F I D O N E W S -- | Vol. 9 No. 35 (31 August 1992) 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) | | | Newspapers should have no friends. | -- JOSEPH PULITZER ----------------------------+--------------------------------------- Published weekly by and for the Members of the FidoNet international amateur network. Copyright 1992, Fido Software. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact FidoNews. Electronic Price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . free! Paper price: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $10.00US For more information about FidoNews refer to the end of this file. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ..................................................... 1 Editorial: Same old path ...................................... 1 2. ARTICLES ...................................................... 3 Hurricane Andrew Hits Miami ................................... 3 Zone 2 would-be dictators, a reply ............................ 4 Do *C's have really power ? ................................... 12 Finally, some REAL FidoGrunts ............................. 14 FidoNet Democracy: Long Overdue ............................... 15 A message to Tom .............................................. 16 The FidoNet Sysop's Bill of Rights ............................ 17 File Nets Need Better Descriptions ............................ 22 Zone 3 Hub/Gate change for A_THEIST/HOLYSMOKE/SKEPTIC Echos! .. 23 GAME_DESIGN A new echo for Game Programmers .................. 24 Tourette's Syndrome Echo ...................................... 24 Progressive News & Views ...................................... 24 3. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .......................................... 26 FidoNews 9-35 Page 1 31 Aug 1992 ====================================================================== EDITORIAL ====================================================================== Editorial: Same Old path by Tom Jennings (1:1/1) The zone 2 holy war is quite well under way. Last week you saw an article hopefully explaining some of the troubles with the self-appointed heirarchy claiming control over the network, both as to by whom and how it is run, and in many cases trying to control *content*, by banishing conferences deemed "unacceptable" and by "permanently" banishing sysops. Last week there was an article by Henk Wevers of Holland; this week, Ron Dwight, ZC2, has an article in response. It seems obvious to mee that this is going to go on for a while, and like previous network obsessions, could get tedious. So I am now invoking recently-added FidoNews policy in order to keep the whole thing understandable to all: Quoting from ARTSPEC.DOC (2 Feb 92) ----------------------- RESOLVING CONTROVERSIES: (v3) Occasionally FidoNews is presented with a dillema: a "controversial" article generates a seemingly endless series of responses, commentary, rebuttals, etc, and threatens to overwhelm FidoNews. How to stop the stop the flood without violating the editorial policy? Here is the somewhat complex solution: If a particular article generates a cascade of responses, the editor does two things: (1) chooses one or few of them as representative; (2) passes them on to the original author, who is asked to write a response within 2 weeks. The resulting representative response(s), and the original authors response, are run in the next possible FidoNews -- ONCE ONLY. Interested parties can then pick up the torch and march with it off the long or short pier of their choice. End of ARTSPEC.DOC quotation. So starting now, I will set aside articles I receive related to this "war", and make them available as file "WAR", via the usual methods (filerequest from 1:1/1 or manual download). What actually happens will depend somewhat on the size and number of responses; if low enough, I'll of course run them all. Hopefully, if authors can see what will be coming up, via the WAR file, they can avoid asking the same question twice, etc. I will make sure the process remains open. FidoNews 9-35 Page 2 31 Aug 1992 This is slightly sticky because it'll probably be an ongoing thing. In the mean time, and after, I'll probably run small articles, especially if they're news-y and less than flame temperature. The goal of course is to prevent an incomprehensible glut of articles, but provide room for all to speak, as best as can be done in a vehicle such as FidoNews. (And of course all articles submitted will be available in the WAR file regardless of their status). * * * * * I am amazed at the number of people who completely missed my point regarding "policy" in FidoNet. Let me make it crystal clear. o I was not proposing that my, or anyone's "policy" document become the latest object of worship. o The only point of my "Articles of Confederation" was to make a contrast with the overdetermined piece of crap being waved around. o Simplicity is possible, and desirable. If an ordinary human cannot understand it, it is useless. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FidoNews 9-35 Page 3 31 Aug 1992 ====================================================================== ARTICLES ====================================================================== by Michele Stewart, 1:369/21 I Survived Hurricane Andrew... News at 11 At first we didn't believe it but on Saturday, not to take any chances, my husband, Peter, went to the store anyway to make sure we had enough food, candles, flashlights, batteries, tape and anything else he could think of. The place was jammed to the rafters with every cart being used at this area "super"store. We turned the TV news on that night and haven't turned it off since. Sunday, there was no doubt that Hurricane Andrew would hit our area; we started to prepare by bringing into the house all loose objects, flower pots, tools, etc., shoring up the fence, taping the windows, etc. Unfortunately, by the time he'd made it to the lumber yard, Peter discovered there was no more plywood to board up the windows with... and where you could get it, people were charging $30 a board! Talk about your carpetbaggers. We did the best we could with what we had. Following instructions by area experts, we had three 5-gallon bottles of drinking water, filled two empty 5-gallon bottles we had with tap water and filled our tub with water as well. An evacuation order was underway for people living near the coast and in high flood areas (not us, thank goodness) and the shelters were starting to fill up while others refused to leave their homes deciding to brave the imminent danger. By Sunday night, all buses had stopped running, the streets were pretty much deserted except for the news teams, cops and one or two stubborn individuals and all our computer equipment, modems, phones and peripherals were completely disconnected in anticipation of the 150 mph winds which were on their way. The power went out around 5:30am and between the loss of power and turning on the radio to continue listening to what was happening around the area, I could hear the winds howling around the corners of our townhouse. Loud cracks outside foretold of trees which had stood for years, snapping in two like matchsticks... thuds across the roof testified to shingles being ripped up and thrown around... torrents of rain attested to the flooding the streets would be under... We were up all night, huddled together watching the news on TV for as long as possible and witnessing the winds tearing into our city... and we, up in Broward County, at least 50 miles north of the eye of the hurricane, were among the lucky ones? By Monday afternoon, South Florida, more specifically, South Miami was pretty much destroyed by Hurricane Andrew, a level 4 hurricane, and the worst disaster to hit this area since the late 1920's. FidoNews 9-35 Page 4 31 Aug 1992 I'll never forget the look on my neighbor's faces when we walked outside to survey the damage. Trees were down everywhere, sometimes having lifted the concrete sidewalks they were next to. Power lines were down and debris was scattered. And we were lucky. 50-60 miles south of us, though a different city and county, still a part of us as we are a part of the whole South Florida area, mobile homes were flattened, roofs of homes and department stores and offices were ripped off and their contents scattered to the 4 winds. Our power was restored by 8pm Monday night and now I could witness the devastation left by Andrew. At least 15 people have died as a direct result of the hurricane either by electrocution from downed power lines, collapsed roofs and/or falling trees. Damage is estimated at over $15 Billion dollars!!!! Thousands of people have lost their homes and all their possessions. Looting is now of growing concern and the police, national guard and Navy are doing all they can to stem the tides. A curfew has been in effect for Dade County since Monday to help stop the looters and protect citizens... Since there's no power, you can't see where obstructions are and it can be very dangerous out there. It is anticipated that power will be out to some areas for anywhere from one to 4 weeks! This makes it harder on everyone. The airports are only partly open and President Bush has been down to visit us and declared the area a National Disaster Site! Tell me something I don't know. Like I said, I am one of the lucky ones. But there are thousands of people who are not as lucky and they need our help. I am going to a local food drive site and drop off whatever food I can to help those who now have nothing. I'm not sure what you can do but if you've a mind, I imagine calling your local Red Cross office can help. It seems logical that the National Red Cross would have info on what's needed here, whether it's food, clothing, medical supplies, whatever. But help is needed. I don't know how many of my fellow Fidonet friends I have down here still have their homes. I don't know who's been hit by this disaster and who's safe and fine. No news is coming out of Miami from the net since there's no power in the area. Good luck Louisiana. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Zone 2 would-be dictators, a reply by Ron Dwight on 2:220/22 In order to obtain a balanced view, it is reasonable, in most societies, to listen to more than one side of a debate. I note with some horror of the absolute failure of our current IC, Matt Whelan, to follow this procedure, but I guess that is just a sign of the times. I will try to present another side to this saga in the hopes that it will become clear just who the "Zone 2 would-be dictators" are, in reality. I will try to answer as concisely as possible each point which Henk Wevers makes and add FidoNews 9-35 Page 5 31 Aug 1992 to this a couple of his own messages which hopefully will demonstrate the point he is trying to make (or avoid making!). --BEGIN-- It has been a long time since I was actively involved in the politics in fidonet. It has become necessarily to do so, just to be able to stay in fidonet. ---END--- I believe this is called "propaganda"! Henk Wevers's node number has NEVER been under threat save for the time when he informed us that he quit Fidonet should geographic nets be imposed upon "his" region. This "pose" has since been withdrawn when it was seen that he might be forced to live up to it. --BEGIN-- For the hundreds of sysops...... ---END--- There is little need to quote the large chunk which I have ommitted, it can be briefly summed up as "I formed zone 2 and You OWE me". Neither FidoNet as a whole nor zone 2 in particular owe either Henk or the HCC any debt, save perhaps for gratitude. Starting a net does NOT give anyone the right to flout the rules which we have all agreed to abide by. We all understand Henk was disappointed by the acceptance of Policy 4, I was even disappointed myself but FidoNet is NOT the servant of the HCC and it should not be allowed to become subservient to it. --BEGIN-- So if you look at fidonet in region 28 today and you want to join fidonet you have three choices: The regional net, and one of the club nets if you are a member. ---END--- Here is a CLEAR admission that membership of FidoNet nets is SUBSERVIENT to the will of the "clubs", you may join one of the club nets, IF YOU ARE A MEMBER. One of the fundamental reasons for the creation of a policy, which TJ so obviously dislikes, is the PROTECTION of the freedom and rights of the SysOp. Policy 4 makes certain GUARANTEES to new SysOps. It GUARANTEES that a SysOp may join a local net for the purposes of NetMail handling. Region 28 makes NO such guarantees unless you are member of a particular "club", even then you may be forced to make long distance calls to obtain mail. Just who is it that is being restrictive here, Policy or Henk Wevers and his "clubs"? You may ask, "but that's ok, we can create more nets". I agree, this would be a reasonable thing to do, but this question has already been asked in region 28 and the answer came back from the RC "We already have enough nets in region 28". Does this sound to you like a region in which "freedom" has gone walk-about? FidoNews 9-35 Page 6 31 Aug 1992 --BEGIN-- we solved the problem in region 28 in the beginning of this year by establishing one central echomail hub where all nets connect. The hub would be paid for by all participants. To solve the problem of all those hosts for people outside region 28 we established one inbound gateway for the region. Inner region netmail is exchanged directly between the hosts. ---END--- You will see a quoted message at the end of this text that he uses this gate, it's called TipTop, in order to FORCE SysOps in region to bend to his will. It is BLACKMAIL of the worst order and has NO place in a hobby organisation, except this is MORE than a hobby to some who "RUN" region 28. --BEGIN-- Back to Ron Dwight, the 2nd ZC2. After a discussion between Ron and some sysop the sysop called Ron a liar. When Ron complained at the IC he got an answer in the line: "this is something a ZC should be prepared for and he should not easily be annoyed". Ron pulled the plug, we had no ZC. ---END--- I have no idea why this is in here but I think, it too, comes under the heading of "propaganda." Let me give you a little reading tip which I use when reading this kind of article, ask yourself "What was written?", then ask yourself "WHY was this written?" For the latter question, you will often come back with, "for effect only". Let's try to stick to the matter at hand. --BEGIN-- The third ZC2 was Felix Kaska, He