In checking my AFD list for LISTSERV@BITNIC I noticed that I am
signed up for the same named file on multiple filelists.  For
example BITNET GATES on NETINFO and also on NODEINFO.  I presume
this happened because I did not specify a filelist when I made the
AFD request so LISTSERV signed me up for all filelists with those
file names.  The question is, though, are these the same or
different files?
 
If the same, does it matter which copy I request?  Is LISTSERV
actually keeping two copies of the same thing or playing funny games
with pointers so that the same thing appears to be in more than one
place?  If it's is done with mirrors will LISTSERV really try to
send me two copies when it replaces the file and updates the
pointers in both filelists?  There doesn't appear to be anything in
the mail header (at least as translated from NJE to WYLBUR) which
identifies which filelist a file has come from.
 
Since the redundancy was about 20% even in my small list of files
I hope there really aren't two copies of the same thing really out
there.  If so, perhaps we ought to discuss (on NODMGT-L?) which
filelists particular files belong in so we can eliminate the
duplicates.
 
/June
 
To:  LSTSRV-L(LSTSRV-L@POLYGRAF)
cc:  AKLOM@BITNIC