Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!henry From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) Newsgroups: news.software.b Subject: Re: Sending Email to People who post to the USENET Message-ID: <7723@utzoo.UUCP> Date: Mon, 2-Mar-87 15:01:15 EST Article-I.D.: utzoo.7723 Posted: Mon Mar 2 15:01:15 1987 Date-Received: Mon, 2-Mar-87 15:01:15 EST References: <2131@ncoast.UUCP>, <1354@hplabsc.UUCP> Organization: U of Toronto Zoology Lines: 30 > What we're supposed to end up with is a system that says "oohhh... > you're sending mail to .HP.COM (or ..HP.COM) > so I'll just send it to machine X". ... This of course assumes that machine X is willing to handle all the mail for HP.COM, not a safe assumption if the (sub)domain in question spans more than one organization. It is really unfortunate that people are unable to make a clearer distinction between naming and routing. Ideally one should ask machine X how to get to the desired place, and then follow its directions (combined, perhaps, with other sources of knowledge), which wouldn't necessarily involve relaying through X. Alas, in our current network that takes longer and involves more hassle than just handing the message to X and asking him to deliver it. Domains are a fine idea for hiding the structure within an individual organization (although they are overkill since there was never any good reason why a multi-machine organization couldn't pretend to be a single machine for mailing purposes). If upper levels in the hierarchical setup come to be identified with specific machines, though, the day will come when those machines are overloaded because of all the "well, I don't know how to get to these guys, I'll just throw it up the tree and let those know-it-alls handle it" mail going through them. This was the reason why we made a policy decision that we would not do automatic routing of incoming mail. We lack the resources and inclination to cope with the increased traffic that would result from supplying a free routing service to the world. -- "We must choose: the stars or Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology the dust. Which shall it be?" {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry