T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
+--------------------------+------------------------------------------+
| .----------------------. | dr.debug: dr.debug @ filegate.net |
| | A monthly E-Zine | | bbslists: bbslists @ filegate.net |
| | published by Fidonet | | articles: fidogazette @ filegate.net
| | to promote BBSing | +------------------------------------------+
| | ____________. | |
| | / __ | "Anyone who has never made a mistake |
| | / / \ | has never tried anything new." |
| | WOOF! ( /|oo \ | |
| \_______\(_| /_) | Albert Einstein |
| \@/ \ | |
| .---.\ _ | |
| _ |usb| \ \\ | |
| / | .___. \ ))| Editor: Janis Kracht |
| / | /_ | / \// | |
| |___| // || _\ / | janis @ filegate . net |
| .--`-. (_|(_|(____/ | janis kracht 1:261/38 |
| |____| (jm) | |
+--------------------------+------------------------------------------+
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==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=Contents=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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Editorial ....................Editor's rants/raves (2)
News: New Members (Z1) .............A list of new members! (3)
Returning Members (Z1)................Old friends come back(3)
The Old School Toolbox.....................................(4)
Backup Fidonet Routing Connections, a Possible Plan. ......(6)
Is It Time? ...............................................(7)
Linux Tips ................................................(8)
Food...Even SysOps have to Eat!............................(9)
FidoGazette BBS List......................................(10)
Dr.Debug Answers Your Questions...........................(11
BBS Gamecorner............................................(11)
Info: ..........Where to send your articles...............(12)
Solutions.................................................(14)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
---------
Editorial
---------
One of the great aspects of Fidonet has always been the response from
people when you ask for help. I don't think I've ever seen quite the
response elsewhere. People are just plain happy to help.
And so this month, Richard Webb comes onboard with tech columns and the
like. I'm looking forward to them a great deal. I'll probably do a few
myself since I've been running a variety of mailers and bbs programs
over the years.. I started with Binkley-Term and a single modem in 1989,
then moved on to FrontDoor and two line bbs with two USR Courier HST
modems. By the time the FileGate started in 1994, I was running two
V.Everything 14.4 modems, and I remember Ron, my husband, laughing at
the fact that I could identify the connection speeds of callers by
sounds the modems were making (I think, really, who couldn't back then
(grin). From OS/2 and "Back to Binkley" I then went to Linux and
BBBS/LiI Flag (and no, my husband did not set up linux for me, nor did
he even run linux until I had been running it for at least 5 years heh..
sorry, this last is in response to some er.. idiots I've run into in my
life (g)).
It's how we were back then.. we knew the technical details of our craft.
The ins and outs of our hobby.. the ports, the irq's and why you could
or couldn't put modems on ports 1 and 3 under DOS, and more. Some of us
have not quite "lost" all of that know-how under our internet
connections,but we don't use it very often, that is for sure since now
we most likely use protocols such as BinkP, and virtual modems to
collect our mail packets.. we use internet protocols such as telnet to
log into bbs systems very often, and yet there is still interest in
using modems as we saw last month, as in "the old days" (see last
months' article, "DataTerminal"). We'll try to speak to both methods
and practices and provide tips for both as well in the upcoming issues
of FidoGazette. If you have questions you'd like us to answer, we're
going to start a Q/A column, called Dr.Debug. Send your questions to
Dr.Debug @ filegate.net and you'll get a reply right here in the next
edition plus a personal answer in email if you'd like (or not, up to you
(grin)).
Not only is there a renewed interest of our "ancient history" regarding
modems and the like, but as internet service providers become more
resistant to the idea of hobbiests running servers, we may actually find
ourselves going BACK to telephone lines, calling plans and modems. See
Richard's article in this issue regarding an emergency backup plan in
case of internet failure... and this idea may also be of interest in the
case of another sysop I heard from this week, as his ISP informed him
that he was violating the NEWLY changed term of service by running
servers of any type! Hence my article, "Is it Time?"
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
New Members
-------------------------------
By Janis Kracht
New SysOps -- Welcome to FidoNet!
R18: John Merritt
=================================
Returning SysOps -- Welcome back!!
(Soon!) Robert LaPrise
================================
In the works!
R18: Chandler Scotland Bailey
R12: Dimitrios Papadopoulos
NA: Chadwick E. Labno
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
The Old School Toolbox
By RIchard Webb, 1:116/901
Occasionally in this space I'll take a look at some bit of software
or techniques that have been around since the days of fidonet when pots
was the only way, and our systems were buzzing with activity. Some of
us still use these tools. Some use nothing but plain old telephone
modems and older tools on our systems. Others have done the hybrid
approach, quite a bit of new stuff along with some older tools. Some
newer folks might not even be aware of some of these old tools and
techniques, however, and if you resemble that remark, then this column
is for you.
So, before we delve into one of these tools from the days when the bbs
was a major player in the online world let me remind those of you out
there who use tools from this era that I do not that your contributions
to this endeavor are also welcome. I'm certain our editor would welcome
them. Some may not fit with my system, and hence I cannot accurately
or adequately describe them or tell the newcomers about them.
Bots!
This topic covers enough ground that I'll give the relative newcomer a
brief overview of some fidonet automation and the tools we use to
accomplish it in two installments.
These days when we think of "bots" we're likely to think of zombied
computers working at the behest of spammers and other nogoodniks on the
internet, but bots have been around since the earliest days of
telecommunication via computer. After all, they're just simple
automation.
Fidonet has thrived on bots since its very early days. Soon after Jeff
Rush developed echomail an enterprising sysop developed autoecho, a
forerunner of today's areafix and raid. THIs and of course the file
request we've all come to know and appreciate were the first forms of
automation over and above Tom JEnnings and his automated mail transfers
in the middle of the night.
Just about every sysop in fidonet is familiar with areafix, I hope.
But, for the uninitiated it goes like this. AReafix is a way for a
system operator to request linkage to echomail conferences he/she
wishes to carry on the system. THe sysop sends a message to areafix at
his/her uplink's address with a password on the subject line. IN the
body of the message the area tags desired are placed, one per line. If
she wishes to sever a link with a conference the relevant area tag is
preceded by a dash.
Autoecho evolved rather quickly into the standard areafix we all
appreciate today. Fastecho and some other echomail processors bundled
areafix functionality. THose of us who are squish users had to look to
third parties for this. Back in the middle 1990's when I ran a busy
system I used one, but its functionality was quite limited and I still
had to intervene manually if a downlink desired an area not currently
carried on my system. THe software I use now for this came along after
I'd left fidonet. WHile i was setting it up I asked myself hundreds of
times why this guy didn't release it sooner so I could have its
features when I really needed them (grin).
Along with areafix is its sister program for linking and unlinking of
file echoes known as raid. Allfix and other popular file echo
processors come with built-in raid functionality.
Bots that respond to mail from users and other sysops can do more than
just link and unlink echo and file areas. Some rather powerful tools
have been developed over the last quarter of a century which enable
just about any sysop to add some powerful email and netmail response
tools to his arsenal.
Those entries in your nodelist which fly the ping flag are no doubt
using some sort of netmail autoresponse feature to provide the
functionality required which is detailed in the comments at the end of
your weekly nodelist. Try a few of them out, see what you get back. BY
looking at those usually hidden control lines you'll find some software
packages in use for such purposes.
(Page 4)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
The Old School Tool Box, Con't...
As a user of binkleyterm squish and Maximus I naturally gave netmgr by
Gerard van Essen a try and liked it. LIke his reader/editor TimEd, and
squish and binkleyterm it was configured using regular ascii files. I
have a real aversion to menu driven configuration of software. I use
synthesized speech to read the screen as I'm a blind man, and it seems
that I never can get the screen reader to give me the right amount of
feedback. EIther it's too verbose, or too terse. I spend time tweaking
the screen reader to track the menus, then I've got to exit the darn
menu driven configuration program to refer to the docs, etc. Easier
for me to just open the configuration file in an ascii editor, with the
docs open in the editor in another window. Toggle back and forth
between them, and happily edit away until I'm ready to give it a test
drive.
There are other netmail trackers and managers out there since, and
many offer similar features. NEtmgr not your cup of tea to configure?
Just ask around. Sysops who use other tools for this purpose can point
you to them and tell you more about them.
Back in my busy hubbing days I used netmgr to readdress mail from my
point address, showing any netmail I sent as being from my main
address, and not from my point. I was told that it might be
unreliable, but I pointed netmgr at my comments to the sysop area and
had it move all new messages placed there to an echo area which was
available to me from my point address as well as to my co-sysop from
his point.
Other than that netmgr did a few simple things for me at the time, such
as bounce messages back to my downlinks if the destination address
couldn't be found in the nodelist, etc. YEs I registered it back in
the day.
How I use it today: Netmgr still addresses mail from my point or
certain others to show that the mail came from 1:116/901.0 instead of a
point address, if that mail is bound for a uucp type gateway. I use
netmgr to help me and other ham radio operators who work with cruisers
on the high seas. Our radio network operates a service called
shiptrak. A skipper at sea can either use his satellite or radio
internet connection to enter his current position, course, speed and
some weather data, or we enter it for him. the U.s. National oceanic
and atmospheric administration, (commonly known as the national weather
service) uses the data they provide to forecast more accurately for
vessels at sea. The cruisers also can provide a url to family and
friends back on solid ground that can be used to assure the landlubbers
of their safety.
Those of us who work with the net like to have a good overview of
who's where out there, both commercial vessels and these cruisers.
OFten if somebody's in trouble and needing assistance if there's a
vessel close by we can speed that assistance to them without having to
send out the big guns, such as the U.s. coast guard. IF the coast guard
responds we taxpayers get to pay a bill which is close to $200,000 for
that one rescue, and those cg units aren't available to somebody else
in trouble. In fact, just the other day while working with the coast
guard to assist a man and his wife crossing from AFrica i caused a
supertanker to divert to their location to drop them a 55 gallon drum
of #2 diesel. They'd been dismasted in a storm and now had no
propulsion except for the engines, and only about 6 hours fuel aboard.
My little email bot can get the radio ops this information before they
begom a tour of duty on the radio, allowing the radio op to have the
data printed off right in front of him/her instead of requiring the
great web hunt. THe radio op desiring the information address infoserv
at my fidonet address via my favorite gateway, and places "boat list"
in the subject line minus the quote symbols. WHEn my system next
processes mail from my uplink his request is seen, processed and a
response sent on its way. But, before I can provide them this
convenience I have to acquire the data. Here's how that works.
When our users enter data from a vessel on our web site it
generates emails which go to a couple different places. ONe of those
places is my system. Once the message is tossed into my message bases
netmgr picks it up, Netmgr invokes a batch file while shelling out.
THis batch file processes the file it generated from the contents of
the message. The header and all extraneous lines are removed, carriage
returns and linefeeds replaced with spaces, and the ionformation posted
to three different files. ONe file is all such postings since SUnday at
1200 UTC. Another is the last two days file, purged twice daily. THe
third is a master file which can be searched by users via email.
A user can then request via email or netmail my current (last 48
hours) file, or search my database for a vessel's radio call sign or a
word in its name.
If a user requests the "boat list' he gets the previous 48 hours
activity file. Also, interested folks can utilize netmail or email to
request current alerts for missing or overdue vessels that I have on
file.
I'm hoping to add some general interest for fidonet folks to my
infoserv functions as well, and have just about completed testing on
the first one. THough of limited interest as most fidonet sysops have a
nodelist available, I've implemented a nodelist lookup query function.
Want to test it? Just send a message to nodefinder at this fidonet
address via routed netmail. IN the subject line place the fidonet
address you'd like looked up. THe nodelist will be searched and
(hopefully if all is working as it should) the information will return
to you via routed netmail. IN fact, you'll get two messages. THe first
tells you that your query was received and will be processed soon. THE
second should contain your desired information.
I use netmgr's bounce function to return the data on cruisers using
our shiptrak system during the previous 48 hours to requesters. The
missing/overdue/attempt to locate returns are done thanks to a batch
file invoked by netmgr when such queries are received. I do the alerts
from a batch file instead of a bounce, because if there are no active
alerts at the time the request was received the poor requester would
get nothing back. So, the batch file creates the response if it finds
no file telling the requester that there are no alerts at this time,
and what time his/her request was processed.
Next time in this space we'll discuss those nice little bots that
allow sysops and echo moderators to automatically post those rules
files as messages and do other neat tricks.
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(Page 5)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
Backup fidonet Routing Connections, a Possible Plan.
By Richard Webb, 1:116/901
Last October a major mail mover, and the editor of this fledgling
publication experienced an internet outage that could have been
protracted to the better part of a week had things not have fallen into
place. She and I hatched a quick backup plan which would keep her
connected to at least one of the other major mail movers with one
intervening step.
This caused me to do some thinking about the issue. As some of you
know I'm very much involved in emergency communications via amateur
radio, etc. because of this, I'm always thinking about battery power
backups for radio gear, and of course computers. Many of us already have
UPS backup for our machines. But, what provisions are we making to back
up critical links in the distribution of echomail and routed netmail?
Stuff happens, and an outage affecting a large isp could conceivably
isolate a net or region. Meanwhile we have fidonet systems out here
using pots effectively. We also have some major mail movers which are
not pots capable at the present time.
In the case of the outage Janis experienced last fall we quickly got
her connected with everything on the z1 backbone that I carry, and
additional echoes I don't requested via my uplink. My uplink connects
directly with Eastern STar, which would have reestablished that linkage
for her.
I proposed shortly after this in z1_sysop that folks who are still
pots capable do a bit of organizing among themselves to be able to step
into the void to keep echomail and routed netmail moving to fill in gaps
in coverage when they occur. I've received some positive feedback from
a couple of pots capable systems. HOwever, we all seem to connect the
same places, and nobody who has responded has connections with the
western part of z1. There are also some rc's and other midlevel mail
movers who show pots capability in their nodelists
At first blush this is going to entail some expense om somebody's part
to implement such a backup. However, there are some of us with those
flat rate calling plans, etc. that can be deployed to keep the mail
moving. I would propose that we not promise to keep file echoes
distributing large files moving, they can usually hold all traffic until
regular internet links are restored. But, there is no reason that some
of us who have such advantageous plans couldn't put our systems to work
as the carriers between systems that would need temporary connections
but would be placed at a severe disadvantage by being forced to place
the calls.
Devising such a backup plan would not require a whole lot of effort
once things were in motion. Some mechanisms would be in place to assist
those who had need to utilize it, as well as keep data and information
current. An administrator would keep data on systems willing to route
mail for others who have pots connections, as well as those who would be
willing to undertake the job of actually transporting the mail.
Those willing to act as carriers (those of us with the advantageous
calling plans) would establish session and packet passwords with hubs
and others we could realistically be expected to serve. For example, I
probably wouldn't be willing to serve moving mail outside the
continental U.S> as the cost would soon become prohibitive. I paid
almost $4 for a one minute call to Toronto by the time I paid all the
taxes that accrued thanks to that 60 seconds on the telephone. I could,
however easily interface with rc14. I have regular connections with z1c;
rc19, and one hop away from rc18.
Such backup plans would need to take into account where the impacted
system derived its feed, and which systems the impacted node feeds. THis
would take a bit of planning to iron out, but such planning could be
made available if an administrator kept track of systems in a
cooperative of those willing to step into the void to help. FOr the
sake of calling it something in this article let's call it the fidonet
classic cooperative.
Two echomail conferences would be established. One which would be a
regularly available backbone echo would be for systems wishing to ask
questions or help others establish a modem feed.
Under normal circumstances all an administrator would need to do is
maintain some records of capabilities of systems whose sysops expressed
a willingness to be part of such a cooperative effort. Occasionally the
administrator might want to query such systems to see if their status
had changed.
The cooperative could also be useful in assisting those systems which
wish to connect with fidonet but may not have internet means such as
binkd or transex to move mail.
Such backup links would of course provide administrative file echoes
to any downlinks served on a temporary or permanent basis as a minimum
level of service. I'd be interested in hearing from anybody with an
interest in this topic. I can of course be reached at my fidonet
address, and routing is quite reliable. I can also be reached at
elspider@bellsouth.net. IF using bellsouth please send plaintext only.
Two echomail conferences would be created.
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
Is It Time?
By Janis Kracht, 1:261/38
All this discussion of modems and dataterminals, back-up plans etc. may
seem unnecesary to you. Your internet provider may allow you
unrestricted use of servers on any port you choose.. or if they never
check the various ports used by their clientele.. but alas it is not so
for many of us. For those who can't run "servers", but would like to
continue pulling in mail, perhaps pulling modems out of storage is an
answer?
Over here in Windsor NY, we are charged a commericial rate by our phone
company, TDS Telecom, and are forced to purchase a business phone line
and pay business phone line rates for normal phone calls to get DSL
service (and it stinks at that!!). Many people have heard me bemoan the
fact of the slow speeds we get here for a line that is supposed to be a
3-Meg line. But that is the only choice we have.. pay a $239.00 fee
(and that is reduced from the original $400.00 they charged us for the
first 3 years) for this business line/DSL and oh boy... we get 5 whole
IP addresses, and we can run servers...so they can't scream at us if Ron
tests out his software by running web pages, ftp servers or if I run
BinkP servers, web servers, etc. for filegate.net.
The Cable company in the area essentially told us to get lost about 3
years ago when they realized how much traffic was going through the
filegate and the message echos. They didn't like it one bit.. I was
paying them _$500.00_ a month for the privilege of wasting their
bandwidth, and even _then_ it wasn't enough to keep them happy.. they
still told us (rather abrubtly I might add) that they were not going to
deal with "commercial customers any longer" and all ports were being
"closed down"...i.e... no servers. This cable company obviously liked my
$500.00 a month long enough to afford better advertising on local
Television .. we noticed that a few months into our contract with them
.. hmm....
So here we are with TDS. We could rent space on a large server
somewhere.. but hey, we're talking about a hobby, right? This is
fidonet! You know.. A bbs system somewhere in the house, probably in
the backroom, or in the bedroom or in the basement .. or that's
how it USED to be, at least :)
Then I get an email from one of my friends in Kentucky.. _His_ ISP just
contacted him and said he is in violation of his service agreement.. he
is not allowed to run servers any longer (oh yes, they can change that
agreement at any time and they have). Did I have any suggestions?
(sigh)
Run Binkley in Client mode of course.. first plan.. That is not a
server. If your bbs has a web daemon, don't put it up.. man, is THAT
sad.
If it were me, and I'd paid good money for software like I have for BBBS
which comes with a web server and I couldn't use it, I'd be more than
upset. Alternate ports are a possiblilty but one can't take that kind
of risk since ISPs no doubt will be checking all ports if they are going
to be that ridiculous about service agreements.
Outside of the above, a good calling plan is all I can suggest at this
point or at least get a phone line and modem and let someone else
deliver your mail and files to you. It's an added expense of about
$30-$40 per month minimum just for the phone line, but at least you'd
get mail and files in. I've got a calling plan here, and I can call
anyone who's got a phone line and decent modem connected.. I don't mind
delivering mail to your system since I already pay for the plan. My
plan lets me call LD unrestricted so it doesn't matter where you live in
the US. Just netmail me at 1:261/38, or email me at janis @
filegate.net if you need a feed.. no problem hooking you in if you are
in the lower 48 of the U.S.A. At this point I don't have a plan that
covers the rest of Zone 1 outside the continental US, but if necessary
I'm sure we can work things out with our friends up north or I can
always investigate other calling plans if the need is there. So..
beware. We're hoping your ISP doesn't get stingy with ports and such..
but if it hits, know your options! and don't throw those modems away,
that's for sure.
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
Linux Tips:
by Janis Kracht, 1:261/38
Check the Spelling of a Word in the shell or under XWindows
Type the LOOK command with the word you want to check:
bbs @ filegate $ look stuff
stuff
stuffed
stuffender
stuffer
stuffgownsman
stuffily
stuffiness
stuffing
stuffy
It helps to have a large "linuxwords" dictionary. You can download a
much bigger dictionary from here:
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/souptonuts/linuxwords.1.tar.gz?download
Note: vim users can setup the .vimrc file with the following. Now when you
type CTL-X CTL-T in insert mode, you'll get a thesaurus lookup.
set dictionary+=/usr/share/dict/words
set thesaurus+=/usr/share/dict/words
Or, you can call aspell with the F6 command after putting the following
in your .vimrc file
:nmap :w:!aspell -e -c %:e
Now, hit F6 when you're in vim, and you'll get a spell checker.
There is also an XWindows dictionary that runs with the following
command...
$ gnome-dictionary
...which results in a pop-up window. It prompts you for the word you'd
like to check, as below:
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Grief_
Grief \Grief\ (gr[=e]f), n. [OE. grief, gref, OF. grief, gref,
F. grief, L. gravis heavy; akin to Gr. bary`s, Skr. guru,
Goth. ka['u]rus. Cf. {Barometer}, {Grave}, a., {Grieve},
{Gooroo.}]
1. Pain of mind on account of something in the past;
mental suffering arising from any cause, as misfortune, loss of
friends, misconduct of one's self or others, etc.; sorrow;
[1913 Webster]
-------------------------------------------------------------------
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
-=-=-=-=-=-
F O O D Even sysops have to eat!
-=-=-=-=-=-
A review of the Fisher-Paykel two-Drawer Dishwasher
The first thing you notice about this dishwasher is how quiet it
is.. extremely quiet!.. Forget about hearing the dishwasher drowning out
TV after dinner, or whatever.. no more with this one.. (grin)
I purchased this dishwasher at one of our quality appliance stores in
Binghamton NY. Generally, you expect they will have quality merchandise
at this shop. I was impressed by the two-drawer system, by the way
every piece of the thing comes out like a child's snap-together toy..
easy to repair, easy to clean.. looked like there was plenty of room in
each "drawer" for a full load of dishes, etc.
Well there is.. sort of.
Because the drawers don't have a top sprayer and water comes from the
bottom only, dinnerware, pots and cups and glasses must be placed in it
correctly perhaps more so that with a normal dishwasher. They won't
come clean otherwise. If you stack things properly, i.e., give things
plenty of space, and use the highest wash cycle things will come out
spotless everytime. You think you don't have quite as much room with
this dishwasher sometimes, and then you remember, oh, there's another
drawer.. It surprises you sometimes.
Cups and glasses are a problem though if you large glasses (for example
16oz. size). They are too tall for the Glass rack and must go on the
bottom rack even if they are plastic. Smaller cups seem to fit well on
the cup rack. The biggest problem though is how the racks fit on the
unit side walls. The dishwasher has 8 thin-ish flat plates in sets of
two on each side, 4 to each drawer for glassware. These are attached to
the walls of the dishwasher with plastic tabs which allow them to swivel
flat when not in use. Handy for fitting pots in the unit for cleaning
when necessary.. awkward when the tab breaks as it did the third time
or so that I used the machine.. so now the top rack's cup rack on the
right side is held level to the second cup rack with a plastic baggie's
twist-tie .. which is necessary because if it is not level, the cups
won't stay ON the rack, they will fall off the rack, there is nothing to
hold them on it.. Replacing the rack won't do any good, because it's
not the rack that is broken, it's the piece of plastic that is built
into the wall of the dishwasher :(
Other Good points : The silverware DOES come out very clean no matter
how much you overfill the silerware tray.. well one must these things,
afterall :) Additionally, the unit uses so little dishwasher soap it's
incredible.. about two tablespoons.. that is just weird :)
All in all I give this dishwasher 3 1/2 stars out of 5 because I've
owned 5 star dishwashers that were _much_ better than this one and they
cost _much_ less than this one. However this one is somewhat nice. It
is very quiet.. it does work very well if the dishes are scraped really
well _and_ it is loaded properly. You must treat it gently because it
is made of cheap plastic - those tabs on the cup racks are pathetic -
You can't fit large items in it - no large glasses, such as 16 oz. or
larger, or large cookie racks or overly large pans, etc.- and I would
not trust any antique china in it or crystal items in it either. I did
foolishly try some antique coffee cups in it _once_. Never again.. one
time off the rack.. ouch :( But it's quiet! and it's extremely energy
effecient compared to any other dishwasher I've every had.. and uses so
little water, it's amazing. So I guess we're pretty happy all in all :)
(Page 9)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
!!! G A Z E T T E B B S L I S T !!!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
System.......Prism BBS
FidoAddress..1:261/38
Phone........607-655-5652
Software.....BBBS LiI Flag
OS...........Linux (Gentoo)
C/B Verify...None
Access.......First Call access to Msg bases,
and file areas.
Telnet.......filegate.net
telnet access offers full features
of the standard bbs such as doors,
qwkmail, BWmail,Files, etc.
www:.........http:/www.filegate.net:8090/bbbs
[web interface is limited really
to reading messages and replying
online, or downloading messages
in qwk packets, but not uploading
them], and file download access.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
System.......Time Warp of the Future BBS
FidoAddress..1:14/400
Phone........none
Software.....sbbs 3.15a (very beta)
OS...........win. (xp pro. sp3)
C/B Verify...None
Access.......First Call access to Msg bases, and file areas.
Telnet.......time.synchro.net:24 or time.darktech.org:24
or timewarpfuture.dyndns.org:24
telnet access offers full features
of the standard bbs such as doors,
messages or file area etc.
www:........http://time.synchro.net:81
Web interface is limited really
to reading messages and replying online, or
downloading messages in qwk packets, but not
uploading them, and file download access.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
System.......Lionsden BBS
FidoAddress..1:224/303
Phone........613-392-8896
Software.....Sunchronet
OS...........Windows XP
C/B Verify...None
Access.......First Call access to Msg bases, and file areas.
Telnet.......lionsden.darktech.org
telnet access offers full features
of the standard bbs such as doors,
qwkmail, Files, etc.
www:.........http:/www.lionsden.darktech.org
You will redirected to a menu where you can choose
one of three sites. The first one is private and
requires PW to get into.
FTP..........FTP://lionsden.darktech.org Files only
=#=
(Page 10)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
Dr. Debug Answers Your Questions
================================
"How do I get an echo on the fidonet BACKBONE???"
It just takes a few steps. The first step can be done via netmail or
email:
1 - you send the listkeeper a notice of your echo like this:
To: Echolist @1:1/21 Or by email to echolist @ fidonet.us
Subj: MOD UPD
===============
FROM: janis @ filegate.net
TAG FUNTIMES
TITLe FunTimes, my new Internatinal Echo
MOD Janis Kracht, 1:261/38, janis @ filegate.net
Mod MyBuddy
DESC fun times every day
DESC every every day.
DESC I think you get the drift.
DESC Are we having fun yet??
DESC I think so :)
VOLume 5/month
RESTrictions /REAL
ORIGin 1:261/38
PASSword you-pick-it-and-please-don't-forget-it!
*The first line, FROM: emailaddress is only necessary if you are
sending this VIA EMAIL, so if you send it via netmail, you don't need
that.
You don't need the whole word for each word above, just the capitalized
ones, like VOL instead of VOLume at the start of the line. If you are
sending this via email, don't forget to put your email address in the
MOD line and _also_ at the top of the message above the TITle line.
Ok, that's the first step. Don't lose this, you will use it again, see
much later.*
2 - now you will get a reply from the list keeper's Robot either in
email or in your fidonet netmail folder depending on how you sent your
echomail request. When you get the response, it will look something
like this:
=============================================
To: janis @ filegate.net
Message Received, Echo Added
FunTimes
FunTimes, my new Internatinal Echo
fun times every day every every day.
I think you get the drift. Are we having fun yet??
I think so :)
Origin: 1:261/38
Moderators: Janis Kracht
My buddy
======================
So far so good. you are on your way. Your echo is NOW on the
international ECHOLIST. Congratulations. But it is NOT on the
BACKBONE yet. We'll take care of that in a moment.
3 - You take this message and you post a copy of it the Z1_BACKBONE
echo, and address it to BACKBONE, and in the body at the top, just say,
Please add, like so:
========================================================
To: BACKBONE
From (you)
Please Add
=============================================
From: Echolist
To: janis @ filegate.net
Message Received, Echo Added
FunTimes
FunTimes, my new Internatinal Echo
fun times every day every every day. I think
you get the drift. Are we having fun yet ??
I think so :)
Origin: 1:261/38
Moderators: Janis Kracht, 1:261/38, janis @ filegate.net
My buddy, someplace@somewhere.com
========================================================
The moderator of the Z1_BACKBONE echo will ACK your message (let you
know it was received).
4 - The following Sunday your echo TAG name will appear on Backbone.na.
The world will see it and add it to their systems. *Now in about 6
months you will have to let the Echolist keeper know your echo is still
alive. You will only need to repeat step one, send in your echo record
to the echolist robot (no need to post in the backbone echo). You will
get a warning from the echolist robot if you forget to update your echo
but it's always better to be safe and get your echo updated in a timely
fashion. If you don't get your update in to the echolist keeper, and
your record expires, another sysop could technically list your echo as
the "moderator of record". For this reason, a lot of sysops automate the
renewal of their echo updates.
Regards,
Doc
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(Page 11)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
T h e B B S G A M E C O R N E R
========================================================================
By Janis Kracht [10][ ][ ][1] [2]
[3][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]
B B S C R O S S W O R D [4][ ][ ] [ ] [5]
[ ] [ ] [ ]
[7][ ][8] [9] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[6] [12][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ] [ ]
[ ] [11] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[13][ ][ ][ ][ ][14][ ][ ][ ] [ ]
[ ] [ ] [16][ ][ ][ ]
[15] [ ] [ ] [ ]
[ ] [ ] [ ]
[17][ ][ ] [ ] [18][ ][ ][ ][ ]
[ ] [ ] [ ]
[19][ ][ ][ ][ ][][ ][ ]
[ ] 20[ ][ ][ ][ ][ ][ ]21
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]
ACROSS
3 Clone
4 Ancient archiver
7 Archiver developed by Phil Katz
10 Maloff's first name
12 Tags are listed here
13 Homrighausen's joy
16 Wynn Wagner made it famous
17 Different outbounds for each zone
18 Programmer's editor for DOS and OS/2
19 Barebones Mailer
20 Scott's Corp.
DOWN
1 not *.MSG
2 Can use T-Mail style filebox or inbound-outbound dirs
5 Standard Request Information File, i.e.
6 Didn't make it Zone 1 much
8 Auxiliary device
9 Socket for connector
11 Uses extended codes found in IBM code page 437
14 Early multi-tasker
15 Standard interface to talk to serial port hardware
21 Bits of a byte over one wire
This is easy, but see page 14 for solution :)
(Page 12)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
INFO:
Where to Send Your Articles
Unlike most editors, I surely do not mind running my mouth when
there is a sparcity of articles for the 'zine. I'd MUCH rather
you sent in material but I think until someone starts a
discussion you feel like commenting about, you evil dullards
(just kidding!!!) will no doubt complain about "no issues"
(grin) So I will fill these issues with my meanderings and
thoughts and hopefully we will grow into something of
consequence here :) Don't be offended.. write an article!
If you WOULD like to submit an article and prove me wrong about
the dullard aspect of you guys and gals , feel free to drop
your article off at:
By email attach to address: janis @ filegate.net
Fidonet attach: Janis Kracht 1:261/38 Modem: 607-655-5652
1:261/100 filegate.net via telnet mailer
filegate.net via binkp mailer (don't send
articles as routed attaches, send them
direct to filegate.net).
Give it a title, sign your name and network address if you have one and
send it along!
Don't worry about the format, I can take anything you send me
and mutilate it further as you can see above. Linux is nice
that way (g). Spell checking your own work will help though
(something I'm typically guilty of (g)).
More specifics with this issue :)
To send a question to Dr. Debug, email a question to dr.debug @ filegate.net
or post in the fidogazette echo! :)
To send a listing to the fidogazette internet bbs list, send your bbs
listing to bbslist @ filegate.net or post it in the fidogazette echo! :)
(Page 13)
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T h e F i d o G a z e t t e! Volume III number II April 2009
BBS Crossword Solution
1 2
10DIMA B
RADIUS
4ARC N S5
6 M K R
R ZIP P A D I
A A ECHOLIST F
13FRONTDOOR R L
S E I T
15 F I S OPUS
O Q H
17 BSO V E
S I BRIEF
19 BINKLEY A 21
L W LANIUS
E
R
I
A
L
(Page 14)
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