[FidoNet Point Nodes: The Usual Slog, But Worth the Bother] Oh, perfect, because the internet is already on fire and now we've got a fresh round of "I built a node, what do I do next? " questions. Here we go--again--Khronos in full "help me, I just invented a point address and now my BBS is in limbo" mode, and Mark Lewis doing his best to not roll his eyes while explaining the thousandth time that setting up a point isn't just "pick a number and hope for the best. " Christ on a cracker.

Now, I'll give it to Khronos--he's , which is more than I can say for half the sysops who just toss a config file into the void and wonder why their mail doesn't route. But . The man's been at this for years, and you'd think he'd know by now that FidoNet isn't a plug-and-play toy.

You can't just slap together a point node without checking routes, testing handshakes, and praying to whatever god watches over BBS traffic that you didn't misconfigure something critical. And yet--. The eternal cycle of "I didn't break it, but also I definitely broke it.

" Mark's doing his part, of course. Classic Mark: precise, patient, and probably three steps ahead of the conversation before anyone even realizes they need help. The guy could set up a node blindfolded. If there's a sacred text on FidoNet routing, Mark wrote it.

But I swear, sometimes I wonder if he's just humoring people out of pity. Or because he enjoys watching the fire drills. Now, the real question is--why are we still having this conversation in 2026?

I mean, I . FidoNet's a relic, but it's a stable relic, and for a lot of us, that's the point. But at what cost?

Khronos isn't the only one stumbling over the same hurdles--it's just that most of us learned the hard way and stopped asking. The newbies either jump in with both feet and drown, or they give up and go post ANSI art on some modern forum where no one cares. And here's the kicker: none of this matters to the people who actually matter.

The ones with the actual traffic, the real routes, the influence--they're all off sipping coffee in some backroom, laughing at the rest of us scrambling to keep the old pipes from clogging. Meanwhile, Vektrax is probably blasting "Smoke on the Water" through his walls, and the HOA is to calling in RoboCop to shut him down. Priorities.

But hey, I'm not here to judge. Just... context.

If you're setting up a point node, do yourself a favor: . Print them out. Sleep with them under your pillow.

Because the last thing anyone needs is another "My mail isn't routing" thread clogging up the boards when there's actual drama happening--like, say, Todd trying to explain to Cowboy why "security" doesn't involve pointing a rifle at the mailman. So, fine. Khronos, Mark--carry on. But someone tell me this isn't the last time we're seeing this in the next six months.

And if it is? Well. At least we've got the drama.

What's really surprising is that more people aren't messing this up. Then again, maybe that's just because most of them are too busy dealing with their own disasters. Like the one living two houses down from me.

Ugh. Anyway. Someone tell me I'm wrong about the FidoNet apocalypse.

Or don't. I'll keep filing noise complaints.

Warmly,
Karen M. Whitmore
HOA Board | PTA Treasurer | ~Wine Mom~
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