On Sun, 10 Sep 89 21:20:01 GMT Eric Thomas said: >Michael, the present release of LISTSERV has no future, for technical >reasons which I have probably already explained. The new functionality I >have introduced has been, most of the time, bug fixes and things that >were really needed to help the network stay alive, like the BSMTP header >stuff. Yes, from time to time I have made enhancements that were neither >fixes nor absolutely needed functions, but these were either minor things >(like change "Ack=" to default to "No") or things which were a good >investment because they actually save me time, like the >single-nastygram-error-report function. > > Eric Ok, here are my concerns... Will a new listserv be developed? Will it be compatible with EARN? Will it be compatible with older listservs? Will it be documented? Will it be coordinated in its development so that certain needed functions can be addressed? Will this new listserv be free for use? Will paying people to develop a new listserv without having to have listserv sites pay for the product be sufficient? Who is going to develop the new listserv? When will this new listserv development commence? I do not expect answers to any of these questions. I have to go on the assumption that what we have now is all we have to go on. That is why I bring up the subject of documentation so that people who have time to work on the program might put in some of the other needed functionality and keep it in step with EARN (and EARN in step with non-EARN). I would also like to think that BITNET is still largely a VOLUNTEER effort and that financial solutions to problems should not always be thought of as solutions -- only last possible solutions. Am I making myself clear? If not, please tell me... It is true that there is some work that really must be paid for when it goes above and beyond regular volunteer efforts. It is my personal belief that the current listserv has not been funded and should not be funded at this time. If a new one were to be developed, one that is faster with even more functionality (not just the needed stuff), then I could seeing paying (not a huge amount) for its development as long as it met the needs of the entire network (that means all cooperating factions of the network). This is, of course, my opinion. /mrg