A INFORMATION PACKAGE FOR NEW NODES IN NET 2603 ----------------------------------------------- Free New York NET -------------------------------------- ---------- Copyrighted (C) 1989, 1990, 1991 - Ray Hyder and Joe Brown All rights are reserved. ---------- Please direct any inquires as to the use of this document to Ed Deringer 1:2603/0 Page 2 ---------------------------------------- Hi! We have put this package together to assist you with getting oriented to the network. It is written to guide you through the various structures and policies quickly so that you can begin to enjoy the benefits as soon as possible. The one thing we cannot cover in this document is the software that you are using to access FidoNet. There are just too many different packages available today for this to be possible. It is strongly recommended that you become thoroughly familiar with the documentation that comes with your system so you can be a good network participant. We know you will take this advice in the spirit intended. If you are not yet an official FidoNet node then read through this document. If you agree to abide by FidoNet's policy and Net 2603's rules you can apply for a net/node id by following the steps outlined in the "How to become a node in Net 2603" section. We look forward to communicating with you on the net! Ed Deringer - Free NY Net Coordinator, 1:2603/0 Policy distribution : POLICY4.TXT ECHOPOL1.TXT ---------- Note : FidoNet (tm) is the Trademark of Tom Jennings, 2269 Market St. #118, San Francisco, CA - 94114 Page 3 Orientation ----------- I suggest you read the following very carefully. A little time spent here and with the suggested reading material will save you a lot of time in operating your system in a network environment. In a real sense FidoNet is a point-to-point amorphous network. In simple terms, it is a network that uses the public access telephone network (dial) and any node can access any other node. Currently there are over 8000 nodes in FidoNet worldwide. The glue that binds FidoNet into a network is its mutually agreed to network management and topology (structure). A file named NODELIST.xxx contains all the information (structure & topology) required to communicate in the network. Look at it as your systems telephone book. The following figure shows the hierarchical relationship of the various levels of network management within a FidoNet network. +--------------------------------------------------+ | +-----------+ | | | ZONE | | | +-----+-----+ | | +-------------+-------> etc... | | +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ | | | REGION | | REGION | | | +-----+-----+ +-----------+ | | +-------------+-------> etc... | | +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ | | | NET | | NET | | | +-----+--(1)+ +--------(1)+ | | +-------------+-------> etc... | | +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ | | | HUB | | HUB | | | +-----+--(2)+ +--------(2)+ | | +-------------+-------> etc... | | +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ | | | NODE | | NODE | | | +-----+-----+ +-----------+ | | +-------------+-------> etc... | | +-----+-----+ +-----+-----+ | | | POINT | | POINT | | | +--------(3)+ +--------(3)+ | | | | (1) A Region may have independent Nodes with | | no associated Net. Nets are also called | | Hosts. | | (2) Hubs are found in only very large Nets. | | (3) Points are only addressable through | | their boss specific nodes. | +--------------------------------------------------+ Page 4 This is a good time for you to READ a short document called the FidoNet Policy and Procedures Guide, Version 4 - (POLICY4.ARC). It is a document produced by FidoNet that describes the rules and policies that should be followed while operating a system in the FidoNet environment. This document specifically describes the responsibilities and relationships of the various parts of the network hierarchy, and gives the rules of conduct while operating in the network. I think this is a good document and needs to be thoroughly read and understood by all NEW FidoNet SysOps BEFORE any attempt is made to communicate in the network. Always keep in mind that FidoNet and its spin-off networks are run by people who contribute their time and computer resource because they truly enjoy what they are doing. With over 8000 nodes involved there is an enormous difference in motivation, attitude, and expertise. Each hears the drum beat a little differently... Even with that FidoNet works extremely well. Since I've been involved with FidoNet it has been a constant source of amusement and amazement. FidoNet has also been referred to as the "Public Amateur's Network". The word amateur comes from the Latin word amator... To love. ********** If you are not yet an official FidoNet node then read through this document. If you agree to abide by FidoNet's policy and Net 2603's rules you can apply for a net/node id by following the steps outlined in the "How to become a node in Net 2603" section. ********** Page 5 NET 2603 ROUTING SCHEDULES -------------------------- The Host system (2603/0) in Net 2603 operates as a "Crash Mail" system. It will ACCEPT and DELIVER mail during ZMH according to the information that is in the nodelist entry for your node. This may be modified somewhat to take advantage of the best telco rates. This does not relieve you of the responsibility to recognize the FidoNet ZMH (Zone Mail Hour) from 4am to 5am Eastern Standard Time. You must not allow human callers during this time period and follow the rules spelled out in the POLICY4 document. Net 2603 RULES -------------- These rules are not new or unique. ALL of them are clearly spelled out the policy documents that, by now, you have read. As you read the rules you should keep in mind that they are in place to maintain order in what could otherwise be chaotic. We can be very friendly and cooperative all the time if you follow FidoNet Policy and the following Net 2603 rules. Habitually disregard or ignore the rules and you will find us to lack forgiveness. * If your node is undeliverable for an extended period AND you have not given me advanced warning OR you have not contacted me then I will make a reasonable effort to contact you. If I am unable to contact you then your node will be removed from the nodelist. An extended period is more than four or five days. * Failure to follow any of policies in the attached documents or this document, will result in a friendly message of admonishment. Disregard these messages and you will be removed from the echo list and/or the nodelist. Page 6 NET DISTRIBUTED FILES --------------------- The following files will be distributed to your node automatically. All files sent are compressed. The naming conventions are used for the network files: NODELIST.Ann - This is the nodelist file. When unarced the file name will be NODELIST.nnn where nnn is the day (1-366) of the year that the nodelist was generated. Nodelist files are always generated on a Friday. The nodelist for Friday, February 17, 1989 would be named NODELIST.048 since that Friday is the 48th day of the year. The arced version would be named NODELIST.A48 NODEDIFF.Ann - This is the weekly node diff file. It uses the same naming convention as the nodelist file. FNEWSvnn.??? - This is the arced news letter. VNN is the Volume and Number of a particular issue. The Volume id is changed each calendar year and the Number is restarted at 1. The unarced file is named FNEWSvnn.NWS. While this example is for the FidoNet newsletter, all other newsletters use the same naming convention. *** FidoNet files *** NODEDIFF.A?? - Distributed weekly, usually by Saturday, consider it late if you do not receive it by Tuesday - This is your NODELIST DIFFerence file containing all the FidoNet changes for the week. Please consult the documentation that came with the software you are running for instructions on how to process this file. You MUST process this file as soon as possible after receipt. Failure to do so may result in your inability to communicate with other systems in the network. Your NODELIST should be maintained with loving care. It is the glue that holds the network together. NODELIST.A?? - Distributed only occasionally - This is the full FidoNet nodelist. Because of its size this file will only be distributed once or twice a year and only when there is no alternative. The weekly NODEDIFF file, above, is the official vehicle for keeping your NODELIST current. This file can be "file requested" from 2603/0 or if you find you really need it. FNEWS???.A?? - Distributed weekly, usually by Wednesday, consider it late if you do not receive it by Saturday - This is the FidoNet newsletter produced by the International FidoNet Association (IFNA). The guidelines for submitting articles to this newsletter are in the ARTSPEC.ARC file included in this information package. Page 7 WHAT IS ECHOMAIL? ----------------- A long, long, time ago, a group of hearty rebel sysops got together. They had already done some cute tricks to make their systems communicate with each other in the wee hours of the night, but they wanted something more. Yes, while we were able to send messages back and forth to each other, nobody else could see the messages, and users who were not very experienced with Netmail were not really comfortable with using the facility. "Well, how can we get users from one system to talk to the users on another?" Ah yes, that was the question. Since we didn't want to burden the user with things like network addresses, we decided to make it simpler. This system has several message areas which are called "echomail" messages bases. Any message entered in these areas will automatically be forwarded to another system, which in turn may forward the message to many other systems. Some of the "conferences" on this system are read as far away as Australia and Indonesia! And other conferences have as many as 300 or more systems connected to them. So that's the reason for calling this system of forwarding messages "echomail": Any message you enter into certain areas will be "echoed" to other systems. What does this mean to you? Well, now instead of just talking to the people on THIS system, you talk to several hundred people at a time. All of them can read your message! Any of them can reply to it! There are a few things to remember, though: Each echo "conference" has a moderator - one person who is in charge of setting the policies and guidelines for that particular conference. If you enter a message in a conference, you must abide by the rules that the moderator has set. While specifics may vary, the rules that almost all conferences have go something like this: * No advertising. This includes advertising a BBS, or a computer you're trying to sell. * No personal attacks. If you read a message that you find objectionable, try to ignore it. If everybody who objects to a message sends a reply, the whole system would be clogged with them. Page 8 * Of course, no illegal information may be left in a conference. Basically, if you can't print it in a newspaper, don't put it in an echo conference. Slander will be treated as such. Some good guidelines to keep in mind: * Only send messages that would be of interest to the general public. Too often, one-line messages that mean nothing to all but one person fill up an echo conference. * Try to avoid using vulgar language. People tend to be annoyed by it, and they won't be as likely to pay attention to what you're saying. * Good spelling and punctuation will be a plus! You come across as an intelligent, will-informed person when you use proper English. * When asking a technical question, try to give as much information about the problem as possible. The number of people who are willing to help will surprise you, but you must give them enough information to try to figure out your problem. * Putting personal information in an echomail message is probably a bad idea. Would you publish your phone number in the newspaper? No? Then why publish it where several hundred computer users are going to read it. This would be a good time for you to review a short document called ECHOPOL1 that I have included with this information package. It contains all you need to know regarding echo policy within FidoNet. Page 9 Net 2603 RULES FOR ECHOMAIL -------------------------- These rules are necessary to maintain order in the flow of echomail within the Net and are covered, for the most part, in the policy documents that you have already read. Because of the costs involved in distributing echos you expect each of these rules to be strictly enforced. * You must poll the Echo Coordinator's system (NEC) during your designated time slot. * You are not allowed to forward to any other nodes any echos that are received from the NEC (2603/3). * If you are having System problems that will preclude you from polling the NEC, You Must notify the NEC Echo Coordinator 2603/3) as soon as possible. * If you do not poll the NEC and do not make the notifications as outlined in item 4, the NEC will take the following actions: a. Once your mail packets are held over 3 days they will be deleted b. An attempt will be made by the NEC to contact you to ascertain the problem c. The second consecutive time mail packets are held over 3 days they will be deleted and all links to echomail conferences to which you are connected will be severed without further notification and must be re-established when your board is once again functional. Page 10 How to become a node in FidoNet Net 2603 --------------------------------------- It's really easy! All you have to do is send me the following information from your FidoNet compatible system and I will process your request within a week or so... Yep, you must have a working FidoNet compatible system and be capable of sending the request over the net. I cannot honor requests from any other source. I must verify you have a working system and the first step is for you to get your system to call my system. Since you are not now officially in the network you can use a temporary "from address" or net/node id of 2603/999. I will be able to communicate with you over the net if you use that address. In your initial transmission send the following information or its equivalent to 1:2603/0. ============================================================= To: Net Coordinator 1:2603/0 Subject: Application for Net/Node ID I wish to participate in FidoNet and Net 2603. Please consider this as my request for a Net/Node ID in FidoNet. I have read and understand FidoNet's policy document (POLICY4) and WELCOME.txt. I agree to abide by the policy and rules spelled out in these documents. Here is the information required for registration in the network. PLEASE, NO MORE THAN 20 CHARACTERS PER LINE! 1) Your name (no handles) ____________________ 2) Your VOICE telephone number. ____________________ 3) The name of your system ____________________ 4) City and State ____________________ 5) Your FidoNet BBS telephone number ____________________ 6) Hours of operation ____________________ 7) Max baud rate your system supports ____________________ 8) The name and type of your modem ____________________ 9) The FidoNet compatible software your system is using. Mailer and BBS. ____________________ 10) Additional comments _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ =============================================================