GENERAL ARTICLES
Why I resigned as FTSC administrator
By Michiel van der Vlist (2:280/5555) (ex 2:2/20)
On 1 November 2018, now almost a year ago, I resigned as FTSC administrator. Why?
Short answer: The fun was gone.
Long answer:
The FTSC has always been running behind the facts in that it docu-
ments current practise created by others instead of creating it
herself. That was the theory anyway. But at least the situation has
always been that once something was documented as a standard, it was considered binding. Or at least that POV was supported by the powers
that be. More precise: the FTSC had the support of the *C structure.
Uh-oh. Here it comes.
In the autumn of 2017 something happened that dramatically changed
that position.
Drumroll ...
ZC2 in his infinite wisdom decreed that so called ,MOB nodes were
welcome in Fidonet. They are mobile nodes running HotdogEd or
AfterShocK.
So?
Presently such nodes can not accept incoming calls in
almost all mobile networks in Z2. Those nodes have the reachability
of a point. By accepting such nodes as fully fledged nodes, ZC2
single handedly changed the requirements for Fidonet membership. He
did that all by himself without consulting any other Fidonet members.
IOW, there are no longer any standards. Which means no more trolls.
Which means we are all sysops. Each and every one of us.
*1)
Where it concerned the FTSC is that he also decreed that such nodes
are to be listed without the Pvt keyword. Like this:
,865,Lucas_Visions,Mortsel,Luc_Sienaert,-Unpublished-,300,U,MOB
So?
As these nodes are listed without any contact information, they are private nodes as per FTS-5000.005 par 5.3. So they should be listed
with the Pvt keyword. The Pvt keyword serves to make software aware
that it should not attempt to connect directly but route mail through
the hub or host. This mechanism has been in use almost from the start
of Fidonet.
Yay! I'm a sysop! Without ever even trying!
I tried to explain this to the ZC and - mandated by FTA-1001.007 - strongly advised him to drop the wicked idea of listing uncontactable nodes without the Pvt keyword. It fell on deaf ears. The ZC insisted
they should be listed without Pvt.
Brilliant ideas are for brilliant minds ...
At the time of the ZC's decree, Belgium (net 292) and The Netherlands
(net 280) were united in Region 28. I was RC28 (elected). As a side
note I should add that net 292 is so big that maintaining its
nodelist segment and routing the mail seems to be such a gigantic task that it is too much for the NC292 alone to handle. The help of a Hub operator is apparently required. The sysop of Hub 292/80 is Ward
Dossche. This Hub operator maintains his own section of the nodelist.
I received a net segment from NC292 with, among other changes, the
line above. The line was in the segment of Hub 80. I rejected the
net 292 segment as in violation of FTS-5000. My POV was that these
nodes do not belong in the nodelist at all but should participate in Fidonet as points. As a compromise however, I offered to have them
listed as Pvt nodes. The offer was rejected and I was told the FTSC standards are not binding and I was /ordered/ by the ZC to accept and process the net 292 segment as submitted. I refused. A decision based
on technical grounds as mandated by par. P4 3.8.
As a result the sysops of net 292 decided they no longer wanted to be
part of Region 28. Or so I was told by the ZC2. I was not given the opportunity to check with the rest of the sysops of net 292. Region
29 was reinstated and the new RC29 accepted a net 292 segment with
,MOB nodes without the Pvt keyword. Problem solved.
NOT. This was unacceptable to me. Not the splitting of the region as
such, but the fact that the FTSC standard was set aside just like
that by the ZC. By decree.
It killed my motivation. Against my better judgement I waited a year
in hope that my motivation would return. But it didn't. The damage
was done and it was permanent. The drive was gone. I was no longer motivated to spend time and energy on documenting standards that can
be nullified just like that by decree of the ZC.
OMG! The ZC grounded The Flying Dutchman! Who'd a thought it
even possible! This is the end! The end of all! And I forgot
to repent!
Fidonet is a hobby. Hobbies are supposed to be fun. For me the fun of documenting standards for Fidonet was gone when I was told by my ZC
that the documented standards are not binding and when he attempted
to force me to act in violation of the standards. And when I refused,
he split up the region in order to get his way. It was not the first
clash with my ZC but it was the brick that broke the camel's back.
The damage is permanent and irreversible. The fun was gone, I decided
I would not waste any more time and energy on the FTSC. Time to move
on. Hence my resignation as FTSC head honcho.
Michiel van der Vlist. (2:280/5555) (ex 2:2/20)
*1) Fidonews 34-37, 11 Sept 2017.
Well, since there are no more standards, what is the point of being
a sysop? What is the point of Fidonet at all?
Thanks for all your time and input, Michiel.
Now it's back to throw the dog a bone ...
--Lee
--
We Put Big Loads In Tight Places
--- MesNews/1.08.05.00-gb
* Origin:
news://eljaco.se (2:203/2)