Skip to content

FidoNews · Vol 3, No 2 · 13 January 1986

       Volume 3, Number  2                          13 January 1986
       +----------------------------------------------------------+
       |                                             _            |
       |                                            /  \          |
       |    - Fidonews -                           /|oo \         |
       |                                          (_|  /_)        |
       |  Fido and FidoNet                         _`@/_ \    _   |
       |    Users  Group                          |     | \   \\  |
       |     Newsletter                           | (*) |  \   )) |
       |                             ______       |__U__| /  \//  |
       |                            / FIDO \       _//|| _\   /   |
       |                           (________)     (_/(_|(____/    |
       |                                                (jm)      |
       +----------------------------------------------------------+

       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
          2400 Baud and Electronic Mail
       2. NEWS
          Change 10MB Hard Disk cluster from 4K to 2K
          Improper use of Fido and life threats
          The latest FIDO distribution list
          Fido and Color Graphics
          Automate removal of ROBOT messages -- KILLROBT
       3. COLUMNS
          No body language on a terminal?
          Lotus Bulletin Board Announcement
          Rainbow Corner
       4. FOR SALE
          IBM PC/XT compatible systems - $1850
       5. NOTICES
          The Interrupt Stack
          Special notice to Jim Filgo
       ============================================================
                                EDITORIAL
       ============================================================

                       2400 Baud and Electronic Mail


       I finally got a Courier 2400 from USRobotics.  It's  a  nice
       little  box.  I used to be using a Novation 1200 baud modem,
       which works well,  but doesn't have all those little  lights
       on the front.  (It has two lights; one stays on to show that
       it's turned on,  and the other flashes in strange ways.) The
       Courier has a bunch of lights,  including one the meaning of
       which still escapes me.

       I missed those lights.  Don't believe anyone who  tells  you
       you  don't  need  the  lights.  Say  you  leave Mike Nagel's
       excellent background dialer running and walk away  from  the
       machine for a minute.  How do you know if it connected while
       you were away?  If you got lights, then you just look at the
       carrier  detect  light.  I used to manage with listening for
       the faint click when the dialer picked up  the  phone.  This
       is MUCH better!

       2400  baud  doesn't  seem  to  matter  much for entering and
       reading messages.  I can't read 1200 baud,  and I  certainly
       can't  type  even 300 baud.  Having a faster line just means
       more time spent at the "More?" prompt.  (Though it  is  true
       that long welcome messages bother me a lot less now.)

       Where  it  really  comes  into its own is at file transfers.
       When I first got the thing I spent about twenty minutes on a
       local board downloading files,  just so I could watch  those
       little  lights  blinking  back and forth.  Lucky for me most
       regional coordinators have 2400 baud,  so it should  have  a
       nice effect on my phone bill.

       By  the  way,  Rob  Elliott tells me that the sysop offer is
       still open.  You call the board with the  unlikely  name  of
       "Sit  UBU  Sit" (node 115/500) and answer the questionnaire,
       which is an order  form  for  a  modem.  They  don't  accept
       credit  cards,  but  they  will ship COD.  Fido sysops don't
       exactly get preference.  That is,  the offer is open to  any
       sysop,  but  they  can look up Fido boards in the node list,
       whereas checking on other systems takes longer.

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page  2               13 Jan 1986





       ============================================================
                                   NEWS
       ============================================================

       By popular demand, we are reprinting this article from
       Usenet.

            2K Cluster Size for 10MB Fixed Disks under DOS 3.x

       Standard 10mb fixed disks formatted  under  DOS  3.0  &  3.1
       utilize  4k  clusters (i.e.,  the minimum space allocated to
       any file is  4096  bytes),  while  drives  20mb  and  larger
       utilize  2k  clusters.  At  work,  I use a PC with twin 10mb
       drives under DOS 3.1.  Since I have  a  multitude  of  small
       files  on  these disks,  the smaller allocation unit's space
       saving advantage far outweighs any theoretical  disadvantage
       of  additional  overhead  for  DOS  to  handle   the   added
       allocation units.  With the help of Bob Morse, Jim Gainsley,
       and  the  DOS  Technical  Reference,  I was able to make the
       changes necessary to use 2k clusters  on  both  of  my  10mb
       drives.  By  following  the step-by-step instructions below,
       you will be able to make the switch to 2k clusters yourself.
       The need for making a complete  backup  of  all  your  files
       prior to attempting this procedure cannot be overemphasized.
       You will need the following tools:

       1) IBM  PC-DOS  version  3.1 (3.0 will work,  but because of
          other bugs, 3.1 is strongly recommended).

       2) A disk utility such as Norton's NU.COM, or equivalent.


       Most critical to the process is the sequence in  which  this
       procedure  is  attempted.  Here  is  the  4k  to  2k cluster
       procedure:

       1) Do a complete backup of the  drive,  using  your  current
          version of DOS.

       2) Cold  boot  DOS 3.1,  and FDISK the drive to create a DOS
          partition.

       3) Format the drive using the DOS format program.  Don't use
          any parameters (no /s or /v).

       4) Using your Norton (or whatever),  select the boot  sector
          and  view  it.  See  below  for  an  explanation  of  the
          pertinent info in this sector.  You should see a value of
          08 for sectors  per  cluster.  change  this  to  04.  You
          should  see  a value of 0800 for sectors per fat.  Change
          this to 1500.  All changes to the  fat  sectors  required
          for  2k  clusters  will be accomplished by the subsequent
          format (6,below).  No other manual changes are  required.
          A more detailed explanation of these two changes:

                The number of sectors per cluster would change from
                08 to 04, since that's what this is all about.  The
                sectors   per   FAT   will  change,   in  order  to
       Fidonews                   Page  3               13 Jan 1986





                accommodate (1) the increased  number  of  possible
                FAT entries, and (2) the increased size of each fat
                entry (new 16 vs.  old 12 bits each).  The value to
                use for a 10 meg & 2k clusters would be 21 sectors,
                or 1500 in hex word format.

       5) Exit Norton and do a cold boot.  This is critical,  since
          the  boot sector is read by DOS only once,  at boot time,
          in order  to  build  the  BIOS  Parameter  Block.  Having
          different  info  in  the  boot  sector than what's in the
          memory-resident BPB will cause exceedingly  flaky  things
          to happen, as you can imagine.

       6) Reformat the drive using the DOS program,  using whatever
          switches that you desire (/s  or  /v).  Format  will  not
          affect your changes to the boot sector.

       7) Restore  your  files,  remembering to use the new restore
          switch (/P) which prompts before restoring system  files.
          If  you restore an old version of COMMAND.COM,  make sure
          to copy a 3.x version over it afterward.  You should  now
          be operational again, with 2k clusters.

                           ====================

       Example  of  first few bytes in the Boot Sector displayed in
       hex format,  after formatting with DOS 3.1,  and prior to 2k
       cluster size changes:

       EB299049 424D2020 332E3100 02080100 020002F3 50F80800
                                    ^^                  ^^^^
                                    AA                   BB

       After the 2k cluster size changes:

       EB299049 424D2020 332E3100 02040100 020002F3 50F81500
                                    ^^                  ^^^^
                                    AA                   BB

       Where  the  data  elements directly above AA are sectors per
       cluster, and above BB are sectors per FAT.

       Further info on the entries in the boot sector entries  used
       to  build  the  BIOS Parameter Block can be found in the DOS
       3.x Technical Reference,  Page 3-22.  Of  course,  I  cannot
       warrant  that  this change will work for all controller/disk
       combinations,  particularly for controllers and drives which
       are  not  "XT clones",  though it should work for all drives
       compatible enough to work under DOS 3.x.

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page  4               13 Jan 1986





            Fellow Sysops:

            I had a user sign on and deposit  a  bomb.  Fortunately
       it  was  de-fused by me prior to it going off.  It is an IBM
       BASICA program and will not  run  properly  on  the  Rainbow
       anyway.

            The user used the following alias:

                     Name: Harry Blackstone
                     City: New York, NY
                 Password: Magic

            He  logged  on  to 102/110 on 17-NOV-85 at 3:55pm.  The
       program he deposited is called  FUTR2.BAS.  It  attempts  to
       kill all files on A, B, C, & D drives. It is poorly written,
       as though by a 6th grader.  It is easy to spot.  It is about
       2600 bytes long.  Be aware of this user's name and password.
       Spread  this  message  around.  Keep a log of where and when
       you've seen him and his actions.

            About one month later, on 19-DEC-85,  he came back.  He
       saw a little note I had posted in my Free Message Area about
       him and his program. He also noticed that I had twitted him.
       He  came  back under the name of 'Blackstone Harry'.  He had
       info about a home I own and people that is on  file  at  the
       County  Clerk's  Office and free for all to see.  He said he
       was going to put a bullet into a relative's head,  and  rape
       and  sodomize another relative.  Neither relatives are alive
       today as they both passed away about 6 months ago. The house
       mentioned is not occupied by me but by tenants.  However the
       threat was REAL.  The police have a file on him. Other users
       have reported to me that they have seen him.  The FBI  knows
       about  and has a file on him.  The phone company knows about
       him. The FBI and the phone company offered to set line traps
       for him. I accepted the offer.

            One week later,  he left messages containing  Visa  and
       American  Express  card  numbers on them.  These were turned
       over to the authorities.  He claimed to have broken  into  a
       VAX  8600 and was trying to 'crash' it.  Good luck.  The FBI
       was  involved  because  interstate  crime  may   have   been
       committed.  They  since  suspect that he is operating out of
       the Los Angeles Area or has contacts here.  In exchange  for
       phone  line  trapping  I have agreed to prosecute him to the
       fullest extent of the law if captured.  He wants to use  the
       name  Harry  Blackstone.  He gets upset if he cannot use it.
       Please report any contact with him to either  this  Fido  or
       preferably the FBI. I am all for a good joke, and it is true
       that  no  harm  was  done so far by his program or him.  But
       threats like he made (if it is a 'he') cannot be  tolerated.
       Passing  Visa card numbers around puts our Fidos in jeopardy
       as well.  We are to a certain degree responsible for  what's
       on our boards.

            A  short time afterward,  he called my voice number and
       posed as a beneficiary to a good cause.  He wanted  to  come
       collect a donation.  The only donation he gets from me is Pb
       Fidonews                   Page  5               13 Jan 1986





       in capsule form.  It should be mentioned that he has  called
       at  least one other local Fido here and made the same public
       threat to me on that system.

            One thing this proves is that as Sysops we all have  to
       be careful with other's uploads.  Check everything, as I do.
       Sometimes a machine language program  will  get  through  so
       check  these  extremely  carefully.  The  program STRING.COM
       available everywhere will assist you in doing this.

            If you are on any board and see  Public  Messages  from
       him  before I do,  please inform me immediately.  Ignore the
       messages. If he causes you trouble, do as I did and call the
       police, FBI and telephone company.  You will be surprised as
       I  was  to see that these people are very helpful.  Computer
       crime is easy to trace if you have a log as we do  and  keep
       your  evidence  updated.  I  will let everyone know how this
       turns out,  and ignore it if he never calls again and  makes
       no  more  threats.  As  for now,  I keep my S & W loaded and
       ready for use.  The police agree with this concept.  I  will
       not  hesitate  to  use  it  if he finds my newer address and
       comes here.  My house is overlooked by 6 others higher  than
       it, and all neighbors are in tune to this message.

            Good luck in catching this nerd on your system!

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page  6               13 Jan 1986





                       FIDO DISTRIBUTION LIST
                         24 December 1985

       This list was compiled from responses to a proposal I submitted
       to the FIDONEWS.  I know there are more distribution nodes than
       this, but these are the ones that responded.  My thanks to those
       of you listed here.  If you are a distribution node, and would
       like to be added to this list, send the relevant information to
       the SYSOP on 109/74 - The Bear's Den.  I will release updates to
       this list as new distribution nodes are added.

       NODE     NODE NAME      LOCATION         PHONE NUMBER  Version
       ----     ---------      --------         ------------  -------
       18/19   The Ark Tangent Tampa_FL         813-977-5347 * I
       100/10  MDC_RCC,        St._Louis_MO     314-232-6881 * D,I
       100/22  PC LUG          St._Louis_MO     314-576-2743 * D,I
       100/51  DECUS Central   St._Louis_MO     314-576-4129 * D,I
       101/27  Dave's FIDO     Gardner_MA       617-632-1861 * All
       101/106 NewWorld Magic1 Swampscott_MA    617-595-5626 * I
       106/343 PC-Interconnect Houston_TX       713-955-8120   I
       106/106 Black_Star      Houston_TX       713-458-5406   I
       109/456 FIDO-FHLMC      Washington_DC    202-789-5090   I
       109/483 Wash-A-RUG      Fairfax_VA       703-359-6549   D,I
       109/603 NET-EXCHANGE    Reston_VA        703-689-3561   I
       114/1   Phoenix Net     Phoenix, AZ      602-242-5230   I
       122/6   PSG COOS Bay    COOS_Bay_OR      503-269-5202 * I
       124/12  Inside Track Ed Plano_TX         214-422-4772   I
       125/1   Fido's Board    San_Francisco_CA 415-864-1418 * All
       125/521 Satore Center   San_Francisco_CA 415-647-8528   I,V
       128/10  The Three Laws  Colorado_Spgs_CO 303-574-1110   I
       129/11  TACO Sanyo Fido Trafford_PA      412-856-1428 * S
       132/107 M'Cycle Bytes   Amherst_NH       603-889-3366 * All
       135/14  Metro-Fire Fido Miami_FL         305-596-8611   I,S,T,G

       * Supports 2400 Baud

       FIDO Version:
               I[BM], D[EC], V[ICTOR], S[ANYO], T[ANDY], G[ENERIC]

       This version of the list was squeezed a bit, to allow it to
       fit into the FIDONEWS format.  If you would like a full 80
       column copy of this list, it may be downloaded from either
       FIDO 109/74 (The Bear's Den), or FIDO 109/483 (Wash-A-RUG).


       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page  7               13 Jan 1986





                          Fido and Color Graphics
                                    by
                               Nevin Nobles
                             Sysop Fido 19/201
                               Fido's Domain

       While trying to improve the frequency of use on my system, I
       stumbled upon something in which you  might  be  interested,
       "Graphics." Full Color Ansi.sys graphics.

       I have (and some of you may) a FreeWare graphics editor that
       writes  all  of  the codes for you.  Easy!  There was also a
       problem,  while most people who call do not  use  a  program
       which  supports  the use of graphics.  There had to be a way
       to offer an option.

       Everyone that signs on has a default  of  24  lines  and  80
       columns  across.  After  you  make  your regular Welcome and
       Bulletin messages, lengthen them so that when you call,  the
       end of the message will prompt you <More>.  Then on the last
       line of that message you can add something like "Do you want
       color  graphics  (y/n).  If  they type "N" then it skips the
       part of the message with the picture.  The picture is  added
       to the end of messages like this:

           copy bulletin.bbs+filename bulletin.bbs

       The filename being what ever you called your picture.

       It  takes  a little patience to line up the messages and get
       the prompts right but the outcome is worth the wait.

       Also Ansi.sys has to be in your config.sys file.  Qmodem  is
       what  we  have  been using and it works great.  The uses are
       unlimited and the  users  love  it.  The  editor  is  called
       Ansidraw.arc.  Any  amount  of  pictures  can  be  added  by
       tacking them to the end of the message.

       If you need any help or further details write  me  and  I'll
       get back to you.

                                 Thank you

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page  8               13 Jan 1986





                   KILLROBT -- Robot Message Killer

       (C) COPYRIGHT 1985 by PROBUS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
           ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

       Limited license is hereby granted for BBS operators of all
       noncommercial FidoNet systems to use this program.
       Voluntary contributions will be appreciated.

       Commercial users must obtain reasonable licensing
       arrangements by contacting:

               Stephen M. Butler
               PROBUS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
               8815 - 106th St. E.
               Puyallup, WA 98373

       NOTICE:  ROBOT is a copyrighted program by Systems
                Enhancement Associates of Wayne, NJ.

       ==> PURPOSE:

       KILLROBT automates the removal of ROBOT messages.  Since
       many of these messages are for the automated distribution of
       NODELIST and FIDONEWS and have a time limit to be picked up
       in, KILLROBT automates their removal.

       ==> FORMAT:

                      KILLROBT  [path]

       ==> REMARKS:

       KILLROBT opens MAIL.SYS to learn the path to the FidoNet
       message area.  It obtains a directory (unsorted) of all
       *.MSG files.  Each of these is read to locate those
       originated by ROBOT.  Those who weren't are closed and left
       as is.  The rest (the ones we want to get rid of) are
       deleted.  KILLROBT lists the message numbers, destination
       net/node, date entered, and Path/File data from the deleted
       messages.

       The easiest way to invoke KILLROBT is from the FIDO main
       directory as:
                  E:\fido > KILLROBT

       One can invoke KILLROBT when in another directory or sub-
       directory as:
                  E:\ > KILLROBT \fido

       Place on the command line the path to get to the main FIDO
       directory.  KILLROBT will change directories in order to
       read MAIL.SYS.  As KILLROBT terminates, it will change back
       to the directory you invoked it from.

       If you should forget to put the path on the command line (or
       MAIL.SYS is not found), KILLROBT will prompt for the path to
       the FIDONET message area.  If you give it a bad directory
       Fidonews                   Page  9               13 Jan 1986





       path, it will reprompt.  Once you give a valid path, it will
       do its dirty work--even if no '*.MSG' files are found (in
       which case nothing is deleted).

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page 10               13 Jan 1986





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

                      NEGOTIATING BY COMPUTER DEBATED
                            by Richard Naimark

          "Can  effective  negotiations  take  place  via  computer
       terminal?   Are  communications  improved  or  weakened   by
       removing  the  face-to-face  element  of a negotiation?  The
       author,  Director of the AAA's New Jersey  Regional  Office,
       addressed  these issues as one of the interviewees on ESPN's
       cable  TV  program  Management  Report,   an   award-winning
       business program.

          "The  program,  produced  in conjunction with the Wharton
       Business  School,   focused  on  various  aspects   of   the
       negotiations process.

          "The  section  on  negotiations  conducted  via  computer
       terminal included debate of the viability of  that  process.
       Some   of   the  potential  advantages  are:   reduction  of
       emotionalism and a focus on the issues;  low cost;  multiple
       part input at any given time; existence of a written record;
       and 24-hour access.

           "Some  of the potential disadvantages are:  inability to
       deal with the important emotional  issues;  existence  of  a
       written record;longer time to complete negotiations; and the
       need for practice to use the medium effectively.

          "The author noted that while computer conferencing may be
       particularly  useful  in pre-and post-meeting exchanges,  it
       deprives the parties of the many nonverbal cues that are  an
       important  aspect  of  communication.  Psychologists tell us
       that, in many situations,  more than half of communcation is
       nonverbal.  Without the face-to-face meeting,  one is unable
       consciously or subconsciously  to  read  facial  expression,
       tone of voice,  body posture,  body position,  timing, voice
       volume, or gestures.

          "On the other hand,  Murray  Turoff  of  the  New  Jersey
       Institute  of  Technology  descsibed  the  negotiation  of a
       separaTion by a divorcing couple,  made possible because  of
       the  decreased  emotionalism  of working through a terminal.
       He referred to the computer as the "great equalizer."

          "It will be interesting to see over time whether the  use
       of  computer  terminals  for  negotiation  increases  in the
       business and legal communities.  Reactions  of  our  readers
       are welcomed."


       Reprinted  from ARBITRATION TIMES (published by the American
       Arbitration Association), Summer, 1985.

       Just think.  The  poor  guy  never  saw  body  language  and
       emotionalism over a terminal.
       Fidonews                   Page 11               13 Jan 1986





       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page 12               13 Jan 1986





                       Announcing Allen's Lotus Land



       Announcing - Allen's Lotus Land - A Fido Electronic Bulletin
       Board run by Allen Miller in Cincinnati, Ohio at 513/662-1799
       (five-one-three/six-six-two-dash-one-seven-nine-nine).
       This system is dedicated exclusively to users of 1-2-3 and
       Symphony, Lotus Development Corporation products.

       This is the only free bulletin board system in the country
       dedicated solely to 1-2-3 and Symphony.  The message areas
       provide a good place to solicit help on questions you may
       have for the spreadsheet you are working on.  The files
       areas contain public domain worksheet templates and related
       programs which you can download.  If you wrote a worksheet
       that would be of interest to others, upload it to the files
       area.

       The bulletin board runs 24 hours per day.  Membership is
       acquired after on-line completion of the membership
       application form during your first call.  The system
       supports 2400 baud as well as 1200 baud and 300 baud.  This
       is a free, user supported service for sharing of information
       related to these Lotus spreadsheet programs.  Assistant
       Sysop services are provided by some very talented local
       Lotus users.  CALL TODAY.

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page 13               13 Jan 1986





                              Rainbow Corner
                           by Theodore Needleman


       Reader mail this week  was  mostly  comments,  both  on  the
       column,  and  on  "Project  Transport".  So far,  all of the
       comments I've gotten about my proposal have  been  positive.
       I  still  haven't  made  my mind up (it's only mid-June as I
       write this, and I promised to give everyone 'till August 1st
       to  comment),   but  I'm  sure  leaning  towards  doing  it.
       However, Project Transport may not be necessary on the scale
       I  envisioned,  if  one  of my leads pans out.  I've tracked
       down a company that claims to have a software package  which
       will  allow  you to run most IBM-PC software on the Rainbow.
       I've  requested  a  review  copy,   signed  their  licensing
       agreement, and am now waiting to receive the package.  If it
       shows  up,  I'll run some tests and let you know.  I use the
       word "if" because I tend to be a bit cynical about  products
       I  haven't  seen.  I  won't  go  as  far  as to use the term
       "vaporware" because someone I know  says  he  has  seen  the
       package demonstrated,  but "Needleman's Law" states that "If
       it's not in my hands,  It doesn't exist"  (at  least  that's
       Needleman's  Law  this week).  But,  as usual,  hope springs
       eternal.

       While still (more-or-less) on the subject of reader mail,  a
       letter  arrived  this  morning  from Jeffrey Noyes of Mercer
       University  asking  about  a  clock/calendar  card  for  the
       Rainbow.  There's an expensive one, included as part of GPIB
       interface from National Instruments (800-531-5066) listed in
       the  QUE  "DEC Expansion & Software Guide".  The price given
       for this is $485.  Don't give up  hope,  though,  there's  a
       less  expensive board which will soon be on the market.  The
       projected retail price will be in the range of $150 or less.
       I'm hoping to be able to give more details in a week or two.

       One last comment on reader mail.  I  love  to  get  letters,
       MCIMail,  and  the  like,  and the kind comments many of you
       have made really brighten up my day.  I  do  try  to  answer
       mail containing questions,  but you can make this task a bit
       easier on me.  If you  write  to  me,  and  would  like  (or
       expect)  a  direct answer,  PLEASE enclose a stamped,  self-
       addressed envelope.  And if you write,  and don't want me to
       use  your  name  here at the "Corner",  just let me know.  I
       have no wish to inadvertently embarrass anyone!

       On to other business.  I had wanted to do a  column  on  the
       FidoNet  Bulletin  Board  System.  My mention of DEC-LINE in
       April's "Corner" brought over 200 calls in the first 2 weeks
       after it appeared.  By the way, DEC-LINE closes down for the
       summer (June,  July and August) so you might not  have  been
       able to get through.  I've spent the last week or so signing
       onto Fido Boards all around the country,  and making lots of
       new "FIDO FRIENDS".  I'm convinced that the  FidoNet  system
       deserves  a lot more attention then just a quick plug,  but,
       as usual,  I'm a bit short on room  this  week.  But,  while
       you're  waiting  till  next  week  for  the  whole  story on
       FidoNet,  here are a bunch of FidoNet boards you might  want
       Fidonews                   Page 14               13 Jan 1986





       to try:

       NAME             Phone#         System Operator (SYSOP)  State

       Rainbow_Data     213/204-2996   Don Brauns               CA

       PC LUG           314/576-2754   Ken Kaplan               MO

       DECUS_CENTRAL    314/432-4129     -                      MO

       Wash-A-Rug       703/359-6179   Kurt Reisler             WA

       DEC-WARE         212/535-8924   Matt Kanter              NY

       Daves_Fido       617/632-1861   Dave Rene                MA

       Don  Brauns' Rainbow_Data board is the largest one I've come
       across so far,  so you might want to try it first.  He  (and
       several  other Fido SYSOPS) is in the process of turning the
       board into a subscription membership (it will cost  $2.50  a
       week),  but  you  can still sign on for free and take a look
       around.  Many of the boards listed above are quite busy,  so
       keep trying until you get through.  And once you do,  please
       don't "hog" the board.  Remember,  the Rainbow is  a  single
       user machine.  While you're using it,  no one else can.  And
       when you do sign on to one of the above Fido boards, be sure
       to leave a message to the System Operator (SYSOP)  that  you
       heard  about his board here at the "Corner".  If you'd like,
       you can leave a message for me on either Matt Kanter's  DEC-
       WARE  board  in  NY or Don Brauns' Rainbow_Data board in CA,
       I'm on both at least once a week.  More on Fido next week.

       One of the "hazards" of doing a column  like  this  one,  is
       that  the  software  to be reviewed sometimes starts to pile
       up.  (I can hear all of you  now...Poor  Ted,  all  of  that
       software!)  It's  a  "hazard"  because reviewing software is
       only one of the things that I hope to accomplish here at the
       "Corner".   While  I  do  want  to  talk  about  interesting
       packages, I feel it is just as important, if not more so, to
       answer   questions   you  might  have,   and  discuss  other
       information  resources  available  to  you.   This  is  very
       discouraging  to  those  nice  people  who send software for
       review,  but I ask them to be patient,  I  will  get  to  it
       eventually.

       Back  in  the beginning of the year,  I made a request for a
       software package that would help to keep track  of  computer
       usage  to  meet the strict record keeping laws that had just
       been enacted.  My request got an immediate reply from  PURNA
       PAREEK at VuSoft (Lincoln,  MA, 617/259-0686) in the form of
       a review copy of their DO-IT software.  The  record  keeping
       law  has been toned way down,  and is pretty much gone,  but
       the review package is still here,  and I finally got  around
       to  taking a look.  I must admit that I'm impressed with the
       software.  DO-IT is a multi-function utility package similar
       in  concept  to  Borlund's  Sidekick  (on  the  IBM-PC).  It
       contains  a  Notepad,  Calculator,  Terminal,  and  Help and
       Save/Print Screen functions.  These functions  co-reside  in
       Fidonews                   Page 15               13 Jan 1986





       memory  with  whatever application you happen to be running,
       and the DO-IT pop-up  menu  is  accessed  by  simultaneously
       pressing  the  Control-Shift-Enter  keys.  This suspends the
       application you are currently engaged in,  and gives you the
       DO-IT  main  menu.  Do-IT is not a multi-tasking system like
       Concurrent  CP/M-86.   While  two  programs  can  reside  in
       different memory partitions (if you have sufficient memory),
       only  one  of them runs at a time.  All of the functions are
       easy to use,  and extremely useful,  especially as  you  can
       suspend  what  you are doing,  use the notepad,  calculator,
       etc.,  then take up right  where  you  left  off!  At  first
       glance I wondered about the VT-100 Terminal function, as the
       Rainbow  has  this  built-in.   Then  I  realized  that  the
       Rainbow's terminal emulator  is  only  accessible  from  the
       "Boot  Menu".  DO-IT,  on the other hand,  does not make you
       back out of what you are doing and reboot the  system.  Just
       put  your  current  work on "hold",  dial up another system,
       and, when you are done, resume your first application.

       DO-IT really deserves a more  "in-depth"  review  than  I've
       been  able  to do here.  It's a handy program to have,  is a
       nice bit of programming,  and is reasonably priced at  $125.
       Give  Purna  a  call at VuSoft and he'll be glad to tell you
       all about it.

       That's it for now.  As usual you can reach me at:  P.O.  Box
       668,  New City,  NY 10956.  MCIMail to "Theodore Needleman",
       or Source ID TCA920.  Till next week...Happy Computing!


       (c)opyright 1985 by Ted Needleman-all rights reserved

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page 16               13 Jan 1986





       ============================================================
                                 FOR SALE
       ============================================================

          > > >   IBM PC/XT compatible systems for sale   < < <

          IBM-PC/XT 100% compatible assembled from standard parts,
       serviceable nation-wide.  Multiple configurations available.
       Typical configuration would include -

              1 System unit with:
                   640Kb RAM
                 2 320Kb floppy disk drives
                 1 21Mb hard disk  (pre-formatted with MS-DOS)
                   Color/Graphics card
                   Game port
                   Assych. Communications card
              1 Zenith ZVM-1220-A   (This model is amber)
              1 KB-5150 83 key keyboard

          All this, including one year warranty, for only $1850 !!
       Thats right folks, only $1850.00 brings you this wonder
       machine.  It is perfect to run a Fido/FidoNet system, not
       to mention other applications.

          If you would like to learn more about these systems, feel
       free to contact us via one of the below listed resources:

        Voice:  Contact Justin Norman, 9am-5pm, 503/692-5976
                        Leo Norman, 9am-5pm, 503/243-1936 ex. 318

        U.S. Mail:  L Norman & Associates
                    22675 S.W. Grahams Ferry Road
                    Sherwood, OR 97140

        Fido BBS:   Northwest Super Fido, 300/1200/2400 baud,
                    24 hours a day, 365 days a year, 503/692-6243

        FidoNet mail:  Address to:  Justin or Leo Norman
                                    Fido #146/0 or #146/1

       ------------------------------------------------------------
       Fidonews                   Page 17               13 Jan 1986





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

                            The Interrupt Stack


       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.

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

       Will Jim Filgo, node 131/445, please call node 1/1 to pick
       up his mail?

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




Download original FidoNews · Volume 3 (1986) · ← Previous · Next →