newsreaders may ignore comp.unix.wizards

[Christopher E. Niswander]

In article <1991Feb27.014901.5228 at csn.org>, cdash at margaux.colorado.edu (Charles Shub) writes:
> In article <whatever> adeboer at gjetor.geac.COM (Anthony DeBoer) writes:
> =>  In article <2590 at root44.co.uk> gwc at root.co.uk (Geoff Clare) writes:
> =>  >A little investigation revealed that my newsreader (nn) had ignored it
> =>  >because my .newsrc still had a line left over from the last incarnation of
> =>  >comp.unix.wizards showing articles 1-19898 as read.  As the re-created
> =>  >group started again from article number 1, nn has been treating all
> =>  >articles as already read.  Other newsreaders may be doing the same.
> =>  
> => Now, isn't this the sort of thing that would only be caught by a wizard? This
> 
> OBVIOUSLY NOT.  Just look at the drivel that has appeared here since the
> recreattion.

You don't have to catch that glitch to read comp.unix.wizards; you only need
to have a .newsrc that was created since the last incarnation.  So we drivelling
newcomers with new accounts (or who just happened to completely re-initialize
our .newsrc for some reason) can read comp.unix.wizards without even
having to think.  Only old-timers with old accounts must catch the problem to
read the newsgroup.  So maybe the restart glitch _does_ have an influence
on the recent drivel quotient of comp.unix.wizards, but an effect _opposite_
to what Geoff Clare might have expected. ;^)


chrisn at cs.arizona.edu         (Chris Niswander / PO Box 857 / Oracle AZ 85623)

Disclaimer:  I didn't write this.  Someone else is using my account.  I am in
	     a small village in Baja California 80 miles from the nearest
	     telephone, getting ready for the eclipse.
Disclaimer': I don't believe my opinions; why should you?