[nos-bbs] B2F (compression) success !!!

[Barry Siegfried]

... PLUS

Re: [nos-bbs] purpose of R: lines, do we really need them, etc ?

["Maiko Langelaar (ve4klm)" <maiko at pcs.mb.ca> wrote]:

> NOS has always had the ability to deliver it's own mail.  It does
> not have to pass it to a central server.

Excellent observation, Maiko!  I have been asking myself this
question for over a year now:  Given that this is the case, then
what is all the hysteria about over Airmail?  Is this all because
the ARRL has decided that this is what packet hams will use, and
they *will* like it?

Now Bill, don't get upset.  This is just simply an observation from
somebody who has heretofore stayed completely out of the Airmail
"debate".

But my question is:  WHY must hams constantly invent new protocols
or applications when an existing protocol or application will do
the job that you want to have done?

And on a related subject, ["Maiko Langelaar (ve4klm)" <maiko at pcs.mb.ca>
also wrote]:

> I have very little experience in forwarding, and my knowledge of
> the use of R: lines (I'm going to guess from the earlier days) is
> is very limited.

The R: line was again yet another ham invention to implement what
is fondly referred to as... PBBS mail.  PBBS mail was invented because
SMTP and TCP/IP had not yet made it to packet and hams wanted to have
a way to send email to each other as well as see the callsigns of their
PBBSs in message headers.  This makes hams feel good.  R: lines were a
way to track the delivery of PBBS mail through various PBBSs on its way
to its final destination.

Everyone seems to be jumping through hoops trying to figure out the
big secrets about Airmail, WL2K protocols, etc. etc. in order to make
them work with the existing tools we have to accomplish these exact
same goals and which have been around in xNOS and Linux for years!

I just don't get it.  But then again, I am not very smart.

My impression is, we keep shooting ourselves in the foot because we
constantly try to reinvent the wheel over and over again by adding
somebody's idea of how-complicated-can-we-make-it-this-time protocol
overhead into something and then and calling it "new and improved".

Hey, I haven't posted in awhile.  I just thought I'd let everybody
know I was still alive.  :)

73, de Barry, K2MF >>
           o
          <|>      Barry Siegfried
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