The following is a politically volatile subject.  It has some relevance
on another list, but I am presenting it here because I think the
audience will be more receptive and is a sufficiently large audience to
merit pursuing this idea if it seems appropriate without the blessings
of any other group.
 
We all receive the NODUPD files each month.  I imagine most of us
receive them from our national NETSERVs by AFD.  In the US, that might
mean 20 or so AFDs from BITNIC resulting in 20 copies of the same file
going out.  I do *not* have any problem with that- it is necessary and
not too much of a load on the network.  However, I wonder if there
could be a better way.
 
There are other files many of us receive together, such as BITNET LINKS.
These tend to be files that come out monthly.
 
Would it make sense to define a list (NODUPD-D?) to distribute the
commonly used files via LISTSERV in the US?  (Europeans with their
higher ratio of NETSERVs to nodes don't need this as much.)  This
list could be AFD'd to the NODUPD files and subscribed to BITNET LINKS.
It could also be AFD'd to DOMAIN NAMES or other common files if a need
is seen for that.
 
Ideally, we'd need at least one LISTSERV in each "segment" of BITNET.
By "segment" I mean a part of BITNET seperated from the rest of BITNET
by at least one heavily congested link.  The files could cross between
segments (such as across CUNYVM-PSUVM) only between LISTSERVs.
Then the LISTSERV would send the file to everyone in the segment.
 
Not too many files could be handled on one list- they'd have to be
files that everyone on the list needs or at least would tolerate
getting.  But even just for the NODUPD files, I think it might be a
worthwhile idea.
 
I volunteer to set up NODUPD-D@IRISHVM if others in the US are willing
to do the same in other parts of the network.
 
Initially, I don't intend to solicit others who aren't LISTSERV
postmaster types.  At some later time, it might be appropriate to
open up this list to others, but I don't want this to be seen as a
threat to the NODMGT-L discussions going on.
 
Anyone interested? Can anyone think of reasons why this can't or
shouldn't be done?
 
Nick