Eric,
 
What is the purpose of LISTSERV?  When IRISHVM decided to install it,
we meant for it to be a local machine, so we wouldn't have to worry
about synchronizing all the names files people use for working groups.
In that capacity, it's worked wonderfully.
 
I had a secondary interest in becoming a peer to some of the net-wide
lists, although I haven't done so yet.
 
I can also see a very similar function in redistributing ARPA digests,
as we've been discussing in the last few days, by using a specific
list.
 
But it seems the last few things you've added have gone in a different
direction, such as AFD and DISTRIBUTE.  DISTRIBUTE is sort of the
same as setting up a specific list, but as people have noted, it
has some basic philosophical differences, such as those who have
responsibility (to node directors) not having control.  AFD is
even farther off the path of LISTSERV lists.  OK, it's consistent
with the ideal of reducing network load by passing key files to
other nodes (with LISTSERVs) so the key files don't travel so far
to actual users, but I didn't expect to get that function when I
asked for LISTSERV.
 
I'm not complaining, not at all.  I just want to have a clear
statement from you (for all of us to see) of what function(s)
you intend LISTSERV to perform.  I know you've put in things
to help individual sites tailor LISTSERV (like disabling the
DISTRIBUTE with version 0.0 in PEERS NAMES) but I haven't
seen an overall vision, if you will, of where this is going.
 
Nick