Articles

• Protocols or Communications?
• This weeks Web Page

Protocols or Communications?
David Hallford 1:211/103

I believe that we are at a crossroads in Fidonet. Which way we turn will decide Fidonets future.

Are we a network about communications or one about protocols? The debate rages in some areas. IP only nodes and email only nodes - can they be members of Fidonet?

The technical standards are fairly clear - If a node flys the IBN flag and I want to communicate directly with him I need to run BINKD or ARGUS, if the node flys the ITX flag I need to run TransX. Or route the netmail to them.

Or should I say that they should run the software that can communicate with the software I run? What if they really don't have a need to communicate directly with me? Should I require that they run software so that *I* can communicate with them if I so desire? Am I that self-centered? Am I willing to deny Fidonet Membership to someone because I don't want to have to buy another program when I can make them buy one?

What is the important issue? The protocol? Or Fidonet?

Who really makes this decision? The Coordinator structure does,if they allow IP only and email only nodes in the nodelist or not . Many do. I would like to see the ZC's get together and formalize this policy. There's only 6 of them with the IC as a chairman so it should be easy for them to reach a consensus.

To assist them : I am an email only node. I run TransX and have no phone number in the nodelist. Let the ZCC get together and vote on whether I should be removed from the nodelist or not. This will at least clear up the email only node question.

If I disappear from the nodelist you will know that the answer was "No", but at least Fidonet will have an answer.

Just in case - It's been great being a member of Fidonet. I love the folks I've met.(physically and electronically) (Yes Roy, this includes you) and I've had a blast. I've enjoyed each step of the way and I have learned a lot.

This weeks Web Page
By Frank Vest

I'm not going to promise that this will be a regular thing, but here goes. :)

Well, I could start with my page, or my Net or Region's page. Naw... that'd be too bogus of me. :)

This weeks page is the Region 12 page.

Why? It's good.
Where? http://sparkys.dyndns.org/

What's it got?

Yup, this is the good part. :)

The main page starts out by announcing that it is Fidonet Region 12. The background is white, covered in a light grey scrip that reads "Fidonet Region 12". There's an animated "Fidonet" spinning and a Canadian flag "flying in the breeze". Love the dog on the opposite side of the page. :)

Just below is a link to an article that appeared in a recent Fidonews. Then you come to the "meat" of the page. There are links to R12 News, Fidonews, Files, Fidonet links and telnet links. Of course, there's a "Guest Book" as well (gotta get me one of those. :) There's an E-Mail address to the R12C and R12EC also. The page is also a member of a "Web Ring" and has the banner for that.

The one thing that stands out to me is the Net BBS Lists for the Region. The time was taken to make a list for each Net in the Region. Each Net is listed and linked to a page that shows the "BBS List" for that Net. You'll find them just below the E-Mail addresses for the RC and REC. Along side the Net BBS Lists are links to some Fidonet articles of interest.

I did notice that the "Hit Counter" is a little low. :( Of course, you readers of this article can fix that, right? <G>

All in all, this is a nice page. Informative without being cramped. Please check it out.