\begindata{text,539013356}
\textdsversion{12}
\template{default}
\define{global
}
\center{\bold{\bigger{\bigger{The Size of the Message Database}}}}


Because all messages are stored centrally on the Andrew File System, storage 
costs for bulletin boards are fully amortized over the entire user community. 
 What this means is that it is relatively cheap to maintain an enormous 
database of bulletin boards.


One of the major goals of the AMS was to be as compatible as possible with all 
existing mail systems.  Thus you use the same system to exchange formatted, 
animated mail with other AMS workers and to exchange unformatted mail with 
users of other systems.  You do not need to give up any compatiblity with the 
rest of the world in order to reap the full benefits of multi-media mail.


At CMU, that database currently includes approximately 1900 bulletin boards, 
including all of UNIX netnews, the Dow Jones information service, hundreds of 
internet mailing lists, and some syndicated cartoons.  At this point, it might 
be a good idea to use the "expose all" menu and demonstrate the breadth of the 
message database at CMU.  While doing so, it is a good time to demonstrate the 
other things one can do with message folders in a list, notably the "explain 
what it is" feature.  On the other hand, it can take a long time to scroll 
through that list, so for a quicker demo you can just look at the overview of 
the CMU bboard organization, below.


To give you an idea of the system is used at CMU, we have made a table, below, 
describing the rough top-level structure of the bboard system at CMU as of 
May, 1989.

\begindata{table,539701000}
\cols 111 99 308
-	-	-
| ^Top-level Node	| ^# of bboards	| ^Purpose	| 
-	-	-
| ^official	| ^17	| ^Restricted posting	| 
| ^academic	| ^124	| ^Course-related discussions for 12 departments	| 
| ^andrew	| ^123	| ^gripes, hints, comics, miscellany	| 
| ^andy	| ^14	| ^Discussions of experimental software	| 
| ^announce	| ^2	| ^General announcements	| 
| ^cmu	| ^16	| ^Campus-wide & imported campus bboards	| 
| ^hobbies	| ^51	| ^Sports, gambling, cooking, etc.	| 
| ^magazines	| ^34	| ^Topic-oriented bboards with "editors"	| 
| ^opinion, graffiti	| ^72	| ^Foaming at the mouth, garbage	| 
| ^org	| ^415	| ^Private & public forums for 14 organizations	| 
| ^assocs	| ^64	| ^Forums for unofficial organizations	| 
| ^dow-jones	| ^109	| ^News from Dow-Jones information service	| 
| ^ext.in	| ^373	| ^Internet/Bitnet mailing lists & bboards	| 
| ^ext.nn	| ^482	| ^UNIX Netnews, world-wide topical discussions	| 
-	-	-
|  	|  	|  	| 
| ^TOTAL	| ^1898	| ^Wasting lots of time	| 
-	-	-
\enddata{table,539701000}
\view{spread,539701000,1498,0,0}


\begindata{bp,537558784}
\enddata{bp,537558784}
\view{bpv,537558784,1500,0,0}
Copyright 1992 Carnegie Mellon University and IBM.  All rights reserved.

\smaller{\smaller{$Disclaimer: This software is part of version 7.2 of the 

Andrew User Interface System and is the 

property of IBM, Carnegie Mellon University, 

and the other copyright holders.  The source 

code of this version is for the sole use of 

members of the Andrew Consortium with 

memberships extending into calendar year 

1994.  This source code is not to be distributed 

to non-members of the consortium nor beyond 

a fifty-mile radius from the membership address.  

Binary object code compiled or derived from 

these sources is not to be distributed to non-

members.  Members may have additional 

distribution rights granted by prior written 

permission of Carnegie Mellon University.



IBM, CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY, 

AND THE OTHER COPYRIGHT HOLDERS

 DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES WITH 

REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING 

ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANT-

ABILITY AND FITNESS. IN 

NO EVENT SHALL  IBM, CARNEGIE 

MELLON UNIVERSITY, OR ANY OTHER 

COPYRIGHT HOLDER BE LIABLE FOR 

ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSE-

QUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES 

WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF

USE, DATA OR PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN

ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR

OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT 

OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR

PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

 $

}}\enddata{text,539013356}
