
Additional information for WINNET HUBS:

If you volunteer to be a WinNet HUB, you have some additional 
responsibilities.  We are still refining the system, but as a regional 
hub you have the ability to send files to the central hatching point, 
and the responsibility for sub-distribution to nets in your region.  As
a net hub, you are responsible for feeding other nodes in your net.
Some of you may do both, or even set up further sub-regional distribution
topologies.  Generally, we would not recommend that any given node feed 
more than ten others at the net level, unless the uplink is a multi-
line or mail-only system.  To get the files to the users, you have to
let them log on once in awhile....

The following information is for regional hubs who may want to hatch 
Windows files "upstream":

                ********** FILE TYPES ***********

As stated in WININFO.TXT, we would prefer files which are 3.0-compliant or, 
if not, have some use in both the 2.X and 3.X worlds.  They can be
public domain *or* "shareware."  Shareware files, howver, should NOT be
date-bombed, demos, or crippled in a way which so limits their usefulness
that it would be a waste of everyone's money to send them over the
network.  Also, please do not hatch "wallpaper" files for 3.0 unless they
are *really* special; any picture can be turned into a bitmap, and we 
doubt anyone wants to spend their money sending converted .GIF's all over
the place.

                  ********** TESTING ***********

If you are going to hatch a file, *please* test it first!  Fire up Windows,
load the file, and make sure that it works as intended.  Scan the documents
for indications of date-bombing, etc.  By hatching to here, you are
impliedly warranting that the file appears to work, at least on your
machine.  

                ********** ANNOUNCING ***********

When you hatch a file, let us know about it in WIN_SYS.  What is the file
name, what does it do, is there anything special about it?  This will be
a helpful "pre-announcement" for other nodes, and will also let everyone
know whether I'm on the ball in getting things into distribution.

                *********TECHNICAL STUFF********

To hatch a file, use the file area name WINFILES and send upstream to 130/38.
As a hub, you will be set up in "receive-only" mode in this area.  The 
central point will take a look at the file, and then hatch it into WINNET.
This keeps the advantages of a central distribuiton point (which is some
protection against dupes with different names) at the expense of (usually)
only a night's delay.  Your TIC.CFG should contain:

AREA [drive\directory] WINFILES
     1:130/38 [password] {C} or {H}

When the file comes back over WINNET, it will probably have been
recompressed.  We'd appreciate it if you would then make that the
"real" file for user download purposes.

            -------------------------------------------

A note on net-level hubs:

Net-level hubs are assigned (and fed) by the regional hubs, and must comply
with the requirements for ordinary nodes set forth in WININFO.TXT.  The only 
real difference is that volunteering to be a net-level hub means being willing
to feed other nodes in your net who are granted access to WinNet and 
policing their compliance with network rules.  Any hookups of nodes in your net
should be approved by a regional hub, and should be announced in WIN_SYS.

No less than once a month, you should confirm your routing topology to your regional hub, so that he can report it upstream.  Regional hubs: a few days before the end of each month, please send an update of your regional topology
to Larry Mundy of 130/38 so he can keep the list current.

            -------------------------------------------

All hubs please read:

When a new node is hooked up, it would be a courtesy to get that node "up to speed" by sending a listing of all WinNet files hatched to date and ensuring that they are available for file-request by the new node.  WinNet will be a
far bigger success if a user knows that each WinNet board is likely to have
that recent file he's looking for.  

We appreciate your efforts to help this file echo gather momentum.  You will
be doing a great service to your users, and the users of boards that feed
off of you. 

Thanks for your help!

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