HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Organization: Penn State University / University Libraries
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: I_BBOARD, INFO_VAX, IPMDF
X-VMS-Cc: JLW
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 92 18:30:33 GMT
From:         "J.Lance Wilkinson, 814-865-1818" <JLW@PSULIAS>
Subject:      Need NOTES API or NOTEBOOK structure information
X-To:         I-BBOARD@PSULIAS, INFO-VAX@PSULIAS, IPMDF@PSULIAS
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

We've been using Ben Cohen's BBOARD software successfully for quite some time.
Now we are getting ready to start using it with a larger set of users -- that
is, we're going to try to wean users who are currently receiving multiple
copies of various discussion lists off of using MAIL for these lists, and using
VAX Notes (where BBoard puts its single subscriptions).

Given the academic (read: argumentative) nature of our users, we suspect there
will be considerable resistance from a minority of users.  Given the academic
nature of our users, we also suspect that no decrees from on high will be
forthcoming.  So we want to sugar coat things a little, and one proposal on
the board is a subscribable service which would, during the wee hours, poll the
NOTEBOOKs of selected users, and send them MAIL when a threshold of unseen
messages is detected.  This would eliminate the complaint that while MAIL tells
them when they log on if it's worth going into MAIL, NOTES doesn't tell them if
its worth it to enter it, until they've already entered it and executed an
UPDATE command.

Of course, we plan to implement some more heavy-handed items as well, like
enforcing disk quotas a little tougher, and general harrassment of the really
bad offenders ;-)

+-"Never Underestimate the bandwidth of a station wagon full of mag tapes"--+
| J.Lance Wilkinson ("Lance")            BitNet:    JLW@PSULIAS.BITNET      |
| Systems Design Specialist - Lead       InterNet:  JLW@PSULIAS.PSU.EDU     |
| Library Computing Services             AT&T:      (814) 865-1818          |
| E8 Pattee Library                      "I'd rather be dancing..."         |
| Penn State University         A host is a host from coast to coast,       |
| University Park, PA 16802     And no one will talk to a host that's close |
| <POSTMAST@PSULIAS.BITNET>     Unless the host that isn't close            |
| <POSTMAST@PSUCES.BITNET>      Is busy, hung or dead.                      |
+------"He's dead, Jim. I'll get his tricorder. You take his wallet."-------+
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Organization: Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN"info-pmdf@YMIR.CLAREMONT.EDU"
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 92 18:14:19 GMT
From:         "Punam Bhargava,
              Concordia University" <ILFC276@VAX2.CONCORDIA.CA>
Subject:      mail to ENVOY 100
X-To:         info-pmdf@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

   Hello,

   Does anyone know if it is possible to send mail to ENVOY users via
   CAnet/Internet and if so what is the syntax of the address?

   Punam Bhargava
   System Integration and Management
   Computing Services, Concordia University
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"support@innosoft.com"
X-VMS-Cc: IN%"info-pmdf@ymir.claremont.edu"
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 92 17:45:27 GMT
From:         Stephen Tihor 212 998 3052 <TIHOR@ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU>
Subject:      Mail lists and large queues
X-To:         support@innosoft.com
X-cc:         info-pmdf@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

We host a mailing list that generates medium volume traffic dumps, a multiplier
of about 200 out for every one in.  We already use the "traditional" VMS MAIl
trick to delay expansion but we are observing cases where a burst of list
traffic interferes with regular local mail for an hour or two at a time.

We are wondering about a clean way to separate traffic for the list into
a separate queue that could be prioritized somehow to avoid blocking other mail
traffic.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"JEREMY@vsm.com.au"
X-VMS-Cc: IPMDF
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Sun, 26 Jul 92 19:12:19 GMT
From:         "Ned Freed (Postmaster)" <NED@SIGURD.INNOSOFT.COM>
Subject:      RE: Request for minor changes to installation procedure
X-To:         JEREMY@vsm.com.au, IPMDF@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

Plenty of DEC products are also very simple and do not interrelate with
other products much at all. Despite this, the mechanisms DEC provides for
running altnerate system-specific procedures are often inadequate and in
some cases downright misleading.

I'm sorry, but if we provide a hook for this people will use it without
bothering to make sure it is the right hook to use. No amount of
documentation will change this. As such, this is simply a big support
problem just waiting to happen. Our present scheme is very simple and
clean -- we have two startup files that need to be run at different
times during system boot. We describe where these go and let you
surround them with whatever other startups are needed. This is so
clearly the right way to do business -- I wish we could get it down to
one startup file but this is simply not possible -- any change to this
would be a change for the worse.

                                Ned
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Return-path: uucp@mccall.UUCP
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
Organization: State Systems, South Australia
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"ipmdf-newsgate@mccall.UUCP"
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 29 Jul 92 06:35:44 GMT
From:         gcprtck@STATE.SYSTEMS.SA.GOV.AU
Subject:      WP Office to Internet via X400/PMDF
X-To:         ipmdf-newsgate@mccall.UUCP
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

We are running WordPerfect Office 3.0 and Mail on a Novell 3.11 Lan connected
via a Hub to an Ethernet backbone on which we also have a VAX
running All-in-1 v2.4 under VMS 5.5 and with PMDF v4.0.

We will soon have installed a PC with an x400 gateway to allow sending X400
mail from the WordPerfect Office mail environment via the Ethernet to All-in-1
accounts on the VAX.

We also have an Internet connection.  We can send mail from All-in-1 accounts
to the Internet community and receive replies to All-in-1 accounts.

We would like to send mail from WordPerfect Office using the X400 connection
to and from Internet using PMDF directly. IS THERE A WAY TO DO THIS?
We have looked in the PMDF manual and are not sure if it can do this.
Otherwise we have to force the WP Office users to logon to All-in-1 in order to
send and receive Internet mail which is not our preferred direction for
our large Novell/WP Office networks where we want all mail to be seamless.

Alternatively, is there ANY OTHER WAY we can use X400 to talk to and from
Internet to allow our users to remain in the safe haven of their WordPerfect
Office Mail screens while sending and receiving messages over Internet.

I would appreciate any comments on this quickly (even the "God, I hate
WP Office and Novell LANs" variety) as I have managers breathing down my
neck (with flames, fire and brimstone....).

Tim Kitching
State Systems
South Australia
Australia

(Sorry, there aren't any pretty ending graphics.....)
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"ipmdf@ymir.claremont.edu"
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 92 17:24:48 +1000
Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was
              CHRIS@UCSVC.UCS.UNIMELB.EDU.AU
From:         C.Chaundy@ITS.UNIMELB.EDU.AU
Subject:      Repeating messages on info-pmdf list
X-To:         ipmdf@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

Is everyone suffering repeated messages on the info-pmdf list (about
four fairly recent ones) or is this a local Australian distribution
problem?

Regards, Chris Chaundy
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"info-pmdf@innosoft.com"
X-VMS-Cc: TINKELMAN
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 92 13:59:17 GMT
Comments:     Warning -- original Sender: tag was TINKELMAN@DECUS.ORG
From:         Bob Tinkelman <bob@CAMB.COM>
Subject:      Request for minor changes to installation procedure
X-To:         info-pmdf@INNOSOFT.COM
X-cc:         TINKELMAN@decus.org
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

I never let the installation procedure run pmdf_startup.com because
I always want to edit pmdfimage.dat first.  Is there a way for the
procedure to preserve my version of this file?  In the case where I
am doing a re-install and the set of images in pmdfimage.dat hasn't
changed I would think that it'd be save to use the existing version
of the file.

While I'm asking for minor things, do you think you could add a
default to the timezone question, with the default being the current
value of the logical?

BTW, it's nice to have a product where you have time to worry about
``the small stuff''.
--
Bob Tinkelman <bob@camb.com>
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"ipmdf@innosoft.com"
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Thu, 23 Jul 92 17:16:00 +0100
From:         schellbach@RZ.RWTH-AACHEN.DE
Subject:      UA for PCs on aysync lines to PMDF?
X-To:         ipmdf@INNOSOFT.COM
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

We have several users on our vax (running PMDF) connected whith
their PCs via async dial-up or dedicated lines. What can I do
to provide them a better mail service than using VMS mail as
a terminal?
Which of the pc mail clients are able to run over async lines?
Which server software is to be installed on the vax?
Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Gert Schellbach-Mattay
Network Operations and Services
Computing Center
Aachen University of Technology
Aachen, Germany
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: @PMDF
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 92 17:57:11 GMT
From:         JSTAFFORD@VAX2.WINONA.MSUS.EDU
Subject:      FAQ?
X-To:         info-pmdf@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l


Pardon if this is a FAQ, but is there an archive of this list?
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"gcprtck@state.systems.sa.gov.au"
X-VMS-Cc: info-pmdf
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 29 Jul 92 08:19:11 GMT
From:         "Kevin V. Carosso" <KVC@SUMMER.INNOSOFT.COM>
Subject:      RE: WP Office to Internet via X400/PMDF
X-To:         gcprtck@state.systems.sa.gov.au, info-pmdf@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

> We would like to send mail from WordPerfect Office using the X400 connection
> to and from Internet using PMDF directly. IS THERE A WAY TO DO THIS?

If you have PMDF-MR as your PMDF to Message Router gateway, and DEC's MRX
for your Message Router to X.400, you can certainly get mail between the
Internet and X.400.  The problem you will run into is DEC's requirement that
every MRX user be registered in the DDS.  This is, of course, ridiculuous when
anyone on the Internet is a potential user of your gateway.  There is currently
no great solution to the DDS registration requirement, but we are working on
several options.

We've announced our intent to provide a more direct PMDF-X400 solution.  That
may also provide enhanced support for MRX that bypasses the registration
requirement (we know how to do it, no promises yet).  We are not currently
shipping a direct PMDF to X.400 gateway.  Until we do there are things you
can do with the addressing channel that might allow you to embed addresses
inside a message and have the envelope To: always be a special static address
(that of the addressing channel, of course) that you register.  A hack, but
it can and is done.

Let me repeat that it isn't our fault. DEC's MRX is the one with the stupid
requirement that everyone be registered.  We understand why they require it
(because their own gateways and user agents are not capable using all of
Message Router's addressing capabilities) but we don't like the fact that
they hamstring good, full-function Message Router gateways like ours simply
because some of their designers didn't do their homework.

As long as your follow the requirement to register, then PMDF-MR provides
an X.400 to Internet gateway right now.

You might also look at something other than X.400 and MRX.  Most PC LAN Mail
systems provide SMTP gateways.  That would be the most straightforward
and easiest solution.  Since you have PMDF and PMDF-MR, you can go SMTP
straight into your A1 environment just like any other SMTP mail does now.

PMDF V4.1 provides support for cc:MAIL now, and we plan to provide MHS
support shortly.  Either of those are popular in the PC world and a
gateway between WordPerfect and one of those might be available.

Finally, you could put WordPerfect Office mail on VMS.  We have sites going
from that to/from PMDF all on VMS.  Once into PMDF, of course, you can get
it through PMDF-MR and into A1.

        /Kevin Carosso
         Innosoft
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"JEREMY@vsm.com.au"
X-VMS-Cc: IN%"info-pmdf@YMIR.CLAREMONT.EDU"
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Mail-System-Version: <VAX-MM(312)+TOPSLIB(155)+PMDF(4.1)@INFOODS.MIT.EDU>
Date:         Sun, 26 Jul 92 23:51:11 GMT
From:         John C Klensin <KLENSIN@INFOODS.MIT.EDU>
Subject:      RE: Request for minor changes to installation procedure
X-To:         JEREMY@vsm.com.au
X-cc:         info-pmdf@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

Jeremy,
   Just to keep this discussion from looking like a "you" against "them"
story, we have run into some of the same issues you raise.  We have
found only one clean (by our aesthetics) way to handle starting PMDF,
and that is to have a single start up file invoked from our system
startup stuff.  The file does some local things, runs PMDF_STARTUP, does
a few other things, spawns a batch job with some delay time to run
PMDF_SUBMIT_JOBS, and then returns.  If we had to do anything
post-PMDF_SUBMIT_JOBS, it would go into that batch job; at the moment,
we don't, so PMDF_SUBMIT_JOBS is run directly.
   This gives us a single procedure that remembers what should be done
and in what sequence, and, since it invokes everything else, it contains
enough comments to lower the odds of future maintenance problems.  And,
as far as SYSTARTUP_V5.COM is concerned, *that* procedure is the PMDF
startup.
   Anything else would be a lot less satisfactory.  This strategy
strongly resembled one that Ned and Dan suggested several days ago,
which I guess I find mildly gratifying.
   It seems to me that you would have a strong case for the strategy you
are arguing for if you could demonstrate a need to do something that
required *part* of the PMDF startup ritual to be previously executed but
not some other part.  A similar issue has now driven DEC to have several
different escape exits (of the "before", "during", and "after"
persuasions) from STARTUP.COM, which you are not supposed to get in
front of or into.  Under VMS 4.x, as you presumably know, they only had
one, in the "after" location, and it definitely was not enough.   I know
of no situations that would require an "in the middle" exit from
PMDF_STARTUP.
    john    klensin@infoods.mit.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"info-pmdf"
X-VMS-Cc: TINKELMAN
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 92 22:40:00 GMT
From:         Bob Tinkelman <bob@CAMB.COM>
Subject:      Postmaster notification for held msgs
X-To:         ipmdf@INNOSOFT.COM
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

I had situation where pmdf held some msgs after detecting a probable mail
loop.  I don't think I'd received any notification from pmdf (e.g., via
a mail msg to postmaster) when this occurred.  Did I miss it?  Should the
daily RETURN job report on held files if they stick around for too many
days?

Thanks
--
Bob Tinkelman <bob@camb.com>
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
Organization: Cambridge Computer Associates, Inc.
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%INFO-PMDF
X-VMS-Cc: TINKELMAN
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Mon, 27 Jul 92 16:07:26 GMT
From:         Bob Tinkelman <bob@CAMB.COM>
Subject:      What msgs are covered by PostHeadOnly?
X-To:         ipmdf@INNOSOFT.COM
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

How many different types of bounce msgs are there?

Which ones are controlled by the PostHeadOnly line?

(This question was prompted by receipt of the attached, which included
full msg text and which also, btw, does not utilize MIME structure for
the enclosed msg.)









From:   IN%"postmaster@eisner.decus.org"  "PMDF Mail Server" 27-JUL-1992 02:07:4
   2.68
To:     IN%"COY@eisner.decus.org"
CC:
Subj:   Undeliverable mail: Processing failure

Return-path: <postmaster@eisner.decus.org>
Received: from Eisner.DECUS.Org by camb.com (PMDF #2344 ) id
 <01GMUUEXO44W8WWHMM@camb.com>; Mon, 27 Jul 1992 02:06:56 EDT
Received: from mr.eisner.decus.org by Eisner.DECUS.Org (PMDF #2354 ) id
 <01GMUSAZCK8M000D2I@Eisner.DECUS.Org>; Mon, 27 Jul 1992 01:43:59 -0400 (EDT)
Date: 27 Jul 1992 01:43:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: PMDF Mail Server <postmaster@eisner.decus.org>
Subject: Undeliverable mail: Processing failure
To: COY@eisner.decus.org
Message-id: <01GMUTLMOZK0000D2I@Eisner.DECUS.Org>
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT

These addresses were rejected:

    unknown or illegal user: Larry_Kilgallen_has_disabled_his_reception_of_Inter
   net_mail_on_DECUServe@Eisner.DECUS.Org

----------------------------------------

Received: with PMDF-MR; Thu, 23 Jul 1992 21:23:14 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 21:23:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Dale E. Coy (708) 223-0790" <COY@am.eisner.decus.org>
Subject: RE: SET HOST to DCS
In-reply-to: <01GMUTLKV2VW000D2I*@mr.eisner.decus.org>
To: KILGALLEN@Eisner.DECUS.Org
Message-id: <1714232123071992/A04979/EISNER/1167BD540B00*@mr.eisner.decus.org>
Autoforwarded: false
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN
Importance: normal
Priority: non-urgent
Sensitivity: Personal
UA-content-id: 1167BD540B00
X-Hop-count: 1

[...Text of COY's original msg was here...]
[...Deleted for posting to info-pmdf...]
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"IMHW400@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU"
X-VMS-Cc: IPMDF
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Wed, 22 Jul 92 00:41:35 GMT
From:         "Daniel C. Newman" <DAN@HMCVAX.CLAREMONT.EDU>
Subject:      RE: Problem with vmsnet.mail.pmdf gateway?
X-To:         IMHW400@INDYVAX.IUPUI.EDU, INFO-PMDF@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

> Is there some sort of problem with the gateway between IPMDF and the
> vmsnet.mail.pmdf newsgroup?  Or has this list really been silent since
> 6-Jul-1992?

info-pmdf itself has not been silent.  We do not know where the info-pmdf
to vmsnet.mail.pmdf feed is and thus cannot comment or rectify any problem
related to that feed.

Dan
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"gcprtck@state.systems.sa.gov.au"
X-VMS-Cc: IPMDF
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Thu, 30 Jul 92 00:56:03 GMT
From:         "Ned Freed (Postmaster)" <NED@SIGURD.INNOSOFT.COM>
Subject:      RE: WP Office to Internet via X400/PMDF
X-To:         gcprtck@state.systems.sa.gov.au, IPMDF@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

You have not provided enough information about your setup for me to comment
on it. Specifically, you say that you have a mechanism in place that lets
ALL-IN-1 users send and receive Internet mail. What mechanism is this?

You also say that you plan to get an X.400 gateway running on a PC. This
then will connect your WPO community to ALL-IN-1 somehow. How is this
supposed to work? MRX? Rest assured that ALL-IN-1 has no X.400 capabilities
of its own!

I know of only one way to connect ALL-IN-1 to PMDF that's reasonable, and
that's PMDF-MR. I know of only one way to connect an X.400 system to
ALL-IN-1, and that's MRX. If this is in fact what you're planning, it is
possible to gateway from X.400 to MRX to PMDF-MR to PMDF. The big loser
in this picture is MRX, whose registration requirements make this strategy
very unattractive.

I could say a lot more about all this, but I'm unwilling to proceed without
some additional information about what you're trying to do and what products
you are using.

                                Ned
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
Errors-to: epmdf@YMIR.BITNET
X-Envelope-to: PMDF-L@IRLEARN.BITNET
X-VMS-To: IN%"JEREMY@vsm.com.au"
X-VMS-Cc: IPMDF
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
Date:         Sat, 25 Jul 92 20:57:32 GMT
From:         "Ned Freed (Postmaster)" <NED@SIGURD.INNOSOFT.COM>
Subject:      RE: Request for minor changes to installation procedure
X-To:         JEREMY@vsm.com.au, IPMDF@YMIR
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.pmdf-l

Again, this assumes knowledge of local environments that we simply do
not have. How do we know that such a local procedure should always be
run? How do we know that it should be run at a particular point?

Sure, providing a hook to run a site-supplied procedure is probably
good enough for a lot of sites. But it fails to address the entire problem,
which can only be addressed by having the site-supplied procedure run
PMDF_STARTUP only when it is good and ready, and then by having it
do whatever needs doing once PMDF_STARTUP is complete (most importantly
it can handle errors that PMDF_STARTUP returns in whatever fashion is
appropriate).

In other words, your proposal is considerably less flexible than providing
no hook at all. Why should we provide a mechanism with narrow flexibility
when no mechanism at all is considerably better?

                                Ned
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU