Enough of this bullshit please. I will not PUT the PEERS NAMES file on
monday. I will never again PUT the PEERS NAMES (or LINKSWT FILE) again, except
on my own server. From now on, each postmaster is responsible for maintaining
his own PEERS NAMES and LINKSWT FILE as he sees fit, when he sees fit, and
using whatever sources of information that he may see fit. If you feel that a
link is over or underweighted in LINKSWT FILE, just change it (and be sure to
issue a NODESGEN WTONLY command afterwards). If you want to include a node in
the DISTRIBUTE backbone, just add it to your PEERS NAMES file (and don't
forget to issue a CMS LSVPRSUM command afterwards). If you break the
DISTRIBUTE backbone in the process, or cause users not to be in anybody's
service area any more, I want it made clear that it will not be my fault. The
only case when my responsibility will be involved is when there is a BUG the
code. And even in that case... please remember that you are not paying for the
code, and don't expect the same service as from your IBM support center.
I thought that LISTSERV was something that could be managed and coordinated.
Obviously this is not the case. A lot of people have installed LISTSERV for
local use only, and are not updating it. This is fine with me, except that WHY
THE HECK DID THEY ASK TO JOIN THE BACKBONE????? If your LISTSERV is for local
use only, and is listed as :version.1.0xx, then fine, leave it unattended for
10 months, or leave it logged off for one week, it's none of my business. Now
if it is part of the backbone, I feel it should be treated differently.
Obviously this is not the general opinion. The problem, I guess, is that
people have not understood that there can be only two types of LISTSERV:
- Local use only (ZERO peer list outside the institution, ZERO DISTRIBUTE job)
- Part of the backbone, ie local and global use.
It is NOT possible to be "in between". If your server is for local use only,
except that you want to house a peer of xxx-L because for some reason you are
very interested in xxx-L, then you are responsible for the liability of your
server before the owner of xxx-L, and before the xxx-L user community as well.
This means that you must make sure it is logged on automatically, and that you
must update it from time to time -- let's say, at least once a month. Of
course this does not apply to peers inside the various nodes of a given
institution -- this is just an extension of a 'local use only' list.
"LISTSERV: A joyless, dismal, black and sorrowful issue" (Titus Andronicus)
Eric
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