What is FidoNet?
====================
   FidoNet is a loose confederation of bulletin board systems which
stretches around the entire world. Each BBS belongs to a local
NETWORK. Each Network handles its own operations more or less
independently of other networks in the world. Each Network belongs to
a larger REGION, and each Region belongs to a ZONE. A ZONE is as large
as a continent. Zone 1 is North America. A Region can be part of a
continent, or an individual country. The Regions in North America are
divided geographically and often cross the US-Canadian border. In
Europe, Regions tend to be defined by national borders.
   FidoNet is able to grow because it has a dynamic structure. There
is no centralized authority. When one Network gets too big, some folks
can split off and start another Network. It's that easy. One thing to
remember, though, is that FidoNet is organized by GEOGRAPHY, not by
interest. That means if you start a BBS in one geographic area, you
probably have no choice of which network you join. You join the local
network. If you don't like the local network, move. If you don't like
the local Region, move further.
   That's a key point. Networks are based on calling areas. You don't
form FidoNet networks based on interest, ever. Instead, you can deal
with your interests through EchoMail, which is topic oriented.
   The real key to joining the local Net is in finding the Network
coordinator. How do you do that? Well, you find ANY FidoNet board in
the area and ask. I met Jim at a King's Table restaurant at a Sysop
meeting totally by accident. I just happened to say to Jim that I
wondered what this Fido business was all about, and he said,
   "Well, I'm the coordinator for everything West of Puget Sound."
Once he made that statement, things got a whole lot easier for me. If
you don't frequent King's Table restaurants or Pizza parlors, then if
you sign onto a BBS and it says, "Press [Escape] to continue," you are
probably getting pretty warm. Ask around.
   
What does FidoNet Cost?
---------------------------
   I've run into this idea several times lately. Apparently some folks
think it costs money to join FidoNet. That's just not true at all. It
is very possible to join FidoNet without ANY cost involved for the
network itself. Providing you have a computer and a modem in the first
place, you can use freeware programs to construct the BBS itself
easily.
   If you want to avail yourself of some of the benefits of FidoNet,
such as EchoMail (explained below) local networks usually have some
provisions for cost-sharing to get the conferences from one of the
backbone hubs. And, of course, once you're on FidoNet the temptation
to call long distance to get your favorite new hot file will be very
strong, indeed. But even here, you just pay for the long distance
call, which you don't make without conscious effort on your part.
   
What is a Network Coordinator?
==================================
   That's the "NC" He's the HOST of the network. The word "host" was
carefully chosen in the beginnings of FidoNet to get away from
authoritarian overtones. His responsibilities are to coordinate
FidoNet within the network. NC's often do lots of things that are
beyond what they have to do. But they only are required to do a few
things. Here's what they are:
   The NC is supposed to make the Nodelist available to you. We'll
talk about the Nodelist below. He's supposed to provide you with
copies of "The Snooze," which is the slang name of the weekly FidoNet
newsletter. He's supposed to provide FidoNet information to you. And
he's supposed to take you in and out of the Nodelist, as appropriate.
He's also supposed to promote FidoNet, but that's a responsibility of
all Sysops.
   That's just about all, period. Further, he has to make this stuff
available, but he doesn't have to send it to you. You have to go get
it unless he decides it would be easier to send it to you instead. You
shouldn't be costing your NC any extra money. If you need access to
FidoNet services, it's on your dime. You get to make the call. That
way, you don't have to be rich to serve in a HOST capacity.
   But frankly, NC's spend a lot of money on your behalf anyway.
That's just how this whole thing works. You can't expect, really, to
run a BBS without spending some money. It's the same with a NC. He
will never break even unless, perhaps, a big Net incorporates and gets
very official about the whole thing. There are "Sugar Daddies" in
FidoNet who will provide free services to a network. These guys are
either independently wealthy or they can somehow write it off, but
this is very rare, as you might expect. It's a gift.
   Now: Who appoints the NC? The Regional Coordinator. Who appoints
the Regional Coordinator? The Zone Coordinator. Who appoints the Zone
Coordinator? The Regional Coordinators themselves. That's how it
works. Some Networks hold elections. They are NOT REQUIRED TO DO SO.
Go read the Policy 4 document if you want more legalese.
   The reason I bring this up is because it comes up all the time
around FidoNet. Lots of people think they live "in a democracy,
therefore..." Right. We do. Lots of FidoNet Sysops don't, by the way.
But we do. So go elect the President. The Constitution is about the
Federal Government of the country. It isn't about FidoNet. You don't
have the right to elect people in FidoNet to any position unless the
policy documents spell out that right. Currently, they don't. Unless
it's changed, they won't.
   Now, that doesn't mean the local Network can't set up an official
elections process at the network level. Many do; and the practice is
spreading. But it isn't required. All those people who keep whining
about the right to elections just don't get it. They ARE clueless.
   Ideally, a network operates in a "collegial" atmosphere with
everyone in the network contributing to its smooth operation. It's
like a college department. No professors really want to be the Chair
of the Department. So they grumble a lot, and one of them will take it
for a couple of years and "do his time" fighting with the Dean. Then
he says he wants to resign and just teach, and some other professor
grumbles, but finally takes his turn for awhile so the rest of them
will leave him alone. Sometimes you'll get someone who grooves on the
power, then everyone hates him and either drives him out or waits for
him to retire, when the cycle begins anew.
   The NC may need to appoint a "NEC" a "Network EchoMail Coordinator"
to help with the mail. There may be other "positions" as well, just to
help out. Lots of Networks have several "HUBS" that take on the
responsibility of hauling in the mail. Lots of arrangements are
possible. We get to use our imaginations on this.
   Ideally, costs are shared. It costs money to haul in echo mail, for
example. A Network can require Nodes to pay a share of the costs.
Sometimes it's a flat rate. Sometime's it's "per echo." All this cost
sharing is perfectly legal and proper. Be prepared to pay your fair
share. It's usually not much. There's more than one way to do it. You
get a lot more than you pay for.
   
What is a Regional Coordinator?
-----------------------------------
   Well, since we mentioned this earlier, we'd better explain it a
little further. The original purpose of the Regional Coordinator was
to be a catch-all network for those nodes which were not close to a
network of their own. That's all. But as FidoNet grew, so did the
Nodelist, and so did the PIECES of the Nodelist. Since these were all
being sent to the Zone Coordinator for incorporation into the master
list, this began to be an overwhelming job for the Zone Coordinator.
   So someone noticed that the Regional Coordinators didn't have much
to do, so why couldn't they coordinate the Nodelist segments from
within their region, then send the larger segments to the Zone
Coordinator? That way the ZC would have fewer segments to patch
together. This would lessen the load, spread it out amongst the
regions, and everything would be better.
   According to Tom Jennings, founder of FidoNet: "Bad mistake.
Sorry." (I heard him say this at the first ONE BBSCON convention in
Denver.) Why was it a mistake? Because it inadvertently created a
hierarchical power structure. The Regional Coordinators suddenly had a
whole lot to do with everyone in their regions, not just the folks in
their little catch-all network intended to mop up remote nodes. When
EchoMail began to take off, Regional Coordinators were selected to
choose which echoes got on the backbone. It was only a vote, but the
requirement of two Regional Coordinator's affirmative votes gave more
power to them.
   Understand that at that time there was severe pressure to keep the
backbone echoes down to a dull roar. This was because lots of software
couldn't handle more than 256, then 512 conferences. So this was done,
it looks like from here, with perfectly legitimate technical reasons
in mind. These reasons have largely evaporated, but that's how it all
started. Technology was driving policy.
   Regional Coordinators are now responsible for appointing Network
Coordinators. They are also responsible for the smooth operations of
networks within their region. They are responsible for assigning
numbers to new networks being formed, and for ensuring that new nodes
belong to the right geographic networks. They also are part of the
appeal process when a node has problems with a Network Coordinator.
You can see from this description that Regional Coordinators now do
far more than the original job of taking care of the odd node not
belonging to a network.
   Regional Coordinators now play an important role in FidoNet. Many
of them are elected these days, and their contribution is not trivial.
It's just that Fido lost some of it's "Band of networks united for a
common purpose" philosophy when this structure grew into place. There
is some sentiment within FidoNet currently to reduce the size of
Regions, for the same reason Regions were created in the first place.
They've all grown huge, and it's a big responsibility in FidoLand
today.

