-=> Quoting Paul Edwards to All <=-

Hello Paul,

 PE> the internet.  Does anyone know what software end-users need, to get
 PE> access to newsgroups from your existing MSDOS/OS2/etc systems?  I've
 PE> got an old message from David Begley to tell me what I need to get
 PE> mail for myself. 
 PE> Suggestions/votes?

 As below

 PE> I suppose another option would be for me to run internetfidonet
 PE> gateway software.  I guess there's one other option, which is to start
 PE> a new network, like fidonet, except based on the internet standards,
 PE> so that similar-minded sysops can have the advantage of being able to
 PE> transfer mail between consenting nodes (for free) instead of having to
 PE> pay an ISP,

 I used to access the internet newsgroups via normal fido software.  I would
connect to the system as an "othernet", and would collect mail that way.
 It was exactly like fido, except the echo tags were called ALT.SEX.WITH.SMALL
FURRY.ANIMALS and similar.
 I don't know if it sent origin lines and kludge lines into the internet
though.  That was up to his gateway software.

 PE> whilst at the same time getting some standards a hell of a
 PE> lot better than the fidonet shit. 

 I left internet mail for two reasons.  Providers (all the ones I had come
across till the time I tossed in the towel) were arseholes.  They were in it
for money and nothing more.  Asking for help resulted in "we can not offer
support for that area" (Unless you paid big bucks for access).  When I asked
exactly they *would* support resulted in getting netscape/mosaic/MSexplorer
etc to work.  Stiff cheese if you want support in other areas, look on the web
if you want help. Although I am sure they are not all like this, I got fed up
with it all.
 Also, as far as newsgroups go, there was around 10,000 available the last time
I checked.  ALL were spammed, ALL THE TIME.  (twit filter got a good workout).
And everyone cross posted to all subgroups.  So if you were to get all of:
ALT.SEX.FURRY.ANIMALS.GAFFA-TAPE
ALT.SEX.FURRY.ANIMALS.STICKY-TAPE
ALT.SEX.FURRY.ANIMALS.CELLO-TAPE
ALT.SEX.FURRY.ANIMALS.STAPLES
 this would result in dupes across them all.  They would not be classed as
dupes since they were posted separately, but dupes all the same.

 PE> It's also possible that I could run internet software 6 days of the
 PE> week, and fidonet software 1 day.  I think maybe it's time for the
 PE> internet software to come alive.  Shit, if Rod's dog managed to figure
 PE> it out, it must be a doddle!  I think they even create newsgroups
 PE> under the fidonet names, e.g. fido.aust.avtech, although I don't
 PE> recall seeing too much internet traffic like that, so maybe there's a
 PE> catch to it. 

 Some of the fido echos are gated into the net, although, most have been
pushing against it, as policy4 would have to cover them as well.  This is the
reason for some/most of them being pushed off.  That and, the internet people
usually have never heard of fido, let alone know what it is about.

 PE> Does anyone know if it's technically possible for me to receive mail
 PE> from my current ISP, and then pass it on to other nodes, within the
 PE> RFC technology? 

 I'm not sure *exactly* how internet mail works except that it appears as a
big text file and is processed that way.
 You could keep current fido software, and send everyone a big file attach
with all the internet mail in it.  Everyone would add software on their end
to process it and toss it into their mailbase and access it as per normal.
That's another way to do it anyway.


John Tserkezis, Sydney, Oz. Fidonet: 3:712/610  Internet: jt{at}suburbia.com.au

... Gratuitous censorship - is a 'clever tool'... to mindless impotents.
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