https://fidonet.press/ - This is the first article in a series exposing the reality of FidoNet leadership, politics, and decline.
Ward Dossche, longtime Zone 2 Coordinator and former International Coordinator (IC), is known less for improving FidoNet and more for consolidating control.
Power Grab: The 89% Vote
In 2004, when Zone Coordinators voted to replace Dossche with Malcolm Miles, Dossche refused to step down. He claimed his vote should count for 89%-because 89% of nodes were in Zone 2. This self-serving logic ignored FidoNet's structure and blocked leadership transition. The result: two ICs, fractured governance, and paralyzed coordination.
Suppression, Not Collaboration
Dossche sidelined critics and removed those who opposed him. He dismissed appeals, cut off dissenting sysops, and rewarded loyalty over merit. Community members were forced to choose between silence and exclusion.
Lawsuit and Loyalty
Dossche was sued by Helmut Hullen, a former sysop, over a FidoNet dispute. Supporters launched a fundraiser to cover his legal costs-proof of a faction loyal not to FidoNet, but to Dossche himself.
No Vision for FidoNet
Dossche resisted reform and showed no interest in modernizing FidoNet. His leadership focused on control, not growth. Innovation stalled while loyalists maintained his power.
Authoritarian in All But Name
Dossche ruled by position, not consensus. His actions mirror authoritarian rule: centralizing authority, silencing opposition, and rejecting community decisions. His legacy is not network development, but enforced loyalty and stagnation.
Sources
https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Fidonet https://www.enlight.ru/files/ward_lawsuit.txt https://bbs.electronicchicken.com/spam/forum/FidoNet/fido_fnsysop/4421
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