TID: FMail-lnx64 2.1.0.18-B20170815   
   RFC-X-No-Archive: Yes   
   TZUTC: 0200   
   CHRS: UTF-8 2   
   PID: GED+LNX 1.1.5-b20161221   
   MSGID: 2:280/464 6135173e   
   REPLY: 1:153/757.21@fidonet f41f0564   
   Hi August,   
      
   On 2021-09-04 20:11:00, you wrote to me:   
      
    AA> The initial comms to the bot can be performed at any time, and   
    AA> some results would come back within an hour or so.  If it were   
    AA> just a "user" requesting to create an echo for a topic of their   
    AA> interest they would first have to convince their sysop to go   
    AA> through the trouble to create it and spread the word. Whereas,   
    AA> the elist-bot method [1] "creates" the echo,   
      
   It only creates an entry in the echolist.   
      
    AA> and [3] gets a spot in a .NA file that is distributed to boards   
    AA> everywhere.   
      
   It's only in the .na file that is distributed in the monthly elist*.zip file.   
   I very much doubt anyone processes it automatically and have areas auto   
   created and destroyed.   
      
    WvV>> The elist and the NAB (list) are not the same thing. The   
    WvV>> set of areas in both probably overlap, but are not the   
    WvV>> same.   
      
    AA> Why be burdened over that distinction?  The whole point is to   
    AA> announce that an echo exists and anyone, NAB or not, can pick   
    AA> it up if they want.   
      
   An elist entry doesn't mean the area exists.   
      
   An entry in the NAB's list, means it at least exists on the NAB.   
      
    AA> At some point people interested in participating in an   
    AA> echo need to consult with their sysop, or a sysop has to   
    AA> perform the %LIST and request to add it anyway.  But the   
    AA> initial elist-bot process is something anyone could do to get   
    AA> something started at their convenience.   
      
   You could see it as a problem to. If anyone can create a listing for any area,   
   existing or not.   
      
    AA> Why was the elist-bot system even built in the first place if   
    AA> it wasn't intended to provide a more organized way to create   
    AA> and announce the existence of echos?   
      
   Control.   
      
   Bye, Wilfred.   
      
   --- FMail-lnx64 2.1.0.18-B20170815   
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