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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!hou3c!ka
From: ka@hou3c.UUCP (Kenneth Almquist)
Newsgroups: net.news.group
Subject: Re: Suggestions for slight topic re-organization
Message-ID: <334@hou3c.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 27-Feb-84 12:37:05 EST
Article-I.D.: hou3c.334
Posted: Mon Feb 27 12:37:05 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 28-Feb-84 07:12:01 EST
References: <696@nsc.UUCP> <2613@alice.UUCP> <326@hou3c.UUCP> <1012@cbosgd.UUCP>
Organization: Bell Labs, Holmdel, NJ
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I wasn't too explicit in my previous message.  In reply to Mark's questions:

	Suppose that a rename control message were added to 2.11.  Now
	what do we do about
	(1) messages currently circulating around the net with the old name?

When they reach a site that has received the control message, the group
on the article is changed.  (I know that fiddling with headers is a risky
business.)

	(3) people with the old name in their .newsrc file?

It is probably not possible to move articles that have already been installed
in the spool directory to the new group.  The old newsgroup could stay around
for a couple of weeks after the rename control message was sent out, and then
be removed with a rmgroup control message.

	(2) messages in the (new) spool dir containing the old name in
	    the headers (which will be used for followups)?

These would be mapped into the new newsgroup name, probably by inews.  (Note
that the mapping table need not grow indefinitely; the mapping could be
deleted when the old newsgroup was deleted.

	(4) documentation that describes the old name?
	(5) people who "know" about the old name in their heads?

These are problems.  Adam's list tracks created and deleted newsgroups, so
that people who rely on that document will have up to date information.
I'm agree that a "rename" control message would not make renaming groups
completely painless, but it would be a major help.
					Kenneth Almquist