FidoNetcompatible

Fidonetcompatible refers to software, hardware, or configurations that conform to the FidoNet networking standards and can participate in the FidoNet network. FidoNet is a store-and-forward messaging system that predates the modern internet, using offline mail transfers between bulletin board systems (BBS), distribution points, and gateways.

Key features of Fidonetcompatible systems typically include support for netmail (private messages) and echomail (public conferences), the use of FidoNet Technology (FTN) addressing with zone, net, node, and optionally point numbers, and the creation and exchange of mail packets through batch file transfers. Such systems usually maintain or use an up-to-date nodelist and implement routing rules to direct messages toward neighboring nodes and networks. They may rely on or implement mailers, gateways, and decoders to build, interpret, and forward FTN-formatted messages and to manage conferences and message integrity.

Scope and interoperability are central to the concept. A Fidonetcompatible system should be able to exchange netmail and echomail with other Fidonet nodes, directly or through intermediate gateways, in accordance with published routing and addressing standards. It can operate as part of a larger BBS network, a dedicated FTN mail router, or a standalone FTN component within a BBS ecosystem. Some modern implementations blend traditional FTN functionality with internet-based messaging while maintaining compatibility with core Fidonet formats and conventions.

The term emphasizes open, vendor-neutral interoperability within the Fidonet ecosystem and is often used to describe software and devices that can participate in traditional FTN mail routing and conferencing.