Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!microsoft!w-colinp
From: w-colinp@microsoft.UUCP (Colin Plumb)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Re: Cabal
Message-ID: <1248@microsoft.UUCP>
Date: 6 Apr 89 05:54:00 GMT
References: <14681@rpp386.Dallas.TX.US> <28375@apple.Apple.COM>
Reply-To: w-colinp@microsoft.uucp (Colin Plumb)
Organization: very little
Lines: 34

chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) wrote:
> I think the original concepts are still valid: the people paying the bills
> (with time, money and resources) call the shots.
> 
> The Original backbone was at least two incoming feeds and three outgoing
> feeds with at least on long-distance feed. NNTP did that definition in.
> Anyone fee like building a better definition? You don't ignore NNTP links,
> because someone distributing via NNTP to 10 sites is doing a lot more than
> someone distributing one link via telebit trailblazer, even though the cost
> of the latter is higher.
> 
> I also don't think you should ignore people who's contributions are other
> than strictly financial -- Spafford, Mark Horton, Greg, Henry.

It's funny how we're busy reinventing the Backbone Cabal.  What was that
about "if God did not exist, man would find it necessary to create him"?

Anyway, it's a fair concept.  How about saying that the Backbone Cabal
shall consist of all sites who exchange more than N megabytes of news
per day?  NNTP links tend to be partial feeds, and are accordingly
derated.  N can be adjusted if the Cabal grows too big, and you can
use a long sampling time to keep things steady.

The Backbone Cabal are welcome to invite in others whose opinions
are respected, although some protocol should be worked out to ensure
people are automatically kicked out.  That was the reason the Cabal
folded - because there was no way to shrink it below the flamage threshold.
Adding some simple algorithm (if x people become eligible for Cabal
measurement, N shall be recomputed to reduce the cabal to y) would
help prevent this.  Maybe someone can suggest a better one?
-- 
	-Colin (uunet!microsoft!w-colinp)

"Don't listen to me.  I never do." - The Doctor