[comp.sys.zenith.z100] files, email, and PD administrivia

GUBBINS@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA (Gern) (03/07/89)

So, therefore, I wish to remind everyone, in the current state of these
discussions, that the proper method of submitting programs/files for
shared use is to notify the list maintainer or PD LIB manager and arrange
for 'pick-up' by FTP or other means (sometimes USnail).   Notification
is usually to the '-REQUEST' of the mailing list, such as:
INFO-HZ100-REQUEST@RADC-TOPS20.ARPA.

The program(s) submitted for the PD1:<HZ100>@SIMTEL20 are then scrutinized
and sometimes sanitized for errors, virus code, documentation cleanup, etc.
and then placed in the PD directory AND on the PD Disk Library Set for
USnailing to persons unable to obtain it by network means.

To get files from SIMTEL20 you first must get on a REAL Net (One that
is DoD TCP/IP based and Internetted).  Then you FTP (File Transfer
Protocol) the desired files to your system.   From BITNET (a mostly
email network) all that you have is the ARCHIVE-SERVER process that a
lot of people spend a lot of time implementing.   Failing these network
methods, arrangements can usually be requested from the list maintainer.

So I don't understand why everyone is in such a huff about using the
proper Netiquette for all this.  This is standard for all the 300+ Internet
interest lists that I know about, and I gather local-micro-BBOARDS as
well.   I'm sure that a local-micro-BBOARD Admin would get very upset
if someone mailed a program to EVERY user of that BBOARD when the real
intent was to make one copy available to all in a 'download' directory.

As I am sure most of you know, INFO-HZ100 is VERY accomodating in getting
code, documentation, schematics, computer parts, etc to people under
a wide variety of circumstances, usually at personal expense as well.

But INFO-HZ100 and the other 300+ Internet Interest Lists will not
tollerate emailing large programs (source or coded) to the whole list
when proper methods exist.  It goes much deeper that this in that the
policies governing the Internet (DDN - DARPA, DCA) must be adhered to,
files and large amounts of data are to be transfered by FTP, and all
steps are to be taken to minimize traffic loads to put it all simply.

If anyone has any administrivia, send a message to INFO-HZ100-REQUEST
and >IF< I am able to send a response back, I do.

Gern

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paula@bcsaic.UUCP (Paul Allen) (03/08/89)

I've seen a couple articles admonishing readers to not send
large files to the 'list' directly.  It doesn't seem to me
as if the admonishers realize that for some of us, this
is a 'newsgroup'.  The Internet mailing list is apparently
gatewayed into Usenet somewhere.  A Usenet reader stumbling
over comp.sys.zenith.z100 in his newsreader will have no
way to know that the posting of large files to the newsgroup
is forbidden.  Since the usual way to share files on Usenet
is to post them to a newsgroup, and since the Usenet 
population is so large and variable, it would seem prudent to
regularly post an introductory message describing the nature
and taboos of the group.  Otherwise, there will always be the
occaisional well-meaning Usenetter posting his favorite
utility directly and pissing off the folks on the Internet
side of the gateway.

Comments, anyone?

Paul
-- 
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Paul L. Allen                       | pallen@atc.boeing.com
Boeing Advanced Technology Center   | ...!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!bcsaic!pallen