FidoNews · Vol 21, No 8 · 23 Feb 2004
The F I D O N E W S Volume 21, Number 08 23 Feb 2004
+--------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| |The newsletter of the | | Fido, Fidonet and dog-with-diskette are |
| | FidoNet community. | | US Registered Trademarks of Tom Jennings|
| | | | San Francisco, California, USA |
| | ____________| | |
| | / __ | Crash netmail articles to: |
| | / / \ | Editor @ 2:2/2 (+46-31-944907) |
| | WOOF! ( /|oo \ | Routed netmail articles to: |
| \_______\(_| /_) | Bjorn Felten @ 2:203/0 |
| _ @/_ \ _ | Email attach to: |
| | | \ \\ | bfelten@telia.com |
| | (*) | \ ))| |
| |__U__| / \// | Editor: Björn Felten |
| ______ _//|| _\ / | |
| / Fido \ (_/(_|(____/ | Newspapers should have no friends. |
| (________) (jm) | -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
+--------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
Copyright 2004 by Fidonews Editor for Fidonews Globally.
Table of Contents
1. FOOD FOR THOUGHT ......................................... 1
2. EDITORIAL ................................................ 2
The BBS-network? ......................................... 2
3. FIDONET CURRENT EVENTS ................................... 3
Policy Ammendment Effort ................................. 3
4. FRANK'S COLUMN - FRANK VEST .............................. 4
Fidonews ................................................. 4
5. HUMOUR IN A FIDO VEIN .................................... 6
THE HISTORY OF THE BBS USER .............................. 6
6. CLEAN HUMOUR & JOKES ..................................... 12
Jokes and the language barrier ........................... 12
7. BEST OF FIDONET .......................................... 14
Special echoes ........................................... 14
8. PHILIP LOZIER'S FIDONET SOFTWARE NEWS .................... 16
BBS and FidoNet Software News ............................ 16
9. BEN RITCHEY'S FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING ................... 19
FIDONet Software References .............................. 19
10. SPECIAL INTEREST ........................................ 24
Nodelist Stats ........................................... 24
11. FIDONEWS INFORMATION .................................... 26
How to Submit an Article ................................. 26
Credits, Legal Infomation, Availability .................. 28
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 1 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
=================================================================
Until I was thirteen, I thought my name was 'shut up'.
-- Joe Namath
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 2 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
EDITORIAL
=================================================================
The BBS-network?
Whenever I see how some people have a hard time properly
understanding our policy, I can't help thinking it must have something
to do with the fact, that so few of the so called sysops in our
present nodelist never actually have been *real* sysops.
A sysop, according to fidonet terminology, is someone that operates
a bulletin board system, a BBS. And you don't have to read more than
the very first sentence of our policy, to understand that fidonet is
nothing but a BBS-network. Or at least it used to be...
After the original pioneers paved the way, the politicians followed
suit, just like when the Wild West of the North American continent
were "conquered". And like there, our politicians managed to make a
total mess of the conquest.
When more and more ordinary users are allowed to be listed as nodes
in this BBS-network of ours, rather than become points as would be
proper, of course the understanding of the policy will suffer. If you
never have spent all that time making a BBS work, you can never be
able to understand our policy properly, and you can never be able to
read between the lines, all that stuff that the authors of this
document never could imagine they had to spell out.
And as more and more coordinators are appointed on political merits
rather than technical, in direct violation of 3.8 in our policy, how
can we ever expect nodes, nets and even regions, that closed shop
years ago, to be removed from the nodelist, rather than being
cherished like gold, just so that a coordinator will not be left alone
in his/her segment?
In this issue we can read more about the ongoing attempt to update
our policy. The biggest problem with that seems to be, that in the old
version, the authors could not foresee a situation where some 20 RCs
do not even exist! How easy is it to get an absolute majority when one
third of the voters simply isn't there to vote?
As a "follow up" on the BBS efforts from yester-years, I also
include an old classic from that time, as a nostalgia trip for all
*real* sysops and to give all the rest a feeling of what it could be
like, by then.
Finally I took the liberty to publish, in the Best Of Fidonet
section, an RFC from Matt McCarthy that I thought deserved a better
fate, than just passing by almost unnoticed. More on the moderator
issue, and it's relationship to the BBS:ing in the old days, next
week...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 3 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
FIDONET CURRENT EVENTS
=================================================================
Policy Ammendment Effort
Ward Dossche @ 2:292/854
To the RC's:
As the discussion about the "Bob Short Policy Ammendment", which was
published in Fidonews previously, seems to have come to an end it is
now time to let your opinion known to the IC and decide to put this up
for a full-vote or just forget about it. Since nobody seems to lead
the initiative for collecting opinions I will now do so.
Your opinions will be collected away from echomail to discourage
tampering and abuse by third parties, however in the end I intend to
publish your opinion myself when I sum up things. So far I have
received 7 unsollicited opinions on the matter and that opinion is
split.
Please send your "aye" or "naye" or "abstain" or whatever substitutes
for it in netmail to 2:292/854 (pstn, ip or email-node) or in email to
ic@fidonet.org. Please add a password, any password, that will be
published alongside so that you can verify the authenticity of the
opinion published.
I will be looking forward to a March 15th 2004 unofficial deadline. If
by that time I did not receive anything then I'm assuming the matter
has dropped from the agenda or the opinion was not favourable.
Greetings,
\%/@rd Dossche
IC
(Published in IC, FIDONEWS as well as sent "routed" to every listed RC
in the nodelist)
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FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 4 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
FRANK'S COLUMN - FRANK VEST
=================================================================
Fidonews
By Frank Vest
1:124/6308.1
It appears that a battle is brewing in the Z1C echo over
moderatorship of echos, echomail distribution in general and the
echolist.
If I understand right, the discussion (or something similar) is
taking place in the Fidonews echo as well. Since I don't carry the
Fidonews echo, I have no knowledge of what is going on in there.
At any rate, here is an article on something resembling something. :)
Definitions:
Fidonews publication:
The weekly publication of the Fidonet newsletter.
Fidonews echo:
A Fidonet echo for the discussion of articles in the Fidonews
publication (although it generally gets more than just discussion of
articles in the Fidonews publication).
Fidonews Editor:
The person, who is a member of Fidonet, that accepts articles and
performs the task of editing and producing the Fidonews publication.
With that said;
Tradition is that a new Fidonews Editor is chosen by the outgoing
Editor. This has been in place with one exception that I know of. The
sudden death of Doug Myers left the position open.
Tradition is that the moderator of the Fidonews echo is the Fidonews
Editor.
According to the Echolist, the moderator is the person listed in the
"Moderators" portion of the Echolist listing for that echo. (try
saying that fast three times! :)
Now, who is the moderator? If we follow tradition, the moderator is
the person who is the Fidonews Editor. If we go by the Echolist the
Moderator is the person(s) listed in the echolisting for that echo.
If I understand correctly, the person submitting the listing to the
echolist must be listed as a moderator. There may be others listed as
well, but this one person *must* be listed as a moderator?
So, do we follow tradition, the echolist or change the echolist to
not force the person listing the echo into the moderator position??
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 5 23 Feb 2004
Many who have argued that the echolist indicates who the moderator is
have also argued that tradition should be followed and/or that the
echolist should be changed to not force the person listing the echo
into the moderator position.
I dunno. Maybe we should all just go home and forget it. :)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 6 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
HUMOUR IN A FIDO VEIN
=================================================================
THE HISTORY OF THE BBS USER
A Musical Drama in -V- parts
PART I
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
I am a new uzer. I am ate yearz old and I have just gotten my
first modem. I like to download lotsa files as long as you don't
hafta upload in return. Pleez give me access on your bord.
Joe Blow.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
I have given you minimal access in the kiddie file and message
areas. We suggest that you learn to spell and learn your proper place
in this community before attempting higher levels of access.
SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
I kant figure out how to D/L [note user's discovery of BBS
abbreviations]. I have tried to use XModem with no sucsess, and then
I tried ZModem and everything went kablooie. Please help me so that I
can download your good filez.
Joe Blow.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
You're an idiot, but we like you. We think you have potential.
I'll tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to teach you how to use
the file section, but you're going to learn to use it by UPLOADING
[imagine teary-eyed face cringed with fear at this prospect]. Next
time you log on, page me to chat and I'll show you how to upload a
file.
The SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
Okay.
Joe Blow
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ Transcript of first chat with SysOp follows ]
Select [M, F, E, C, P, G]: P
Paging your SysOp! . . . . . . .
The SysOp is here!
Hello, Joe!
NO CARRIER [ Joe hangs up, torn with fear ]
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ Transcript of second chat with SysOp follows ]
Select [M, F, E, C, P, G]: P
Paging your SysOp! . . . . . . .
The SysOp is here!
Hello, Joe!
[ Long pause ]
Heelo.
Do you want me to show you how to upload, now?
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 7 23 Feb 2004
[ Another pause ]
Yes.
Okay...I'll walk you through it.
Exiting chat ...
Select [M, F, E, C, P, G]: F
Select [U, D, C, L, F, S]: C
Change to which area? 1
Changing to upload area (1).
Select [U, D, C, L, F, S]: U
Select a protocol
<X> XModem
<Y> YModem
<Z> ZModem
The SysOp is here!
Okay, Joe. Tell your program you want to upload by pressing PgUp when
you want to start the transfer.
Exiting chat ...
Select [X, Y, Z]: X
Enter filename to upload: APROGRAM.ZIP
Begin your upload procedure...
1 file(s) transfered successfully!
The SysOp is here!
See, that wasn't so hard, was it?
Nnno.
Well, to download, you do the same thing in reverse.
Okay! Cool!
By the way, what was it you uploaded, anyway?
I don't know...I got it from one of my friends. It's something called
a virus.
NO CARRIER
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
I looked at the program you uploaded. If you ever upload a virus
again, I'll kill you slowly, and your little dog too. You have a lot
to learn, kid.
The mildly pissed SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
PART II (one year later)
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
I uploaded those files you asked me for. My upload ratio is now
better than my download ratio. Can you pleez let me in on some of the
better file areas?
Joe
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
Okay. I think you deserve it. I'm going to let you into some of
the other file areas.
By the way, don't upload anything that has the words "cracked by"
on it anymore. I could get in big trouble.
By the way, a protocol is a way to transfer files, not a matter
of etiquette.
The SysOp
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 8 23 Feb 2004
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
Okay. I just thought you might like that game. Something about
those Amazon Women just appeeled to me.
Joe
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
You skip school to call here, don't you? Can't you call
somewhere else for a change?
The SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
You mean there are other BBSes out there? Why didn't you tell me
about them before?
Joe Blow
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
You never were this annoying before. Try the "Weirdo's
Hideaway", 555-6543.
The SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ The user does not call for 7 weeks, as he discovers other BBSes ]
[ Eventually, he decides to call back and batch upload all the warez ]
[ That he collected on his leech festivals ]
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
I learned how to phreak last week! It's a lot of phun and you
don't have to pay when you download philes [ it is obvious that the
kid has been calling California boards, where they spell all "f"
sounds with "ph"]. Among the warez I'm uploading to you is a program
called Code Thief. It will help you phreak too!
Joe
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
Phreaking is a bad business. Don't you think they can figure out
where those calls you are making are coming from? They can. I
suggest you stop before you get yourself and your parents in trouble.
Your SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
What's wrong with phreaking? It's not like it's illegal or
anything.
Joe.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
You're so full of s**t, you stink.
Your SysOp
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
One of my friends that I met on a board in California [ see! we
told you ] had something happen to him called "getting busted." What
does that mean?
Joe
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
It means that he was arrested. Probably for phreaking. He'll
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 9 23 Feb 2004
probably tell the feds that you phreak too in order to get a lighter
sentence. You're f***ed, kid. In fact, I'll probably delete you from
here in case the feds start sniffing around.
The SysOp.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ When the kid logs on next, he sees the following message ]
Two four six eight, who do we appreciate?
NOT YOU, NOT YOU, YEAH!
Your access has been lowered to sub absolute zero. You are nothing.
You can do nothing. Don't ever call here again or we'll shoot you
with lime jello and throw you in a bathtub with Roseanne Barr.
NO CARRIER
Just kidding.
NO CARRIER <click!>
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
PART III
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ About a month later, the kid calls the board under an assumed name ]
[ By assumed name, I mean that the SysOp can do nothing but assume ]
[ that it's the little leech. ]
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
I am a new user and would like lots of access so I can upload and
download. I don't use message bases because I think they're stupid.
Joe Blow
[ the kid realizes his mistake in putting his real name and tries in ]
[ vain to use the message editor so he can remove his name and put ]
[ in his alias ]
***
[ He fails miserably and winds up with: ]
Joe Blow Assumed Name How the Hell???? NO CARRIER
W d
h i I ?
a d o
t d
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
You haven't learned anything in the past two years have you.
You're an a***ole. If you have a dog, I hope it dies.
F**k you.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
What do you mean? I am a new modem user. I have never called a
BBS before.
Assumed Name.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Assumed/Joe/Whatthef**keveryournameis:
You're a little liar. Go to hell and don't ever call here again
or I'll rape your sister.
Eat me.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear SysOp:
My sister's only 5 years old.
[ SysOp breaks into chat ]
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 10 23 Feb 2004
The SysOp is here!
That's all the better. I'll bring my shoehorn!!!
[ Line noise, SysOp is screaming into phone with the wind of the big ]
[ bad wolf ]
NO CARRIER
-+-------------------------------------------------------------------
PART IV, in which the kid stops calling the board for a time to lay
low. In the interim, the feds have come to his house to question him.
He cracks under their interrogation and spills everything. The little
shit names the BBS he has been calling for the last two years as his
favorite computer hang out. How stupid. He must be a cabbage or
something.
After cracking under the pressure of the FBI he calls the SysOp to
warn him and to make ammends. He fails miserably. NO CARRIER.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
[ After several attempts at logging on under his real name (which has]
[ been locked out of the system) he uses the name John Smith (how ]
[ original...remember the cabbage?) and leaves a message to the ]
[ SysOp ]
Dear SysOp:
I just thought I'd warn you that someone tipped the feds off
about your board and that they'll be coming to question you about your
illegal activities. Maybe you should go into hiding.
Joe Blow,
S**t...how do you edit a line...f**k f**k f**k.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Joe:
You little prick!!!!!! What the hell did you tell them. I don't
run no illegal board. I think I'll shoot you AND rape your sister and
kill your little dog, too. As a matter of fact, I'm on my way. S**t,
there's a knock at the door. It BETTER not be the feds.
F**k you eat me suck my dick you little f**ker.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
PART V, in which the kid and the SysOp make a court appearance and
exchange heated words.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
The courtroom is filled with credit card frauders and phreakers,
much to the SysOp's dismay because it makes him look bad. The only
thing that keeps going through his mind (driving him nuts) is "Good
morning, the worm, your honor." He wishes he had a shotgun so he
could shoot the kid. He does, however, have his shoehorn.
-+--------------------------------------------------------------------
PROSECUTOR: Mr. SysOp, you have a user on your BBS system named Joe
Blow, is this correct.
SYSOP : No, I used to, but I locked the little s**t out.
DEFENSE : Objection your honor, he's a little prick, not a little
s**t.
JUDGE : Sustained. Mr. SysOp, I will kindly ask you to keep your
answers truthful.
[ Welcome to hell. How DO you like it??????? ]
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 11 23 Feb 2004
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 12 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
CLEAN HUMOUR & JOKES
=================================================================
Jokes and the language barrier.
By Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555)
When debating in international echos I often get to hear: "you have no
sense of humour". Absence of a sense of humour however is not the
problem in most cases, the problem is that jokes differ from culture
to culture and very much depend on language. It is difficult to tell a
joke in such a way that it makes it across a cultural barrier. It is
also difficult to formulate a joke in such terms that it makes it
across a language barrier. It is even more difficult when the joke has
to make it across both barriers.
That explains why we so often meet with a blank stare, or even a
hostile response, when we interject a joke in an international forum
without explicitly labelling it as a joke.
The kind of joke that is easiest to get across those barriers is a
joke about language and cultural barriers. So here is one:
An Englishman and a Frenchman decide to go on a cruise. The Frenchman
does not speak English and the Englishman does not speak French. But
as they are both single and all the other passengers are paired up in
some way, the steward decides to have the two of them share a table at
dinner.
So when they meet at the table for the first time, the Englishman ties
up his jacket, straightens his tie, extends his hand and says: "How do
you do, my name is Jones". The Frenchman takes his hand to shake it
and says: "Bon Appétit". Whereupon they sit down and enjoy their meal
in silence.
The next day, they meet at the same table. The Frenchman extends his
hand and says "bon appétit". The Englishman is a bit puzzled, but
nevertheless ties up his jacket, straightens his tie and says: "How do
you do, my name is Jones". Whereupon they sit down and enjoy the meal
in silence.
But the Englishman is not satisfied. So when the meal is over, he
approaches the steward and asks why the French introduce themselves
not only on the first encounter but on every one following. The
steward asks "what were his exact words?" The Englishman says: "Bow
Nap Tea".
Ah, says the steward, that is not an introduction, what he said was
"bon appétit", it's French for "enjoy your meal". The Englishman
thinks to himself: "I'll remember that".
So on the third evening, when they meet again at the dinner table, the
Englishman thoughtfully addresses the Frenchman in his own language
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 13 23 Feb 2004
with: "Bon appétit".
.... Whereupon the Frenchman ties up his jacket, straightens his tie,
shakes his hand and says: "How do you do, my name is Jones".
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 14 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
BEST OF FIDONET
=================================================================
Special echoes
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 12 Feb 04 01:30:21
From: Matt Mc_Carthy, 1:396/45.17
To: Matt Bedynek, 1:106/1
Subj: Priorities
---------------------------------------------------------------------
AREA : FIDONEWS
MB> I would no more recognize Michiel as the moderator as I do Jack
MB> Yates. This echo is traditionally moderatored by the fidonews
MB> editor and until the editor decides to delegate that authority or
MB> pass the torch that is the way it shall remain. Again, the
MB> echolist entry is just for show - means nothing ..
Here we go again... If over the past 10 years any of the 'brass', IC,
ZCs and ZCC, RCs and RCC, had done their jobs properly, P4 would have
been continually updated to keep up with the times. FidoNews is an
official FidoNet publication, the EchoList is not.
Moderatorship of "Official Echos" should have been spelled out in P4 a
LONG time ago. If moderatorship of ZCC-PUBLIC (and a dozen other
admin echos) were spelled out in P4, locked in stone so to speak, Bob
Moravsik would never have gotten off square one, and few if any of us
would have 'learned' to hijack echos. Bob was a lawyer, and lawyers
are hell-bent on finding loopholes and they thrive on them, often for
no other reason than the confusion they cause, simply because they
CAN!
This would be an excellent item to be included into the proposed
revision of P4, as well as several "Zone Admin" type echos that are
more or less 'cast in stone' as to whom their moderators are.
P4: XXX. Additional Duties / Responsibilities.
IC - Moderator of and responsible for all echos beginning with "IC".
ZxC - Moderator of and responsible for all echos beginning with "ZxC".
ZCC - Moderator of and responsible for all echos beginning with "ZCC".
RC - Moderator of and responsible for all echos beginning with "RC".
RCC - Moderator of and responsible for all echos beginning with "RCC".
FidoNews Editor - Moderator of and responsible for all echos beginning
with "FIDONEWS".
[Any other "Official" echos? - add them here.]
This would delineate the "Official Fidonet Echos", which are a part of
FidoNet.
Leave the EchoList for us non-official peons to sort out who moderates
the myriad of non-official echos.
????????? Comments? ?????????
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 15 23 Feb 2004
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 16 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
PHILIP LOZIER'S FIDONET SOFTWARE NEWS
=================================================================
BBS and FidoNet Software News
submitted by: Philip Lozier 1:267/169
<Note>: Items submitted are gathered from various sources. The notes
on the programs listed are by no means original descriptions by me,
but are submitted as found for the informational purposes only.
*** MBSE BBS For Unix version 0.50.0 Stable released ***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
09-Feb-2004
MBSE BBS for Unix is a full multiline FidoNet mailer, tosser and bbs
with ANSI screens which looks like most popular DOS based bbs
packages.
Supported platforms:
Linux intel 386 and better CPU's.
Linux Sparc.
Linux Alpha (not fully tested).
Linux HP-PARISC, tested with Debian 3.0.
Linux PPC.
FreeBSD, tested with FreeBSD 4.7.
NetBSD, tested on a Sun Sparcstation 2.
Highlights of this release are:
* Hydra and Binkp zlib packet compression.
* Installation support for Gentoo.
* Partly done French Language.
* Binkp protocol upgraded to binkp/1.1.
* Mailer telnet connection (ITN) finally works.
* Added support for T-Mail fileboxes.
* Lot's of small fixes.
For further details read the ChangeLog.
Homepage : http://www.mbse/dds.nl/mbse/mbsebbs/index.html
*** Bluemail V 1.2 Released ***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11-Feb-2004
BlueMail is a multi-format offline mail reader for Unix, DOS, Win32,
and other systems. It should compile under all Unix-compatible (POSIX)
systems.
BlueMail supports the Blue Wave, QWK, QWKE, SOUP, OMEN and Hippo
packet formats, the Hudson and BBBS Message Bases, Unix mail and
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 17 23 Feb 2004
Eudora. It has a full screen, colored user interface built with the
curses library and is designed to be a reasonable alternative to the
Blue Wave mail reader.
Among the new features are:
* UTF-8 decoding support
* filter and search functions now accept '!' as logical NOT
* areas can be marked for a kind of personal favourite area list
* new sort option for letter list: sorting by sender's last name
* scrolling of subject in letter list
* different quote styles for FidoNet and Internet style areas
* support for direct reply in personal area
* bug fixes and improvements
Homepage : http://home.wtal.de/ib/bluemail/
*** VBBS & VADV BBS Support Center Back Online ***
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
16-Feb-2004
Support provided by : Aspect Technologies
Updated all of the AT2k VADV scripts today. I removed the install.com
that was still present in several of the archives and updated a few of
the scripts with versions that had been running on my system. The AT2k
Message Update Utility (MsgUpd) v1.1 for Virtual Advanced was released
today. This new version will not reset any ignored subs. A problem
with AspectNet and Windows XP was found today. Apparently the ftp.exe
that comes with Windows XP will screw up a batch file. A fix for this
is to replace it with the version from Windows 2000.
About virtual advanced:
Virtual Advanced is still considered an "advanced" BBS software even
today!
While its true that Virtual Advanced (VADV) is no longer being
supported by its author, it can be seen now exactly how advanced it
was years ago. Modern BBS software has only recently implemented many
of the features that VADV has had for years.
* Internet eMail, IRC chat, and newsgroup support
* Create your own mailing lists
* Acts as its own web server
* Creates HTML pages from internal VADV filebase info and ASCII test
files
* Acts as its own ISP for dial-up callers, allowing them to access
the internet directly through your BBS
* Supports FidoNet, VirtualNet, WWIVnet, QWKnet, UUCP, and NNTP
* Completely customizable with the VScript scripting language
* Built in QWK door
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 18 23 Feb 2004
For additional features, see the support pages.
Homepage : http://www.at2k.org/aspect/news.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 19 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
BEN RITCHEY'S FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING
=================================================================
-=:{ FIDONet Software Reference }:=-
Type: M=Mailer T=Tosser B=BBS D=Door C=Comm/Terminal
P=Points E=Editor I=Internet U=Utility ?=Info
.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.
|Software: Author |Type |URL, Contact, Ver, Notes Help Node|
`- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -'
Argus |M |http://www.ritlabs.com/argus/ 2:469/84
| | argus@ritlabs.com Tel: 373-2-246889
| | v3.210 on Mar 20th 2001
BeeMail: |M |http://beemail.gexonline.net 1:105/10
Stephen Proffit | | beemail@gexonline.net
BinkleyTerm XE |M |http://btxe.sourceforge.net 1:1/102
| | v2.60XE/Gamma-6 on Nov 11th 1998
BinkD |MI |http://2f.ru/binkd/
| | maloff@corbina.net
| | v0.94 on Jul 24th 2000
FIDO-Deluxe IP |MPUI |http://www.fido-deluxe.de.vu 2:2432/280
Michael Haase | | m.haase@gmx.net
| | v2.4 on Sep 26th 2003
Fidonet to Internet: |MI |http://www.terminate.com
Bo Bendtsen | | sales@terminate.com
| | v2.00 on Mar 23rd 1997
FrontDoor, FD/APX: |MTPC |http://www.defsol.se 2:201/330
Definite Solutions | | sales@defsol.se 1:1/101
| | v2.26SW & v2.33ml FD, v1.15 APX
Husky Project |MTPUI|http://sf.net/projects/husky/
| | v1.4 RC2 on Sep 22nd 2003
InterMail, InterEcho |MT |http://www.ifido.com 1:1/133
| | bob@nwstar.com
| | v2.50 IM, v1.19 IE
Radius (based on |M |http://radius.pp.ru 2:5012/38
Argus) | | fido5012@zaural.net Tel: 7-3522-469463
| | v4.009 on Jan 2nd 2003
Terminate |MBP |http://www.terminate.com
| | v5.00 on Aug 7th 1997
Tmail |MI |http://www.tmail.spb.ru v2608
WildCat! Interactive |MTBEI|http://www.santronics.com
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 20 23 Feb 2004
Net Server, Platinum| | sales@santronics.com
Xpress: Santronics | | Tel: (305) 248-3204
Software, Inc. | | AUP 450.2 on Jul 9th 2002
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
Fidogate |TUI |http://www.fidogate.org
| | Martin_Junius@m-j-s.net v4.4.4
FMail |T |http://fmail.nl.eu.org 2:280/1076
| | wijnstra@fmail.nl.eu.org v1.60
JetMail: JetSys |TU |http://www.jetsys.de js@jetsys.de
(ATARI ST only) | | v1.01 on Jan 1st 2000
Squish |T |http://www.lanius.com
| | sales@lanius.com v1.11
| |http://www.vector11.com/maximus/
Watergate |TUI |http://www2.sbbs.se/hp/ramon/
| | ramon@sbbs.se
| | v0.93p9 on Dec 14th 1998
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
BBBS |BI |http://www.bbbs.net b@bbbs.net
| | v4.00MP on Oct 25th 1999 2:22/222
ELEBBS: The Elevator |B |http://www.elebbs.com
Software Production | | elebbs@elebbs.com
| | v0.10.RC1 on Jun 9th 2002
EZYCom BBS |BT |http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~dcbbs/
| | pjs@optushome.com.au 3:633/104
| | v2.0 on 3 May 2003
Falken BBS |B |http://falkenbbs.com
| | v12.0 on Feb 2nd 2002
Hermes II Project |B |http://www.hermesii.org
| | info@HermesII.org v3.5.9 Beta Final
Maximus BBS |B |http://www.lanius.com
| | sales@lanius.com v3.01
| |http://www.vector11.com/maximus/
MBSE BBS: |BI |http://mbse.sourceforge.net 2:280/2802
Michiel Broek | | mbroek@users.sourceforge.net
| | v0.33.21 on Jun 4th 2002
Mystic BBS |B |http://www.mysticbbs.com
| | v1.07.3 on May 13th 2001
Nexus BBS |B |http://www.nexusbbs.net
| | groberts@nexusbbs.net
| | v0.99.41.001 beta on Jun 10th 2001
Proboard BBS |B |http://www.proboard.be
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 21 23 Feb 2004
| | v2.17 on Jun 9th 2002
RemoteAccess BBS: |B |http://www.rapro.com 1:1/120
Bruce Morse | | bfmorse@rapro.com
| | v2.62.2SW
Spitfire BBS: Buffalo|B |http://www.angelfire.com/ia/buffalo/
Creek Software | | MDWoltz@aol.com 1:1/150
| | v3.6 on Aug 20th 1999
Synchronet BBS |BT |http://www.synchro.net
| | sysop(at)vert(dot)synchro(dot)net
| | v3.10L Beta
Telegard BBS |B |http://www.telegard.net
| | support@telegard.net
| | v3.09g2 SP4
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
Atlantis Software |D |http://www.jimmyrose.com/atlantis/
| | last update: Jun 2002
BBS Central |D |http://www.rpcomputers.com
Bentstone |D |http://www.srupc.com/mall
Capabilities Group | | info@stonebenders.com
Cheepware: |D |http://www.midnightshour.org/cheepware/
Sean Dennis | | hausmaus@midnightshour.org 1:11/200
DDS (Doorware |D |http://www.doorgames.org 1:2404/201
Distribution System)| | ruth@doorgames.org
Ruth Argust | |
DoorMUD |D |http://www.dmud.thebbs.org
| | v0.98 Jun 1st 2002
Elysium Software |D |http://www.elysoft.com
| | mpreslar@mailcity.com
Jibben Software |D |http://www.jibbensoftware.com
| | scott@jibben.com
| | 1995-99 Release dates
JNS Software: |D |http://www.geocities.com/jnssoftware/
Rusty Johnson | | rustyjohnson57@hotmail.com
| | Tel: (304) 733-0113
John Dailey Software |D |http://www.johndaileysoftware.com
| | support@johndaileysoftware.com
LORD (Legend of the |D |http://www.lordlegacy.org
Red Dragon) Reborn | | mike@lordlegacy.org
| | v4.06 on Feb 5th 2001
Lord-II IGMs |D |http://www.shelby.net/wizards/lord2igm/
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 22 23 Feb 2004
PC Pursuits |D |http://www.pcpursuits.com
| | brucep@pop.kis.net
| | Tel: (301) 240-6653
Shining Star |D |http://www.shiningstar.net/bbsdoors/
| | nannette@shiningstar.net
Sunrise Doors: |D |http://www.sunrisedoors.com
Al Lawrence | | al@sunrisedoors.com
| | Tel: (404) 256-9518
The Brainex System |D |http://www.brainex.com/brainex_system/
| | stanley@brainex.com 1994-99 Releases
Trade Wars |D |http://www.eisonline.com/tradewars/
| | jpritch@eisonline.com
| | v3.09 (DOS-32) in 2002
Vagabond Software: |D |http://www.vbsoft.org 1:124/7013
Bryan Turner | | vagabond@vbsoft.org
| | last update: Jul 17th 2002
(various) |D |http://www.webnexus.com/users/etow/
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
APoint |PI |http://www.apoint-mail.de
| | dirk.pokorny@apoint-mail.de
| | v1.25 2:2426/1210.13
CrossPoint (XP) |P |http://www.crosspoint.de
| | pm@crosspoint.de v3.12d Dec 22nd 1999
FreeXP |P |http://www.freexp.de 2:2433/460
| | support@freexp.de
| | v3.40 RC3 Aug 31st 2003 (Snapshot)
OpenXP/32 |PI |http://www.openxp.com 2:248/2004
| | mk@openxp.de v3.8.7 beta Aug 3rd 2002
PPoint |P |http://www.alcuf.ca 1:249/114
| | v3.04 on Jan 10th 2000
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
GoldEd+ |E |http://mik.nu/golded-plus/ 2:203/6600
| | v1.1.5 Snapshot on Feb 28th 2003
SqEd32 |E |http://www.sqed.de
| | v1.15 on Dec 15th 1999
TimEd |E |http://blizzard.dnsalias.org/fidonet
| | mail@ozzmosis.com /timed
| | v1.11.a5 in March 2003 3:633/267
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
Allfix |U |ftp://ftp.nwstar.com 1:140/12
| | bob@nwstar.com
| | v5.13 (v6?)
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 23 23 Feb 2004
GiGo |UI |http://www.gigo.com
| | v0109 on Jan 9th 1997
Internet Rex: |UI |http://members.shaw.ca/InternetRex/
Charles Cruden | | telnet://xanadubbs.ca 1:342/806
(Khan Software) | | v2.29 on Oct 21st 2001
PeopleComm Terminal |CUI |http://www.peoplecomm.org 1:128/148
(BBS & Telnet w/ | | edward.williams@adelphia.net
ZModem) | | v1.01a on Feb 11th 2003
TransNet |UI |http://www.ressl.com.ar/transnet/
| | transnet@ressl.com.ar
| | v2.11 on Jul 18th 1998
TransX: Multiboard |UI |http://www.multiboard.com/software/
Communications, Inc.| | support@multiboard.com 1:2401/305
| | v3.5
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
National BBS List |? | http://www.usbbs.org
Hispanic FIDO/BBS's |? | http://www.conecta2.org/pucela_bbs/
(in Spanish only) | | (Extensive software & BBS Listings)
+- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
File Archives: http://archives.thebbs.org http://www.filegate.org
http://sysopscorner.thebbs.org http://www.juge.com
http://www.dmine.com/bbscorner/ http://garbo.uwasa.fi
http://www.simtel.net http://wuarchive.wustl.edu
http://hobbes.nmsu.edu
Note: most also provide FTP access (use ftp:// vice http:// above)
*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*=.=*=-=*
Note: Please send corrections & additions to: Ben Ritchey, 1:393/68
( or FReq Magic INFO direct for E-mail address )
WildCat! BBS at +1-337-232-4155 24/7 33.6kBps,8,N,1
Internet: http://bellsouthpwp.net/c/m/cmech617/fidosoft.txt
Emeritus: Todd Cochrane, Frank Vest, Peter Popovich
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 24 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
SPECIAL INTEREST
=================================================================
Nodelist Stats
Input nodelist nodelist.051
size 912.5kb
date 2004-02-20
The nodelist has 7790 nodes in it
and a total of 10512 non-comment entries
including 6 zones
56 regions
426 hosts
544 hubs
admin overhead 1032 ( 13.25 %)
and 1040 private nodes
315 nodes down
335 nodes on hold
off line overhead 1690 ( 21.69 %)
Speed summary:
>9600 = 653 ( 8.38 %)
9600 = 6754 ( 86.70 %)
(HST = 140 or 2.07 %)
(CSP = 1 or 0.01 %)
(PEP = 11 or 0.16 %)
(MAX = 0 or 0.00 %)
(HAY = 1 or 0.01 %)
(V32 = 3548 or 52.53 %)
(V32B = 344 or 5.09 %)
(V34 = 4550 or 67.37 %)
(V42 = 3815 or 56.49 %)
(V42B = 359 or 5.32 %)
2400 = 72 ( 0.92 %)
1200 = 6 ( 0.08 %)
300 = 305 ( 3.92 %)
ISDN = 641 ( 8.23 %)
----------------------------------------------------------
File Req Flag Applicable software Number of systems
----------------------------------------------------------
XA Frontdoor <1.99b 2544
Frontdoor 2.02+
Dutchie 2.90c
Binkleyterm >2.1
D'Bridge <1.3
TIMS
Xenia
--------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 25 23 Feb 2004
XB Binkleyterm 2.0 7
Dutchie 2.90b
--------------------------------------
XC Opus 1.1 11
--------------------------------------
XP Seadog 6
--------------------------------------
XR Opus 1.03 40
--------------------------------------
XW Fido >12M 315
Tabby
KittenMail
--------------------------------------
XX D'Bridge 1.30 3517
Frontdoor 1.99b
Intermail 2.01
T-Mail
--------------------------------------
None QMM 1350
--------------------------------------
CrashMail capable = 2381 ( 30.56 %)
MailOnly nodes = 4326 ( 55.53 %)
Listed-only nodes = 606 ( 7.78 %)
Other = 477 ( 6.12 %)
[Report produced by NETSTATS - A PD pgm available from 1:106/100]
[ Revised by B Felten, 2:203/208]
-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 26 23 Feb 2004
=================================================================
FIDONEWS INFORMATION
=================================================================
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FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 27 23 Feb 2004
Send Articles via E-mail or Netmail, file attach or message to:
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Fidonet 2:2/2
E-Mail bfelten@telia.com
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
FIDONEWS 21-08 Page 28 23 Feb 2004
Credits, Legal Infomation, Availability
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- FIDONEWS STAFF - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
| |
| Editor: Björn Felten, 2:2/2, editor@fidonews.org |
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| |
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- - EDITORS EMERITI - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
| |
| Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell, Vince |
| Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell, Donald Tees, |
| Christopher Baker, Zorch Frezberg, Henk Wolsink, |
| Doug Meyers, Warren D. Bonner, Frank L. Vest |
| |
+ -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
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