Subject: Re: [NNTP] Advertise maximum article size in CAPABILITIES

From: Julien ÉLIE <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 09 Dec 2012 15:06:35 +0100

Hi River,

> I propose an extension to the NNTP protocol: a server should advertise
> the maximum article size it is willing to accept in CAPABILITIES, via a
> new "SIZE <nbytes>" capability.  A client should not offer any article
> (via POST, IHAVE, CHECK or TAKETHIS) which is larger than that size.
>
> Rationale: no need to configure maximum article size to send to every
> peer; allows peers to change the maximum article size they want to
> accept without having to contact all their peers to change the config;
> allows clients posting multi-part messages (i.e., binaries) to split
> messages based on the server-suggested size.
>
> Real-world use: I can allow articles up to 1MB from a text-only peer,
> while restricting articles from a peer that carries unfiltered binaries
> to 32KB.
>
> I haven't implemented this or done any interoperability checking yet;
> I'm happy to do that and write an I-D/RFC for it myself if it seems like
> a good idea.

I also believe it is a good idea.
Other kinds of parameters related to a feed should be taken care of
at the same time (for instance contents of Distribution: headers, 
minimal article size, maximum number of newsgroups in crosspost...). 
Maybe the feed-related parameters known by innfeed.conf, newsfeeds and 
cleanfeed could be a good start.

-- 
Julien ÉLIE

« The hardest thing is to go to sleep at night, when there are so many
   urgent things needing to be done.  A huge gap exists between what we
   know is possible with today's machines and what we have so far been
   able to finish. »  (Donald Knuth)