G'Day Ross,

23 Nov 02 09:17, you wrote to me:

 RR>> There is no longer a single system in those nets that current
 RR>> software can connect to.

 RR>> Tell me, which software is using the INA flags to lookup a node
 RR>> address and connection info?

 RC> You were in FTSC_PUBLIC as I posted the proposals, I am fixing to post a
 RC> revision #3, which is only to clarify the preface.

 RC> In order to make it worthwhile for programmers to code for it, it has to
 RC> be actually tested to see if its worthwhile.

How can you test it if there is no software to act upon it other than a
script designed to parse it? I mean you can write a script to parse anything
out of a csv file.

 RC> Since I am guilty as charged for proposing this flag and getting the
 RC> Z1C
 RC> to accept the flag for testing, if you or anyone else wish to provide me
 RC> the names of the developers of your software, I will approach them and
 RC> ask them if they would be willing to implement them.

Michiel Broek, but I believe it would need to be an FTSC standard first.
Again this is only one piece of software and there's more than one piece of
software out there.

 RC> I can tell you that the R16C, has written a perl script that can parse
 RC> the nodelist and he added to his script the ability to parse out the INA
 RC> flag.. (thanks Jerry).

I think David Drummond is going to have to change his script for parsing
binkp capable nodes as well - seems the INA's don't make it through there as
well.

Ross, I have nothing against using different means and methods for trying to
clear up any listing issues within the fidonet nodelist. But, I do believe
one needs to keep in mind that software will be broken when these methods are
applied. Currently I don't see any advantage in the listing method other then
to add yet another method to further confuse the issue. Zone 1 already has
enough oddities with various use of 1-000-000-0000 or 1-000-000-000 or
000-000-0000 or 000-000-000 etc etc for IP nodes.

There is also the issue that the addition of this flag will make it easier
for entries to surpass the 157 character limit imposed by compilers such as
MakeNL.

Cheers,
                Rick

... Since GOD spelled backwards is DOG, is my poodle Satan?

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