Articles

Editor Pro Tem
Doug Myers

There's a strong prospect that I'll elect to undergo heart surgery after April. While I'm considered highly likely to recover from the surgery without complications, it is nevertheless major surgery and will require a few weeks hospitalization. I posted this information in the FIDONEWS echo last week, seeking someone to serve as Editor Pro Tem in my absence, and was delighted to get offers from Bobby Queen and Peter Karlsson - two highly qualified individuals. I figured that since the surgery will probably be in May, I should accept the first credible offer so that I can get software and instructions to the Editor Pro Tem with adequate time to modify batch files and run a few practice editions. Bobby's offer arrived first, so he got the nod; I've got to confess that if I'd seen both offers at once I'd have had a hard time deciding between the two :)

This week, I'll be sending Bobby Queen an archive containing the software necessary to put out Fidonews. Hopefully, I've made it easy to customize for his system with the notes I've put in the batch files, but there's time for us to talk back and forth to iron out any difficulties. What I'll ask Bobby to do is put out Fidonews for the time I'm unable. Most likely, I'll be back without undue delay, but in the event things go badly, I'll ask in advance for Bobby to either assume the Editor position or select an Editor if he's unwilling to do it permanently. I'll also send Bobby the elist password for the FIDONEWS echo and ask him to take over as moderator in my absence.

I've asked Peter Karlsson if he would mind my sending him the materials I send Bobby, to serve as a backup for him. That may be overly cautious on my part, but why not avail myself of the dedication of these two individuals?

For my own part, I'm confident that my absence from Fidonet will be only temporary. Though I'm not a "perfect" heart patient (diabetes complicates things a little), I'm only 53 and in good health otherwise; the doctors estimate that my chances of coming through the surgery without complications are high. Except for this small setback, my life is coming together nicely after a long divorce, and I'm making future plans assuming that I'll be around for quite a while :)

Thanks in advance to Bobby and Peter for their service to FIDONEWS. I'll go into the hospital resting a little easier knowing the SNOOZE is in good hands.