Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!fsc2086!jim
From: jim@tiamat.FSC.COM (Jim O'Connor)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.uucp
Subject: Re: Making /usr/lib/uucp/paths a _binary_ database
Summary: easier solution for small site
Keywords: pathalias UUCP smail
Message-ID: <208@tiamat.FSC.COM>
Date: 9 Jan 89 14:30:00 GMT
References: <486@fallst.UUCP> <490@gonzo.UUCP> <307@twwells.uucp> <2126@van-bc.UUCP>
Organization: Filtration Sciences Corp., Chattanooga, TN
Lines: 24

In article <2126@van-bc.UUCP>, sl@van-bc.UUCP (pri=-10 Stuart Lynne) writes:
> 
> Actually there is a simple hack to pathalias and smail type programs which
> can reduce the size of the paths file substantially, leaving it in ascii.
> 
> The tradeoff is access time vs. size.
> 
  [ discussion of recursive path search deleted ]
> 
> This method is quite suitable for a small site with limited disk resources
> that doesn't forward a great quantity of mail.

Yes, it does satisfy those conditions, but
IMHO, would it not be easier for a small site as described above to use a
paths file that has only neighbor links, and a "smart-host" entry to your
nearest friendly "bigger" machine, who can do the full path look-up for you.
Granted, you may not always get the "best" path this way, but your mail
should get delivered, and you should be able to keep your paths file small.


--jim
------------- 
James B. O'Connor			jim@FSC.COM
Filtration Sciences Corporation		615/821-4022 x. 651