Updated FTS documentation
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<TITLE>The Distribution Nodelist.</TITLE>
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<TT>
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**********************************************************************<BR>
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FTSC FIDONET TECHNICAL STANDARDS COMMITTEE<BR>
|
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**********************************************************************<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
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Publication: FTS-5000<BR>
|
||||
Revision: 1<BR>
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Title: THE DISTRIBUTION NODELIST<BR>
|
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Author(s): Colin Turner, Andreas Klein, Michael McCabe,<BR>
|
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David Hallford, Odinn Sorensen<BR>
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<BR>
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Revision Date: 27 June 1999<BR>
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Expiry Date: 17 June 2001<BR>
|
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----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
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Contents:<BR>
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1. Supercessions<BR>
|
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2. Purpose<BR>
|
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3. Publication and Distribution<BR>
|
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4. Contents<BR>
|
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5. Nodediff<BR>
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----------------------------------------------------------------------<BR>
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<BR>
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Status of this document<BR>
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-----------------------<BR>
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<BR>
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This document is a Fidonet Standard (FTS).<BR>
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<BR>
|
||||
This document specifies a Fidonet standard for the Fidonet<BR>
|
||||
community.<BR>
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||||
<BR>
|
||||
This document is released to the public domain, and may be used,<BR>
|
||||
copied or modified for any purpose whatever.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Abstract<BR>
|
||||
--------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Current practice for Fidonet Technology Networks (FTN) is to<BR>
|
||||
maintain a nodelist used to store the details of the nodes in<BR>
|
||||
the network, and the network structure.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
1. Supercessions<BR>
|
||||
----------------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
FTS-0005 superceded and replaced the documents known under the names<BR>
|
||||
of FSC-0002, and FTS-0002.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This document supercedes and replaces FTS-0005, FSC-0009, FSC-0040,<BR>
|
||||
FSC-0075, FSC-0091, and FSP-1012.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
2. Purpose<BR>
|
||||
----------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Along with the companion technical standard (FTS-5001) this document<BR>
|
||||
defines the format and content of the nodelist for the FidoNet<BR>
|
||||
International Hobby Network. The FTS-5001 is seperated into two<BR>
|
||||
parts - the first part is a listing of authorized flags and the<BR>
|
||||
second part is a registry of userflags. The registry is used to<BR>
|
||||
prevent a userflag from being used for more than one meaning. The<BR>
|
||||
registry is maintained by the Fidonet Technical Standards Committee<BR>
|
||||
Working Group D (the Nodelist).<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
3. Publication and Distribution<BR>
|
||||
-------------------------------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The nodelist is published as an ASCII text file named NODELIST.nnn,<BR>
|
||||
where nnn is the day-of-year of the publication date.<BR>
|
||||
For actual distribution, NODELIST.nnn is packed into an archive<BR>
|
||||
file named NODELIST.Pnn, where nn are the last two digits of day-of<BR>
|
||||
-year and P is the compression format used as listed below.<BR>
|
||||
A = .arc<BR>
|
||||
Z = .zip<BR>
|
||||
J = .arj<BR>
|
||||
R = .rar<BR>
|
||||
Since .zip is useable on most computer platforms, it is recommended<BR>
|
||||
that this format be used for distribution of the Distribution<BR>
|
||||
Nodelist.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
4. Contents<BR>
|
||||
-----------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
As stated above, NODELIST.nnn is an ASCII text file. It contains<BR>
|
||||
two kinds of lines, comment lines and data lines. Each line is<BR>
|
||||
terminated with an ASCII carriage return and line feed character<BR>
|
||||
sequence, and contains no trailing white-space (spaces, tabs, etc.).<BR>
|
||||
The file is terminated with an end-of-file character, ASCII <EOF><BR>
|
||||
(1AH).<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Comments lines contain a semicolon (;) in the first character<BR>
|
||||
position followed by zero or more alphabetic characters called<BR>
|
||||
"interest flags". A program which processes the nodelist may use<BR>
|
||||
comment interest flags to determine the disposition of a comment<BR>
|
||||
line. The remainder of a comment line (with one exception, treated<BR>
|
||||
below) is free-form ASCII text.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
There are five interest flags defined as follows:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;S This comment is of particular interest to Sysops.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;U This comment is of particular interest to BBS users.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;F This comment should appear in any formatted "Fido List".<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;A This comment is of general interest (shorthand for ;SUF).<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;E This comment is an error message inserted by a nodelist<BR>
|
||||
generating program.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
; This comment may be ignored by a nodelist processor.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The first line of a nodelist is a special comment line containing<BR>
|
||||
identification data for the particular edition of the nodelist. The<BR>
|
||||
following is an example of the first line of a nodelist:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;A FidoNet Nodelist for Friday, July 3, 1987 --<BR>
|
||||
Day number 184 : 15943<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This line contains the general interest flag, the day, date, and<BR>
|
||||
day-of-year number of publication, and ends with a 5-digit decimal<BR>
|
||||
number with leading zeros, if necessary. This number is the decimal<BR>
|
||||
representation of a check value derived as follows:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Beginning with the first character of the second line, a 16-bit<BR>
|
||||
cyclic redundancy check (CRC) is calculated for the entire file,<BR>
|
||||
including carriage return and line feed characters, but not<BR>
|
||||
including the terminating EOF character. The check polynomial<BR>
|
||||
used is the same one used for many file transfer protocols:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
2**16 + 2**12 + 2**5 + 2**0<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The CRC may be used to verify that the file has not been edited. The<BR>
|
||||
importance of this will become evident in the discussion of NODEDIFF<BR>
|
||||
below. CRC calculation techniques are well documented in the<BR>
|
||||
literature, and will not be treated further here.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The content of the remaining comments in the nodelist are intended<BR>
|
||||
to be informative. Beyond the use of interest flags for distribution<BR>
|
||||
, a processing program need not have any interest in them.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
A nodelist data line contains eight variable length "fields"<BR>
|
||||
separated by commas (,). No space characters are allowed in a data<BR>
|
||||
line, and underscore characters are used in lieu of spaces. The<BR>
|
||||
term "alphanumeric character" is defined as the portion of the ASCII<BR>
|
||||
character set from 20 hex through 7E hex, inclusive. The following<BR>
|
||||
discussion defines the contents of each field in a data line.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 1: Keyword<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The keyword field may be empty, or may contain exactly one keyword<BR>
|
||||
approved by the Zone Coordinator Council. Current approved keywords<BR>
|
||||
are:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Zone --<BR>
|
||||
Begins the definition of a geographic zone and define its<BR>
|
||||
coordinator. All the data lines following a line with the<BR>
|
||||
"Zone" keyword down to, but not including, the next<BR>
|
||||
occurrence of a "Zone" keyword, are regions, nets, and<BR>
|
||||
nodes within the defined zone.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Region --<BR>
|
||||
Begins the definition of a geographic region and defines its<BR>
|
||||
coordinator. All the data lines following a line with the<BR>
|
||||
"Region" keyword down to, but not including, the next<BR>
|
||||
occurrence of a "Zone", "Region", or "Host" keyword, are<BR>
|
||||
independent nodes within the defined region.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Host --<BR>
|
||||
Begins the definition of a local network and defines its<BR>
|
||||
host. All the data lines following a line with the Host<BR>
|
||||
keyword down to, but not including, the next occurrence of<BR>
|
||||
a "Zone", "Region", or "Host" keyword, are local nodes,<BR>
|
||||
members of the defined local network.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Hub --<BR>
|
||||
Begins the definition of a routing subunit within a<BR>
|
||||
multilevel local network. The hub is the routing focal<BR>
|
||||
point for nodes listed below it until the next occurrence<BR>
|
||||
of a "Zone", "Region", "Host", or "Hub" keyword. The hub<BR>
|
||||
entry MUST be a redundant entry, with a unique number,<BR>
|
||||
for one of the nodes listed below it. This is necessary<BR>
|
||||
because some nodelist processors eliminate these entries<BR>
|
||||
in all but the local network.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Pvt --<BR>
|
||||
Defines a private node with unlisted number. Private nodes<BR>
|
||||
are only allowed as members of local networks.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Hold --<BR>
|
||||
Defines a node which is temporarily down,or is a region/zone<BR>
|
||||
independent node which is reachable via IP only. Mail may be<BR>
|
||||
sent to it and is held by its host or coordinator.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Down --<BR>
|
||||
Defines a node which is not operational. Mail may NOT be<BR>
|
||||
sent to it. This keyword may not be used for longer than<BR>
|
||||
two weeks on any single node, at which point the "down"<BR>
|
||||
node is to be removed from the nodelist.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<empty> --<BR>
|
||||
Defines a normal node entry.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 2 - Zone/Region/Net/Node number<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field contains only numeric digits and is a number in the<BR>
|
||||
range of 1 to 32767. If the line had the "Zone", "Region", or<BR>
|
||||
"Host" keyword, the number is the zone, net, or region number,<BR>
|
||||
and the node has an implied node number of 0, therfore the use of<BR>
|
||||
a 0 in this field is strictly forbidden. Otherwise, the<BR>
|
||||
number is the node number. The zone number, region or net number,<BR>
|
||||
and the node number, taken together, constitute a node's FidoNet<BR>
|
||||
address.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Zone numbers must be unique. Region or net numbers must be<BR>
|
||||
unique within their zone. Hub numbers must be within their net.<BR>
|
||||
Node numbers must be unique within their region (for regional<BR>
|
||||
independents) or net (for members of a local network). Duplicate<BR>
|
||||
node numbers under different hubs within the same net are not<BR>
|
||||
allowed.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 3 - Node name<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field may contain any alphanumeric characters other than<BR>
|
||||
commas and spaces. Underscores are used to represent spaces.<BR>
|
||||
This is the name by which the node is known.<BR>
|
||||
For IP nodes this field may alternately contain an ip address or<BR>
|
||||
E-Mail address for email tunneling programs.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 4 - Location<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field may contain any alphanumeric characters other than<BR>
|
||||
commas and spaces. Underscores are used to represent spaces.<BR>
|
||||
This field contains the location of the node. It is usually<BR>
|
||||
expressed as the primary local location (town, suburb, city,<BR>
|
||||
etc.) plus the identifier of the regional geopolitical admin-<BR>
|
||||
istrative district (state, province, department, county,<BR>
|
||||
etc.). Wherever possible, standard postal abbreviations for<BR>
|
||||
the major regional district should be used (IL, BC, NSW, etc.).<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 5 - Sysop name<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field may contain any alphanumeric characters other than<BR>
|
||||
commas and spaces. Underscores are used to represent spaces.<BR>
|
||||
This is the name of the system operator.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 6 - Phone number<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field contains at least three and usually four numeric<BR>
|
||||
subfields separated by dashes (-). The fields are country code,<BR>
|
||||
city or area code, exchange code, and number. The various parts<BR>
|
||||
of the phone number are frequently used to derive cost and<BR>
|
||||
routing information, as well as what number is to be dialed.<BR>
|
||||
A typical example of the data in a phone number field is 1-800-<BR>
|
||||
555-1212, corresponding to country 1 (USA), area 800 (inbound<BR>
|
||||
WATS), exchange 555, and number 1212.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Alternatively, this field may contain the notation -Unpublished-<BR>
|
||||
in the case of a private node. In this case, the keyword "Pvt"<BR>
|
||||
must appear on the line.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field may also contain the IP address for an IP node<BR>
|
||||
utilizing the country code of 000.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 7 - Baud rate<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This field contains the maximum baud rate supported by the node.<BR>
|
||||
(eg: 9600, 14400, 38400, etc)<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Field 8 - Flags<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This optional field contains data about the specific operation of<BR>
|
||||
the node, such as file requests, modem protocol supported, etc.<BR>
|
||||
Any text following the seventh comma on a data line is taken<BR>
|
||||
collectively to be the flags field. The required format is zero<BR>
|
||||
or more subfields, separated by commas. Each subfield consists<BR>
|
||||
of a flag, possibly followed by a value. The authorized flags<BR>
|
||||
for use in the distribution nodelist are distributed as in<BR>
|
||||
FTS-5001 to facilitate additions and deletions of the authorized<BR>
|
||||
flags without requiring an amendment to this FTS.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
FTSC recognizes that the FidoNet Zone Coordinator Council with<BR>
|
||||
the International Coordinator as the ZCC Chairman is the<BR>
|
||||
ultimate authority over what appears in the FidoNet nodelist.<BR>
|
||||
Also, FTSC is by definition a deliberative body, and adding or<BR>
|
||||
changing a flag may take a considerable amount of time.<BR>
|
||||
Therefore, the FidoNet International Coordinator or Zone<BR>
|
||||
Coordinators may temporarily make changes or additions to the<BR>
|
||||
flags as defined in FTS-5001. The FidoNet International<BR>
|
||||
Coordinator/Zone Coordinators will then consult with FTSC over<BR>
|
||||
the changes needed to FTS-5001 to reflect these temporary<BR>
|
||||
changes.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The following are examples of nodelist data lines:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Host,102,SOCALNET,Los_Angeles_CA,Richard_Mart,1-213-874-9484,2400,XP<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
,101,Rainbow_Data,Culver_City_CA,Don_Brauns,1-213-204-2996,2400,<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
,102,fido.tree.com,Los_Angeles_CA,Bill_Smart,1-213-555-1212,9600,<BR>
|
||||
CM,IP,ITN<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
5. Nodediff<BR>
|
||||
-----------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
With more than twenty thousand nodes as of this date, the nodelist,<BR>
|
||||
even in archive form, is a substantial document (or file). Since<BR>
|
||||
distribution is via electronic file transfer, this file is NOT<BR>
|
||||
routinely distributed. Instead, when a new nodelist is prepared, it<BR>
|
||||
is compared with the previous week's nodelist, and a file containing<BR>
|
||||
only the differences is created and distributed.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The distribution file, called NODEDIFF.nnn, where nnn is the<BR>
|
||||
day-of-year of publication, is actually an editing script which will<BR>
|
||||
transform the previous week's nodelist into the current nodelist. A<BR>
|
||||
definition of its format follows:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The first line of NODEDIFF.nnn is an exact copy of the first line of<BR>
|
||||
LAST WEEK'S nodelist. This is used as a first-level confidence check<BR>
|
||||
to insure that the right file is being edited. The second and sub-<BR>
|
||||
sequent lines are editing commands and editing data.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
There are three editing commands and all have the same format:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<command><number><BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<command> is a 1-letter command; A, C, or D. <number> is a<BR>
|
||||
decimal number greater than zero, and defines the number of<BR>
|
||||
lines to be operated on by the command. Each command appears on<BR>
|
||||
a line by itself. The commands have the following meanings:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Ann - Add the following nn lines to the output file.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Cnn - Copy nn unchanged lines from the input to the output file.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Dnn - Delete nn lines from the input file.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
The following illustrate how the first few lines of NODEDIFF.213<BR>
|
||||
might look:<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
;A Friday, July 25, 1986 -- Day number 206 : 27712<BR>
|
||||
D2<BR>
|
||||
A2<BR>
|
||||
;A Friday, August 1, 1986 -- Day number 213 : 05060<BR>
|
||||
;A<BR>
|
||||
C5<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
This fragment illustrates all three editing commands. The first line<BR>
|
||||
is the first line from NODELIST.206. The next line says "delete the<BR>
|
||||
first two lines" from NODELIST.206. These are the identification<BR>
|
||||
line and the line following it. The next command says "add the next<BR>
|
||||
two lines" to NODELIST.213. The two data lines are followed by a<BR>
|
||||
command which says "copy five unchanged lines" from NODELIST.206 to<BR>
|
||||
NODELIST .213. Notice that the first line added will ALWAYS contain<BR>
|
||||
the new nodelist's CRC.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Since only the differences will be distributed, it is important to<BR>
|
||||
insure the accuracy of the newly created nodelist. This is the<BR>
|
||||
function of the CRC mentioned above. It is sufficient for a program<BR>
|
||||
designed to perform the above edits to pick the CRC value from the<BR>
|
||||
first line added to the output file, then compute the CRC of the<BR>
|
||||
rest of the output file. If the two CRCs do not agree, one of the<BR>
|
||||
input files has been corrupted. If they do agree, the probability<BR>
|
||||
is very high (but not 100%) that the output file is accurate.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
For actual distribution, NODEDIFF.nnn is packed into an archive file<BR>
|
||||
named NODEDIFF.Pnn, where nn are the last two digits of day-of-year<BR>
|
||||
and P is the compression format used as listed below.<BR>
|
||||
A = .arc<BR>
|
||||
Z = .zip<BR>
|
||||
J = .arj<BR>
|
||||
R = .rar<BR>
|
||||
Since .zip is useable on most computer platforms, it is recommended<BR>
|
||||
that this format be used for distribution of the Distribution<BR>
|
||||
Nodediff.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
A. References<BR>
|
||||
-------------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
[FTS-5] "The distribution nodelist", Ben Baker, Rick Moore.<BR>
|
||||
February 1989. Obsoleted by this document.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
[FSC-9] "Nodelist flag Changes draft document", Ray Gwinn, David<BR>
|
||||
Dodell. November 1987. Obsoleted by this document.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
[FSC-40] "Extended Modem Handling", Michael Shiels. February 1990.<BR>
|
||||
Obsoleted by this document.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
[FSC-75] "ISDN capability flags in the nodelist", Jan Ceuleers.<BR>
|
||||
October 1993. Obsoleted by this document.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
[FSC-91] "ISDN nodelist flags", Arjen Lentz.<BR>
|
||||
October 1995. Obsoleted by this document.<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
[FSP-1012] "Integration of IP Nodes in the nodelist", Lothar Behet<BR>
|
||||
June 1999. <BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
B. Contact Data<BR>
|
||||
---------------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
David Hallford <BR>
|
||||
Fidonet: 1:208/103<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Andreas Klein<BR>
|
||||
Fidonet: 2:2480/47<BR>
|
||||
E-mail: akx@gmx.net<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Michael McCabe<BR>
|
||||
Fidonet: 1:297/11<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Odinn Sorensen<BR>
|
||||
Fidonet: N/A<BR>
|
||||
E-mail: odinn@goldware.dk<BR>
|
||||
WWW: http://www.goldware.dk<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Colin Turner<BR>
|
||||
Fidonet: 2:443/13<BR>
|
||||
E-mail: ct@piglets.com<BR>
|
||||
WWW: http://www.piglets.com<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
C. History<BR>
|
||||
----------<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
Rev.1, 19990627: Initial Release. Principal Author David Hallford<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
<BR>
|
||||
</TT>
|
||||
|
||||
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