User'am - 64 kilobytes of FIDONet.

<b>User'am</b> - 64 kilobytes of FIDONet.

(C) 1998 by Evgrafov Glory

Music by Andrew Fer



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         Kilobytes of FIDONet


             Hello!


      Welcome to the new world for you
FIDONet. In this tutorial you will learn
Of course, not once, about many subtleties
work in this exciting global network, learn how to navigate the 
dizzying jargon of local residents and deliver the rest of the 
network members to answer on the very same questions that a 
person sets first came to FIDONet. 

      This article contains information that
gleaned by the author from various sources.
I understand that you can not grasp the immensity and therefore 
never sought tell the reader all the details or

an issue, particularly technical.
If you need more detailed information on technical issues, you 
can refer to the standards of network FIDONet, are available at 
most stations network, or seek advice from a conference 
SU.CHAINIK (for simple questions FIDONet), SU.MAILER (for 
questions about the mailers and the general discussion of their 
virtual benefits), and SU.FIDOTECH (questions and

responses of FTN-technology).


           What is FIDONet?


      Formally FIDONet represents
global non-profit information
network covering the entire civilized
world. In fact FIDONet - a unique opportunity to socialize with 
people you can never see personally, to make new friends, find 
advice on virtually any subject, to find skilled workers and so 
on. 

      The main advantage is its FIDONet free for network 
members. As a member you will be paying FIDONet

only its own costs of telephone calls and not pay a certain 
amount of kilobytes received and transmitted information.


      In fact, in foreign countries,
where telephone companies use hourly rates, you can take a 
certain amount for the transfer of your Personal Network

mail, newsgroups but remain
free. However FIDONet - a non-profit network, that is, it is 
forbidden any commercial activity (except in specifically 
designated newsgroups). In our troubled country FIDO one of the 
few networks whose services meet the modest capabilities of 
pocket ordinary programmer.


      Internet, which enjoys a well-deserved
popular with foreign users,
not gained fame in Russia, being represented only by commercial 
network Relcom. Few FTP-servers in our country are protected 
better than pantries Gokhran, and passwords, and even 
telephones are known only "Dedications".


      Most likely, your acquaintance with the world begin to 
use FIDONet numerous BBS, scattered throughout the

the country from Moscow to Chukotka.
However, remember that the station
FIDONet may not have the BBS, while
BBS can not be a station FIDONet. Possibilities BBS systems and 
the fundamentals of communicating with them are set out in 
other reference materials, of which I can mention "Memo teapot 
FIDONet "Genes Ivanov and Russian documentation for the user 
BBS system-based Maximus. Learn a little about style 
communication FIDONet, learn some jargon and terms, you can 
decide for yourself, it is worth Do you go to the next stage of 
work network - to address the subscriber network

(Points).


      Network structure. Network address.


      Perhaps because FIDONet was created as a nonprofit 
network, it has a hierarchical tree structure. Network 
structure defines the rules for transmission mail between 
stations subordinate units, as well as people responsible for 
implementing a network of various functions (coordinator). The 
main document describing the structure of FIDONet is a list of 
nodes (nodelist, nodelist from England. nodelist).


      There are several such lists -
global list, usually called the world nodelist, as well as 
smaller lists for specific geographic regions. World nodelist 
contains the network addresses phone numbers, names and titles 
of the operators stations for all nodes FIDONet. It is composed 
of several segments, which are responsible for the compilation 
of the coordinators at least major items of the network. 
Official publication nodelista published twice a year, all

the rest of the changes in the network structure
recorded in the files changes (nodediffah, difah, nodediff), 
who with the help of special programs are made in the nodelist

each station independently.

      The largest unit of division
FIDONet a zone (Zone). Russia enters the second zone (Europe, 
etc.), USA are in the first zone. A detailed description of the 
numbers of zones can be found in the world nodelist. The zone 
has a coordinator (Zone Coordinator, ZC), Coordinator

Questions ehokonferentsy (Zone EchoMail
Coordinator, ZEC), etc.

      The zone generally has its own
Gates (Gates, gate) for sending mail
other areas of the network. Each zone has its own
a list of sites included in world nodelist
as one of the segments. Node list Zone 2
currently referred to as the Z2-LIST. Nodelist file to Zone 2 
are called Z2-DIFF. File extensions Z2-DIFF numeric and 
characterize the current number of the day (Ie the date when 
this file has been created coordinator.) From the beginning of 
the year. Since the nodelist is very large, it is usually sent 
in archives. In this case, required to distinguish packed sheet 
of unpacked to make sure we do not try to compile the packed 
version. To do this, use another extension

File (. Zxx) where xx is the last digits
day.

      The following units of the network is a division of the 
region (Region). Russia is in Region 50 (usually denoted as 
R50). The region is reflected in the network address, but, 
unlike the area and other units of the division is not included 
in the address as an independent variable. Each region has its 
coordinators and their zonal nodelist segment, which is the 
regional coordinator (RC, Regional Coordinator, R50C in the 
case of Russia). In addition to the RC has more REC (Regional 
EchoMail Coordinator) and other coordinators. The basic unit of 
territorial division is FIDONet Network (Net). Network is 
characterized by a unique number within the zone, and contains 
a number of the region to which the network belongs.

Network number is included in the network address as a separate 
field, while as the number of the region form the first two 
digits of the network (for the 50 all network have numbers 
50xx). 

      The Network also has its focal point
(NC, Network Coordinator) and co-ordinator
on echomail (NEC, Network
EchoMail Coordinator). Network has its own
segment in the nodelist in the region, and, moreover,
list of subscribers (points, points of
Eng. point), usually called pointlist. Points are not formal 
members of FIDONet, the subtleties of this issue are discussed 
below. 


            Types of network stations


      In this part of the word "network" will
not understand the whole global network as a whole,
only part of it in the sense that it was
defined above.


      The main station is a network host
(Host), which was originally intended
serve as a gateway for communication network with the outside 
world. However, as the network grows and increasing workload, 
such a scheme has ceased to justify itself. The host network is 
zero node of the network, and is excreted in nodelist word 
Host. Following the description of Host is a list of stations in

this network.

      In addition to the host on the network is allocated a 
number stations, which are called hubs (Hub). Hubs

unite with each other in the ring, and the remaining station 
network broadcast all mail for other stations through a 
dedicated their hub. Hubs identified in the nodelist word Hub, 
for followed by a list of stations transmitting

your outgoing mail at the hub. In
heavily loaded networks, which is to
Example 5020 (Moscow, Russia) was isolated
as hubs in the second level (Second Level
Hub). In this case, the load is distributed between the hubs 
and accelerates the distribution of mail. 

      The basic unit is a network node
(Node, node, node). Node is a member of
FIDONet and its rights and obligations are governed by the 
Charter FIDONet. Charter FIDONet called FIDONet Policy 
(policy). Currently a version POLICY 4.1. Host receives mail 
from other network nodes and network subscribers. Each

node has a certain amount of their abenentov (points given 
node). Node independently determines for itself the order of 
transmission network mail message to the recipient (ie, can 
carry out both direct connections and communicate through the 
hub / host / gateway). In weighted networks are defined by 
special global circuit routing (routing, routing), designed to 
facilitate the identification of transmission of letters and 
accelerate their passage. 

      The smallest unit of a network is
subscriber network (Point, point). Point is
stable direct communication with the host, which he is a 
subscriber. In this case, corresponding node is called a boss 
nodom (Boss, boss-node) for this Point. Under the current 
FIDONet Policy Point is not a formal member of the network and 
can not to direct transmission network mail

recipient of the letter. This limitation is due
the fact that the direct transfer operator
boss-node can not control the content of letters from Point, 
and therefore not can prevent the transmission of commercial

information on the network.



            Since FIDONet built on
hierarchical principle, the mail is transmitted
from station to station until it reaches
the lowest parts of the network. Parent
links of the network to accept mail from the lower
and transmit it even higher, as well as take
mail from a parent to subordinate units. Chain of command 
determines direction of the call - the caller node usually

is inferior to the caller.

        With the direct connection between two nodes of parent 
node is called the uplink (uplink), the child - the downlink 
(downlink). 


        The structure of the network address.


        There are several schemes for addressing the network. 
Some of them are outdated and so in this guide refers to

only in the additional chapters.

        Currently the most widely
used is addressing 4D and 5D
(4D-addressing and 5D-addressing), ie There are four and five 
fields of network address. 5D-Addressing allows you to organize 
exchanges between the various global networks, and is more 
progressive. 


                4D-mail address.


        The main field 4D-address:


           Zone: Net / Node.Point


         Here Zone - the zone number, Net -
number of networks within the area (in this field is
in particular the number of the region), Node - Number
Site, Point - Point number node. For nodes
Network Field Point is senseless,
therefore, when addressing the node field Point of zero is 
assumed (ex: 2:5020 / 54.0) or even omitted (if there is

3D-Addressing) (ex: 2:5020 / 54).


                5D-mail address.


         5D-addresses stored in two
forms:


        Zone: Net / Node.Point @ Domain

        Domain # Zone: Net / Node.Point


         Field values are the same. Field domain
defines the symbolic name of the network. For
FIDONet used domain fidonet (ex:
2:5020 / 54.46 @ fidonet). Other networks may
have their own domains, ie can be distinguished address in one 
network from another. 


         It should be remembered that certain
addressing schemes are supported
limited range of software products,
used in the network FIDONet. Before you decide what address to 
apply, you must read the manual on the software used. The main 
address of the station network is called the address of its 
principal (main address) and possibly other address called AKA 
(from the English. Also Known As - "Also known as ...").



                  Flags.


         In the nodelist and pointlist there
special field that contains the flags for
this station. Flags determine the rate of
and modem, the regime of the station
etc. Here's a short list of flags
related to the regime of the station
:

Flag Value

CM Station clock
MO Mail-Only. Missing BBS LO ListedOnly. We accept only calls 
from systems offer in the current nodelist.



         In addition to these flags, there are
others, a complete list and the appointment of which you can 
find at the end of the current nodelist. 


               Types of mail.


         Originally conceived FIDONet
as a network for the exchange of personal letters.
Therefore, the first type of mail FIDONet historically proved 
to be a network or netmeyl mail (NetMail). Letter sent to the 
network by mail, there is always a single copy, which moves 
from author to the recipient through one or more

network nodes. Nodes in the network combines network
mail destined for a parcel to a specific node (node group or a
region) into packets that are sent
Only the connection.

         Network-mail is
analogue of the usual letters, located in
envelope (ie, read it can only
addressee). However, due to a total ban on the transfer of 
commercial information network mail system operators can view 
the sites through which the forwarding letter. This perusal can 
be carried out in order to identification of commercial 
information transmitted over the network. 

         With the growth of the network, a new
kind of mail - echomail or ehomeyl,
EchoMail. Echomail is an analogue of Translator, in which each
can accommodate letter or respond to
letter to another person. Echomail usually
shares at a conference on various subjects
(Ehi, Echo). This letter will be sent to all stations on the 
network, signed on concrete board (the conference). Ehopismo

There is not one, but a few hundred or even thousands of 
copies. Remember about this when writing letters to echomail.


         As a rule, passed ehopismo
in packaged form (ie, packets of letters
archiver packaged type ZIP, ARJ and
etc.). In this case echomail called arkmeylom (ArcMail). Files 
containing echomail have hex names corresponding to the network 
address station and expand on weekdays and file number (ie six 
files on Monday will have the extension. MO5). 

         Note: despite the almost
across-the use of PKZIP and ARJ,
the only standard FIDONet archiver utility is ARC.


              Letter format.


         Longhand on a network FIDONet
has the following fields Required
completion:

From: <name of the author of the letter> at 
To: <recipient's name> at 
Subj: <thread>


         Note that the word Subj (sabzh,
sabdzh, subzh, subdzh, ...) is often used
as a kind of macro for the subject line in
its text.

To be continued ...