Subj : XML
To   : Jan Vermeulen
From : Frank Vest
Date : Sun Jan 05 2003 03:54 pm

On (05 Jan 03) Jan Vermeulen wrote to Frank Vest...

Hello Jan,

 fv> Just my humble opinion.

 fv> There's nothing wrong with the SLF Nodelist. The problem is the
 fv> implementing of IP. That was not done right to begin with. :(

 JV>     What you say is that it is not the nodelist that is broken, but
 JV> the implimentation of internet protocols and that some repair is
 JV> needed. The nodelist then could be used as it is now.

Yes.

 JV>     Is that your opinion?

Yes.

<sigh> Let me try to screw this up logically. :) </sigh>

Please understand that I am not a programmer or tech. I'm using /my/
logic here. :)

The SLF contains the node number, system name, sysop name, phone
number, mailer flag, modem flags. Transfer protocols are not listed as
such.

PSTN phone number = IP/domain address. The IP/domain is the "phone
number" that IP mailers "dial" to connect. I'm not saying that the
IP.domain should be put in the phone number field of th SLF... it's
just for comparing.

PSTN has several transfer protocols available. Each is negotiated when
the mailers connect to each other.

IP mailers have several protocols. None are negotiated when the
mailers connect to each other. This is a problem. It requires that the
transfer protocol be know (in the SLF) prior to the mailers connecting
or there is no way to transfer mail.

PSTN mailers have a flag in the SLF. IP mailers don't have this.

Now, let's go as simple as possible :)

Create a mailer flag for IP mailers. Each flag could imply what
protocols that mailer can handle. An IP mailer could simply look at
the mailer flag and know that the desired transfer protocol is
available or not.

Something that simple would do a world of good. There would be no need
for the IBN, IFT and other "I" flags. A simple "XT" flag with the
IP/domain address in some default field of the SLF would/could tell
the IP mailer that telnet was available at the IP/domain of this Node.

This simple thing would make the SLF workable for both IP and PSTN, I
think.

There are other methods as well. The discussion of a "FTNSRVD" (kind
of like a finger daemon) that would return to the IP mailer the
transfer protocol, address (if needed) for that protocol and port (if
needed).

In any case, like I said to others, some way for IP mailers to
negotiate or know what transfer protocols are available should have
been built into IP mailers from the start.

Regards,

Frank

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/flv
http://biseonline.com/r19

--- PPoint 3.01
 * Origin: Holy Cow! I'm A Point!! (1:124/6308.1)

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