FidoNews · Vol 2, No 42 · 2 December 1985
Volume 2, Number 42 2 December 1985
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| _ |
| / \ |
| - Fidonews - /|oo \ |
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| Fido and Fidonet _`@/_ \ _ |
| Users Group | | \ \\ |
| Newsletter | (*) | \ )) |
| ______ |__U__| / \// |
| / FIDO \ _//|| _\ / |
| (________) (_/(_|(____/ |
| (jm) |
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Publisher: Fido 1/1
Editor in Chief: Thom Henderson
Review Editor: Allen Miller
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 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
Why Do We Do This?
2. NEWS
On the Interests of Fido: A Collection Proposal
History of the World
Free Holiday FidoGrams
IBM's Latest Tricks: Token-Ring, etc.
3. COLUMNS
FASTBACK Commerical Backup Software
4. WANTED
Fido Art Contest
5. FOR SALE
Spiv's Great Computer Sale --These Things Must go!
6. NOTICES
The Interrupt Stack
SPECIAL NOTICE for DEC Fido Users and Sysops
Fidonews Page 2 2 Dec 1985
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EDITORIAL
============================================================
Why Do We Do This?
Why run a board? What do you get out of it?
I guess every sysop starts out as a user. After playing on
other peoples' boards all hours of the night, running up
enourmous phone bills in the process, one reaches the point
where the only thing left to do is to be a sysop.
But, having done it for a month or two, why keep at it? The
nature of BBS users seems to be changing somewhat. From
what I gather, the user who feels that BBSing is his God
given right is becoming something of a minority. Users in
general seem to be a much nicer crowd than the often used to
be. But still, what is so great about being a sysop that
anyone keeps doing it?
Could computers possibly be addicting?
I once thought so; perhaps I still do. I remember when I
was in college I spent more time in the computer room than
in my own dorm. Sometimes I'd sit at the terminal (we used
a mainframe then, anybody remember them?) staring at the
screen, trying to think of something interesting to do.
The strangest time was about a month before I graduated.
I'd sit down at the tube and get a weird feeling of
detachment. After all, in a short time I'd be leaving, and
I'd probably never see that system again. (I was wrong, but
that's another story.) What's the point of writing something
you'll never use?
I figured out something to do anyway. We'd had reputations
as hackers there, so we spent the last month showing them
all the things we could have done, but hadn't. But that's
beside the point.
Take now for example. At this moment it is a little past
two in the morning. I could be in bed now, asleep. Why am
I at the keys instead? The best I can come up with is that
some people are "into it", and will go to almost any lengths
to feed their obsession.
The condition may well be incurable.
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Fidonews Page 3 2 Dec 1985
============================================================
NEWS
============================================================
==============================
ON THE INTERESTS OF FIDO:
A COLLECTION PROPOSAL
TO ALL.
By Christopher Baker, Sysop,
Metro-Fire Fido, 135/14
==============================
Kurt Reisler's idea of centralizing the collection of
information on where various versions of the Fido system
can be found has spawned an imitator (the SINCEREST form
of flattery, Kurt) with a similar plan to collect a
different bunch of information.
When I show someone the FidoList, their first reaction is
amazement. The next question they ask is "What do all
those people do on all those systems?". I give them the
general low-down on Fido and how the Net operates, but
they want to know what each node is into, specifically.
There is a small amount of information to be gained from
perusing the titles of the nodes but what would the
uninitiated make of 'YAFIP' (109/610), for example? For
that matter, what would the seasoned Fidoite make of it?
With this info as background and for the sake of idle
curiosity, I propose the following:
1. Any and all members of the Network send a
FidoMail message to me with a capsule
summary of the main thrust of their board
and a list of the types of computers they
support with files and/or message areas.
2. All nodes submitting this info also include
any unique or specialty areas of interest
they support, i.e., Fire/Rescue, Amateur
Radio, Equestrians, Antique Autos, U.F.O.
Observations, etc.
In turn, I will compile all the info that comes in and
make the resulting file available to FidoNews or other
Fidos by FidoMail or download.
So, send those cards and letters folks and let's find
out what kind of resources we really have in this Network.
FidoMail your responses to: Metro-Fire Fido, 135/14,
(305) 596-8611; the more the merrier.
Thanks in advance for your assistance.
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Fidonews Page 4 2 Dec 1985
HISTORY OF THE WORLD
As mistaken by students
The following article appeared in the USENET jokes group. I
hope you enjoy it.
From: gkloker@utai.UUCP (Geoff Loker)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: History of the World
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
Thanks to those of you who responded to my request for the
History of the World as mistaken by students. Here it is:
The following was taken without permission from The
Wilson Quarterly, which is sort of a Reader's Digest
for intelligent people. The article was assembled from
papers submitted by freshmen history students at a
Canadian university. The lead-in the the article as
published in The Wilson Quarterly speculated that the
long-suffering professor who originally assembled this
work did it as an act of vengeance. As you read it,
consider the possibility that the person or people with
whom you share an office may be among the students who
unknowingly contributed to this article. All mis-
spellings are from the original.
History, as we know, is always bias, because human
beings have to be studied by other human beings, not by
independent observers of another species.
During the Middle Ages, everbody was middle aged.
Church and state were co-operatic. Middle Evil society was
made up of monks, lords and surfs. It is unfortunate that
we do not have a medivel European laid out on a table before
us, ready for dissection. After a revival of infantile com-
merce slowly creeped into Europe, merchants appeared. Some
were sitters and some were drifters. They roamed from town
to town exposing themselves and organized big fairies in the
countryside. Mideval people were violent. Murder during
this period was nothing. Everybody killed someone. England
fought numerously for land in France and ended up wining and
losing. The Crusades were a series of military expaditions
made by Christians seeking to free the holy land (the "Home
Town" of Christ) from the Islams.
In the 1400 hundreds most Englishmen were perpendicu-
lar. A class of yeowls arose. Finally, Europe caught the
Black Death. The bubonic plague is a social disease in that
it can be transmitted by intercourse and other etceteras.
It was spread from port to port by inflected rats. Victims
of the Black Death grew boobs on their necks. The plague
also helped the emergence of the English language as the
Fidonews Page 5 2 Dec 1985
national language of England, France and Italy.
The Middle Ages slimpared to a halt. The renasence
bolted in from the blue. Life reeked with joy. Italy
became robust, and more individuals felt the value of the
human being. Italy, of course, was much closer to the rest
of the world, thanks to northern Europe. Man was deter-
mined to civilise himself and his brothers, even if heads
had to roll! It became sheik to be educated. Art was on a
more associated level. Europe was full of incredable
churches with great art bulging out their doors. Renais-
sance merchants were beautiful and almost lifelike.
The Reformation happened when German nobles resented
the idea that tithes were going to Papal France or the Pope
thus enriching Catholic coiffures. Traditions had become
oppressive so they too were crushed in the wake of man's
quest for ressurection above the not-just-social beast he
had become. An angry Martin Luther nailed 95 theocrats to a
church door. Theologically, Luthar was into reorientation
mutation. Calvinism was the most convenient religion since
the days of the ancients. Anabaptist services tended to be
migratory. The Popes, of course, were usually Catholic.
Monks went right on seeing themselves as worms. The last
Jesuit priest died in the 19th century.
After the refirmation were wars both foreign and infer-
nal. If the Spanish could gain the Netherlands they would
have a stronghold throughout northern Europe, which would
include their posetions in Italy, Burgangy, central Europe
and India thus serrounding France. The German Emperor's
lower passage was blocked by the French for years and years.
Louis XIV became King of the Sun. He gave the people
food and artillery.If he didn't like someone, he sent them
to the gallows to row for the rest of their lives. Vauban
was the royal minister of flirtation. In Russia the 17th
century was known as the time of the bounding of the serfs.
Russian nobles wore clothes only to humour Peter the Great.
Peter filled his government with accidental people and built
a new capital near the European boarder. Orthodox priests
became government antennae.
The enlightenment was a reasonable time. Voltare wrote
a book called Candy that got him into trouble with Frederick
the Great. Philosophers were unknown yet, and the fundamen-
tal stake was one of religious toleration slightly confused
with defeatism. France was in a very serious state. Taxa-
tion was a great drain on the state budget. The French
revolution was accomplished before it happened. The revolu-
tion evolved through monarchial, republican and tolarian
phases until it catapulted into Napoleon. Napoleon was ill
with bladder problems and was very tense and unrestrained.
History, a record of things left behind by past genera-
tions, started in 1815. Throughout the comparatively redi-
cal years 1815-1870 the western European continent was
undergoing a Rampant period of economic modification.
Fidonews Page 6 2 Dec 1985
Industrialization was precipitating in England. Problems
were so complexicated in Paris, out of a city population of
one million people, two million able bodies were on the
loose.
Great Britain, the USA and other European countrys had
demicratic leanings. The middle class was tired and needed
a rest. The old order could see the lid holding down new
ideas beginning to shake. Among the goals of the chartists
were universal suferage and an anal parliment. Voting was
to be done by ballad.
A new time zone of national unification roared over the
horizon. Founder of the new Italy was Cavour, an intelli-
gent Sardine from the north. Nationalism aided Itally
because nationalisn is the growth of an army. We can see
that nationalism succeeded for Itally because of France's
big army. Napoleon III-IV mounted the French thrown. One
thinks of Napoleon III as a live extension of the late, but
great, Napoleon. Here too was the new Germany: loud, bold,
vulgar and full of reality.
Culture fomented from Europe's tip to its top. Richard
Strauss, who was violent but methodical like his wife made
him, plunged into vicious and perverse plays. Dramatized
were adventures in seduction and abortion. Music reeked
with reality. Wagner was master of music, and people did
not forget his contribution. When he died, they labeled his
seat "historical". Other countries had their own artists.
France had Chekhov.
World War I broke out around 1912-1914. Germany was on
one side of France and Russia was on the other. At war peo-
ple get killed and then they aren't people any more, but
friends. Peace was proclaimed at Versigh, which was
attended by George Loid, Primal Minister of England.
President Wilson arrived with 14 pointers. In 1937 Lenin
revolted Russia. Communism raged among the peasants, and
the civil war "team colours" were red and white.
Germany was displaced after WWI. This gave rise to
Hitler. Germany was morbidly overexcited and unbalanced.
Berlin became the decadent capital where all forms of sexual
deprivations were practised. A huge anti-semantic movement
arose. Attractive slogans like "death to all Jews" were
used by governmental groups. Hitler remilitarized the Rine-
land over a squirmish between Germany and France. The
appeasers were blinded by the great red of the Soviets.
Moosealini rested his foundations on eight million bayonets
and invaded Hi Lee Salasy. Germany invaded Poland, France
invaded Belgium, and Russia invaded everybody. War
screeched to an end when a nukuleer explosion was dropped on
Heroshima. A whole generation had been wipe out in two
world wars, and the forlorne families were left to pick up
the peaces.
According to Fromm, individuation began historically in
medieval times. This was a period of small childhood.
Fidonews Page 7 2 Dec 1985
There is increasing experience as adolescence experiences
its life development. The last stage is us.
*** Posted to FidoNews by David Messer - SYSOP Fido 14/415
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Fidonews Page 8 2 Dec 1985
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
:FREE HOLIDAY FIDOGRAMS :
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
Luck Hurder - 101/105
Thanksgiving is now over it seems, and those of us who pro-
ided you with free Thanksgiving Fidograms want you to know
a thing or three.
First off, the Amateur Radio networks would have been busy
enough this week, thank you, sending "Happy Turkey Day"
messages and the like to thousands of people around the
country. That was even before Fido began wagging his tail
into the picture!
Now that more and more users of Fidonet are becoming aware
of the link with Amateur Radio that allows them virtually
unlimited free telegrams, we expect the radio end of things
to bulge a bit at the seams. After all, Fido users are a
discerning lot, no? And I suspect they're mostly like me -
(cheap/chintzy/tight!); able to spot a freebie when they
glimpse one.
The point we're getting at (ever so slowly) is that you
shouldn't wait a day longer. Dig out your little black
books and send your Xmas Fidograms today. Now - before you
forget. Waiting any longer will only put that much more of
a strain on our system for the holiday crunch!
Secondly, try to keep in mind what the text of your Fido-
grams will sound like when they're delivered to the
recipient. Lines of basic programming, and cute little
jingles like "Roses are red, violets are blue, today's the
day for turkeys like you" lose much of their value (?) when
delivered by a total stranger over the phone.
Finally - in years past we've had the miserable experience
of being asked on December 24th to deliver large volumes
of message traffic in time for Christmas. Ditto for sweet
nothings during the evening of February 13th. Do all of us
a favor - be thinking of who you want Christmas Fidograms
to go to - during November. For Valentine's day, birthdays
and other important dates, plan early. We'll gladly accept
them here at 101/105 many weeks in advance, and will relay
them to the city of destination to be held until the date
you specify.
Granted, the tone of this week's Fidogram article has been
a bit negative. It's just that while we feel comfortable
knowing that the majority of your free Fidograms are being
delivered promptly and usually within the time frame that
you expected, there are always a few who fail to understand
the "labor intensiveness" of our networks. Help us to help
you with your holiday Fidograms - send 'em early!
Fidonews Page 9 2 Dec 1985
For more info on Fidograms or the Amateur Radio networks
that handle them for you, contact me by Fidomail @ 101/105.
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 10 2 Dec 1985
There's more than a Token-Ring LAN in IBM's latest announcements
by Robert E. Spivack
Spiv's Fido Net #143 Node #3
(408) 972-8164
A few weeks ago IBM formally announced their worst kept
secret, the IBM Token-Ring Local Area Network.
(Coincidentally, Intel also announced their own worst kept
secret, the 80386 microprocessor chip.) By most accounts, it
was a simple, one-product announcement legitimizing the
rumors that have persisted in the industry for the past few
years.
In reality, IBM announced a multitude of new products, some
of them complementary to the Token-Ring LAN, and others
entirely unrelated. Careful perusal of the official IBM
literature (unofficially called "ivories" because of the
pure white paper used) reveals several exciting products in
new areas for IBM.
First of all, some clarification. The actual Token-Ring LAN
consists of four new products: the IBM Token-Ring Network PC
Adapter (part #6339100), the IBM Token-Ring Network
Multistation Access Unit (part #6091014), the IBM Token-Ring
Network NETBIOS Program (part #6467037), and the Advanced
Program-to-Program Communication Software APPC/PC (part
#6467038).
As you might have guessed, the Token-Ring Network PC Adapter
is the actual, full size board that plugs into the IBM PC
and provides the hardware for the network. The Token-Ring
Network Multistation Access Unit is a rack-mountable cabinet
that links up to 8 PC's and itself can be linked to other
MAU units.
Physically, PC's on the IBM network are wired together in
groups to a centralized wiring box, the above mentioned MAU.
(In network lingo, the IBM network is a physical star
topology; the IBM network "ring" is a logical construct, one
that exists in the software that drives the network.) The
actual cost of linking each PC into the network is therefore
the cost of the individual Token-Ring Adapter board and 1/8
of the cost of the required MAU.
The rationale for this setup is that it is very reliable and
easy to install. The MAU is an active device (powered by
electricity) and is smart enough to disconnect any one of
the individual PC's linked to it if they are malfunctioning.
Thus, in a large network, any PC can be turned off or break
and not cause the entire network to stop working.
This is quite different from Ethernet (for example) where a
problem in one PC can sometimes crash the entire network.
In fact, the IBM scheme is very similar to business
telephones. If you look at the wiring in any office complex
you will find that groups of telephones have their wires
drawn to a central wiring box which is usually hidden in a
Fidonews Page 11 2 Dec 1985
closet.
In a surprise addition to the product announcement, IBM
stated that as an alternative to expensive coaxial cable,
the Token-Ring LAN can also utilize normal telephone wiring.
Further, IBM stated that in many cases existing, already
installed telephone wire can be used for the network. Thus,
installing an IBM Token-Ring Network might be as easy as
putting a MAU in a telephone cabinet and connecting up the
wires that already exist, but are unused.
IBM also announced that it will offer a service program
where IBM will inspect/test already existing telephone wire
and certify whether it can be used with the IBM network.
When one begins to realize that the cost of installing the
network cables is often the only real cost of networking
(labor and materials for coaxial cables adds up quickly)
this shows clearly that IBM understands why everyone has
been slow to accept networking until now.
The Token-Ring Network NETBIOS Program, although a separate
software product, is an intrinsic part of the new network.
When IBM introduced its first network, the IBM/Sytek
broadband "PC Network" it created a well-defined
hardware/software interface called the NETBIOS (for NETwork
Basic Input Output System).
The NETBIOS provides a way for third party software
developers to write programs and be guaranteed that their
programs will continue to run on new IBM hardware. The
NETBIOS is very similar in concept to the original IBM PC
BIOS which provided a standard interface for direct control
of the hardware in the IBM PC.
The release of the NETBIOS software is very important for
two reasons. First of all, it demonstrates that IBM truly
is committed to an open network interface. All software
developed for the IBM/Sytek PC Network that uses only the
NETBIOS interface will execute properly on the new Token-
Ring LAN through the NETBIOS.
Secondly, the NETBIOS is software, not firmware. By
providing the NETBIOS as a separate program on diskette, IBM
is free to enhance its internal workings, add functions,
improve its performance, etc. and can simply issue a new
diskette with the changes. By comparison, the IBM/Sytek PC
Network includes the NETBIOS software as part of a PROM
(programmable read-only memory) on the network adapter
board. Changing PROM chips, although feasible, is much more
difficult and expensive.
Additionally, the release of NETBIOS software from IBM
validates what AST Research has already done. For the past
several months, AST Research, a leader in multifunction add-
ons for the IBM PC, has been marketing its own NETBIOS
software for OEM's. IBM's continuing use of the NETBIOS
approach should bring a wave of customers to AST Research
wishing to develop their own networking products that are
Fidonews Page 12 2 Dec 1985
NETBIOS compatible without having to spend the time to write
a NETBIOS themselves. (Gee Tom, will Phoenix Software let
AST Research gain a foothold here?)
The final part of the Token-Ring announcement, Advanced
Program-to-Program Communication Software (APPC/PC), is only
partially related to the network products. APPC/PC is a
major part of IBM's communications software and is more
commonly known as LU 6.2. By bringing LU 6.2 software to
the IBM PC, IBM is providing the foundation for third party
developers to finally provide true micro-to-mainframe
software solutions.
APPC/PC includes a clearly defined API (application program
interface). If third party software developers use the API
then IBM or other companies are free to improve the hardware
used for networking or data communications without
applications software having to adjust.
Until now, micro-to-mainframe solutions for PC's have
focused on solving the hardware problems of linking to
mainframes. Products such as DCA's IRMA, or CXI's PCOX do a
good job of bridging the hardware differences but provided
only rudimentary services beyond strick 3278 terminal
emulation.
APPC/PC with LU 6.2 capability sets the stage for much more
sophisticated applications. Imagine a database program such
as dBASE-III or R:Base that, transparently to the user, can
automatically query information on the corporate mainframe
as easily as on the PC that it is running on!
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 13 2 Dec 1985
* To NEC or not to NEC
INTEL 8088 verses the NEC V20
Is the NEC V20 better than Intel's 8088 and do we care?
Yes I know, that seems to be all we see in Fidonews
these days, but that's the reason for one more article. We
all have heard how great the NEC V20 is and how Intel is
suing NEC for copying the 8088. But if the NEC chip wasn't
better I'm sure Intel wouldn't be suing, but if the NEC chip
is better then how can Intel claim that it is copy?
While trying to come up with something interesting I
decided to run CPUID.COM (a cpu identifier program). CPUID
told me that my Intel 8088 was a version 1.38 8088. It also
told me that my 80286 cpu was a ver 1.38 80286. Now the
interesting part came when it told me that the NEC V20 was
a ver 1.38 8088.
But to the reason I'm writing this. Many people have run
comparisons and come up with many different results so I
decided to confuse the issue even more.
I decided to time both Intel's 8088 ver 1.38 and the NEC
V20 at both 4.77 Mhz and 8 MHz in a Sperry PC with 640 K and
Tulin TL240 hard disk with an 80 millisecond access time. To
be able to test both the computing time and the ability to
handle IO operations I decided to archive PCBOARD with
LU.EXE thrown in by mistake, using ARC44.EXE. I felt that
this would force the CPU to do as many different operations
as possible and still keep the test simple. PCBOARD consist
of 414227 K of 83 separate files. ARC44 libraries and
compresses files the most efficient way, some are squeezed,
some are compressed, crushed, ect. The Archived file was
260786 K, a savings of 153441 K of disk space. (A small
pitch for ARC).
I also decided to do the same test on a Sperry IT with a
80286 CPU to compare clock rates. The Sperry can be run at 6
Mhz 1 wait state (the standard IBM AT rate), 7.16 Mhz, 0
wait state, and 8 Mhz, 1 wait state. Interestingly enough,
the wait states affect the processing time more then the
clock rate. For those that wish to compare the IT time to
the standard Sperry, it must be noted that the IT's hard
disk has a 30 millisecond access time. I don't believe
a truly accurate comparison can be made, and I didn't do it
by floppy because of the file size (I did that on purpose).
As you will see, there was only an effective nine percent
increase of power, although when CPU.COM was run it said
the NEC V20 was running at a lightning 19.47 Mhz.
Even if the performance of the NEC V20 CPU doesn't
warrant upgrading your 8088, there is one last tidbit to
throw out. Digital Research has released under I believe the
Shareware concept a program called V20-80.COM, which allows
you to run CPM 80 on your IBM/Compatable PC, and Intel still
Fidonews Page 14 2 Dec 1985
thinks both CPU's are the same? To think you can have all
this for less then a box of diskettes or more precisely
$20.00.
The following are the results I obtained.
MACHINE, CPU, ARCHIVE TIME % INCREASE
AND SPEED PCBOARD
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry PC 8088 @ 4.77 Mhz | 22 min 45 sec | Reference
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry PC 8088 @ 8 Mhz | 17 min 15 sec | 24 percent
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry PC NEC V20 @ 4.77 Mhz | 20 min 45 sec | 9 percent
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry PC NEC V20 @ 8 Mhz | 15 min 45 sec | 31 percent
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry IT 80286 @ 6 Mhz, 1 ws | 6 min 5 sec | Reference
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry IT 80286 @ 7.16 0 ws | 4 min 10 sec | 31 percent
------------------------------------------------------------
Sperry IT 80286 @ 8 Mhz 1 ws | 4 min 50 sec | 21 percent
------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------
Fidonews Page 15 2 Dec 1985
============================================================
COLUMNS
============================================================
Allen Miller, 108/10
FASTBACK Backup Software
FASTBACK is a $179 copy-protected program from Fifth
Generation Systems that provides an alternative to the DOS
BACKUP/RESTORE utilities. It greatly reduces the time to
backup a hard disk and gives greater functionality to the
restore operation. Since it greatly reduces the amount of
time required to backup a hard disk, it may also increase
the likelyhood that users will backup their data.
FASTBACK can be run with command line parameters
supplied, similar to the way one would execute DOS BACKUP.
In addition, it will provide full English prompts for
parameters if no command line parameter is supplied or the
parameters can be stored in a DOS text file for repeated
use. FASTBACK uses its own diskette format and will format
backup diskettes on the fly as it does its backup 'run'. If
you have a personal computer with two similar diskette
drives, it will alternate between the two drives so you can
change one diskette while it writes the other diskette.
Interestingly, FASTBACK keeps the floppy disk drive spinning
continuously during its backup run thus eliminating the time
required to get the drive up to speed after each diskette is
inserted.
FASTBACK will create a 'catalogue' file on your hard
disk of all the files that have been backed up and update it
as successive partial backups are performed. This enables
it to GREATLY improve on the restore type operation.
Without inserting any of your backup diskettes, it is able
to present you with a directory of all the backed up files
with full scrolling and searching capabilities. You can
selectively restore a file and FASTBACK will know exactly
which diskette to prompt you for.
Now for the neat part. The first time you use FASTBACK
and write to your diskettes the execution time is longer
than successive runs when FASTBACK does not have to also
format the diskettes. FASTBACK requires about the same
number of diskettes to backup a given amount of data as
would DOS BACKUP, however it is FAST. I backed up an XT at
a rate of 1.2 mb/min. On my AT, I was able to backup my
entire hard disk (which contained 17.9 meg of data) in 9
minutes and 24 seconds or 1.9 mb/min. Imagine - NINE
MINUTES FOR 18 MEG.
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Fidonews Page 16 2 Dec 1985
============================================================
WANTED
============================================================
\\/// W a n t e d : Fido Art
/=##=\
<_\ |_> In the search for cultural enhancement
_ =\@' SportFido, 115/512, will be hosting a Fido
// / | Art contest. It is open to all artist and
\\/) ||| pictures of all sorts are welcome, but they
(__)|_)) must contain only CHARACTER or ANSI graphics,
SportFido (no other kind will be accepted). The
collection of pictures will be on display on
my board and in a month or so there will be a vote taken
by my users and a winner will be deturmined. He or she will
recieve a grand prize (probably a box of disks or something
along those lines).
Any Fido pictures from artistic sysops who have made
special Fido welcomes are especially welcome.
PLEASE send all entries via FidoNet with a title and name
of artist to: 115/512.Winner will be notified through the
Node from which the picture as sent, please include it also.
Paul Hansen (Sysop, SportFido 115/512)
312/598-0525 (Only those who call can vote.)
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Fidonews Page 17 2 Dec 1985
============================================================
FOR SALE
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From: Robert E. Spivack
Sysop Spiv's Fido Net #143 Node #3 (Formerly 10/346)
(408) 972-8164
I have recently re-arranged my system(s) and have the
following hardware for sale:
BABY BLUE:
This is a CP/M-80 emulation board for the IBM PC and
compatibles. Great for maintaining the ability to run CP/M-
80 programs while getting rid of an old CP/M system.
TECMAR MULTIFUNCTION BOARD:
I forgot the exact name but this is the one with 384 KB of
memory, battery backed-up clock, one RS-232 serial port and
one Centronics parallel port. Includes full instruction
manual and a diskette full of Tecmar utility software.
3COM ETHERNET CONTROLLER BOARD:
This is a complete Ethernet local area network controller
board. I'm sorry, but I don't have a copy of the manual.
This board is great for someone already running 3Com
Etherseries network or Novell Netware/3Com. You'll have to
know what you're doing and already be a network user, but
I'll give you a great deal!
NESTAR NETWORK INTERFACE CONTROLLER ("NICS"):
I've got a few of these boards that I picked up at a local
computer swap meet. If you are running any kind of NESTAR
local area network (PLAN 2000, PLAN 3000, or PLAN 4000)
you'll find these handy. It's a great way to expand your
network at a low cost. Same scenario as above, no manual,
no documentation, not for the novice, but a great
opportunity for someone already using NESTAR's token bus
network setup.
IBM TOPVIEW SOFTWARE:
If you want to play around with multi-tasking, I've got a
brand new, shrink-wrapped copy of IBM's Topview. It may not
be perfect, but it beats waiting for Pc-DOS 4.0 or 5.0 to
come out.
IBM DATA EDITION:
I've also got a copy of this one. It is IBM's file-oriented
database manager designed to be part of the "IBM Personal
Decision Series" but is also a complete standalone system.
I'm just an addicted dBASE-III fan, but some of you might
find a home for this well-documented file management system.
OLDIE BUT GOODIE SOFTWARE:
Here's a few items I have collected and are now sitting on
my shelf taking up precious space. (All include the
original master disks, full documentation, and an "as is"
warrantee.)
Fidonews Page 18 2 Dec 1985
VERSAFORM -- The forms oriented database package
DATAFAX -- A Freeform, text search database system
VISISCHEDULE -- Remember the guys who wrote Visicalc? This
is the PC version of their acclaimed project s/w
WHY THERE ARE NO PRICES LISTED FOR ANY OF THIS STUFF:
I am a horsetrader and I know the fair market value (or
retail price) of these items. I bet some of you do too! So
if you're willing to take a chance and make and offer, I'll
consider it.
The first offer that meets my own desired selling price will
be accepted. So, the risk for offering a very low price is
NOT being able to buy it, and the risk for offering a very
high price is guaranteeing the purchase but perhaps paying a
little more than you had to.
As they say, "nothing ventured, nothing gained". Why not
take a risk and FidoNet me a message with an offer on any of
these exciting items?
(You can also call my Fido directly, but please bear in mind
it is a semi-private system: Simply leave your message as a
private one to the Sysop.)
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Fidonews Page 19 2 Dec 1985
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NOTICES
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The Interrupt Stack
9 Dec 1985
DECUS Anaheim. The first session (Roadmap session) of
the PC Special Interest Group will meet at 11:30 in the
PC Campground (Bonita Tower, Santa Cruz room). See you
there...
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.
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SPECIAL NOTICE for DEC FIDO USERS AND SYSOPs
The DECUS PC SIG in cooperation with a number of the Rainbow
FIDO SYSOP's are planning to run a Fido at the national DECUS
Meeting to be held the week of December 7th, 1985 in Anaheim,
California. The node number is listed as private in the
current nodelist.333 as Fido 102/555 DECUS_Anaheim. The SYSOP
recruited for the week is Fritz Howard who runs the Hitch
Hikers Guide at 102/23. The board will be using a Rainbow
100+ donated by DEC.
If you are running a DEC Rainbow Fido or have DEC users on
your board we ask that you permit them to send FidoNet Mail
to 102/555. The can be done by giving those users credit or
setting the message cost for 102/555 to $0.00. This is a
great opportunity for your DEC users to find out what's
going on at DECUS or perhaps ask questions to some of the
DEC experts that will be attending.
Fidonews Page 20 2 Dec 1985
We ask that you place a notice in your bulletin to let your
users know about DECUS_Anaheim and remind them that this
board will only be running Mail for one week during DECUS.
If you are planning to attend DECUS and would like to help
out please send a message to Fritz Howard at 102/23.
Ken Kaplan
SYSOP Fido 100/22
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