
                                  ECHOLIST
                        The EchoMail Conference List
                                USERS GUIDE
28 June 1995
ELMOD695.TXT

This Users' Guide is intended as a brief description of the EchoList,
and a summary of how to submit updates to the database.  It is
substantially revised from the previous version and should be read
carefully.  ;)

FILE CONTENTS
=============

   ELMOD695.LZH replaces the previous ELMOD993.LZH.  The previous archive
   contained two files:

        ELTECREF.TXT     42638 09-06-93  12:00a  (Technical Reference)
        ELUGUIDE.TXT      9608 09-06-93  12:00a  (User's Guide)

   These have been replaced by this single file:

        ELMOD695.TXT     13956 06-28-95  12:00p  (User's Guide)

CURRENT ELIST STATUS
====================

   As of 02 June 1995 with the appointment of a new Echolist
   Coordinator, the Echolist, or Elist, produced by 1:1/201 for the Zone
   1 Echomail Coordinator, is undergoing a transition in application and
   format.

   The Elist originally was conceived as an unedited advertising medium
   for Moderators regardless of distribution system.  The previous
   software used to process the Elist, however, still required
   considerable manual intervention.

   Since the software is having to undergo substantial rewriting to
   permit its use on a different platform, we will be taking the
   opportunity to redefine the purpose of the Elist, and both these
   tasks will be completed during the summer of 1995.  A preliminary
   version (v3.0) of the rewritten software is now in operation at
   1:1/201.

   In the interim, data from messages addressed To "EchoList" is being
   stored on the system at 1:1/201, and when the software rewrite has
   been completed, that data will appear in the first Elist from the new
   program, scheduled for 01 August 1995.  Acknowledgements of receipt
   of update messages are being sent via echomail-routed netmail.
   Acknowledgements to non-Fidonet nodes will be placed on hold at
   1:1/201.

   During this transition period, EchoList entries will not 'expire' or
   be removed from the list due to 'failure to update'.

PURPOSE OF THE ECHOLIST
=======================

   The EchoList is a monthly publication which provides a place for
   Moderators to advertise their conferences, both to people who would
   like to participate, and to those who route echo traffic.  It is also
   a reference for distribution systems wishing to contact the Moderator
   of an echo, or wishing information about an echo's topics.

   We reserve the right to decline to accept a requested entry if in our
   opinion the listing of an entry appears intended to cause harm to an
   individual, promotes illegal activities, or is likely to affect
   adversely those involved in distribution of the Echolist or the echo.

   The EchoList is maintained by the Moderators, not by the Echolist
   Coordinator.  Additions and updates to the database are done by
   submitting NetMail messages addressed to a special name and node
   address. The Subject of the message indicates what is to be done, and
   the body of the message has the data for the database entry.  The
   format of the message body requires that each line have one keyword
   and its accompanying data.  Since the process is automated, correct
   formatting of both the address and the message body is essential to
   having your data recognized by the program.

   To ensure that the Echolist contains only up-to-date information:

   ***********************************************************************
   ALL ENTRIES EXPIRE SIX MONTHS AFTER THE MODERATOR'S NETMAIL IS RECEIVED
   ***********************************************************************

   This means that a Moderator must send an update netmail at least once
   every six months to maintain the EchoList entry.  Moderators and
   Co-Moderators should work together to ensure that this is done.  It
   is suggested that the process be automated.

SENDING AN ADDITION OR UPDATE
=============================

   To add or update an EchoList entry, submit a NetMail message
   addressed to "ECHOLIST" at 1:1/201.  The message subject must be
   "MODerator UPDate" which may also be abbreviated to "MOD UPD".  The
   message header thus looks like this:

   To:          ECHOLIST
   At:          1:1/201
   Subject:     MOD UPD

   MESSAGE BODY FORMAT
   -------------------

      The body of the message text has the data for the database entry,
      formatted so that every line starts with a special keyword that
      identifies the field name as detailed below, followed by the data
      to be put in that field.  The only required fields are TAG, TITLE,
      DESCRIPTION, MODERATOR and PASSWORD. The other lines are optional,
      and if you do not wish to supply data for a given field, omit that
      line.

      The first data line MUST be TAG.  After that, all other lines can
      come in any order.  The keyword starts at the left margin of the
      line, and may be abbreviated, but the CAPITALIZED part of the
      keyword is the minimum abbreviation you can use.  The To-name,
      subject, keywords and passwords are NOT case sensitive.

      In the body of the message:

      Mandatory:

      TAGname       <echo area name>                     [max 19 characters]
      TITLe         <brief description of the echo>      [max 58 characters]
      DESCription   <full description of the echo>
      MODerator     <moderator name>, <moderator node>   [note the comma!]
      PASSword      <current password>, <new password>

      Optional:

      ORIGin        <originating node of the distribution>
      DISTribution  <distribution systems or regions>
      GATEway       <gateways to other zones & networks crossed>
      RESTrictions  </SYSop /MOD-apvl /MEMber>
      TOTalnodes    <number of nodes carrying this echo>
      VOLume        <number of messages>/<Month, Day or Week>

      Note:

      Passwords and descriptions are now mandatory.
      Fields such as SEEN-BY and PATH are no longer recognized or recorded.

   SAMPLE ENTRY
   ------------

      TAG   Z1_BACKBONE
      TITL  Zone One Mail Backbone - Users
      DESC  Discussion of matters relating specifically to the Zone 1 Mail
      DESC  Backbone including distribution, routing, echoes carried,
      DESC  contents of FIDONET.NA/NO and FIDOSTAT.NA, Backbone Operating
      DESC  Procedures, connections to the Backbone Hubs, and requests for
      DESC  addition of new echoes.  Discussion of other mail distribution
      DESC  systems is off topic.  Available to all who have business with
      DESC  the Z1 Backbone.
      MOD   Adrian Walker, 1:153/752@fidonet.org
      PASS  YOURGUESS
      ORIG  1:153/752
      DIST  Z1-BACKBONE
      TOT   500
      VOL   60/week

   KEYWORD EXPLANATIONS
   --------------------

                            <MANDATORY KEYWORDS>

      TAG is the one-word name used in distributing the echo, and is
      also called the area name or group name.  Since the tag is often
      used by areas control programs to create subdirectories, and is
      formatted into the echo listings of distribution systems, tags
      should be no longer than 19 characters, and the first 8 characters
      should not duplicate those of other tags.  IMPORTANT:

      *********************************************************************
      The Echolist no longer accepts duplicate tag names.  Where duplicates
      exist, those having Zone-1 Backbone distribution will take
      precedence, or in other cases the echo which was first added to the
      Echolist.
      *********************************************************************

      TITLE should be a one-line title for the conference, preferably 58
      chars or less.  Since the title is also imported from the Elist
      directly into the echolists of various distribution systems,
      titles longer than 58 characters are likely to be truncated.

      DESCRIPTION is now a mandatory field, and allows for a more
      detailed description of the conference, since you can supply
      multiple DESC lines. In the Elist all DESC lines are combined and
      word-wrapped into a single paragraph.

      MODERATOR, for the purpose of the Echolist, is normally defined as
      the person(s) with authority over the distribution and policies of
      a conference.  For those echoes not requiring such a single
      authority, the listing refers instead to the person designated as
      contact person or liaison on behalf of the echo.

         There MUST be at least one Moderator listed in order to have a
         valid EchoList entry.  Each Moderator line consists of a first
         and last name (no initials or middle names) followed by a
         comma, and then the Moderator's node address.  Only one name
         and address is permitted per MOD line.

         Node addresses should provide the method of contact with the
         Moderator, and since the Echolist is produced within Fidonet,
         this should be an address, or a point off an address, which is
         listed in a commonly available nodelist and is thus accessible
         from Fidonet.  There should be no spaces in the address field.

         Correct:

            MOD  Adrian Walker, 1:153/752
            MOD  Adrian Walker, 1:153/752.0
            MOD  Adrian Walker, 1:153/752@fidonet.org
            MOD  Adrian Walker, 1:153/752.0@fidonet.org
            MOD  Adrian Walker, awalker@portal.ca

         Wrong:

            MOD  Adrian Walker 1:153/752         [no comma]
            MOD  Adrian G. Walker, 1:153/752     [middle name]
            MOD  Adrian G. Walker 1:153/752      [no comma, plus middle name]

      PASSWORD is now a mandatory field.  It may protect your entry from
      modification by someone else.  There are two password fields on
      the PASSWORD line.  The first is for the current password.  The
      second is for the new password to change it to, if you want to
      change it.

                            <OPTIONAL KEYWORDS>

      ORIGIN, DISTRIBUTION and GATEWAYS are just an organized set of
      text fields which you can use to describe sources and contacts
      that control links to the conference.  Use any of them which you
      need.  If you are on a formal distribution backbone of some kind,
      don't just say BACKBONE - there are lots of them.  Specifically
      say "Zone 1 Backbone" or "Zone-3 Backbone" or "EchoNet
      Backbone"...

      RESTRICTIONS is a shorthand reference to rules applied by the
      Moderator concerning admission to the conference.  /SYSOP means
      only Sysops are allowed to participate,  /MEMBER means you must be
      validated as a member of some organization in order to participate
      (e.g.: MENSA), and /MOD-APVL means you can not link in without
      specific approval of the Moderator.

      TOTALNODES is for providing an estimate of the number of systems
      participating in your conference.  It must be a single integer
      number such as 6, 21, 190, etc..

      VOLUME is for providing an estimate of the volume of messages to
      be expected by those who link-in.  It must be a single integer
      number followed by a slash followed by either MONTH, WEEK or DAY
      to identify the time period in which that number of messages flow.

SENDING A RULES FILE
====================

   To submit an echo rules file to the Echolist for inclusion in
   ELRUL###.LZH, the monthly collection of current echo rules, submit a
   NetMail message to "ECHOLIST" at 1:1/201.  In order to submit a Rules
   File the EchoList entry must already have been added to the Elist
   with a MOD UPD message.  Rules File messages can not be used for
   adding or updating Elist entries.

   The rules must now be submitted using ONLY the following method,
   namely as a file attach message:

   To:       ECHOLIST
   At:       1:1/201
   Subject:  <attached rules file name (xxxxxxxx.RUL)>

   In the body of the message:

   TAGname       <symbolic area name>
   PASSword      <current password>
   ---

   Note that the 4-character string ".RUL" appears as the rule filename
   extension in the subject line, and this is the cue for the Elist
   software to process the message as a Rules submission.

SENDING A QUERY REQUEST
=======================

   To query the EchoList database, submit a NetMail message to
   "ECHOLIST" at 1:1/201.  The message subject must be "ECHO QUERY" (no
   abbreviation). The body of the message text has the arguments for the
   request.

   Only a single Query parameter is currently available with the new
   Elist software:

   /MODUPD       <Echo area name>

   This produces an updated copy of the echo's complete Elist entry
   formatted as it appears in the monthly ELIST###.TXT file.  Thus the
   message will look like the following:

   To:          ECHOLIST
   At:          1:1/201
   Subject:     ECHO QUERY

   /MODUPD SOMEECHO
   ---

   It should be noted that all options for message forwarding, and
   string searches other than a complete tag name are not implemented at
   present.

CONCLUSION
==========

   This file will be updated as progress is made on the Echolist
   software and on revision of the Echolist concept in the summer of
   1995.

   Questions should be addressed to the Echolist Coordinator (Adrian
   Walker) at 1:1/201 by netmail, or by echomail in the Z1_BACKBONE echo
   available from most Hubs which carry Zone 1 Backbone echoes.

                              ---ooo000ooo---
