FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
This is a long and convoluted document; it has been
sorely needed for months now, and it finally got done.
FidoNet is growing at a tremendous rate, and newer sysops
don't have the information that us oldies (pre Sept 84
sysops) assume everyone knows; hence the history section
here. There is a lot of extremely important material covered
here that was assumed to be known by all; we are finding out
otherwise.
This also covers some of the dark mysterious secrets
about the magical node numbers, and how the magical node
lists appear from nowhere. Those of you that have been
FidoNet nodes since way back when, spring and summer of
1984, and watched all this develop (such as it was) in full
Technicolor, will know most of this; if you are a relatively
new sysop, much of this may come as a suprise. Everyone
should read this, experienced sysops, new sysops, and all
Fido and FidoNet users.
FidoNet is no longer just a piece of software; it
has become complex organism. There are about 160 Fidos in
FidoNet right now; this does not include Fidos being run as
Bulletin Board only systems, just ones that you can converse
with over the net. If the average number of users on each
system is 300 people, you can start to guess at the scale of
things today.
HISTORY:
When FidoNet was first tested, there were two nodes:
myself here at Fido #1 in San Francisco, and John Madill at
Fido #2 in Baltimore. John and I did all of the testing and
development for the first pass at FidoNet. Its purpose: to
see if it could be done, merely for the fun of it, like ham
radio. It quickly became useful; instead of trying to call
each others' boards up to leave messages, or expensive voice
phone calls, Fidonet messages became more or less routine.
This was version 7 of Fido sometime in June 84 or
so; it did not have routing, file attach, retry control,
error handling, cost accounting, log files, or any of the
niceties since added. A packet was made, a call placed, the
packet transferred, that was it. This was adequate for a
month or two, when there were less than 20 nodes.
In August of 84, the number of nodes was approaching
30; the net was becoming clogged, believe it or not. FidoNet
wasn't too smart about making calls then. With 30 systems,
coordination became difficult; instead of a simple voice
phone call to the (very few!) sysops to straighten out
problems like modems not answering, wrong numbers, clock
problems, etc, it took days to get the slightest problem
repaired. There were by now six nodes in St. Louis, and Fido
#1 was making seperate phone calls for each, when obviously
one could be made. Enter the beginnings of routing.
FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
The "original" FidoNet was very simple and friendly;
you told me at Fido #1 that you had a FidoNet node ready, I
put you in the list, with your phone number, and people
called up and downloaded the list; done!
Well ... at first, "everyone knew each other"; we
were in more or less constant contact. However, when the
node numbers got into the twenties, there were people
bringing up FidoNodes who none of us knew. This was good,
but it meant we were not in close contact anymore.
The Net started to deteriorate; every single week
without fail there was at least one wrong number, usually
two. To impress on you the seriousness of wrong numbers in
the node list, imagine you are a poor old lady, who every
single night is getting phone calls EVERY TWO MINUTES AT
4:00AM, no one says anything, then hangs up. This actually
happened; I would sit up and watch when there was mail that
didn't go out for a week or two, and I'd pick up the phone
after dialing, and was left in the embarrasing position of
having to explain bulletin boards to an extremely tired,
extremely annoyed person.
There were also cases where the new node really
wasn't up yet, and the number given was a home phone to be
used temporarily, but I'd forget that, and include it in the
list anyways. Or the new node wasn't really up yet, and we'd
all make calls to it and it would not answer, or worse, the
modem would answer but the software wasn't running, and we'd
get charged for the call.
This obviously could not go on. We had to have some
way to make sure that at least the phone numbers were
correct! I started a new policy; before giving out a node
number and putting it in the list, I had to receive a
FidoNet message from the new node, directly. This verified
that at least the new Fido was half way running. At the
time, Fido had a provision whereby Fido #1 could set the
node number remotely; I'd send a message back, and presto! a
new node was up.
Well, this didn't work properly either; at the same
time, the Fido software was changing so rapidly, to
accomodate all the changes (literally a version a day for a
few weeks there) that I was losing new node requests, wrong
numbers caused by illegible handwriting, all sorts of
problems. Out of laziness I would still assign nodes "word
of mouth", and got in the same trouble as before.
The people in St. Louis (Tony Clark, Ben Baker, Ken
Kaplan, Jon Wichman, Mike Mellinger) had their local Fidos
going strong, and understood what FidoNet did, how it
worked, and what it was about. They volunteered to take over
the node list, handle new node requests, and leave me with
the software. They tightened up on the FidoNet message
requirement, and in a few months, had the "error rate"
(wrong numbers, etc) down to practically zero, where it is
FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
today.
Though I did the programming, Ken Kaplan, Ben Baker,
and the crowd in St. Louis did much of the design and most
of the testing of routing, forwarding, and local nets. They
still remain the experts on the intricacies of routing, and
help sysops set up local nets.
Please keep in mind the entire process, from two
nodes to over 50, took only three months! Fifty nodes is
more than it sounds; at that level it becomes a large scale
project. FidoNet went from about 50 nodes in Sept 84 or so,
to the current 160+ in Jan/Feb of 85.
FidoNet today is a network quickly approaching the
levels of complexity of commercial networks, and has many
more capabilities than many "mini" networks, such as USENET,
which has no routing or hosts. Only ARPAnet has some of the
features of FidoNet. The southern California local network
is three levels deep, with hosts in Orange, LA, Ventura, San
Berdino and San Diego counties.
FidoNet is just too large today to run as an
informal club. The potential for error is just too high to
include numbers at random within the node list. I imagine we
are in a predicament today what the radio ameteur operators
had a number of years ago.
The requirements for new FidoNet nodes are pretty
minimal, and they appear to be arbitrary and harsh if you
aren't aware of what's going on. This is to spell them out
in detail, so everyone will understand the process.
FidoNet'S PURPOSE:
Very simple; it is a hobby, a non-commercial network
of computer hobbiests ("hackers", in the older, original
meaning) who want to play with, and find uses for, packet
switch networking. It is not a commercial venture in any
way; FidoNet is totally supported by it's users and sysops,
and in many ways is similar to ham radio, in that other than
a few "stiff" rules, each sysop runs their system in any way
they please, for any reason they want.
THE STIFF RULES:
Actually, not as bad as it sounds; basically,
politeness as a rule:
1. New nodes, see below.
2. If your system is going to be down for a week or
more, please let Fido 51 know. They can take you
out of the list while you are gone, so other FidoNet
sysops won't be wasting phone calls.
3. If you change your phone number, or decide to stop
FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
running Fido, let them know, so other FidoNet sysops
won't be wasting phone calls.
The thing to keep in mind is that FidoNet's
telephone calls to send mail are costing someone money; if
you are down just for a night or so, don't worry about it,
just make sure your modem doesn't answer.
THE NODE LIST
Obviously (if you are a FidoNet sysop that is) the
node list is a text file containing all the names, phone
numbers and other things on each node, and as distributed by
Fido 51, routing information for the many local networks. It
is a very compact list, and so there is no clue as to how
that list is made.
Here is the current process for new nodes to obtain
a node number, and get into the node list. This assumes you
want to run a public access Fido; specialized systems are
covered seperately, below.
SET UP FIDO
Of course, you should get your Fido running first;
no sense in trying to run mail if your Fido doesn't run! In
your FidoNet area, enter a message for Fido #51, and include
the following information:
1. Your boards name
2. City and state
3. Sysops name
4. Board phone number
5. Maximum baud rate; 1200 assumed otherwise
6. Hours of operation; 24 hrs assumed otherwise
7. Way to contact the sysop during the day. This is
not absolutely necessary, but it makes it easier
if there is some problem.
Most of this is pretty obvious. The sysops voice
phone number will be kept secret; it will not be given out.
It is only used if there is some problem, and a FidoNet
message can't be sent for some reason.
For Fidos that want to run with an unlisted phone
number, a few other things are needed:
8. A public FidoNet to act as mail host
9. The systems actual phone number
A host is required for an unlisted number, so that
you can receive mail. (If you don't want to receive mail,
then there is no reason for you to be part of FidoNet!) The
host system will have to have the unlisted phone number, of
course.
FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
Fido 51 needs to have the phone number also, but it
will be kept secret. This is so that they can contact you
directly if there is any problem, such as a known bug or a
question, or if your host drops out of the network, so there
is some way to contact the local nodes.
GETTING A NODE NUMBER
This is the part that seems so arbitrary if you
aren't aware of what's happening. What happens is: you send
Fido 51 the message described above. When they receive it,
they put the stuff into the node list and fido list, pick
you a node number, and mail a copy of it to you the next
weekend.
This tests your system at the same time; you have to
be able to sucessfully send and receive mail in order to get
the node number. Out of it, you get a copy of the latest
lists.
NOTE: Fido 51 does not mail out copies of the lists to
everyone on a regular basis; it would mean too many phone
calls ($$$ ...). You can get the new node list Friday
evening at Fidos 10 and 51, or Fidos 1 and 2 later that
weekend or early the next week, and usually most any other
busy Fido.
If it all works, then 1) you know your system is
working 2) Fido 51, the node list keepers, knows it's
working 3) the other 160 or so Fido sysops know that your
system was working at least as recently as the last node
list. Print out the last few weeks nodelists; compare all
the changes, not just the additions.
This is why node numbers aren't given out "word of
mouth", or at other sysops request. It has to be done
directly, as a test.
WHAT FIDO 51 REALLY DOES
Making the node list is more than just typing in the
information; they make sure that the information in the list
is accurate as possible. This frequently means voice phone
calls to double check, or calls to the new system to see
what the problem is; sometimes it is as simple as the wrong
baud rate, the time wrong on the new system, so that it is
not running FidoNet at the right time.
Ken Kaplan and Ben Baker do the node list work when
they have "spare time"; please be patient! As the number of
new nodes increases every week, response time goes up.
Currently, the node list is done once a week; new node
requests must be received in Wednesday nights mail (by
Thursday morning) so that they can work on it Thursday
night, and send it out on Friday night, so that you will
have it over the weekend. The volume of mail is such that it
FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
may take a few days to get out.
(Please note that Fido 51 is an unattended node;
there is no one there to answer Y)ells unless someone
happens to walk by. The machine is located at Data Research
Associates, who kindly donated the phone line, and runs on a
DEC Rainbow 100+, donated by Digital Equipment Corp.)
Fido 51 is an extremely busy system; they receive
125 messages a week through FidoNet alone, so please be
patient.
CHANGES, MISTAKES AND UPDATES
If you ever find wrong information in the node list,
please send the information to Fido 51; they will include it
in the next list.
If you become part of a local net, ie. you have an
incoming host, notify them, and it will be included in the
node list also. Other changes might be baud rate (got a new
modem!) hours of operation, board name or sysop, etc.
SOME OTHER THINGS ...
If you have questions or problems with any part of
Fido or FidoNet, please ask. Here's where to go for
problems:
HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, PERFORMANCE OR INSTALLATION TROUBLES
Call or FidoNet to Fido #1, me, Tom Jennings.
FidoNet is best, if possible; that way, I have your "address
and phone" handy. If not, then call Fido #1 and leave a
message. If you leave it at G)oodbye, when you call back
looking for a reply, remember to check in the ANSWERS area;
Fido will NOT tell you if there is mail for you, you have to
search for it.
Fido #1 always has the latest versions of Fido for
all hardware supported, available for download. Fido #1
ALWAYS runs one revision later than the released version; it
is used to test new features or bug fixes, so that when
released they will be working. Check the FIDO download area
for the current Fido version.
I have nothing to do anymore with maintaining the
node list, nor do I hand out node numbers.
ROUTING, NODE LIST, LOCAL NET QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
Fido 51. Since they keep the list, they're the ones
to contact for node list problems. If you want advice on how
to set up a local net in your area, they can offer help and
advice.
FidoNet History and Operation 8 Feb 85
SPECIALIZED SYSTEMS
If you are setting up a private network, and it is
to be truly private, what you do with it is your own
business. If, however, there is any possiblility that
members of your private network may wish to communicate with
any members of the public network, you should contact Fido
51 for the allocation of a block of node numbers to be
assigned by you to the nodes in your network. This is to
avoid node number conflicts upon receipt of FidoNet mail in
the public network.
LOCAL NETS
Neither I nor Ken Kaplan nor Ben Baker "run"
FidoNet; local networks such as the one in Southern
California and Massachusetts are entirely the responsibility
of the sysops in the area; the only thing we ask is that the
designated "incoming host" for that area be somewhat
reliable, for the obvious reason that it will be receiving
lots of phone calls from across the country.
As a matter of fact, you are encouraged to form
local networks, or join one that exists locally. IT makes it
cheaper for other systems to send you mail, and generally
streamlines FidoNet operation.
Other than that, local nets are totally standalone;
that is what they are for! For instance, SoCal can run their
net anyway they please; it is their hardware, their phone
lines, and their phone bills. It is their investment in
work, and they should reap the benefits. If there is a
"FidoNet policy", this is it.
AND SO ON ...
I hope FidoNet is a bit clearer now; if you have any
suggestions, or want to volunteer to help, please let us
know. Our only interest is in keeping the node list correct
and up to date; this simple list is what ties the entire net
together.
Ken Kaplan Fido #51 314/432-4129
Tom Jennings Fido #1 415/864-1418
Ben Baker Fido #10 314/234-1462