ietf-nntp Backfill

[Clive D.W. Feather]

markd at mira.net.au writes
>Further, backfill most cause confusion for a reader, what if:
>
>       Server                          Reader
>       ------                          ------
>T+0    new article arrives
>       allocated # 10
>T+1                                    Reader reads article 10
>                                       notes that #10 is read
>T+2    article 10 cancelled
>       
>T+3    new article arrives
>       re-allocated # 10

Uh, there seems to be a misconception here that backfilling means
reusing the numbers of cancelled articles. THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

The situation is one where the server is allocating article numbers
other than in strictly increasing order. Each number is only ever used
once, and so tracking read articles by number is a reasonable strategy.

-- 
Clive D.W. Feather    | Associate Director  | Director
Tel: +44 181 371 1138 | Demon Internet Ltd. | CityScape Internet Services Ltd.
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