I have read the contents of FTS-0005 (although I am admittedly
confused as to which of several editions of it is the one to follow;
here I am using the one amended by Rick Moore; neither the author nor
the amender are presently in NODELIST.052). I need some clarification on
the following case.

    In Net 231 a node (231/50) was at one time chosen to be a hub. In
order to expedite the flow of mail, Node 50 ordered up a separate
telephone line for the hub (231/1000). Hub 1000 has Node 50 listed under
it but the telephone entries for Hub 1000 and Node 50 are different.
Time (considerable) goes by. All seems to be OK.

    I am advised that the following paragraph from FTS-0005 applies to
such a pair of hub/node entries:

Hub --
     Begins the definition of a routing subunit within a multilevel
     local network.  The hub is the routing focal point for nodes
     listed below it until the next occurrence of a "Zone",
     "Region",  "Host",  or "Hub" keyword. 
The hub entry MUST be a
     redundant entry,  with a unique number,  for one of the nodes
     listed below it.  This is necessary because some nodelist
     processors eliminate these entries in all but the local
     network.

    Is there today a justification for creating a redundant node entry
for Hub 5000? Perhaps this was true in 1989 but is it yet true? No
problems have been experienced by the Hub's 7 downlinks, presumably with
a diversity of frontends and nodelist processors.

    I welcome your insights into this problem. Just seems unnecessary.
If this is yet another example of a problem with software like Opus
or Tom Jenning's Fido BBS or something equally obtuse, how much longer
must that faulty software be recognized and accommodated? Thanks in
advance.


Regards,


Richard "Dick" Bash
Net 231 NC

 +.....................................................................+
 . rmbash{at}cord.iupui.edu                                  Richard Bash .
 . Voice: 1-317-226-9614    1152 N. White River Pky West Dr.-Apt. 1101 .
 . BBS:   1-317-226-9616                   Indianapolis, IN 46222-3197 .
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