FidoNet n.
A worldwide hobbyist network of personal computers which
exchanges mail, discussion groups, and files. Founded in 1984 and
originally consisting only of IBM PCs and compatibles, FidoNet
now includes such diverse machines as Apple ][s, Ataris, Amigas,
and Unix systems. For years FidoNet actually grew faster than
Usenet, but the advent of cheap Internet access probably means
its days are numbered. In early 1999 Fidonet has approximately
30,000 nodes, down from 38K in 1996.