-----Original Message-----
From: cctalk-bounces at
classiccmp.org [mailto:cctalk-bounces at
classiccmp.org]
On Behalf Of aliensrcooluk at yahoo.co.uk
Sent: Sunday, November 19, 2006 1:45 PM
To: cctalk at
classiccmp.org
Subject: RE: has anyone ever utilized a fossil driver?
--- Geoff Reed <geoffr at zipcon.net> wrote:
FOSSIL = Fido Opus Standardized Serial interface
Layer
Why did they decide to call it that? Did the
abbreviation (or whatever you call it) come
first, or did they call it Fido Opus and then
just expanded on it?
------
I forgot a slash, Fido / Opus
Fido was a BBS program, as was Opus.
I'm fairly sure that the acronym came at around the same time as the FOSSIL
drivers specification was developed.
Opus was a Fido/Fidonet compatible BBS. IIRC created because the author(s)
wanted some additional features that Fido didn't provide. Opus was widely
used in the "point" network, you ran your own local copy of Opus, and
arranged an account with an upstream provider, I had 1:343/3.1, StarShip
Inconnu, a point node off of 1:343/3 - Glacier Peak Rainbow so I could get
the Fidonet feeds I wanted and not have to tie up the single line on Gary's
system (Glacier Peak) for extended periods while I read what I wanted to and
responded to.
Glacier Peak ran on a dec-rainbow, using a US-Robotics modem IIRC.
Starship originally ran on my rainbow, but in the end I copied it over to my
peecee and loaded the IBM-PC compatible fossil, then later ran it as a
external 'door' app off of my Citadel BBS.