[net.news] fixint 14 character newsgroup name limit

davidson (06/05/82)

I find the 14 character limit on newsgroup names (and file names in general)
rather annoying.  Until the filename length restriction is removed, I'd like
to suggest a fix.  Its often been said in describing the naming conventions
of newsgroups that they are hierarchical.  Alright, then why not store
newsgroup net.lang.apl, for example, in net/lang/apl.  I think then that we
would rarely notice the 14 character limit.

If this implementation suggestion is accepted, I would like to suggest that
slashes be accepted as an alternative to dots as separators in the newsgroup
names, and that an effort to move away from the dot notation be encouraged.

Greg Davidson

usenet:  ...!sdcsvax!davidson
arpanet: davidson@nprdc

mark (06/08/82)

Eventually, dots will be turned into slashes internally for purposes
of storing articles.  But there would be a major upheaval of the
network if all the newsgroup names were to suddenly change.  Also,
using / just because it's handy for UNIX is silly - USENET will eventually
expand to other operating systems.  This change is on the wishlist
for the virtual 3.0 version of B news.

	Mark