PL>> allocations in zones is very much the same.  It may have been documented
 PL>> at some point, but nobody seems to be able to cite the document.

 VD> No, about ZMH write in Policy - about "head" in 2.1.8.
 VD> But about regional slots - never!


This above, and what you replied to after until my  part, I wil
repond in netmail...



 VD> And have no democraty.

In 1984, Tom Jennings established FidoNet.  I t was a few freinds at the
time who had the bux to be able to afford theproject he undertook.

As the history shows, it was a few freinds using that 'ol netmail kinda
thing some think is useless these days, and it quickly eveloved into
carrying "public" netmail that we grew to know as
"echomail" that could be carried on BBS's (still in that day a
fairly "well to do" mans hobby, much like Cocaine, and just as
addictive).  ;>

As to your "And we have no democrity", I will assume you meant
"democracy".

Looking at the nature of Tom Jennings, I would answer... NO.  FidoNEt was
not really designed as a democracy.  He was a self proclaimed
"Anarchist" (many think ANARCHY has no rules, but it -does-) and
he was also an adnmitted FAG... which in 1984, before the political
correctness movement, was a professional and social suicide.  You have to
admire the man in my point of view... an innovative "genious" who
commited that type of suicide.

Even as an Anarchist, he implimented proceedures that were -supposed- to
handle FidoNet in an organized fashion.  As the nodelist grew, he slowly at
first, but later much more quickly becasue of his "faith" in
anarchism, lost control of the network.  (BTW, the "fag" thing...
he never exploited it in FidoNet, and the only reason I bring that up (even
though I'm not a fag at all) is because in 1984 to admit that was unheard
of, and in retrospect he really not only had genious, but genuine gonads
too).

I believe that when the St Louis nodelist format came to be (nets introduce
for easier handling of nodes) it was -he- who made the transformation
happen in such a way that according to history "went off without a
hitch"....

It was then that things went off the hook... more people involved, his
faith in "anarchy" and self rule, that basicly threw him into the
wayside.  He had other "volunteers" now doing the work who felt
superior, who undermined him, and well... his vision of the network basicly
got deluded and he said "fuck you all then, I'm gone", and people
still try to contact him about FidoNet to this daY, AND HE REFUSES TO even
talk about FidoNet.

Anyway... the "ANARCHIST" did not start this network under a
democracy, nor anachist priciple.  Untilthe underminers hijacked it, it was
"TOMs" network, as ruler.  When authorized for the St Louis
nodel;ist, the "NC's" had control of their nets, under the idea
that the most tech suited for the job did it.  No vote, no popularity
contest... either you can be an NC, or you can't.  You don't learn -after-
you get the position, you get the position by tech skills.

The same is now true today.  If you were to have a vote in your
"net" as to NC, how many people are techinicaly able to do it? 
Is every "I'm just happy to get my mail" guy eligible for the
position who thinks it's "easy" to be an NC when they need to be
eligible for the position, or don't you thingk that your RC, who has
experience of being an RC for some ;) reason knows who the best suited
person is based on technical skills?

This crap you hear out of Z2 about *C's just being nodelist clerks is the
biggest bunch of hogwash ever... there is much more to it than that.  The
recent restructuring of R13 proves that. My region, R13, is the most
accurate nodelist wise, and the tightest for netmail routing through the
NC's.

I have to carry every damn protocol available, and these days, have to be
able to assist new nodes with connections on whatever it is.  There are a
few RC's in Z1 that can do that... (though they'll probably pitch and moan
now just because I finally said it).  Hell... in the past year my most
challenging thing for a new node was getting an "AMIGA" (YES, an
Amiga) system connected here.  It was fun... I now know more about an Amiga
than I ever wanted to know, me being an old Atari 130 XEPro guy, and
Amiga's being an arch enemy ;>

Amyway... novel enough.  FidoNet is -NOT- a democracy... a technical
network cannot be run on democratic principles.  The "members" of
the net rely on the "coordinators" of the net to... well,
coordinate. *C's make sure things flow, and that the net is intact, and
that at least at their (Z/zone, R/Region, N/net) levels that all is
flowing. It is up to the level above to insure that who is on the downlink
is the, or at least "a" person who can deal with it.  The ZC is
-not- going to appoint a regional coordinator who can file a region segment
butnot establish secure connections with his/her NC's now, would they,
despite "popular" democratic votes? I would hope not.

Good intentions do not run a network... popularity does not run a network.


Stable connections, proper feeds, and system stability are a good start,
but they also need to be followed with more than an average BBS or Mailer
SysOp really cares about.... most basic when looked at by those now around.
 MakeNL... keeping up with wher emakeNL is going ;>  (Hello Janis,
wazzup with that anyway... I say it's a gO), understanding nodelistings for
all types of nodes (basic)... DAT'S the easy stuff.  Redy for routing
schemes to add to your software?  I'm working on a Z1 routing chart right
now based on HRN... only my ZC will tell me if it's off, but I think she'll
even adopt it ;>

Even when you have only 5 or so  nodes, every little steenking question,
and they expect immediate answers, and couldn't care less about the guy
yo're helping out to come in new.  They wanna know "NOW" and yet
thy've run mailer software longer than you even have... (Yea Greg... that's
-you-!)

You've already had set sessions with people, but they think they can
"tweak" it, screw it up, and demand -you- fix it now....
ARGGHHHHH!

If it weren't for my love of this so much, I'd do like when I first
joined... "RTFM!" then you have a node number,,, that's what *I*
got, but can't afford to be that way -these- days.

No my freind, it's not a democracy.  The upper level decides if you're the
right one for the job based on tech skills, andyou either accept, or say
"no way!" ... Sometimes I wish I said "no way!", but
most of the time Im glad I took it... after all... if I didn't, I wouldn;t
be conversing with you the way I am right now ;>

--- FMail/Win32 1.60
Netwo (1:267/169)