Ol' WDB's Column

The old Fidonet's Weather-vane
is A-Swinging!
Ol'WDB's Column
wdbonner@pacbell.net

Interest in Fidonet seems to be on the increase again, at least among some of the past nodes, like 'Doc Logger' for instance. Sure good to find him back in the snooze again. I don't pretend I understand all of the nuances he lays on whoever "Dear Reverend Visage" is, but his attitude and altitude are in harmony with the ecology of the space he uses. <Chortle> Funny thing, back when I was editor I asked "where is Doc Logger?" several times in Fidonews echo... no reply. So it is a real treat to find him back from the south seas, via Charles Herriot. :)

Doc's usual style of direct answers to broad or concise questions proved he was on top of this problem 110%. He elaborated with a strong deep papal voice to the Question of the editor: "Do we need policy? The answer is self-evident. Of course "we" do. Where else will socially maladroit people find refuge when their limitations might otherwise compel them to recognize that rules and regulations are a perfect substitute for common sense?", stated the good doctor, with just the right spin to get many growls from the P4 wankers. <chuckle> That off hand statement was so rich in reality I found it worth repeating... as I listened to the roar of the standing ovation from the "silent majority". We all hope Doc's Sinclair ZX-81 holds up for many more articles! :-)

And there is our sea going Fidonews communications reporter! Good ole Shannon Talley back in Fidonews echo after a long hiatus being out of range on board a USN warship, communicating via satellite to his very large Fido site: http://www.fidotel.com/ featuring Telnet, Qwk, html, and news. He is interested in creating a Free BBS for all 'would be' nodes , especially the new generation of young people who otherwise would just surf the Internet. The Fidonet weather-vane is detecting a change in the winds and currents of the entire earth globe... 8^)

A lot has been cussed and discussed about nodelist stuffing in the echoes the last couple of weeks. Some seem to think they can acquire a nodelisting in any net/region for any reason, (or no reason). They were given their original node number by their NC after they did comply with Policy 3 or 4 or 4.07. They were happy enough at that time to accept it's rules/guidelines that their NC carefully explained. Now, Policy wankers, without regard to their geographical location or the guidelines of Policy4.07, insist it is their right to be listed anywhere they wish, for reason or not, and as many listings as they want. They denounce P4 as "inapplicable" to THEM as they have more modern working technology. It is unfortunate that some software has not been developed to accommodate both POTS and ISP connections with respect to the nodelist and accommodating flags.

True, there are exceptions permitted by Policy, for technical reasons, controlled by the *C's as needed to patch any holes that pop up in the nets. In MHO it is not in the nodes power to play grasshopper to any, and as many, Nets and Regions as s/he wishes. That would destroy the net/regions/zone fabric. It also would bring chaos to listings, elections, appeals, and more importantly the very spirit a sysop has in accepting the responsibilities as NC. I find much is being said in echoes about "no one wants to be NC"... Is it any wonder??? Why in the world would anyone want to serve as ANY *C with the bashing the malcontents display in open echo? They don't even show the courtesy of NetMail to iron out their discomfitures. Seems they love to belittle and demean every function of the administrative work those souls charged with Coordinator status, or their assistants try to do. Should Fido die this group of malcontents, the ones that work to kill the *C structure, will have only ashes to dance upon while they battle each other for top dog. When did common sense and civil procedure die in Fidonet? The struggle to appear sharper, smarter or wiser than others in the echoes, while contemptuously denying Policy4.07, is what a lot of this is about, and is a form of self gratification. JMHO

Hope the Doc Logger has another flick for us this week!

Warm Regards,
Ol'wdb