ml>> and if you read a bit better, i've already stated on several
 ml>> occasions that i have echomod... heck, you've even
 ml>> complained to me that updates from /it/ have jammed up your
 ml>> system...

 TL> Ah...well, there you go...but I can't replicate the problem,
 TL> and as far as I knowm I've never seen it from someone else.

then take one of my rules files and use it in a rule update and see what
happens... FWIW: i didn't have any real problems getting them into
echomod...

 ml>> also, i don't see echomod as robot software... at least i
 ml>> didn't... i do know, however, that is is very poorly
 ml>> designed and desperately needs additional work...

 TL> Tell ya what...do something positive instead of
 TL> bitching....

see? there ya go again... i'm /not/ bitching... i'm telling you flat out
that it needs work... where else can you get a database program (that's
what it is, afterall) that when you delete a record, its still there when
you try to import an update... in echomod, you have to delete, then purge
and then import and that's crazy... in all other database programs that
i've ever used and written, you (mark a record for) delete(ion) and it is,
for all intensive purposes, gone... then you can add another record exactly
the same with whatever fixed and now there are two... one marked as deleted
and another that's visible... then, some time down the road, you can purge
the marked for deletion records from the database and recover that space...

 TL> if the software is so bad...write to author and
 TL> tell him what a dad job he did...and just to prove your
 TL> point, come up with something better....I'll make your
 TL> contribution available for download.

hey, this is your toy... i'm just trying to use the service just like
everyone else...

 TL>> As far as the name of the rules files....wonder if you've
 TL>> thought of changing the name of the files to aagree with
 TL>> what the robot produces ?

 ml>> why should i when the robot can not even produce a complete
 ml>> larger than 8.3 filename??

 TL> That sentance makes no sense....try again.

sure it does... try reading it again... aw, heck... why bother... here...
open your moouth and i'll spoon it in >

again, why should i [change the name of the files] when the robot can't
even get a larger than 8.3 filename correct when it tries to make one...

 TL>> As far as proper names...why not name the files the way the
 TL>> robot does?

 ml>> because the robot is broken, that's why... and because my
 ml>> system(s) that that stuff is on cannot see files that are
 ml>> not 8.3 from DOS... and because i've /never/ tried to submit
 ml>> any rules files in anything other than 8.3 format...

 TL> I'll be sure to alert all the other moderators that they
 TL> shouldn't depend on the robot, since YOU have declared it's
 TL> broken....and don't hold your breath on that one.

i don't know why you'd have to tell the other moderators anything about
this situation unless it is true... think about it, though...

tell ya what, you figure out how the robot decided that my 2697 byte
ABRIDGE.RUL file is supposed to be called ARROWBRI.RUL and only 120 bytes
in size... that's one, for starters...

another thing would be for you or someone to detail exactly the procedures
for adding a tag to the database with a rules file... one that never
existed...

and then the details on how to add a rules file to an existing database
entry... seems that you can't send in the update with the rules file all at
once... seems that you have to indicate the rules file and wait on the bot
to write your ack and tell you that you can now upload the rules file... at
least that's my recollection of what happened for those that worked...
those that didn't work i did all in one fell swoop, IIRC...

and finally, how can i delete one of my tags from the database and recreate
it properly by the above detailed rules? remember that problem with echomod
that i talk about above about having to delete, purge and then create...

thank you very much ;)

)\/(ark