Re: LYNX-DEV News:*

[David Woolley]

> > 
> >     If the LIST or LIST ACTIVE command were used, then in parsing
> > that reply an XGTITLE request could be issued for each group, but you
> > can't count on Xfoo commands being supported by all nntp servers (that


XGTITLE is being replaced by LIST NEWSGROUPS pattern, although it may well
be retained for a long time for backwards compatibility.  Either way,
it doesn't have an RFC to back it up (unless the common NNTP extensions
document got made into an RFC).

> > one probably is by now), and it would be a lot more overhead.  It would

I would definitely agree here.  It is unlikely that the server will do
anything other than a complete scan of the file.  In the worst case,
assuming a relatively complete active file and 20,000 newsgroups,
that's 10,000 * 20,000 * 70 (assuming 70 character lines) character
manipulations, or 14,000,000,000 operations.  The instruction count is
even more than this!

> > be better to pester the sysadmin to arrange for the LIST NEWSGROUPS to
> > return valid information, rather than accepting that some hoaky procedure
> > for reading a file that isn't maintained such that it's contents contain
> > what would be a valid reply is OK. :)

I don't think I agree here.  The set of newsgroups encountered in articles
generally exceeds the set of groups subscribed to by a server, because of
cross-posting.  Better newsreaders use the newsgroups list to provide
feedback that a followup really is going to relevant newsgroups (shot
gun posting is a problem, these days - that is people who post to lots
of newsgroups in the hope that they will hit one from which they will
get a reply, whether or not it is on topic).
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