Re: LYNX-DEV News:*

[Foteos Macrides]

David Woolley <address@hidden> wrote:
>> >    If the LIST or LIST ACTIVE command were used, then in parsing
>> > that reply an XGTITLE request could be issued for each group, but you
>> > can't count on Xfoo commands being supported by all nntp servers (that
>
>XGTITLE is being replaced by LIST NEWSGROUPS pattern, although it may well
>be retained for a long time for backwards compatibility.  Either way,
>it doesn't have an RFC to back it up (unless the common NNTP extensions
>document got made into an RFC).

        I've been using the currently active IETF ID:

  http://info.internet.isi.edu/in-drafts/files/draft-barber-nntp-imp-07.txt


>> > one probably is by now), and it would be a lot more overhead.  It would
>
>I would definitely agree here.  It is unlikely that the server will do
>anything other than a complete scan of the file.  In the worst case,
>assuming a relatively complete active file and 20,000 newsgroups,
>that's 10,000 * 20,000 * 70 (assuming 70 character lines) character
>manipulations, or 14,000,000,000 operations.  The instruction count is
>even more than this!

        Klaus' suggestion was to use XGTITLE in the first place, and
that was a good idea, which I've implemented, but with the old procedure
as a fallback if the XGTITLE fails.


>> > be better to pester the sysadmin to arrange for the LIST NEWSGROUPS to
>> > return valid information, rather than accepting that some hoaky procedure
>> > for reading a file that isn't maintained such that it's contents contain
>> > what would be a valid reply is OK. :)
>
>I don't think I agree here.  The set of newsgroups encountered in articles
>generally exceeds the set of groups subscribed to by a server, because of
>cross-posting.  Better newsreaders use the newsgroups list to provide
>feedback that a followup really is going to relevant newsgroups (shot
>gun posting is a problem, these days - that is people who post to lots
>of newsgroups in the hope that they will hit one from which they will
>get a reply, whether or not it is on topic).

        The specs say that LIST NEWSGROUPS should return that for
the server's *active* groups, not all groups:

[...]
2.1.6 LIST NEWSGROUPS

    LIST NEWSGROUPS [wildmat]

    The newsgroups file is maintained by some news transport
    systems to contain the name of each news group which is
    active on the server and a short description about the
    ^^^^^^
    purpose of each news group. Each line in the file contains
    two fields, the news group name and a short explanation of
    the purpose of that news group. [...]


The wildmat (foo*) argument option is proposed so that LIST NEWGROUPS
will fully encompass XGTITLE.

                                Fote

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 Foteos Macrides            Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research
 address@hidden         222 Maple Avenue, Shrewsbury, MA 01545
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