henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) (11/29/85)
There have been several incidents lately in which a user has submitted a dozen formatting jobs in fast succession. The result has been long lineups in the queues and long delays for other users. This may be technically legitimate, but it's very inconsiderate. When the system is very slow, even half a dozen short jobs can produce a major delay. We've spoken to the individuals responsible, but a more general warning is in order. We appreciate that the system is overloaded, and it's tempting to just submit a pile of stuff and come back later, but this just makes the overload worse. Until we get a bigger and faster machine, such convenient but selfish practices will have to cease. No matter who you are. Emergencies are an exception, if you TELL US ABOUT THEM. Otherwise, we reserve the right to put your long string of jobs on hold for a while. Maybe quite a while. If you see a long string of jobs from one user, please let us know. Sometimes we're busy and don't notice it right away.