* Originally in ELIST
* Crossposted in ECHOLIST

Hello All!

Once I have changed the elist program to and as a one off to input all echo areas not currently in the elist system from the current backbone.na file with the following characteristics :

1. Moderator as elistmaint
2. No DESCription details which any one can add if they know them by sending in
a special file for each echo area with the content of the descriptions that is multi line of up to 75 characters per line with a file name of :
aaa.bbb.DES

Where aaa = GROUP name i.e., FIDO
where bbb = Echotag name i.e., ELIST
and .DES is fixed to designate a Descriotion submission file.

These submission files will update a specific echo with a missing - yep, description.

For this purpose the Moderator on record for each echo area serves only for the
purpose of helping to maintain the active list of echo areas where hopefully areas that have been inactive say for over 12 months can be removed which allows system to check uplink connections for a given area to ensure that its status of inactivity is not just down to no one area not being linked into the echo distribution networks. So that any echo that is inactive is just down to no interest in it.

If this is the case a moderator can mark the echo down for deletion by submitting a MOD-DEL file after which the echo is moved over to only appearing on the monthly updated backbone.na file.
If these echos are likewise dead they can be removed by the current elistmain-ainer having verified that their system is correctly connected for that echo and likewise their uplink is also - so again it is down to no interest for 12 months.

This hopefully, helps to keep the elist and backbone list always current with minimum dead wood.


The .DES file will other than the naming format be the same as a .RUL file in that they are kept separate from the main elist data file.

This file type will also be used for existing echo areas currently in the elist
system that will be stored in a directory named after the GROUP name just the same as the RUL files are stored in a directory called rules.

As the .RUL files are distributed in the monthly archive so will the .DES files
be likewise for those that have a use for them, i.e., to import them into a BBS
system which might require a minor modification if a bbs needs a description in
their internal data files but not many seem to these days, but it is there if they can use it.

All this is to support the bare data taken from the backbone.na file so that this file and backbone.rpt is fully maintained and issued monthly.


I will soon be migrating all elist traffic to a Raspberry Pi 4 or 3 that will have mbse running as 2:25/21 although I will be trying to re-register the previously used address of 1:1/21 for the elistmain system that was previously in existence for many years subject to Nick Andre Zone 1 co-ordinator so that it is consistent across elist maintainers once the system is moved over to another person.


This will be a standalone system that will accept submission files via your mailers and do the processing before passing on traffic from areas ELIST, ECHOLIST to the main system that in turn passes the traffic in the normal manner and time periods.

To start helping with this process will EVERY ONE start sending the submission files to 2:25/21.
If there is a change of address, I will advise here so that can be used ASAP.

This off loading of the work load such as it is to protect the elist system in the event of my ill health or death.

By using a cheap computer system that can be used anywhere in the world will allow a much younger sysop to act as elistmain by paying for the postage of the
system (weight < 2 Kg) and a wee contribution towards its cost say 75
pounds, which only requires a twin lead power cable with a sideways 8 connector, a Lan cable to a router that is also connected to your main system (the Pi can work via Wi-Fi but a Lan cable is more reliable), and if needed a HDMI cable to a monitor although the system can easily be headless via a connection using ssh, to maintain and update the Linux software from time to time (updates occur multi time per month but unlike Windows does not require a reboot of the system except under very limited conditions).

There will be a need for the following to occur once the system has been received by the new elistmaintainer :

1. Put in a change of details request to 1:0/0 (Nick Andre) to change the elistmaint addressing info such as replace the INA contact details and location,country info as needed.

2. Change the bbs MBSE to reflect any changes to send / receive traffic for
the two echo areas ELIST, ECHOLIST to your main bbs system i.e, its network address.

3. Do the same for the monthly ELSTyymm.ZIP file that gets sent to your main system via the file area ECHOLIST using auto hatching.

4. Follow the supplied instructions for making any simple changes to the elist sources and recompile the program - again via a script to keep it simple.
[ I hope to minimise this to the point, it might not be necessary to have to follow this step. ]

That is basically it, easy or that's what I am trying to ensure happens.

The changes to elist program to support the backbone.na file will take a few weeks and I will update every one once this is completed but you will start to see the newly added files within the monthly archive ELISTyymm.ZIP but as you may well need to change your script or batch file that processes it's content, you will need to know about it first :)


Please keep a copy of this message for your records as you will be effected by these changes at some point.

Vincent

--- Mageia Linux v8 X64/Mbse v1.0.7.24/GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20180707
* Origin: The Elist Maintainer (2:250/1)