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FidoNews · Vol 21, No 25 · 21 Jun 2004

     The  F I D O N E W S      Volume 21, Number 25             21 Jun 2004 
     +--------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
     | |The newsletter of the | |                                         |
     | |  FidoNet community.  | | Crash netmail articles to:              |
     | |                      | |          Editor @ 2:2/2 (+46-31-944907  |
     | |          ____________| |                                         |
     | |         /  __          | Routed netmail articles to:             |
     | |        /  /  \         |          Bjorn Felten @ 2:203/0         |
     | | WOOF! (  /|oo \        |                                         |
     |  \_______\(_|  /_)       | Email attach to:                        |
     |            _ @/_ \    _  |          bfelten @ telia dot 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. GENERAL ARTICLES  .........................................  2
        Joining Fidonet.net  ......................................  2
     3. FRANK'S COLUMN - FRANK VEST  ..............................  4
        Is It This Way?  ..........................................  4
        Fixing ZMH ... Maybe  .....................................  6
     4. IN THE SNOOZE TEN YEARS AGO  ..............................  8
        What is a "First Among Equals" ?  .........................  8
     5. BEN RITCHEY'S FIDONET SOFTWARE LISTING  ...................  9
        FIDONet Software References  ..............................  9
     6. SPECIAL INTEREST  ......................................... 14
        Nodelist Stats  ........................................... 14
     7. FIDONEWS INFORMATION  ..................................... 16
        How to Submit an Article  ................................. 16
        Credits, Legal Infomation, Availability  .................. 18
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 1                   21 Jun 2004


     =================================================================
                             FOOD FOR THOUGHT
     =================================================================

     If you yourself are at peace, then there is at least some peace in the
     world.
                               --  Thomas Merton


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 2                   21 Jun 2004


     =================================================================
                             GENERAL ARTICLES
     =================================================================

                           Joining Fidonet.net
                     By: Viktor Pilpenok, 2:400/567


     What is fidonet.net?
     ====================

     Fidonet.net is a domain intended for BINKP nodes, the idea is that
     any listed node can be contacted using

     f<node>.n<net>.z<zone>.fidonet.net

     Some popular binkp mailers already support that, for example in
     binkd, you can use:

     root-domain fidonet.net
     node 2:400/567 * password

     To contact me. As you can see, no need to specify an FQDN or IP adress
     manually this way.

     How to join?
     ============

     First of all, you should check whether your net already has a listing
     in fidonet.net for example for 2:400 under windows do:

     nslookup n400.z2.fidonet.net

     If you get: "Name:    n400.z2.fidonet.net" - your net is listed.
     If you get: "<nameserver>: can't find n40.z2.fidonet.net: Non-existent
     domain" - your net is not.

     Under linux, you should do "host -t any n400.z2.fidonet.net"

     If it's listed, you'll get something like:

     n400.z2.fidonet.net SOA ns.aha.ru. fido.aha.ru. 10104068 7200 3600
     604800 3600
     n400.z2.fidonet.net name server ns.fidonet.net.

     If it's not:

     Host n400.z2.fidonet.net not found: 3(NXDOMAIN)

     If your net is already listed contact you NC for information on
     joining.

     Getting your net listed
     =======================

     If your network (zone,reion) is not already listed in fidonet.net, you
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 3                   21 Jun 2004


     can send a request to hostmaster@fidonet.net containing:

     1. A letter from your NC with agreement to delegate the administration
        of the zone to you. (or anybody else)
     2. Contacts (fido and email) for the maintainer of the zone.
     3. Adresses of the nameserver(s) handling the zone.
     4. Confirmation of allowing ZONE-XFER from ns.fidonet.net on the
        nameserver. (e.g. allow-transfer in BIND)

     Hosting the zone
     ================

     You can either host the zone on your own nameserver or ask somebody to
     do it for you. The setup of the zone should be trivial to somebody
     familiar with nameservers, so i'll not elaborate on this.

     Currently 2 sysops i know agreed to host subzones on their servers, if
     you contact them you should probably attach something like paragraph 1
     and 2 from the above list:

     Matt Bedynek, 1:106/1, fido /at/ thunderdome /dot/ ws
     Peter Didenko, 2:5020/52, fido /at/ aha /dot/ ru

     Both will provide a web interface for making changes.

     Note that Peter (as published on his site) requres ALL nodes in the
     subzone to be CM-BINKP and checks conectivity daily, removing any
     nodes that can't be contacted in 30 days. Also any node listed in a
     subzone he hosts, which have a fidonet (secure) link with his system
     can use a web interface to modify the listing directly.

     Best Regards, Viktor (aka BlackDew)


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 4                   21 Jun 2004


     =================================================================
                        FRANK'S COLUMN - FRANK VEST
     =================================================================

                                Is It This Way?
                                 By Frank Vest
                                  1:124/6308.1

      It seems that a lot of Fidonet technology, history, policy and
     procedures are lost or forgotten in the world of today. Perhaps many
     of these things need to be forgotten because they simply don't work in
     today's world. However, many still do.

      Fidonet is an "Organization". As such, people join Fidonet for
     various reasons. The desire to join Fidonet may be due to advertising,
     urging by a friend, curiosity, or something else. The bottom line is
     that it is the choice of the person to join or not.

      Part of the "choice" to join Fidonet is the acceptance of the rules,
     policy and procedures involved. One does not join an organization if
     they do not agree with/to these things.

      Fidonet was built on the ability of each Node to contact other Nodes
     directly. If that were not true, there would be no reason to have a
     Nodelist that contains the contact information of each Node. All the
     Nodelist would need to contain would be the contact information for
     the *Cs. Even that wouldn't really be needed since the *Cs could use a
     method of private arrangement for contact.

      So, why is there contact information in the FTN Nodelist? It should
     be obvious that Fidonet was designed to be, as much as is possible, a
     "peer to peer" network. Each Node that is listed in Fidonet should be
     able to connect and transfer (crash) Netmail to any other Node. Yes,
     it is true that this may not always be possible due to hardware,
     software and/or connection incompatibilities... but the theory is
     still there and works a lot better than some theories. That is saying
     something, I think. :)

      Routed Netmail was designed to help reduce the cost of long distance
     telephone calls. In the POTS day, this was well worth the effort for
     many, and great pain was taken to make routed Netmail work. The
     Internet uses much the same methods and for much the same reasons.
     E-mail is routed, if need be, or sent direct, if possible. It's kind
     of amazing to think that the Internet uses the same ideas that Fidonet
     implemented 20 years ago. Fidonet was ahead of its time. :)

      If one looks at this, one can see that as cost of long distance calls
     decreased with technology, the desire to route Netmail and e-mail
     should decrease as well. In the Internet, this is happening. Many
     people now run SMTP/POP servers and send e-mail directly to intended
     systems without routing it through their ISP. Fidonet, on the other
     hand, still insists that routing Netmail is the "only way to go".

      I wonder who is now "ahead of its time"?

      It's interesting that Fidonet Sysops will set up a SMTP/POP server to
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 5                   21 Jun 2004


     allow them to send/receive direct e-mail to/from anyone in the world,
     leaving the server online and accessible to the world, and then insist
     that Fidonet Netmail be routed through some other system.

      Yes, I know that there are "blacklists" to protect from e-mail spam
     and other things. Those lists are maintained by people that the
     Fidonet Sysop might not even know... in other words, strangers. Yet
     the same Sysop that trusts these strangers maintaining the blacklists,
     will refuse a connect from his fellow Sysops. The same Sysop that will
     sit at his/her e-mail client/server and delete spam that makes it
     through the "blacklist" filter will refuse direct Netmail from fellow
     Sysops that joined the Fidonet Organization for much the same reasons
     as s/he did and insist that Netmail be routed for protection.

      ZMH is another indicator that Fidonet is a "peer to peer" network.
     Each Zone has a set mail hour known as Zone Mail Hour. This is
     coordinated based of UTC (GMT) time. The purpose of this is to set a
     time when all Fidonet mailers in a Zone will be online to accept mail.
     See section "1.3.3  Zone Mail Hour" of Policy 4. There is no reason to
     have all Fidonet Nodes up and "required to be able to accept netmail"
     if Fidonet were not a peer to peer network.

      Oh sure, one could argue that Nodes can choose to accept Netmail only
     from their Host. Why, then, is ZMH described in P4 with such detail?
     Would it not be better to just say that each *C sets the time when a
     Node will accept (routed) Netmail from the Host? Or just state that a
     Node must accept Netmail from his/her host at a set time determined by
     the Host?

      On a side note: As of this writing, there is at least one Zone in
     Fidonet that is not in compliance with Policy 4. Their ZMH, as
     published in the Fidonet Nodelist, is not the same as stated in P4. :)
     Now, before someone tells me that P4 would need to be changed to "fix"
     this, I heartily agree. It can be done by the Zone Coordinator of the
     Zone with no real effort  (see section "10.1 General" of P4). <wink>
     It is also interesting that the ZMH for Zones 4 through 6 are not
     listed. :)

      If one looks in Fidonet Policy, there are other places where a direct
     Node to Node (peer to peer) network is indicated. As a quick example,
     "4.2  Routing Inbound Mail". It states "If a node in your network is
     receiving large volumes of mail you can request that the sysop contact
     the systems which are sending this mail and request that they not
     host-route it". Now, if the Nodes that are sending the mail are asked
     to not Host-route Netmail, how are they to send the Netmail? It would
     have to be direct (peer to peer).

      At any rate, that's my view. Your milage may vary and all that. You
     all have a great day. :)


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 6                   21 Jun 2004


                              Fixing ZMH ... Maybe
                                 By Frank Vest
                                1:124/6308 (.1)

     This was written in a message in the IC echo. I was encouraged to
     submit it as an article. I've expanded on the original message and
     here is the result. This is just my take. Beat me if you must. :)

     Applying cost to ZMH means that it has always been broken and can
     never be fixed. No matter what one does with ZMH, anyone wishing to
     send crash mail to another zone or in their own zone via long distance
     will have to deal with cost. Even if all Zones observe ZMH during the
     same time each day, someone, somewhere will have to call at peak cost
     hour(s) to crash a Netmail. IONs that are charged for calls to their
     ISP still have the same problem. Basing ZMH solely on cost means that
     ZMH was worthless from the start and should never have been made part
     of policy.

     With that said and all the nonsense arguments from people that simply
     can't/won't understand and/or were not there at the time.....

     ZMH was designed to be a time when any Node in Fidonet could call
     another Node and not have to worry if the other Node would be busy
     with a user online playing games, the system processing echomail or no
     mailer online at all because the Sysop only operated a mailer during
     ZMH.

     Remember that in the day, 2400 baud was fast and 20 meg drives were
     huge. CPUs were slow and echomail was large. It would not be unusual
     for a system to be tossing echomail for several minutes after each
     run. Since Dos didn't multi-task very well, the system would be
     offline while echomail was being tossed in and out. Then the echomail
     bundles had to be sent. At 1200-2400 baud, this also took time. If a
     system were to have echomail coming in and out during ZMH, then it
     wouldn't be unusual for several minutes of ZMH to be spent by the
     system just for handling echomail. Between the echomail runs, a user
     would log on and spend 10 to 30 minutes (or more) online. In those
     days, Nodes actually had BBSs online and real live humans actually
     called via modem to read/reply to mail, play games and/or get the
     latest software that was available. Many/most systems had one phone
     line. If it was tied up handling echomail or users, then ZMH was lost
     to anyone that was trying to send a crash Netmail.

     Instead of having "Zone Mail Hour", one would have "Zone mail half
     hour... or less." :)

     You think I'm kidding?? Figure out how to slow your Pentium 4 500
     giga-hertz cpu down to a 286 12 megahertz and reduce your memory to 1
     meg. Then try processing a 1 or 2 meg echomail bundle. Oh yeah, and
     install a 20 meg MFM hard drive to boot! Run the system under Dos 5.00
     as well. ;)

     The "cost savings" factor amounted to not having to make several
     attempts to connect and failing because of users online or echomail
     being handled. At the time, many phone companies charged from the time
     the modem took the phone off the hook.... IOW, from the time the ATD
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 7                   21 Jun 2004


     command was sent to the modem and the modem reacted by opening the
     line.

     I'd almost bet that 75% of the Nodes in Fidonet can't remember or
     never had the "pleasure" of watching a mail bundle being process so
     slowly that one could (almost) make out the name or Node number of
     where the mail was being tossed to/from. :)  When I first started in
     Fidonet, I ran a 386 SX16 with 4 megs of memory and a 40 meg hard
     drive. It was fast compared to some and I could still watch the
     progress bar on Frontdoor move across the screen rather slowly during
     a mail run. ;)

     Anyway, *THAT IS* what ZMH *WAS* for. What it is for now is a
     political toy to be argued over by people. :(

     So, if Fidonet wishes to "fix" ZMH, it would be simple. Set ZMH to GMT
     00:00 minus whatever time zone one is in. As example: I am in GMT -5
     hours. One time zone next to me (for example) is GMT -6.

     ZMH for me would be: GMT 00:00 minus 5, or, 07:00
     ZMH for the time zone next to me would be: GMT 00:00 minus 6, or,
     06:00
     ZMH for the next would be GMT 00:00 minus 7, or, 05:00

     IOW, when it is 7:00 in my time zone, it is 5:00 two time zones over.
     The same time for each time zone. This way, all of Fidonet would be in
     ZMH at the same time. "Zone Mail Hour" would still be there since each
     Zone, through all of Fidonet, would be in their mail hour at the same
     time per each time zone /AND/ throughout Fidonet.


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 8                   21 Jun 2004


     =================================================================
                        IN THE SNOOZE TEN YEARS AGO
     =================================================================

                   What is a "First Among Equals" ?
             By Anonymous, somewhere within fidonet.org

     Were you aware that FidoNet is presently without an International
     Coordinator?  Were you aware that none of the 6 standing Zone
     Coordinators want the job?  What to do?

     According to Policy4, the International Coordinator must be the,
     "First Among Equals" Zone Coordinator and selected by the ZCs.

     So... under what guidelines should the ZCs select an IC?

     Do you think it appropriate that if none of the standing ZCs wants the
     job that choosing from a past ZC would be appropriate?  How about if
     the past ZC had resigned his position due to burnout?  Would he still
     be acceptable?  How about if he had new commercial interests that may
     tarnish his decision making process?  Would he still be acceptable?
     And how about P4 which seems to imply that the IC must come from the
     'present' ZC rank and file?

     Do you think that perhaps the ZCs should confer with their RCs in this
     case?  P4 also states that Zone Coordinators are selected by the
     Regional Coordinators in that zone.  Would that imply that the ZCs
     should fall back to the RCs for input?

     I really don't know what to suggest, but I do suggest that if you have
     an opinion on this matter, please make it known to your Zone
     Coordinator and/or Region Coordinator.  This is not a hypothetical
     situation.  It describes the present situation exactly.

     It seems that any direction that the Zone Coordinator Counsel decides
     upon will be something other than by the "letter" of Policy4.  Since
     it appears that they have to "wing it", I'm sure they'd appreciate
     your input.  Shouldn't they have already asked you for it?


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 9                   21 Jun 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

      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
       Net Server, Platinum|     | sales@santronics.com
       Xpress: Santronics  |     | Tel: (305) 248-3204
       Software, Inc.      |     | AUP 450.2 on Jul 9th 2002
     +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 10                  21 Jun 2004


      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
                           |     | v2.17 on Jun 9th 2002

      RemoteAccess BBS:    |B    |http://www.rapro.com            1:1/120
       Bruce Morse         |     | bfmorse@rapro.com
                           |     | v2.62.2SW
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 11                  21 Jun 2004


      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/

      PC Pursuits          |D    |http://www.pcpursuits.com
                           |     | brucep@pop.kis.net
                           |     | Tel: (301) 240-6653

      Shining Star         |D    |http://www.shiningstar.net/bbsdoors/
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 12                  21 Jun 2004


                           |     | 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
     +- - - - - - - - - - -+- - -+- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -+

      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
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 13                  21 Jun 2004


        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 21-25               Page 14                  21 Jun 2004


     =================================================================
                             SPECIAL INTEREST
     =================================================================

                         Nodelist Stats

      Input nodelist  nodelist.170
                size  886.8kb
                date  2004-06-18

      The nodelist has   7457 nodes in it
        and a total of  10201 non-comment entries

              including     6 zones
                           56 regions
                          423 hosts
                          527 hubs
         admin overhead  1012 ( 13.57 %)

                    and  1091 private nodes
                          309 nodes down
                          332 nodes on hold
      off line overhead  1732 ( 23.23 %)


      Speed summary:

               >9600 =    617 (  8.27 %)
                9600 =   6469 ( 86.75 %)
                              (HST  =  131 or   2.03 %)
                              (CSP  =    1 or   0.02 %)
                              (PEP  =   11 or   0.17 %)
                              (MAX  =    0 or   0.00 %)
                              (HAY  =    1 or   0.02 %)
                              (V32  = 3384 or  52.31 %)
                              (V32B =  307 or   4.75 %)
                              (V34  = 4357 or  67.35 %)
                              (V42  = 3682 or  56.92 %)
                              (V42B =  306 or   4.73 %)
                2400 =     69 (  0.93 %)
                1200 =      6 (  0.08 %)
                 300 =    296 (  3.97 %)

                ISDN =    610 (  8.18 %)

     ----------------------------------------------------------
      File Req Flag   Applicable software     Number of systems
     ----------------------------------------------------------
      XA              Frontdoor <1.99b             2456
                      Frontdoor  2.02+
                      Dutchie 2.90c
                      Binkleyterm >2.1
                      D'Bridge <1.3
                      TIMS
                      Xenia
     --------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 15                  21 Jun 2004


      XB              Binkleyterm 2.0                 8
                      Dutchie 2.90b
     --------------------------------------
      XC              Opus 1.1                       11
     --------------------------------------
      XP              Seadog                          6
     --------------------------------------
      XR              Opus 1.03                      39
     --------------------------------------
      XW              Fido >12M                     299
                      Tabby
                      KittenMail
     --------------------------------------
      XX              D'Bridge 1.30                3326
                      Frontdoor 1.99b
                      Intermail 2.01
                      T-Mail
     --------------------------------------
      None            QMM                          1312
     --------------------------------------

      CrashMail capable =   2290 ( 30.71 %)
      MailOnly nodes    =   4159 ( 55.77 %)
      Listed-only nodes =    579 (  7.76 %)
      Other             =    429 (  5.75 %)

      [Report produced by NETSTATS - A PD pgm available from 1:106/100]
      [                                 Revised by B Felten, 2:203/208]

     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 16                  21 Jun 2004


     =================================================================
                           FIDONEWS INFORMATION
     =================================================================

                            How to Submit an Article

     If you wish to submit an article for inclusion in the Fidonews, here
     are some guidelines, if you send it as an attached file; the preferred
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     a) Plain ASCII text. If you could type it on your keyboard, it's
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     b) Put a title to the article. Put the title in two times. The first
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     c) Deadline for article submission is Sunday, 12:00 UTC.

     Help the Editor by following the above guides. Below are some subjects
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     Ideas for Subject areas:

         Subject                  File |      Subject                 File
     ----------------------------------|----------------------------------
      From the *C's              *.css |  Rebuttals to articles      *.reb
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      Fidonet Web Page Reviews   *.web |  Fidonet Notices            *.not
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      Clean Humor & Jokes        *.jok |  Other Stuff                *.oth
      Fidonet Classified Ads     *.ads |  Corrections                *.cor
      Best of Fidonet            *.bof |  Letters to the Editor      *.let

     If you don't know or are not sure, send the article anyway. Put a .TXT
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     If you follow these simple guidelines, there should be little problem
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     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 17                  21 Jun 2004


     Send articles via e-mail or netmail, file attach or message to:

              Björn Felten
     Fidonet  2:2/2
     E-Mail   bfelten @ telia dot com

     IMPORTANT! If you send the article via e-mail, make sure you put the
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     Please include a message, telling me that you have sent an article.
     That way I will know to look for it.


     -----------------------------------------------------------------
     FIDONEWS 21-25               Page 18                  21 Jun 2004


                    Credits, Legal Infomation, Availability

     + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  FIDONEWS STAFF - -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +
     |                                                                |
     | Editor:        Björn Felten, 2:2/2                             |
     |                Crash mail attached: Editor@2:2/2               |
     |                E-Mail attached:     bfelten @ telia dot com    |
     | Webmaster:     Jim Barchuk, jb@fidonews.org                    |
     | Columnist:     Frank Vest - Frank's Column                     |
     |                                                                |
     + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

     + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -  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             |
     |                                                                |
     + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

     Fidonews is published weekly by and for the members of Fidonet.
     Fidonews is Copyright (C) 2004 by Björn Felten, though authors
     retain rights to their contributed articles.  Opinions expressed
     by the authors is strictly their own.  Noncommercial duplication
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     encouraged to send their articles in ASCII text to the Editor
     at one of the addresses above.

     The weekly edition of Fidonews is distributed through the file
     area FIDONEWS, and is published as echomail in the echo FIDONEWS.
     These sources are normally available through your Network
     Coordinator. The current and past issues are also available from
     the following sources:

     + -- -- -- -- -- -- -  FIDONEWS AVAILABILITY - -- -- -- -- -- -- +
     |                                                                |
     |         File request from 2:2/2:                               |
     |               current issue                    FIDONEWS        |
     |               back issue, volume v, issue ii   FNEWSvii.ZIP    |
     |         http://felten.dyndns.org/fidonews                      |
     |         http://www.fidonet.ca/fidonews                         |
     |                                                                |
     + -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- +

     -----------------------------------------------------------------


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