      F I D O N E W S         Volume 16, Number 22             31 May 1999 
     +----------------------------+---------------------------------------+
     |  The newsletter of the     |   ISSN 1198-4589 Published by:        |
     |    FidoNet community       |   "FidoNews"                          |
     |          _                 |        +27-41-581-5913   [5:5/23]     |
     |         /  \               |   June Publication:     1:270/720     |
     |        /|oo \              |                                       |
     |       (_|  /_)             |                                       |
     |        _`@/_ \    _        |                                       |
     |       |     | \   \\       |   Editor:                             |
     |       | (*) |  \   ))      |        Henk Wolsink    5:7104/2       |
     |       |__U__| /  \//       |   Editor Pro Tem (June 99)            |
     |        _//|| _\   /        |        Douglas Myers   1:270/720      |
     |       (_/(_|(____/         |                                       |
     |             (jm)           |   Newspapers should have no friends.  |
     |                            |                    -- JOSEPH PULITZER |
     +----------------------------+---------------------------------------+
     |             Submission address: Douglas Myers 1:270/720            |
     +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
     |  MORE addresses:                                                   |
     |                                                                    |
     |    submissions for June: doug@mdtnbbs.com                          |
     |                                                                    |
     +--------------------------------------------------------------------+
     |    For  information,   copyrights,   article   submissions,        |
     |    obtaining copies of FidoNews or the internet gateway FAQ        |
     |    please refer to the end of this file.                           |
     +--------------------------------------------------------------------+


                        Table of Contents
     1. EDITORIAL  ................................................  1
        Why not Empires?  .........................................  1
     2. GUEST EDITORIAL  ..........................................  3
        Farewell to Bob Satti by Dave Hallford  ...................  3
     3. ARTICLES  .................................................  4
        Zone 1 Coordinator Election Begins Today!  ................  4
     4. COLUMNS  ..................................................  5
        ECHO TALK - Clay's Diplomacy; Secret cabal exposed  .......  5
     5. NET HUMOR  ................................................  7
        Elvis is in the house  ....................................  7
     6. COMIX IN ASCII  ...........................................  8
        FidoCows  .................................................  8
     7. NOTICES  ..................................................  9
     8. FIDONEWS INFORMATION  ..................................... 10
     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 1                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                                 EDITORIAL
     =================================================================


     ANNOUNCEMENTS

     Henk Wolsink is on vacation for the month of June, and I've agreed
     to act as Editor Pro Tem until his return.  This week's edition of
     FIDONEWS is smaller than usual as I've taken out two regular
     features:  the listing of internet sites and the software listing.
     Both of these contain useful information, but I haven't seen an
     update for a while, so I'd only be printing what's already available
     in last week's edition.  If I can get updates from the authors,
     these features will return to Fidonews.

     In the meantime, I invite YOU to fill the missing space with your
     Fidonews articles.  For the month of June, just send your articles
     netmail to Douglas Myers at 1:270/720 or email to doug@mdtnbbs.com.
     During the month of June, I'm running an "Editor Pro Tem Special."
     If you have something to say but find ARTSPEC.DOC daunting, just
     send your article in some kind of readable form and I'll do the
     formatting for publication.

     Now for the actual editorial :)


     WHY NOT EMPIRES?

     I'm always fascinated by the use of the Internet to connect Fido.
     Todd Cochrane and Joe Jarad carried on a conversation recently in
     one of the echoes which set me to thinking about how we currently
     connect.

     TC> Personally if I could get away with it net 345 would be central
     TC> to Hawaii but would have about a 100 systems listed under it from
     TC> all over the world makes routing easier not to mention basic
     TC> setups.

     JJ> Given that most of your downlinks are TCPIP downlinks, it would
     JJ> make sense except that in order to insure that new technology
     JJ> takes off in fidonet, spreading the wealth is important.  :)  One
     JJ> such node came to me for a feed, and our RC wisely found a net
     JJ> within his region that would grant him a fidonet IP only node.
     JJ> If this technology were concentrated in one area it would not be
     JJ> widely accepted and seen to the world as a Cochranet rather than
     JJ> a new FTS protocol.  Above all else, the newer technologies
     JJ> should enhance communication within fidonet, and not be used to
     JJ> develop a power base.

     Why not allow development of a power base here?  We're not talking
     about the building of an "evil empire."  We're not talking about
     exalting someone and then forcing nodes to connect to him.  This
     kind of "empire building" may just be the thing which reverses the
     much lamented nodelist shrinkage.  We're talking about the voluntary
     association of sysops.  Sysops would be free to join Todd's empire
     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 2                   31 May 1999


     or Joe's empire... or form their own.

     Fidonet sysops are already finding their net feeds wherever
     convenient.  What a mess we make of things by requiring them to be
     listed according to a geographic format which no longer adequately
     reflects the organization of Fido.  In a sense, we're perpetuating
     the old geographical "power bases" in denying nets to organize as
     they connect.  Is it time to change our thinking?

     If a bit of benign empire-building can make it easier for Fido to
     grow, then let the empires begin!



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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 3                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                              GUEST EDITORIAL
     =================================================================


     Farewell
     By Dave Hallford

         Bob Satti is 'retiring' as Zone 1 Coordinator. His retirement
     party was held on May 15th in Surrey British Columbia ( and a bang up
     party it was thanks to the Event Coordinator - Bill Herringshaw).
         I, like many others, have had differences of opinion with Bob
     thru the last 6 years, but I at least am grateful that he has cared
     enough about this shared hobby of ours to serve in the higher *C
     positions.
        I feel that whether we have agreed with him or not, that we owe
     him at least a "Thank you" for the work he has done on behalf of Zone
     1.

        Thank you Bob and as we old sailors say " May you have fair winds
     and a following sea" as the International Coordinator.


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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 4                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                                 ARTICLES
     =================================================================


               +---------------------------------------------+
               |  Zone 1 Coordinator Election Begins Today!  |
               +---------------------------------------------+

     Today, May 31, 1999 begins the Nomination Phase for selection of a
     Zone 1 Coordinator.  Nominations may be done by any nodelisted Zone
     1 Sysop in the echo Z1_ELECTION.  The nominating process continues
     until June 12th.

     The election rules and timetable are published daily in Z1_ELECTION
     and frequent announcements are posted to other echoes.  The Election
     Coordinator, Ross Cassell, has made a strong effort to ensure that
     all Zone 1 Sysops have this opportunity to participate in the
     selection of the next Z1C.

     Now it's time for the Zone 1 Sysops to reciprocate this effort,
     first by obtaining the Z1_ELECTION echo, making a nomination or
     seconding one if you know of a good candidate, and participating in
     the public discussion (theoretically starting June 13th, but ongoing
     right now).

     The Z1C election in previous years was a closed process among the
     Zone 1 Regional Coordinators, so this year's election represents an
     important departure from this practice.  Some sysops have responded
     negatively, pointing out that policy still gives the actual vote to
     the RCs and that they will vote as they wish irregardless of what
     the sysops say.  Nonetheless, the RCs have pledged to vote according
     to the input they gather from their regions... so it's not the time
     for sysops to remain silent.

     Some Net Coordinators have indicated that feedback from their own
     net is light, and the few responses they've had in attempting to
     publicize the election tell them to "use their judgement."  Though
     this faith in their NC and ultimately RC is touching, it defeats the
     sincere wishes of the Coordinators to represent their constituency.
     Such a response is interpreted as apathy, that a sysop won't even
     take the time to familiarize with the candidates and issues and
     offer specific input.

     Informed voting _is_ a chore, to be sure.  So much so that less than
     ten percent of sysops have participated in previous zone-wide
     elections.  However, even if this ten percent is the most interest
     we can muster in the Z1C election, it's more reasonable than
     requiring just ten Regional Coordinators to make our decision for
     us.

     Please take the time to participate in this election.


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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 5                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                                  COLUMNS
     =================================================================


                 . -- -- -- -- -- ECHO TALK -- -- -- -- -- .
                 | Food for thought from Fido's echomail.  |
                 | Purloined without permission by D Myers |
                 ` -- -- -- -- -- --  -  -- -- -- -- -- -- '

     In this week's Echo Talk, Clay Tannacore returns to Fidonet and
     attempts to mediate between Alec Grynspan and Bob Morasvik.  The
     secret cabal controlling Fidonet is explained to Jerry Schwartz.

     -------------------------
       Area: Zone 1 Echo Coordinator
       From: Clay Tannacore
         To: Alec Grynspan

      *In a message to Bob Moravsik regarding "Your silly
     muscle-flexing", Alec Grynspan wrote:

      BM> Its the medication....slows down time !!!!!  Misses the parade.
      BM> Wonders what happened....pure buffoonery !  <wink>

      AG> We already know about your meds, Bozo. That's why you were
      AG> elected buffoon-for-life!

     Jeez!  I leave for three months plus, and find you two still in
     constant conflict, when I return.  How about we officially divide
     The Buffoon Title in half, and bestow it equally between you two
     gentlemen?

      Fair enough????? . . . [g]

     Toodles,
     CT

     -------------------------
       Area: Z1_ELECT
       From: Douglas Myers
         To: Jerry Schwartz

      JS> Let's see: you have been nodelisted since 1986 and you are an NC.
      JS> How do you define "Old Guard"?
      JS> This repeated assertion that there is a cabal holding FidoNet
      JS> back (and the underlying assumption that if things aren't working
      JS> out the way we like, SOMEBODY is at fault) should be backed up
      JS> with specifics or given a rest.

      Dear Jerry -

      I meant to mention this to you before, but sometimes things get
      forgotten in the press of echomail.  Also, the Fidonet Elders
      don't take kindly to exposing their secrets, so I may have feared
      for my life at the time.
     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 6                   31 May 1999


      Deep in the caverns of Fidonet lie the secret Chambers of the
      Fidonet Elders.  It is within these Chambers where the Old Guard
      resides, protecting the Elders as they gather in Solemn Enclave
      and issue Grave Pronouncements.  The Fidonet Elders go back much
      further than 1986 - they even predate Fido itself.  They are
      dedicated to the preservation of Tradition, and secretly control
      Fidonet from their Commodore Computers and 110 Baud Modems.

      It is a little known fact that FTS-1 connection protocol contains
      a back door which enables any Fidonet Elder to seize control of
      the mailer session and modify nodelist segments or issue netmail
      in the receiving system's name.  This is the mechanism of control
      which allows absolute, and yet secret, control of the mechanism
      which is Fidonet.  The traditions of FTS-1 compatibility and ZMH
      keep each and every node in Fidonet open to their nefarious
      manipulations.

      Now that I've backed up this assertion with specifics, it's
      likely that the Fidonet Elders will frown upon me.  Consequently,
      I will be abandoning my computer, my job, and my cat and seek to
      establish a new identity in some foreign port.  The Fidonet
      Elders will likely send a member of the Old Guard to turn the
      computer back on again and replace me with a virtual sysop.
      Perhaps this virtual sysop will even conduct a successful
      campaign for the seat of Z1C and give the Fidonet Elders yet
      another avenue of Fidonet control.

                             Respectfully
                             Douglas Myers
                             Displaced Freedom Fighter


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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 7                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                                 NET HUMOR
     =================================================================


     Father O'Mally has been preaching at his church in Ireland for so
     long, that he decides to take a vacation.  He has never been
     overseas and he is curious as to what an American endures in
     everyday life.  So, he decides to go to the States before it is too
     late.  He hops on the plane bound for Nevada.  He arrives in the
     Airport in Las Vegas.

      As he is exiting the plane, someone in the airport runs up to him
      and exclaims, "Elvis! Oh my God! It's Elvis!  I knew you weren't
      dead Elvis! How have you been?"  Father looks at her and says, "Get
      outta me face. Can't you see I'm not Elvis? I don't look a thing
      like Elvis."

      The father moves on to his cab waiting outside. He hops in his cab
      and he's a little upset so he tells the cabby, "Take me to my hotel
      and step on it." The cabby turns and says, "Sure thing sir - Oh my
      God! It's Elvis!  I knew you weren't dead! I'm your number one fan!
      It's so great to see you!" "Shut up, you imbecile.  I'm not Elvis!
      Now turn around and drive!"

      So, the cabby speeds up to the hotel.  Father O'Malley gets his
      things and walks up to the hotel check-in counter. "Oh my God! Oh
      my God! It's you!" screams the hotel clerk.  "You're back Elvis!  I
      knew this day would happen. We saved everything just the way you
      like it! Free cheeseburgers, peanut butter and fried banana
      sandwiches, masseurs, complementary hookers and a full liquor bar!
      I'm so glad you're back!"

      Father O'Malley looks at the hotel clerk and says, "Thank you.
      Thank you very much!"


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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 8                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                              COMIX IN ASCII
     =================================================================


               (__)                                     (__)
             /   oo      ______                       /   @@      ______
            |  /\_|     |      \                     |  /\_|     |      \
            |  |___     |       |                    |  |___     |       |
            |   ---@    |_______|                    |   ---@    |_______|
         *  |  |   ----   |    |                     |  |   ----   |    |
          \ |  |_____                                |  |_____
           \|________|                         *____/|________|

                 FidoCow                        FidoCow After an All-niter



                 (__)                                   (__)
               /   --      ______                     /  .\/.     ______
              |  /\_|     |      \                   |  /\_|     |      \
              |  |___     |       |                  |  |___     |       |
              |   ---@    |_______|                  |   ---@    |_______|
              |  |   ----   |    |                *  |  |   ----   |    |
              |  |_____                            \ |  |_____
        *____/|________|                            \|________|

         FidoCow Asleep at the Keyboard            FidoCow Discovers Bug
                                                   in Batch File.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------

     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 9                   31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                                  NOTICES
     =================================================================

                       Future History

        4 Jul - 10 Jul 1999
          Z1C Election process

       24 Jul 1999
          XIII Pan American Games [through 8 Aug 99].

        9 Jun 1999
          Tenth Anniversary of the adoption of FidoNet Policy 4.07.

       10 Sep 1999
          10th anniversary of Zone 5 operations.

       26 Oct 1999
          Thirty years from release Abbey Road album by the Beatles.

       31 Dec 1999
          Hogmanay, Scotland. The New Year that can't be missed.

        1 Jan 2000
          The 20th Century, C.E., is still taking place thru 31 Dec.

        1 Jun 2000
          EXPO 2000 World Exposition in Hannover (Germany) opens.

       15 Sep 2000
          Sydney (Australia) Summer Olympiad opens.

       21 Sep 2000
          10 years of FidoNet in +7 (xUSSR)

        1 Jan 2001
          This is the actual start of the new millennium, C.E.

       -- If YOU have something which you would like to see in this
             Future History, please send a note to the FidoNews Editor.

     -----------------------------------------------------------------

     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 10                  31 May 1999


     =================================================================
                           FIDONEWS INFORMATION
     =================================================================


      ------- FIDONEWS MASTHEAD AND CONTACT INFORMATION -------

       During the month of June, 1999, the Fidonews Editor is on
       vacation.  Editor Pro Tem during this period is Douglas Myers,
       1:270/720, doug@mdtnbbs.com.  Please address correspondence,
       article submissions, etc to the above addresses during this time.

       Editor: Henk Wolsink

       Editors Emeriti: Tom Jennings, Thom Henderson, Dale Lovell,
                        Vince Perriello, Tim Pozar, Sylvia Maxwell,
                        Donald Tees, Christopher Baker, Zorch Frezberg

       "FidoNews Editor"
           FidoNet  5:5/23
           BBS  +27-41-581-5913,  2400/9600/V34

        more addresses:
           Henk Wolsink -- 5:7104/2,    hwolsink@catpe.alt.za

        (Postal Service mailing address)
           FidoNews Editor
           P.O. Box 12325
           Port Elizabeth,
           6006
           South Africa

         ------------------------------------------------------

     FidoNews is published weekly by and for the members of the FIDONET
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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 11                  31 May 1999


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     FIDONEWS 16-22               Page 12                  31 May 1999


     and    http://www.fidonet.dynip.com/public/fidonews/default.htm

     and in the FIDONEWS echo.

     STAR SOURCE for ALL Past Issues via FTP and file-request -
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                  "Disagreement is actually necessary,
                   or we'd all have to get in fights
                   or something to amuse ourselves
                   and create the requisite chaos."
                                     -Tom Jennings

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