Guest Editorial

Setting a good example
By Frank Robbins

All Fido SysOps should strive to set a GOOD example for everyone to be proud of and work fairly within the Fido policy, to do things that are right to other fellow SysOps, no matter what country you are from, whether you are male or female, whether you can speak a little of the language to communicate with other fellow SysOps.

Those SysOps who rise on occasion to elected positions are expected to do GOOD for Fido, foster goodwill and promote a healthy environment for this to occur. In fact, every SysOp should attempt to practice this!

The person who registered the Fido Trademarks, namely Tom Jennings, caused global communications in 1984 to be afforded to mostly anyone with a computer, a few files, a few rules, a little investment and freedom to spand the continents "in search of" new friends at home and internationally, learning about people and countries without barriers or boundaries!

Have we learned anything in those 17 years of Fido existence?

It has been a long-time tradition to place the Fido trademark info in the nodelist, the fidonews and other related fido items, to properly credit Tom Jennings.

Just because Tom Jennings is not here actively now, does NOT diminsh the importance of running Fido with good common sense and integrity. Tom paid his dues in the Fido root movement and moved onto to other things in life to occupy his time. This is life. He left behind a hobby that has been able to run itself after he contributed his time and expertise to promoting Fido.

As many of you know, Tom Jennings is just an email away. I however would not recommend contacting him for trival matters. You might get surprised. I have been lucky to have some correspondence with Tom. Not everyone gets a reply!

I have been searching and collecting Fido related info for over 5 years and have visited several hundred Fido websites, some do give credit to Tom Jennings and many do not. Many Fido websites have been abandoned and left in place on the internet. What a shame!

Fido SysOps come and go for what ever reason, some political, some get burned-out, some of them die. Many just hang-in there because they like the hobby.

I agree with Tom Jennings when he saids his trademarks are verificable and are valid, and there is no room to argue about them. Maybe the people who argue about them should check their facts out more closely and set a fine example as a Fido SysOp no matter what position you maintain in Fido. Maybe they might not want to set the record straight.

No one should go unchallenged when they attempt to bring discredit upon Fido for any reason. If you are a Fido SysOp, you should set a good example for others to follow, not just today, but for always.

No matter who registered the trademark first or which country did it, it would be reasonable for everyone to respect a legal trademark no matter where you live, as provided by law.

Some of the same people who have enjoyed the benefits of this BBS hobby are the ones who have decided to tear down what Fido stands for. This cannot go unchallenged. These kinds of SysOps are NOT loyal to the common cause of the SysOp or to Fido.

Steps should be taken to make sure that these kinds of SysOps after their real colors "show through", be removed by normal accepted Fido policy at the most appropriate time possible. If you are one of the people who may have voted for this person, do not feel bad. But when you find out that this has occurred, you should attempt to be one of the first to correct the problem using acceptable Fido policy!

When we look the other way for something we might have caused, directly or indirectly to occur which is not acceptable, we tend to be part of that problem instead of being part of the solution. Stand-up, take responsiblity, fix it and move on. We all make mistakes, but some will never admit it.

Fido needs loyal SysOps to the Fido cause, NOT SysOps loyal to hidden agendas or hungry for power and let no man stand in their way!

Setting the example by the "ones voted in" and all others, also includes not using derogatory slurs to describe people from other countries. No country is better than the next. Every country is different.

Everyone has an opinion. This exchange of information can be healthy for all who engage in it. But when the discussion becomes abusive, it should stop. We are NOT here to be targets of abuse.

As SysOps in Fido, we are here to enjoy this hobby that was brought about by Tom Jennings and we should not have to continually put up with those SysOps who are NOT loyal to the common Fido cause, let no man take your hobby away from you!

If a SysOp cannot live with being loyal to the common Fido cause and cannot foster goodwill to other SysOps worldwide, then that SysOp needs to find another hobby, they are NOT welcomed in Fido!

It is evident in Fido history that we repeat much of the same history in the good and the bad that occurs, sometimes the level of distaste rises to such a point that reasonable people STAND-UP to challenge the disservice to Fido. Those people who stand-up for Fido sometimes get blasted by those who are doing the disservice and from others who really may not understand the full issue and only got one side of the story and it sounded good to them.

Everyone was created with a brain, how you use it is up to you, mileage may vary!

When we see a SysOp "raising a leg" to Fido to bring discredit, we should exercise our right to challenge that SysOp. This unacceptable behavior must be stopped.

When the time comes, will you STAND-UP for what is right?

Frank Robbins <fidonet@winramturbo.com> The FidoNet Showcase Project at: http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/