On 16/11/2019 08:42, Lee Lofaso -> David Drummond wrote:

 LL>>> Fidonet has survived for decades without ever having others telling
 LL>>> sysops (and participants) what to do.

 DD>> If we do NOT adhere to the technical specs our systems do not connect to
 DD>> each other.

 LL> Technical specs, according to the NC who assigns the node number.

Nope - specs used by the WHOLE of Fidonet. Many nodes connect with others
outside their local net.

 LL> Not by any particular document, especially one that is void.

What voided it? It is the documented procedure we've been using for about 30
years to enable connections.
[...]
 DD>> Wasn't Oli's plan to dump the *Cs?

 LL> The individual who is applying for a node number gets to determine
 LL> which NC he/she wishes to send a netmail to.  That is the way it works,
 LL> or is supposed to work.

However in the past the NC applied to may well forward the application to one
"local" to the prospective sysop to keep costs down. Such costs are minimised
today so current practice may have evolved.
[...]
 O>>>>> I joined Fidonet in 1993.

 LL>>> Thanks to the NC who provided Oli with a node number.

 DD>> After Oli fulfilled enough of the procedures required of him

 LL> By the NC.

Based on the procedures laid out in Policy 4
[...]

 LL> The NC informs the applicant what is needed.  That is all the
 LL> applicant needs to know.  That's it.  Nothing else matters.

It does if the node expects to connect with other than the NC. Today the
"hierarchical" transport of messages has diminished with the low transmission
costs of IP nodes.

 DD>> If people do not agree to meet on some common ground then communication
 DD>> doesn't take place.

 LL> If an NC is not competent to know what technical specs are required
 LL> to make things work, then guess what happens?

Where does this NC read/learn about such specs? My guess is Policy 4.

[...]>
 DD>> I have a node number - do you?

 LL> I'm getting there.  Just taking me a bit of time.  Only have one
 LL> paddle in my pirogue.  But not to worry.  I'll get there.

What mailer software are you running?
 DD>> We've told you how to obtain one but you keep bitching about the
legalities
 DD>> of the procedure.

 LL> There are no legalities to worry about asking a NC what is needed
 LL> to obtain a node number.

That is correct - just procedural requirements - that can be found in Policy 4.

 DD>> Until you agree to some procedure common to you and the person you're
 DD>> applying to very little progress to you node being listed is likely.

 LL> Find an NC.

On the street? Or did you perhaps look in a copy of the nodelist that you'd
obtained?

 LL>  Ask the NC for information how to obtain a node number.

How, by phoning his cell phone?

 LL>  Once the NC informs me of all information needed, then follow the
bouncing ball.

All of that info is already displayed in Policy 4.

-- 

Regards
David

--- Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:31.0) Gecko/20100101 Thunderbird/31.8.0