Fido(tm) Bulletin Board and FidoNet(tm) Network 7 Sept 85 Fido Software 2269 Market St. #118 San Francisco CA 94114 Fido is a software system that contains a full featured Bulletin Board System and a non-realtime Packet Switched Electronic Mail system within one program. Fido uses the hierarchical file structure of MSDOS version 2 or 3. The basic features are: Fido Bulletin Board System: - Absolute security - Unlimited number of users - Multiple message and file areas - Full set of message commands - Eight file transfer protocols Users, commands, message and file areas all have seperate privilege levels; these can be intermixed to allow free access to all areas, limited access to some areas, or locking each user into a specific area. Fido uses pathname strings for accessing all disk files; this affords complete control of file uploads, downloads, work files and messages. Pathnames are transparent to the user. FidoNet: FidoNet is a packet switch electronic mail system contained within Fido. It supports almost any network topology; amorphous, ring, star, or any mixture. Any node can act as host for one or more nodes, to any practical number of levels deep. Routing and hosting is controlled via text files; there is an English Language route processor available in the public domain. Routing is chosen manually; FidoNet executes it automatically, with error handling and error recovery, and a full log file of net activity. FidoNet is organized into Nets, Regions and Nodes. A node is an individual FidoNet system. A net is a group of FidoNets in a local calling area; a net provides many advantageous services. Regions are FidoNet nodes in a geographical area that cannot yet take advantage of packet routing within a local calling area. FidoNet supports up to 32767 regions and nets, each containing up to 32767 nodes. There are currently over 40 nets and regions in the continental US; others are in Indonesia, Sweden, England, The Netherlands, etc. Any FidoNet may access any other FidoNet in the world, usually overnight. Nets and regions are added constantly; please obtain a current NodeList file for the latest listings. The NodeList is published weekly. Commercial Use of Fido For all commercial uses, except as noted below, all that is required is to purchase a copy of Fido from Fido Software. This provides you with a diskette, a printed manual, and unlimited updates (see Obtaining Fido). If you will have a "small" number of installations (under 5), make copies as necessary. You need not purchase a copy for each site (though Fido Software wouldn't mind if you did ...) If you are to have a large number of installations, please write Fido Software at the address below for special arrangements. Volunteer run, not for profit organizations (irregardless of any non-profit status) serving their community can use Fido freely; they can either purchase one copy to get the update capability, or download it for free and maintain it themselves. Obviously Fido Software relies on your honest evaluation of the installation. The above scheme is suggested because it is simple and non-obnoxious to both you and Fido Software. Please contact Fido Software if you have any questions. Purchasing a copy of Fido is considered by me to be authorization for commercial use. Please note that these are guidelines; it is not the policy of Fido Software to define rigid or unreasonable licensing policies, and in any case policies of any kind are nearly impossible to enforce. It is up to you to determine what type of installation you have, and purchase copies or not as the case may be. Fido Software 2269 Market St. #118 San Francisco CA 94114 Obtaining Fido The Fido/FidoNet software can be obtained by downloading it, for free, from Fido #1 or any other system, or directly from Fido Software. Purchasing Fido enables you to get unlimited updates for a small fee. The following are the only computers and modems supported at this time. Fido runs under MSDOS 2.00 or later only and will not be ported to any other DOS. COMPUTERS SUPPORTED IBM PC, XT, Jr. and AT and HARDWARE clones DEC Rainbow 100 (MSDOS 2.05 and later) Otrona Attache 8:16 Sanyo 555 Victor 9000 MODEMS SUPPORTED DC Hayes Smartmodem 1200 and clones DC Hayes Smartmodem 2400 and clones US Robotics Courier 2400 Racal Vadic VA212 DEC DF03 Ventel MD-212 with WECO EPROM Updates Updates are provided to Fido purchasers; downloaders must obtain their own updates. You can receive an update at any time by returning your original diskette in a returnable diskette mailer plus $20.00. You will receive the latest distribution diskette, plus any errata sheets for the manual. New manuals are not included with updates, though errata sheets are. New manuals are released on major revision changes (9 to 10, 10 to 11, etc). The cost of a manual purchase may be applied to purchasing the software. Ordering Specify what computer you want it for; if you don't, the IBM version will be shipped. Please do not order for machines not listed above. -- NEW PRICES: 1 SEPT 1985 -- Fido and FidoNet system, all versions : $100.00 CA orders add 6.5% sales tax : $ 6.50 Printed Manual only : $ 35.00 Software Update (plus orig. diskette) : $ 20.00 Fido Software Fido's Board 2269 Market St. #118 FidoNet 125/1 San Francisco CA 94114 415/864-1418