Ol' WDB's Column

Ol'WDB's Column
wdbonner@pacbell.net

In last weeks Fidonews in a General Article, Michiel Van der Vlist said: "Why do we see so few contributions from other zones? Zone 2 in particular? The main reason for the zone 1 domination of FidoNews is imho the fact that it ... is zone 1 dominated."

This is funny and most FidoNews readers are not deceived with such statements. The only way to dominate Fidonews is to prevent any foreign materials of any kind, which has not been the case with the last three editors! They have begged all zones to participate, and some have when they had something to report or ask.

"The cure would be to discourage articles that are only of zone 1 local interest", Michiel further stated.

I for one am very distressed that censorship of ANY good article that is properly presented to the editor would be ignored because it came from zone one! Print it too! The more articles the better!

"In the past we have seen many an increase in the volume of FidoNews due to some local event. Last year it was the Z1C election, just to mention an example. Why?", Michiel asked.

Does this mean that an important Fido election such as a Zone or RC Coordinator election is not news-worthy to be in the Fidonews?

Michiel also asks: "Why do the sysops in zone 1 flood the world with what for many of us this side of the pond is no more than bickering among the locals?

Amusing comment for one who seems to be the prime editor pro tem of zone two. Don't you know how to start a flood of your own? You spend a great deal of your time telling us how much bigger you are than zone one, yet produce only one half of one percent of the submissions. To my knowledge no zone two submission has ever been turned down. I know when I was editor, I worked hard on any zone two submission to remove the illegal ascii characters so that "Make News" program would accept it and hatch the edition.

Michiel stated: "The snooze is zone 1 dominated because potential contributors from other zones are put off by the zone 1 dominance.

More cocky-poo Michiel. They are no more put off than you. The truth is that most want to read their Snooze, and expect it to be informative, giving them the info to find programs, writers, and a birds eye view of Fidoworld as submitted to the editor. Few articles are published more than once, to dismiss your #1 grievance; and articles in a language you can't read is easy to skip past as not all of the zones speaks only your language. And as for recipes and "tear jerkers" there are a vast majority that like them and your personal view has no power except to you personally. Read what you like, skip the rest, and try to let others have their cake too. A little compassion in your words for what the other five zones want would ensure to your good will.

Michiel states: "I respect the tradition of FidoNews editors to publish anything not in violation of the (NA?) law."

Not true. There is no respect in the many messages you have posted in the echoes, to the editors, and now in Fidonews itself. Your scorn and contempt for the Snooze is obvious to everyone.

Michiel lastly states: "Maybe it is time however to review this policy. Maybe it is time to define the topic of FidoNews and restrict articles to those that are on topic".

No Michiel, no censorship of civil comment. This is a free society in "NA" and you should be working to have a free society if yours isn't. Anyone can state what they believe just as you have here. It would be a very dull Snooze if your restrictions were applied and a short small issue too! Read Fido rules, they are quite adequate.

Ol'wdb