries [] some standards? D: Let me ask you about [] questions having to do with safety and how well we can manage with dealing with international partners? Is that correct? French TV: That's right; should we go gather with standards procedures and even equipment. [pause] D: If the question is how we are going to handle international [] within our own program, I think you do that through planning ahead of time through standards that you set and through the procedures that you use so that by the time you get around to flying with an international group or an international crew, you're all working with the procedures you all have the same knowledge and capabilities of caring those out so that [] really going to be no difference among the crew weather its all American or has international's on board. Houston Chronicle: For Commander []: Could you have praised the mission management team process before lift off and weather you can tell your colleges who will follow whether it works well? FidoNews 5-44 Page 12 31 Oct 1988 D: [] Bob Criffin for the outstanding job that he did. From our prospective and pulling that out of the gutter and its been our understanding of course in our last few days before the launch that was a many month effort and I though that management team; all that I saw in close at the FIR for the main engine firing, the F [] for the orbiter check, I was just very happy and I think that spoke very well for the way we do business in the future. Voice of America: You've been taking photos of phenomena on Earth such as volcanoes in Africa and hurricane damage in Mexico. What have you observed their that might be of value to the people in those areas? D: I think that the biggest things that we've seen are the things like deforestations. We seen erosions. We've seen some land usage that kind of disturbed us. I think that it' s a good lesson that we take back those photos to men on Earth and their respected countries. To make sure that they take care of what nature has given us and to make sure it's used wisely. Our environment is a very fragile thing and it' s something that were very impressed by when we take photos and we look out the windows. USA Radio News: Have you caught yourself being so excited at times, or other crew members around you, that you've had to try to subdue yourselves? D: Yes, [laughter from the middeck], yes we do as a matter of fact, I think that if we were a crew of one, that the possibility of getting distracted by the beautiful sites and the fun of being up here could perhaps cause you to not pay attention to what you' re doing. The crew concept is a wonderful thing and it keeps us on our toes. [] radio one []: [] and United States [] Freedom, the space station, you have and comments on that? D: I think that's great. That just means that we can pull together and [] even more [] working on the same problems and the same solutions and there's a team of science up here that can get a lot more than five people can do individually, there's no questions that [] each of the international [] bring to this effort will synergistic and make the whole bigger than the sum of the parts. German Radio: A question for Pinky Neilson: What do you think now thinking about the future of the shuttle as a scientific platform? D: I think the future is [] scientific use of the space shuttle. As I mentioned before the middeck that we're in is really a national resource that many scientist will be glad to have a room this size with zero gravity inside it that has electricity and water available for them to do their experiments and I think it will be used extensively in the FidoNews 5-44 Page 13 31 Oct 1988 future probably primarily as a development lab; as a test bed for experiments such as the ones we have onboard that were prototypes to be tested and where new concepts can be proven that can later be developed in and expanded and put into either free-flying satellites or put on aboard the space station in the production facility. Dallas Morning News: As you get ready for landing, do the problems with the flash evaporator system and one of the ohms rockets concern you? If not, why not? D: Well, they're... Of course something that you're concerned if you have the next failure... My understanding right now is that the flash evaporator though, we expect it to work almost [] and still be in good shape; that's also the case with the [] maneuvering engines, it's true that we do have one cross vector control system down on the left engine but we have a back up and we also have the capability of locking that control system in its current position and still deorbit and plus we could shut down one engine and come back on the other engine and if that fails we could come back on our reaction control system. So we have quite a back up capability here. That concludes this press conference. Thank you Discovery. - - - It's interesting to note the posture that NASA and friends have taken with the general public and the worlds press. In this mission, safety and technological problems were the main issues instigated from the press and to a certain extent, from NASA. It seems that the lift/no-lift question as regards humanware safety was stressed through out the mission; primarily with the shuttles cooling system problem. - - - The next flight is scheduled for the 17'th of November. Is it the "Atlanta", "Atlantia", or is it "Atlantis"? Well, something like that... ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 14 31 Oct 1988 Brian Murrey FidoNet 231/0 In the October 17th issue of the "News", Dan Tobias was so kind to point out the fact that I had used the term DOS in a manner that was unbecoming. I concede. I can't believe that I used the term in the manner that I did, but I did. I violated one of my own pet peeves, I stated that I had at one time upgraded to a DOS machine. What I meant to say was that I had finally given up a real DOS in order to become one of the status quo. Yes folks, we're talking CP/M here. You know, the best DOS developed by man or beast. Such a shame that it was colorized like an old movie and repackaged as something new. I understand that Digital Research is working on a new DOS as we speak, I can't wait to try it out. So Dan, and the rest of you, go ahead and give me the wet noodle treatment. I deserve it. Maybe it's just an after effect of too many hours behind this MS DOS compatible machine, maybe I have been exposed to too many messages from the UFO echo, maybe it's just that I am going completely stark raving mad.....naaaa, it's just my way of showing how well my brain sleeps. To all the DOS's I've known before.... ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 15 31 Oct 1988 NAFT Not Another File Tosser!? David Rice The Astro-Net (1:103/503.0) Have you ever wished to toss your files from the Upload directory to their assigned directories quickly and painlessly? It would be nice to have a program that reads in a selected FILES.BBS and allow you, the SysOp, to page through the entries, putting a hash mark next to the file and description to be tossed. Then with the push of one key, this program would copy the files one at a time, remove the entry from the Upload directory's FILES.BBS, append the entry to the Target directory's FILES.BBS, and then kill the original file. This is just what NAFT does. When one enters NAFT at the DOS prompt (and assuming that NAFT resides somewhere within the DOS Path), NAFT will first ask for the Source Path (presumably your Upload Directory). The file FILES.BBS will be loaded into memory if it's found, or an error will be displayed if it is not found. The first 19 entries will be displayed on the screen (up to 19, really, in case you don't have 19 or more entries). One may use the arrow keys to place a hash mark next to the file name and description. The hash mark may be any key. To remove a "hash mark," one would just mark it again. To get the next 19 entries, the PgDn key is hit. For the previous 19, the PgUp key is used. This way one may mark as many files for tossing as one wishes, going back through the list as many times as one requires. One may abort the process at any time by hitting the F2 key. One may shell to DOS with the F10 key. Once files have been selected for tossing, the F1 key is hit. Now NAFT requests the Target Path. This path may be on a different disk, over the LAN, a virtual disk, or a floppy disk drive. If the Target directory does not have FILES.BBS, it will be created. The files will then be tossed, with a display of which file is being tossed at the moment. The Source directory's FILES.BBS file will be cleaned up neat and pretty, with all of the entries that were tossed now missing, and all leading and trailing spaces in the File Description removed -- no extra charge. FidoNews 5-44 Page 16 31 Oct 1988 The Target directory will now hold the tossed files, and it's FILES.BBS file will now hold the file names and descriptions. NAFT.EXE is 15,119 bytes large. The archive NAFT.ARC, which holds the executible file and the scant documentation is 12,262 bytes. Since NAFT Requires BRUN30.EXE to run, the archive NAFTBR.ARC holds the NAFT file, the documentation, and BRUN30.EXE. The files NAFT.ARC and NAFTBR.ARC are File Requestable here on The Astro-Net 1:103/503.0 24 hours. The file NAFTBR.ARC is 74,817 bytes large. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 17 31 Oct 1988 Sysops, BBS's, CD-ROM's, & $14 Billion Dollars Sysops are a rare breed! In some ways, one needs to be slightly demented to even want to run a board. It is often a pain, certainly challenging, and has been known to be rewarding. The compliments are far and few between. One thing is unquestionable, the money for hardware, software, and the telephone company remains constant. Almost every sysop I talk to is always looking for something new for the board. Either a new & bigger hard disk drive, a faster modem, or something. The BBS is a reflection of the sysops personality. (Hmmmmmmmmmmm! !!) Each board is different, carries different Echo's, has contrasting files, and offers unique services. This is one of the key factors involved in the fine art of "sysoping". CD-ROM enters the picture of bulletin boards now. The introduction of large databases with public domain programs, is very exciting to sysops. Now, the sysop can add an enormous amount of public domain software to the system for the users. CD-ROM drive prices are dropping, but they are not within the reach of the general populace. Any board with a CD-ROM filled with public domain software is a very busy board. Now, we enter with the $14 billion dollars. Our firm, Ellis Enterprises, Inc., produces The Bible Library (tm) on CD-ROM. At the present, we have several sysops acting as consultants ( aren't we all? ), and they are selling The Bible Library (tm) to the church - religious market. Some said they weren't into religion, but they would pass around the brochures and give away some of the floppy demonstrations. We have a consultant or dealer kit available, which includes brochures and floppy demonstrations. All one really needs to do is get it in the hands of a pastor, youth director, or even the person in charge of data processing for the church. (180,000 churches have computer systems!) Here is it's true potential for you as a dealer: Churches: 370,598 Members: 159,453,086 Contributions: 14,242,824,577.00 per year. Seminaries: 380 Seminary Students: 56,335 Clergy: 530,000+ Donations per capita: 601.82 Church Colleges & Univ: 782 Religious Periodicals: 373 This information does not include the television & radio ministries. The above statistics are not current, they are a year old, and certainly have increased. The CD-ROM industry is growing! Consider these few statistics for the market: FidoNews 5-44 Page 18 31 Oct 1988 180,000 CD-ROM units sold. 800 CD-ROM databases presently on the market. 1.1 million CD-ROM discs already shipped. Here is the reason for this article: you as a sysop or consultant, can make up to $600 per sale for a drive and The Bible Library (tm). Just a few of these types of sales, and you will have the funds for your BBS. Ellis Enterprises, Inc. is making this offer to the many sysops out there, and if you want more information, please send it to 147/23 or write: Ellis Enterprises, Inc. 1-405-235-7660 voice 225 NW 13th Oklahoma City, Oklahoma - 73103 Attention: Bob Hall All you need to do is get the information in the hands of the pastor, and the rest is simply taking the order, and installing the unit. A sysop in Florida is working with a church for a full CD-ROM networking system. ( $30,000 sale! ) Thanks. ...... Bob Hall, sysop 147/23 & host of the CD-ROM Echo. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 19 31 Oct 1988 Jim Woodruff Heath/Zenith BBS Opus 1:105/226 NATIONAL MEGALIST The Heath/Zenith BBS, Milwaukie, Or (1:105/226) 503-654-7161 is now the control center for the National MegaList files. YOUR system can be listed here automatically if you use the program, ML-UPD. The following files are available for downloading or F/R'ing. ML-COL.ARC - Current release of MegaList collection software. ML-INQ.ARC - Current release of MegaList inquiry service for D'Bridge. ML-UPD.ARC - Current release of MegaList update software. ML-FIND.ARC - Current release of MegaList Inquiry, an Outside utility for OPUS (requires the ML-INDEX.ARC file) NOTE: The current release (ver 1.6) is written using 105/5 as the control center. To send your updates to 105/226 use the "ML-UPD SEND TO 105/226" command line. Chris Irwin (136/68) will be updating these files for 105/226. I will post a message when they are available. The MegaList is updated each Sunday at 08:00 (PDT). The following files are the compiled updates and are also F/R'ble: MEGALIST.TXT - This week's MegaList text file MEGALIST.ARC - ARChive of above ML-INDEX.ARC - Current MegaList index files (for use with the ML-FIND program) Milwaukie, Or is in the Portland, Or metropolitan area and is PC Pursuit'able. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 5-44 Page 20 31 Oct 1988 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================