Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83 (MC830713); site mcvax.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!mcvax!piet From: piet@mcvax.UUCP (Piet Beertema) Newsgroups: net.news Subject: Re: Signatures to names and automatic path finding Message-ID: <5342@mcvax.UUCP> Date: Thu, 4-Aug-83 14:16:39 EDT Article-I.D.: mcvax.5342 Posted: Thu Aug 4 14:16:39 1983 Date-Received: Fri, 5-Aug-83 00:06:16 EDT References: <1872@utcsrgv.UUCP> Organization: Math.Centre, Amsterdam Lines: 24 ..... What SHOULD happen is that some path finding program should be distributed as part of uucp, news, or whatever, and the various people around the net who maintain databases of connections on their own machines should co-ordinate efforts. I'm sure net.sources could tolerate a (say) semi-monthly posting of the "official" connections list, in a format usable by whatever pathfinder people want .... Such an "official connections list" is in fact already being distributed monthly by Karen & Mark Horton, viz. in the form of a Usenet map. It's quite easy to retrieve a pahtnames database from that. The only major problem with it is that MANY US sites still don't seem to have Europe map, you can what it should look like. So may we urge every site to supply this information (to ..!cbosgd!uucpmap), so everyone can build an up-to-date and reliable database. Another thing about avoiding long pathnames: using the database it would be a good idea to put a router AFTER mail & news; I've seen a reply article crossing the Atlantic twice, passing through 15 sites, where 6 would have done. -- -- Piet Beertema Mathematical Centre, Amsterdam ...{decvax,philabs}!mcvax!piet