Replying to a message of James Vahn to Darryl Gregorash:
 JV> As to FidoSpine, this is a backbone echo. If FidoSpine
 JV> wants to carry it, fine, as long as they abide by the 
 JV> guidelines in BOFAQ, which seems to be the case.
There seems to be massive misconception here.. "backbone" is ***NOT*** the 
NorthAmerican Backbone, contrary to what the likes of John Souvestre would 
like to have everyone believe. The NAB is merely one echomail distributor 
forming a part of that backbone.
The "echomail backbone" in this zone consists of many zone-wide echomail 
distributors such as the NAB and the FidoSpine, plus Regional distributors, 
some of which are established by Regional authority, all the way down to 
simple net hubs like myself. I am not bound by the operating "policies" 
described in the BOFAQ, but only by the policies which my own net has 
established.
The FidoSpine is another zone-wide echo distributor, operating wholly 
independently of the NAB. It has nothing to do with the NAB, whose operating 
"policy" is described in the BOFAQ. There are only three people on this 
planet who are bound by what is stated in BOFAQ. Those are the NAB stars, 
John Souvestre, George Peace, and Ken Wilson.
Indeed, if you were to write to Bob Seaborn, effectively the "head" of the 
FidoSpine, and tell him that he has to run the FidoSpine according to the 
BOFAQ or else cease distributing this echo, I can assure you that the 
cessation of my participation here would be a) instantaneous, and b) 
involuntary :)
--- FleetStreet 1.21 NR
---------------