[net.news.adm] Latest config info for nsc, whither mod.map.uucp?

dsp@ptsfa.UUCP (David St. Pierre) (05/10/85)

> Here is the latest configuration info for nsc. We've added a few sites here
> and there, and changed things around to clean up some artificial map
> problems in the previous version (I had ihnp4 as DIRECT, which works fine
> for my site, but perturbed the h?ll out of my neighbors)... 
> 

I wonder if amd can now be convinced to change their entry for ihnp4
(unless they really want to pay for my traffic as well as theirs).
I was really surprised the first time I built pathalias - wow, nsc must
have a private line. I call ihnp4 in the evening if there are spool files.
Changing my entry to prevent it from going to amd seems to be defeating
the purpose of pathalias. Having to manually change amd's data is OK the
first time ...

I'm "confused" about the status of mod.map.uucp. I know there are supposed
to be regional sites I can call to get map data, but I've had no luck with
what I thought was ours. Is there going to be a quarterly/semi-annual
redistribution across the net? Is there a centralized/master data base
which periodically re-issues map data to the regional sites? Or do they
just forward copies of all updates to all centers and make it everyones
responsibility to synchronize their maps? The only distribution I ever
received was just before Dallas USENIX - have I/we missed something?

I'm all for regional access - things like this, netnews source, large
games, MAC archives might be posted less frequently if some sites
periodically posted an article with the type of data they have and the
last revision date/level. Other examples are RFCs, X.400 (if it's legal).
While mod.sources is nice for initial software releases, using it to
document WHERE things can be picked up is just as important. I don't mind
paying the tab to pick up Kermit from okstate; but think that restructuring
mod.sources along hierarchical/regional lines would go a long way to
preventing the "misuse" of netnews, which is essentially a broadcast
mechanism of questionable reliability.

mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) (05/12/85)

In article <632@ptsfa.UUCP> dsp@ptsfa.UUCP (David St. Pierre) writes:
>I'm "confused" about the status of mod.map.uucp. I know there are supposed
>to be regional sites I can call to get map data, but I've had no luck with
>what I thought was ours. Is there going to be a quarterly/semi-annual
>redistribution across the net? Is there a centralized/master data base
>which periodically re-issues map data to the regional sites? Or do they
>just forward copies of all updates to all centers and make it everyones
>responsibility to synchronize their maps? The only distribution I ever
>received was just before Dallas USENIX - have I/we missed something?

The current setup has updates being mailed to cbosgd!uucpmap, being updated
by regional coordinators, sent twice a month to the usenix machine, and from
there they are sent out to a dozen or so public machines where anyone can
call up and get a copy of part or all of the map.

Changes are in the works.  The data will be much more useful once
software that can handle true subdomains is available.  Such software
for 4.2BSD is in beta test right now.

We are also getting ready to post the UUCP map to Usenet on a regular
basis.  We're currently merging the Usenet map (which has been discontinued)
into the UUCP map.  (Mail to cbosgd!map is now forwarded to cbosgd!uucpmap.)
Once we get that process completed, we hope to begin posting the entire
UUCP map to mod.map.uucp in June.  It will be a "time release" posting,
taking an entire month to post the whole thing, and starting over again
each month (if it works out.)

Finally, we are moving toward a heirarchical distribution, but we can't
do that until a heirarchy is in place, and so far it hasn't even been
determined what the character of that heirarchy will be.  (Once we get
the issues clearly outlined within the project, we expect to discuss
this in net.mail to get public input.  I'd guess that will happen in
a few weeks.)

	Mark Horton