From: umueller@amiga.physik.unizh.ch (Urban D. Mueller)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga.misc
Subject: Re: Suggestion for new AB20 equivalents
Date: 8 Apr 92 23:34:37 GMT

<1992Apr6.002740.8749@newshost.anu.edu.au> <dgold.0a1t@basso.actrix.gen.nz> <6APR199209472650@ucsvax.sdsu.edu>
 
In article <6APR199209472650@ucsvax.sdsu.edu> civir1070@ucsvax.sdsu.edu (FURRY R) writes:
>>[game site/demo site/app site/fish site/incoming site]
>> 
>>I think that's a great idea if it can be arranged.
>
>The groundwork is aready in place.  Ux1.cso.uiuc.edu and Grind.isca.uiowa.edu
>both have the (almost) complete fred fish collection.
 
I'd rather propose to create only two types of sites: Those for the Fish
disks, and those for the rest (like ab20 was). Tad told me that the 
whole ab20 archive was 200MB, which should be relatively easy to keep
somewhere. 
 
>>> What about an incoming/amiga site ?
>> 
>>One site for *all* incoming stuff could be a very good idea.
>
>Yes, an incloming site is much needed.  This is a VERY good idea.  What about
>amiga.physik.unizh.ch ?  It has a very nice Sysadmin, and already has a good
>system for listing what each file is.  It seems like that would be acceptable
>to use as an "incoming" site.  What does the sysadmin think about this?
 
Thanks for the nice sysadmin :). Well, there's 3 problems about this:
 
1. amiga.physik is only an A3000UX which I think would become too slow
   for local users (ie. me!) if all ab20 callers would call here.
2. amiga.physik has only about 100MB available for the site yet. I'll
   put up a call for money for a new HD, if only 10% of the users pay
   $15, we got enough for a 500MB HD which would mean we can keep all
   files uploaded. Otherwise we'd have to delete files older than 30
   days if traffic becomes similar to ab20's.
3. Some callers have relatively bad network connections, and it's not
   very good if all Americans have to call Europe for downloads.
 
So here comes my proposal:
1. There's not ONE /incoming/amiga site, but 3-4, one of them being
   amiga.physik
2. The /incoming/amiga sites exchange the new files about twice a
   day, I can write the scripts and programs necessary for that.
3. If enough people contribute for a new HD, amiga.physik will keep
   all old files. Even if not, amiga.physik won't fill up like ab20;
   I've got some auto-delete scripts which delete the oldest and 
   least-downloaded files.
4. A simple standard format for .readme files is established, similar
   to that of mails. Keywords:
   Short:    -> short description
   Type:     -> type of file (e.g. util) = directory where to put it
   Files:    -> files that belong to this .readme if more than one
   Author:   -> author of program, might be auto-notified on upload
   The .readme-body would be the long description. If people stick to
   this format, ftp admins have a lot less work. Other fields might
   be defined later.
 
Now all depends on you, ftp admins. amiga.physik can't take the whole
burden, but if there are other sites to share it, all would be fine.
So who's ftp admin and is prepared to set up his site similar to
amiga.physik? We need at least one in America and another in Germany;
Australia and Scandinavia would be nice, too. The more the better.
 
And how about you, users? There are various types of file lists and
ftp site organizations, which one do you like best? That one will
be adapted for all /incoming/amiga sites.
 
 -U. Dominik Mueller  (ftp admin of amiga.physik.unizh.ch)