Path: utzoo!utstat!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!snorkelwacker!ira.uka.de!smurf!urlichs From: urlichs@smurf.sub.org (Matthias Urlichs) Newsgroups: news.software.b Subject: Re: Cnews and old news Message-ID: Date: 27 Sep 90 09:56:57 GMT References: <1990Sep23.042833.24834@zoo.toronto.edu> <1990Sep24.153234.26911@zoo.toronto.edu> Organization: University of Karlsruhe, FRG Lines: 29 In news.software.b, article <1990Sep24.153234.26911@zoo.toronto.edu>, henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: < In article flee@dictionopolis.cs.psu.edu (Felix Lee) writes: < >>The trouble is that getdate() is relatively costly < > Could it be possible that shipping lots of outdated articles around the world is even more costly? ;-) (Of course, there are different definitions of "cost" involved, but you'll get the idea.) < >How about adding a "Machine-Readable-Date:" header in Unix time or < >network time? Would it be worth it even if only a few sites added < >such a field? < < Any header change for this would take years to have real impact, I'm < afraid. There is too much inertia in the net. The header would be required for C News only, and I suspect that it would get around rather more quickly. On the other hand, if only getdate would support a more machine-palatable date format... (On the third hand, it isn't that costly anyway. And, while you're at it, how about getdate()ing the Expires: header, and writing that number into the history file?) -- Matthias Urlichs -- urlichs@smurf.sub.org -- urlichs@smurf.ira.uka.de /(o\ Humboldtstrasse 7 - 7500 Karlsruhe 1 - FRG -- +49+721+621127(0700-2330) \o)/