FidoNews · Vol 2, No 37 · 28 October 1985
Volume 2, Number 37 28 October 1985
+----------------------------------------------------------+
| _ |
| / \ |
| - Fidonews - /|oo \ |
| (_| /_) |
| Fido and Fidonet _`@/_ \ _ |
| Users Group | | \ \\ |
| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
| ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
+----------------------------------------------------------+
Publisher: Fido 1/1
Editor: Thom Henderson
Review Editor: Matt Kanter
Chief Procrastinator Emeritus: Tom Jennings
Fidonews is published weekly by SEAboard, Fido 1/1. You are
encouraged to submit articles for publication in Fidonews.
Article submission standards are contained in the file
FIDONEWS.DOC, available on request from Fido 1/1.
Disclaimer or don't-blame-us:
The contents of the articles contained here are not our
responsibility, nor do we necessarily agree with them;
everything here is subject to debate. We publish EVERYTHING
received.
Table of Contents
1. EDITORIAL
A New Look for Fidonews
2. NEWS
Utility for Sysops
Fidogram Free Telegram Service
Metro-Fire Fido net/node change
Brother, Can Ya Spare the Time?
3. WANTED
Is Charles H. Downs out there?
4. NOTICES
The Interrupt Stack
Node List Bug
Fidonews Page 2 28 Oct 1985
============================================================
EDITORIAL
============================================================
A New Look for Fidonews
We've made some changes here. I finally got around to
working on the newsletter generator, as I've been meaning to
for awhile now. It makes life a great deal easier at our
end. The changes aren't that apparent to the reader,
though.
What readers WILL notice is that we now have a table of
contents. It was suggested just recently, and judging from
the flood of messages we've gotten, we gather it's something
you really want.
We'll need your help to do make it work. When you submit an
article, you should put a content line at the beginning of
the file. This is just an asterisk ("*") followed by a
short description of your article. Everything after the
asterisk will appear in the table of contents, and not in
the article.
Your article won't get bounced just because it doesn't have
a content line -- it just won't show up on the table of
contents. Unless, of course, we go in and add one
ourselves, about which we make no promises.
The other big change is that we are using ARC to pack the
newsletter for mailing, by popular demand. We'll also be
making our first test mailing to the regional coordinators.
If all goes well, we'll scrap the present distribution
system entirely.
Each regional coordinator will be getting FNEWSvnn.ARC,
which will contain FIDOvnn.NWS, where "vnn" is the volume
and issue number (227, in this case). I still feel funny
putting just one file in an archive, but the fan mail has
convinced me.
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 3 28 Oct 1985
============================================================
NEWS
============================================================
Utility for Sysops
I have written a small utility that has proven to be very
useful to me as well as a few other sysops. It's a simple
program that renames a file to the current system date.
For example, if the date were Oct. 21, 1985..., and I ran
this program as such "CHG2DATE SYSOP.LOG" then the file
SYSOP.LOG would be renamed to 21OCT85.LOG. Note that the
extension does NOT change.
Now you may be saying "So what" or "Big deal", but this
small program has come in very handy many times. What I
do is, every night.., one minute before midnight, I run an
external event which changes the names of the SYSOP.LOG and
the MAILER.LOG files.
I usually let these accumulate until the end of the month
when I combine them into an ARChive file according to the
month, such as OCT85HIS.ARC for Octobers history.
Recently, I wanted to find a person who had changed their
name the month before and see what their name was before
they changed it. It was really simple using a small batch
file that I wrote. I just entered the paramters and used
the DOS FIND command to search thru the files to find it,
such as:
LOOK ??OCT85.LOG "Name changed to: Bernie Lawrence"
The program searched all the matching files and displayed
the line with the name change in it. Then all I had to do
was to type the file that it was found in. The LOOK.BAT
file is very simple and only contains:
ECHO OFF
FOR %%f IN (%1) DO FIND %2 %3 %4 %5 %6 %7 %8 %9 %%f
ECHO ON
The reason for the long list of parameters is so you can
enter up to eight words to search for. You MUST enclose
the string to search for within quotes! You can also
use the FIND programs switches such as:
LOOK ??OCT85.LOG /N "Name changed to: Bernie Lawrence"
This can be used for many things..., say you want to find
out how many times Bernie Lawrence logged onto your baord
on Oct 5, 1985. All you would have to do is enter:
LOOK 05OCT85.LOG /C "Bernie Lawrence on"
and you get a count of the number of times he logged on,
on Oct 5, 1985. This batch will only work effectively if
Fidonews Page 4 28 Oct 1985
used in conjunction with the CHG2DATE.COM program, since
this provides a way of keeping the days seperate.
CHG2DATE.COM is a small program written in assembler. It
only takes up 698 bytes of space. It's command format is
simple..., you just place the name of the file to rename
on the command line such as:
CHG2DATE SYSOP.LOG
The file SYSOP.LOG would be renamed, and the extension
would remain the same.
Note: Since the extension remains the same, rename the
MAILER.LOG to MAILER.MAL before renaming it to avoid
duplicate names. Otherwise, CHG2DATE will abort with
an error.
This program, combined with the LOOK.BAT file is handy for
looking at all the mail that was sent out during a month or
just on a particular day. For instance, if you wanted to
see all the Nodes that had mail successfully sent to them
and the days it was sent, then you could enter:
LOOK 20OCT85.MAL "Yes"
and a list like this would be displayed:
---------- 20OCT85.MAL
124/11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 00:22 Yes
124/7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 00:44 Yes
124/11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 00:19 Yes
124/2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 00:30 Yes
124/7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 00:44 Yes
124/8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 01:06 Yes
124/11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 00:27 Yes
124/12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 00:29 Yes
Again.., you could have used ??OCT85.MAL to get a list for
the whole month.
Well.., now that I've explained a few of the benifits, let
me explain how to set it up to run. It's not very hard to
implement at all. All you have to do is set up an external
event with a tag of X and give it the errorlevel to exit to
DOS with. The event should be set up to last only one minute
since that is more than enough time. I have chosen an
errorlevel of 20 and so I'll show you how I have my runbbs
batch file set up.
ctty con
watchdog off
fido_ibm 1/J 128/V 10/W 45/L 15/F 180/D /P /Y
if errorlevel 20 goto renlog
if errorlevel 10 goto remote
if errorlevel 1 goto end
:renlog
chg2date sysop.log
Fidonews Page 5 28 Oct 1985
ren mailer.log mailer.mal
chg2date mailer.mal
waitn 60
runbbs
:remote
watchdog on
ctty com1
goto end
:end
Note: The program waitn.com is used to make the system
wait till the entire one minute is up so that the event
is not executed again.
I hope that you will find this program of use and if you
would like to get a copy of it, you can download it from
my board, or from one of the other nodes in my Net. The
program waitn.com can also be downloaded from my board.
Note: This program was written in MS-DOS on an IBM PC
and it will work on MS-DOS machines.
_____________________________________
| _ _ _ __ __ ___ ||
| | \ /\ | \ / _ |_ / | | \ / ||
| |_/ \/ |_/ \_| |__ \__ | | | ||
|____________________________________|/
| || | ||
| ||_ __ ___|__||___
_____| ||_)_[__]__/ | Population|
_____| ||\\/ oo \ (ruff)| 286 |
|| | || (_| /_) ' |___________|
|| | || \\@/ \ | ||
|| | || \ *|\\ | ||
||___| || / |// | ||
_____| || /====(_) | ||
|| | || (__/\_\| | ||
|| | || _\ \ \ \__ | ||
|/ |__|/(___/ \___) | ||
|__|/
Berinie Lawrence
Sysop of Dodge City 124/3
(214) 494-1940
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 6 28 Oct 1985
Luck Hurder
101/105
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+The Fidogram Free Telegram Service+
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Amateur Radio operators here at 101/105 have been en-
joying the responses to our Fidogram service that began
last month - (see Fidonews 9/09/85). For those of you who
didn't read it (gasp!) we'll recap briefly:
1. Personal (non-business) telegrams to anyone with a
telephone can now be accepted by Fido. Free, no charge
- gratis.
2. There's no limit to the number of Fidograms you can
send for free, but each Fidogram must be kept rather
short. 20-25 words seems about right. Remember - vol-
unteer radio operators will be delivering these for you.
3. You may not attempt delivery of any Fidogram that con-
tains:
A. Material compensation, direct or indirect to any
party.
B. Codes or ciphers meant to disguise the true meaning
of the message.
C. Suggestive or foul language.
Here's some of the typical questions we've been asked:
1. Can I send a Fidogram to my Aunt matilda in Mexico?
Yes, Mexico is one of the countrys whose government
shares an agreement with our government, allowing Fido-
grams via Amateur Radio. many countries in Central and
south America have this agreement with us; most of the
European countries do not. Remember, however, that
final delivery of your message will depend entirely
upon our locating an Amateur Radio operator within free
calling distance of the addressee. We recommend that
you begin initially by sending Fidograms to more pop-
ulated areas here in the USA...
2. Can I send "happy Thanksgiving" messages with the same
text to 30 people in 20 different cities? You betcha -
we call these "book" messages - but be sure to always
include your own complete name, address, and voice tel-
ephone number as well as the same complete info for
each addressee. In this example, the text need only be
sent once.
3. How long does it take to deliver my Fidograms? Sorry,
that's a toughie to answer; if it's going to a place in
New England, we'd estimate a day or two. Other desti-
nations in the USA should take less than 3 days.
4. Why so long? Well now, you wouldn't be guilty of for-
Fidonews Page 7 28 Oct 1985
getting that this free public service requires the
efforts of many volunteers, now would you? Considering
the price (you can probably squeeze one heckuva lotta
fidograms into one piece of Fidomail!) it's still a
bargain, regardless of the time element involved...
The Amateur Radio operators actually appreciate the opp-
ortunity to offer this service to Fido users. These mess-
ages are grist in our radio mills - ways to exercise uour
skills and equipment. We realize that we're likely to be
hit up fairly hard around the holidays and - particularly
from college-area Fidos - during the weeks prior to Val-
entine's day. That's fine - overloads of message traffic
help us to spot our weaknesses. Feel free to try and in-
undate us.
Fidograms, as well as questions & criticisms regarding them
can be sent to Luck Hurder at Fido 101/105.
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 8 28 Oct 1985
==============================
WE'VE CHANGED OUR NET/NODE
BUT NOT OUR STRUGGLE!
By Christopher Baker, Sysop,
Metro-Fire Fido, 135/14
==============================
This is just to let everyone know that Metro-Fire Fido has
moved to a new net/node location in your trusty nodelist.
We are now part the Miami Area Network, Net 135. This too
is temporary, since we intend to form a Special Interest
Region for Fire Departments. Several departments are now
studying the possibilities of linking up with Fido and
FidoNet. As soon as one or two more come together, I will
be applying for a Region number assignment.
You in FidoLand can continue to assist me in my endeavor
by passing these articles to anyone you know in any Fire
Department anywhere. (See also FidoNews 227 & 229.)
As an update, Metro-Fire Fido now has two doctors on-line
for questions and answers related to EMS, Trauma Networks,
Hyperbaric Medicine, Diving Trauma, and General surgery
and other medical questions. We are looking for an Expert-
in-Residence to take up the gauntlet of Hazardous
Materials, Water Rescue, Apparatus, Training, Safety, and
any other areas of interest to the Fire/Rescue Services.
Please feel free to lend your support/assistance/expertise
or to contribute information to our system. Verification
for access to our system can be made by FidoMail or call
305-596-8611 and leave information to the Sysop. The board
runs in the private mode from 2230 Sunday til 1800 Friday
and in the semi-private mode from 1800 Friday til 2230
Sunday.
If you want to communicate in writing, address your
questions/requests to:
Sysop
Metro-Fire Fido
Metro-Dade Fire & Rescue Department
Communications Bureau
5680 S.W. 87 Avenue
Miami, FL 33173
We'll be looking forward to your interest. Thank you.
C.B., 135/14
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 9 28 Oct 1985
BROTHER, CAN YA SPARE THE TIME?
by Ben Baker, 100/76
Hey look people, I'm the guy who started this whole
daylight saving time controversy in a phone conversation
with Thom H. and I can't believe EVERYBODY has missed the
point completely!!!
We have a time period we call "The National FidoNet
Mail Window." Now, I don't care if your clock reads 15:23
when it begins, so long as your schedule says "begin mail at
15:23!" Do with your clocks what you will, but I think
you'll agree that we all have to start the "National Window"
together more or less.
We call it the "National Window" and its time was
selected because the whole nation can make calls when the
rates are lowest. Right? -- WRONG!
One whole state is so far west that in the winter its
"National Window" starts at 11pm. Well, it's early OK, but
they still get the cheap rates. Right? -- WRONG AGAIN!
They are also so far south that they get more or less
twelve hours of daylight all the time, so they don't bother
with daylight savings time. So when we push our clocks
forward in the Spring, we push their "National Window" back
to 10pm and there went the cheap rates.
I speak, of course, of Hawaii. (Alaska probably would
have a similar problem, but we don't have any Fido nodes up
there. . .yet.)
So, what I suggested, for this reason alone, was that
when we get the "National Window" back to 0900 hrs
Coordinated Universal Time next week, we keep it there.
Then the entire nation would have access to the cheap rates
most of us enjoy year 'round.
And you can set your clock any way you like!
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 10 28 Oct 1985
============================================================
WANTED
============================================================
Matt Carpenter
c/o Allen's Bd. 108/10
Cincinnati, Ohio
Help!? Are there any Fido software collectors out there?
due to modem incompatibilities with the later versions of
Fido, I am forced to use an older version (10e, gadzooks!).
That's no big problem, but I would like to have all the
software I need to set this up. I do have almost all of the
necessary files but one: ROUTE.EXE. Soooo, that's what I
need! Is there anyone out there with an old ROUTE.EXE
program floating around on a floppy somewhere? Ifso, a reply
would be great! I'm kinda in need, so any information would
help! Just send me a reply to Matt Carpenter (me) at Fido
108/10, Allen's Board.
Also, is Charles H. Downs out there? Leave me a FidoNet msg
I need to contact you! (if any of you know him, relay this
please, if possible)
Help, anyone?
Matt Carpenter *at-> 108/10*
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 11 28 Oct 1985
============================================================
NOTICES
============================================================
The Interrupt Stack
23 Nov 1985
European sysop conference -- Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Contact node 3101 for details.
27 Nov 1985
Halley's Comet passes closest to Earth before perihelion.
24 Jan 1986
Voyager 2 passes Uranus.
9 Feb 1986
Halley's Comet reaches perihelion.
9 Feb 1986
Diana Overholt (109/74) has another birthday.
11 Apr 1986
Halley's Comet reaches perigee.
19 May 1986
Steve Lemke's next birthday.
24 Aug 1989
Voyager 2 passes Neptune.
If you have something which you would like to see on this
calendar, please send a message to Fido 1/1.
------------------------------------------------------------
Node List Bug
The node list for day number 298 (NODELIST.298 and
NODELIST.A98) has the wrong phone number for node 1/1. The
correct phone number is:
1-201-472-8065
Please fix the phone number in your node list before sending
anything to Fidonews, node 1/1.
------------------------------------------------------------
Download original FidoNews · Volume 2 (1985) · ← Previous · Next →