From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhtsa!alice!npoiv!npois!cbosgd!mark Newsgroups: net.news Title: Re: Perhaps a solution to net.jokes: Article-I.D.: cbosgd.2583 Posted: Thu Sep 2 13:56:28 1982 Received: Sun Sep 5 05:52:34 1982 References: ixn5c.227 Gill Pratt has what on the surface appears to be a reasonable solution to the jokes problem. I do worry, however, that the newsgroup net.jokes would continue to exist, and the same problem that net.jokes.q had would affect net.jokes.d and net.jokes.x, namely, people who subscribed to net.jokes would get the rest by accident. Since it would probably not be possible to kill net.jokes completely (especially among the readers who have references to it in their .newsrc files) I would suggest going with ug.jokes instead. If ug want to subdivide into x and d categories, fine. I urge those sites that want ug.all to contact each other and set up links. Sites that have censors downstream (this appears to include physics and idis) should be encouraged to set up links for ug.all directly to other sites that want this kind of material. However, we are all bound by economics - if a site wants ug.all but has no dialer, it is up to that site to find someone willing to call them and send them ug.all. If you want a newsgroup to discuss setting up these connections, it should probably be called ug.news, or perhaps ug.general. Since there are obvious initial startup problems, I propose that someone offer to be a central contact point and directory keeper. I discourage creation of net.link for this purpose - if such a newsgroup is really needed to get started, please use net.wanted. Again, I am (speaking for the USENET silent majority, if I may be so bold) not condoning racist or degrading jokes, nor am I condoning censorship. I am encouraging a solution where both sides are happy: sites wanting free speech at all costs can have their forum, but the average person who does not want to read this type of material (or flames about this type of material) has the inalienable right to not have to read this stuff, even by accident. As to a person who wants this kind of material whose account is on a machine that does not allow it, perhaps a guest account on a machine getting ug.all can be arranged. (No, I'm not offering, we don't get it here.) Mark