Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!sgi!vjs@rhyolite.wpd.sgi.com From: vjs@rhyolite.wpd.sgi.com (Vernon Schryver) Newsgroups: comp.mail.uucp Subject: Re: Who pays the bill? Summary: sysadminitis Message-ID: <65793@sgi.sgi.com> Date: 1 Aug 90 00:53:21 GMT References: <26A738A8.725B@tct.uucp> Sender: vjs@rhyolite.wpd.sgi.com Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc., Mountain View, CA Lines: 48 In article , lear@turbo.bio.net (Eliot) writes: > [...the usual rationalization for doing other than what his > map entry promises...] As has been said many times, not all machines are permitted in the maps. The machine "apple.sgi.com" exists, and answers to "apple" as well as "apple.sgi.com". For good reasons I am sure you know, that machine will never be permitted in maps by the N.Calif. map coordinators. If I had anything to say about it, the machine would not be named "apple.sgi.com", or even "apple.corp.sgi.com" simply because it would be too similar to the other machine named "apple". However, I don't have any say, and even if I did, the arguement that Domains Save All would still be valid. (I suppose it's too much to hope that no one will suggest that the users of machines on the same ethernet as apple.sgi.com be forced to type "user@apple.sgi.com" instead of "user@apple".) If you reduce the UUCP path "bionet!oracle!decwrl!sgi!oni.sgi.com!apple!user" into "bionet!apple!user" or "user@apple.com" then you have just gratuitously bounced someone's mail. Please notice that bionet, oracle, decwrl, sgi, *.sgi.com, apple.com, and apple are all in the maps. This is not a case of update induced instability. The maps do not, are not, cannot, and never will be a complete list of all hostnames everywhere. I think it is not only rude but deceitful to advertise an HOURLY link to oracle and then not let someone use it, as would be the case if you rewrite as I've inferred. Please do not be too offended (a little might be productive) when I observe that the need to control too much of too many things is a common disease among those who have inherited a mantle of "Postmaster" or "System Administrator," and are trying to do the best job possible. It is hard to realize that it is often better to do less. Vernon Schryver vjs@sgi.com