Subj : Re: MakeNL v3.4.1 Release
To   : Nicholas Boel
From : Ward Dossche
Date : Fri Jul 27 2018 01:25:02

Nick,
 
NB> I've tried telnetting to every one of those zone 4 BBS systems as well as
NB> trying to telnet to their binkp ports (knowing that they're all listed as
NB> ICM, not getting a response from any of them wasn't very surprising) only
NB> to find one available most of the time, and that's the ZC.
 
People from Z1 are a funny breed.
 
For years I've been getting my nose chewed-off for even daring to mention 
anythng about the disfunctionality of the technical attributes associated with 
what is listed in the Z4-segment. Merely uttering the thought that there is no 
functioning Z4 anymore but in the best of cases a set-up of point-like systems 
got me banished to hell.
 
Now it's ... OK ... suddenly ?
 
First of all, the case of zone-4.
 
To be quite blunt, there is no zone-4, just some bogus lines in the nodelist:
 
* Over the years I have tried many times to raise any of the alleged
  participants. At distant intervals sometimes one-liners were received from
  ZC4 Manuyel Adorni. He was able to communicate that his English is not
  good, we got that worked-out using Spanish. I also have no issue polling
  his system, that seems to be working. So his system is "live". It's easier
  though to catch Manuel in Facebook.
* Other systems in Z4. Since I tried raising anyone in Z4 like 3 years ago,
  I've received 2 messages from 4:900/105. One liners in bad English. I think
  the messages were genuine.
* I have been linked to the official Z4-sysop echo for years. Other than
  Manuel and myself chatting in it occasionally, not a single other Z4-sysop
  has popped-up.
* The ZONE4-segment still contains the zonegate-entries which have been
  lifted elsewhere years ago. In that same segment ZC4 still lists ZMH for
  zones-5 and -6 which have been gone like ... pfftttt...
* The listed support-page www.region90.com.ar points to an empty welcome-page
* The listed support-page for their region-80 www.rbt.com.br points to the
  website of a Brazilian TV-station.
 
I've defended the existence of Z4 based on comments from Spanish sysops 
accepting that there is a complete Spanish-speaking sub-culture in Fidonet 
which we don't see here just like there is an entire Russian-speaking 
sub-culture of which we basically know nothing.
 
Eventually it even is obvious to the blind that there is no Z4. Whenever I 
dared mentioning that in the past, I got machine-gunned down by a Z1 
firing-squad.
 
And now Z1-elements are telling me that Z4 is really not that important?
 
Among ZCs we have somekind of an unwritten code-of-conduct which we all observe 
(yes, we do other things than fight) which stipulates that a zone exists as 
long as the ZC says it exists. I have noticed time and again that it is very 
difficult to judge situations in distant geographical locations, and that is 
true. So as long as ZC4 says there is a zone-4, then there is a zone-4. We 
accepted that principle with zone-6 which was only dropped from the nodelists 
when its last ZC cleaned it up and closed shop in an orderly fashion. The same 
with zone-5 ... its last ZC declared there were no other systems and that he'd 
lost interest, so it went the way of the dodo-bird ... in an orderly fashion.
 
Therefor, as far as I am concerned, as long as Manuel Adorni says there is a 
zone-4, there will be a zone-4. The newest netmail I have coming from there 
dates from Jan.12th 2012, nearly 2 years ago, but let's not get upset about 
such trivial details, shall we?
 
In the past I remember Manuel confirming to me he wants to keep Z4 in the 
nodelist but it's a complete mistery to me as he operates the only active 
machine and he doesn't communicate nor post anything. Then why be listed?
 
There is 1 purpose only to have a zone-4 though, and it's purely political ... 
not that it will ever happen but in case a showdown occurs among ZCs there will 
never be a "no decision" situation with the uneven number of 3. Also, there 
will be no ZC to be awoken from the dead to cast a vote out of nowhere.
 
Now, as far as it concerns AllowUnpub ... there is a technical issue here with 
the setup of ERRFLAGS that makes the parameter irrelevant. I have explained the 
situation in direct netmail to Andrew Leary and Kees Van Eeten and the problem 
is in the process of being dealt with. Kees doesn't shout, he suggests, he 
helps ... that's a main trait of the man who is worth his weight in ... hay. 
:-)
 
Any more questions?
 
 \%/@rd

--- D'Bridge 3.98
 * Origin: Many Glacier / Protect - Preserve - Conserve (2:292/854)

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