\?
C H O O S I N G A N O D E

Z .... List the Zones currently available
N .... List the Nets in the current Zone
F .... List the FidoNet Nodes in the current Net

x/x .. Choose a Net AND Node Together (Preferred Method)
x/ ... Choose a Net in the current Zone
x .... Choose a Node in the current Net
or Choose a Net in the current Zone, when prompted

* Enter "Z?" for help with Zones
* Enter "N?" for help with Nets
* Enter "F?" for help with FidoNet Nodes
.
.
* And so on for all the commands you see in the menu.

(Don't enter the quotes, just the command letter
and the questionmark.)


FidoNet addresses are "nested", i.e., -
Zones contain Nets
and
Nets contain Nodes.

You can choose FidoNet nodes either by picking Zones, Nets and
Nodes from the lists, or directly, as shown below.

A FidoNet address can be entered directly as either a pair of
numbers (125/111) or as a single number (230).

Two numbers separated by a "/" (125/111) identifies FidoNet Node
111 in Net 125; a single number (230) indentifies FidoNet Node
230 in your Net.

Using direct FidoNet addresses enables you to send the same 
message to as many FidoNet Nodes as will fit on one line; 
entering 125/111 1:1/3 134/888 will make three copies of the
message you enter, one to each Fido.

There are also some shorthand methods that are useful; for 
instance, if you know you want to choose a FidoNet node in (say)
Net 1, enter... 1/ .

Fido will then display a message that Net 1 has been selected, 
and using the "F" command, you can display a list of the FidoNet
nodes in Net 1.

Control-C aborts Commands/text display
Control-K aborts Commands/text display
Control-S pauses text display -
press any key to continue.

\Z
Z)ones are like telephone "area codes"; they generally include
large geographical areas. North America is a zone; Australia is a
zone.

If you don't choose a Zone, Fido assumes you want to choose a Net
and a FidoNet Node in your own Zone; this is the usual case.

If you choose a different Zone, you must then choose a Net and a
FidoNet Node. 

\N
N)ets are groups of FidoNet nodes, usually in the same city or
metropolitan area; some are grouped by special interests ("Model
Airplane Fidos"), or other criteria.

Most major cities, (Boston, Los Angeles, Houston) have one or
more nets that contain almost any number of FidoNet nodes.

If you choose a different Net, you must then choose a Node.

\F
F)idoNet nodes are individual BBS's, or electronic mail centers, 
of various types, that send and receive electronic mail which is
compatible with the FidoNet specifications.

