IFDC FileGate Project Frequently Asked Questions: Copyright 1994-2002 by Janis Kracht on behalf of the IFDC FileGate Project Distribution: This file may be released via any means to anyone interested in the IFDC FileGate Project. The following topics are covered in this FAQ. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact Janis Kracht at the address below. 1. What is the IFDC FileGate Project? 2. How did the IFDC FileGate Start? 3. What is the Purpose of the IFDC FileGate Project? 4. Where do the Files Come From? 5. Who Pays for this Distribution? 6. Who Receives the Files from the IFDC FileGate Project? 7. What kinds of Shareware and Freeware Software does the IFDC FileGate distribute? 8. How can my software be distributed? 9. Related FAQ and Info Files 9. Internet Access =-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 1. What is the IFDC FileGate Project? The IFDC FileGate Project is a free distribution system, which delivers over 30 megabytes of shareware and freeware files a day to main distribution systems all over the world, at no cost for the receiving system. 2. How did the IFDC FileGate Start? Originally the brainchild of Terence Milbourn, Ray Kaliss and Janis Kracht, the FileGate project was first meant to link the United States and the United Kingdom by having 3Com(c) pick up files in North America and having 3Com(c) deliver them to the United Kingdom. Further international distribution was developed by Janis Kracht, International Coordinator of the Programmers Distribution Network, and Adam Strack of 3Com USA, as an outgrowth of the success of the US <-> UK connection. 3. What is the purpose of the IFDC FileGate Project? The purpose of the FileGate Project is to make shareware and freeware files available to end-users and bulletin board systems world-wide. There are a number of file distribution schemes for getting files into the hands of end-users. Each of these schemes has communities of users it serves well, and each has communites of users it misses completely. The IFDC FileGate came into being not to compete with these distribution methods, but to feed files into all of these channels and to widen that distribution throughout the world. We wanted Authors to know that they could expect to receive the benefits of each of the distribution schemes, and because of the variety of distribution schemes, to be protected from the limitations of any one scheme. We also wanted FDN Coordinators, hobbyists who collect and organize files, to be able to concentrate on finding high quality files and to be free of the concerns, inherent in the distribution of those files. This is accomplished collecting various fdn files at one location via the internet and other means, and feeding them to a number of HUBs and other distribution systems at no cost to the receiving system. 4. Where do the Files Come From? There are a number of File Distribution Networks (FDNs) In North America and in Europe, as well as in many other places in the world. A File Distribution Network Coordinator collects and organizes the files he or she finds. The FileGate system, set up by Janis Kracht, allows coordinators to drop off files they have collected via ftp or binkp/binkd protocols. Please contact Janis Kracht if Internet availability is not possible for your FDN. (See FDNINFO.FAQ). Our FileGate system at 1:261/38 collects files which the FDN coordinators have collected from various sources. Some of the sources are author-direct, i.e., some of the authors drop their files off on the FDNs' BBS, some use internet techology, and some use FidoNet Technology. Some of the FDNs have gotten permission from authors to pick up the authors' files at various sources so that they may be distributed. IFDC FileGate FDNs include an archive comment in the file header of the files distributed, which states where information regarding the IFDC FileGate may be obtained. The archive comment does not harm or change the internal contents of the archive. 5. Who Pays for Distribution to the International FileGate sites? Originally, 3Com(c) picked up and delivered all file traffic and distributed the FileGate traffic to member systems. This sponsorship allowed the FileGate to grow over the last 5 years. With internet accessability at the top level and fast transfer methods which are available at reasonable cost, the main FileGate system has moved to 1:261/38. After the files are collected, they are then delivered to main sites by the FileGate system or via ftp pickup by the hubs. 6. Who receives the Files from the IFDC FileGate Project? The IFDC FileGate Project delivers files, at no cost, to main sites called SuperSites, located on 6 of the 7 major continents (there are actually two sites in Europe, one in mainland Europe and two in the UK), a number of IFDC FileGate HUBs located in North America, internet services which are available via the internet such as filegate.net, www.nwstar.com, fido.bayhaus.org, www.dreamlandbbs.com, and others to who have internet access), and the FidoNet FileGate/FileBone structure. Files are also delivered to the FileGate's main Archive site at http://www.filegate.net/. Please see FILEGATE.ZXX for current ftp/www sites. The links to the FileGate continue to grow as more and more systems hook into existing SuperSites world-wide where for one reason or another, connections to other sources is too costly, or inefficient, or non-existant. Currently, the IFDC FileGate Project reaches the following Main sites and HUBs (see current FILEGATE.ZXX for up-to-date listing): % ========================================================================= % * International HUB/SuperSite Map * % IFDC FileGate Project March, 2000 % ------------------------------------------------------------------------- % * North American HUBs/Connected Sites *: % 1:261/38 * Zone 1 Main Site Windsor, NY * % | % | * Zone 1 FileGate HUBs * % | % |-> 1:14/200 Phil Kimble Junction City, KS % |-> 1:18/500 Ross Cassell Spartanburg, SC % |-> 1:106/2000 Bob Juge Sugar_Land, TX % |-<>1:120/228 Don Plesky ADS Eastpointe, MI % |-<>1:124/7013 Bryan Turner APG Dallas, TX. % |-> 1:140/1 Bob Seaborn Saskatchewan, CA % |- 1:106/6018 Lawrence Garvin Houston Texas % |-> 1:167/219 Stephane Garceau Montreal Quebec % | % | * Connected sites * % | % |-> 1:123/450 Donald Tidmore Camelot Tuscumbia, Alabama % |-> 1:153/757 Alan Ianson DGN Vancouver_BC % |-> 1:109/921 Andy Roberts Luray, VA % |-> ?? Byron Armstrong San Antonio TX % |-<>1:393/68 Ben Ritchey BFDS AV NASA Lafayette, LA % |-3:800/455 Gary Laming % |-2:250/333.7 Geoff Bent % |-> 1:2600/290 Bob Hotte Dover, DE % |-> 1:2613/118 Tom Leschander Rochest, NY % |-> 2:222/2 Kim Heino Turku, Finland % |-<> 2:263/950 Sean Rima R50 Tully Connemara, Ireland % |-> 2:543/200 Jamil Sinan Khobar,Saudi Arabia % | % | * Zone 2, European SuperSites United Kingdom * % |-> 2:257/609, Vincent Coen Roydon Essex, England % | % | * Zone 2, European SuperSite Netherlands* % |-> 2:280/1027 Lukas Degroen Dordrecht, NL % | % | * Zone 2, European SuperSite Spain % |-> 2:341/14 Rafael Suarez Madrid, Spain % | % | * Zone 3, Australian SuperSite Australia * % |-> 3:633/260 Malcolm Miles North Balwyn, AUS. % | % | * Zone 3, New Zealand SuperSite New Zealand * % |-> 3:774/605 Barry Blackford North Island, NZ. % | % | * Zone 4, South American SuperSite * % |-> SuperSite Needed - email janis@filegate.net % | % | * Zone 5, South African SuperSite, South Africa * % |- 5:7802/111 Joe Rink, Cape Town, S.A. % | % | * Zone 6, Asian SuperSite, Philippines * % |-> 6:751/321 Terry Roati Makati City, Philippines % | % | * Asian SuperSite, Mainland China* % |- SuperSite coming soon. % | % ----------------------------------------------------------------------- % End HUB Section % ======================================================================= % Participating File Distribution Networks and their paths to the FileGate % ------------------------------------------------------------------------- % FDN Name Path to FileGate % --------------------------------- --------------------------------------- % ADS 1:120/229 -> 1:261/38 % Allfix 1:106/201 -> 1:140/1 -> 1:261/38 % Apogee FDN 1:124/7013 -> 1:261/38 % ARGUS FDN 1:140/14 -> 1:261/38 % BBBS FDN 1:120/546 -> 1:261/38 % BeeMail FDN 1:3830/5 -> 1:261/38 % BFDS 1:393/68 -> 1:261/38 % Camelot LordNews FDN 1:123/450 -> 1:261/38 % CBM Commodore FDN * -> 1:261/38 % Chess File Dist Network * -> 1:261/38 % Cook File Dist Network * -> 1:261/38 % DoorGame Network 1:153/757 -> 1:261/38 % Oredson Software 1:261/38 % FmlyNet Inc 1:124/5009 ->1:261/38 % FileGate FDN 1:261/38 % FileGate PCBoard FDN 1:261/38 % FILELIST.SYSINFO 1:261/38 % FS FDN 2:245/5330 -> 1:261/38 % FW - Fernwood FDN 2:28/1-> 1:261/38 % Gamesnet International 2:245/5530 -> 1:261/38 % Ham Dist Network hfn.net -> 1:261/38 % I-Nodelist 1:10/3 -> 1:261/38 % IREX 1:342/806 -> 1:261/38 % LINUX4KIDS 1:263/950 -> 1:261/38 % MaxFDN * % Mystic bbs fdn 1:134/11-> 1:261/38 % NASA 1:393/68 -> 1:261/38 % NEXUS 1:220/10 -> 1:261/38 % Oredson_Soft eoredson@yahoo.com -> 1:261/38 % Pascal-Net 2:280/1090 -> 1:261/38 % Perl FDN 1:249/139 -> 1:261/38 % PKWare FDN 1:261/38 % Programmers Dist Network 1:261/38 % Proboard File Dist Network * -> 1:261/38 % R50 FDN 2:263/950 -> 1:261/38 % RAR-FDN 1:261/38 % The Renegade Support Network * -> 1:261/38 % Spitfire FDN (SF) 1:374/710-> 1:261/38 % Syncronet bbs FDN 1:261/38.10->1:261/38 % Sunrise Doors FDN sunrisedoors.com->1:261/38 % SysOps Tech Net 1:3830/5 -> 1:261/38 % T-Mail Mailer FDN 1:261/38 % TER FDN 1:109/921-> 1:261/38 % TG_SUP 1:112/91 -> 1:261/38 % UtilNet (Utilities for Everyone) 1:261/38 % VIRUS FDN 1:393/68 -> 1:261/38 % Wildcat! File Network 1:278/311 -> 1:261/38 % WIN_FDN 1:3613/360 -> 1:261/38 % 7. What kinds of Shareware and Freeware Software does the IFDC FileGate distribute? There is a wide variety of files on the IFDC FileGate. Among the FDNs participating are the following: ADS: Amiga files and utilities. Apogee FDN: Direct from Apogee, the latest ... CAMELOT: Doors and Lord IGMs FS FDN: Flight Simulator files Gamesnet International: An assortment of games and demos for many operation systems, help files, tips, tricks, trainers, and other game related files, such as updates, fixes and a lot more! HamFDN: Files of all types of interest to Ham Radio enthusiasts IPFdn: Nodelist, Txt files, utilitiies for Binkd and other IP based mailers IREXFDN: InterNet REX software for OS/2, DOS, WINDOWS and Linux. PDN: Files of interest to Programmers (programming sources, libraries, obj. code, editors, units, etc. across a variety of languages, platforms and operating systems, ranging from Basic (in it's various forms) to Assembly language. Snippets from Bob Stout, SWAG files from the SourceWare Archival Group, and Ralf Brown's Interupt list are also distributed direct from the authors, as well as shareware and freeware compilers, and the Slackware distribution of Linux. PASCAL-Net File Echos from the Netherlands are also included in the PDN Distribution. Pascal-Net: Files of interest to Pascal programmers, DELPHI programs. R50 FDN: FTN Software from Region 50 in Russia RAR-FDN: A new archiver from Russia with it's own built-in shell, RAR public releases directly from the author, and 3rd party utilities are distributed. R50 FDN: FTN Software from Region 50 in Russia Sunrise FDN: Al Lawrence's Sunrise Online Games for Dos and WinServer. T-Mail Mailer FDN: OS/2 and DOS FidoNet Mailer software, and 3rd party utilities. UtilNet: End-User System Utilities, BBS utilities, and tools for DOS, OS/2, Linux and Win3.1 systems and users. Virus FDN: Signature updates, shareware and freeware anti-virus programs. WIN_FDN: The Windows 95/Windows NT FDN distributes applications, utilities and misc. files for Windows 95/NT. Executables and utilities for the following BBS programs are distributed by their respective FDNs: PCBoard Files by the IFDC FileGate PCBoard FDN * The Global Proboard Network * RGSNet (The Renegade Support Network) WildCat! FDN * MAX-FDN (Maximus) *=no longer distributed - but files remain in filegate archive at ftp/www.filegate.net Please see filegate.zxx for a current listing of member FDNs. 8. How can my software be distributed: You can send your files to my system via telnet, e-mail, ftp or file attach. FTP: Please send me e-mail at janis@filegate.net, and I will provide you with the ftp account password :) If you already have an FDN established or would like to start one, contact me at janis@filegate.net and I will give you a usename/password so that you can regularly upload your files and tics. Please remember this is a linux system and is case-sensitive. 9. Related FAQ and Info Files regarding the IFDC FileGate: For a complete File Echo Tag list in RAID Format, please file request FILEGATE.ZXX from 1:261/38. Magic name: ECHOS The Policy document for the IFDC FileGate Project (sm) is contained in FGPOL006.TXT For information on how to get your FDN distributed on the IFDC FileGate, file request FDNINFO.ZIP Magic Name: FDNINFO 10. Internet access to IFDC FileGate Files: All IFDC FileGate files are available via anonymous ftp/www at: WWW: http://www.filegate.net/ FTP: ftp.filegate.net Presently, we are looking systems to act as HUBs in all zones. If you are interested in picking up IFDC FileGate Files, kindly contact Janis Kracht at the address below, or the SuperSite in your Zone. We are also looking for new FDNs to join the FileGate Project in Zones 1-6. If you are interested in having your FDN distributed by the IFDC FileGate, file request FDNINFO.ZIP from the address below, or the SuperSite in your Zone, or contact me via the internet, Compuserve, or FidoNet. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= IFDC FileGate Project International Coordinator: Janis Kracht BBS/FAX: 607-655-5652 V.Everything Fido 1:261/38 E-Mail: janis@filegate.net Web: http://www.filegate.net/ Web bbs: http://www.filegate.net:8080/bbbs ftp: ftp.filegate.net Telnet: filegate.net -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=