Re: Problems with .newsrc.eld (aws: Re: self-contained nnml)

[Simon Josefsson <jas@extundo.com>]

prj@po.cwru.edu (Paul Jarc) writes:

>> Well, one point of the `.marks' file is that you don't need to backup
>> .newsrc.eld at all, so I think it would be good to put more backend
>> state in it.
>
> The problem here is that there is no analogue of -request-set-mark for
> group parameters.  If Gnus changes marks, then the backend finds out
> via -request-set-mark.  So the next time Gnus asks for marks with
> -request-update-info, the backend knows that its marks are at least as
> accurate as Gnus's current marks, and it can assume any differences
> are an inaccuracy in Gnus's marks and correct them.  But with group
> parameters, the backend has no way to decide whether Gnus's current
> parameters or the backend's stored parameters are more accurate.
> -request-update-info is the only way the backend ever gets parameters
> from Gnus, but also the only way it has to change Gnus's parameters.

Right.  Should this change?  It wouldn't be difficult to add a backend
interface to update group parameters, group levels etc.