Subj : Areafix requests
To   : Deon George
From : Kai Richter
Date : Sun Apr 19 2020 11:26:36

Hello Deon!

17 Apr 20, Alan Ianson wrote to Deon George:

 DG>> So what is the purpose of "netMailFlvour"?

It's for mail flow control of oldscool times. When one small netmail could cause a local POTS call of 6 cent then it was a very expensive hobby.

I've heard that it was common for US phone companies to have local areas calls with free of costs since the late 1990s. Btw, thats the reason why BBSs are that popular in the US, staying online did annoy other users because of busy lines but it did not annoy your wallet. But a one line BBS was busy then all the day and until late in the night. If you try to exchange mail via a fido call on a busy line you got BUSY and that's why the Zone Mail Hour was invented. The ZMH is for netmail exchange only and because of big file- and echomail would block the ZMH window a different flow control for netmail and others were required.

In my area it was after the introduction of ISDN when the first country wide flatrate calls were seen. It was limited to weekends only but you could stay online as long as you liked. Today a country wide flatrate is common and the flatrate internet connection is online 24/7 and can handle multiple connects at the same time. Flow control between nodes is no longer needed, you have new mail, just send it now. We need the hold flag for points and other systems without a permanent connectivity.

I don't need that detailed control between netmail and others but it's nice to have it included for those who really need it.

Regards

Kai

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