I hope someone forwards it also to EARNEXEC.
 
On Mon, 11 Sep 89 16:41:32 GMT Eric Thomas said:
>So what should we do now?
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>                            ... it was decided not to encourage EARN
>sites to install LISTSERV 1.6 as proposed in your note of July 10.
What means "not to encourage" ?
I have  already on several  occasions voted  for accepting the  proposal. I'll
give a few arguments and reasons:
Advantages:
* In case  a split is  unavoidable, the BitNet  backbone can be  extended into
  EARN thus saving  resources on both sides and removing  the pressure on EARN
  to immediately handle the situation.
* Developments on LISTEARN can be tested for compatibility without bothering a
  BitNet site.
* A little biased: Interested postmaster can stay up to date with LISTSERV
 
I  have  voted that  only  experienced  sites/postmasters  who will  not  make
headaches to  Eric and/or Turgut  should try to get  1.6. The reason  for this
being the level of support.
(Just as a  remark: I have a  second cpu and we  will soon be on  the air with
 another node.  I have already  thought about possibly installing  LISTEARN on
 one cpu and keeping LISTSERV on the other provided it is BitNet current).
 
>
>The Exec finds that it is preferable to work for some time according
>to the contract recently signed. I hope you will work with Turgut on
>how best to treat the LISTSERV backbone.
>Kind Regards
>Frode Greisen
This sounds - excuse me, Frode - like EARN-Exec expects Eric to work for EARN.
Maybe the recent discussions  did not reach the Exec, but  if memory serves me
right Eric has  agreed to provide the LISTSERV code  to Turgut and furthermore
help with ideas,  comments and knowledge on LISTSERV internals  - but refusing
to do any implementation work.
 
There was also a  discussion on possible solutions some time  ago, but it died
away partly because the state of affairs was unknown, so to say.
 
As a last remark: my BoD member contacted  me about this issue back in the 2nd
week of July.  I've told him about  my views. Maybe it was  such nonsense that
none of them found  a way into the decisions of the Exec  - but one can't tell
from the simple statement "it was decided".
 
Well, I'm upset right now - better keep my mouth shut.
Christian