Recently, phrases like FIDO or FIDOnet - the name of the non-commercial computer network FidoNet - have been increasingly appearing in various electronic and traditional publications. We have not lagged behind this tradition, especially since we now also have a direct connection to it. In the Samara echo-conference SMR.GENERAL, we came across a message containing a "forwarded" (taken from another conference) article about Fido. There, the author of the message, Mike Shirobokov, asked everyone who could to publish it. How could we not respond? And here it is:
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* Forwarded by Mike Shirobokov (2:5057/14)
* Area : MISTRESS.RUS (MISTRESS.RUS)
* From : Irene L. Nikitina, 2:5030/23.1 (Wednesday January 08 1997 21:00)
* To : All
* Subj : Article about FIDO. Which I liked. By request.
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* Forwarded by Irene L. Nikitina (2:5030/23.1)
* Area : SPB.SYSOP (SPB.SYSOP)
* From : Andrew Smetankin, 2:5030/153 (08 January 97, Wednesday 16:26)
* To : All
* Subj : Article about FIDO. Which I liked. By request.
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* Originally By: Evgeny Pliss
* Originally To: All
* Originally Re: Article about FIDO. Which I liked. By request.
* Original Date: 05 Jan 97 01:16:50
* Original Area: N5020.SYSOP.TALK
* Forwarded by : Blue Wave/DOS v2.30
WEEK (Moscow supplement to the newspaper "Izvestia") N45 / 1996, Section "Computers".
FIDO: THE ELDER BROTHER OF THE INTERNET.
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For almost six years now, a network has been quietly operating next to us, without hype, without unnecessary advertising noise, about which many, strangely enough, have no idea. A network that can be rightly called the elder brother of the Internet.
Well, who still doesn’t understand that there is no God but the Internet, and WWW is His prophet? Shame on you! Serious people from reputable Western companies spend insane amounts of money to explain to the public that the Network is modern, fast, reliable, convenient, and ultimately - fashionable. They don’t understand at all how we lived before the Internet. Now, practically every home computer sold in the West comes equipped with a high-speed modem and a package of programs for working on the Internet. The standard cost of connecting to information resources on the Network in the USA has already dropped to $29.95 per month, regardless of the time spent online. Newspapers, magazines, television, and radio are full of talk about the largest network in the world. The waves of this informational tsunami are gradually reaching Russia, but frankly, it hasn’t stirred many yet. Why? We still have a hard time with publicly accessible Internet: if an average consumer can afford a medium 486 computer for $600, paying $60 a month for the luxury of spending an hour or two a day online is not affordable for many. Moreover, Russian presence on the Network is still not very noticeable, and the official and most common language is English - most of us only know it at the level of "My name is Vasya, I live in Moscow." We are not to blame - that’s how we were taught in school. So their Internet is still not very suitable for our broad public. What should we do - consider ourselves the poor relatives on the outskirts of the information society and patiently wait for the day when the entire country will finally be internetized?
From correspondence in Fido Irina Toptigina (Kiev):
I was flipping through a collection of dictations for grades 5-9 and found the following text: The Italian worker Carlo Soriani, returning from work, found a freezing puppy. It was whining so pitifully that Carlo took it home without hesitation. The puppy followed Carlo closely from the very first day. This little friend was named Fido - which translates to "faithful." When the dog grew up, he would see his owner off to work every morning. In the evening, the faithful friend would meet his owner. But one day, Fido did not wait for Carlo. He died from a fascist bomb during a bombing raid. Years went by, but Fido came to the bus stop every evening and waited... The townspeople decided to build a monument to the faithful friend. The inscription on the pedestal read: "Fido. A model of loyalty."
The pedigree of Fido.
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The Fido network was conceived by a young Los Angeles programmer, Tom Jennings, in 1984. It was then that he and John Madill from Baltimore wrote a program that allowed quick and easy exchange of electronic messages. Their acquaintances found this idea interesting, and by August 1984, there were about 30 nodes in the Fido network, in February 1985 - 160, and ten years later, in February 1995 - more than 37 thousand worldwide: from Spain to Australia. The first Russian Fido node appeared in 1990 in Novosibirsk. Around the same time, nodes appeared in Chelyabinsk, Moscow, and Leningrad. (NOTE: Contrary to popular legend, Jennings never had a dog named Fido).
From correspondence in Fido Alex Sotnik (Berlin): Tor Tep by European regions of Fido:
Country Number of nodes
1. Germany 6608
2. Russia 2529
3. Netherlands 1013
4. Ukraine 905
5. United Kingdom 809
6. Sweden 574
7. Denmark 522
8. Italy 462
9. Belgium 297
10. Spain 286
This top ten (out of 35 regions) makes up over 80% of the total number of nodes in Europe - currently 16291.
Cream and roots.
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After the publication of a number of unsuccessful materials in the central press, written by people who are generally far from the computer community as a whole and Fido in particular (if only... we produce ourselves, we consume ourselves... - remark /281.281), this network is portrayed in the minds of the average citizen as some kind of virtual space populated by gloomy hackers, who, don’t feed them bread - just give them a chance to break electronic security, rob a bank, or write a malicious virus that will burn your computer, burst your monitor, and make your beloved woman leave. The authors of these publications depict the fidoshnik as a pimply teenager with a ton of complexes, a hunched, shy nerd who is only interested in computers, staring blindly at the monitor day and night, communicating only with like-minded individuals in an incomprehensible slang (like: "Mailer from node file list freaked - cips are rulez, no retrains!"). Undoubtedly, if one wishes, one can dig up even more colorful characters in Fido. But to write in such a tone about the entire Network is, at the very least, arrogance. As one of the fathers of Fido, Randy Bush, wrote: "If something floats on the surface, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the cream."
Fido cannot be bought.
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No city in the world can boast such an extensive Fido network as Moscow. Nevertheless, relatively few people know about such a large (over 700 nodes) and already existing network for several years. Most likely because Fido, unlike the current Internet, is a non-commercial network, and therefore not concerned with issues of profitability and wide self-promotion.
From correspondence in Fido Harry Bush (Riga): ... it is impossible to attract Fido to a coordinated, responsible, serious, and boring job - this motley, multilingual, emotional, sometimes complex-ridden and angry, witty, willful, freedom-loving, and lazy global community that finds joy in the very possibility of communicating with each other through the ephemeral structures of networks created and reconstructed by them... I like all this! But - it’s a gathering, a carnival, a party, even a little shop corner, a bit of nonsense and a quite serious professional seminar, sardonic irony, and occasionally excellent humor, debates about politics and a small fight on the staircase - everything is here, but there is no conveyor work. Even the power of the notorious coordinators is somewhat toy-like... although the emotions - oh dear... One should not exaggerate the danger of "capturing" Fido by such sharks of capitalism... There are no words "guarantee" and "material responsibility" in Fido, and that says it all. The role of Fido, probably, is still different, here it is very easy to experience all the delight of entering CyberSpace...
Anyone wishing can connect to Fido for free. A novice is required to have at least a minimal level of competence in modem-computer-program matters, which can be achieved quite easily with desire. This desire, it seems to me, is yet another difference between a fidoshnik and an Internet user: the latter buys access to the Network. To be in Fido, one has to make certain efforts, invest one's soul into the hobby. Fido cannot be bought, and this is its undeniable virtue. A potential fidoshnik installs and configures the necessary programs for work himself, and if something doesn’t work out, he can always rely on the help of more experienced colleagues. This Network is originally structured in such a way that it relies entirely on the voluntary efforts of its participants. The operability of the Network as a whole depends on the normal functioning of many individual stations. In the Internet, if there is an accident at one transit node, mail will be automatically redirected through any other, an amateur Fido network cannot afford such luxury for purely technical reasons: there are no satellite channels, no transatlantic cables, no supercomputers. However, thanks to this very structure of the network, a special system of relationships has developed in Fido, implying the responsibility of each system operator not only for his actions but also for the actions of those who access the Network through his node. So when I once again hear the well-worn saying that nothing good and free exists, I will definitely ask: "And Fido?"
A tool for communication.
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In the 70s and 80s, there was a very interesting phenomenon in Moscow and Leningrad, known in a narrow circle of the initiated as "the ether." Some old telephone exchanges had mysterious numbers not belonging to any subscriber. Several people who called such a number mysteriously (in fact, it was a defect of outdated PBXs) got the opportunity to communicate simultaneously. Fido conferences are arranged in exactly the same way. By subscribing to a conference (that is, receiving it from some Fido node to your computer), you gain the ability to read all messages from its subscribers. If you decide to join the conversation and write something yourself, your message will also be sent to all subscribers of the conference. It has been noted that at a large celebration, a company inevitably breaks down into small groups based on interests. The same happens in Fido. Only here groups arise more than at the coolest party: today there are over 500 Russian-speaking conferences in Fido. The topics discussed in them are very diverse: books, music, cooking, cinema, cars, tourism, creativity, love, religion, games, jokes, children, school, education, foreign languages, culture, dreams, fishing and hunting, guitar playing, author songs, hiking the Internet, Eastern martial arts, psychology, magic, UFOs, medicine, photography, sports, television, sex, science, astrology, chess, politics, and much more.
From correspondence in Fido Irina Kalyazhnova (Moscow):
And how do our moms live without FIDO? And not just moms... A terrible horror!
Dasha Shuleko (Moscow):
I communicated with a woman who really needed a piece of information from me. There was no Xerox nearby, so I thought, the neighbor has a scanner - no problem, but I’ll send it to her by fax, so she doesn’t have to struggle with recognizing symbols... And then I realized she doesn’t have a modem. Nor does she have a computer. The end of the story is sad - I gave her my paper so she could copy it and send it back to me by regular mail. I never saw either that woman or my paper again.
Here, everyone will find a topic to their liking, meet like-minded people, and, of course, opponents. Experienced fidoshniks joke: "Fido is a network of friends. Because there’s no reason to throw mud at each other for strangers." Indeed, in some conferences, somehow related to politics, passions sometimes overflow... I have witnessed how fidoshniks, long-time "faithful enemies," previously only known through correspondence, discovered that they had much in common upon personal meeting. But in any case, reading the conference is a voluntary matter: subscribed - didn’t like it - unsubscribed. For example, if you are not ready to scroll through a hundred letters daily from teenagers, don’t subscribe to the conference about sex. And if you subscribed - well, endure... And if you think that the existing set of conferences does not reflect, say, the topic of the feminist movement, no one prevents you from creating such a conference yourself. Programmers, as well as just users in Fido, have plenty of opportunities - almost half of the conferences are dedicated to various computer models, application programs, operating systems, programming languages and technologies, networks, electronic components, computer "hardware," etc. A special group of conferences forms a kind of virtual market where fidoshniks can buy/sell something to each other, whether it’s a useless baby stroller or a Pentium Pro processor. In this group, there is also a very useful conference in which fidoshniks compile "black" and "white" lists of companies selling computers, components (and not only them). A company gets into the "black list" if several people (preferably at least one of them is well-known in Fido) express a fact-supported negative opinion about it, for example: "I arrived at company F to buy hardware X. I stood in the sales hall for fifteen minutes waiting for a salesperson. The managers pretended to be terribly busy and ignored the customer. Finally, a seller lazily emerged from the stockroom, picking his teeth. For ten minutes, looking away, he condescendingly and illiterately explained to me why hardware Y is much cooler than the hardware X I need. In the end, it turned out that there hasn’t been any hardware Y in stock for a week. As a result, I spent a lot of nerves and three hours of time. I suggest putting company F on the "black list." If this letter is followed by a few more, the company will be added to the "black list." Similarly, a "white list" is created in a consultative manner, which includes companies with knowledgeable staff that pay close attention to clients, offering a good selection at decent prices and normal warranty service, etc. Both lists are published weekly in a conference that, besides schoolchildren and students, is also read by heads of automation departments of some companies and banks, as well as meticulous journalists. Many Fido conferences are so interesting that local Internet providers offer their subscribers the opportunity to read them. Of course, for a fee.
Who lives in the little house?
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The oldest fidoshniks are already in their fifties or sixties, while the youngest have been typing on keyboards since they were twelve. The active, noisy, and most noticeable contingent is youth under 20 years old: it is primarily based on them that Fido is judged. Thanks to their tireless youthful enthusiasm, a specific subculture of the network has formed and gained wide distribution. Neophytes eagerly master the jargon, the manner of expression, and some postulates about "what is good and what is bad" regarding programs, operating systems, alcoholic beverages, and more. This is quite understandable: people want to become "one of them" as soon as possible.
Can we even talk about any collective portrait of a fidoshnik? Fido is far from homogeneous, and it is easiest to convince oneself of this by connecting to it.
Where to connect to Fido?
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If you have a modem, you should already know what BBS is. Hint: many BBS are also Fido stations. If you don’t have a modem yet, when buying one, ask the seller what BBS (pronounced "bee-bee-ess") is and ask for the phone numbers of some of them. If the seller doesn’t know, ask younger customers or staff in the technical department of the company (by the way, some of them may be fidoshniks). Ask your friends and acquaintances who are connected with computers. If they are not in the know, let them inquire about it among their friends and acquaintances. Pay special attention to students (especially technical university students): they definitely know everything. Look for it. If you are genuinely interested in Fido, you will find access to it yourself.
From correspondence in Fido, Alex Exler:
I know a lot of "new fidoshniks" who don’t know (and don’t want to know) what BBS is.
Vitaly Vinnitsky:
But did these "new fidoshniks" find out about Fido themselves or were they drawn in by someone? If the latter, then, of course, it can be done without BBS. And if the former... maybe through magazine articles?
Dmitry A. Senkevich:
Another fidoshnik could have lured them in - that happens too. People enter Fido through completely different paths - the ways of the Lord are inscrutable.
Maxim KOCHEGAROV
P.S.
Some of what has been said may seem unclear, obvious only to me - a fidoshnik with 2.5 years of experience, and simply incomplete, insufficient. I do not claim to be comprehensive: for that, a newspaper article would not suffice, but an entire book. So if you have any questions about the history of Fido, the organization of this network, its culture, or technical aspects - write to me at the editorial address. In addition, I would be happy to hear your suggestions regarding the arrangement of our computer column by phone at 209-35-80 every Wednesday from 11 AM to 3 PM.
(A heartfelt thank you to all my friends and acquaintances in Fido for making this Network even more interesting with their presence. Special thanks to Dmitry Morozovskiy (Cronyx company) for the Internet address and friendly support).
... And the story with the "ether" ended quite ingloriously: the narrow circle of initiates failed to keep their discovery a secret, and it became almost impossible to use it: it was very difficult to understand anything from the cries of several dozen people who were not listening to each other at all. And the crowd hanging out in the "ether" was no longer the same... Soon, the PBX workers noticed the abnormal load on some lines and soon the "ether" disappeared... Fortunately, such a fate does not threaten Fido conferences: each has its own rules, outlining the circle of topics appropriate for that conference and listing violations that you should not commit. A moderator (from the Latin word meaning "to moderate," "to dampen"), often also the creator of the conference, establishes the rules, regularly informs subscribers about them, and monitors their enforcement. For violating the rules - a warning (for example, for an off-topic message), a remark (for swearing or using the conference for commercial purposes), and in some cases even disconnection from the conference (for repeated violations or for publishing confidential correspondence without the sender's consent). Rarely, but there are conferences without moderators, which we will not discuss: as a rule, little in them deserves attention.
Origin: Good people, we are not locals... (2:5020/281.281) It remains only to add that our beloved Spectrum is also not overlooked in Fido. There are at least two echo-conferences dedicated to it. These are SPB.SPECCY, distributed in St. Petersburg, and ZX.SPECTRUM, distributed throughout the former USSR. In the ZX.SPECTRUM conference, conversations are held on various topics: what the new Spectrum should be like, what new software has appeared, discussions of various projects (both software and hardware), and much more. MUSIC BY : VISUAL/MS/XTM --══════════════════════════════════════- * * *
Contents of the publication: Oberon #04
- From the Editorial
This editorial discusses the legal 'charges' against the creators of Oberon #4 as a humorous narrative, highlights the challenges faced in publishing this issue, and announces a potential hiatus for the magazine.
- Scroll
Analysis of the game 'Chaos' by Julian Gollop. Simplified gameplay mechanics and strategic elements. Description of creatures, spells, and tactics.
- Scroll - Unbeliever
Description of a mathematical game for ZX Spectrum where players collect formula symbols while navigating gears.
- Scroll - M.M.A
Discussion of 'Doc the Destroyer', a unique fighting and adventure game for ZX Spectrum. The article covers controls, character customization, and game mechanics. Compatibility issues on different ZX Spectrum models are also addressed.
- Overview - M.M.A
The article provides a review of games for ZX Spectrum, including KOMANDO 2, WRESTLING SUPERSTARS, TAG TEAM WRESTLING, and CAPTAIN PLANET. It highlights the features, graphics, and gameplay of each game, noting both strengths and weaknesses. The review concludes with recommendations and comparisons to other platforms and games.
- Overview
Overview of various ZX Spectrum games, highlighting their unique features, gameplay mechanics, and design elements. Includes critique on sound effects, graphics, and technical issues. Discusses games like 'Stryker in the Crypts of Trogan', 'Phileas Fogg's Balloon Battles', and 'Survival'.
- Overview - Alex Noman
The article reviews games for the ZX Spectrum, including BOOVIE, MOTOR MASSACRE, SOCCER PINBALL, and HUXLEY PIG 1 & 2. Each game is detailed in terms of gameplay, graphics, and unique features. The discussion includes comparisons to other games and highlights specific technical aspects.
- Review
A review of various games, including Little Computer People and Lost Caves, highlighting their features and versions. It also discusses 75Occ Grand Prix by Codemasters with its limitations. The article provides insights into game mechanics and versions.
- Review
Detailed review of various assemblers like Alasm 3.8, TASM 4.12, and others, highlighting their features and shortcomings.
- About Everything
Announcement of the creation of the SamZxNet network in Samara and the challenges of setting it up with HAYES modems. Explanation of the modems' power requirements and potential difficulties. Invitation for technical advice from experienced readers.
- About Everything
Description of travel to ENLIGHT'97 and meeting various demoscene participants. Observations of event organization and issues. Insights into participant experiences and scene discussions.
- About Everything
Report on the second day of ENLIGHT'97: events, challenges, and reflections. Describes voting results and organizational difficulties. Highlights future prospects for Spectrum demo parties.
- About Everything
The article features reader feedback on Oberon #04, critiquing design and content choices and discussing issues with software protection and game enhancements.
- About Everything
Discussion of the adventure game KAYLETH with gameplay tips and advice. Includes a game dictionary and suggestions from the author and their team. Calls for a local artist for future RPG development.
- About Everything
Reflection on the closure of the 'ZX-REVIEW' magazine and the adaptation of its article for 'Oberon'. Discussion on the development of ultra-short boot loaders. Optimization techniques for writing one-sector boot loaders on ZX Spectrum.
- About Everything
Exploration of amateur contributions to electronics, music, and computing history, highlighting figures like Faraday and Babbage. The evolution from handmade instruments to personal computers. Discussion on jazz, blues, and rock'n'roll's informal origins.
- About Everything
The story of Lieutenant Edward Roberts' journey from radio kits to creating the first PC, the Altair 8800, overcoming skepticism and challenges.
- About Everything
The article explores the rise and evolution of the computer industry, highlighting the transformation from passionate hobbyists to corporate dominance by giants like IBM and Microsoft.
- About Everything
An exploration of Sir Clive Sinclair's project after selling the Sinclair brand, detailing the features of the Cambridge Computers Z88 laptop.
- About Everything
Discussion of software market problems in 1997 for ZX Spectrum, highlighting lack of new software and user reluctance to pay.
- Announcement - M.M.A
Announcement of 'Black Raven' game by V. Mednonogov, focusing on gameplay, technical challenges, and upcoming features.
- Announcement
Discussion of the decline in ZX Spectrum development, reviews of new games and utilities, and announcements of future projects.
- Educational Program
The article provides an overview of FidoNet, a non-commercial computer network often considered the predecessor of the Internet, detailing its origins, growth, and unique cultural aspects.
- Hardware
Instructions for connecting the 'ALEGRO' modem to computers with normal port #FF, detailing hardware modifications required for proper signal handling.
- Hardware
Connecting Hayes-compatible modems to ZX Spectrum, focusing on Scorpion and Pentagon models, detailing hardware modifications. Specific instructions for internal port blocking and signal alignment provided. Step-by-step process and technical intricacies explained.
- Hardware
Discussion of the transition from 5.25' to 3.5' floppy disks for ZX Spectrum, including installation issues and solutions for compatibility with existing software.
- Let's Feast
A satirical story about a Rabbit who lost his house to a cunning Fox and how a Rooster helped him reclaim it.
- Let's Gourmet
A humorous tale about Malysh and Karlson's adventures with technology, drawing parallels between computers and everyday life, culminating in a comic mishap with an AMIGA computer.
- Advertising
Article discusses free advertising policy of Oberon, catalog of programs and hardware for ZX Spectrum, and adventure game engagement.
- Advertisement - Kano
Promotional campaign by Magic Soft and RPSG in Russia for Amiga multimedia computers, offering exhibitions, sales, and consultations. They highlight Amiga's advantages over other systems, describe various models, and provide price lists. Collaboration with 'Computers for Population' for distribution and services.
