By definition,  "BITNET GATES XYZ" and  "BITNET GATES ABC" are  two completely
different files,  which, a  priori, do  not point to  the same  physical file.
Consider for example the file "PROFILE  EXEC SPOOLMON" (from the SPOOL monitor
filelist) and "PROFILE  EXEC ACCNT" (from the ACCNT accounting  server - note:
these two names are pure fiction). You obviously want them to be two different
files. Also, the owner of filelist A  doesn't have to get the agreement of the
owners of  filelists B,C,D,E  and F  to create  a "PROFILE  EXEC" file  on his
filelist, and doesn't  run the risk to  be told "Sorry, this  file has already
been defined on filelist C".
 
Now it is possible  for the LISTSERV maintainer to set the  pointers in such a
way that  the two entries  point to  the same PHYSICAL  file. This is  not the
default, but it can  be done. In the BITNIC case, I would  bet on it being the
case.  But LISTSERV  doesn't know  this,  or rather,  it doesn't  look at  the
information until  it needs to (for  obvious performance reasons). Now  if the
NIC  modifies BITNET  GATES by  doing  a PUT  BITNET GATES  NETINFO, you  will
receive AFD  for the  file from  filelist NETINFO but  not from  filelist XYZ,
because LISTSERV  doesn't know this file  has been modified (it  would have to
scan all the filelists for a matching name  if it wanted to know this). So you
get only one copy.
 
In any case, if the XYZ filelist is defunct and has been removed, you can only
get one copy of the file because "BITNET GATES XYZ" no longer exists.
 
  Eric