Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!ginosko!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!ohstpy!vancleef
From: VANCLEEF@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sources.games.bugs
Subject: Re: patches
Message-ID: <5132@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu>
Date: 13 Oct 89 05:57:26 GMT
References: <5083@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu> <4946@macom1.UUCP>
Lines: 34

In article <4946@macom1.UUCP>, larry@macom1.UUCP (Larry Taborek) writes:
> From article <5083@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu>, by VANCLEEF@ohstpy.mps.ohio-state.edu:
>> patches patches patches. why not just repost the source to nethack
>> as it exists by the author. i am sure it would save everyone alot
>> of aggravation.
>> 
>> (just a thought)
> 
> Ok, so I post "The Grand Game" in 1 shell archive file of 50,000
> bytes.  Someone finds a bug and sends it to me.  I put the fix in
> and its a good size fix, say 1000 bytes.  Now, if I redistribute
> "The Grand Game" I will be reposting 49000 bytes of duplicate
> information.  Thats alot of wasted communications going on to
> propagate information thats not needed.
> 
> If I make a patch file with the fix and just distribute that, then 
> all that goes out over the net and its precious bandwidth is that 
> 1000 byte patch and some minor overhead.
> 
> So in summary, patches make better use of the precious bandwidth
> of the Usenet network.
> 
> Hope this helps...

okay okay, i have gotten lots of 'hate mail' for this posting. i didn't
really intend it this way. what i really meant is that
(at least here) it is hard to keep up with all of the patched.

i think that perhaps, maybe every couple of months or whatever the
latest version of the code (full shar file?) be available so those
of us who might be interested in trying out eventually have something
to work with. i hope everyone understands what i mean this time.

(btw, thanks for the response)