In 1984, when an awful lot of BBS programs were popping up and trying to garner a base of boards to run them, one particular program started to get a bit of attention: FidoNet, by Tom Jennings. This software had something that other BBSes didn't; the ability to network and transfer files, e-mail and messages throughout many other BBSes spread across the country, and later the world.
This dream, of a people-run network of BBSes that would communicate, depended on a real interesting idea; every night, an hour would be reserved for all the Fidos to talk among each other, with some BBSes declared to be the head of their "Zones" and transfer the information between other heads, cutting down on traffic. A very fascinating approach, and one that has held out with relatively few bumps... which brings up the other facet of FidoNet.
FidoNet has also had an interesting seconardy aspect; the politics and technical issues of running a network, especially one where there were hundreds of different nodes with many different ideas about the whole process. This bears itself out in the hundreds of issues of FidoNews, the FidoNet newsletter that has come out pretty much every week since 1984 (and continues to). You see the whole gamut of issues that such an organization has faced, and how these issues have been dealt with.
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ABBSAmerican BBS Association Files | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FIDONEWSFidoNews, the official FidoNet Newsletter (1984-Present) | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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RIMERelayNet International Message Exchange (RIME) Files | | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
adanet.apl 2930 | APPLICATION: The ADSNet Network
| adanet.cnf | 10909 | ECHOMAIL: The ADANet Conference Information
| adanet.inf | 5178 | ADANET: Information File and Rules
| adanet.org | 2357 | ADANET: Structure of Organization of ADANet
| adanet.skd | 1129 | ADANET: Current Daily Schedule of ADAnet
| alley | 6735 | Documentation for the Fidonet "Alley Net" Sysops (July 6, 1994) by Ryan A. Simpson
| applform | 4891 | Application to Join Planet Earth Network (November 30, 1994)
| applform.in | 3735 | Application to Join Intelec Network (September 30, 1994)
| applic.txt | 3534 | APPLICATION: Application to Join the CrimeFighters International BBS Network
| apply.dxn | 2275 | APPLICATION: Application to Dixie-Net (July 3, 1992)
| ar-net.app | 2074 | Application to Join AmateurRadio Net (July 1, 1995)
| ar-net.his | 3110 | A History of AmateurRadio Net as of July 1, 1995
| ar-net.rul | 3906 | AmateurRadio Ne Policy Document (July 1, 1995)
| blt1 | 910 | THROBNET: What is Throbnet?
| blt2 | 22589 | THROBNET: Detailed Descriptions of Throbnet Conferences
| blt3 | 2524 | THROBNET: List of Moderators of Throbnet Conference Moderators
| blt4 | 26847 | THROBNET: Computer Electronic Mail and Privacy by Ruel T. Hernandez (July 27, 1987)
| blt5 | 1377 | THROBNET: How to Send Private Mail in Throbnet
| blt6 | 802 | THROBNET: Free Speech in ThrobNet
| blt7 | 976 | THROBNET: The ThrobHelp Conference
| blt8 | 1748 | THROBNET: The Moderators' Guidelines
| bre.txt | 1673 | Rules for joining the BRE League within GenericNet
| calnet.app | 1130 | Application to Join the CALnet Echo
| calnet.txt | 17590 | The CALNet Network Policy and Procedure Guide Version 1.0 (June 8, 1992)
| calplan.txt | 1208 | The CALNet Plan of Operations
| catnet.nfo | 11970 | CATNet Node Application
| cavenet | 1211 | Information about Joining CaveNet
| chateau.apl | 1563 | Application to Join the Chataeu Exine Adult Network
| chateau.inf | 5746 | An Invitation to Join the Chateau Exine Adult BBS Hotel and Resort (November, 1991)
| chateau.lst | 697 | Chateau Exine Adult BBS List
| chateau.org | 679 | Organization Chart for the Chateau Exine Adult BBS Network
| chateau.sys | 3877 | The Chateau Exine Adult Network Nodelist
| chatecho.txt | 6644 | ChateauNet Echomail Areas and Descriptions
| circus | 2564 | Information on CircusNet
| claslib | 5855 | Network 350: The Brand-New Classical Liberal Network
| college | 2060 | Information on College Singles Echo
| comic | 1391 | Ad for Colornet/Comic Book Net
| concept.txt | 1573 | A Quick Explanation of Fidonet/P*BNetHub Networking
| conf.des | 17155 | Listing of Conferences of VampNet
| conf.lst | 1204 | Listing of Conferences on RUSH NET
| conf.rul | 2388 | Listing of Conference Rules of ISGNet
| confdisc.txt | 3254 | Listing of Conferences on SCI-FI N' Monsters Net
| conflist | 3750 | The Pen and Brush Network for Artists and Writers Conference List
| conflist.asb | 13763 | Listing of All Conferences on Altered States and AdultNet
| conflist.bbs | 3910 | Ocean County Net Conference Area (February 1, 1995)
| conflist.in | 105292 | INTELEC: Conference Listing (August 1, 1994)
| conftree.lst | 49392 | The Collosus SOO Resource Net (CSRNET)
| coolconf.cnf | 2497 | The Current Mail Conferences Available on Cool-Net
| coolnet.app | 1928 | Application to Join Cool-Net International Adult Network Application
| coolnet.inf | 1393 | Information on the Cool-Net International Adult Network
| crymson.app | 1207 | Application to join CrymsonNet
| crymson.na | 1772 | Echoes Available on Crymson Net as of September 4, 1993
| crymson.pol | 7645 | CrymsonNet Policies Revision 1.02
| csrnet | 4576 | Information on CSRNET
| csrnet.app | 2112 | Application to Become a Node on CSRNet
| csrnet.con | 3510 | CSRNet Conference Listing (August 20, 1993)
| csrnet.faq | 4603 | Frequently Asked Questions by CSRNet (June 20, 1993)
| csrninfo.txt | 4645 | The Collosus SOO Resource Net (CSRNET) Gateway Information and Instroduction
| cultwach.rul | 4274 | The Cult Watch Policy Echo Information
| datenet | 2408 | Information on DateNet, an Online Singles Network
| deathnet.154 | 15580 | NODELIST: DeathNet Nodelist (June 3, 1994)
| dharmlst.328 | 32216 | NODELIST: DharmaNet Nodelist (November 24, 1995)
| dharmlst.364 | 30811 | NODELIST: DharmaNet Nodelist (December 30, 1994)
| didnet | 3859 | DRAGnet International Disability Network Mission and Strategy (October, 1994)
| discnet | 5485 | Introduction to DiscNet Internation Fidonet (October 28, 1994)
| febpol.txt | 11597 | The FEB Policy List Version 1.1 (March 12, 1995)
| fido1222.nws | 26550 | FIDO NEWS: Volume 12 Number 22 (May 29, 1995)
| fishnet | 6366 | Get caught up in The FishNet! Domain Name FISHNET.FTN
| flynet | 3927 | Open Invitation to the FlyNet Aviation Network
| flyplcy.202 | 17340 | The FlyNet Aviation Network Policies and Procedures Document (Version 2.02) (June 17, 1992)
| fms | 3716 | New Echo: False Memory Syndrome, by David Bloomberg
| funkconf.txt | 11093 | Information on the FunkNet Network BBSes
| funkplcy.txt | 2779 | The General FunkNet Echo Mail Rules (June 16, 1993)
| gnetapp.txt | 1606 | APPLICATION: GENIUSnet EchoMail Systems - Application For Node Status
| gnetconf.lst | 5096 | ECHOMAIL: The Official GENIUSnet EchoMail Systems Conference List (April 1, 1992)
| gnetmodr.lst | 3040 | ECHOMAIL: Moderator Listings for GENIUSNet (April 1, 1992)
| gnetnode.lst | 2097 | ECHOMAIL GENIUSnet EchoMail Systems - Nodelist (April 1, 1992)
| gnetreg.txt | 2701 | APPLICATION: Galactica Net
| gravenet.801 | 3932 | NODELIST: GraveNet (August 1, 1994)
| health | 2835 | Information on the Fidonet Healthcare Network
| hint | 3651 | Information about HintNet: The Specialist in Games
| hmskul | 5334 | The Home School Network: HSNET: November 27, 1994
| hogenet.app | 3082 | Application to Join the HoGeNET (Homade Generic Network)
| hogenet.lst | 3139 | |