** OCC_NET.TXT **

We get a lot of inquiries here at Mysteria from Sysops and 
prospective Sysops about occult echomail.  I will try to answer
some of those questions with this file.

In order to run echomail on your bbs, you must run bbs software 
which supports it.  In my opinion, the most universal echomail
standard is Fidonet.  There are others, of course, such as the
ones run by PC Board, and several of the others even have occult
echos.  However, Fidonet is universal, and joining Fidonet is 
free.

When you have echomail capability on your bbs, your local message
areas can be linked with other boards directly or through 
networks.  The result is that your local users can exchange 
messages with people on many other boards.  It is all automatic
in the software.

If you join Fidonet, you will receive a net and node number, and
your board will be listed in the Fidonet nodelist (updated 
weekly, it currently lists close to 8000 boards world wide).
Your bbs software uses the nodelist when it swaps messages
(and files!) with other boards.

As you can see, the Fidonet system is extensive, and there is
a public network for echomail called the 'backbone'.  Most likely
there is a local fidonet 'hub' (or access point) in your area.
Several hundred echomail conferences are available from the
Fidonet backbone, via the local hub.  These cover many areas,
but there are only a few metaphysical/occult ones.

The metaphysical/occult echos on the backbone are Krishna,
UFO, and possibly several religious ones.

In addition to the *public* Fidonet echos, there are several
'private' occult nets.


Pagan/Occult Distribution System
================================

The 'Pagan/Occult Distribution System' (P.O.D.S.) is a private
network of 70-80 boards in North America, England, and Australia.
Access is free, but we would prefer that you run an occult 
oriented bbs (or at least that you *not* run a Fundamentalist 
Christian or an 'anti-occult' one).

A few of the echos are available for anyone (Acoustic, Medieval,
and Alt.Pagan). 

You may be able to arrange a feed from me (1:102/943), as I am
a P.O.D.S. hub.  Check the file PODS.ZIP (avalilable here),
or contact the central distribution point in New Mexico
(Paul Seymour, 1:301/9) for further information.

There are more than 30 occult echos on the net...Here is a
listing of the P.O.D.S. echos available here (1:102/943).

5_RINGS             Zen Buddhism
ACOUSTIC            Music
ALT.PAGAN           From Usenet (through a gateway).
AMTHEO              The Amateur Theologian
ASTRAL_CHEF         Pagan cooking and herbal echo, mead recipies et al.
A_STATE             Altered States and Other Realities
CULTINFO            Monitoring and discussing "Dangerous Cults"
CULT_WATCH          Christians Watching "Cults"
DREAM_LINK          Dream Analysis
EARTHLINK           Shamanism
ERIS                Discordian Echo
I_CHING             I_CHING Echo
MAGICK3             General Magickal Discussions
MAGICKNET           Part of Mnet Trio (MAGICKNET, MUNDANE, METAPHYSICAL)
MEDIEVAL            SCA Echo
MERRY_MEAT          Pagan Adult Echo (RESTRICTED)
METAPHYSICAL        Part of Mnet Trio (MAGICKNET, MUNDANE, METAPHYSICAL)
MUNDANE             Part of Mnet Trio (MAGICKNET, MUNDANE, METAPHYSICAL)
NEW_AGE_ECHO        National New Age Echo
NUMEROLOGY          Numerology Echo
OC_BOOK_REVIEW      Occult book reviews.
OOBE                Out Of Body Experiences
PAGAN               Pagan Echo
PAGANSYS            Pagan Sysops Only (RESTRICTED)
PAGAN_CHAT          Pagan Chat Echo
PSYCHIC             Psychic Phenomena
P_FS                Pagan "For Sale"
REINCARNATION       Reincarnation Echo
SC-OCCUL            Southern Calif. Occult (small local echo)
SPIRITUAL           Non-Sectarian discussions
STARGAZE            National Astrologers Echo
TAROT               Tarot Echo
TESLA               Nikola Tesla...the man, the legend, and his works.
THELEMA             Public O.T.O. Echo
THELEMIC_GD         Thelemic Golden Dawn Echo
USUKOPAG            US to England Pagan Echo
WICCA               Wicca Echo


Other Nets
==========

Paranet is another occult oriented echomail net, which features
UFO and strange phenomena conferences.  There may be some 
restrictions to gain access (I think they may want a fee up front
and Sysops must be over 21).  Contact Mike Corbin, 207/110 for
more information.

Dream_Link is an echo which originates on a board in Arkansas (it
is also carried on the Pagan Distribution Network, see above).
They distribute a number of other occult echos, including a UFO 
oriented one.  There are no fees nor access restrictions that
I know of.  Contact Bryon Smith, 19/19 if you want to go direct.

In addition to these nets, there may also be a few echos here and
there which are not networked.  You would call the originating 
board directly for those.  There are also some occult echos which
run on other systems, such as RBBS, PC Board, and WWIV, but you
would have to go thorugh a gateway for that.

Most occult echos are distributed on private nets, as discussed 
above because of the tremendous amount of 'noise' which results 
when the subjects are distributed on public ones (such as the 
backbone).  We are in much better control over the content on
private networks.  Because of abuse by Fundamentalist Christians
on the public echos, most occult echos have been removed to 
private nets.


First Steps
===========

If you are serious about carrying occult echos on your board, I
suggest the following steps...

1) Make certain your bbs is Fidonet compatible.  If it is, then
join Fidonet and obtain a node number.

2) Begin carrying some of the public backbone echos.

3) Join the private net(s) by making arangements via netmail.


Other Options
=============

Instead of running a bbs and joining Fidonet, it is also possible
to set up a 'point' (with or without running an actual bbs).
This bbs supports points.  Check with Sysop if you need more
information.


Phil Hansford
Mysteria
Fidonet 1:102/943
(818-353-8891)
1/91