F I D O N E W S -- Volume 14, Number 17 28 April 1997 +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | The newsletter of the | ISSN 1198-4589 Published by: | | FidoNet community | "FidoNews" | | _ | 1-904-409-7040 [1:1/23] | | / \ | | | /|oo \ | | | (_| /_) | | | _`@/_ \ _ | | | | | \ \\ | Editor: | | | (*) | \ )) | Christopher Baker 1:18/14 | | |__U__| / \// | | | _//|| _\ / | | | (_/(_|(____/ | | | (jm) | Newspapers should have no friends. | | | -- JOSEPH PULITZER | +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | Submission address: FidoNews Editor 1:1/23 | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | MORE addresses: | | | | submissions=> cbaker84@digital.net | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ | For information, copyrights, article submissions, | | obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ | | please refer to the end of this file. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ IS FIDONET DOOMED? Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1 Everyone woke up again? .................................. 1 2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .................................... 2 International BBS Week ................................... 2 Copyrights, Trademarks & Zone 2 .......................... 2 3. ARTICLES ................................................. 7 The Death of a Friend! ................................... 7 RC 2:24 election result .................................. 8 Zone 2 coordinator election result ....................... 9 The Great ZEC Election Hoax...Part 2 ..................... 10 4. GETTING TECHNICAL ........................................ 13 FSC-0061 - Proposed Guidelines for the FileBone .......... 13 FSC-0062 - Proposed Nodelist flag denoting time online ... 17 FSC-0063 - Proposal for FidoNet style messages ........... 24 5. COORDINATORS CORNER ...................................... 29 Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 115 ...... 29 6. WE GET EMAIL ............................................. 30 1:13/10 Gateway update ................................... 30 7. NET HUMOR ................................................ 31 Least Known Chapters in "Dianetics" ...................... 31 8. NOTICES .................................................. 34 Future History ........................................... 34 Another virus alert ...................................... 35 9. FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ................................. 37 And more! FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 1 28 Apr 1997 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= We're chock full of strife and adventure in this week's Issue after a week of rest. I got a feeling that no one ever reads the Headlines since nobody complained or sent me a dollar. [snicker] Region 19 has a new RC but nobody from there sent in a notice about that either. Bruce Bodger should be appearing as RC19 in your Nodelist shortly if not already in there as same. Congrats, Bruce. There is a ZEC election in progress in case you were unaware of it. The details can be witnessed by linking to the ZEC Echo. It's mostly harangues and counter-charges, as usual in Echomail, but if you want to be informed, you need to go there and watch. Rumor has it that the IC election is in deadlock again at 3 to 3. Here is another GOOD reason to break Zone 2 up into an eastern bloc Zone 7 and adding another vote to the ZCC to avoid ties. That's the view from the bridge this week. Enjoy! C.B. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 2 28 Apr 1997 ================================================================= LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ================================================================= --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Wed Apr 23 05:24:43 1997 From: David Chord @ 3:771/1560 To: Christopher Baker @ 1:18/14 Date: 19 Apr 97 17:53:38 Subj: FidoNews Note INTERNATIONAL BBS WEEK Just a note to say that if you want to do something to help reverse the trend of BBS's vanishing to the internet, then International BBS week might be the way to go. Inspired by a message in FN_SYSOP by Ivey Iverson(sp), and proposed by Anne Pickets in NZ_SYSOP, International BBS week is a week where SysOp's do what they can to advertise BBS's in their respective areas, whether it's doing a spot on a TV show, or taking out full-page adverts in the local newspapers, each person doing what they can to help out, whether it's appearing on TV or donating towards a week long run of full-page (or even TV) adverts. If the moderators don't mind, discussion should be carried out where the most people can be reached. My personal preference is FN_SYSOP, since it already reaches most areas, and of course local SysOp conference's. The date for International BBS Week is the first week of June, 1997 (s suggested by Anne). However, this is only a preliminary date and is open to discussion. If we can make this thing big it enough, we should be able to spark sufficient interest in the international media that they will do some of the work for us, granting interviews and spreading the word to more people than we could imagine reaching. If any one has any questions they wish to ask me personally, or they can't/ won't read FN_SYSOP, they can reach me at 3:771/1560 or on the internet -david.chord@cobra.galaxy.gen.nz. Naturally, FidoNet Netmail is preferable :-) So, get out there, start planning, and let's do what we can to make BBS's the popular places they once were! ----------------------------------------------------------------- --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Tue Apr 22 04:05:20 1997 From: Cindy Ingersoll @ 1:107/71 FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 3 28 Apr 1997 To: Editor @ 1:1/23 Date: 21 Apr 97 10:54:35 Subj: Copyrights, Trademarks & Zone 2 Greetings Editor! Here is a cross post from our new regional coordinator (Congrats David! :) as seen in R13SYSOP. I thought this might be of historical and academic interest, and so have submitted it to Fido News. -CiAo Date: 4:02 am Wed Apr 16, 1997 Number : 1787 of 1860 From: David Moufarrege Base : R13 SysOps To : All Refer #: None Subj: Z2 Nodelist Replies: None Stat: Sent Origin : 15 Apr 97 17:43:19 As promissed I am forwarding Ward Dossche's answer on the nodelist issue: === Begin ward.txt === (810) Mon 31 Mar 97 9:27 By: Ward Dossche To: David Moufarrege Re: Re: Copyright Notice St: Pvt Rcvd ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello David, > What is the background of your dropping the Copyright Notice of the > Z2-Nodelist? Some time ago a person wanted to write non-commercially something somewhere about Fido and kinda liked the art-work on the dog with the diskette. (name of the person escapes me, but I seem to recall a similar incident connected to the last Eurocon) So, truthfully believing Tom Jennings holds a trademark on this (as was mentioned in the nodelist and still is in Fidonews) he asks permission to use it, which Tom flatly refused. As I found this rather a strange reaction, out of curiosity I asked some of our corporate lawyers to look into the copyright- and trademark-issue of "Fido", "Fidonet" and the artwork of the dog-with- diskette. (FYI, I'm Deputy-Director at the Belgian telco, employing some 27,000 staff and we have acorporate-law-division who does nothing else than copyright and trademark stuff) As I so suspected for a long time, I received confirmation after researching relevant trademark-bureaus that no references to the above nor any trademark held by a Jennings Tom or Tom Jennings relating to Fidonet or something similarly sounding exists. Mark my words ... this covers the whole of Europe (east and west) including Israel and Turkey. It says nothing about the USA. FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 4 28 Apr 1997 We discovered however expired Fidonet-trademarks in the name of other individuals residing in Europe. A quick search was done for Japan (where ZC/6 resides) without any TJ- trademark. Same thing in Argentina (homebase of ZC/4) where TJ holds no rights but where, very puculiarly, another trademark called "Latin Fido" is held by a local sysop (this is also reflected in the Z4- nodelist). So let me summarise : There is _NO_ existing trademark in Europe in the name of Tom Jennings nor Jennings Tom for "Fido", "Fidonet" nor the "dog-with-diskette"- artwork. Then why write it in the nodelist? I don't see one single reason. Now let's not confuse "trademark" with "copyright". If TJ wants to have a trademark on all those items then as far as I'm concerned he can have it ... which means he must have his brand-names registered in each and every country - for zone-2 this means 35- countries to be precise - and agree to pay the periodical hefty sum on that. (worldwide 190+ ?) This he has never done, nor will he do it, nor will anyone else because it is just too expensive. "Control" over the nodelist can never warrant such a high price nor can anyone ever expect a return on that investment. If anyone ever has any bright idea here to register the trademarks to either "control" or "financially exploit" then I hereby post a claim to be first in line to laugh that person straight in his/her face. Less than a year ago there was the case of a company registering a trademark on the wording "world wide web" and "www", which mind you are nowhere legally protected. After initial astonishment by the internet-community the "owners" were quickly reduced to the laughing stock even while they followed correct legal procedures. They tried to exercise a claim and finally gave up because it was reasonably un- enforceable. With Fidonet it is exactly the same thing. Now one final word about "copyright". TJ does not participate in any way in the production of any of the nodelists nor any of the segments that comprise the nodelist. Hence there is not one square inch of legal ground for him to claim copyright over it. The NC's could have a copyright over net-segments, the RC's over region-segments and the ZC's over zone-segments. Since the ZC's also produce nodelists they could imo also post a copyright-notice for their version of the nodelist although I think all these notices carry little weight and are of little to no importance. Anyone in zone-2 having problems with the nodelist without a TJ- FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 5 28 Apr 1997 copyright/ trademark notification can always freq at this node the elements it takes to produce their own nodelist. Every current zone-2 region-segment can be freqqed here with the magic-name REGIONxx where xx = regionnumber. On top of that every zone-segment can be freqqed here following the same logic : ZONEy where y = zonenumber. It enables everyone who wants that to build his/her own customized nodelist. If a person e.g. only wants R24, R50 and Z3, then he/she freqs REGION24, REGION50, ZONE3 and gives that to his/her nodelist-compiler. How's that for openness, availability, service, whatever you wanna call it? If they want to include the original notice they can equally freq "TJ" here so that bit of information is accessible as well although it makes no difference. As a sidenote, I already received threats for a court-case by one Randy Bush, the same person when slamming the Fido-door shut behind him stated it was nothing else but a litter-box reeking of cat-piss. I understand some valid concerns about intentions and motives, but I do have a more than full-time and well payed job so I don't need to try to squeeze some extra pennies (at what cost?) out of some peoples pockets. I believe it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for any individual to grab control of the nodelist and make a buck out of it. If that happens then it is because the sysops allow it to happen, personally I would just totally ignore such a person. There's a lesson to be learned from our German friends who would never take any shit like that. This they proved after some "grab control"- exercises there. I'm more worried about the censoring of Fidonews-worldwide by a ZC which recently occured and nobody reacted upon it. Weren't you aware? Thanks for writing. If there's more you want to ask, please do. Take care, \x/ard Dossche ZC/2 === End ward.txt === ... "Cry on someone else's shoulder, I'm off-duty." Troi -!- * Origin: Kraut Haus * The German Culture BBS (1:2613/404) FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 6 28 Apr 1997 CiAo --- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 7 28 Apr 1997 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= The Death of a Friend! By: Clay Tannacore 1:372/4 My friends, I write to you this day with a saddened heart. My friend of thirteen years has passed away. Sure, I know he was only a dog, but he was full of spunk, full of pride, and filled with everything anyone could have asked for. I picked him up in 1985, and knew right away he was my kind of dog. He was young and inexperienced with a future that should have been endless. He was bright and trusting, with just enough reserve to be cautious of new people, but was always ready to allow them into his world. I would look into his eyes, and he mine, and we understood each other, instantaneously. I named him the only name I could think of, the only name that suited him, and he in turn named me. His name was a struggle for me at first, but I think I had heard the name before, and it just seemed to fit him flawlessly. Over the years we had grown up together, we learned from each other. He with his youthful inexperience, and me new to having such a gifted friend. There were many a cold night that he and I would reveal in each others company. He would keep me in touch with the realities of the world, and I would entertain myself by utilizing his abilities. He never seemed to amaze me in his capacity to teach and entertain. Even as a young and unknowledgeable puppy he still possessed the capability to render me speechless with his stubborn wisdom of worldly things. He ability to adept to new and better things was uncanny, and soon I was a slave to his commands. No, he didn't require me to be house-broken, but he did insist that I continually learn new and more progressive things. My dog made my life a better substance. He loved me, and I him. He was faithful to me for all those years, by my side almost constantly, and when not there, he was forever on my mind. I made it a point not to leave him for to long, and I made a point of laying my hands on his strong supportive shoulders as often as feasible. Then came that ugly time in 1991, when sickness took over my body, and I was forced to be away from my friend for too long. The sickness was worsening, and I was made to go to the hospital for a very long time. I had to leave my dog in those trying times, but I remained faithful to him, and he didn't forget me. As the time passed, and my health became a non-point, I was reunited with my dog once again. I was happy, even jubilant at seeing him still able to function. But, my dog had changed, and he didn't seem to have the same old spunk or vigor about him. He had a different personality, a different look, and a totally different feel about him. I found it increasingly hard to relate to this wonderful puppy I had once learned to love. The attitude of my dog was not the same, almost nothing seemed the same anymore. He was more vicious, not only towards me, but towards others, too. FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 8 28 Apr 1997 I viewed my dog for months before trying to play in his new world, but couldn't seem to revive my old feelings about him. He had become sassy, inconsiderate and hateful. This was not the dog I remembered, this was a total stranger, with nothing more than malignity on his mind. No longer was my dog the happy, rousting puppy I had come across in 1985, this was a vindictive, hateful mongrel who was an unfriendly entity, possessed by some demonic apparition, but who was passing himself off as my dog. So it is that today, I have nothing but memories left of my little, immature puppy, and all the fine things he once represented. No more will I have the pleasure of knowing him, as I once knew him. He's gone now, dead, passed away! But still I can fondly look back at that special time he and I once had, and remember that fateful day that I gave him his borrowed name. I called him FIDO, to start with, but that didn't seem suitable for him, so I tried FIDOMUT, FIDONUT and even FIDODOG. None of those names seem to suit him, but somehow he was finally named FIDONET. It was a GREAT day for me when finally his name was chosen, and it was an even greater time when he chose his name for me, that being "1:372/4." Well, what did you expect, he was only a puppy then, and I was a virgin when it came to puppy-sitting. He has gone now, buried in the shadow of the Internet, www.bullshit.com, MSN, AOL, etc., etc. He will probably never undergo a resurrection, Never again will he be the force he once was. Never again will he be the friendly puppy that had a full life ahead of him. Never again will he be my friend! So, I say to all of you out there who never had the opportunity to meet 'my' FIDO. You missed the best years of FIDO's life, and there will never be another like it. . . "BUT YOU CAN HOPE!" ----------------------------------------------------------------- RC 2:24 election result by Frank Ellermann, 2:240/5815.1 The second RC 2:24 election following the local RegPol 24 (*1) just ended. The following is its preliminary run-off result as reported by the RO Jan N. Klug: valid votes : 594 (100,00%) abstentions : 48 ( 8,08%) Volker Imre : 199 ( 33,50%) Klaus Schaefer : 347 ( 58,42%) No candidate got an absolute majority in the first run, therefore a run-off was necessary. The preliminary result of the first run was: valid votes : 375 (100,00%) Frank Neubauer : 9 ( 2,40%) abstentions : 24 ( 6,40%) Ralf Schnele : 27 ( 7,20%) Wulf Krueger : 76 ( 20,27%) FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 9 28 Apr 1997 Volker Imre : 115 ( 30,67%) Klaus Schaefer : 124 ( 33,07%) Condolence, oops, congratulations to Klaus, and thanks to Ralf, Wulf, and Volker for standing. And after being VO in the 1st RC election '96 following RegPol 24 my special thanks to Jan (RO), Burkhard (VO), and the election supervisor Ward Dossche. These are "interesting" jobs, if I recall it correctly :-) Let's hope that the two weeks for nitpicking objections and challenges are less "interesting" than 1996. Footnote (*1): To be precise, RegPol 24 is not yet a real "approved by IC" local policy, but only considered as in force by all affected *Cs, just because there was no IC to ask for his approval. To be more precise, we had no FidoNet IC since almost 2 years, because the beloved leader of 131 nodes (including 43 redundant administrative AKAs) Z5C wants to be IC and blocks democratic candidates like Pablo or Ward. To call this XAB is pure understatement, just because without an IC P4-Fido is officially non-functional and formally non-existent. To be very precise, those who enforced policy 4 without a proper sysop referendum should burn in hell together with Z5C for this sort of sh*t (deliberately neither vague nor sorry). ----------------------------------------------------------------- Zone 2 coordinator election result by Frank Ellermann, 2:240/5815.1 Here's the final result of the Z2C election confirmed by Detlef Nick as spokesman of the election committee: Ward Dossche 2:292/854 18 RCs out of 22 = 81,8 % Carlos Fernandez Sanz 2:341/70 1 RC (R34) = 4,5 % Stig Hansen 2:236/58 1 RC (R52) = 4,5 % Robert Spangler 2:2494/360 0 RC No vote 2 RCs (R22,R31) = 9,1 % 10 Regions (37, 38, 39, 42, 44, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, and 54) are not represented by a valid vote, including 3 formally invalid or too late votes for Ward. Congratulations to Ward, thanks to the other three candidates, and last but not least thanks to the election committee: Detlef Nick, Tony Kuznetsov, Frank Peterson, Tirs Abril, and Pertti Heikkinen. The most interesting aspect (for me :-) in this ZC election were the procedural considerations and discussions before. In Z2 most regions correspond to states, ranging from only a handful nodes as in Malta, Iceland, Luxembourg, or Saudi-Arabia, to several thousands of nodes as in Germany or Russia. Of course it is not fair, if all these completely different regions are equally represented by the one and only vote of their RCs, but a simple "one sysop - one vote" approach would also not reflect the Z2 FidoNet reality. FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 10 28 Apr 1997 Even worse, policy 4 disregards sysops in all kinds of coordination, an RC could "legally" vote against the wishes of his own region. The election committee used the same trick as in the ZEC election 1996 to discourage such misbehavior: Regional polls before the RC votes were strongly recommended, the votes of the RCs were published, and now we have about two years to create a local policy with improved election procedures for zone 2. The result of the regional poll in R2:24 as stated by Eckhard Mueller: Ward Dossche 79, Robert J. Spangler 29, Carlos Fernandez Sanz 9, Stig Hansen 6, abstentions 6, valid votes totally 129. Not very impressive for a region with over 3000 sysops, but the list of voters looks like a who-is-who in R24 FidoNet, so it's not too bad after all. Maybe it's interesting, that a clear majority supported Ward instead of the R24 candidate. Although the Z2 regions correspond to states, this does not reflect nationalism, but banally the not yet united national telecom providers and their tariffs in Z2. Of course the former RC24 cast his vote for Ward following this regional poll. Again the most interesting detail (for me :-) in this poll was a new procedure invented by Eckhard Mueller. Normally (NC and RC elections) we have 4 phases in an election, each two weeks, call for candidates, discussion, first run, and run-off, if no candidate got an absolute majority in the first run. The time table for the regional ZC election poll was too limited for a separate run-off, therefore Eckhard combined both in only one ballot. Each vote contained up to 4 candidates in the order of preference, e.g. Stig-Carlos-Robert would be a vote for Stig as 1st choice. For the 1st run only the 1st choices were evaluated. If hypothetically no candidate won an absolute majority in this first run, but Ward and Robert are the run-off candidates, then in the same example Stig-Carlos-Robert 1st and 2nd choice are eliminated. The vote then goes to Robert in the run-off. That was a cute idea, wasn't it ? ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Great ZEC Election hoax...Part 2 by Zorch Frezberg, 1:205/1701 There comes a time and a point where you really have to sit down and decide what is more important...personal feelings or principles. While I am not the greatest nor fervent supporter of Bob Moravsik, I do feel that he has a right to participate in an election for which he is a nominee...if for no other reason than to find out what his platform is, and whether his ability outweighs his rhetoric. Unfortunately, it seems that the ZEC-appointed Election Coordinator, who was also the ZEC-appointed EchoMail Ombudsman, who is also the chief defender of the ZEC and moderator of the ZEC echo, with the FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 11 28 Apr 1997 assistance and advice of the ZEC, Bruce Bodger (who was also elected as R19C but still remains in place with the ZEC hat on, as well as the OBO hat on top of his personal FTSC Moderator hat...making at least five hats in all), has seen fit to not only deny free and open access to nominees for the ZEC post, but also to threaten those who dare to 'ask questions'. * Original In : netmail * Original To : Zorch Frezberg, 1:205/1701 * Original From: Jason Steck, 1:285/424@FIDONET * Original Date: Apr 27 14:08 ================================================== !DOMAIN FIDONET 1:205/1701 FIDONET 1:285/424 !MSGID: 1:285/424@FIDONET 229B714C !REPLY: 1:205/1701 791ead69 *** Answering a msg posted in area ZEC (ZEC). Saturday April 26 1997 22:18, Zorch Frezberg wrote to Election Coordinator: ZF> Is it true that Mr. Moravsik is being denied access to this ZF> echo? 1) Terms of someone else's banning are not any of your business. You have no standing to interpose yourself in those decisions. If Moravsik wants to request removal of his banning, then HE needs to ask and HE needs to deal properly with the issues which caused the banning in the first place. Your comments are neither solicited nor welcome. While my decisions are open to input from many people, you are no longer one of those people. 2) Your continuing attempts to undermine the election and post off- topic messages will result in a link cut if there are any future incidents. Jason Steck Interim Moderator, ZEC Internet: tutakai@oasis.novia.net -!- GoldED/386 2.50+ ================================================= I openly challenge Jason Steck to present any evidence that I have done any open action to 'undermine the election' process. At the same time, I also challenge Jason Steck to present the alleged "ZC Approval" he stated that he has to conduct the present ZEC election as it is. * Original In : FN_SYSOP * Original To : Zorch Frezberg, 1:205/1701 FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 12 28 Apr 1997 * Original From: Jason Steck, 1:285/424@fidonet * Original Date: Apr 11 14:01 ===========%< snip! FYI, the election rules and procedures were approved by the ZC before the election began, so continued whining, complaining, campaigning, lobbying, conspiracy-mongering, threats, flames, etc, etc, etc is without purpose. ===========%< snip! Jason Internet: tutakai@oasis.novia.net -!- JMail-G 2.81 ! Origin: PROZ Software -- JMail/JMQWK (FIDONET 1:285/424) ================================================= The present ZEC election process is becoming more of a fraud each passing day. Candidates banned from campaigning, persons questioning the process are threatened with feed cuts, and no open nomination process, with everything being clandestinely covered up in netmail. What is the true fear here? That an open election may result in a candidate voted in that the Election Coordinator does not want...or has been told not to allow to participate? When open election discussion is so severely limited, there is little doubt that an agenda of control and manipulation is involved...and very little about 'fairness' and 'openness'...especially when no one is allowed to know who has or has not been nominated in an open manner. Please contact your *C and *EC to help halt this farce of an election. Several well-known names have been presented or volunteered to act as Election Coordinator or ZEC moderator, and all have been rejected so that Jason Steck and Bruce Bodger can remain in control of the election process. Why do we tolerate this level of control and manipulation? # 30 # ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 13 28 Apr 1997 ================================================================= GETTING TECHNICAL ================================================================= [These are part of the continuing series of FidoNet History presentations of the FidoNet Technical Standards and Proposals documents that shape this hobby. They have been reformatted where required to 70 columns and any tables may be askew as a result. Node numbers and phone numbers may be out of date.] Ed. Document: FSC-0061 Version: 001 Date: 08-Mar-1992 Proposed Guidelines for the FileBone Erik VanRiper 1:107/230 Status of this document: This FSC suggests a proposed protocol for the FidoNet(r) community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this document is unlimited. Fido and FidoNet are registered marks of Tom Jennings and Fido Software. 1. Purpose. The purpose of this document is to set down basic guidelines for the handling of File Distribution Networks on a "File Distribution Backbone". 2. Definition of Terms. a. FDN. FDN is a File Distribution Network, made up of at least one file area dedicated to moving files through Fidonet compatible mailers for other nodes to utilize. An example of this is the Software Distribution Network or SDS as it is more commonly known. b. FTN. FTN is a term coined to signify that another Network besides FidoNet has the same technology as FidoNet, and can transfer files and mail via FTSC-001 compatible mailers. An example of this is SigNet. c. TICK. TICK (and HATCH) is (C) Copyright Barry Geller - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992. TICK is the current popular way to move files in FTN's participating in File Distribution. d. FILEBONE. FILEBONE is the "File Distribution Backbone". The term FILEBONE is used in place of BACKBONE because the BackBone is used for transfering mail, not files. There is a seperate document for procedures of FidoNet BackBone systems. FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 14 28 Apr 1997 3. Reasons for this Document. a. Spending the last five months compiling information on all the FDN's and how the files are moving in each, I noticed that a lot of time, money, and hassle can be avoided by creating a well defined mechinism by which all FDN's can participate. In the past, (and currently), there has been more concern by the heads of individual FDN's as to WHO is picking up their FDN, and not enough concern in how FAST those nodes are getting newly hatched files. This document will attempt to address both issues. b. Personally, I feel that there is not enough credit given to those major file hubs all over the world who pay an arm and a leg to pick up different FDN's from several different locations to support 50 or more FTN systems they have polling for support. These HUMANS have always worked hard, and received almost no credit. I would just like to take time out in this document to thank each and every one of them for the wonderful support they have contributed to several different FTN's. 4. The Outline. a. The FILEBONE will be created in several stages, taking up to a year to become fully operational. This will require several support programs to be written, tested, and documented, as well as re-arranging current FDN links to test speed and reliability of actually moving the files. b. The FILEBONE will consist of no less than 15 systems in Zone 1 (I cannot speak for other zones). Each system will be required to make at least one call a night to drop off and pick up ALL the available FDN's that are participating in the FILEBONE. These FILEBONE sites will also be primary hubs (acting as "stars") for other FTN compatible systems interested in obtaining parts (or all) of the files transferred. c. Each FILEBONE site will use several different programs written to aid in locating delays, problems, and undesireable conditions while processing the files. They will also be required to submit "File Distribution Reports" each week to the FILEBONE database, which will maintain and analyze the information, detecting possible problem areas. d. Each FILEBONE site will be required to submit to the wishes of each FDN concerning hatching policies, linking policies, cutting of links to problem nodes, and general reporting of usage. FILEBONE sites are not "pawns" of individual FDN's, but "tools" for each FDN to use to get their files (and support conferences) from one end of the FILEBONE to the other. e. Each FDN will be required to submit a statment of agreement to this document to the FILEBONE systems, as the FILEBONE systems FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 15 28 Apr 1997 are the ones paying to move their files. f. The FILEBONE will consist of a two-tierd system. The largest being the actualy FILEBONE, where all the "released" files will be transported. The second smaller level will be a "back area" for each FDN that requires one. The concept is this: If a system hatches a file in area GENERAL, and Joe Smith, the moderator of the GENERAL area has not authorized that system to hatch into that area, the first FILEBONE site to get this file will move that file to the GENERAL "back area" for review by Joe Smith. Once Joe Smith decides on suitability, he will then send a message back to that FILEBONE site (and all other in-between) saying it is OK to let the file pass, delete the file, or alter the description of that file before letting it pass. The FILEBONE will move the file to that FDN's moderator on the "back area", so all FILEBONE sites that have already seen the file can simply "move" that file back into distribution, so that those FILEBONE sites already having the file will not need to re-transfer it. This system ensures that there is only a small delay in time for checking the validity of that file. A basic diagram follows: Key: "=" = FILEBONE "-" = "Back area" 1:0/x = FILEBONE sites 0:5/x = FDN nodes A = Node hatching 0:5/5 | | A ----> 1:0/0 ---- 1:0/1 ---- 1:0/2 ---- 1:0/3 ---- 1:0/4 |==========+==========+==========+==========+ System A hatches file "FILENAME.ZIP" into the GENERAL file area. 1:0/0 detects that system is not on the list authorized to hatch files into the GENERAL file area, so sends the file to 1:0/1 in the GENERAL backarea, enroute to 0:5/5. When 0:5/5 gets FILENAME.ZIP, 1:0/0, 1:0/1, 1:0/2, and 1:0/3 will have already seen the file, and 1:0/4 has not. Joe Smith (The moderator of the GENERAL file area), at 0:5/5 will test FILENAME.ZIP to see if it is acceptable for distribution. If it is, Joe Smith will send a netmail message back to a program running on 1:0/3, letting the FILEBONE know it is OK to distribute the file. 1:0/3 will then move the file to the GENERAL area, and continue to send it on. 1:0/3 will also generate a message back to 1:0/2 letting them know the status of the file, and so on, until 1:0/0 has finally moved the file back into the GENERAL area. Another options to Joe Smith are to have the file deleted (Usually because it has been duplicated), or to have the file fowarded to another FDN moderator, where the file would be more suitable. With this method of checking files, FDN's can allow the FILEBONE to let anyone hatch files into their FDN without having to worry about duplicates or programs that are not suitable for that FDN. FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 16 28 Apr 1997 g. FILEBONE sites will also be required to keep an online database available to any nodes requiring information about individual FDN areas. This information will include: 1. Average traffic per week and month. 2. Average time to obtain file submitted. 3. A listing of nodes carrying that FDN area. 4. Guidelines, applications, and policies associated with that FDN. This will be an automated process, carried out much like a node sending an AREAFIX or RAID request. The FILEBONE site being queried for the information is only resposible for 2 things: 1. Ensuring the database is operational. 2. Placing the requested information on hold for pickup. Anything else that FILEBONE site does with the request for information is at their disgression, such as sending back the information on their dime. h. All FILEBONE sites will be required to drop the individual "User Flags" in the nodelist that corespond to individual FDN's (in regions that allow Uxxx flags in the nodelist). They will instead use the "UFDN" flag. This will help (albeit a small amount) cut down on the flag usage in the nodelist, since all the FILEBONE sites will be moving most of the available file areas. 5. The FILEBONE has started, with 21 systems in Zone 1, one system in Zone 2, and several "OtherNets" getting involved by the day. Several of the programs outlined in this document have already been written, and are in use, being tested. There are still a few more programs to be written, but things are running smoothly as of the date on this document. 99% of the known FDN's in FidoNet are linked into the FILEBONE in one form or another, and the future looks very promising. This document is by no means complete. There are several other aspects to FDN's and FILEBONE that are not discussed here. This document is put forth for comments, additions, deletions, and all general changes. This is only how I (the author of this document) envision the FILEBONE operating, and this document may be flawed in one or several areas. -30- FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 17 28 Apr 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Document: FSC-0062 Version: 002 Date: 25-Jun-1994 A Proposed Nodelist flag indicating Online Times of a Node | David J. Thomas | 2:442/600@fidonet.org Status of this document: This FSC suggests a proposed protocol for the FidoNet(r) community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this document is unlimited. Fido and FidoNet are registered marks of Tom Jennings and Fido Software. | Note | ---- | Changes in content between the previous edition of this document, | and this edition, are signified by bars (|) in the left margin, | except where otherwise specified. I have changed the format of the | document slightly to allow this. Where the format of the document | has changed, but the actual text has not, bars are not present. Purpose ------- There are currently several systems within FidoNet that offer file request or mail holding capabilities but are not continuously online. The only time during which these nodes can be contacted with reference to the nodelist is currently the Zone Mail Hour of the zone to which the systems belong. In | theory, mailers can only use the zone mail hour(s) specified by the system in question to contact these nodes, which does not provide for any method of file requesting or calling for echomail that does not conflict with the Policy requirement that no echomail or files be transferred during the zone | mail hour. This means that, in practice, if it is known that a particular | node is online for more time than ZMH alone, but less than 24 hours a day, | it is necessary to "kludge," or set this up as a special situation, in most | mailers whenever a node has to be contacted a number of times, whether | regularly or irregularly. The proposed flag would benefit the mailers in such a way as to provide for them the online times that the node is usually online for, thus cutting on the costs of calling a non-continuous mail node, only to find that it is not available; and also, hopefully preventing annoyance for a sysop whose mailer is being called whilst it is not online, for example in the case of a voice/data shared line. FIDONEWS 14-17 Page 18 28 Apr 1997 Compatibility ------------- Since the current nodelist format is always being extended and nodelist | processors look only for the flags that they know about, there are no expected compatibility problems with the suggestion outlined below. Format of additional nodelist flag ---------------------------------- The proposed nodelist flag has the following form: Txy | where x represents the startup time, and y the end time, in the following format: +------+----+ +------+----+ +------+----+ +------+----+ +------ +----+ |Letter|Time| |Letter|Time| |Letter|Time| |Letter|Time| |Letter|Time| +------+----+ +------+----+ +------+----+ +------ +----+ +------+----+ | A |0000| | F |0500| | K |1000| | P |1500| | U |2000| | a |0030| | f |0530| | k |1030| | p |1530| | u |2030| | B |0100| | G |0600| | L |1100| | Q |1600| | V |2100| | b |0130| | g |0630| | l |1130| | q |1630| | v |2130| | C |0200| | H |0700| | M |1200| | R |1700| | W |2200| | c |0230| | h |0730| | m |1230| | r |1730| | w |2230| | D |0300| | I |0800| | N |1300| | S |1800| | X |2300| | d |0330| | i |0830| | n |1330| | s |1830| | x |2330| | E |0400| | J |0900|