Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 10:59:21 -0500 (CDT)
From: tpg
To: AMS Demo Part 17
Content-Type: X-BE2; 12
If-Type-Unsupported: send
Subject: Validating User Names

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Another problem that has been confronted in the development of the Andrew 
Message System is that of an enormous user name space.  As of late 1987, there 
were over 6000 registered users of the Andrew system, and that number is 
expected to grow rapidly.  We have developed a database known as the 
\italic{White Pages} which uses a b-tree package to efficiently search the 
White Pages database as it exists on the Andrew file system.


Incorporated into the white pages is a sophisticated heuristic name matching 
algorithm, so that users may be addressed by approximate spellings of their 
names and still have the correct recipient identified.  (This would be a good 
time to open a sendmessage window and demonstrate address validation; while 
you're at it, it would be a good time to demonstrate the sendmessage window in 
general.)


\smaller{\italic{Please note}:  If you are running a standalone version of 
messages (without the AMS delivery system), then the fancy heuristic name 
validation may not be turned on.  The white pages were not included in the 
initial Andrew release, although they are expected to be a part of the next 
release.  Even then, however, some sites may be configured not to support the 
white pages.

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