From Tyagi@HouseOfKaos.Abyss.com Wed Feb 9 16:18:19 1994
Subject: Introduction to Electronic CAW
===
From: Irv.Koch@cathouse_ppp.clark.net
Newsgroups: alt.religion.all-worlds
Subject: SCARLET FLAME article
Date: Wed, 26 Jan 1994 04:16:03
Electronic CAW (Draft1 for SCARLET FLAME)
When Triskelion Nest et al imported or diverted Otter up here for our
Summer's End festival this past Oct/Nov, I in turn diverted him to my
apt. and put him online to the International CAW "echo" on computer
bulletin board systems. As a result I was to do a more extensive
article on BBSes, Internet, and the like, with a shorter version
directed at the membership, here. Events have been moving faster than I
am, so this is just the basics of what is already happening and what, in
my opinion (and there seems to be a lot of agreement) NEEDS to happen.
The overall object of the entire exercise is for every CAW nest and
activity to have a reasonably stable internet AND PODS phone number.
These should be listed in SCARLET FLAME (not necessarily GREEN EGG) and
used so ALL OF CAW can TALK TO EACH other, with only a few days "lag" as
opposed to trying to pile the world on the shoulders of one small group
putting out the central publications quarterly.
This is BY FAR the fastest, least effort, way to meet the challenge of
everyone outside Northern California tending to be isolated. It is also
the easiest, SAFEST, way to growth of the membership while still
acculturating and assimilating new persons, not being overrun in such a
way as to change the character of the organization.
It not only can be used to conduct national business, in a way, ADF and
other groups are already doing it to some extent.
If you don't understand the following, wait for the main article. If
you do have a computer with a modem, just "go for it." There are plenty
of computer experts who love people who listen to them. Once you get
online at all, there are even more, if you ask politely.
-- Part 2 --
If you have access to the Internet, and can get alt.religion.all-worlds
then you have found CAW. Reports say that it's rarely posted to. You
can change that by posting. Introduce yourself as a CAW member, ask a
question or talk about what you're doing or want to do in CAW. It can
build fast. Non-members will be drawn in to the discussion and even if
they never join, if we can get 100 people -- and remember this is
worldwide so you have access to many thousands -- this "newsgroup" can
be moved to the main "rel" "hierarchy" and accessible by incredible
numbers. And, for some reason the culture of the net tends to favor
tolerance.
Access to "THE net," however, isn't always easy to come by. Access to
BBSes usually, more or less, is. Like pagan (or sf fan) publications,
once you find one, it will lead you to many others. The object of your
game here is to find one of the "fidonet TYPE," that either belongs to a
network called PODS (Pagan Occult Distribution System) or is willing to
join. Then you politely ask them to carry the CAW "echo" if they don't
already. It's currently a hot item on PODS so that shouldn't be a
problem.
This operation, thanks to Bunz of OZ CAW and others is already a going
operation. Bunz and myself are also building sets of downloadable files
such as the bylaws, application, nesting-notes, other new member, and
general information about CAW. (And we need help, people to furnish us
ASCII copies of such stuff. It doesn't make any difference if it was
created on a Macintosh, PC, or school Vax -- if you can get it into
ASCII and fire it at either of our boards or any similar site, it is
available to the world MUCH easier than people having to phone or mail
someone and wait for the person to be available to stuff the material
into the mail.) It's looking like we'll see 1 - 3 protonests formed in
the next year or so, JUST from people who became interested by the
Aussies and a few of us up here chatting, and already having Dancing
Hummingbird's old electronic copy of the CAW application online. These
new people will likely be knowledgeable stable types also, not your
suburban kid cruising for new groups to play in.
-- Part 3 --
Because these, unlike internet, are systems sitting in people's homes,
possible targets of attacks, in some cases for reasons having nothing to
do with beliefs, I'm not yet ready to list any system phone numbers
besides my own. Some sysops don't want it. The following, however, are
the Fidonet (more universal) addresses of PODS systems either known to
be interested in the CAW echo or good candidates. Therefore if you can
find ANY nearby Fidonet system (and they're EVERYwhere) and are VERY
nice to the sysop, they can find you the phone number. Of course, if
you dial in to a Fidonet system and they are spouting hellfire and
brimstone -- you won't ask THAT sysop. (On the other hand, if you find
a Fidonet system where half the people are talking Hebrew (but not
Yiddish), there's a fair chance they're ALSO a PODS system -- go
figure.)
Also, all Fidonet addresses convert into internet e-mail-only addresses,
thus:
My own BBS is 1:109/629 so to get me by normal internet, you send to
Irv.Koch@f629.n109.z1.fidonet.org
<not in original article submitted: if you see this on the internet you
should use irv.koch_Icefire@cathouse_ppp.clark.net instead. That is a
special setup where a friendly pagan bbs has become an internet domain
as well as being a regular bbs. He converts/gates stuff to/from my
system. HOWEVER, the other address goes thru the normal 27,000 home
type bbs node system, and is more likely to still be there 5 years from
now, when the print message is seen but the internet versions have all
scrolled off. I'm going to TRY to explain the difference between
internet and a bbs in another message. BTW, the reason this thing is in
4 parts and narrow columns was to fit it in the maximum reliable for a
message packet at all points/gates it must go thru and arrive in the
same format/width used in the print-newsletter it was sent to.> The
board is 703-354-4176 if you want to dial straight in (Washington, DC
area). Contact me one way or another and I can give leads on your area.
CAW Central OZ and Draconis Nest, Bunz (Ian Metcalfe), Anthorr
Nomchong, et al in Canberra= 3:620/259
Hornets Proto-nest, Quintin & Helen Phillips in Werrington Co, NSW=
3:713/805
Primeval Soup Proto-nest, Nigel Cooper and Caroline Tully in
Melbourne= 3:632/360
Home Proto-nest, Gerald Osgood in Perth= 3:690/115
So far only Ian, Anthorr, and Quintin have equipment to call in; the
others may or may not be reachable, yet, indirectly, but have systems
near them, as listed.
Cary/Raleigh, NC = 1:151/186 (also possible "gate" to WWIVnet and
Virtualnet)
Reno/OKC-North, OK = 1:147/1701
Providence, RI = 1:323/101
Millington/Memphis, TN = 1:123/422 (REALLY good)
Cincinatti, OH = 1:108/215
SanDiego, CA = 1:202/909
Oakland, CA= 1:125/33 (Also the Buddhist net HQ)
San Francisco, CA = 1:125/28 (not a sure bet)
Fairfield, CA = 1:161/609 (not a sure bet)
Aurora/Denver, CO = 1:104/680 ("DarkLing," #2 in PODS, pretty much has
sworn to do "anything which contributes to Pagan BBS networking")
Austin, TX = 1:382/502 (Chuck Haynes, PODS HQ)
NorthMetro, NJ = 1:107/585 (very helpful) KC, MO = 1:280/89
There is, reportedly, a third type network with a CAW "sub" in
operation: WWIVnet. Work is proceeding on linking it to PODS, and the
PODS online CAW to the one on Internet. Then it won't matter which you
can access as what you say on one will show up on all, and you'll get
answers from all. If you're on WWIVnet, ask for
"Subtype 5303 Host 5303 from Mind Game BBS."
<Update: The above died and has been replaced with subtype 49976 host
29976, sysop The Cegorach. The link, however, between the WWIV/VBBS BBS
technology networks and PODS (fidonet technology) *is* now operating.>
Last, you can send e-mail to people in CAW FROM BBSes (ask the Sysop) as
well as from Internet, and they mail back, even if they aren't on a BBS
or directly on the Internet. Here are some key addresses:
GREEN EGG, Otter, etc. = 5878037@mcimail.com
Tony Navarra,Nest Coord. = navarra@well.sf.ca.us
Quintin (in OZ) = elemental@peg.pegasus.oz.au
Triskelion/Torin = c-a-w@netcom.com or torin@netcom.com
CAW ftp site of netcom.com:/pub/caw
Eric HeBert (nest, Chaplain project, etc.) = 5986758@mcimail.com [The
previously published addresses will NOT work from outside MCI's piece of
the net. Use ONLY this format when sending to someone on MCImail.
There is also a trick for Compuserv, besides converting the comma to a
period, but I haven't figured it out yet. If you're sending FROM
Bitnet, enclose the whole address in braces thus:
{Irv.Koch@f629.n109.z1.fidonet.org}:internet
Sending TO "Bitnet" is a normal path name however it may NOT be the one
your recipient is used to. Gates. Have them ask their Sysadmin.]
Don't be surprised if this is only the first in a series of stuff about
Electronic CAW. /s/ Sysop of Ice Fire (where Hell DOES freeze over?)
--- Maximus 2.01wb
* Origin: Ice Fire 703-354-4176 (1:109/629)
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