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Volume 3, Number 45 24 November 1986 +---------------------------------------------------------------+ | _ | | / \ | | /|oo \ | | - FidoNews - (_| /_) | | _`@/_ \ _ | | International | | \ \\ | | FidoNet Association | (*) | \ )) | | Newsletter ______ |__U__| / \// | | / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / | | (________) (_/(_|(____/ | | (jm) | +---------------------------------------------------------------+ Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings FidoNews is the official newsletter of the International FidoNet Association, and is published weekly by SEAdog Leader, node 1/1. You are encouraged to submit articles for publication in FidoNews. Article submission standards are contained in the file ARTSPEC.DOC, available from node 1/1. Copyright (C) 1986, by the International FidoNet Association. All rights reserved. Duplication and/or distribution permitted for noncommercial purposes only. For use in other circumstances, please contact IFNA. Table of Contents 1. EDITORIAL What's Up? 2. ARTICLES Marketing Research Questionnaires WHO "COPYRIGHTED" MY ECHOMAIL CONFERENCE? The Brian Walsh Logical T's FRAUDULENT Contest MULTITECH 224EH Keep a Running Scoreboard on your system! dBASEIII Bible project Tom Jennings, Thrasher National Vietnam Veteran's Echo-Mail Conference 3. COLUMNS Review of Boyan-C1 (a NEW term program) 4. FOR SALE Magazine On Disk for IBM PC and Compatibles The Structured Programming Language for PC/MS DOS Dennis Baer 5. NOTICES The Interrupt Stack Fidonews Page 2 24 Nov 1986 ================================================================= EDITORIAL ================================================================= What's Up? I can't stand it. I've tried my best to be a good boy. Shortly after the conference in Colorado Springs several people told me that I should hold back and not express my opinions, but should wait for a general consensus to develop without me. But to quote the immortal Popeye, "That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more!" Right off the bat, yes, a great many mistakes were made, and I made my own share of them. What can I say? I don't really think that anyone really realized just how many seriously concerned people there are out there. I am quite pleased at the breadth and depth of feeling that exists in the FidoNet community, even though it may have been painful to experience at times! I suspect that quite a lot of us now realize that FidoNet (like much of the software that spawned it) is growing to be a far greater thing than anyone would have thought even so recently as this time last year. We are now being taken quite seriously indeed by many outside groups. We are coming to have a presence in the market and in the industry that cannot be ignored. And the International FidoNet Association, like it or not, is being recognized as the visible manifestation of that presence. IFNA is by no means ready for the sort of attention that is already being focused on it by the various trade publications, trade groups, manufacturers, and so on. But as time passes, we grow and we learn. Many people within FidoNet have expressed concern over IFNA. Will this legal fiction, this corporate person, that we are creating be what we want, or will it be a Frankenstein's Monster? I personally feel that it will help. The sysop has generally been a much ignored and much maligned figure, bringing visions (if anything at all) of hackers working away in their basements to bring about World War III. IFNA would give us a central source that the media could go to for information and advice, through which we could express our own opinion of the sysop as a dedicated volunteer performing a public service. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 3 24 Nov 1986 ================================================================= ARTICLES ================================================================= Andrew Kanter Sysop Fido 101/301 ****************************** Can You Prevent a Nuclear War? ****************************** Well, if you have every wondered what is really going on out there in the land of Star Wars and Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicles, nows your chance to find out... and do something about it! Fido 101/301 (The Beyond War/IPPNW BBS) is back on- line! Moved from Los Angeles to Cambridge, Mass, then on to Brookline, Massachusetts, Fido 101/301 is up and running 22 hours a day. The new phone number is (617) 731-1575, 300/1200 baud. If you want to get more information about the prevention of nuclear war, or want to discuss the feasability of Star Wars with other concerned modem- users, call today. There are many articles available for t)yping or d)ownloading, ranging from interviews with Nobel Laureates to opinion articles by your average college student. Want to hear what the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War have to say about Chernobyl or the summit? Tired of not finding solutions to this ultimate problem? Call and check out the articles by Dr. Lown, Beyond War, and others! If you are interested in seeing a list of available files, simply fidomail a message to Sysop of 101/301 and I will send it out to you. Later, if you would like some of them, maybe we can arrange to have them arced and sent along too. What better way to help prevent the Last Epidemic then spreading the word by sharing these important articles! Many of you carried some of these articles at one time (when the BBS was in L.A.). Now is the time to "renew your subscription"! Send a message today! And if you are interested in medical issues, the latest updates on AIDS, radiation, and the flu, you can get them from 101/301 too. Remember, that's: ( 6 1 7 ) 7 3 1 - 1 5 7 5 Call today! Yes, you CAN make a difference! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 4 24 Nov 1986 Review of FlickerFree 11/2/86 D. Ellison Fido 18/4 FlickerFree, A User Review FlickerFree is a memory resident utility to "dramatically increase text display performance". This it does...remarkably. Some of the other claims made in the advertising is not quite as accurate. The program was tested on an IBM-PC under PC-DOS 3.1. The quotes come from their current advertising. "DRAMATICALLY INCREASE TEXT DISPLAY PERFORMANCE". The program delivers! Scrolling speed with the DIR command is truly impressive. Also the TYPE command scrolls the file with dizzying speed. Not mentioned is that if you use the MORE filter when typing the file to screen, FlickerFree is disabled so you lose the speed advantage. This limits the usefullness of the program. "ELIMINATES THAT ANNOYING SCROLLING FLICKER". It's true, the flicker is gone completely. If you don't mind flicker, you can speed scrolling even more by selecting a faster scrolling mode from the FlickerFree menu. "CONTROL DOS FOREGROUND AND BACKGROUND COLORS" Again, the program does allow easy selection of screen colors as long as FlickerFree is on. What isn't mentioned is that it disables the ANSI.SYS driver. If you use imbedded codes in files or if you call any bulletin boards that use them, you'll see the escape codes and not the colors. "100% COMPATIBLE WITH ALL PCs, COMPATIBLES, AND WITH ALL OTHER MEMORY RESIDENT UTILITIES" The program falls down a bit on this one. The documentation states that it isn't compatible with PC-WRITE or SMARTCOMM. Oddly enough, the documentation that came with FlickerFree describing the incompatibility with PC-WRITE is dated June 86 but their October ads still claim 100% compatibility. They provide another program that will automatically disable any incompatible program if their FFIX.COM is run first against the incompatible program. There is a problem, though. If you do as they say and FFIX ED.EXE, then run ED.EXE (PC-WRITE's editor) PC-WRITE runs normally until you try to use the DOS shell within PC-WRITE. You can go to DOS but the machine locks up when you EXIT back to PC-WRITE. You can turn FlickerFree off by typing FF off at the command line but the program seems to remain in memory. Even with FlickerFree off, I lost a document when trying to exit PC-WRITE. Even worse than the problem with PC-WRITE is that the program seems to have difficulty with Fido. I found Fido would crash unpredictably after FlickerFree had been loaded. Each time, this required a cold boot. Unfortunately, cold boots with a hard disk can cause data loss because the heads aren't parked. I spent the afternoon reformatting my hard disk. The ad quotes Peter Norton in his 6-86 PC Magazine article Fidonews Page 5 24 Nov 1986 claiming FlickerFree "...solves several problems that muck up display screens: snow, flicker, and lack of speed...". When you read the documentation, they claim Peter Norton was mistaken when he said the program eliminates snow. It seems a bit misleading to quote someone about your program when you clearly know him to be mistaken. "FULL, MONEY-BACK, SATISFACTION GUARANTEE" I sent them their program back for a refund. This guarantee makes the program well worth a try. If you are annoyed by the flicker and slow pace of your display, FlickerFree may be the answer. If you run a Fido BBS or use PC-WRITE, you'll want to keep their satisfaction guarantee in mind. FlickerFree $39.95 Gibson Research Corporation 9 Lago Sud Irvine, Ca 92715 (714) 854-1520 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 6 24 Nov 1986 Dear Sysops, As a senior at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, New Hampshire, I am majoring in Marketing, within the Division of Business Administration. In order to graduate, each business student must complete an independent study project which results in the completion of research and the writing of a formal research paper. This thesis must be defended before the faculty and administration of the college. The thesis topic I have chosen is Fidonet. I am investigating its marketing potential and as part of that investigation, I also need to identify and quantify the various types of users of FIDONET. I have therefore designed two questionnaires - one for sysops and one for users. Your assistance is urgently needed in order to obtain this information. The first questionnaire is for sysops. Please use your word processor to answer the questions and return it to me via 101/27 (Dave's Fido in Gardner, MA) under the name Lyndalee Foster, or simply print it out and send the completed survey to: Lyndalee Foster P.O. Box 360 Franklin Pierce College Rindge, NH 03461 It would also be very helpful if you could send me a file which simply contains the opening screens and menus on your system. The survey for users follows the survey for sysops. Please make it available to all your users as is. Directions to the user describe the purpose of the study and how they should respond. Please try to respond by November 20 as the results are urgently needed in order for me to complete my thesis on time. The results of the survey have to be coded, tabulated, analyzed, and reported in the thesis by December 3. I have tried to obtain this information through public sources but so far without success. If you know of any sources which address the questions which are in my survey, please let me know. Since I have been unable to find the information, I would be most appreciative if you could help me. Thank-you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Lyndalee Foster Fidonews Page 7 24 Nov 1986 QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SYSOPS PART I Please fill out these questions in the method indicated by each question as honestly as possible to insure the validity of the questionnaire. 1. How long (years, months) have you been a sysop? 2. What comprises your message section? (for example, FIDONET mail, messages to/from sysop, ect.) 3. Please list other features that you offer on your system below (such as type of files). 4. How do you finance your Fido operation? a. suggested fee of $__________ (1) b. manditory fee of $__________ (2) c. charge only for Fidomail (3) d. other______________________________________________ (4) 5. Approximately, how many current users (i.e. active within the last six months) do you have on your Fido? 6. The overwhelming majority of users on most systems seem to be male. What would you estimate is the percentage of users who are female on your system? 7. What options do you feel could be added to Fido to increase its usage? PART II - BASELINE QUESTIONS The following are background questions for classification purposes. Please mark or fill in the appropriate blank to answer the questions as accurately as possible. 1. What is your sex? 2. How old are you? 3. What is your marital status? Fidonews Page 8 24 Nov 1986 4. Do you operate your system out of your home or from an office? 5. On what type of computer is your system operated? 6. How many years of school have you completed? (e.g. highschool graduate equaling 12 years) 7. What is your current or most recent occupation? **The results of this survey will be reported in a future newsletter.** ------------------------------------------------------------ Fidonews Page 9 24 Nov 1986 To All Fido Users: As a senior at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, New Hampshire, I am majoring in Marketing, within the Division of Business Administration. In order to graduate, each business student must complete an independent study project which results in the completion of research and the writing of a formal research paper. This thesis must be defended before the faculty and administration of the college. The thesis topic I have chosen is Fidonet. I am investigating the marketing potential of FidoNet. As part of that investigation, I also need to identify and quantify the various types of users of FIDONET. Please use your word processor to answer the questions and return it to me via 101/27 (Dave's Fido in Gardner, MA) under the name Lyndalee Foster, or simply print it out and send the completed survey to: Lyndalee Foster P.O. Box 360 Franklin Pierce College Rindge, NH 03461 Please try to respond by November 20 as the results are urgently needed in order for me to complete my thesis on time. The results of the survey have to be coded, tabulated, analyzed, and reported in the thesis by December 3. I have tried to obtain this information through public sources but so far without success. If you know of any sources which address the questions which are in my survey, please let me know. Since I have been unable to find the information, I would be most appreciative if you could help me. Thank-you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Lyndalee Foster Fidonews Page 10 24 Nov 1986 FIDO USERS QUESTIONNAIRE PART I The following is a questionnaire dealing with your usage of FIDO and other bulletin board services. Please fill out these questions in the method indicated by each question as honestly as possible to insure the validity of the questionnaire. 1. How often do you access Fido? a. every day (1) b. more than once a week (2) c. more than once a month (3) 2. What options do you utilize most on Fido (for example, e- mail, uploading and downloading programs, Echomail, bulletin board, etc)? 3. What options would you like to see added to Fido? 4. Do you subscribe to other systems? a. yes (1) b. no (2) 5. What system, other than FIDO, if any, do you use most often? (Compuserve, The Source, MCI Mail, etc.) 6. What options do you use from the other system, for example, e-mail, bulletin boards, uploading or downloading programs, etc? 7. How often do you use the other system? a. every day (1) b. more than once a week (2) c. more than once a month (3) 8. Are there any other systems to which you subscribe? 9. How did you first hear about Fido? PART II - BASELINE QUESTIONS The following are background questions for classification purposes. Please mark or fill in the appropriate blank to answer the questions as accurately as possible. Fidonews Page 11 24 Nov 1986 1. What is your sex? a. male (1) b. female (2) 2. How old are you? a. under 18 (1) b. 19-30 (2) c. 31-40 (3) d. 41-50 (4) e. 51+ (5) 3. What is your marital status a. married (1) b. single (2) 4. Do you own a home computer? a. yes (1) b. no (2) 5. If yes to question 4, what type of system do you own? 6. How many years of school have you completed? (e.g. high school graduate equals 12 years) 7. What is your current or most recent occupation? **The results of this survey will be reported in a future newsletter.** ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 12 24 Nov 1986 Robert E. Spivack Sysop Spiv's Fido 143/3 Sillicon Valley Net 143 Host (408) 247-3296 Greetings fellow Sysops and Fido Users. It has been a while since I last wrote a column for Fidonews, but so much is going on it is time to comment. I. Mark Welch's problems with PC-SIG (tm): Mark -- I support your position and hope that you plan to put your education (U.C. Law) to work ASAP to fight those *@$@%%#! (I recall reading somewhere you were now attending law school.) II. Commercial Fidonet: I don't care what you call it, how you structure it, whether the goals are noble or not, but FORCING any kind of charge for Fidonet (being in the nodelist, being serviced by a national or regional host, etc.) just isn't a hobby anymore. Instead of worrying about some Fido's (SUCH AS MINE) that might drop out and how that would affect the net, why don't all you money-hungry anti-hobbiests JUST DROP OUT NOW AND FORM YOUR OWN COMMERCIAL NET IN THE FIRST PLACE! (How's that for turning the tables with an interesting suggestion) III. Commercial tag-along "points": A recent Fidonews (#339, I think) carried a proposal for extending the hierarchical routing beyond zone:net/node to include subnodes called points. Although I think the motivation is wrong (to faciliate commercial nodes and payments) the concept of "points" is interesting. I would like to propose an alternate use. "Points", or degenerate nodes, could be used for individuals that want to link to the Fido network but do not want to set themselves up as nodes. Essentially, these are casual users that might be online for several weeks, disappear for a month or two, etc. "Points" are maintained only by the local node as private extentions to the nodelist (That is already possible using the XLATLIST option for a private nodelist.) The real value of "points" is that it allows someone (Shareware authors, are you listening?) to create a single-user simplified Fido package that simply allows a user to create Fidonet messages offline and send/receive them to/from their supporting node. This creates a form of electronic mail where "points" are primarily involved with sending messages to/from other Fido users (either normal nodes or other "points"). The key is that the supporting node HOLDS all mail for the "point" until the "point" calls (polls) to receive it. Since this mini Fido program is limited in function, it would be small enough to fit on a floppy disk and be usable with a portable/laptop computer, maybe even implemented on a Z80 machine like the Tandy 100, etc. Finally, since "points" are users without the responsibility of Fidonews Page 13 24 Nov 1986 having their nodes up 24 hours a day (or even every day at Fidomail time), anyone that wants to join Fidonet but doesn't have the time, money, dedicated phone line, or discipline can still participate rather than join as a full fledged node and be counted among the "missing, lost dogs, or disappearing" nodes. Just like the original proposal, the real benefit/simplification of "points" is that the list of them is not compiled and circulated with the nodelist. "Points" are like real Ma Bell phone numbers, you gotta know them to call them and any "Phone Books" available are published as a favor, not a requirement. (I.E. users can voluntarily exchange their "point" addresses and/or publish their own phone directories, but the operation of Fidonet and "points" does not REQUIRE it. Thus, no additional overhead to IFNA, Fido 1/0, et. al.) IV. Echomail - I must admit, although quite technical myself, I've waited too long and only recently started joining this FANTASTIC facility. I'm glad that ideas are being generated for bringing order to this wildly growing feature and at the risk of covering ground that may already have been discussed, let me propose a few simple things: A controlled list of Echomail conferences should be compiled and distributed on a weekly basis listing the name of the conference, the conference coordinator, and a short description. This may or may not be distributed WITH the weekly nodelist update. A more formal acknowledgement of a second kind of Echomail capability should be made. I'll coin the term "Broadcast" mail to refer to the desire for one user or Sysop or send a message to many systems and have the message "tossed" into a specific message area. The easiest example is trading/selling something we no longer want. If I want to sell a hard disk, modem board, or even a bicycle, I would like to broadcast (should I say carefully execute a "bombing run") to many boards and have the message appear in an area reserved for it. Most likely, many of us have a message area called "FORSALE". All that is needed is for the most common ones (For Sale, Wanted, Gossip, News, etc.) to be assigned standard NAMES and have a list compiled showing which nodes have them. Thus, a Robot-like utility could then send Fidonet mail only to those nodes that have a message area (an implicitly then are saying its ok to forward the message to me) on that topic. Note that the default Fidonet area is a degenerate case. We all know we can send a message to any Fido and have it be received in its Fidonet message area, however, many systems restrict the Fidonet area to only certain classes of users. V. Fido enhancements - Boy, we all have lots of ideas here, I'll try to restrict myself to a few things which may benefit a lot of Sysops. Again, I apologize if some of these are already being addressed by the next revision or have already been shot down. Fidonews Page 14 24 Nov 1986 International - I hope the "country" stuff will make Fidonet smarter and simply refuse to deliver mail directly to a node that has an incompatible modem. Right now, it is up to the Sysop to manually remember which systems just can't receive using US Bell std modems. I know that I would spare the $$ to dial up our non- US friends, it is the modems, not the bucks that is keeping the ocean a barrier for many of us. Nodelist Processing - It seems strange to me that the NODELIST.IDX file is bigger than the NODELIST.BBS itself. It might be interesting to include parameters inside Fido itself that obsolete the XLATLIST stuff. I mean, instead of batch converting canonical phone numbers to local dialing codes, etc. why not just include the parameters inside Fido (or via a control file) so that Fido converts a phone number on the fly when it uses it to dial. It would only take less than a second to convert one phone number in real time, rather than forcing us to endure ever-longer xlatlist,routegen sessions. Independent Message and File Areas - I think the original thinking for having each SYSTEMnn.BBS file describe a message and a file area needs a revision. I know that many Fidos do not have pairs of areas. (I.E. very few Fidos actually have a UNIX message area with a UNIX file area; a DOS message area with a DOS file area; etc.) This pairing makes setting privileges very difficult because often you want to disable access to a message area but allow access to the file area. Right now, you've got to juggle them around and re-pair up different areas to get around this. User Privileges by Area - One of the biggest suggestions I keep hearing is to enlarge the USER password file to allow specifying for each user which file or message areas they can access. This would provide a much richer more granular way to control the system. Right now, all you can do is define classes of users (twit, normal, extra, sysop, etc.) and then assign class attributes to file/message areas. Today, you can't have two users each the same class (normal or extra) with each one restricted to DIFFERENT message areas. (Note: Since there can be up to 99 areas, a reasonable restriction might be to only allow room for 10 or 20 areas that can be controlled this way) Whew! and I thought all I was gonna write was two sentences..! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 15 24 Nov 1986 WHO "COPYRIGHTED" MY ECHOMAIL CONFERENCE? by J. Brad Hicks, Sysop 100/523 (WeirdBase) I have now seen the following in almost every Echomail conference that I participate in, including the one I created: _________________________________________________________________ #165 02 Nov 86 21:45:00 (PRIVATE) From: Thomas Gentry To: All Subject: LEGAL NOTICE This ECHO area Copyright 1986 by Thomas Gentry All rights reserved. All electronically transmitted messages in this area become the sole property of Thomas Gentry and the CHAI Way BBS (c) 1986. A limited license is granted to sysops and users to utilize this information freely. ANY attempts at regulating the exchange of this copyrighted material will result in legal action against the offending party or parties. Contact: IFNA node - 136/200 (IFNA-(c)1986 International Fido Net Association) TECHNET node - 950/200 (TECHNET-(c)1986 Mike Johnson) for more information. --- v1.36 * Origin: (c) 1986 CHAI_Way_OPUS (512) 388-3464 (136/200) _________________________________________________________________ Sounds like a joke, doesn't it? This guy can't possibly be trying to assert prior claim over the Echomail conference I founded, can he? Well, I've been trying for a while now to get through to Mr. Gentry, and he has yet to reply to ANY of my messages on the subject in the Echomail areas where the offense took place. And that's close enough to a legal notice that I'm worried. _________________________________________________________________ I, Brad Hicks, sysop of Fido 100/523, renounce the copyright no- tice excerpted above. Thomas Gentry is a newcomer to the con- ference, and cannot demonstrate ANY WAY in which he has contri- buted to the concept, creation, or operation of the MAGICK Echomail conference prior to the entry of this message. Further, existing documents, both paper and electronic, verify that I, along with Josh Gordon (sysop of Fido 161/93) and Dave Rene (sysop of Fido 101/27, aka Fido 101/0) are the originators and creators of the MAGICK Echomail Conference. Our contribution is visible and significant, both in distribution and in authorship of messages. Therefore let it be know to all that the MAGICK Echomail con- ference is PUBLIC DOMAIN, and not property of any person or organization. Neither the name, nor the concept, nor the structure may be claimed to be owned by any person. The public messages of this conference are put into the public domain and may be reprinted in whole or in part, in any medium, by any person without let or hindrance. The private messages of said conference should be considered the property of their authors and Fidonews Page 16 24 Nov 1986 the addressees. _________________________________________________________________ It is possible that Mr. Gentry thinks he is trying to "protect" us by keeping unscrupulous operators from claiming ownership of our material and by some arcane legality charging us money for our own names, or something. Oh well, I suppose stranger things have happened (anybody who knows the history of Fantasy Role- Playing games knows what I'm talking about). But the sysop of 136/200 should NOT have taken this action without consulting ME, whom he knew full well to be the founder and coordinator of this conference. Far from it! And I suspect he didn't warn the coordinators of any of the OTHER conferences (such as BIBLE) that he tried to "land-grab". And I do NOT consider myself protected by Mr. Gentry's claim that he OWNS MY WORDS--"sole property of Thomas Gentry ... (c) 1986," it says here. I am therefore taking direct action to protect myself and the other members of the MAGICK conference from prosecution by returning "ownership" of their words to where it belongs, and where any sane court would have ruled it was before this obnoxious entry: the public domain. If Mr. Gentry really does think he can get away with claiming full, sole ownership over my words and work, he had better retain an attorney and prosecute his claim, because I will CONTINUE to distribute this conference as I see fit, as I have done for six months now. I hate to put it in these terms, but remember, I didn't start this fight. Should it become a legal battle, I in- vite, I BEG all Fido Sysops (and IFNA) to assist me in defending me against take-over of my work and words. I may be contacted via FidoNet at my own address of 100/523, or via U.S. Mail to: J. Brad Hicks, 3900 Roland, Apartment B, Saint Louis, Missouri 63121, United States of America. Thank you. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 17 24 Nov 1986 Howard Feil User of The Heart of Gold 109/624 October 23, 1986 The Brian Walsh Logical T's FRAUDULENT Contest In mid August of 1986 Brian Walsh, sysop of Logical Technologies FidoNet 109/640, ran a contest under the name of Computerland. The contest stated that the first person to upload 100 public domain files would win a 1200 baud Hayes Compatible Modem. I, Howard Feil, was later informed by Brian that I was the "winner" of the contest he ran under name of Computerland. At this point Computerland Bulletin Board had gone down; however, Brian had started a new board with the SAME fidonet numbers 109/640 only under the name of Logical Technologies. It was in a data conversation with Brian on this board that I learned I had "won" the modem that it would be mailed to me by UPS after he received the modem on Friday, September 5, 1986, and during this same data conversation Brian also informed me that all the programs uploaded to the Computerland Board had been lost. It should be noted here that I was under the impression that the Hard Disk the BBS was running on hadn't been backed up although Brian later informed me that this was not true. He informed me that he had absolutely no idea where on earth the software for his Tape Backup system was (I'm assuming it didn't occur to him to put it on his Hard Disk), and the floppies he had backup the Hard Disk had been taken by someone else in the store. (Computerland) I offered to bring the software to Brian on Floppy disks to Computerland where he was working at the time, and he would mail them back with the Modem I rightly deserved. Brian was out on a service call at the time so I gave the disks to another person at Computerland and had them give the disks to Brian. He later informed by Fido Mail that he did receive the disks. I NEVER received the modem or my floppies from Brian. On September 28, 1986, I had my last data conversation with Brian of any length His parting words explained what had happened (This is a direct screen capture.) I sold IT since then because I had NO intentions of EVER giving you one until about 10mins. ago. talk to you toimmorrow, Bye. Brian had agreed to order another modem at this time (so he said) and was going to call me tomorrow and also agreed to call me on two more occasions. He never did. I never received the modem I rightly deserved. I never received the eight floppy disks I lent to him. Brian Walsh has Conducted a FRAUDULENT Contest. He has never Fidonews Page 18 24 Nov 1986 denied this and he appears to have planned it all along. I was informed on the phone by Son of the Owner of Computerland that Computerland had no knowledge that Brian Walsh had operated a BBS under the name of Computerland and that Brian Walsh was fired from Computerland for selling "products we don't even carry." Brian Walsh denies this stating that he resigned, and he had a written copy of his resignation. I would prefer not to comment on which story is true for I have no hard evidence for either story. I justly "won" the modem in a public contest sponsored by Brian Walsh. All I asked of Brian Walsh, was to be give the modem that I am entitled to and the disks I lent him which are my own personal property. He has never done so and has given no indication that he is going to compromise on the issue in anyway; not even in returning the disks I lent to him. I have persistently asked Brian questions on this issue, and all he has done, is deleted my messages. I formally request that Brian Walsh sysop of Logical Technologies 109/640's future in FidoNet be considered by the members of FidoNet as to whether or not they want members who have conducted Fraudulent Contests. Any Comments to this article can be sent to Howard Feil on FidoNet 109/624. Note: The sysop of FidoNet 109/624 is in no way involved or affiliated with the above proceedings. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 19 24 Nov 1986 Jin Tan Fido 107/701 MultiTech 224EH (with MNP) This is a plea to owners of the above modem who have run Fido during mail hours without ANY problems. I need to know your dip switch settings as well as your Fidomdm.bbs contents. I have tried Modem_Help_East, Tech Echomail as well as MultiTech but to no avail. This is my last resort! I am having problems getting Fido (11w) to work with the 224EH. The problem I am having is getting the modem to answer 2400 baud calls during Mail hours. Error message on my end says it is waiting for sync and that it is not a Fidonet. On the callers' log, they see a "no response to whacking CR" message. This problem is especially severe (100% of the time) for a Hayes 2400 and moderate (50%) for the USR Courier. I have tried nume rous suggestions including adding "AT&Q1" in the Fidomdm.bbs file. I also tried 1/J, 11/J, 5/J as well as AT&E0 (no MNP). My PROM version is 2.09. This problem exists ONLY during Mail hour. Despite the above problem, I am still very happy with the MultiTech modem. The servicing policy is Excellent. (Once, I sent in two modems (a Hayes and a MultiTech) back to the manufacturer to be repaired. The MultiTech took 1 week; the Hayes took 2 months. The techical support personnel know their modems VERY well (too bad they don't know Fido). And the special sysops' price for the modem just can't be beat! Thanking you in anticipation. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 20 24 Nov 1986 Allen Miller, 108/10 November 4, 1986 Now don't anyone feel sorry for me because I don't feel bad about this..... I have had a lot of fun running this Bulletin board and now I am to a point where I am rearranging my priorities. As part of this I will be retiring from the Sysop business. I appreciate all the support that the users of Allen's Board have contributed; you have made it very rewarding for me. Jesse Armontrout, Fido 108/64, will be the new Cincinnati Net Host. If anyone needs assistance of a Net Host, contact Jesse. He is very capable and I am sure he will do a good (probably better) job of Host. Once again, thanks. Regards, Allen Miller ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 21 24 Nov 1986 Daniel Tobias Soft Fido, 19/216 I have just released a new program that lets Fido sysops run online games and activities with a running scoreboard. This is a feature present in some other BBS systems, such as NoChange, and is very popular with users of such systems. Users compete to become System Champion, and can see a display of the top ten scores at any time. The SCOREKEEPER program, downloadable as the file SCOREKPR.ARC in file area 6 of SOFT FIDO [(318) 636-4402, 24 hours, 300 or 1200 baud], works in the OUTSIDE section of your system. It is fully compatible with either OUTSIDE or OUTER, and probably any other Outside menu program you might be using. The scores are kept in a standard ASCII file (the data format is documented in the accompanying text), so you can write games and other programs of your own which manipulate this data. SCOREKEEPER includes a routine to find the current user's score and move it to a short file CURRSCOR.BBS for easy access by other programs, when the user enters the Outside section; another routine to replace this score data in the master score file (SCORES.BBS) when the user leaves the Outside section, to save any changes in his or her score; commands to increase or decrease the current user's score; and a command to output the current top ten. Instructions are included showing you how to use SCOREKEEPER on your system. I plan on releasing game programs designed to work with SCOREKEEPER in the future. Right now, I have "The Numbers Game", downloadable from Soft Fido as NUMBERS.ARC, which is a "lottery"-style drawing with some interesting twists. Once again, our number is (318) 636-4402; our FidoNet node number is 19/216. Check us out; we also have a wide selection of other Fido utilities available for download, and no pre- registration is needed for download access. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 22 24 Nov 1986 Ken McVay Fido 138/45 WORD.DBF In 1983, I began to assemble a database which will, in time, contain the entire Bible. The project was begun using an Osborne-1 and dBASEII, and was upgraded to dBASEIII in 1985. I began the project on the assumption that by the time it was completed, the equipment required to utilize it would have become inexpensive enough that small congregations could readily afford it. It was assumed that the need for automated accounting and congregational record-keeping would provide the impetus which would lead to the purchase of an XT or compatible. At that point, I felt that the usefulness of the datafile would make the purchase of dBASEIII worthwhile. The Bible was already available in one version at the time the project began, but dBASEIII offered advantages which were NOT available, to wit, the ability to append commentaries through the MEMO field - including sermons relating to specific verses, citations from biblical dictionaries and commentaries, etc. After browbeating a few friends, active in the Christian Community, who were also PC owners, I managed to solicit some help, and the file grew apace. The file structure includes a field for VERSION, which permits the file to contain differing versions of the same books, for comparisons which would not be possible in commercial bible databases. 90% of the work presently available has been done using Beck's New American Translation, with the balance from the Good News Bible. About 75% of the NT is presently avail- able through 138/45, and is found in WORD.ARC. Individual files (books) are also available. I would deeply appreciate volunteers to help in this work. Fido has made it possible to seek them. Those willing to add a chap- ter or two are invited to contact me, so that I can co-ordinate the work and avoid needless duplication. Those who send me a new book at their expense will receive the entire project file at my expense...more than a fair trade! WORD.ARC also contains two crude command files to facilitate creating new files and searches. A dBASE programmer I am not, and I would be delighted if someone out there would provide me with a menu-driven command file which could be useful to non- computer types, enabling searches, comparisons, appending commentaries without entering manual commands, etc. The following data file structure must be created with dBASEII (minus the memo file) or dBASEIII: WORD.DBF FN FIELD TYPE SIZE Fidonews Page 23 24 Nov 1986 ------------------------------------ 1. NEW L 1 ;logical T=New Testament 2. VERSION C 5 ;translation version 3. BOOK C 3 ;Book title, abridged 4. CHAPTER N 3 5. VERSE N 3 6. L1 C 50 ;text goes to the Ln fields, 7. L2 C 50 ;with no word-wrap. Use 8. L3 C 50 ;quotes where appropriate 9. L4 C 50 10. L5 C 50 11. L6 C 50 12. XR1 C 10 ;cross-references to other 13. XR2 C 10 ;verses - often found in 14. XR3 C 10 ;the margins between col's 15. XR4 C 10 16. COMMENTS MEMO ;citations, comments, sermons Please contact me through 138/45, or by voice at 604-758-4137, and let me know if you would like to participate. Thanks! ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 24 24 Nov 1986 typed by Infect Note: The following article was typed in from the October/ November issue of THRASHER magazine, page 75. In The Crowd: Tom Jennings The THRASHER Computer Bulletin Board System (BBS) has been an information exchange for more than 1200 skaters since its start in 1985. Those who have called might recognize the name Tom Jennings -- not only is he a regular caller, but the author of Fido -- the BBS program -- the standard in electronic BBS's. Since Tom's first crude Fido program in late 1983, his creation has spread across the entire U.S., most of Western Europe, Australia, and parts of Asia. Each Fido board is linked into a gigantic network, FidoNet, which comes alive automatically every night at 1:00am. Machines call each other and exchange informa- tion across the globe. If you're asking yourself what this means read on, as Tom sheds some light in an interview with the sysop of THRASHER BBS. THRASHER: EXPLAIN WHAT FIDO IS. TJ: Fido is a program which turns a personal computer into a BBS system. A BBS is a computer connected to a telephone line thru a modem to form a kind of information base. Other people with computers call BBS's and write messages to other callers, read messages from other callers, amd take programs and text files. A different community develops with every BBS and many times the conversations that take place thru the messages are quite good. A lot of boards are set up by techies for techies, but there are more and more underground, non-technical boards, like THRASHER. Anyone who uses Fido software to run a bulletin board can be part of a network called FidoNet. FidoNet is a loose collection of BBS's with nothing in common but Fido software. FidoNet connects all the BBS's together, so the machines themselves exchange long distance connections and help keep phone costs down. There are about 1500 'nodes' grouped together into different 'nets'. Up until about September most organizational work for Fido- Net was being done by a few people in one place. This didn't really work, so we've recently gone to a system of total anarchy. Implemented anarchy thru computers -- a real science fiction organization. There's going to be no center, the work will be spread out over the country and generated simultaneously in 13 places. There are lots of ways to look at the new organization. One is that it's taking a lot of decision making out of human hands and giving it to a machine. But what's being taken amounts to grunt-work, making a fucking list. This list has got to be 100% accurate, it's boring work -- no creativity involved. Machines can do that shit. It might sound de humanizing, but now instead Fidonews Page 25 24 Nov 1986 of having to do such boring work, people can go out and have fun. That's what it's all about, that's what computers are about, not the opposite. Everyone thinks of computers as these big institutional things with narrow, specified applications. People don't realize that computers are just another toy. They're just another tool. You can do anything you want with a handsaw, you can build all sorts of things, and a computer is just another tool. So many people won't believe that, just don't understand. It's really obnoxious. Kids at school now have BASIC examples in the columns of their textbooks, but computers are not about learning different computer languages. Computers can help change the way you think about things and teach you to define new realities. Like, what does this look like or do for the user, what does it look like to me the programmer? Problem solving is what it is, learning to think about how to break problems down. All the concepts of computers -- loops, stacks, multitasking and interrupts -- those are human concepts. They're narrow, rigid human concepts, which is why they can be put into machines like this. Humans made those ideas up. You're reading a book and somebody interrupts you...you put your finger where you were and you talk to them and you come back and start from there. That's exactly what the machine does. And it does it because that's the way humans defined it, it's not the other way around. The techie guys are making it seem like it's some arbitrary, holy mathematical construct. It's just another idea, and they never explain it like that. No one uses those analogies because they don't sound technical. THRASHER: I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO AVOID COMPUTERS BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BREAK THEM... TJ: That's typical, but the opposite is true. I was at Malibu Grand Prix yesterday, where most reasonably good drivers can do between 55 and 60 seconds per lap. There was a guy who kept doing 88 second laps -- turning it around the corners, not squealing the tires. Then, all of a sudden his time jumped to 60 seconds. He got out and he said, "I just realized how it works, you don't just roll it around, you make the thing work." Skateboards are like that. If you just roll along and turn by steering the trucks you'd never get anywhere, it would be boring very quickly. You realize the only way to make it go is to beat the living shit out of it and make it work for a living. Thrash it on the curb, flip it in the air and jump off ramps and land on your ass a whole lot, and you get better and better. You realize there's a whole other level you go beyond. Sometimes you find out by breaking it. And even that applies to things like computers, or anything, because human techniques are human techniques and people learn how to do things. That's what makes us human beings and not dogs. A dog will figure out how to open a door and it won't usually figure out that it means you can open the other door this way, it will go thru the whole same process with another kind of door. A little kid will figure it Fidonews Page 26 24 Nov 1986 out instantly and see a parallel, a door is a door. And that's how humans solve problems, machines or no machines. That is the level it works and people just don't see it because it's alwaus clouded in mystique and bullshit. THRASHER: WHERE DO YOU THINK COMPUTER FIT INTO, OR WILL FIT INTO, THE LIVES OF KIDS WHO READ THRASHER? TJ: I have an 18 year old friend who has an Apple with a printer and he uses it just like he uses his calculator. He couldn't care less about it. When he wants to write a paper for school he does it on his computer, just because it's easier to type there than on a typewriter or by hand, because he can go back and fix things. It's not a big deal for him. And that's probably a pretty typical attitude, not liking it but putting up with it. It's just another tool, might as well know how to use it. Actually, I was out skating in Golden Gate Park, trying to learn a few tricks, and these kids came by and gave me the most non-asshole advice I'd ever gotten in my life. None of this put-down stuff, no expert-playing, a couple of kids came by, it was very humbling at first, I'm like twice their age...but any- way, we got to talking about computers and stuff. They weren't particularly interested, they said they didn't see a connection between it. I mean, why would anybody with a skateboard be interested in computers and viceversa. I mentioned the THRASHER BBS, which one kid had heard of, so who knows. I think now it's just another fun thing out there. It might be fun and it might be boring. It's just the computer nuts who want to have it different. THRASHER: NOT MANY PEOPLE START SKATING AT YOUR AGE [31], WHAT MADE YOU START? TJ: I think it was your fault. You started sending me THRASHER. I started looking at it and sort of laughing. And the more I looked at it the more it looked like fun, so I went out and bought myself a board. If something is scary or a mystery it should be learned. There are too many things that are just stupidly scary for no reason at all. Just get rid of them. All of these things are being built by human beings, for human beings, so...if it's fun you should do it, if it's not any fun you shouldn't do it -- if you can possibly avoid it. -=>THRASHER BBS.............(415) 822-5630 125/8 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 27 24 Nov 1986 Todd C. Looney Vietnam Veteran's Valhalla Fido 143/27 (408)293-7894 300/1200/2400 Bauds NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERAN'S ECHO-MAIL CONFERENCE There is one other wall, of course. One we never speak of. One we never see, One which separates memory from madness. In a place no one offers flowers. THE WALL WITHIN. We permit no visitors. By Steve Mason I started out with Steve Mason's poem because it tells a story in itself. I believe it accurately describes in very few words one of the very many complex, and probably one of the most protected, commonalities shared not only among a vast majority of military combat veterans of ANY war, but among nearly every person who has witnessed and survived any kind of life-threatening traumatic experience as well. This "wall" shields us from our darkest, most horrifying memories. It is, without question, one of the most significant components manifested in Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTS). One of the toughest things for any combat veteran can be to open his or herself up (yes, there are women who have seen combat, too) to another human being and share the traumatic events from their past. It is rare in this instance when the occasion can be found when both the will and and a sympathetic, non critical ear are both available at the same time. Most of find it very hard, even when conditions are perfect, to "tell it like it really was". One has to have an awful lot of trust in a person to risk the consequences of lowering "the wall" , much less to permit others to visit among our long-since buried memories and feelings. When it gets right down to the line, most of us lose the courage to face the emotional ramifications which unmercifully enshroud us when we dare to share our deepest, most personal secrets with someone else. It is especially difficult when that other person has never experienced the same kind of traumatic events, making it difficult if not impossible for them to truly understand our pain. How do you tell someone who has never experienced combat what it REALLY feels like to witness a comrades violent death? What will that person think of you when you tell them what it REALLY feels like to have to take the life of another human being? Is the emotional relief from getting it off your chest REALLY worth the gamble of possible rejection, ridicule, or criticism? Well, I can tell you from my own experiences that is is far less painful to keep the "walls" in place than it is to face up to the terrifying realities they imprison. Fidonews Page 28 24 Nov 1986 There are a few places where I can feel safe bringing up those old, painful memories; places where I can slowly pull each one out and deal with it in a comfortable atmosphere free of mis- understanding and criticism. The local Vietnam Veterans Outreach Center is one, but I sometimes have problems in one-on-ones. The others are computer bulletin boards where I can find others like myself who have been there and understand where I am coming from. I started a bulletin board just like that in my home in San Jose, California, now the Vietnam Veteran's Valhalla. I also conceived of a national echo-mail conference devoted to the Vietnam Veteran and put out the call for supporters across the country. That call was answered by three other Fido bulletin board sysops. Together, we have linked our systems between the east and west coasts and I am proud to boast of our success. The other boards who have become a part of this conference are: The New York Transfer, 107/105, Bob Richards-sysop 718-442-1056 300/1200/2400 bauds The BNC Connector, 151/301, Bob Schreiber-sysop 704-262-1861 300/1200/2400 Bauds The Blowtorch, 109/606, Alexander Wall-sysop 202-686-9398 300/1200 Bauds There are people from all walks of life contributing to the National Vietnam Veterans Echo-Mail Conference; combat and non- combat veterans from all wars, non-veterans of all ages, Vietnamese military veterans and refugees. Just because you are not a Vietnam Veteran, or even a military veteran at all for that matter, is no reason not to call one of the boards closest to you. All you need is an interest in learning about the realities of the Vietnam war, and hearing about it from those of us who were actually there; who know the true cost of war and have paid that price. No historian, unless he or she has been there personally, can tell you what WE can! We want to put out the call again and ask for the support of other Fido sysops around the country to become a part of this valuable public service by hosting and/or coordinating the Vietnam Veterans Echo-Mail Conference in your area. Please contact me, Todd Looney, at the Vietnam Veteran's Valhalla in San Jose, California by FidoNet mail at node 143/27 to tell me you have decided to join us! If you are on the east coast, please contact Bob Richards, the east coast coordinator, at the New York Transfer in Staten Island, New York 107/105. If you're a regular subscriber of the Fido Newsletter, this will be the third time you have read about this. Why are you putting it off? We need your support today! We especially need your help if you are in one of the Mid-Western states (or anywhere between California and New York for that matter). This type of public service is still quite a unique one to the world, and I think you will agree it is a service whose time has come and needs desperately to be addressed. We can't really make it as Fidonews Page 29 24 Nov 1986 successful as we would like without your help. Echo-Mail is one of the most effective means of mass- communications brought to light this century, let's USE it! PLEASE JOIN US! ..... ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 30 24 Nov 1986 ================================================================= COLUMNS ================================================================= Jerry Hindle 123/6 123/0 MemphisNet 2400 baud MAX 901-353-4563 Hello again...... This time I am reviewing a terminal program called BOYAN-C1. This program has quite a few unique features that will no doubt make it a LOT easier for one to operate when calling a bulletin board. I have only had this file for a few days and already I have noticed a distinct drop in my on-line time when calling long distance systems. This in itself should be enough for most but the author has decided to go a lot farther by adding such features as a complete file handler BUILT IN the program itself. You can do such mundane things as copy, move, rename, or delete files with this feature but I find the best use is one I think not one person has thought of before...to wit marking the files for either uploading or downloading. He has also included a feature that makes X-modem protocol file transfers almost as easy to do as the Tele-Link file transfer is now. This is the ability of the terminal package to remember the filename you are downloading from a bulletin board when you type it in, thus when you have entered the information for downloading on the system all you need do is hit the PgDn and the term program will insert the filename for you on your disk. This program has no limit to the amount of buffer since it uses the disk itself for storing info automatically. It also can handle editing a file of any size due to the same reason, it uses the disk as a buffer ! The many features of this program are too varied and good for me to fully describe here, but I will say that the author has shown a great deal of imagination in writing this one and I for one think it is well worth the requested SHAREWARE donation. The file in ARC format is about 144k long but when you un-ARC it you should do it to either a hard drive or an EMPTY floppy as it is a real hog for space. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 31 24 Nov 1986 ================================================================= FOR SALE ================================================================= MAGAZINE ON DISK FOR IBM PC AND COMPATIBLES The first issue of BIG BLUE DISK, a magazine on disk for the IBM Personal Computer and compatibles, is currently on sale. It is contained entirely on a floppy disk. Each issue contains programs, articles, feedback from subscribers, program reviews and demos, and more. For example, issue number one contains the following: - PLANET OF THE ROBOTS: In this text adventure, a time warp has transported you to a future Earth where robots rule. Can you find your way back? - HOP-A-LONG HANGMAN: A new version of the classic word game, with three different skill levels and word sets. - LIFETIME CALENDAR: Travel back in time or plan the future. Display any month from January, 1753 to December, 4999. - LOAN AMORTIZATION: Calculate simple interest loan terms that best suit your budget. This easy-to-use program produces a full amortization schedule. - STRING ART: This program generates many captivating patterns. Check it out; a little high-tech cloud watching is good for the soul. In addition, BIG BLUE DISK #1 contains a column of hints and tips; and a report of late-breaking news in the computer industry. Also, for the first time anywhere, BIG BLUE DISK presents a review of VersaForm XL version 4.0, the latest version of an inexpensive but powerful forms-oriented database. This issue is available at many outlets nationwide, including Waldenbooks and B. Dalton Booksellers. You can also order it by direct mail by sending $9.95 (check, money order, or Visa/Mastercard/American Express accepted) to: BIG BLUE DISK, PO BOX 30008, SHREVEPORT, LA 71130-0008. Mail subscriptions are also available: One year (12 monthly issues) costs only $69.95. (A 41% savings over newsstand price.) A six-month subscription is available for $39.95. BIG BLUE DISK requires an IBM PC or compatible, with at least 256K of memory and a Color Graphics Adapter or compatible graphics board. Send questions/comments to Daniel Tobias on FIDO 19/216. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 32 24 Nov 1986 Bill Hunter FidoNet BBS 109/626 Disk I/O Slowing you down? Are you dealing with a large Database that takes forever to read? Is your Network bogged down due to disk seek time? Do you simply want to make better use of the Extended/Expanded memory capacity on your system? Your solution is: D I S C A C H E V 0.01 DISCACHE can help you recover lost seconds when it counts. DISCACHE works by keeping commonly accessed disk data in memory so that when such data is read it is copied from memory rather than read from disk. DISCACHE supports 3-types of memory: Conventional (to 640K) Extended - AT memory via BIOS INT 15 Expanded - via Lotus/Intel EMS DISCACHE can help you utilize ALL of your Extended/Expanded memory to the fullest, as it helps you get the most from your system. DISCACHE is available to you through the FidoNet News, not at the full price ($75.00), but for only: $49.00 (aren't you glad you read the FidoNews?). DISCACHE can be obtained by sending your check or money order (NO CASH PLEASE) and a description of your equipment type (i.e. System and Hard Disk/controller card, etc.) to: W.E.G. Systems, P.O. Box 5072, Springfield, VA 22150. Or contact us via FidoMail for information, on the WAFRUG_BBS 109/626 at (703)-425-0695. (DISCACHE supports only those hard disks that are accessible via standard BIOS interface!) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 33 24 Nov 1986 Full Disclosure announces a special subscription drive for new subscribers. Full Disclosure is offering for a limited time only, absolutely FREE three issue subscriptions. This offer applies to new subscribers only. All you have to do is reply to this offer now. Full Disclosure is normally $15/yr (12 issues). Full Disclosure is a hard hitting newspaper that doesn't use government press releases for its stories. We use information obtained from private sources that don't have a vested interest in promoting big government, and from extensive use of the Freedom of Information Act. Summaries of world news from numerous foreign publications are also included in each issue. Since 1984, we've reported on citizens rights, government corruption, secrecy, and other topics of interest. And our stories bring results. Full Disclosure's interview with retired CIA agent Victor Marchetti had such a big impact that it was included in a course on intelligence at Yale University, an Ivy League school and one of America's most prestigious institutions of higher learning. That's the kind of coverage that led Sound Choice to remark: ``This is a type of publication that is especially needed. Full Disclosure publishes research on government agencies' illegal and immoral (often highly secret) actions against its citizens and environment... Don't think such things aren't happening -- they are. Don't get scared -- get aware.'' Hurry and send your name and address along with a request for a special three issue free subscription to: Full Disclosure, Box 8275-FI2, Ann Arbor, MI 48107. Or reply to Fido 120/31. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 34 24 Nov 1986 The Structured Programming Language is a SHARE WARE free format block structured programming language that runs on MSDOS and PCDOS computer systems. It may be obtained by calling a bulletin board system at 516 334 8221. Download SPLLIB.ARC at 1200 or 300 baud. It takes only 20 minutes to download at 1200 baud. It is also available from PC BLUE in New York City. If you like the software I strongly recommend that you REGISTER and PAY for the software because I would like to make an honest living just like you do. There is no need to be validated on the bbs to download files. For software support call Electronic Digital Computer Systems at 516 694 5872. In the near future look for the language on net.micro.pc conference on USENET. Some major features and advantages of SPL o SPL is an alternative to the PASCAL and C languages o SPL programs can be run on MACINTOSH,AMIGA,ATARI ST,CP/M o The SPL processor will run on MSDOS emulators on MACINTOSH, AMIGA,ATARI ST o PROCEDURES o WHILE loops o FOR loops with REAL and INTEGER indicies and increments o REPEAT loops o Powerful IF THEN ELSE constructs o Powerful RANDOM and SEQUENTIAL INPUT/OUTPUT including formatted OUTPUT o GRAPHICS statements PSET DRAW LINE CIRCLE PRESET SCREEN ..... o BEGIN END blocks o ERROR trapping o Statement labels (multiple labels supported) o Strong data types INTEGER REAL STRING scalars and arrays o Names of variables and labels up to 40 characters upper and lower case o Supports mathematical functions SIN COS TAN LOG EXP ..... o STRING functions MID$ LEFT$ RIGHT$ STR$ VAL$ ASC$ ..... o Your compiled BASIC programs do not become obsolete link them together o SPL programs run faster than PASCAL programs o SPL programs can take advantage of an entire 640k IBM PC o The SPL processor will work on an IBM PCjr with 128k and 1 drive ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 35 24 Nov 1986 ================================================================= NOTICES ================================================================= The Interrupt Stack 3 Dec 1986 Start of the Electronic Mail Association conference in Washigton, D.C. 7 Dec 1986 The Next Occasional MetroNet Sysop Meeting. Contact Gee Wong at 107/312 for details. 24 Aug 1989 Voyager 2 passes Neptune. If you have something which you would like to see on this calendar, please send a message to FidoNet node 1/1. ----------------------------------------------------------------- **** 1987 - A Microprocessor Odyssey **** ( or Who needs a Monolith? ) . + . * _ + * . -(_)- + _______________ * -=|| | . . -=|| | . -=|| | + -=|| | -=|| 80386 | -=|| | -----------------=|| |----------------------- -=|| | -=|| | -=|| | \|_____________| MY GOD, ITS FULL OF BUGS!!!!!!!!! Artwork By Randall Kobetich 150/130 Idea - Mike Jacobs 150/900 ----------------------------------------------------------------- I.P.R. Echomail ( Interpersonal Relationships ) Fidonews Page 36 24 Nov 1986 Are you interested in the discussing the moral,social, and ethical issuses of our time? I have had quite a bit of success offering such a message sig on my B.B.S. It has encouraged a great deal of intelligent interaction. Have several issues often passed through your board on today's controversial subjects like Euthinasia, Divorce, Abortion, public aide programs, Genetic Engineering Etc.? Well then you may be interested in hooking your users into I.P.R. National Echomail. This forum is assured to spur users to engage in stating the various viewpoints in an interesting fashion that will get all involved. It is an enjoyable sig for everyone. It is a fun "CONTROVERSY" forum. For information on how to hookup please Netmail a note to: Randall Kobetich 150/130 Wilmington, Delaware ----------------------------------------------------------------- Fidonews Page 37 24 Nov 1986 __ The World's First / \ BBS Network /|oo \ * FidoNet * (_| /_) _`@/_ \ _ | | \ \\ | (*) | \ )) ______ |__U__| / \// / Fido \ _//|| _\ / (________) (_/(_|(____/ (jm) Charter Membership for the International FidoNet Association Membership in IFNA is open to any individual or organization that pays an annual specified membership fee. IFNA serves the international FidoNet-compatible electronic mail community to increase worldwide communications.** Name _________________________________ Date ________ Address ______________________________ City & State _________________________ Country_______________________________ Phone (Voice) ________________________ Net/Node Number ______________________ Board Name____________________________ Phone (Data) _________________________ Baud Rate Supported___________________ Board Restrictions____________________ Special Interests_____________________ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Is there some area where you would be willing to help out in FidoNet?_______ ______________________________________ ______________________________________ Send your membership form and a check or money order for $25 to: International FidoNet Association P. O. Box 41143 St Louis, Missouri 63141, USA Thank you for your membership! Your participation will help to insure the future of FidoNet. ** Please NOTE that IFNA is a general not-for-profit organization in formation and BYLAWS are presently being prepared by an International Rules Committee. Membership requirements and fees are subject to approval of this Committee. An IFNA Echomail Conference has been established on FidoNet to assist the BYLAWS Committee. We welcome your input on this Conference. -----------------------------------------------------------------