F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 8 No. 37 (16 September 1991) The newsletter of the | FidoNet BBS community | Published by: _ | / \ | "FidoNews" BBS /|oo \ | (415)-863-2739 (_| /_) | FidoNet 1:1/1 _`@/_ \ _ | Internet: | | \ \\ | fidonews@fidonews.fidonet.org | (*) | \ )) | |__U__| / \// | Editors: _//|| _\ / | Tom Jennings (_/(_|(____/ | Tim Pozar (jm) | ----------------------------+--------------------------------------- Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international amateur network. Copyright 1991, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews. Paper price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.00US Electronic Price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . free! For more information about FidoNews refer to the end of this file. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ..................................................... 1 Editorializing again? Sheesh .................................. 1 2. FIDONET NEWS .................................................. 3 Proposed rev. for Zone1 Backbone Oper. Proc ................... 3 3. ARTICLES ...................................................... 10 Commercialism & FidoCon '91 ................................... 10 Version List Submission Guidelines ............................ 12 IBECC / FidoCon '91 Thanks, Statistics, and Information ....... 14 IBECC Awards Becker and Rickard - Press Release ............... 16 IBECC Press Release #1 ........................................ 17 Clear Blue Light - or - "Smoke Gets in My Eyes..." ............ 19 The Lurker Emerges ............................................ 20 Now available...The Disney Discussions Conference! ............ 21 The HOLY_BIBLE Echo now on Zone 1 Backbone .................... 23 4. RANTS AND FLAMES .............................................. 25 5. CLASSIFIEDS ................................................... 26 6. NOTICES ....................................................... 27 The Interrupt Stack ........................................... 27 7. LATEST VERSIONS ............................................... 28 FidoNews 8-37 Page 1 16 Sep 1991 ====================================================================== EDITORIAL ====================================================================== Regarding last week's suggestion of changing FidoNews article submission policy (see below): a bunch of yea's, and one nay, included in an article this issue. If there are no reasonable objections (and I put emphasis on "reason") I'll put it into effect by October 1991. And for the nay: articles not meeting the criteria of ARTSPEC.DOC may be included, at the editors discretion, so off-subject but potentially interesting articles will not be lost. * * * * * I received this week a rather lengthy article from Jack Decker (1:154/8) regarding Steve Winter's religosity in previous FidoNews', in which he calls Steve on his allegedly very narrow and legalistic viewpoint. Jack wrote this article and attempted to submit it to FidoNews months ago, but due to software bugs in a mailer that refused to handle FidoNet messages (not echomail) over a certain length it did not get delivered to me until this week. I asked him to withdraw the article, for a number of reasons; Jack acknowledged that in the spirit of the anticipated change in FidoNews policy, that it would be sufficient if I mention it and tell you where you can obtain his article. (At FidoNet 1:154/8) And truly, Thanks Jack, for helping out. This was a special case because of the non-delivery. I now consider the case closed, and outside the FidoNews context. * * * * * CHANGES TO FIDONEWS SUBMISSION POLICY: The idea is to change the FidoNews article submission policy, as writtedn in ARTSPEC.DOC, to require that articles be in some way to what the amateur FidoNet network is about. For your reference, here is the original paragraph in ARTSPEC.DOC that I propose changing: -------------- SUBJECT MATTER: Articles on any subject of interest to FidoNet members and users are welcome and encouraged, not necessarily of a technical nature, though priority may be, but not necessarily, given to articles of importance to the FidoNews 8-37 Page 2 16 Sep 1991 FidoNet, its technology and its uses; other networks such as uucp and the Internet; social aspects of communications; ethical issues; other related matters. I propose to change this paragraph to something like this: -------------- SUBJECT MATTER: Articles must be in some way related to the FidoNet, its technology and its uses; other networks (such as uucp and the Internet); social, ethical or legal aspects of the above; and other related matters. You are welcome to submit articles on other subjects, but their inclusion is at the discretion of the editor(s). CLASSIFIED ADS: Additionally, there was a proposal to remove the CLASSIFIED AD section of FidoNews. The reason given was simply that the interests of sellers are better served on BBSs or in Echo conferences. I agree, and unless someone can come up with an elegant argument in favor of keeping it, I'll drop it also. I might as well go so far as to propose that we drop the .NOT "Notices" section. It's poorly understood anyways, and could simply be replaced with a very small article. Such things exist today; I could argue either way whether Echo Conference announcements are notices or articles. This would mean that submissions to FidoNews would be anything with a filename extension of ".ART". (Keep your wisecracks to yourself.) Simple, no? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 8-37 Page 3 16 Sep 1991 ====================================================================== FIDONET NEWS ====================================================================== ################################################################ FidoNetNews -- a weekly section devoted to technical and factual issues within the FidoNet -- FidoNet Technical Standards Committee reports, *C reports, information on FidoNet standards documents and the like. ################################################################ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The following proposal was submitted as a complete replacement of the current Backbone Operation Procedures 1.01. The proposal will be voted on by the Regional Echomail Coordinators. Please read the proposal and submit your opinions to your REC. The RECs need your input to represent your Region properly. Respectfully, Tony Davis Z1EC Proposed Revision For Zone One Backbone Operating Procedures ======================================== Revision: x.xx Effective Date: xxxx xx, 1991 Table of Contents =================== 1.0 Purpose of this Document 2.0 Zone Echomail Coordinator 2.1 Zone Echolist Coordinator 2.2 Zone Hubs 3.0 Region Echomail Coordinators 3.1 Region Hubs 4.0 Backbone Conference Moderators FidoNews 8-37 Page 4 16 Sep 1991 4.1 Duties of Moderators 4.2 Recognition of Moderators 5.0 Operating Procedures 5.1 Echomail Message Standards 5.2 Banned Messages 5.3 Censorship 5.4 Adding Conferences to the Backbone 5.5 Removing Conferences from the Backbone 5.6 Echomail Gateways 5.7 Routed Netmail 6.0 Changes to this Document 1.0 Purpose of this Document ============================= The Zone One Backbone Echomail System consists of the Zone Echomail Hubs (commonly referred to as "Stars"), Region Echomail Hubs and Net Echomail Hubs who help to distribute the Zone One Backbone echomail conferences. This system is hereafter referred to simply as the Backbone. An echomail conference is a message base or forum, distributed under a specified echomail conference name, dealing with a defined area of interest. Echomail conferences are hereafter referred to simply as conferences. Echomail Hubs are nodes who distribute echomail. The Echomail Hubs are hereafter referred to simply as Hubs. Zone Hubs distribute echomail at the zone level. Region Hubs distribute echomail at the region level. Net Hubs distribute echomail at the net level. This document sets forth the operating procedures used by the Backbone at the zone level. It describes how the Zone Hubs, and those Region Hubs who connect directly to them, operate. The operation of the Backbone within a region or net is not covered by this document. If any item in this document is in conflict with any existing or subsequent General Fidonet Policy, then General Fidonet Policy will be in effect. 2.0 Zone Echomail Coordinator ============================== The Zone Echomail Coordinator (ZEC) oversees the operation of the Backbone at the zone level. The ZEC coordinates routing and schedules to ensure reliable and efficient availability of Backbone echomail while avoiding creation of duplicate messages. The current ZEC can be identified from the 1/200 listing in the Nodelist. FidoNews 8-37 Page 5 16 Sep 1991 2.1 Zone Echolist Coordinator ------------------------------ The ZEC is responsible for maintaining a list of Backbone conferences (Echolist). To assist in this effort, the ZEC appoints the Zone Echolist Coordinator. The current Zone Echolist Coordinator can be identified from the 1/201 listing in the Nodelist. The Zone Echolist Coordinator compiles and publishes the Echolist monthly. It is distributed through the Software Distribution System (SDS) in the ECHOLIST area. The content and format of the Echolist are at the discretion of the Zone Echolist Coordinator, except that it includes the conference's name, the Moderator's name, a netmail address listed in a publicly available nodelist of any network where the Moderator can be reached, a general description of the conference topic, any eligibility requirements for restricted conferences, and the network of origin for conferences which originate outside of Fidonet. The ZEC personally maintains a text file called FIDONET.NA. This is a list of the Backbone conferences in such a format that it can be used as a forward-list by programs such as AreaFix. The ZEC distributes this list to the Zone Hubs whenever it changes. 2.2 Zone Hubs -------------- The ZEC appoints Zone Hubs (Stars) to distribute Backbone echomail at the zone level. The ZEC may also serve as a Zone Hub if [s]he so desires. The ZEC makes available a minimum of one connection from each of the Zone Hubs to each region. A region may choose to not use all of the connections available to it. Each Zone Hub carries all of the Backbone conferences. Each also distribute the FIDONET.NA file, as received from the ZEC, to the Region Hubs they connect with. The ZEC and Zone Hubs maintain an emergency backup plan should one of the Zone Hubs experience problems. Nothing in this provision requires that a ZEC or Zone Hub must import any conference to the extent of adverse economic impact. 3.0 Region Echomail Coordinators ================================= FidoNews 8-37 Page 6 16 Sep 1991 The Region Echomail Coordinator (REC) oversees the operation of the Backbone at the region level. The REC coordinates routing and schedules to ensure reliable and efficient availability of Backbone echomail while avoiding creation of duplicate messages. The current RECs can be identified from the 1/2xx (where "xx" = the region number) listings in the Nodelist. 3.1 Region Hubs ---------------- The REC appoints Region Hubs to distribute Backbone echomail at the region level. The REC may also serve as a Region Hub if [s]he so desires. The REC decides which Region Hub connects to each of the Zone Hubs. If a REC feels that [s]he needs more than one connection to each of the Zone Hubs, [s]he may request extra connections from the ZEC. Region Hubs do not necessarily carry all of the Backbone conferences, but all of the Backbone conferences are available through them. They also distribute the FIDONET.NA file, as received from the Zone Hubs, to those they connect with. Nothing in this provision requires that a REC or Region Hub must import any conference to the extent of adverse economic impact. 4.0 Backbone Conference Moderators =================================== Backbone Conference Moderators (Moderators) preside over conferences. The Backbone has no desire to interfere with the internal affairs of a conference in so much as they do not disturb the operation of the Backbone. A Moderator need not be either a Sysop or a member of Fidonet. If the Moderator is not a member of Fidonet, [s]he must list an address in a publicly available Nodelist of any network, so that he can be contacted if the need arises. 4.1 Duties of Moderators ------------------------- Moderators are responsible for: 1) Seeing that messages in their conference correspond to the conference's theme. FidoNews 8-37 Page 7 16 Sep 1991 2) Updating their conference listing in Echolist at least every six months. If a Moderator believes that a node is violating a conference rule, [s]he may authorize the feed to that node be severed. This authorization is made in direct written form (netmail), to the Hub feeding the offending node, with a copy to the offending node. 4.2 Recognition of Moderators ------------------------------ A Moderator is recognized as follows: 1) Upon formation of a conference, the person who forms the conference is the Moderator. 2) Upon resignation or replacement of an existing Moderator, the conference's rules define how the new Moderator is selected. 3) Should a conference which originates inside of FidoNet be without a moderator for over 30 days, the ZEC may cause a Moderator to be selected. Moderators are encouraged to appoint Co-Moderators to assist them in their duties and to stand in for them in their absence. 5.0 Operating Procedures ========================= 5.1 Echomail Message Standards ------------------------------- FTSC specifications FTS-0001 and FTS-0004 are followed. All Backbone nodes use the pathline option. 5.2 Banned Messages -------------------- The Backbone does not distribute any conference which routinely contains messages which are encrypted, contain illegal information or promote illegal activities. As used in this paragraph, "illegal activities" includes activities which are a violation of civil law as well