Folks -

No one should need to know this, but we have enough real hackers among us that I feel compelled to announce a change...

Attached below is a message from Ted explaining an enhancement he has made to the update managment process.  Now instead of two completely different update streams, one for Disney internal work and one for external updates, we have merged the two, so that the only difference is the contents of the index files, *updates.list.

As I say, this shouldn't matter to anyone, except, if you use the latest file on the update server to know whether there are new updates pending for you, this will no longer be a reliable indication.  The write date of 'updates.list', on the other hand, would probably still be a reliable indicator.  But I always send out a message when I issue updates externally, so you shouldn't be doing this anyway.

I mention this also, for anyone who is mirroring the updates server, just because you might otherwise be suprised by the different pattern of activity on the mirrored server.

Finally, while this change allows anyone to see the very latest stuff we're working with, it would be really foolish to try to track it in general (though you're welcome to watch, of course).  The reason is that our internal update stream is where we catch the truly gross errors (oh, yes), and we fix them in truly gross ways sometimes (like overwriting files without changing their names, editing the index of updates, whatever it takes).  Unless your daytime job on a bomb squad, you wouldn't want to be connected to the internal update stream.

... just thought some of you might want to know.

	- Dan
-----------------------------------
>X-Sender: tedk at mail.rd.wdi.disney.com
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>Date: Wed, 11 Apr 2001 14:02:35 -0700
>To: SqC
>From: "Ted K." <Ted.Kaehler at disney.com>
>Subject: "Internal Updates" on new servers
>Status:   
>
>Folks,
>	I have simplified the way that Updates work.  Now, internal and
>external updates are stored on the same servers.  This will make Dan's job
>vastly easier when he issues external updates.  He won't have to move any
>files.
>	Please update in the normal way to get 3924UniUpdates-tk.cs.  It
>will tell you to fetch updates again.  When you do that, you will use the
>new set of servers, and find newer updates.
>	Previously you chose "Disney Internal Updates".
>	From now on, please choose "Disney Internal Updates*"  The star
>tells the system to use a special index file on the server.
>	I have also patched the code that writes updates.  To write to the
>new server, you have to be updated to at least 3924.  Once again, choose
>"Disney Internal Updates*" when broadcasting a new update.
>
>
>Change Set:		3924UniUpdates-tk
>Date:			11 April 2001
>Author:			Ted Kaehler
>
>Make both Disney internal updates and External updates come from the same
>folder in the same server.  When making an update external, we don't have
>to move the file.  It will keep its same number and name.  Two indexes,
>updates.list and <prefix>updates.list will be in that directory.
>	When the user chooses which 'server group' to fetch updates from,
>any with a * in its name will use the prefixed updates file.
>	When an update is broadcast, the user chooses which 'server group'
>to write to, and any with a * in its name will use the prefixed updates
>file.
>
>--Ted.
>
>
>Ted Kaehler,   Walt Disney Imagineering, R&D
>(home) 3261 Montecito Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89120.  voice (702) 456-7930
>http://www.webPage.com/~kaehler2/
>Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.
>