[NNTP] 64-bit article counter extension strawman

[Charles Lindsey]

In <42DD18D2.90700 at nntpserver.com> Steve Walker <nntp at nntpserver.com> writes:


>Clients have to add a lot of logic for detecting the wraparound.  The 
>number zero is a reserved article number, but to do simple % math we 
>really need it as a valid number. The xover command has to support a 
>high < low number request.   In general, it will be prone to errors. 
>Wrapping can work, but it would be complex.

Whatever means we use to solve this, implementations are going to need to
change. Currently, some implementations use high=low=0 to indicate an
emtpy group. That already breaches a SHOULD in the present draft. If we
were to say _now_ that the next standard would prohibit that method
entirely, that gives people a few years to phase it out.

AFAICS, once that is gone wrap-around solutions at least become
_possible_. But we don't need to make the final dicision now - that is for
the next standard. All I am suggesting is that we open up the possibility
now so as to leave more room for manoevre later.

As I have already said, current implementations will not cope either way
in a few years time.

-- 
Charles H. Lindsey ---------At Home, doing my own thing------------------------
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