* How Did This Happen?
Tom Jennings 1:125/111

Let's keep this simple: at no time have the sysops of our FidoNet¨
network given /0's the privilege of determining how our network¨
is run. They are not representatives of anyone but themselves;¨
they are merely administrative nodes to generate nodelist¨
fragments, help new sysops get online and act as repositories of¨
the necessary network files. They are ordinary nodes with more¨
work to do.

A dangerous thing has been attempted, and is undermining the¨
trust that we rely on. "POLICY4" is simply not in effect, it was¨
not voted upon by the members at large. I, and many many others,¨
are simply ignoring the supposed policy "change". How did this¨
happen?

POLICY4 is terrible policy. It takes the right to choose your own¨
net host way! It entrenches /0's as positions of authority. This¨
is insane and does not facilitate our communications. A "smoothly¨
running network" is not our goal; we are here to communicate,¨
that is all. We do that well now. Even voting on POLICY4 is¨
insane, it certainly will not benefit the 6000 or so sysops in¨
the network!

I've had FidoNet users tell me that their host doesn't auto-
matically route them their host-routed mail. This was the most
basic purpose of a net host to begin with! The whole concept of
host-routing was to make FidoNet more effecient by concentrating
calls!

Anyways, If a few-dozen or -hundred /0's can vote, then a 
few-thousand can represent themselves just as simply. So what 
if it takes a long time, expediency is not a goal. If we don't 
have the tool(s), write them or do it by hand. Freeze a nodelist
as the "list of registered voters". Have everyone send in a 
message. Check them off the list. Hold redundant votes, compare 
results. Give it a month. The net runs fine, there is no need to 
implement bad policy just to satisfy some bureaucratic urge!