Nancy Backus wrote the following to Ben Carpenter, and I quote (in part):

 NB> I'm a packrat, too.    But I move the old packets to a different
 NB> directory, about every month or so, so as to clear the working decks. 
 NB> And I rename the QWK packets as soon as I have them downloaded, with a
 NB> renaming utility that puts a date as part of the filename, to avoid
 NB> overwriting a packet I'm not done with yet.  I also got in the habit 
 NB> of saving the old reply packets (back when I was sending a lot of long
 NB> genealogy messages) just in case I needed to resend something.  I 
 NB> rename them in such a way as to have BW not "see" them,
and only name 
 NB> a reply packet back if I need to get into it, so that I don't have to 
 NB> worry about sending out duplicate replies.

Hi Nancy,

   I don't save either d/l or u/l packets.  I have two files, send
and receive.  I save my messages to the appropriate file.  The
advantage is that all the messages I have sent/received are in one
file.  And it takes up less space and it easier to find an old
message.  The disadvantage is that you have to remember to save the
messages when they appear in the reader.  Doesn't work too well if
you forget the save. :-(

  I do keep a backup copy of the REP packet until I have seen it on
the BBS.  As we only have one BBS left in town now, I don't have
nearly as reliable system of checking on whether the mail made it
off the BBS as you have.  I have to bug the SysOP ;-).  But he is a
nice guy and takes care of the users very well.

    Later, 
      Charles

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