Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!mcvax!nikhefk!keeshu
From: keeshu@nikhefk.UUCP (Kees Huyser)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: Flushot-Plus protect against Virus & Trojan programs
Message-ID: <364@nikhefk.UUCP>
Date: 4 May 88 16:39:41 GMT
References: <7714@brl-smoke.ARPA> <1414@hoqax.UUCP> <897@seradg.Dayton.NCR.COM> <742NU098674@NDSUVM1> <541@csccat.UUCP>
Reply-To: keeshu@nikhefk.UUCP (Kees Huyser)
Organization: National Institute for Nuclear Physics; Netherlands
Lines: 43

In article <541@csccat.UUCP> loci@csccat.UUCP (Chuck Brunow) writes:
#	Surely a better way to serve the PC user is for them to get 
#	together (stop laughing) and form their own international,
#	reliable, and convenient network. Naturally, everyone would
#	work together and freely contribute their time, efforts, and
#	cash to make an even better net. All users would instantly
#	agree on protocols, compaction, archivers, services, etc.
#	just like they do on the usenet groups. I'm sure no one will
#	mind volunteering to be a backbone site; think of all the
#	glamour and recognition that goes with it. Besides, everyone
#	will be understanding and patient even if you have to go
#	off-line for a couple of minutes.
#
#	I think it's clear that such a project isn't going to happen
#	since the hardware, software, programmers, etc. for such a
#	network don't exist. Why not just be nice guests on usenet
#	and act like you are civilized.

The hardware exists, the PC users *have* PC's, otherwise they wouldn't
be PC users :-)
The software exists, FidoNet has been used for about 4 years now.
The programmers exist, f.i. Tom Jennings, originator of FidoNet.

FidoNet has at this moment about 3500 nodes in all continents, each node
with a link to a backbone. The backbones communicate via dial-up lines
at speeds upto 19200 BPS. Protocols are discussed in the IFNA (International
Fido Net Association) Protocols Committee.

Of course not everything is achieved without some dissident voices here
and there, but that can be expected of a network in which 3500 SysOps try
to keep things running. Afterall, most SysOps pay the hardware AND the
telephone costs out of their own pockets, so they have a right to yell
if they don't like something. 

Try to contact a FidoNet node in your neighbourhood sometime; if you act
like you are civilized they might let you on as a nice guest....

-- Kees
| UUCP   : keeshu@nikhefk.uucp  or {[wherever]!uunet}!mcvax!nikhefk!keeshu
| BITNET : keeshu@hasara5.bitnet
| FIDO   : Kees Huyser @ 2:508/15 (Opus_MacSaga)
| SNAIL  : Kees Huyser, NIKHEF-K, PO Box 4395, 1009 AJ Amsterdam, Netherlands
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