Nick,   
       
   NB> I've tried telnetting to every one of those zone 4 BBS systems as well as   
   NB> trying to telnet to their binkp ports (knowing that they're all listed as   
   NB> ICM, not getting a response from any of them wasn't very surprising) only   
   NB> to find one available most of the time, and that's the ZC.   
       
   People from Z1 are a funny breed.   
       
   For years I've been getting my nose chewed-off for even daring to mention   
   anythng about the disfunctionality of the technical attributes associated with   
   what is listed in the Z4-segment. Merely uttering the thought that there is no   
   functioning Z4 anymore but in the best of cases a set-up of point-like systems   
   got me banished to hell.   
       
   Now it's ... OK ... suddenly ?   
       
   First of all, the case of zone-4.   
       
   To be quite blunt, there is no zone-4, just some bogus lines in the nodelist:   
       
   * Over the years I have tried many times to raise any of the alleged   
     participants. At distant intervals sometimes one-liners were received from   
     ZC4 Manuyel Adorni. He was able to communicate that his English is not   
     good, we got that worked-out using Spanish. I also have no issue polling   
     his system, that seems to be working. So his system is "live". It's easier   
     though to catch Manuel in Facebook.   
   * Other systems in Z4. Since I tried raising anyone in Z4 like 3 years ago,   
     I've received 2 messages from 4:900/105. One liners in bad English. I think   
     the messages were genuine.   
   * I have been linked to the official Z4-sysop echo for years. Other than   
     Manuel and myself chatting in it occasionally, not a single other Z4-sysop   
     has popped-up.   
   * The ZONE4-segment still contains the zonegate-entries which have been   
     lifted elsewhere years ago. In that same segment ZC4 still lists ZMH for   
     zones-5 and -6 which have been gone like ... pfftttt...   
   * The listed support-page www.region90.com.ar points to an empty welcome-page   
   * The listed support-page for their region-80 www.rbt.com.br points to the   
     website of a Brazilian TV-station.   
       
   I've defended the existence of Z4 based on comments from Spanish sysops   
   accepting that there is a complete Spanish-speaking sub-culture in Fidonet   
   which we don't see here just like there is an entire Russian-speaking   
   sub-culture of which we basically know nothing.   
       
   Eventually it even is obvious to the blind that there is no Z4. Whenever I   
   dared mentioning that in the past, I got machine-gunned down by a Z1   
   firing-squad.   
       
   And now Z1-elements are telling me that Z4 is really not that important?   
       
   Among ZCs we have somekind of an unwritten code-of-conduct which we all   
   observe (yes, we do other things than fight) which stipulates that a zone   
   exists as long as the ZC says it exists. I have noticed time and again that it   
   is very difficult to judge situations in distant geographical locations, and   
   that is true. So as long as ZC4 says there is a zone-4, then there is a   
   zone-4. We accepted that principle with zone-6 which was only dropped from the   
   nodelists when its last ZC cleaned it up and closed shop in an orderly   
   fashion. The same with zone-5 ... its last ZC declared there were no other   
   systems and that he'd lost interest, so it went the way of the dodo-bird ...   
   in an orderly fashion.   
       
   Therefor, as far as I am concerned, as long as Manuel Adorni says there is a   
   zone-4, there will be a zone-4. The newest netmail I have coming from there   
   dates from Jan.12th 2012, nearly 2 years ago, but let's not get upset about   
   such trivial details, shall we?   
       
   In the past I remember Manuel confirming to me he wants to keep Z4 in the   
   nodelist but it's a complete mistery to me as he operates the only active   
   machine and he doesn't communicate nor post anything. Then why be listed?   
       
   There is 1 purpose only to have a zone-4 though, and it's purely political ...   
   not that it will ever happen but in case a showdown occurs among ZCs there   
   will never be a "no decision" situation with the uneven number of 3. Also,   
   there will be no ZC to be awoken from the dead to cast a vote out of nowhere.   
       
   Now, as far as it concerns AllowUnpub ... there is a technical issue here with   
   the setup of ERRFLAGS that makes the parameter irrelevant. I have explained   
   the situation in direct netmail to Andrew Leary and Kees Van Eeten and the   
   problem is in the process of being dealt with. Kees doesn't shout, he   
   suggests, he helps ... that's a main trait of the man who is worth his weight   
   in ... hay. :-)   
       
   Any more questions?   
       
    \%/@rd   
      
   --- D'Bridge 3.98   
    * Origin: Many Glacier / Protect - Preserve - Conserve (2:292/854)