ietf-nntp Standardization of LIST OVERVIEW.FMT

[Ken Murchison]

Russ Allbery wrote:
> 
> [Q3] If you know how a server is implemented, does it implement LIST
>      OVERVIEW.FMT?

My NNTP Cyrus implemention does.


> [Q4] If the server does implement LIST OVERVIEW.FMT, what are its
>      semantics?  Does it follow (2) above, (3) above, or some other
>      meaning entirely?  And if the last, what meaning?

Its essentially (3).  It only returns the 7 required fields, and is not
configurable.  So the output will always be consistent.


> And finally:
> 
> [Q5] What approach do you think should be taken by the next NNTP standard?

Personally, I don't care, but I don't really see the value of the output
varying from implementation to implementation.  If I was going to write
a client, I would just count on the 7 required fields being there and
fetch whatever else I need via HDR.

This is analogous to the IMAP "envelope".  It contains a fix set of info
which most clients want, and then any other info can be fetched by other
means

-- 
Kenneth Murchison     Oceana Matrix Ltd.
Software Engineer     21 Princeton Place
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