Articles

• Makenews needs an enema
• FTSC MEMBERS
• Loss of Good Friends

Makenews needs an enema
By Joe Jared, 1:103/301

After a cursory analysis of the software used to produce fidonews, a few things become obvious. First, it desperately needs to be replaced, and requires too much hand holding. Secondly, and obviously, since it was originally written by System Enhancement associates (the authors of ARCA) , and since they were unwilling to adapt pkzip to the program, another individual patched the 1989 executable to execute ZIP A instead of arca in order to use pkzip. That has been the extent of the development of makenews over the past 11 years. Given that this program was designed around the time that the SEA VS. PKWARE litigation was just finalizing the result is totally unsurprising. From a purely software perspective, Makenews in its entirely will be replaced with something significantly more friendly over the next couple of weeks. To everyone who has performed the task in the past decade, kudos. Your task was difficult at best, and given the finicky nature of the software, you were the automation instead of the software.

FTSC MEMBERS
by David Hallford

The Fidonet Technical Standards Committee Standing Members are elected bi-annually. Roughly 50% each year. Sometimes this seems like a magical process that Fidonet Nodes are left in the dark about.

What do you do if you think a current member of the FTSC is the wrong (for any reason) person to be on the committee?

Using me as an example: You think Dave Hallford is a power hungry [illegitimate child] who is using his position on the Committee to try and consolidate his position in Fidonet so he can eventually take over. You know he is up for re-election this year, but have no idea how to register your protest.

From FTA-1001

Standing members may be nominated Fidonet-wide by all of the following methods:

1. Any RC or REC.
2. A nominating committee established for the purpose by the FTSC.
3. A nominating committee established for the purpose by the ZCC.

Standing members are appointed on the basis of a vote by all RCs and RECs who are nodelisted as holding those positions at the time the nominations are published. A successful candidate must receive approval by a majority of votes.

Currently the RC/REC method is used for nominations and elections. So if you think someone is not doing their job or is improperly using their position contact your RC or REC and let them discuss it with other RC's and REC's.

After all - The FTSC is your committee.

Loss of Good Friends
By Bobby Queen, wizards@shelby.net

Well folks I hate to have to write an article like this for the snooze but I guess its necessary. This year has been particularly hard for FidoNet. First we lost quite a few with apparent y2k problems, then others started leaving due to lack of callers on their BBS's and then the big problem with us losing some good friends due to death. :( I have lost 2 real good friends in a short period of time this year. Both Kent Anderson and Douglas Myers had become good friends in a short period. Both had become regular email pals and I considered both of them good friends. Unlike friends you can visit with and spend time with in person these friends are sometimes more important to those of us who are unable to work and spend most of our days working on our computers. I have already missed their emails and their short notes full of wit and support. Both of them are going to be missed in FidoNet and although some others may come along and take their place in the echos they can never take their place in our hearts.