Subj : don't cry for me I have vi To : Russell Tiedt From : Maurice Kinal Date : Wed Mar 30 2005 06:56 am Hey Russell! RT> Formatting should be left to the reader/editor to perform, me RT> thinks ... Yes but in the interm a suitable crossformat is required. Very few can handle the FTN formats. RT> And from my point of view, there is no real point in stripping the RT> storage format for your msgbase down to the bare bones, when all PC's RT> have more than sufficient hard drive space to handle the current formats, Actually the real reason for a stripped down version has more to do with conversions then it does to do with space, although that could be a factor as well. To convert any messaage to any format a simplified base messaging format would be the ideal methinks, and there is no reason to convert and send anything that isn't related to either the transportation of the messages or the message itself. RT> If you want to cater for the emerging trend in Cellphone/handheld type RT> devices, well fine, but even there they will start with compact flash RT> card memory of one or other type that can be upgraded to the gigabyte RT> region, there That wasn't really my target but I suppose it could be. Again, it isn't storage that is the issue, it is compatibility. Are we going to rewrite utilities to cater to every whim or craze that comes down the block, or exploit whatever those devices have at their disposal? I vote for the latter. RT> Might be usefull for a web based msg forum, where web space is still RT> rather expensive, all I have available is 10MB's, and if it uses PERL, RT> PYTHON or RUBY, which are installed on the host, that would allow the RT> hosting of 5-6 msg areas with 150-200 msgs each, that might be RT> wortwhile ... Right. Or just using a simple text based base(s) that are more condusive to cgi scripting, which FTN or other "acceptable" Fido formats aren't. Again, storage isn't the main issue other then the structure of the storage and the simpler and compactness of the design makes it more powerful when considering all sorts of targets for display and useage of the messaging system, whatever it is including a web based solution. RT> No it cannot, but, that doesn't matter much, till the last DOS user RT> moves on or dies of old age. Bully for them ... if they even exist. They aren't going anywhere and is unlikely that any of what I am talking about will have any effect they would even notice. They are obviously happy with all their abandonware. - Maurice --- Hacked v0.1b * Origin: Coffin Point (1:261/38.9) .