An Introduction to Fidonet
© Daniel Hanna, 1992.

Something called Fidonet has been installed on our BBS. As more computer users get modems, we hope that Fidonet will revolutionise the way we communicate with each other - wherever we live.

So what’s Fidonet anyway? Basically, it’s a world-wide amateur ‘electronic mail’ network. Participating bulletin boards literally share their messages with each other over the phone, creating a pool of information and communication. There are Fidonet bulletin boards all over the world, and literally hundreds throughout Australia.

What does all that mean for us?  Well, Fidonet offers 2 basic services:

1) 'NetMail'; and 
2) 'EchoMail'.

NetMail
Imagine the way the world sends real mail now, and you already have a very good idea of what happens.

The Club Mac BBS is like our local ‘post office’ - it sends and receives mail for us. Every BBS in the Fidonet System has an 'address', kind of like a post-code, which is a number (the Club Mac address is 3:712/406). 

Every Club Mac BBS member has a PO box at the 'post office'. It's the same mail-box you see on the right-hand side of the screen every time you get onto the BBS, but now it can receive mail from anywhere in the world, not just from other members of this BBS. So, for example, if someone on a BBS in the US wants to get in touch with me they can mail Daniel Hanna, care of 3:712/406. Their message will show up in my mailbox, just like ordinary mail from fellow Club Mac members.

If I want to send mail to someone on another BBS, the Club Mac BBS can handle that too. All I need is the person's name and the Fidonet number of their BBS, and I can send them mail in much the same way as I send mail to Club Mac BBS members. (To find out how to do this, see the next chapter, 'Using NetMail').

What happens next?  Once a day the Club Mac BBS rings up what is called a ‘hub’, which is one step up in the mail hierarchy. The hub acts as a post office for our BBS and many others in the Sydney region. It takes our outgoing mail and sends us any mail addressed to our BBS, 3:712/406. The hub then contacts a larger 'host' centre in the chain, which collects and sends mail from all over the world. In total the system can take up to 72 hours to deliver messages, depending on where they have to go to.

NetMail isn't perfect. Because messages are often passed through many hands and many BBSes, reliability and privacy can never be totally guaranteed.  While local mail sent on the Club Mac BBS is guaranteed confidential by our Sysop and the BBS Code of Conduct, there is no way we can control what happens to NetMail once it leaves our BBS.  The BBS Sub-Committee asks that Club Mac members exercise their discretion when sending NetMail. It is, in general, NOT safe enough for sensitive messages.  Otherwise, it is a great way to communicate ideas and information.

EchoMail
Often referred to as the 'mainstay' of Fidonet, EchoMail is similar to the public message forum on the Club Mac BBS.  In fact, it works in nearly exactly the same way for us users - only on a grander scale.

Fidonet has a number of official message topics or 'echoes', just like the Club Mac BBS does.  For example, we have a topic called 'Fonts', one called 'Jokes', and the list goes on.  Fidonet threads differ in that they are shared between BBSes. Some are uniquely Australian; others are shared around the world.  One person's message can (in theory) be read by well over 100,000 people.

How does it work?  It's more or less the same thing as NetMail.  Briefly, our BBS calls a 'hub' once a day, and sends it any new messages posted by our members in the Fidonet echoes. In return, the hub sends us all new messages posted by members of all the other BBSes in those echoes.

Here's a small sample list of the Fidonet threads available in Australia:

Aust_Modem
Aust_Trading
BBS_News
BBS_User
CD_Echo
MIDI_MUSIC
NetComm_Support
Science_Fiction
AUS_GENEALOGY
HDCONF
STAR_TREK
MAESTRO_SUPPORT
COOKING
AUST_MAC
EATOUT

Imagine what a source of information and support a Fidonet echo can be!  Suppose, for example, you have a problem with a Maestro modem. Before we had Fidonet, the best forum to place your query would probably have been in the 'Help' folder under 'Modems'.  There was a good chance that someone knew the answer, but some things are beyond the knowledge of any of the 500-odd members of this BBS.  By contrast, the 'Maestro support' Fidonet echo is monitored by technicians from Maestro Pty. Limited who answer every question thrown at them!

If you know how to post a public message on the Club Mac BBS, you already know how to use EchoMail.  When you log on, you'll see an icon on the right of the screen called 'Fidonet'. Double-click on the icon, and you'll see our selection of Fidonet threads. You can then read and post messages as normal.  When you read messages, you'll know where they came from because the name of the BBS (and its Fidonet number) will show up at the bottom of the  message.  

NB: You can't create new threads in Fidonet, so your message must be fit into one of the given categories - otherwise it just won't go beyond our BBS.

Before you start…
… there are a few things to be aware of when using NetMail and EchoMail.  The first is that every message you send will have the name of our BBS on it.  As a member of the Club Mac BBS, you will also be an ambassador for the Club.  Offensive and defamatory messages don't just reflect badly on our BBS - they can result in our expulsion from the network altogether.  Fidonet is a wonderful resource, and the Club Mac BBS Rules of Conduct will be applied very strictly in order to protect this privilege for all members.

It must always be remembered that Fidonet membership is 99% IBM-and-compatible dominated.  Macs and Mac users have very little representation.  None of this is a cue to go on a crusade!!  It is better to grin and bear the casual paranoid remarks about Macs, rather than start arguments that nearly always result in intelligent conversation being placed to one side.  Keep it friendly; there's lots of common ground to talk about (as you'll find). Besides, the benefits of the Mac speak for themselves ; )  .

Secondly, Fidonet is free, but that is not an invitation to abuse it.  NetMail costs the amateur operators of Fidonet packets of money in STD and ISD calls - and they often pass this on to the BBSes who create the network message traffic.  The bottom line: if Club Mac cannot afford these charges, Club Mac cannot afford Fidonet.  

If you have something to say, then by all means, use Fidonet - that's why it's there!  On the other hand, if you have no real reason to spread a message beyond the borders of the Club Mac BBS, then use one of our local forums instead.  Discussing bugs in TeleFinder, for example, is hardly likely to appeal to most BBS users, although hard disk and modem problems are of more general interest.

It has to be stressed that Fidonet is an amateur service.  It is not designed for businesses to get free publicity or commercial gain.  There are 'For Sale' forums, just like on the Club Mac BBS, but any commercial advertising, unsolicited Netmail and the like are strictly prohibited.  Why?  Because volunteers giving up their time in good faith don't really want to be taken advantage of as someone else's advertising agency!  Offenders may land their host BBS in all sorts of trouble.  Again, our BBS Rules of Conduct must be applied strictly in order to protect this privilege.  In return, if you find yourself receiving 'junk mail', please notify our Sysop as soon as possible.  All Fidonet users have a duty to make sure the volunteer services of others aren't abused.

Most of all, PARTICIPATE AND ENJOY!!  Fidonet marks a major turning point in the history of the Club Mac BBS.  By reaching out beyond the boundaries of our own membership, we now have the opportunity to benefit from a huge pool of computer experience.  Our own experience can be useful to others, too - especially in the AUST_MAC echo, or in other places where interstate and international members of Club Mac need a hand.