[NNTP] Consensus?

[Richard Clayton]

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In message <43047C71.1060303 at nntpserver.com>, Steve Walker
<nntp at nntpserver.com> writes

>How many client/servers used 
>'unsigned long' as the data type for article numbers? 

only dumb ones...

> As soon as 
>that client/server is compiled on a EM64 platform it suddenly 
>becomes a 64 bit clean.

... and breaks its on-disk file structure.

This type of code will use some sort of generic name (int32, dword etc)
for the numbers and #define it to unsigned long, possibly by using a
configuration testing system to pick the correct set of #defines for the
machine it is being built on.

So as soon as it compiles it stays as it was! (everyone hopes)

>  Servers/clients are going to evolve to 
>64 bit on their own over the next couple years.

I agree, but it's nothing like as simple as you portray :(

>While a large number are using 32 bit numbers, another large 
>group is using 31 bit numbers, and there is a smaller group that 
>uses 64 bits or text based math.  I do not think you can even 
>claim 75% of users are using 32 bit clean software/servers.

10% of posters to Usenet use Google; 71% of distinct sites handling
articles are FIDO nodes ... appealing to numbers is not entirely
illuminating :)

- -- 
richard                                              Richard Clayton

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.         Benjamin Franklin

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