jmb@druny.UUCP (09/01/83)
Well, it seems my item finally got around the net. Everybody seems aghast
that I would suggest some (self-imposed) limitations on what gets posted
to the net. I have been likened to Yuri Andropov or similar persons who
would deny people their God-given liberties.
First, who said >anybody< has a RIGHT to use the network? Somebody has to
pay for all those computers and disks and modems and telphone calls (etc).
If I'm AT&T and I buy a computer for hardware developers to run simulations,
do I also give them the RIGHT to use netnews? Obviously not. If I am
a machine coordinator, and my machine is loaded to the gills, am I obligated
to let people eat up more of my CPU and disk for something not related
to their work? No. If I'm the man who has to sign the purchase orders,
and I see my employees using my expensive piece of hardware to exchange
movie reviews, will I be willing to let it continue? Probably not.
Many persons got hot under the collar without reading my flame carefully.
Perhaps I do have an obligation to allow PROFESSIONAL information to be
exchanged through the net - such as programs, bug fixes and the like.
I see these as part of professional growth and learning. Too bad more
information like this isn't out there. Instead we have net.jokes.all and
long running arguments over whether hot or cold water boils faster.
How is net.jokes going to help me write a better program or make a better
design?
J. M. Barton
...!druny!jmb
AT&T Information Systems Laboratories
P.S. I can see a time when the ever-increasing load of netnews causes it
to change from "for-the-good-of-all" communism to free-market
enterprise. In other words, I write contracts for all those nodes
whom I supply with netnews, laying out exactly what newsgroups they
will get or not get, and how much they will be charged per byte of
newtitem. My suppliers(s) will do the same to me. Is this anti-net?
No, it is reality. Allocation of scarce resources is what an economy
is for, and the CPU, disk, etc. used for netnews is just another scarce
resource. You have a right to read any book you choose - but if you
don't have the money to buy it, too bad.
P.P.S. You don't have to send replies to /dev/null. As this is an open
forum, and I am expressing my ideas to everybody, I have an
obligation to listen to those who would dispute me (as long as
they do it reasonably).jdi@psuvax.UUCP (09/02/83)
First of all, let me say that I am an optimist. Note that this makes a big
difference in this kind of argument, and I think the pessimistic side has
already been amply represented. I think there are a few basic problems that
will face the netnews community in a few months/years.
1) Too much news.
For me, this is already happening. I still can't keep up with
net.micro, or net.unix-wizards, although I would like to. How-
ever, I think a little history is important on this issue. From
what little netnews history I know, the whole system started some-
where (duke?) and from there spread out to encompass its now 10000
some readers. Throughout this entire expansion, which is still
going on, people have been saying 'Gee, what will we do when XXX
articles start coming'.
The answer is simple: The system expands as the volume increases!
#1: We started with old, slow, netnewsA. newsA might take
3 MINUTES of cpu time to process ONE article, and it
used huge amounts of disk, etc...
#2: Now, we have netnewsB. It can process an article in
several cpu SECONDS, and in addition is easier on the
system as a whole.
#3: As I see it, the more important issue here is phone
costs and transmission times. Well, we now have news
batching, a good scheme of which can reduce phone times
by 75%! In addition, transmission times are getting
faster and faster, and Ethernet type links (50 Kbaud)
are becoming more popular.
2) Too much garbage.
Well, assuming we have solved problem #1 (or at least matched growths)
#2 becomes much easier. What is needed in netnewsC (or whatever) is
a "by newsgroup basis" expiration scheme. Instead of all articles
expiring after oh, say 2 weeks, have net.jokes expire in a week, and
net.sources expire in 3 months. This way each site can decide for
themselves how long to keep each newsgroup.
In any case, netnews MUST NOT BECOME CAPITALIST. The entire idea of
Usenet is that it is Free, and available to everyone who would like to use
it. Putting in fines, costs, and taxes would destroy the system.
Replies invited,
John Irwin
{allegra, burdvax}!psuvax!jdi