Fidonet

Fidonet is a world wide network, founded by Tom Jennings somewhere in the U.S. in the ’80’s. Greece was introduced to it in 1989 by Dimitris Hatzopoulos and the first system to go online was Hypernet.

The Fido Technology Networks (AKA FTN’s), at first used for addressing only 2 dimensions. For example a system had only two numbers to identify itself separated by a “/”. (413/50), where the first number was the network and the second the unique node number of the system.
Later on when Europe entered Fidonet there was a problem in finding unique network and node numbers for all members, so the Zone was introduced. The address of a system had 3 numbers with the first one representing the zone number, separated from the rest with a “:”. (2:413/50).
Recently the addressing structure became 5D and the address of a system looks like this: 2:413/[email protected]. “.NN” was introduced in order that points (people with interest in fido but not capable of keeping up with it’s requirements) can receive easily echomail. When NN is 0 then this address belongs to a node else to points of this node which receive netmail and echomail from their “boss”. “@fidonet.org”. is used to separate fidonet from other Fido Technology Networks.

The hierarchical structure of fidonet consists of the following:

N.C. Network Cordinator He is in charge of all the nodes in his area.
R.C. Region Coordinator He is in charge of all NC’s in a country.
Z.C. Zone Coordinator He is in charge of all RC’s in his zone (usually a continent).
I.C. International Coordinator He is the big boss. All ZC’s answer to him.

There is also another category of coordinators which are dealing only with echomail. They are the Echomail coordinators and their title is N.E.C,R.E.C.,Z.E.C. where E stands for Echomail and the hierarchical structure is the same as above.

All fido members are binded by two documents which rules have to obeyed at any time. These documents are the POLICY4E (main fido policy) and the ECHOPOL1(Echomail policy). Click to get them in .zip format .

More info about Fidonet at www.fidonet.org.

Thessaloniki’s part of Fidonet was gathering every Friday at a local tavern to eat, drink, discuss about anything and get to know each other. Below there are pictures (Click to view them in full size) from such gatherings in “Ta Poulia” and “Tristrato”. Unfortunately bothe these taverns with the delicious food do not exist any more so we were forced to drift from one tavern to the other. Nowdays, although Fidonet does not exist any more some of us, when possible meet for beers and meat,

The following pictures are dated back in 1995. Everybody is looking quite different now. More mature mainly 😉