| Document: FSC-0076 | Version: 001 | Date: 03rd December 1993 | Author: Steve T. Gove A Proposal for NetMail AreaTags. Steve T. Gove 1:106/6.0@fidonet Status of this document: ======================== This FSC suggests a proposed protocol for the FidoNet(r) community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Distribution of this document is unlimited. Fido and FidoNet are registered marks of Tom Jennings and Fido Software. General Introduction: ===================== Within the FTN networks today is the ability to belong to a variety of networks. These can include, but are not limited to, FidoNet, RBBSNet, AlterNet, etc. Within each of these specific networks is the ability to pass "NetMail" both routed and direct. But what if someone belongs to many of these networks? How does one differentiate netmail between them? Currently, NetMail does NOT allow for an AreaTag to allow for specifying between different Domains. I propose that this change. My proposal is to allow for the areatag, for netmail, to be called "NETMAIL". current netmail - none current echomail - AREA: ex. AREA:Binkley proposed netmail - NETMAIL: ex. NETMAIL:FidoNet ex. NETMAIL:RBBSNet This would allow for multi domain'd netmail to be seperated into seperate sub-directories to allow our netmail readers to differentiate between them and allow for replying based on their originating Domain. Compatability ============= "Compatibility is a set of abilities which, when taken as a whole, make it safe to list a net or node in the FidoNet nodelist." I believe that utilization of my proposal, will allow for full backwards compatability with reguard to netmail and will allow, at the same time, for forward progress to be achieved, both, within the fidonet community and with other FTN networks. NetMail Definition: =================== NetMail is a driving force behind FidoNet, and allows for the communication between two individuals anywhere in the world. See FTS-0001.015 for details on netmail packet structure. Required Control Information: ============================ An "AREA:" tag is what makes the difference between netmail and echomail. This would change the definition between NetMail and EchoMail, as practiced today. This proposal, however, would not effect EchoMail. NetMail would now, simply, have an areatag named "NETMAIL". The NETMAIL line must be the first line in an netmail message's body. A NETMAIL line's format is simply: NETMAIL: The NETMAIL tag is specifically _not_ preceded by a ^a. Where is the unique name of the NetMail's origin. Area names should not begin with the plus or minus ("+" or "-") symbols. Area names must not contain control characters (less than ASCII character 32, a space). Leading and trailing spaces on the area name should be ignored (and preferably not produced). Compares on the netmail name should be case insensitive. NetMail names are generally kept as short as possible while still maintaining uniqueness and some sense of which Domain the NetMail belongs to. EchoMail Definition: ==================== Echomail, sometimes called broadcast or conference mail, is netmail (ref. FTS-0001) containing additional control information that allows it to be "echoed" (forwarded) from node (site) to node. Echomail is divided into areas, or conferences, with unique names. Acknowledgements: ================ Tom Jennings who "created" Fidonet. Jeff Rush who "created" echomail. Mark Kimes - 1:380/16@fidonet (fsc-0068.a01) Related documents: ================== FTS-0001 (transport layer, packet format, various kludge lines) Policy4 (whether you agree or not...!) PSEUDO-CODE =========================================================== For historical reasons, the term packet is used in FidoNet to represent a bundle of messages, as opposed to the more common use as a unit of communication, which is known as a block in FidoNet. An Inbound Mail packet arrives. (0000fff1.mo0) The packet is unpacked and b498c880.pkt is found. A "Tosser" looks at the *.pkt for an areatag, IF AREA: THEN (EchoMail) toss to appropriate area, IF NETMAIL: THEN toss to "Tosser" defined netmail area according to domain, IF NOT AREA: OR NETMAIL: THEN *.pkt is (old-style) netmail toss to "Tosser" defined netmail area. Sample "Tosser.CFG" file excerpt ----------------------------------------------------------- NetArea FidoNet E:\Mail\NM_Fido NetArea RBBSNet E:\Mail\NM_RBBS NetArea AlterNet E:\Mail\NM_AltNt NetArea OtherNet E:\Mail\NM_OtrNt BadArea BAD_MSGS D:\Bad_Msgs DupeArea DUPES E:\Mail\Dupes LocalArea Bad_Mail D:\Bad_Mail LocalArea Bad_GMD D:\Bad_GMD LocalArea WIMM D:\WIMM EchoArea File_Announce D:\File_Announce 1:106/6 EchoArea MHS D:\MHS\Mail\Users\Steve 1:124/1301 EchoArea Test D:\T\Test 1:106/6 .1 EchoArea R19SysOp D:\R\R19Sysop 1:106/2000