Re: FAQ Source

Regarding my posting on T. Carrol's Copyright FAQ files...

Harry L. Styron <Harry_s[_at_]holonet.net> writes:
> > The files are stored in the
> > archives of the CNI-COPYRIGHT list, and are named faq.part1, faq.part2,
> > faq.part3...
> >
> > The syntax for the get command is:
> >
> > get <listname> <filename>
> > e.g. GET CNI-COPYRIGHT FAQ.FILE1
> > GET CNI-COPYRIGHT FAQ.FILE2
>
> The inconsistencies between stated filenames (e.g, "faq.part1) and the
> examples is confusing and liable to cause a lot of fruitless traffic on
> the net and to the CNI LISTPROC.

Oh, right! The files are named faq.part1, faq.part2, etc... I used the wrong filenames in my example. My example should read:

   GET CNI-COPYRIGHT FAQ.PART1
   GET CNI-COPYRIGHT FAQ.PART2 Mr. Styron continues:
> Since most UNIX processes are case
> sensitive, the discrepency between the stated name and the example is
> even more confusing. Should I use "CNI-COPYRIGHT faq.part1" or
> "cni-copyright faq.part1" or what? While I, and many others, are
> doubtless going to learn the correct syntax empirically (!!!) please
> don't lose sight of the literal mindedness of our electronic servants.

Case doesn't matter for this example...

While it is true that 'unix-like' operating systems are case sensitive, the Unix-Listprocessor software we use for electronic mail archiving normalizes all queries to a common case (I believe it is lower case) before the job is submitted for processing. Therefore, all of these queries are exactly identical as far as the Unix-Listprocessor system is concerned:

   get cni-copyright faq.part1
   GET CNI-COPYRIGHT FAQ.PART1
   GET CNI-COPYRIGHT faq.part1
   GeT CnI-CoPyRiGhT FaQ.PaRt1

Now, the FTP archives are a different story. In the examples for retrieving files via FTP, I always give the filenames in the case that is required to retrieve the document... But when in doubt, one can always do a directory listing (dir in FTP) in order to see what the files are actually named.

Isn't the net wonderful? Nobody let's you get away with anything... :*)

-- 

   Craig A. Summerhill, Systems Coordinator and Program Officer
   Coalition for Networked Information
   21 Dupont Circle, N.W., Washington, D.C.   20036
   Internet: craig[_at_]cni.org   AT&Tnet (202) 296-5098