>> BTW, this "origin line doesn't immediately follow it" is not a
 >> valid technical statement.  No spec guarantees that.  No spec
 >> even says they come in that order.  Just more of the mess.
 >> BFN.  Paul.

 ac> In echomail, have you ever actually seen a tearline that didn't
 ac> come immediately before an origin line?

yep!! there are some programs out there that are derived from other
networks and how they work. one such network is the RIME/PCRELAY network.
in that network, the tearline is above all program notices, taglines, fluff
and stuff...

ie:

  --- Msged/2 4.00
   ->fred, somesite
   ... taglines are wasteful and should be torn off with other garbage.
   * OFFLINE! QWK door
   # Origin: another net in another place (100:3/42)

the above is a perfect example of what the tearline was originally designed
for... originally as in the first person to come up with it, not as in used
by this network...

here in fidonet, i do see the following style as well...

  --- Msged/2 4.00
   + OFFLINE! QWK door

in other words, with fido's anarchistic methods of development, the
tearline doesn't mean caca... if the original use of the tearline had
actually been kept in it's implementation, we wouldn't have the tearline
discussions that we are having today.

)\/(ark