HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: voros@vaxc.cc.monash.edu.au (Joe Voros)
Newsgroups: aus.sf
Subject: Star Trek Laws of Physics...
Date: 1 Oct 92 13:18:59 +1000
Organization: Physics Department, Monash University, Australia.

Hi all.

In Melbourne on Saturday night, ``ST3:The Search for Spock'' was shown.
Near the end, as you all, no doubt, are aware, Kirk sets the Enterprise
for self-destruct, while happily in orbit around a planet.  Suddenly, 
**>>BOOM!<<** and the Enterprise drops out of orbit, to a fiery, and
cinematically satisfying death.

Just being a picky physicist, but *why* did the Enterprise drop out of
orbit??   :)

joe, that annoying physicist fellow.

Newsgroups: aus.sf
From: damian@cs.monash.edu.au (Damian Conway)
Subject: Re: Star Trek Laws of Physics...
Organization: Computer Science, Monash University, Australia
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 1992 06:09:34 GMT

Joe Voros writes:

>Hi all.

>In Melbourne on Saturday night, ``ST3:The Search for Spock'' was shown.
>Near the end, as you all, no doubt, are aware, Kirk sets the Enterprise
>for self-destruct, while happily in orbit around a planet.  Suddenly, 
>**>>BOOM!<<** and the Enterprise drops out of orbit, to a fiery, and
>cinematically satisfying death.

>Just being a picky physicist, but *why* did the Enterprise drop out of
>orbit??   :)

Well, Joe, StarFleet has faced cutbacks recently. As part of a cost-cutting 
exercise it was decided that all the self-destruct mechanisms on the each vessel
would be removed and sold to private industry. They could then be leased back
on a vessel-by-vessel basis.

Unfortunately, it was later discovered that leasing costs greatly exceeded the 
original profit from the sales and only reduced numbers of self-destruct 
mechanisms could be afforded (the so-called "Roper-Jolly effect")

It was therefore resolved that a single mechanism would be installed on each 
vessel (in the forward starboard section of the ship). This was feasible only 
because StarFleet regulations require that all StarFleet vessels must orbit a 
primary body with that body on their port side (hence the familiar left-to-right
orbital shot of the Enterprise.)

Self-destruction now consists of detonating the forward starboard mechanism, 
thereby simultaneously reducing orbital velocity and imparting a centrifugal 
velocity component on the vessel.  This typically results in the ship spiralling
planetwards whilst maintaining sufficient structural integrity to permit 
impressing special effects to be witnessed from the now-stranded surface party.

Incidently, the prospect of a slow fiery atmospheric death during self-destruct 
is thought to be the main reason that surface teams are traditionally composed 
almost entirely of senior command personnel.

>joe, that annoying physicist fellow.

damian, that replicant.
From: nick@brimbank.apana.org.au (Nick Langmaid)
Newsgroups: aus.sf
Subject: ST: TNG - recent episodes (SPOILERS?)_
Date: 30 Sep 92 07:59:38 GMT
Organization: APANA


In <9226613.15160@mulga.cs.mu.OZ.AU> molly@krang.vis.citri.edu.au writes:

 > Well who knows...... Could also explain why the vortex attacked Picard,
 > because there were two of him.

Oooh, I like that.  It doesn't even need to be plausible, it can just stand
on its own elegance.

Speaking of time distortion, I think all these aus.sf posts are being thrown 
back six DAYS in time, not just six hours.  Must find out what's going on at our
gateway ...

Cheers,
Nick.
Newsgroups: aus.sf
From: arock@kurango.cit.gu.edu.au (Andrew Rock)
Subject: Re: Star Trek Laws of Physics...
Organization: Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia.
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 03:53:40 GMT

Quinn <quinn@cs.uwa.edu.au> writes:

>While an the subject of Star Trek physics can anyone explain to me
>how artificial gravity works (-;

Too easy! Apply the standard TV SF solution: reverse the polarity
on an anti-gravity generator.

Rock.
-- 
Andrew Rock..........Faculty of Science and Technology, Griffith University
work end cAR...................Nathan, Brisbane, Queensland 4111, Australia
wreck noRAd...........................+61-07-875-5016...arock@cit.gu.edu.au
Newsgroups: aus.sf
From: u9050912@golum.riv.csu.edu.au (Jason J. Strudwick)
Subject: Re: Imminent demise of Oz TNG?
Organization: Charles Sturt University - Riverina, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 00:23:01 GMT

In article <51550@licra.dn.mu.oz.au> DAVIS@licra.dn.mu.oz.au writes:
>So is it true that channel 9 will not be showing any more TNG beyond the 
>second season?  I suspected that they were trying to let us down gently by 
>changing the times around and hoping we wouldn't notice, but surely this 
>needs a concerted letter-writing campaign before it's too late?  Or am I 
>coming in on the end of a long discussion?  If so, sorry, but it *is* 
>annoying.
>
>Ian Davis                          DAVIS@licr.dn.mu.oz.au

Can someone ring the Channel nine switchboard just to make sure? If
there are no episodes beyond the second season, I have several people
here who will send letters (can someone also supply the relevent Ch9
addresses?). There are now 2 Star Trek series in production in the U.S.,
so Ch9 can't say there is no demand for the show. If only our population
was 250 million - we might get a few more seasons of the best show
on TV (well, on TV for the next month anyway....).
From: cej@dstos3.dsto.gov.au
Newsgroups: aus.sf
Subject: TNG: "Q Who"
Date: 6 Oct 92 19:25:47 GMT
Organization: Defence Science and Technology Organisation

So, "Q Who" (?) finally gives us a glimpse of the dreaded Borg!!! (for those
who didn't see it on video). I thought it was about the best episode in
series 2, except perhaps for "The Measure Of A Man". I particularly liked
the ship design, and thought it was interesting how the self-repair mechanism
did it's thing at an accelerating rate (possibly as more repair functions
were repaired?!).
Now I'm wondering, does Q in later episodes still try to join the crew
(presumably in disguise), or is he just content with harassment?

--
Chris Jones                                  E-mail: cej@dstos3.dsto.gov.au
CSS/CD/ERL                                    Phone: +61 8 259 6758
DSTO Salisbury, South Australia                 Fax: +61 8 259 6328

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed are purely personal and do NOT represent
            the official view of DSTO.

"I'm going to put the shame file in the sludge file!  Or is that the sludge
 file in the shame file? Shame, sludge, sludge, shame, ...
 That's life, get nicked.."   Derrin Hunch, Fast Forward
From: ins894r@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au (Aaron Wigley [Wigs])
Newsgroups: aus.sf,aus.tv
Subject: Re: Tripods
Date: 28 Sep 92 08:51:29 GMT
Distribution: aus
Organization: Monash University
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]

Soh Kam Hung (soh@tmp_ip_003.trl.OZ.AU) wrote:
: Channel 7 screens the serial in Melbourne, on Saturday, 8.00 am or
: thereabouts.

It's actually 9:00am, Monday to Friday, till 9:30 am, 
on Channel 7, Melbourne. The series is currently up to where
Will finds Eloise in the City of Gold and Lead. 

Aaron Wigley
ins894r@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au
Newsgroups: aus.sf
From: molly@krang.vis.citri.edu.au (Mark Ollila)
Subject: CHANNEL 9 ST: NGT!!! NEWS :-)
Organization: Computer Science, University of Melbourne, Australia
Distribution: aus
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 23:09:58 GMT

OK.....

I rang up GTV-9 in Melbourne and asked them about what is going
to happen to ST:NG.

Well, they said that they have bought up to ( and including )
Season 5. But they havent got the new series just starting in the
US. Apparently ( I'm speculating from memory ) that ST:NG has split
up into two different programs?......

Maybe some one who does know whats happening in the US can post a
summary...

Anyway, GTV-9 will be showing the rest of this season. And then
there will be a 'Haze' period where they wait for the next seasons
episodes to arrive etc ( OR when they want to show it basically ).
But we will see the whole run of ST:NG ( when and how long it takes
is another question ).

I also asked how many letters would be required for them to continue
straight on to the next season, and they said about 10 000 - 20 000.

The address is 
	22 Bendigo 
	Richmond
	Melb. Vic
Phone is 03 429 0201


Mark.


-- 
 _--_|\    Mark Ollila                      1. Hail King Laurie
 /      \  CITRI, Computer Science Dept.    2. "I remember now"  QR:OMC
 \_.--.*/  University of Melbourne          3. "I'll be back" AS 
       v   email: molly@vis.citri.edu.au.   4. "I am not an animal" rang 
Xref: sparky news.future:819 news.software.nntp:1259
From: urlichs@smurf.sub.org (Matthias Urlichs)
Newsgroups: news.future,news.software.nntp
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Date: 4 Oct 1992 21:33:02 +0100
Organization: University of Karlsruhe, FRG
NNTP-Posting-Host: 127.0.0.1

In news.future, article <1af529INNmn4@rodan.UU.NET>,
  rsalz@rodan.UU.NET (Rich Salz) writes:
> In <1aebjiINN1q2@daisy.ee.und.ac.za> barrett@daisy.ee.und.ac.za (Alan P Barrett) writes:
> >The protocol already allows this.
> >200 foo.bar.edu NNTP server ready, posting is permitted
>  ...
> >200-bigboss@admin.bar.edu.
> Slightly wrong -- a dash on all but the last line:
> 	200-foo.bar.edu INN 2.0
> 	200 Is it breezy and sunny outside, with a chance
> 	200 of rain.  Here now, the news.

What was that about dashes on every line but the last?  :-)

> I do not think that most software can handle it, however.  INN (gasp) can't.

So fix it...

-- 
Iron Law of Distribution:
        Them that has, gets.
-- 
Matthias Urlichs  --  urlichs@smurf.sub.org -- urlichs@smurf.ira.uka.de   /(o\
Humboldtstrasse 7 -- 7500 Karlsruhe 1 -- Germany  --  +49-721-9612521     \o)/
Newsgroups: news.future
From: Iain.Lea%anl433.uucp@Germany.EU.net (Iain Lea)
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Organization: ANL A433, Siemens AG., Germany.
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 10:29:22 GMT

Iain Lea (Iain.Lea%anl433.uucp@Germany.EU.net) wrote:
: In article <19qnhdINN6h6@hpscdf.scd.hp.com> posted on 23 Sep 92 21:28:13 GMT,
: John Schmitz (schmitz@scd.hp.com) wrote:
: : 
: :   xmotd yymmdd hhmmss ["GMT"]
: : 
: : which would give you the file only if it is later than the date
: : specified.  I tried this with tin and trn and INN and it seems to
: : work well.
: 
: Good idea. I will use this command structure.

I have now implemented the XMOTD extension on our NNTP server. It works OK
but I will let it have a few weeks of general usage before releasing it to
the clamouring masses :-)

The next release of the tin newsreader will have client support for XMOTD.

Iain

--
NAME   Iain Lea 
EMAIL  Iain.Lea%anl433.uucp@Germany.EU.net
SNAIL  Siemens AG, ANL A433SZ, Gruendlacher Str. 248, 8510 Fuerth, Germany.
PHONE  +49-911-3089-407 (work) +49-911-331963 (home) +49-911-3089-290 (FAX)
From: clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca (Chris Lewis)
Newsgroups: news.future
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Date: 30 Sep 92 21:53:43 GMT
Organization: Elegant Communications Inc., Ottawa, Canada

In article <JAAPJL.92Sep29110702@cmb00.larc.nasa.gov> J Lee Jaap <J.L.Jaap@larc.nasa.gov> writes:
>In article <1992Sep26.134636.3137@julian.uwo.ca> jamie@csd.uwo.ca (J. Blustein) writes:

>   What is wrong with using news.announce.important?  It seems
>   to me this capability will be open to much abuse.

>n.a.i with Distribution: local should provide the same functionality,
>except for the fact that the motd would be non-optional whereas any
>group is optional for the reader.

n.a.i ain't a good idea.  If it ever leaks (and it probably would eventually),
Mark would get really PO-ed.  It's not a good idea to subvert moderated groups
for local use.  Unmoderated groups ain't so bad, but still.  They'll still
leak.  Especially if you have more than one machine.

A better solution is to create a local group for the purpose.  Like
"<your organization>.announce.important".  And only moderate it if
it gets abused - and create a "<your organization>.announce" too.

This is assuming that your site is big enough to warrant making a new
heirarchy.  Common practise is to use "general" for this in smaller
organizations.

Adding a specific out-of-band "motd" mechanism in news is sorta silly.
There's lots of other ways.  An ordinary newsgroup is more flexible.
/etc/motd is often even more effective.

On the other hand, rn and trn already *have* an out-of-band "announce"
mechanism...
-- 
Chris Lewis; clewis@ferret.ocunix.on.ca; Phone: Canada 613 832-0541
Psroff 3.0 info: psroff-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Ferret list: ferret-request@ferret.ocunix.on.ca
Newsgroups: news.future
From: jaapjl@tab00.larc.nasa.gov (J Lee Jaap)
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Reply-To: J Lee Jaap <J.L.Jaap@larc.nasa.gov>
Organization: AS&M Inc
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 15:07:06 GMT

In article <1992Sep26.134636.3137@julian.uwo.ca> jamie@csd.uwo.ca (J. Blustein) writes:

   What is wrong with using news.announce.important?  It seems
   to me this capability will be open to much abuse.

n.a.i with Distribution: local should provide the same functionality,
except for the fact that the motd would be non-optional whereas any
group is optional for the reader.

There could be several types of messages that a newsadmin could put
in a motd that would be relevant to all readers using that server.
And it's at least as secure as news itself.

Where's the abuse?  If you don't trust your newsadmin, whom can you trust?

--
J Lee Jaap <J.L.Jaap@LaRC.NASA.Gov> +1 804/864-2148
    employed by, not speaking for, AS&M Inc, at
         NASA LaRC, Hampton VA 23681-0001
From: jamie@csd.uwo.ca (J. Blustein)
Newsgroups: news.future
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Summary: Why?
Date: 29 Sep 92 22:58:46 GMT
Article-I.D.: julian.1992Sep29.225846.8884
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Canada

In article <JAAPJL.92Sep29110702@cmb00.larc.nasa.gov> J Lee Jaap
<J.L.Jaap@larc.nasa.gov> wrote:
>There could be several types of messages that a newsadmin could put
>in a motd that would be relevant to all readers using that server.
    Please give me an example of a message so importatnt that everyone
would have to read it.  

>And it's at least as secure as news itself.
    That isn't very secure.

>Where's the abuse?  If you don't trust your newsadmin, whom can you trust?
    I trust many people, my newsadmin is not one of them.
-- 
James Blustein                                        `Did you say "knives"?'
<jamie@uwo.ca>                                        `*Rotating* knives, yes.'
Xref: sparky news.future:816 news.software.nntp:1245
From: barrett@daisy.ee.und.ac.za (Alan P Barrett)
Newsgroups: news.future,news.software.nntp
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Date: 1 Oct 1992 10:07:14 +0200
Organization: Dept. Elec. Eng., Univ. Natal, Durban, S. Africa
Distribution: inet
NNTP-Posting-Host: daisy.ee.und.ac.za

[Added crosspost to news.software.nntp]

In article <19lefqINNrtv@hpscdf.scd.hp.com>,
schmitz@scd.hp.com (John Schmitz) writes:
> Has anybody considered adding a message of the day capability or
> similar to an NNTP server?  Many times I'd like to make sure
> EVERYBODY reads a message about an important announcement, not just
> the diligent readers of the local announcement group.  Of course,
> all the readers would have to be modified to add the capability, but
> blasting out some text verbatim and pausing should be easy enough.

The protocol already allows this.

200 foo.bar.edu NNTP server ready, posting is permitted
200-I see that the "in-addr.arpa" records for your site are wrong.
200-Please ask your network administrator to fix them within 7 days,
200-or you will be denied access to this server.
200-
200-As from 1 April 1995, this server will no longer carry the baz.*
200-hierarchy.  If you don't like this policy, moan at
200-bigboss@admin.bar.edu.

All you need to do is modify the server to make it send the message,
and modify the client to make it display the message to the user.
Since you need to modify the server and client anyway, I see no need to
modify the protocol.

If you need additional features, such as keeping track of which important
announcements have been seen and which have not, then I suggest using a
local newsgroup for this purpose.  The client software could force the
user to read the relevant group.  Again, no protocol changes needed.

--apb
Alan Barrett, Dept. of Electronic Eng., Univ. of Natal, Durban, South Africa
RFC822: barrett@ee.und.ac.za                    Bang: m2xenix!undeed!barrett
Xref: sparky news.future:817 news.software.nntp:1247
From: rsalz@rodan.UU.NET (Rich Salz)
Newsgroups: news.future,news.software.nntp
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Date: 1 Oct 1992 11:21:45 -0400
Organization: UUNET Technologies Inc, Falls Church, VA
Distribution: inet

In <1aebjiINN1q2@daisy.ee.und.ac.za> barrett@daisy.ee.und.ac.za (Alan P Barrett) writes:
>The protocol already allows this.
>200 foo.bar.edu NNTP server ready, posting is permitted
 ...
>200-bigboss@admin.bar.edu.
Slightly wrong -- a dash on all but the last line:
	200-foo.bar.edu INN 2.0
	200 Is it breezy and sunny outside, with a chance
	200 of rain.  Here now, the news.
I do not think that most software can handle it, however.  INN (gasp) can't.
From: jamie@csd.uwo.ca (J. Blustein)
Newsgroups: news.future
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Summary: Why?
Keywords: announcement news.announce.important
Date: 26 Sep 92 13:46:36 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Dept., Univ. of Western Ontario, London, Canada

In article <19lefqINNrtv@hpscdf.scd.hp.com> schmitz@scd.hp.com (John
Schmitz) asked:
>Has anybody considered adding a message of the day capability or
>similar to an NNTP server?  Many times I'd like to make sure
>EVERYBODY reads a message about an important announcement, not just
>the diligent readers of the local announcement group.  

    What kind of message would be so important that everybody had to
read it?  What is wrong with using news.announce.important?  It seems
to me this capability will be open to much abuse.

-- 
James Blustein                                        `Did you say "knives"?'
<jamie@uwo.ca>                                        `*Rotating* knives, yes.'
Newsgroups: news.future
From: barr@pop.psu.edu (David Barr)
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Organization: Penn State Population Research Institute
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 92 19:39:50 GMT

In article <1992Sep29.225846.8884@julian.uwo.ca> jamie@csd.uwo.ca (J. Blustein) writes:
>In article <JAAPJL.92Sep29110702@cmb00.larc.nasa.gov> J Lee Jaap
><J.L.Jaap@larc.nasa.gov> wrote:
>>There could be several types of messages that a newsadmin could put
>>in a motd that would be relevant to all readers using that server.

>    Please give me an example of a message so importatnt that everyone
>would have to read it.  

How about:
---
	NNTP will be unavalable from xx:xx to yy:yy, during which the
machine will be down for a hardware upgrade.
---
	This news system will no longer be carrying the foo.baz heirarchy
beginning Nov 1.
---
	Please restrict your use of this NNTP server to off-peak hours,
(6pm-8am EST).  Some of use have a life, you know.
---

My apologies on your lack of imagination.

--Dave
-- 
System Administrator, Population Research Institute    barr@pop.psu.edu
  "An analogy is like instant coffee: it can wake you up, but it's
  not the real thing"  -- Peter da Silva
Xref: sparky news.future:818 news.software.nntp:1249
From: barrett@daisy.ee.und.ac.za (Alan P Barrett)
Newsgroups: news.future,news.software.nntp
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Date: 2 Oct 1992 08:44:18 +0200
Organization: Dept. Elec. Eng., Univ. Natal, Durban, S. Africa
Distribution: inet
NNTP-Posting-Host: daisy.ee.und.ac.za

rsalz@rodan.UU.NET (Rich Salz) writes:
> Slightly wrong -- a dash on all but the last line:

Yes, of course.  Sorry.

>	200-foo.bar.edu INN 2.0
>	200 Is it breezy and sunny outside, with a chance
           ^ insert dash here
>	200 of rain.  Here now, the news.

> I do not think that most software can handle it, however.  INN (gasp) can't.

Nor can most software handle any not-yet-implemented or
only-just-implemented extensions to the protocol.  My point is that this
feature can be added without changing the protocol.

--apb (Alan Barrett)
From: schmitz@scd.hp.com (John Schmitz)
Newsgroups: news.future
Subject: Re: motd or similar for readers
Date: 29 Sep 92 17:13:59 GMT
Article-I.D.: hpscdf.1aa2snINNprf
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Santa Clara Division
NNTP-Posting-Host: hpsceo.scd.hp.com

jamie@csd.uwo.ca (J. Blustein) writes:
>     What kind of message would be so important that everybody had to
> read it?

  "The news server you are using is going down permanently in one
   week.  Please switch over to the new news server foo.  If you
   need help, call XXXX."

  "This news server will be unavailable for the next 24 hours due to
   a system upgrade.  After this time it may go down on short
   notice."

  "The threaded newsreader you are using has (will) changed database
   formats.  Please upgrade..."

No matter how many times you tell people to read a local group, they
won't all do it.  Then they claim that you didn't tell them
something.  This seems like an easy way to blast out a message to
everybody without causing too much bother.  Again, remember that I
don't have access to the .profile/.login on the remote computers - I
can only tell them something via nntp.
Newsgroups: news.software.b
From: geoff@world.std.com (Geoff Collyer)
Subject: Re: Attempting to locate description of log msg - no subscribed groups
Organization: Software Tool & Die Netnews Research Center
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1992 10:10:08 GMT

Larry W. Virden:
>Why would having an entry in the active file not be enough if we are getting
>the articles?

It's a subtle area, but basically your sys file subscription list has to
permit the groups in order for relaynews to file articles in them.
Although your question is a good one, I want to mull this over before
considering any changes in this area; it's historically been hard to
arrive at good policy, and changes can have subtle ramifications.
-- 
Geoff Collyer				world!geoff, world.std.com!geoff
``closed is Open'' - not George Orwell on ``Open'' Systems
open, a. admitting visitors or customers; not yet settled or decided (OPD)
``and it's Open For Business like a cheap bordello'' - Bruce Cockburn
From: jerry@dcheney.austin.ibm.com (Jerry Heyman)
Newsgroups: news.software.b
Subject: C-News on AIX 3.2
Summary: missing posts
Keywords: posting
Date: 1 Oct 92 15:18:36 GMT
Organization: IBM AIX AWD Austin, TX

I've just installed Cnews on an IBM S/6000 running AIX 3.2.  Everything appears
to be functioning correctly except posting.

When I try my simple tests using postnews, the end results are that the
posting... message is displayed, but the message is never seen on the server
or any of its brothers.  As a somewhat naive administrator, any help would
be deeply appreciated.

Running Cnews May 2, 1992 Performace release

jerry
-- 
Jerry Heyman                         e-mail   : jerry@austin.ibm.com
IBM AWD AIX Dev Env Tools MS 9631    "Software is the difference between
Austin, TX  78758                        hardware and reality"
*** All opinions expressed are exactly that - my opinions and NOT IBM's
Newsgroups: news.software.b
From: tale@ten.uu.net (David C Lawrence)
Subject: Re: Foreign articles showing up in local groups
Organization: UUNET Technologies, Inc.
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 04:48:58 GMT

In <1992Sep25.194631.7874@cirrus.com> dhesi@cirrus.com (Rahul Dhesi) writes:

   Long-term proposal:  Use FQNs (fully-qualified [newsgroup] names).

I will continue to oppose all such proposals as being news
feed definition hostile.
Xref: sparky news.software.b:3100 news.software.nntp:1271