Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!iuvax!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!deimos.cis.ksu.edu!mccall!tp
From: tp@mccall.uucp
Newsgroups: news.software.anu-news
Subject: Re: "requestable" control messages
Message-ID: <1642.2562d4da@mccall.uucp>
Date: 16 Nov 89 15:40:09 GMT
References: <3209.253b4e14@fps.mcw.edu>
Organization: The McCall Pattern Co., Manhattan, KS, USA
Lines: 28

In article <3209.253b4e14@fps.mcw.edu>, brodie@fps.mcw.edu writes:
> I found out by CHANCE that my news system had sent out a reply to
> a recent "version" request from uunet.
> 
> I think that "requestable" control messages (uuname, version, sendsys) 
> should be additionally handled by the following:
> 
> 1) MAIL a copy of the request to USENET.   This is done with "newgroup",
>    "rmgroup", and (optionally) "cancel" messages.   Why not the others?

Agree.

> 2) NEWS_EXECUTE_CONTROL logical should also apply to these requests.

Disagree. I believe the relevant RFC says that your system must reply to
version and sendsys, although I know that uuname is optional. The point is,
why do you consider your news connectivity private? I've made extensive use
of these in trying to establish the vmsnet.* hierarchy. The existance of the
sendsys message is a godsend. I just wish I had a way to selectively send
one to any random system on the net. (I do it by crossposting to to.* groups,
which only works moderately well, if at all, do to the varieties of news
transports, gateways, etc.). I'd like to know when they happen, but the send
should stay automatic.

-- 
Terry Poot (800)255-2762, in Kansas (913)776-3683
The McCall Pattern Company, 615 McCall Rd., Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
UUCP: rutgers!ksuvax1!mccall!tp   Internet: tp%mccall@ksuvax1.cis.ksu.edu