Editorial

One of our readers takes the size of FidoNews to task in this Issue.

He doesn't say how long he's been around but only refers to the output of Tees, the previous Editor as example of FidoNews size past.

Since Tees didn't bother to actively edit FidoNews many times, it's hardly surprising many of his Issues were miniscule or Editorial only phosphor padding.

FidoNews has been all sizes the past 13 years from 5K to 157K. Does it really matter how big an Issue is uncompressed? Nobody has to read it; part or all of it. Those who enjoy FidoNews for its potential [like myself] make contributions to it to make it fun or useful. The History and Standards series is part of what FidoNet is and many newbies and Echomail weenies [those who only joined FidoNet for Echomail and don't care or understand FidoNet's purpose] have never been exposed to this material. It's FidoEducational. That's why it's here and why it's going to keep going this way. There are FIVE FSCs in this Issue. There are only sixty or so more to go. [grin]

The software list is also an important part of the FidoNews mission and we all are indebted to Peter Popovich for the Herculean labors he has made in organizing and maintaining that list. {Thanks, Peter!} In these days of uncertified mailers and tossers giving headaches to the entire Network from time to time, it's good to know what is available and what does work. Even as many of the Echomail weenies flee FidoNet for the apparently greener pastures of Internet mailing lists, there are still BBS Sysops who need to know what is available for them if they want to put up a system and become part of the World's First and Largest Amateur BBS Network [and no, Bob, you don't have to run a BBS to be a FidoNet Sysop]. It serves a purpose. It's in every Issue because any one Issue may be the only one somebody sees.

There's an old saying that I don't agree with about doing and teaching. It sez that those who can, do, and those who can't, teach. That is incorrect. Those who can, do AND teach. Those who can't, get jobs as critics. I'm doing and teaching. The lessons may be taken or left at the reader's discretion. [grin]

Speaking of 'otherNets'[tm], it appears that the first major splinter groups that broke from FidoNet to start true Utopian networks [cough] have died from lack of interest or commitment. The first to go off was AlterNet and it stopped publishing a nodelist as of Julian 010 this year. You had to pay a tithe to belong to that one. It was the first sourgrapesnet[r]. The second to splinter was EggNet. It didn't cost anything but it was going to provide all the democratic ideals FidoNet didn't. They even had a Supreme Court. It stopped publishing last year as of Julian 138. Ten years ago, I told you so.

There never was any good reason for 'otherNets'[tm]. They were all ego-driven fantasies of 'the way a network should be operated' when FidoNet didn't move fast enough to suit them. Now, there are bunches of them. Most of those are Echomail driven which was also unnecessary. Several of those foolishly used Zone numbers under 10. That was very short-sighted. FidoNet is bound to expand into those Zone numbers and a lot of folks in 'otherNets'[tm] are going to start whining about overlap and 2D addressing that can't tell one Zone's Nodes from another. Boohoo. If they have any sense, they will shift up to Zone numbers unlikely to be overrun by FidoNet Zones when expansion takes place. With the demise of AlterNet's deliberate use of Zone 7, that will be one less group of whiners to hear from. [grin]

Okay, that should generate some input. Those who complain about FidoNews content should remember that THEY are dictating the content with THEIR contributions. If they make none, their griping is hollow. Those who can, DO. [chuckle]

C.B.