Text 727, 85 rader
Skriven 2007-03-19 09:42:39 av Mithgol the Webmaster (2:5063/88)
    Kommentar till text 726 av Alexey Vissarionov (2:5020/545)
Ärende: FidoML
==============
And about 21:40 18 Mar 07 it was written from Alexey Vissarionov to Mithgol the
Webmaster:

 MtW>> I know. Enabling hyperlinks (as just URLs in plain text) is the first
 MtW>> step, and that's the objective this document is helping to reach.
 MtW>> If and when FTSC accepts FGHI URLs as a FSP, the next step for me
 MtW>> would be thinking about the corresponding markup language, FGHI
 MtW>> FidoML.

 AV> Why? I think next step should be adding support for FGHI URLs to some
 AV> popular echomail-reading software.

I wrote 'the next step for me'; adding support for FGHI URLs to some popular
echomail browsers is most likely a task for their own authors.

 MtW>> Imagine well-formed XML like that:

 MtW>> sizes-styles-colors etc.) — they do NOT necessarily imply each

 AV> Need to say: I never use this ^^^^^^^^ symbol instead of '-'.

That's probably because there's no tools to use an 'em dash'.

 MtW>> Such a markup would allow:
 MtW>> *) Automatic skipping of greetings and signatures (when quoting,
 MtW>> exporting, etc.)
 MtW>> *) Reader-customized style quotes, taglines, tearlines, origins.
 MtW>> *) Correct em dashes, tooltips for abbreviations, and other
 MtW>> consequences of HTML embedded in FidoML.

 AV> Also, adding markup will:

 AV> 1. Drastically increase message size

In the example you replied to, the increase of message size is not drastical.

 AV> (well, that's not a big problem for IP links, but I don't see much sense
 AV> to produce this problem for POTS ones)

It is also worth mentioning that in R50.BONE Sergey Babitch (sysop of 2:463/94,
which is an echomail hub) about 12 Dec 06 17:54 counted the full echomail
traffic in November 2006 and reported it to be 361213897 bytes, or about 12 M
per day, or about 10 megs if packed.

He also estimated that a 256kbps link is able to distibute the echomail full
feed to 200 downlinks.

I am free to make a conclusion that nowadays a dial-up node, with 33kbps link,
may provide the whole full-feed of echomail to 25 downlinks.

Now imagine that transition to hypertext and the consequent increase of
Fidonet's popularity make the traffic grow up to five times the current amount.
Even in such circumstances, a 256kbps hub will be able to provide the full feed
of echomail to 40 downlinks, and a dial-up user to 5 downlinks.

I am not sure that may be considered a problem at all. Let's remember that most
points, for example, never subscribe to the whole amount of echoes, and even a
half or a third of the full feed of the echobone. That's why we have no reason
to think that a dialup node won't be able to have more than four points (as its
fifth link is an uplink). It's more likely that a modem link would be enough to
feed a dozen of points, maybe more.

So, as you may have already concluded, out Fidonet is able to survive a really
significant increase of its inner traffic without feeling an unbearable burden,
even for dial-up users. Only greater hubs would have some need for high-speed
links.

 AV> 2. Make it impossible to read these messages with older software
 AV> (e.g. most terminal-based readers, especially ones used over SSH links)

 AV> Therefore, I think we should pay more attention to hyperlinks, leaving
 AV> markup away - at least, for now.

It is going to be possible to generate a plain text message from a hypertext
XML-based FidoML with a little help of a simple XSLT transformation. Most of
systems capable to support a SSH links already have some XSLT support either
built-in or at least available.


With best Fidonet 2.0 regards,
Mithgol the Webmaster.                 [Real nodelisted name: Sergey Sokoloff]

... 4. Shooting is *not* too good for my enemies.
--- Come with me in the twilight of a summer night for a while...  .hack//SIGN
 * Origin: I have a strange feeling, as if I already had a deja vu (2:5063/88)