Articles

• Book About FidoNet Issued Soon!
• FN_SYSOP Election
• ECHO TALK - Another tip

The book about FidoNet
will be issued soon!
By Amir Shabashvili, NC 2:5049
2:5049/12 AKA ashabash@mail.ru

Well, its done! The Fido-book last 3 years I've been worked on will be published in September, 2000. Of cource, it is in Russian - sorry, but it is't good idea to publish English books in Russia, I guess:)

If you ask me, - "why you did this stupud job!?" - I can't explain... Yes, it was horoble job and I lost a lot of quality time for my family/kids, but... this was a book exactly I needed at one time:)

Fido in Russia still grow fast, and I hope, this book will be popular and will not be useless.

I wanna give my thanks and congratulations to thouse who help me in my job, especially to Dmitry Zavalishin, 2:5020/32.

Some info about book:

Name

FidoNet: desktop guide for sysop

Volume

736 p.

Format

70 x 100 1/16 46 p.s.

Dimension

165 x 235 x 30 mm

ISBN

5-89818-043-5

Publisher

DMK Press, http://www.dmk.ru (site has English part)

Brief contents:

• Preface (from Dmitry Zavalishin)
• Introduction
• Chapter:
  1. Unformal introduction to FidoNet
  2. Introduction to FidoNet
  3. File-transfer protocols
  4. Data formats
  5. Session protocols (YaHoo, EMSI, etc)
  6. Software and hardware overview
  7. Netmail processing and transfer
  8. Echo conferences
  9. File-echo mechanism
  10. Gateways with external networks
  11. Fido-over-IP
  12. FTN mail-editors software
• Appendicies:
  • FTS list
  • Policy 4.07 (in Russian)
  • FidoNet abbreviations
  • Fido-jargon dictionary
  • Russian echo-conferences list
  • International echo-conferences list
  • FidoNet on the world-map
  • FidoNet on the WEB
  • NC Election rules (2:R50)
  • Echo Policy (2:R50)
  • FidoNet software list
  • Bibliography

Brief Annotation:

The following edition is mainly addressed to those, wishing to enter a FidoNet computer community. One can setup his or her computer, find necessary programs with the help of this desktop guide, choose the right way to speak when associating with other network members.

The book will also be useful to those, who is already acquainted with FidoNet. It will help you turn your home PC into a FidoNet station, and make the right choice among the software needed.

The title provides a detailed description of the network, its major services and rules to use them. It also gives a short description of current standards of the FidoNet; the author tells his readers, how an Internet connection for mail transfer can be used. Separate chapters are devoted to file transfer protocols and data formats.

Appendices include a list of FidoNet echo-conferences, a glossary of most frequently used computer terms, and translation of the current network regulations (FidoNet Policy 4.07).

See picture of book's cover at http://www.dmk.ru (in "Future plans" section, or simply do search on "FidoNet" word).

Cheers,
Amirko

FN_SYSOP Election

As reported previously in Fidonews, the election for moderator of FN_SYSOP is underway. Right now, this echo for sysops is in the nomination phase. Originally, nominations were to be completed by September 15th, but Carol Shenkenberger, the election coordinator, has extended the nomination period. Carol will be out of town during the next week, but has promised to review the echo and accept nominations and seconds upon her return. All nodelisted sysops are eligible to vote in this election, and any may be nominated for candidacy as moderator.

Here are the candidates so far:

Candidates meeting all requirements to run for election as of this post:

• Darrell Salter 1:229/1
• Joe Delahaye, 1:249/303
• Michael Grant, 1:134/11

Candidates lacking only acceptance to run:

• Ward Dossche, 2:292/854
• Richard Bowermaster, 1:363/167
• Bob Seaborn, 1:140/12

Bob Seaborn has declined the nomination as Fidonews went to press, and Douglas Myers, the current moderator, previously announced that he wouldn't seek a third term.

Another Tip...
Echomail posted by Jim McQueen
(1:396/45.8) in FIDONEWS echo

ECHO TALK
Food for thought from Fido's echomail.
Purloined without permission by D Myers

Heigh folks! Good to get back to you again. My last tip was on how to use the free media to get more exposure, and attract new users. Possibly to even generate some new Points or Nodes. Well I've got one more tip for you. Well it's a question and a tip at the same time. Maybe we could start a new echo called FIDOTIPS, for the discussion of promoting Fidonet.

I've been noticing the same thing you've been noticing. More and more Fidonauts have been bemoaning the free flight from Fido to the I'net. Well have you read the echolist lately? Stop for a moment and look through it again for a second. Most all of what you see there is;

• Computer platforms
• Operating systems
• Fidonet software applications
• Hardware applications
• Software applications
• Hobbies
• Politics
• Special interests
• Soapboxes

That's not all conclusive but you get my drift. Read through it again a couple of times. Notice something? Most people don't care about these sorts of things on a daily basis. What people care about is what they do every day. That's the fabric of life. Well guess who those people are? They're me and you. Maybe we aren't attracting new customers because we aren't being very interesting.

What if each one of us took a good look at ourselves and started a new echo about what's important to us. Or what we're doing every day. See what I mean? There's enough of us in every part of the world, that we make up a very acceptable cross section of all peoples. You know what they say; you build a better mouse trap, and the world will beat a path to your door. Look at yourself and your life. What's important to you? Get a handle on it and start an echo. There are lots of people out there like you. Go for it, and draw them in.

Okay now for my question. If I am really interested in a certain widget, or maybe I know a lot about a certain widget. Can I start an echo up for my interest? Is it just a matter of sending a MOD UPD for the new echo, as thought it were an old one being renewed?

As we speak, the Olympic torch is being carried througout all the land. Let us carry the torch of Fidonet in this same tradition. Go forth people, and be creative!