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From: sl@van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: A thought about USENET.
Message-ID: <841@van-bc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 16-Jun-87 14:50:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: van-bc.841
Posted: Tue Jun 16 14:50:14 1987
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Jun-87 08:37:57 EDT
References: <2577@psuvax1.UUCP> <1408@oliveb.UUCP>
Reply-To: sl@van-bc.UUCP (Stuart Lynne)
Organization: Public Access Network, Vancouver, BC.
Lines: 50
Keywords: Archive sources free-speech

In article <1408@oliveb.UUCP> jerry@oliveb.UUCP (Jerry F Aguirre) writes:
>It has been suggested that we just ignore the non-source postings to
>source groups.  I think we are all used to skipping articles that we
>don't find interesting so this is a suggestion I could live with, except
>for one thing.

>I would like to introduce an idea that might satisfy both sides.  I
>suggest that we introduce an "Archive: " header.  We then modify the
>expire process so that it can expire selectively based on this keyword.

I have been meaning to make a suggestion along these lines but for somewhat
different reasons. 

If this line could contain additional information such as the suggested file
name to store the posting then the expiration process could do a much more
intelligent job of saving the information. For example:

	Archive:	sources/games/warp7.2 ( warp7 part 2 of 7 )
	Archive:	sources/unix/smail2.3.4 ( smail 2.3 part 4 of 5 )

This would make an archivers life SO much easier. No more screwing around
trying to figure out what the names of the 57 files in your save directory
are, so you can rename them.

In point of fact I have been meaning to setup up an archive service for our
local area, and indeed have the server software up and running. However I
find it takes TOO much time to keep the database current. I just don't have
the time. So I don't offer this service. 

Perhaps postnews could be modified to ask:

	Is this a source posting? (y/n)

If the answer is yes:

	What is the archive name of this posting?

If none was given then it would not put the Archive: header in. This
presents two different questions which potential abusers would have to
answer before their message would be archived. 

Also, because we now have these messages saved AND NAMED, if there is abuse
it will be relatively easy to delete the files in question. They should be
quite easy to find (esp. as there will likely be massive flaming in
comp.sources.d telling everyone to delete the appropriate file).



-- 
Stuart Lynne	ihnp4!alberta!ubc-vision!van-bc!sl     Vancouver,BC,604-937-7532