Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site down.FUN
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!princeton!down!honey
From: honey@down.FUN (Peter Honeyman)
Newsgroups: net.mail
Subject: Re: Name space explosion -- first tremors
Message-ID: <537@down.FUN>
Date: Wed, 24-Jul-85 22:15:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: down.537
Posted: Wed Jul 24 22:15:32 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jul-85 22:44:03 EDT
References: <568@decuac.UUCP> <531@down.FUN> <570@decuac.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton University, EECS
Lines: 38

re 10,000: yes, 10,000.  ain't no big thang.

re osiris: i have osiris marked as "private", consequently my route
database doesn't show any route whatsoever to osiris.  osiris!user is
incompletely specified, thus erroneous.  to get there,  you have to
further specify the host name, e.g., aplvax!osiris!user, or
uiucdcs!osiris!user.  does it sound like domains?  it's not.

re collisions:  how do i detect collisions?  easy:  when mail fails due
to a host name collision, i mark my pathalias input files accordingly.
(it's not an error until it's an error.)

re domains:  of course, if you prefer to send mail to
honey@down.FUN.PRINCETON.EDU, well, that's your business; i'll continue
to recommend down!honey.

re smarter neighbors: i have the good fortune to have worked with an
outstanding collection of co-authors.  between nowitz, redman,
bellovin, and parseghian, i have participated in the development of the
unchallenged leader among uucp's, the principal unix mail router, and
the only route parser of any significance.  now tell me:  who is my
smarter neighbor?  cbosgd!cbosgd.att.uucp?  be serious.

what's more, consider the following contradiction.

it's great to have a router and a database because it makes high
quality mail service immediately accessible.

it's a drag having a high quality mailer, because my stupid neighbors
use up my cycles, clog my modem, add to my phone bills, and (irony!)
interfere with my own mail delivery.

for many sites, it's appropriate to use a smarter neighbor:  consider
upas, the v8 mailer (see portland proceedings).  on the other hand,
someone, somewhere has to be smart, and who knows?  even dumb computers
might strive for advancement.

	peter