The Fidonet Network is probably unheard of in most of today’s online society. It is a hobbyist network of system operators (SysOp’s) that was the first online community connecting bulletin board system callers together long before the Internet was made available to the public.
I am one of those sysops that have operated Doc’s Place BBS since 1991 until yesterday deciding to pull the plug. For the past 15 years, my Fidonet network mail hub was the best most reliable source that keeps our Fidonet technical standards committee (FTSC) electronic mail moving.
But the protocols used are antiquated by today’s standards. The BBSes that exist do not support encryption and are frowned upon by today’s web browsers, though many dial-up systems (POTS) still exist mostly overseas. Telnet has been the norm for bbs callers to connect and download a mail packet (QWK). Doc’s Place however was powered by Wildcat Version 5 with the Internet-connect pack obtained in 1997. It was at its time and still is the most advanced bulletin board software of its kind ever produced. Doc’s Place has operated for months unattended under Windows 10 pro on a dedicated Dell pc on my home network. But recently that old Dell died a miserable death! 😥
With bbs callers down to 3-5 daily from over 100 a decade ago, I decided to move it over to my workstation rather than purchase another off-lease Dell pc. Dell is the best bang for the buck on off-lease computers and I’m presently using an Optiplex 7010 to blog this article, obtained on Amazon for under $300. The bbs being 32-bit software presented a problem when producing a video or doing any resource-intensive task and had to be shut down. I’ve recently considered taking it offline.
In late April 2021, one of my callers emailed me and said the mail appeared to be down. After checking my ftsc mail transfer program (BinkP) logs it was discovered it couldn’t connect with my mail hub. My mail hub has been the most reliable hub I’ve ever had in 30 years running doc’s place bbs, but sometimes it needed a reboot and all was well. I emailed my mail hub and 24 hours passed with no reply. This was unusual as I’ve always receiver a prompt reply, usually within 5 minutes.
Being the Asshole I’ve been known to be at times, The first thing I thought of was the cancel culture has infested the Fidonet network, and my mail feed has been terminated. My mail hub is a big-time Liberal and Joe Biden / Kamale Harris supporter. And even bragged about it on the filegate.
After thinking about the missing mail feed situation, I decided to post this topic to the Facebook Fidonet group, and all hell broke out. Fidonet has always had immature and trouble makers as sysops and users. My post brought back memories of my old PinellasNet 3603 where I was once the network coordinator (NC) and also network echomail coordinator (NEC). The name-calling and personal attacks in that group post made it appear not much has changed since the old days.
It’s been a very educational and rewarding experience being a sysop and making sure the system was available to my users. But with the caller activity being so low I believe it was time to throw the switch. Between having to shut it down when I’m blogging or producing a video and having my computer on 24/7 I made the decision to shut it down. Further info about the Fidonet network is here.
My mail hub operator finally emailed back last night saying script kiddies likely attacked my system. No, I don’t think so. It’s likely political with all the Republicans and Trump supporters being cancelled by Joe Biden’s associates and fans!
Life goes on without Fidonet once nicknamed Fight-O-Net! 🙄
Ed 'Doc' Koon
I'm an original Floridian and hobbyist Internet webmaster who specializes in SEO and WordPress while hanging out in cyberspace keeping up with tech. I am healthy and still going strong at 72, and are a non smoker/drinker/substance user, living a healthy lifestyle. looking for a good hearted lady friend/lover near my age who wants to enjoy her golden years with good looking southern boy. Is that you? Say hello 52FLC.ORG❤️
As to the Constituton; it’s pretty basic: RTFM (the user manual for the USofA); read for yourself how the Supreme Court has taken liberties with the plainly stated principles found in there. I’m exhorting my fellow Canadians to read ours, too, like I do — I read it, study it, ask questions, buitthole those who misuse it & demand they explain themselves to me.
It’s MY fleeping country, not the corporations.’
Dayum. Just discvered yas, Doc! I would’ve hapily connected to you — I’ve been on BBSes since 1991 myself — discovering Fido soon after. . . I was dial-up calling a dozen boards a day all over USA & Canada, when Y2K brought evereyone new PCs (c/w free month of AOL or Compuserve, or the other) & once peoplediscovered they could just play games & download porn without time limits & without being urged to participate in the local message bases, many never looked back sigh
The Cyberpope (my online persona) took some time off from using my IBM(True Blue MCA) 80486 to conect to BBSes al over (even connected to one in new Zealand by dialup!
I was doing(reading/replying) 1000s of messages a day in my QWK packets!
Alol on my DOS maxhine, while I surfed the web, chatted(PowWow, before ICQ existed, then evolved with the flow to MSN, bnuty my fave was a one-off that connected 6 of my accounts while providing great connections in its own network; I forget its name–’twas a Greek-origined name) , & collected files on my Pentium on the internet. . .
I’ve recently had it up to here with Facenook & the like, tring tofgind commnity like I enjoyed on BBSes & Fido, so I’m back on, using telnet mostly, as my 486 ids put away & I’ll need physical help to connect it all up before I can get onto it again, but perhaps I’ll continue my BBS life & Fido via Telnet — gotta get a QWK reader again, but for Win12.
I’m on a few Fido boards regularly, including going back to moderating FUNNY.
That’s me — say hey. My email is cyberpope67(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Or find me on Thunderbolt BBS in Little Rock Arkansas, or The Rusty Mailbox here in British Columbia. Both have telnet access.
They will be amazed at how many veterans will come out and support the US and its Constitution as originally intended.
Biden and his handlers are destroying the country. They know it too.
You bet! There’s a good reason the capital is lined with barbed wire and staffed by the national guard.
I’ve seen my country go to shit over the year’s and Donald Trump brought it back and made us all proud!
Speaking of Donald Trump, he’s got a new blog and is tearing the dems and rinos to shreds. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/desk/
You bet! There’s a good reason the capital is lined with barbed wire and staffed by the national guard.
I’ve seen my country go to shit over the year’s and Donald Trump brought it back and made us all proud!
Speaking of Donald Trump, he’s got a new blog and is tearing the dems and rinos to shreds. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/desk/
Gotta give the veteranscrediot: they put their LIVES on the line for the Constitution,. the county, & all who live in it. I’d much rather hear their opinions than the those of the whinging California Entertainment dopers that the media loves to highlight. I’d rather hear from the average working man, than any number of billionaires.
Doc, is there a work-around alternative to Krotch being involved? We’re communicating here…why not go for it in this format?
Tim, yea i could have found another Fido feed, but the old Dell the bbs was running on croaked. Given the Wildcat software was so old and insecure was one reason why I pulled the plug.
I can set up a phpBB forum to discuss politics if needed. Unfortunately it will not be gated to Fidonet. That’s a i can suggest.
Tim, yea i could have found another Fido feed, but the old Dell the bbs was running on croaked. Given the Wildcat software was so old and insecure was one reason why I pulled the plug.
I can set up a phpBB forum to discuss politics if needed. Unfortunately it will not be gated to Fidonet. That’s a i can suggest.
Can you telnet in to one of yur former feeds as a member & create/run a Fido forum dedicated to the years your BBS was up & your users, old & new?
& do so as a side hobby, rather than being wholly responsible for a whole system hosting x users & y feeds? On any computer you have operational? Then no need for BBS software, or polling setups. Just a telnet capable machine with which you’d connect as a visiting sysop to any number of BBSes whose sysops will remember you from the hey days. . . 🙂
Just a thought. . .
Has Janet Krotch finally found a way to destroy the conservative voices in Fido? Great going!
I will always believe she took offense to my president Trump support. It was the straw that broke the camels 🐫 back as the old saying goes. I don’t miss it one bit! 🙄
She pretty well knew I supported Trump. And there’s no doubt in my mind the election was stolen with the biggest political cheat in history.
They are fighting the audit in Maricopa county in so many bs ways the cheat is becoming too obvious to conceal. The democrats lie, cheat and steal as a way of life anymore. Who else would make a national hero out of an habitual criminal and dope addict like Floyd?
I knew something was going to go wrong when Clinton’s email investigation kept dragging on and on and on……
The Mueller crap became a national joke…..
I wish I were younger right now. There’s a shooting war coming down the road.
It’s only a matter of time before the fat lady sings, as the old saying goes. They are preventing us from talking about it because they know their guilty. Personally i believe America is heading for another civil war. People are fed up with all of Biden’s crap!💩
It’s only a matter of time before the fat lady sings, as the old saying goes. They are preventing us from talking about it because they know their guilty. Personally i believe America is heading for another civil war. People are fed up with all of Biden’s crap!💩
fimmy poe tyhe dems began spouting off about a civil war, not thinking even for 2 seconds, which side of the debate has the guns & has practiced using them, & has mosrt of the veterans, to boot!
Sounds like a tuirkey shoot to me!
Civil War is a bad option; the last one cost more American lives than every other war combined!
The consortium of high level players coverup and silencing us Trump Supporters and Conservatives, Republicans, is showing their dirty hand!
Vimeo whacked my paid pro account for just mentioning that in my personal opinion the election was stolen. Google is shadow banning Vimeo reviews attempting to cover up the corruption.
Check out this blog post and supporting video exposing the corruption! https://www.52flc.org/18195/01/vimeo-partner-with-big-tech-silencing-trump-supporters-conservatives/
The consortium of high level players coverup and silencing us Trump Supporters and Conservatives, Republicans, is showing their dirty hand!
Vimeo whacked my paid pro account for just mentioning that in my personal opinion the election was stolen. Google is shadow banning Vimeo reviews attempting to cover up the corruption.
Check out this blog post and supporting video exposing the corruption! https://www.52flc.org/18195/01/vimeo-partner-with-big-tech-silencing-trump-supporters-conservatives/
Well, Google is run by those dopers in Cali, so big surprise there, eh? 🙁
Best to amass ALL the proofs you can, then release it in a big block on the internety for all to see (Asange style); put it all in one east to get & read package & there’ll be a groundswell of support leading to backlash against those who would undermine the nation’s foundations.
I’m one of those rare Canadians who loves you guys & wishes your country only well.
I will always believe she took offense to my president Trump support. It was the straw that broke the camels 🐫 back as the old saying goes. I don’t miss it one bit! 🙄
You’re a loonie. lol FidoDrama Queen at his finest…
And you’re a troll 😈 which is worse?
I’ll take a “loonie” who pays attenton to the reaL world he lives in. over a trolling twit who does n othing but spew runny/mouldy fecal matter out of his mouth/fingers. As a Fido mod & massive devourer of QWK content in 32-hour* days online, I’ve seen my share of both & I know who contributes to the growth of intelligent discourse & who doesn’t.
*2 computers, 16 hours using both, daily. = 32 hours/day of my online activities.
And you’re a troll 😈 which is worse?
If by loonie, you meam a personm whose read up on his country & constituton and has the intelligence to formulate intelligent posts & responses, with verifiable facts, then give me a loonie to chat with any day — you, however, seem to be useless twit, as we used to call yas. You’re the entire reason you have no real friends.
You and Marjorie Taylor Greene have fun building tinfoil hats to defend against Jewish space lasers.