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Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site decuac.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!decuac!avolio
From: avolio@decuac.UUCP (Frederick M. Avolio)
Newsgroups: net.news.group,net.news
Subject: Re: why people don't upgrade to the newest and bluest B news
Message-ID: <697@decuac.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 18-Nov-85 16:34:23 EST
Article-I.D.: decuac.697
Posted: Mon Nov 18 16:34:23 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 19-Nov-85 04:29:45 EST
References: <202@bambi.UUCP> <677@decuac.UUCP> <955@utcs.uucp> <469@mit-eddie.UUCP>
Organization: ULTRIX Applications Center, MD
Lines: 21
Xref: watmath net.news.group:4599 net.news:4375

In article <469@mit-eddie.UUCP>, gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) writes:
> I am glad to see someone supporting the arguments against upgrading to
> the latest and greatest versions of B news.  Some people like Fred
> Avolio and Erik Fair don't seem to understand that different computing
> facilities have different needs, and as such the versions of news they
> run will be different according to their needs.

Ok.  Now I understand.  There are reasons why people cannot freely and
automatically bring up new news versions at the drop of a hat.  But
some things can be fixed.  An example -- at least one backbone site --
maybe more -- batch and compress news using the compact program rather
than the compress program.  Since compress makes sources smaller than
compact and runs much faster, a change like that will cut down
dramatically in cpu cylces used and time spent pushing news around.

Which in itself is a reason why we cannot consider software "fixes"
for an overloaded net (local distribution defaults, etc.).  Why, some
news software being run by backbone sites (and others, of course)
cannot even properly handle the "Distribution: " field.
-- 
Fred @ DEC Ultrix Applications Center    {decvax,seismo,cbosgd}!decuac!avolio