----------------
NEWS SERVER NEWS
----------------
I have learned from ABSnet that they have applied an operating system
patch from BSDI to fix a conflict between the BSD/OS operating system and
a new version of the INN news server software that was installed several
days ago.  The conflict was causing the news server to crash repeatedly. 
 
Unfortunately, the constant crashing corrupted the newsgroup database to
the point where it had to be rebuilt from scratch.  As a consequence most
newsgroups currently contain far fewer articles than usual.  This should
normalize fairly quickly.

The new version of INN processes incoming news articles much faster than
the old version, so much faster that the routine which updates the article
counters for each newsgroups often lags behind.  You may sometimes find
when you open a newsgroup that it actually contains more articles than
indicated by the article count displayed by your newsreader. 

Two additional 4.3 gigabyte hard drives will be added to the news server
either Sunday or Monday.  ABSnet will have to take the server down in
order to do this, but will try to do it during off-peak hours.

Please remember to report Usenet News problems to the BCPL Help Desk, not
to the ABSnet Help Desk.  Our contract with ABSnet does not provide for
direct support to BCPL customers by the ABSnet Help Desk.

-------------------------------------------------------------------
If you have questions about this, or about anything else related to
your BCPL Internet Account, please contact the BCPL Help Desk.

 Phone:   410-887-3297
 FAX:     410-887-2091
 E-Mail:  help@mail.bcpl.lib.md.us

 Help Pages:            http://www.bcpl.lib.md.us/help.html
                        (or enter "help" at the UNIX shell prompt)

 System News Archives:  http://www.bcpl.lib.md.us/sysnews.html
                        (or enter "sysnews" at the UNIX shell prompt)