Changi NNTP Server 1.0

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Changi Village

First, let me explain how to pronounce it:

Having initially ported some UNIX sources of the Network News Transfer Protocol server, written by Phil Lapsley and Stan Barber, my intention was to create something different - and therefore I used a different name.

The program got its name Changi from a small village on the Singapore island. Several years ago I worked there and liked it very much. There is a small habour, mainly packed with harmless fish trawlers, the famous Changi International Airport and a prison.

When I decided to use that name for my NNTP server project, I didn't know that in some countries Changi was mainly known as the name of this prison.

Some months after the first release of the software I was told by John Summerfield that during World War II the Japanese had a POW camp at Changi. Many Australians were imprisoned there, and between the forced slave labour and lack of food, medicine and rest, only a few (less than 10%) survived. Even people like John, who were born after the war, don't like the name.

Unfortunately I got this information after several releases had already been distributed to the net. Changing the name wouldn't be easy, but will be considered in case of a new major release.

Later on Marty Cawthon from Michigan told me that James Clavell (author of Taipan, Nobel House, Shogun, Whirlwind, Gaijin and others) had been there during the war. His story King Rat was somewhat autobiographical and about his experience there. Marty remembers James Clavell as a computer buddy. He would ring-up from Switzerland or France and chat about CP/M and WordStar in those early days, while later he switched to DOS. James Clavell died in September 1994.

Your suggestions on this matter are always welcome.


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URL: changi/manual/village.html
Created: 3 August 1996
Revised: 21 November 1996
Author: harald@os2point.ping.de