Articles

The Case of the Disappearing ISSN from FidoNews
From: "Frank Robbins" <frankr@dzn.com>

I was investigating the actual date of when FidoNews became under ISSN 1198-4589. As indicated, that was accomplished by then Editor Sylvia Maxwell.

I queried Linda Houston, the Publisher Liaison, at ISSN at the Library of Congress and she indicated by email that this ISSN is invalid. Her email is forwarded at the end of this correspondence.

ISSN stands for International Standard Serial Number. The following website is the US ISSN Center Home Page is located in Library of Congress:

This site also explains how to obtain a valid ISSN.

Serials are print or non-print publications issued in parts, usually bearing issue numbers and/or dates. A serial is expected to continue indefinitely. Serials include magazines, newspapers, annuals (such as reports, yearbooks, and directories), journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions of societies, and monographic series.

The ISSN should be as basic a part of a serial as the title. The advantages of using it are abundant and the more the number is used the more benefits will accrue.

ISSN provides a useful and economical method of communication between publishers and suppliers, making trade distribution systems faster and more efficient.

The ISSN results in accurate citing of serials by scholars, researchers, abstracters, and librarians.

As a standard numeric identification code, the ISSN is eminently suitable for computer use in fulfilling the need for file update and linkage, retrieval, and transmittal of data.

ISSN is used in libraries for identifying titles, ordering and checking in, and claiming serials.

The assignment of the ISSN is free in the U.S. and there is no charge associated with its use.

Display and careful use of the ISSN will help in the world-wide effort to make the number achieve its intended role as a valuable means of identifying serials.

Historical review of the ISSN applied to FidoNews.

====

FidoNews - Vol.11 No.8 (21-Feb-1994)
Editor: Sylvia Maxwell

We're working on getting that ISSN number for the Snooze, and i'm afraid the tag line is mutating again. http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido1108.txt

FidoNews - Vol.11 No.17 (25-Apr-1994)
Editor: Sylvia Maxwell

- ISSN 1198-4589 first appears in issue 1117 of FidoNews.
- http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido1117.txt

FidoNews - Vol.11 No.43 (24-Oct-1994)
Editor: Sylvia Maxwell

After looking at the recent issue of Practical Anarchy Online, i'm not convinced it was the best thing for me to do to have gotten an ISSN number for fidonews.

http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido1143.txt

FidoNews - Vol.18 No.11 (12-Mar-2001)
Editor: Warren Bonner
"Ol'WDB"<WDBonner@pacbell.net>

- ISSN 1198-4589 last appears in issue 1811 of FidoNews.
- http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido1811.txt

====

There is no doubt that Sylvia Maxwell applied for the ISSN and received the number that has been published on all FidoNews since 1117 (25-Apr-1994) up to the last time in FidoNews 1811 (12-Mar-2001). It has been used for several years on FidoNews.

Warren Bonner seems to be the FidoNews Editor who removed it from the newsletter and no information was made known in FidoNews that this occurred. Don't know if any info was released in any Echoes.

Warren might have found out that the ISSN was invalid at the time he removed it quitely from FidoNews. He would be the only person that possibly could shed some light on this event.

It is quite strange that this ISSN was used over 7 years affixed to FidoNews and then disappears without a trace or explanation!

So there you go, another piece of trivia in "The Tail That Wags The Dog" saga.

[ From a roving FidoNews reporter @ No Fax News ]

---- Forwarded message follows ----

Date sent: Tue, 29 May 2001 11:28:43 -0400 (EDT)
From: COLL/SRD <issn@loc.gov>
To: Frank Robbins <frankr@dzn.com>
Subject: Re: ISSN Verification

Dear Mr. Robbins:

Re: ISSN 1198-4589

The above ISSN is not a valid number.
If you should have further concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

Linda Houston
Publisher Liaison
NSDP

On Mon, 28 May 2001, Frank Robbins wrote:

> I am having a hard time verifying that this publication
> does in-fact have a valid ISSN 1198-4589
>
> If it is correct, how can I get a copy of the submitted
> paperwork or the record on-file so I can have a copy
> for the historical archives?
>
> I am the webmaster of the FidoNet Showcase Project at:
> http://winramturbo.com/fnsp/
> where historical info is being archived for FidoNet and the
> past FidoNews publications.
>
> URL of this issue of the FidoNews:
> http://195.226.109.55/jhassler/wif/doks/fnews/fido1117.txt
>
> Frank Robbins (El Paso, Texas USA)
>

---- End of forwarded message ----

My entire email may be use in FidoNews.

Frank Robbins (El Paso, Texas USA)