Articles

• Fidonet-TNG: Where do we go from here?
• North American Backbone Echo Changes [Mar-Apr]
• NAB &Z1B Echo Diff
• Z1 Backbone Echo Changes [Mar-Apr]

Fidonet-TNG: Where do we go from here?
by Larry Cody
Fidonet: 1:133/504
Email: lcody@asnbbs.com
WWW: http://bbs.asnbbs.com

In the section ECHO TALK of Fidonews 16-18 (3 May 1999), an unnamed author made these comments in reference to the future of Fido:

"The people of Fidonet have been very clever about connecting through the Internet... but most of our effort has been bent to connecting to each other in support of the traditional dial-up BBS. Now we need to direct our efforts to connecting to the _people_. Fido of the (near) future needs to be just a mouse-click away."

The author of these words is absolutely correct... Fidonet has always been about connecting to people, whether through the echoes a system carried, the files the Sysop made available, or the general air of the BBS.

As the modem-using community turns increasingly towards the Internet, so Fidonet BBSes must also turn in that direction. Should we fail to do so, continued decline and eventual extinction is the most probable end. But there is an answer, available now, to at least part of the problem. Many Fidonet BBSes are already on the Internet. Through the use of software platforms which enable either Telnet or HTML connections, Fidonet remains accessible to the masses. The message areas can be HTML pages or text-only, but either way, they are there for the newcomer to read. However, access is not sufficient to ensure Fidonet's future. As any good marketer knows, to create a need for a product or service, one must create a desire for such. In order to create a "desire" for visiting a Fidonet BBS, we have to ensure that the user who stumbles into that system encounters something that brings them back.

One possible solution lies in our past...

Fidonet Sysops once had a tradition of helping others. How many of us owe our very existence to another Sysop who had a patient ear (and a handy telephone) to walk us through setting up this or that? How many BBSes started because a Sysop had a (C)hat option and then used it, perhaps to answer a few questions on how to start a BBS? We must rediscover that tradition. A number of BBSes participate in various Webrings, connecting Internet-accessible BBSes to each other. Other boards already offer Telnet links between BBSes for Internet use. Those boards provide an entry point for the Internet-bound. Links to non-Internet BBSes can be carried as free advertisements (time to dig out the old ANSI logoff screens). Perhaps others know of an ISP or business who may provide resources to put a BBS on the 'net. Who knows? The IT manager at that local business may have gotten his or her start as a kid on a local Fidonet BBS.

To reiterate the earlier point: Fidonet needs to connect to people. To do this, we need exposure... and that means advertising and marketing. The best advertising is often word-of-mouth. Those of you on the Internet, get the word out that Fido still exists. Join or create Webrings, advertise your fellow boards, meet the people in your community who may be able to help. Patronize your fellow boards and encourage the users you DO have to do the same. Above all, lend a helping hand to those who are struggling... either to stay or to join Fidonet.

This is where Fidonet excels, where we have room to carve out a niche. Use technology to get them in the door, then keep them coming back because of the Sysop, not the system. Put that (C)hat command back on the menu and use it from time to time. Who knows? You may even bring some of the fun back to this old hobby of ours.

North American Backbone Echo Changes [Mar-Apr]
by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/9
lisa@psg.com

Summary of NAB echo changes during Mar & Apr.

Brought to you courtesy of (unix) diff.

diff backbone.na 07-Mar-99 backbone.na 02-May-99 [edited].

Added to the NAB list of echos

> ALASKA              GENERAL CHAT FOR ALASKA
> ARIZONA             GENERAL CHAT FOR ARIZONA
> ARKANSAS_           GENERAL CHAT FOR ARKANSAS
> BBBS.ENGLISH        The International BBBS Support Echo
> CALIFORNIA          GENERAL CHAT FOR CALIFORNIA
> COLORADO            GENERAL CHAT FOR COLORADO
> CONNECTICUT         GENERAL CHAT FOR CONNECTICUT
> DDS_ECHO            DDS FDN Administrative Echo
> DELAWARE            GENERAL CHAT FOR DELAWARE
> EBAY_CHAT           A place to discuss EBAY buys and sells
> FIDO_DISTRIBUTION   Echomail Distribution System Discussions
> FLORIDA             GENERAL CHAT FOR FLORIDA
> GEORGIA             GENERAL CHAT FOR GEORGIA
> HAWAII              GENERAL CHAT FOR HAWAII
> IDAHO               GENERAL CHAT FOR IDAHO
> ILLINOIS            GENERAL CHAT FOR ILLINOIS
> INDIANA             GENERAL CHAT FOR INDIANA
> IOWA                GENERAL CHAT FOR IOWA
> KANSAS              GENERAL CHAT FOR KANSAS
> KENTUCKY            GENERAL CHAT FOR KENTUCKY
> KOSOVO              Discussions about the events in Kosovo
> LOUISIANA           GENERAL CHAT FOR LOUISIANA
> MAINE               GENERAL CHAT FOR MAINE
> MARYLAND            GENERAL CHAT FOR MARYLAND
> MASSACHUSETTS       GENERAL CHAT FOR MASSACHUSETTS
> MINNESOTA           GENERAL CHAT FOR MINNESOTA
> MISSISSIPPI         GENERAL CHAT FOR MISSISSIPPI
> MISSOURI            GENERAL CHAT FOR MISSOURI
> MONTANA             GENERAL CHAT FOR MONTANA
> NEBRASKA            GENERAL CHAT FOR NEBRASKA
> NEVADA              GENERAL CHAT FOR NEVADA
> NEW_HAMPSHIRE       GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE
> NEW_JERSEY          GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW JERSEY
> NEW_MEXICO          GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW MEXICO
> NEW_YORK            GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW YORK
> NORTH_DAKOTA        GENERAL CHAT FOR NORTH DAKOTA
> OHIO                GENERAL CHAT FOR OHIO
> OREGON              GENERAL CHAT FOR OREGON
> RHODE_ISLAND        GENERAL CHAT FOR RHODE ISLAND
> SOUTH_CAROLINA      GENERAL CHAT FOR SOUTH CAROLINA
> SOUTH_DAKOTA        GENERAL CHAT FOR SOUTH DAKOTA
> TENNESSEE           GENERAL CHAT FOR TENNESSEE
> UTAH                GENERAL CHAT FOR UTAH
> VERMONT             GENERAL CHAT FOR VERMONT
> VIRGINIA            GENERAL CHAT FOR VIRGINIA
> WASHINGTON          GENERAL CHAT FOR WASHINGTON
> WEBTV               WEBTV
> WEST_VIRGINIA       GENERAL CHAT FOR WEST VIRGINIA
> WISCONSIN           GENERAL CHAT FOR WISCONSIN
> WYOMING             GENERAL CHAT FOR WYOMING
> ZCC_SUNSHINE        Crosspost msgs from ZCC-closed-conference

Removed from the NAB list of echos

< FIDO2000            FidoNet 2000 Conference
< FIDOWEB             FidoNet Web Page Conference
< GOLDED.BETA         GoldED Alpha, Beta, Gamma discussion.
< INET_NODELIST       FidoNet Nodelisting of Internet Sites
< WIN99               Echo for the discussion of Windows 99 software

o There are 795 echos in backbone.na [02-May-99] (up 46)

NAB & Z1B Echo Diff
by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/9
lisa@psg.com

diff backbone.na (02-May-99) backbone.z1b (02-May-99) [edited]

Echos on the NAB but not on the Z1B

ALASKA              GENERAL CHAT FOR ALASKA
ARIZONA             GENERAL CHAT FOR ARIZONA
ARKANSAS_           GENERAL CHAT FOR ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA          GENERAL CHAT FOR CALIFORNIA
COLORADO            GENERAL CHAT FOR COLORADO
CONNECTICUT         GENERAL CHAT FOR CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE            GENERAL CHAT FOR DELAWARE
EQUUS               HORSE DISCUSSION ECHO
FLORIDA             GENERAL CHAT FOR FLORIDA
GEORGIA             GENERAL CHAT FOR GEORGIA
HAWAII              GENERAL CHAT FOR HAWAII
IDAHO               GENERAL CHAT FOR IDAHO
ILLINOIS            GENERAL CHAT FOR ILLINOIS
INDIANA             GENERAL CHAT FOR INDIANA
IOWA                GENERAL CHAT FOR IOWA
KANSAS              GENERAL CHAT FOR KANSAS
KENTUCKY            GENERAL CHAT FOR KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA           GENERAL CHAT FOR LOUISIANA
MAINE               GENERAL CHAT FOR MAINE
MARYLAND            GENERAL CHAT FOR MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS       GENERAL CHAT FOR MASSACHUSETTS
MINNESOTA           GENERAL CHAT FOR MINNESOTA
MISSISSIPPI         GENERAL CHAT FOR MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI            GENERAL CHAT FOR MISSOURI
MONTANA             GENERAL CHAT FOR MONTANA
NEBRASKA            GENERAL CHAT FOR NEBRASKA
NEVADA              GENERAL CHAT FOR NEVADA
NEW_HAMPSHIRE       GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW_JERSEY          GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW JERSEY
NEW_MEXICO          GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW MEXICO
NEW_YORK            GENERAL CHAT FOR NEW YORK
NORTH_DAKOTA        GENERAL CHAT FOR NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO                GENERAL CHAT FOR OHIO
OJ_SIMPSON          O.J. Simpson discussion
OREGON              GENERAL CHAT FOR OREGON
PARROTS             PARROTS CONFERENCE
RHODE_ISLAND        GENERAL CHAT FOR RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH_CAROLINA      GENERAL CHAT FOR SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH_DAKOTA        GENERAL CHAT FOR SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE           GENERAL CHAT FOR TENNESSEE
UTAH                GENERAL CHAT FOR UTAH
VERMONT             GENERAL CHAT FOR VERMONT
VIRGINIA            GENERAL CHAT FOR VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON          GENERAL CHAT FOR WASHINGTON
WEST_VIRGINIA       GENERAL CHAT FOR WEST VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN           GENERAL CHAT FOR WISCONSIN
WYOMING             GENERAL CHAT FOR WYOMING

Echos on the Z1B but not on the NAB

None

The NAB list, backbone.na (02-May-99) has 795 echos.
The Z1B list, backbone.z1b (02-May-99) has 748 echos.

Z1 Backbone Echo Changes [Mar-Apr]
by Lisa Gronke, 1:105/9
lisa@psg.com

Summary of Z1B echo changes during Mar & Apr.

Brought to you courtesy of (unix) diff.

diff backbone.z1b 07-Mar-99 backbone.z1b 02-May-99 [edited].

Added to the Z1B list of echos

> BBBS.ENGLISH        The International BBBS Support Echo
> DDS_ECHO            DDS FDN Administrative Echo
> EBAY_CHAT           A place to discuss EBAY buys and sells!
> FIDO_DISTRIBUTION   FidoNet Echomail Distribution System Discussions
> KOSOVO              Discussions about the events in Kosovo
> WEBTV               WEBTV
> WIN2000             Windows 2000 Echo
> ZCC_SUNSHINE        Crosspost msgs from ZCC-closed-conference

Removed from the Z1B list of echos

< FIDO2000            FidoNet 2000 Conference
< FIDOWEB             FidoNet Web Page Conference
< GOLDED.BETA         GoldED Alpha, Beta, Gamma discussion.

o There are 748 echos in backbone.z1b [02-May-99] (up 5)