>There are no more docs, and there won't be. There are LSTSRV-M archives.
>Use LSTSRV-L. Then in a different note Eric sends someone off to
>particular LISTSERV to get what I guess is a home-grown MEMO to fill in
>the gaps, which slightly contradicts 3).
It doesn't really contradict 3, because with the LISTSERV code you get a
file called LISTFOWN MEMO, which is supposed to be the "official"
file-owner guide. This file is empty and contains a pointer to the
LISTSERV@ALBNYVM1 file, ie this is not "secret" information only
available to me, this is something you will find if you attempt to use
the documentation you got. I don't know of any other such guide; I do
know of a number of useful informational postings on LSTSRV-L, but these
are not suitable for making into memo's and are referred to by the README
file.
>I'm going to assume that if I see a need to ask for a LISTMAST MEMO,
>others might also want to see one. I'm also going to assume Eric would
>rather do MVS system maintenance or own a module in the shared file
>system than write more documentation.
Nick, you can't begin to imagine the amount of time I spend doing such
fascinating things on LISTSERV as the following:
1. Investigate bugs in CMS 5.5 and CP6 and write circumventions.
2. Try to find out the cause of the random duplication of some punched
lines plaguing some lists.
3. Write lots of code to support a new BITEARN NODES format which does
not seem to be making any real progress, but I don't want people to
say *I* am late or have some delay attributed to me.
4. Write more code to get around more mailing loops.
5. Investigate ways to solve the CEARN problem, which is basically
unsolvable. Write some experimental code to see what kind of impact
this would have.
None of this is interesting. None of this is what I'm paid to do. I'm
doing it because I have to: if I don't, LISTSERV will stop working. Don't
you ever get the notion that I'm setting aside documentation because it's
boring and I prefer to do enjoyable things! I don't enjoy the work I'm
doing on LISTSERV. Anybody with a good knowledge of LISTSERV (which means
hundreds of people) can write documentation explaining how to create new
lists. Unfortunately, not many of these hundreds of people can look for
problems in LSVIUCV ASSEMBLE, change the code to support the new BITEARN
NODES format without breaking anything or look into changing the
DISTRIBUTE algorithm to get some relief for CEARN. I don't have SCRIPT on
this machine, and I don't have a printer either; when I want a printout
of some listing I FTP it to a Un*x box and 'enscript' it there. I'm not
precisely in good conditions to update the documentation, and even if I
was I'm not sure I'd spend my time on that, I'd rather do something
interesting for a change.
>Therefore, I will on my own time and with no particular schedule in mind
>start to write a LISTMAST MEMO.
Please don't call it LISTMAST MEMO, you get a file by that name with
LISTSERV (if you don't have it on LISTSERV 191, I'll be happy to send
it). When I saw your first note I thought it was a typo, but apparently
it isn't. Which doesn't change anything since LISTMAST MEMO is outdated.
Eric
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