earlw@pesnta.UUCP (Earl Wallace) (08/19/84)
Can someone tell me why I cannot use 8 character uucp names? Is there a history to this? What pain could I expect if I allowed uucp to run 8 character names? I noticed that the source has lots of code to keep the system name trimmed to 7 characters and I never really understood why. While we are on this subject, when the heck is a really good public-domain uucp going to hit the streets? -- Earl Wallace UUCP: ..!{ihnp4, ucbvax!hplabs, ucbvax!twg}!pesnta!earlw PHONE: (408) 727-5540 x230 USMAIL: Perkin-Elmer Corp., Santa Clara, Calif. 95054
dmmartindale@watcgl.UUCP (Dave Martindale) (08/19/84)
The names of the local and remote systems are used in building the names of the various spool files. On most UNIX systems, file names are limited to 14 characters, and there are 7 characters of other junk wrapped around the system name to make up a total of 14. ("D." or "C." or "X." and a "grade of service" character and a 4-character sequence number). A public domain uucp will appear whenever someone writes one and gives it away - probably never. It is quite a substantial job, since the protocol used at the bottom level is both complex and mostly undocumented. I know of only one person (Lauren) who has written a uucp from scratch, and I don't believe he intends to give it away, having been bitten by putting software into the public domain before.