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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!godot!harvard!seismo!brl-tgr!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-tgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.news.group
Subject: Re: New newgroup suggestion--Re: Permanent Postings
Message-ID: <6662@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 19-Dec-84 11:48:19 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.6662
Posted: Wed Dec 19 11:48:19 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 20-Dec-84 05:24:53 EST
References: <33@angband.UUCP> <729@watdcsu.UUCP>  <165@unc.UUCP>, <17976@lanl.ARPA> <3176@alice.UUCP>
Organization: USAMC ALMSA
Lines: 69

> 
> I feel that there is a need for a newsgroup which can be used by those
> who wish to ask questions and give answers, ESPECIALLY recurrant
> questions and answers.  Perhaps there is a need for a net.audio nettiquette
> document that lists the 25 most common questions (or something like that)
> that is always put at the beginning of the net.audio articles, and that 
> doesn't expire, thus providing a set of answers for the newcomer.  (Query to
> nettrash hackers--It that possible?  I know that there are some
> newuser announcements, but I don't know if we can put one in net.audio.)
> 
This request brings up a concept I have long felt is needed in many news 
groups -- permanent postings. There are things that occur recurringly in
practically every group, which should sit on each host as postings numbered
1 through 10 or something, never expire, and be viewed by each newcomer
when they start reading news and when they subscribe to or begin reading that 
particular group.

For example, the "net.announce.newusers" messages shouldn't have to be sent
out anew each month; they should be postings #1-4 in that group and never
expire, but only be replaced by a new edition when changes are made.

In net.music.classical, the "list of composers" posting should remain as #1,
and always be there, perhaps being edited and expanded but replaced in place.

In net.jokes, the "canonical light-bulb joke" list, and similar collections,
should remain unexpired as the low-numbered items. In every group, each 
recurring topic should produce a posting with the definitive collection
of contributions/answers/explanations, which should always be there.

Also, we often see suggestions that each group should have a "statement
of purpose" or definition of limitations, which new users will see when
they first see the group. What better candidate for permanent posting #1
in each group?

I realize that implementing this will require software changes. Not only
will the concept of "permanence" be needed, so the expire process will
ignore these items, but a methodology for replacement-in-place will be
needed, so a revised "statement of purpose" will go in as the new #1
instead of just being added as the next latest posting (though it wouldn't
be a bad idea for this sort of thing to go in BOTH places -- as the
replaced permanent #1 and also as an ordinary eventually-expired new
posting; thus both new readers and old readers will see it).

Also, a software change to override the automatic assignment of new numbers
for items which are edited versions of permanent postings will be
needed. It would be nice if this was universal net-wide; that is,
net.audio #4 is the same notice on every machine that gets net.audio.

Of course, this does mean that someone has to have the authority to generate
these special articles and also be the reviewer of submitted revisions
or suggested enhancements or additions. Maybe the moderators can do this
for the "net" groups related to their fields of expertise? This still
leaves a number of groups with no current moderator affiliation; perhaps
the longest-lived major participant in each group could be the one
who would maintain such permanent postings for that group? It shouldn't
be difficult; after the initial set-up, there would be little revision
or additions, I would think. Unfortunately, I doubt that we could leave
such permanent postings alterable by anyone; there is too much potential
for abuse there (someone making a 2000-line posting permanent, eating up
space all over the net, for example).

This appears to be worthwhile to me, but, since I'm no software type,
I wouldn't be doing the work, so I leave it to the net wizards to 
assign a value to this. It looks like it would solve a few problems and
eliminate a number of recurring complaints, though. Discussion?

Will Martin

USENET: seismo!brl-bmd!wmartin     or   ARPA/MILNET: wmartin@almsa-1.ARPA