F I D O N E W S -- Volume 15, Number 1 5 January 1998 +----------------------------+-----------------------------------------+ | 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. | +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ HERE WE GO AGAIN! Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL ................................................ 1 The New Year starts with a LARGE Issue! .................. 1 2. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR .................................... 2 Comments on the 1452 Snooze Editorial .................... 2 FidoNews also available here ............................. 2 Announcing ARGUS FidoNet to Internet software ............ 3 FidoNet explained for Internet folks ..................... 4 Needs MajorBBS info ...................................... 5 Comments to News Vol.14, No 52 ........................... 5 3. ARTICLES ................................................. 7 Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator Election List of Candidates .. 7 ZEC Election Questionnaire sent .......................... 8 Candidate questionnaire - Intro .......................... 10 John Glinski questionnaire ............................... 10 Mike Luther's questionnaire .............................. 12 David Calafrancesco questionnaire ........................ 23 Jim Balcom questionnaire ................................. 27 Retrofitting & Updating Conference Naming Conventions .... 30 4. COORDINATORS CORNER ...................................... 33 Nodelist-statistics as seen from Zone-2 for day 002 ...... 33 5. ECHOING .................................................. 34 North American Backbone Echo Changes [Nov-Dec] ........... 34 6. NOTICES .................................................. 36 Future History ........................................... 36 And more! FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 1 5 Jan 1998 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= The ZEC Election process is underway in Zone 1 and there are several articles in this Issue pertaining to that effort. The Article Specifications [ARTSPEC] for FidoNews were updated for 1998 and hatched out last week. If you didn't get a copy via your regular FidoNews file distribution, check upstream to see where it went. You can always file-request it [ARTSPEC] from this system or download it from any of the sources listed in the Masthead at the end of every edition. The only change was the downsizing of the number of FidoNet Nodes from over 30,000 to over 20,000. If you got a new Internet-capable computer this past holiday season, don't forget all the Internettable FidoNet stuff and places to visit which are listed in the Masthead. [grin] On with 1998! C.B. ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 2 5 Jan 1998 ================================================================= LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ================================================================= Comments on the 1452 Snooze Editorial by Gordon Malone 1:261/1195, g.malone@ix.netcom.com Season Greets Chris! I just wanted to take a few minutes to comment on your editorial from the 1452 edition of the snooze; "Where are we a year later?" If no one wants to get the required vote together, I'll be the International Coordinator... :) There NEEDS to be a leader. We've been going nowhere fast for far too long. The Nodelist... You've got to be kidding. Why not? There are tens of folks who could do that job right here in Net261. We need to get rid of the "dead wood", don't we. Why hang on??? All of the above offerings listed in your commentary and then some. ;) Continued credit and KUDO's go deservedly out to Mr. Barchuk for attempting to re-invent Fido into what "it could be" if we all gave half a hoot and put our though, inventiveness and heart where our mouths are. Balance... Naaa. Too many folks complain and not enough folks give enough of a damn to do anything. Sad, ain't it. Imagine what we could be if everyone who joined, contributed and participated... Really sad. If folks aren't going to participate, why get involved? If you're not part of the solution... Cheers! Gordo -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Reply-To: From: MBelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com (Martin Belcke) To: "Chris Baker" Subject: Fidonews Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 17:07:16 -0600 Chris, I have made available every single issue of Fidonews, since the beginning issue, as well as yearly archives, all via FTP. They are FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 3 5 Jan 1998 organized as follows: FIDO1.ZIP (All of the issues for Volume 1) Replace the number with the number or letter of the volume as it appears in the FNEWSxxx.ZIP format. Current would be FIDOE.ZIP Each issue is also available, so if someone only needs a specific issue, they can get that issue as well. There is an index file called 00_index.txt that is a complete list of all issues by name, volume and issue, and date of issue. All of this is available via anonymous ftp at ftp.irvbbs.com The name of the directory is fidonews (can't figure out why I thought of using that name - grin ) If you would like to add a link to the Fidonews web page, feel free to do so. --Martin-- -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 03 Jan 1998 08:39:01 -0800 To: cbaker84@digital.net From: "Damien Sam" Subject: Mailed From FidoNews Homepage As I read the FidoNews articles, I am constantly reminded of the fact by other submitted articles that Fidonet is a dying breed due to the inception of the Internet. There have been kudos granted out to systems such as ours that offer Fidonet Backbone and Filebone feeds to the rest of the world using usually FTP server access and sometimes e-mail file attaches, although the latter would not be efficient due to the size of mail packets and/or files that are passed down the links. What had occurred was a sort of hybrid mating of Fidonet to the Internet, however, this form of mail transport still required some main system that operated servers, and then would have to configure various "secure" ftp sessions to allow the attainment of mail and files. Although efficient, this still seemed to be much work for the individuals who offered this service. What was required was a more efficient method of transport and a better "marriage" of Fidonet to the Internet. One specific individual/company (Max Masyutin/Ritlabs) http://www.ritlabs.com/argus/ , has produced a piece of software that seems to have made the mark! The program is a front end mailer called ARGUS which has built in TCP/IP support! Although at this moment in time, it is only available in Win95 and NT flavors! (Please no tossing of cookies). Zone 2, and more specifically Russia, has jumped the gun in implementing new flags to facilitate this new form of technology. The flags in question are and have been listed in previous editions of the FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 4 5 Jan 1998 Fidonews; RAW,IFC,BND,TEL,VMP and a few other variants, but more importantly, "BND" being as the focal point for this new wave of technology. On the outset, ARGUS is just another Binkley type mailer, but within it's inner workings lies some new form of technology. Specifically, the ability to use a TCP/IP connection and allow the "Re-mapping" of a normal Fidonet Node Number to an Internet IP address. So rather than say dialling up a Long Distance node via standard phone lines, the mailer in effect calls up the TCP/IP address and in normal fashion, transfers all mail packets and files to the remote node, only via the Internet, thereby saving the cost of Long Distance charges... This has definitely made our lives here much easier, as we are now connected up to the UK, and Russia, and a few nodes across ZONE 1 and a pending node in Indonesia, and we are transferring mail and files with ease using this mailer. No need to setup the secured ftp site, and all that must go with this task, just the usual setup under the mail tosser and the mailer itself...and the seemingly greatest benefit of all this technology, is that our TCP/IP lines are "NEVER BUSY"! We may be holding files and a node may connect up via TCP/IP, but that does not tie up our phones lines, so a busy signal is never reached, another IP node can connect up just as easily and receive their mail and so on. In fact, other than bandwidth, the TCP/IP connections are almost limitless! This is not an advertisement for this company that produces this mailer, as another company is on the forefront of using this as well, (BEEMAIL), however, this is more of an informative session to all those FIDOnet nodes out there that are not aware that this technology exists right now, and further more, for those *Cs that render the decisions, and perhaps enlighten them on this technology, so that they may as well "Push for FLAG CHANGES". Yes, we offer Fidonet mail and files over the internet, and yes, we offer it via FTP as well, however, with this new mailer, it has made life that less complicated for sending and receiving of mail long distances without costing anyone a single dime in long distance charges, and to be able to offer the mail to those nodes that may not be able to currently poll long distance, yet still have an internet connection. Yours Truly, Damien Sam webmaster@mindsedge.com 1:153/750@fidonet http://www.mindsedge.com/knightmare.html 1:153/950@fidonet http://www.mindsedge.com/fidonet.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Wed Dec 31 21:11:20 1997 From: Jerry Schwartz @ 1:142/928 To: Editor @ 1:1/23 Date: 29 Dec 97 20:32:10 FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 5 5 Jan 1998 Subj: FidoNet pages I have an "Intro to Fidonet" type page at http://owls.com/~jerrys/fidonet.html Jerry Schwartz -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Return-Path: jvo@eagle.net Date: Tue, 30 Dec 1997 17:45:08 -0500 From: "John D. Vo" Reply-To: jvo@eagle.net Organization: Eagle Communication To: cbaker84@digital.net Subject: Fido Damn, you guys are still around? do you know anything about MajorBBS? I have one user (yes, one) that really interested in getting Fido- news/mail....can you help? John Vo jvo@eagle.net -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --- Following message extracted from NETMAIL @ 1:18/14 --- By Christopher Baker on Sun Jan 04 19:07:36 1998 From: Felix Mueller @ 2:2480/903 To: Christopher Baker @ 1:18/14 Date: 01 Jan 98 20:08:03 Subj: Comments to News Vol.14, No 52 Hi Christopher, I just received the latest newsletter and read it. There are two things, I like to say. The easier: In the FidoSoft part, there are stated two old versions. BGFax version is 1.70 since a few month. And RAR is 2.02. Now the second one. I saw Ward's statistics on the Fidonet and was frightened. Zone 1 is growing down with a 21% step in only 6 month. Where does Fido in Zone 1 go? I know, that there are a lot of people are going to use more the Internet, but I have the feeling, that this isn't the right way. This will loose the privacy and personality, which we have in Fidonet. So I hope people will find back to Fido. regards, FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 6 5 Jan 1998 --------------/ **************************************** (----- - - ) Felix Mueller ( |-- | \/ | ) email: felix@allfix.com ( | | | ) PGP public key via magic F-PGP /--------------- **************************************** -30- ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 7 5 Jan 1998 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator Election List of Candidates by Martin Belcke 1:232/10, 1:232/16, mbelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com To The Members of Fidonet, Zone 1. In compliance with a directive from the Zone 1 Coordinator, an election for the position of Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator has been underway. The first phase, nominations, has concluded. The following is the result of the nomination phase.... ************ REPORT OF NOMINATIONS FOR Z1EC ************* The following candidates have been properly nominated, seconded and have accepted for the upcoming Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator election. As per the election rules, these are the only candidates eligible for election to the position of Z1EC. CANDIDATE NOMINATED BY SECONDED BY ACCEPTED NODENUMBER NODENUMBER NODENUMBER DECLINED ==================================================================== Gary Gilmore Keith Wineka Scott Hansen ACCEPTED 1:2410/400 1:2220/10 1:154/750 12/10/97 ==================================================================== Wayne DeLisle Sr Jack Sargeant Christine LaBonte ACCEPTED 1:379/33 1:379/12 1:163/384 12/11/97 ==================================================================== David Calafrancesco Robert Vaughn Joe Brown ACCEPTED 1:2624/0 1:273/304 1:2625/111 12/13/97 ==================================================================== Mike Luther Skeet Masters Jeff Edmonson ACCEPTED 1:117/3001 1:117/100 1:387/510 12/14/97 ==================================================================== Jeff Smith Bruce Toothman Andrea Santos ACCEPTED 1:282/1031 1:282/1046 1:135/382 12/20/97 ==================================================================== Jim Balcom J Kershaw Ken Thierfelder ACCEPTED 1:109/334 1:2604/514 1:107/460 12/22/97 ==================================================================== John Glinski Bill Bogue Ken Sims ACCEPTED 1:320/237 1:320/240 1:120/523 12/24/97 ==================================================================== Bob Kohl Jim McLaughlin David Randall ACCEPTED 1:102/861 1:2604/104 1:319/10 12/28/97 ==================================================================== One nomination was made by a person who was not a node. This nomination was invalidated. The following nodes returned a DECLINED message: Dave Anderson 1:3619/25 FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 8 5 Jan 1998 Christopher Baker 1:18/14 Ben Hamilton 1:124/7008 Ken Tuley 1:18/0 Jim Smoot 1:395/0 Darryl Gregorash 1:140/86 Adrian Walker 1:153/751 ************************ END REPORT ************************* The next phase, campaigning will commence January 1, 1998 and end January 15, 1998. During this time period, you are encouraged to question candidates on the issues. Flaming will not be tolerated and will be dealt with accordingly by the moderator of Z1_ELECTION. Please turn on the echo Z1_ELECTION so that you may be able to participate in the election process. All members of Fidonet, Zone 1 are eligible to participate. During the election process, the moderatorship of the Z1_ELECTION echo will be handled by Lisa Gronke (1:105/16) as the ELISTed moderator is also the election coordinator. This announcement is respectfully submitted to you, the members of Fidonet, Zone 1, and serves as the official announcement of the list of candidates for Fidonet Zone 1 Echomail Coordinator. Thank you for your time and look forward to seeing you participate in the election. --Martin Belcke-- Election Cordinator, Z1EC election Fidonet Node 1:232/10 Fidonet Node 1:232/16 primary e-mail mbelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- From: lisa@psg.com (Lisa Gronke) Subject: Memo:[candidate questionnaire netmailed] To: mbelcke@ws02.irvbbs.com Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1997 13:40:23 -0800 (PST) Cc: cbaker84@digital.net I just wrote and crashmailed the following netmail to all eight candidates. Msg# From To Subject -------------------- -------------------- --------------------------- 1675-Lisa Gronke Gary Gilmore Candidate Questionnaire 1676-Lisa Gronke Wayne DeLisle Sr. Candidate Questionnaire 1677-Lisa Gronke David Calafranesco Candidate Questionnaire 1678-Lisa Gronke Mike Luther Candidate Questionnaire 1679-Lisa Gronke Jeff Smith Candidate Questionnaire 1680-Lisa Gronke Jim Balcom Candidate Questionnaire 1681-Lisa Gronke John Glinski Candidate Questionnaire 1682-Lisa Gronke Bob Kohl Candidate Questionnaire [1679 / 1682] Msg.area Net ... NetMail FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 9 5 Jan 1998 From: Lisa Gronke Pvt Crash To: Gary Gilmore Msg #1675, Dec-31-97 11:21:56 Dest: Bloom County (1:2410/400) Dearborn Mi Subject: Candidate Questionnaire MSGID: 1:105/61.0 34aa9b54 I just posted the Z1EC candidate questionnaire in the Z1_ELECTION echo. I hope you will take this opportunity to respond to these questions. Please post your reply in the Z1_ELECTION echo (any time after midnight). I will see that your response to this questionnaire is forwarded to FidoNews. ================================================== From: Lisa Gronke To: Candidates Msg #100, Dec-31-97 10:26:58 Subject: Candidate Questionnaire 1998 Z1EC ELECTION -- CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE -------------------------------------------------- 1> What are your qualifications? What FTN positions have you held? 2> If elected Z1EC, would you continue with other currently held FTN positions? 3> Do you foresee any problems with the list of duties for the ZEC position? 3> Which of those functions do you consider most important? 4> How do you feel about Echomail Policy? 5> Are there any functions not listed in the job description that you think are important? 6> Do you anticipate any problems working with the Z1C, the RECs, the EchoList Coordinator, or those who run the major and minor distribution systems? 7> What do you think the major echomail problems in the next two years will be? 8> With a two year term, Jan 1, 2000 comes on your watch. What role do you see for the Z1EC at that time? 9> Any other comments? -------------------------------------------------- Lisa Gronke Z1_ELECTION Moderator Pro Tem FidoNet: 1:105/16 Internet: lisa@psg.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 10 5 Jan 1998 The Z1EC Election (a candidate questionnaire) by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/16 lisa@psg.com I was asked to moderate the Z1_ELECTION echo during the Z1EC election, because the regular moderator, Martin Belcke, was serving as Election Coordinator. My candidate questionnaire (below) is adapted from one used in the 1991 Z1EC election. The Z1EC "job description" that it refers to was published in FIDO1449.NWS. I will be forwarding the candidate replies to FidoNews as they are received. Two other Z1_ELECTION participants have also addressed lists of questions to the candidates, David Hallford [1:10/2] & Dale Simmons [1:202/1100], and a number of good single questions have been posed. Participate in the Z1_ELECTION yourself, or ask your NEC to keep your Net informed. * Forwarded from the Z1_ELECTION echo: From: Lisa Gronke To: Candidates Msg #100, Dec-31-97 10:26:58 Subject: Candidate Questionnaire 1998 Z1EC ELECTION -- CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE -------------------------------------------------- 1> What are your qualifications? What FTN positions have you held? 2> If elected Z1EC, would you continue with other currently held FTN positions? 3> Do you foresee any problems with the list of duties for the ZEC position? Which of those functions do you consider most important? 4> How do you feel about Echomail Policy? 5> Are there any functions not listed in the job description that you think are important? 6> Do you anticipate any problems working with the Z1C, the RECs, the EchoList Coordinator, or those who run the major and minor distribution systems? 7> What do you think the major echomail problems in the next two years will be? 8> With a two year term, Jan 1, 2000 comes on your watch. What role do you see for the Z1EC at that time? 9> Any other comments? --------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Forwarded from the Z1_ELECTION echo by Lisa Gronke From: John Glinski FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 11 5 Jan 1998 To: Lisa Gronke Msg #70, Jan-01-98 20:15:00 Subject: Candidate Questionnaire -> 1> What are your qualifications? What FTN positions have you held? Currently in Fido: HC & N320EC " OtherNets: ZC & ZEC for USnetMail(Zone 587) {Nodes: 60} ZEC for ScifiNet(Zone 102) {Nodes: 56} Several Moderator/Host positions -> 2> If elected Z1EC, would you continue with other currently held -> FTN positions? I would maintain my HC status but would request an election for N320EC commence to find a successor. My OtherNet positions require little time and would not interfere with my ZEC functions. -> 3> Do you foresee any problems with the list of duties for the ZEC -> position? Which of those functions do you consider most important? I find no problem with the approved list of ZEC duties. I cannot state that any one function is most important. Importance of a function is determined at that point in time. Mediation may be very important at one time but not at others. The EchoPol initiative is very important IF done correctly & written properly. -> 4> How do you feel about Echomail Policy? My participation in FIDOECHOPOL since its addition to NAB should speak for itself. For those that do not know me, I believe in EchoPol, but with restrictions. EchoPol cannot set standards for Moderators nor impose "membership" requirements on them. Both of these ideas were discussed in FIDOECHOPOL. EchoPol must be written to create "standards" without utilizing "police" power tactics for "enforcement". I know these are general statements but I truly believe that an EchoPol could be a positive document that in fact could prevent past echomail abuses and power plays. For example, EchoPol could establish that *EC must be elected and establish the Length of Service. This would have a positive effect. -> 5> Are there any functions not listed in the job description that -> you think are important? The listed functions are wide sweeping and until a properly ratified EchoPol is established I believe they are sufficient. -> 6> Do you anticipate any problems working with the Z1C, the RECs, -> the EchoList Coordinator, or those who run the major and minor -> distribution systems? FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 12 5 Jan 1998 Hopefully not, at present I have no individuals in the *C, *EC, or moderator positions that would in any way have a negative disposition towards me. -> 7> What do you think the major echomail problems in the next two -> years will be? 1) NAB, a decision must be made to determine its status in relation to Zone 1 FidoNet. 2) Internet: An on-going effect to utilize its technology to further FidoNet. Should be addressed in the Technology section of EchoPol. 3) Moderators, are they "god" of their echo or not? Could be addressed in EchoPol. -> 8> With a two year term, Jan 1, 2000 comes on your watch. What -> role do you see for the Z1EC at that time? Hopefully we will still have echomail distribution. :-) We need to really address mailer/tosser and even BBS software ability to handle echomail at the turn of the millennium. -> 9> Any other comments? We need to attempt to make FidoNet more friendly and supportive if we are to have any chance of halting the shrinking membership. Yes, this is a hobby, and its suppose to be fun. :-) At the same time we need to support/assist each other, that is something that the Inet lacks. Inet is all too often cold & impersonal and filled with an excessive amount of "junk" in its UseNet conferences. I live by a very simple philosophy when I joined FidoNet and any OtherNet, "I assist my uplink & support my downlink." Period. Thank you for taking the time to read this and I would be greatly honored to serve you as Z1EC. John Glinski SysOp: Tiger's Lair BBS, Middletown CT Fido: 1:320/237 Inet: john.glinski@tigers-lair.com --- QScan/PCB v1.19b / 01-0553 * Origin: Tiger's Lair *Middletown,CT* *860-347-7510* (1:320/237) --------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- Forwarded from the Z1_ELECTION echo by Lisa Gronke From: Mike Luther To: All Msg #82, Jan-02-98 06:28:44 Subject: Answer to Lisa's Questions FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 13 5 Jan 1998 In a message to candidates on Dec-31-97 at 10:26:58 Lisa Gronke asked: 1> a.) What are your qualifications? b.) What FTN positions have you held? Answer 1b: I have not held an FTN position - that actually may be in my favor, as I get to make all brand new enemies! Chuckle... I am NC of Net 117. Answer 1a: As to my qualifications, you'll either read this long post if you really want to know, or else - you'll toggle on! :) Greetings from Central Texas and Mikey! I'm a Fido SysOp of more than ten years. Node 1:117/3000 was first assigned to me by Paul Sittler when Net 117 in College Station was bigger, for a short time, than Net 106 in Houston! I still have a printed doc copy and original disk of Tom Jennings' Fido BBS program, though it was replaced soon with the original OPUS program. Both my Heathkit H89, serial #699, and the early Z100 that ran 1:117/3000 are still here, with software on which they were retired! They still run. Ruth Grove ex-NC117, still has my borrowed FidoNet 117 YooHoo 2/U2 tee shirt, so OPIE isn't lonely, I guess. :) Fido, for me, has always been trying to learn things Fido offers and putting together unique ways to use them. I'm a management, programming, hardware and communications system person. Paid my own way twice through Texas A&M University, along with a Wife and four Kids, plus almost a full degree for her at the same time. That came from telecommunications engineering. My Novice license in ham radio in 1952 became an Extra Class in 1953 at age 14. I work mostly HF CW, some 2 Meters and am competition oriented. As W5WQN, I've placed repeatedly in the top ten single-band entries in the USA in the ARRL CW DX contest, the ARRL Sweepstakes and the CQ WW. I frequently do not send in scores because year after year the ranks don't change much. Passing around a coveted piece of paper is more important to me than having them over and over again.. That should tell you something about what you can expect of me here. I have an English degree and an MBA in corporate planning from Texas A&M University and a graduate minor in Sociology, earned where my Dad, may he rest in peace, was head of the Math Department and made a heck of a lot of enemies of folks whom didn't want to learn the math. Incidentally, Mikey is still known at the math department for being the kid that said, "But I don't want to do it that way!" That should tell you something else about what you can expect of me here. FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 14 5 Jan 1998 Ham radio became a Commercial First Phone and a quite rare Commercial First Telegraph licenses in sea service for the Oceanography Department at Texas A&M - while still going to school in chunks. On the way through I got to help build the first weather radar sets ever built, then worked on the first color weather radar sets ever built, and also the forerunner for what is now the Ryan Stormscope for aviation and your nightly lightning strike display on TV. I got to build much of the hardware for some of the first computer modeling of the atmosphere ever done. At sea, I engineered the first long distance oceanographic seismic runs on single sideband data circuits ever shot and some of the first remote sensing RF-linked oceanographic telemetry work ever done. Finally, during the MBA work, I got to do instrumentation and electronics for the Mach 40 plasma lab wind tunnel at Texas A&M where some of the Mariner Mars probe re- entry atmospheric research was done! No, I didn't make it into computer science back then, but I did get a license to learn out of all this. That should tell you something else about what you can expect of me here. What expanded into my Narte Senior Telecommunications Engineering ticket in six professional specialties, launched me into the business of aviation radio and - flying! That turned into the Chief Pilot's position at the ROTC flight training school at Texas A&M during the Viet Nam war. It opened the door to an executive position with two manufacturing firms that were highly aviation oriented. I have a substantial number of hours in light twins, much in *VERY* heavy solid IFR weather operations - flown by hand. When you have to balance running the money around the sky, covering the payroll, keeping up with up to 200 people in the plant as a CEO and answering the bank call every day; as a pilot, you learn to look into things and problems from the TOP DOWN, while realizing that the MAJORITY can whip up on you if you make too many errors. You HAVE to do a good job with what the majority wishes done or your airplane doesn't come home one dark and stormy night. That should tell you something else about what you can expect of me here. I've earned every one of my 58 year old gray hairs still left on my head. That should tell you something else about what you can expect of me here. If you think airline food is bad, try franchise food for lunch every day of the week hand-flying a Beech Baron back from squirreling money somewhere that IRS won't levy, for three years, to survive. You do what you have to. Our product in one operation is in every State in the United States, every province of Canada, Alaska, Mexico and now, to my knowledge 28 countries on five continents. Twice I've built a National marketing operation. All the while, we were this Nation's test case for Manufacturer's Excise Tax for our product, over a claimed $6,000,000 FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 15 5 Jan 1998 in, "Taxes due." They were not; they never were. Everything that happened to us for 18 years it took to break that claim - properly - *TWICE* - in Federal court, was done improperly by the "Claimant." There is a right way and a wrong way about going about taking care of problems. You never win, but, you do. The complete law on Excise tax over the issue was re-written to cover what was unjust about the go around. We will never be #1, but.. That should tell you something else about what you can expect of me here. For years, I've operated a FidoNet Private Node that has, in the opinion of almost all those that have dealt with the issue, been supportive of both Fido system-wide and VERY much, our local Net 117. It offers some unique public service emergency gateway access between land-line and direct air access. That has gained Fido some very important notice by ARRL and others as a method that could be used for emergency traffic handling for thousands of needed public service messages in time of a real emergency. Few FidoNet people, I think, really understand how closely the ham radio crew and the FidoNet crew are to each other. Over the years, the interface is more than just a coincidence. As a programmer and systems-level wanna-bee (aren't we all?), I rightly or wrongly chose Opie as an actual embedded portion of some of the code. That's why he is still around, but his time is coming. You will note that 1:117/3001 is a public node and will soon host Net 117 - it's being moved to BINK/MAX, FAM/2, OS/2's server setup and more, as I learn how. There is always something new and different, some better way to operate a system, if you really want to learn about it. All it takes is being willing to take the risk to gain a reward which justifies the risk. All it takes is the desire to stand up for the right technical and social answers for the good of the group and not be beholdin to any one segment. Shakespeare said it well, "Neither borrower nor lender be, for borrowing oft dulls the edge of husbandry." I am not a puppet of ANYONE in Fido, nor do I have the slightest wish to be a puppet master. I only wish to server, pun intended. That should tell you something else about what you can expect of me here. I think that the chance to look at the Z1EC slot and upper management section of Fido is worth the risk to run. 1.) I think there is a future for Fido if we act quickly to focus our strengths more vertically as a group, targeting our "marketing", so to speak, on the sysop here mostly because he or she wants to be a mini-IP, if you will. 2.) I think local interest by even just a few dedicated users that interact with a local sysop, much like gossiping over the backyard fence, will keep Fido here in even heavily trafficked Internet areas. 3.) I think that there is PLENTY of room for Fido in less developed parts of the world and though I've never been to very many of them, I have been to some. I do understand the technical FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 16 5 Jan 1998 problems of bringing full level telecommunications to those areas. 4.) Although P4 does regulate Fido, I have *NO* problem in working with it even as it stands, in bringing forward the final echo organization that must be done for what was never finished with P4. The job can be accomplished - if it is organized well. 5.) I think there is room for both the control from assignment and elected influence. I'm neither pro-P5 nor anti-P4 in all of this. I am, hopefully, a good choice for an ADMINISTRATOR and really, simply a COORDINATOR for what should happen in the echo medium we have here. Heck, the chair doesn't even vote on a committee, unless actually needed, folks! I couldn't care less about any power trip here - just believe that I can make a difference in Fido and can help move it forward into the future. I ask your support to let me try to simply chair this group that really is the technical nuts and bolts of Fido, nothing more. 2> If elected Z1EC, would you continue with other currently held FTN positions? Answer 2: P4 says: "Coordinators are encouraged to limit the number of FidoNet functions they perform. A coordinator who holds two different positions compromises the appeal process. For example, if the Network Coordinator is also the Regional Coordinator, sysops in that network are denied one level of appeal." 3> a.) Do you foresee any problems with the list of duties for the ZEC position? I've added the (1) as in Z1EC in a few places where I think it was left out, but maybe that's an error! :) AT THE PLEASURE OF THE Z1C, THE DUTIES OF THE Z1EC SHALL BE: 1) Coordination between the Z1 distribution systems Answer - > (See job description for Mule later on.) :) I'm old enough to recall the old "20 Mule Team Borax" boxes... I will be one of the mules... :) 2) Coordination of the RECC and with the Z1 RECs. The Z(1)EC shall be the chairperson of the RECC. He shall FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 17 5 Jan 1998 put forth ideas to and/or moderate the discussion of ideas brought before the RECC. Answer - > That's the general format in most committees, I've never had a problem with that. He shall also act as a tie breaker in the event of a tie vote. The RECC may overturn a Z(1)EC proposed action/idea with a 2/3rds majority of the RECC. Answer - > That's the general format in most committees, I've never had a problem with that. More specifically, it is my rule as Chair on all committees on which I've served, that the Chair does *NOT* vote, unless to break a tie. The Chair is, technically, assumed to be the matter at hand, but not - of record. If the RECC concludes that the Z(1)EC is not active, ineffective in his/her job or is just not taking care his/her responsibilities; they may take a vote of no-confidence. If the vote of no-confidence passes with a 2/3rds majority, the RECC will refer this issue to the ZC for mediation or action as the Z1C sees fit Answer - > That's the general format in most committees, I've never had a problem with that. On the same basis, the Z(1)EC shall be allowed to take issue with RECs that are not participating and/or doing their job; by taking the matter up with both the host RC of the RECs hosting region and the Z1C for mediation or action as the Z1C sees fit. These two actions shall NOT be taken lightly without all due consideration of possible extenuating circumstances. Answer - > That's the general format in most committees, I've never had a problem with that. 3) Coordination with the other ZECs. Answer - > I foresee that problems will exist in the future in that the "culture" of FidoNet is changing markedly. Technology is molding FidoNet into a far different dog than it was. You have to understand language is culture and the reverse is also true! It wasn't just that FidoNet was 'English', the culture of it was also 'English', at first. The 'English' way of doing things also suited it's growth needs quite well. FidoNet once 'needed' that just to be able to grow. Now, there are many places in the world where the 'English' way of doing things is losing leverage because technology is empowering even an average participant in ways that make FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 18 5 Jan 1998 it possible to emplace other cultures quite readily - if you please. That may not be good. Sidebar - The ICAO standard 'culture' is English. Noticed what I think is a significant rise in major international airline accidents, lately? Think about this whole language - culture deal a minute or two and that .... We will see similar 'accidents' come full force in the next two years here, in Fido, in my opinion. Curiously - I also feel that the organization, to survive - still has to have a 'standard' culture, if that's what we mean here! Thus - brought full face-forward by the issues involving echomail - our major job is to actually re-define our 'Fido Culture' as something quite different than we currently see.. Be careful. That can be taken more than one way... :) You have to watch Mikey's use of words. I make a coordinated effort at all things. :) It is my opinion that is one reason Z1C embarked on letting this process loose... Z2 is watching this one closely, I opine. I think I can speak culture well enough to help Fido survive. 4) Central repository of information for the various Z1 distribution systems. Answer - > The Z1EC serves at the pleasure of the Z1C. However, please note that back in the '20's in the US'nA, the price of steel magically rose and rose and rose despite 'guvmint screaming - Later we found out Andrew Carnegie was pulling on his left ear lobe too often. That old encrypted mail issue.,, :) In order to survive it appears we might need a large 2 X 4... Z1C will have to issue it to minimize inter-distribution system fighting. 5) Mediation of Zone 1 echomail issues. Answer - > Mediation means exactly what it says; it is often confused with the word arbitration. Note the difference. FIDONEWS 15-01 Page 19 5 Jan 1998 You may ask those here that know me if I know that diffe