Path: utzoo!utgpu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!zazen!dogie!anderson From: anderson@dogie.macc.wisc.edu (Jess Anderson) Newsgroups: alt.sources.d Subject: Re: (Elm...) getting patches for those w/out ftp access Keywords: ftp, bitftp Message-ID: <1991Feb14.180200.13400@macc.wisc.edu> Date: 14 Feb 91 18:02:00 GMT References: <388@dprmpt.UUCP> <1991Feb14.160948.5434@wolves.uucp> Sender: news@macc.wisc.edu (USENET News System) Organization: Madison Academic Computing Center, UW-Madison Lines: 41 In article <1991Feb14.160948.5434@wolves.uucp> ggw%wolves@cs.duke.edu (Gregory G. Woodbury) writes: >I started to respond to this request by posting the patches files that I >have here on the anon uucp site to this group and alt.sources but I >have received no less than 4 mailings complaining that "there is no need >to clog the net with this because there are plenty of servers and >archives already" and/or (paraphrased) 'posting the patches isn't adequate >since the news software may mung the lines and create problems in the Configure >script' or something like that. More that "something like that," corruption of patches during propagation over Usenet has bitten me twice in the course of the 11 patches to Elm 2.3. Since (at least for me) it is so easy to ftp from wherever, I've adopted the practice of waiting until Syd Weinstein has had the time to put up the latest and greatest on dsinc.dsi.com and getting it from there. What Usenet is useful for, in my case, is the notice that something new exists. As for mail servers, fortunately I don't have to be expert in their use, but I've never one fail when I tried it. Mail servers are (how could they not be) fairly picky about the queries they can process correctly, but otherwise they are usually pretty reliable. Doubtless some few people who would be dedicated Elm users will always find themselves out in the cold for one or another reason. But how far the net as a whole should go to meet the needs of those few is an arguable point. I was astounded that you posted the patches to *two* newsgroups, when announcement to both groups followed by posting to one would have made much more sense, if indeed any such posting was needed. <> The incessant witless repetition of advertisers' <> moron-fodder has become so much a part of life that if we <> are not careful, we forget to be insulted by it. <> -- "The Times" (London) -- Jess Anderson <> Madison Academic Computing Center <> University of Wisconsin Internet: anderson@macc.wisc.edu <-best, UUCP:{}!uwvax!macc.wisc.edu!anderson NeXTmail w/attachments: anderson@yak.macc.wisc.edu Bitnet: anderson@wiscmacc Room 3130 <> 1210 West Dayton Street / Madison WI 53706 <> Phone 608/262-5888