Newsgroups: news.software.b
Path: utzoo!henry
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: stopping use of the Path header in replie (was sRe: Who pays the bill?)
Message-ID: <1990Aug3.155421.25490@zoo.toronto.edu>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
References: <Jul.30.17.57.18.1990.9079@turbo.bio.net> <3275.26b54aab@mccall.com> <1990Jul31.211125.11451@mlb.semi.harris.com> <818@toaster.SFSU.EDU> <1990Aug1.201232.23136@ccu.umanitoba.ca> <1990Aug1.230858.3264@iwarp.intel.com> <1990Aug2.134734.15570@talos.pm.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Aug 90 15:54:21 GMT

In article <1990Aug2.134734.15570@talos.pm.com> kjones@talos.pm.com (Kyle Jones) writes:
> > No, I like the idea that someone said earlier... if you don't want the
> > Path to be used, put BOGUS!yourhost! in the Path instead of just
> > "yourhost!".  Pretty soon, nobody will be using those things "cuz they
> > always bounce".
>
>I like this idea, too.  Now, if only we could get this into an
>official patch to B news and C news distributions...  Whaddaya
>say, Geoff, Henry, Rick?

I'm only gonna say this once more:  we don't break things just because
people think it would be neat to bully others into upgrading their software.

We're quite willing to say "for technical reason X, we are making this
change, and people with ancient software can upgrade or suffer", but X
has to exist.  Deliberately breaking things just to force upgrades strikes
us as the equivalent of sticking nails in the tires of your neighbor's
1963 Cadillac because you disapprove of its EPA mileage rating.

If Path lines are as useless for replies as some people claim, the practice
of using them for replies will go away by itself.  If they remain useful,
why not let the disadvantaged keep using them?  They have to be there for
loop breaking anyway.
-- 
The 486 is to a modern CPU as a Jules  | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
Verne reprint is to a modern SF novel. |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu   utzoo!henry
