Re: BBS Code/Maseratis/Unwashed Masses

[dan%cs.wisc.edu%ucsd.edu@Sdsc.BITnet]

   The problem with PBBS<->RFC822 translation is manifold.  It starts with
the fact that PBBS headers (especially the R: lines) are not formatted in
any standard way across all PBBS systems, continues with the lack of any
standard naming scheme that would allow a mail daemon to determine how a
piece of mail should be routed, and wraps up with the outright hostility
of many PBBS operators to those extra lines that must be included for a
piece of RFC822 mail to pass between the two mail systems properly.
   If was for this reason that I proposed there be an ad hoc working
group to study the promulgation of a new, universal mail standard.  This
idea had the support of Jeff, WA7MBL, who said that if something could
be developed he would put it into his board.  I established a mailing
list (packmail@cs.wisc.edu), posted a bunch of messages, mostly proposing
that we look seriously at X.400 as the new mail standard, and then nothing
ever happened.  No one posts to packmail, and to my knowledge no one does
anything.  This is no surprise, really:  I suspect that progress in this
area gets made when someone goes ahead and writes code and demonstrates
that it works.
   If I ever finish the NET/ROM transport code (any time now), and the
NOS port (who knows?), I may turn my attention to this issue again.  It
would be nice to have one or two people to work with on it, though,
because it is a big job.

   73, Dan
       W9NK