[nos-bbs] status of MID/BID comparison

[Maiko Langelaar]

> with one of our forwarding partners.

One as opposed to 10s of systems, 100s of systems ? Just something
to think about ...

> -- One person said FBB makes a case-sensitive comparison.

The linux code for linfbb 7.0.7 would seem to suggest the comparison
is indeed case sensitive (memcmp is used), but it was a quick check.

BUT, if you look at the wfbid.sys file, all I see is UPPERCASE BIDS,
for what it's worth.

> -- But there is one case (reverse forwarding with ?mbox fbb 0?) where JNOS
> will forward as lower case

That is (will be fixed), I'm pushing it to rsync shortly.

> -- Others have said that case-INsensitive is how it?s been and should
> continue

I'm inclined to think that way due to the fact that there are many many
legacy systems out there using the old defacto UPPER CASE methodology,
and good luck getting them patched anytime soon. I'm not against the
case sensitive argument (there may be good technical reasons for it,
but it's not like there is a packet radio consortium out there 'now'
that oversees all of this, all I see is a disjoint group of authors,
which by the way includes myself, I'm just as much to blame), so at
this stage I'm looking strictly from an operations point of view.

IF there are people on this list that have superb repoire's with the
other authors of the various softwares we use, I have no problem in
them getting us all together in a civilized manner, seriously !

> (In other words, a typical ham discussion).  :-(

Yup :)

> No one has come forward with a reason for case-sensitivity.  So for the
> least disruption, it seems we should go with whatever is/has been the norm. 
> And that seems to be case-insensitive with a default of UPPERcase.

My mentors if you want to call them that will agree with you, and that is
actually what my intention is FOR NOW, I'm open minded to stuff down the
road but for now let's get it so that it's consistent (ie, there will be
a patch pushed to rsync area 'shortly'.

> If that?s correct, then it seems the developers need a quick email
> agreement on how to get to a single understanding.

That's why I am suggesting a person who has a good repoire with the
other authors as well as with me. Just from past experience, I don't
think I would be a good person to do that, just saying.

Maiko