From: Jim Choate <ravage@ssz.com>
Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 11:53:57 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Network of majordomos (fwd)
Message-ID: <199702121959.NAA01855@einstein>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text



Forwarded message:

> From: Eric Murray <ericm@lne.com>
> Subject: Re: Network of majordomos (fwd)
> Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 09:20:04 -0800 (PST)
> 
> Jim Choate writes:
> > 
> > > From: Greg Broiles <gbroiles@netbox.com>
> > > Subject: Network of majordomos
> > > 
> > > I still think you're just rediscovering Usenet technology. Instead of
> > > installing Majordomo, why not install INN, pass traffic as newsgroup(s) (if
> > > you don't like alt.cypherpunks, you could simply start your own top-level
> > > cpunks group(s)), and leave your NNTP port(s) open (or read-only, if you're
> > > an evil CIA brain-stealing censor) so that cpunks at large could connect with

> > Did you get it running last nite Greg? When do you expect to be able to
> > handle traffic?
> 
> Jim, this sort of petty back-biting is exactly what we DON'T need.

Huh? I just inquired as to whether he had done anything with his suggestion.
Nothing petty or back-biting at all. We've had what 2 days warning? Already
there are 2 majordomo's which are in the process of setting up, we have
a third waiting on name registration and setup, and finaly one that
I haven't heard back on as to the validity of the original offer. I would
very much like to have a mail-to-news gateway involved. If either of you
come online you are welcome to get feeds from SSZ (can't speak for the
other remailer operators). There are already about a dozen test subscribers
on SSZ and ask Igor about algebra.com. I suspect we will have the two
list servers at SSZ and algebra connected within 24-48 hours. Right now
Igor is setting up the cpunks-hosts list for planning and as soon as at
least 1 more person I know of gets on we will be ready to go on the
various mods on the SSZ end.

> I understand how much fun it is to build something new, but Greg
> is correct, Usenet news already does what you want and it isn't any harder
> to set up than Majordomo (I've done both more than once).  I'm willing to
> set up a news server to serve a private (not under Usenet hierarchy)
> cypherpunks hierarchy, as long as I'm not the only one.

So when do you expect to go live? Would you mind clarifying what you mean
by the only one?

> I also think that you and Igor and whoever else should go ahead with
> your distributed Majordomo.  And people with other plans should go through
> with them also.  I don't see the inevitable seperation of
> the list into fragments as being a problem (more like the cross-posting
> between the fragments will be the problem). Eventuallay, as the systems
> evolve and people switch between them one will gain the most readership
> and become the dominant way of propagating "the list".  But the
> information will get out, somehow, no matter what.

It could happen. I don't hold to the 'medium is the message' theme
however. If we can arrange a mail-news feed then the distinction is moot.
Some people don't want to stay up to date and involved, newsgroups are
great for them. Mail lists however offer a more immediate interaction.
Then for the more scholarly we should have archive sites available with
as much of the list/newsgroup traffic as is possible. So far no body has
offered to act as a archive site, any takers?


                                                    Jim Choate
                                                    CyberTects
                                                    ravage@ssz.com