[Freeciv] Re: NNTP server?

[Tobias Brox <tobiasb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Just noticed that about 30% of people want an NNTP server for a
> gateway on the freeciv lists.  I can set one up if people want it but
> I am curious to know why, and if they want it to become part of the
> Usenet at large or just a private server.

NNTP is generally a better distribution mechanism than SMTP for mailing
lists, firstly because it's distributed and hence can reduce the bandwidth
needed¹, secondly because the data is available on request rather than
always.

In addition ... even though the distinction between a mail client and a
news client often might be somewhat missing - generally the news clients
are better suited for such discussions.  For one thing, threading is
done easier as the References header is pretty standard with NNTP, and
usually  delievered with (too much anyway) redundancy, while quite a lot
of SMTP clients have different ways (if any) to give away the linking
information.

-- 
¹ of course only if the NNTP server gets a part of a larger network,
like UseNet - and it is of course possible to set up more clever 
distribution patterns through SMTP as well.