From: Bill Davidsen (davidsen@prodigy.com)
Date: Thu Mar 09 2000 - 13:08:25 CST
chl@clw.cs.man.ac.uk (Charles Lindsey) wrote:
> In <200003081706.MAA06411@darkstar.prodigy.com> davidsen@prodigy.com (Bill Davidsen) writes:
>
> >Still not needed, although it could be done for fixed length records.
> >When the *first* generation of an article subject to replacement
> >arrives, the API can point to an alternate lookup which gracefully
> >handles changes.
>
> Sure implementation would be much easier if you could assume tha, but you
> can't.
Of course we can. If this is going to be in the standard we most
certainly can require that only articles originally posted to be
replaced will be replaced. Unless you want me putting words in your
mouth.
> >- I think it's reasonable to require that an article be marked as
> >replacable so that the server can handle it specially. Not MUST be CAN
> >to be clear.
>
> But I think that is essentially UNreasonable. It is only when you realise
> that you did something stupid that you can decide that your original
> article needs to be Replaced. You have hindsight, but not foresight.
That's just the kind of abuse I would like to prevent! We have cancel
and supercedes now, you propose to replace something you posted with
something else for every article? An irresponsible poster would retract
on the fly every time something was challenged, the "I didn't say that,
go pull the article and see" trick.
> Agreed, with FAQs and the like it might be possible (but I am not so sure
> even there). But FAQs are only one of the applications of the proposed new
> feature.
You may have other uses in mind, but if this is going to be a general
way to cover tracks and muddy issues, it's a total bad idea. If the
intent is to keep someone from getting an obsolete version of something
it may be marginally, but as a general thing the cost is high and the
benefit low, with a high probability of misuse.
-- -bill davidsen (davidsen@prodigy.com) "The secret to procrastination is to put things off until the last possible moment - but no longer" -me