Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site ssc-vax.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxj!houxm!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!alcmist From: alcmist@ssc-vax.UUCP (Frederick Wamsley) Newsgroups: net.news.group Subject: net.general.newusers; short proposal, long argument Message-ID: <336@ssc-vax.UUCP> Date: Sun, 13-Jan-85 23:35:46 EST Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.336 Posted: Sun Jan 13 23:35:46 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 15-Jan-85 01:47:55 EST Distribution: net Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA Lines: 95 SUMMARY Distribute information about how to use net.general in a newsgroup called net.general.newusers. Overseas sites could elect not to receive net.general.newusers. People who know the rules could unsubscribe from it. The new group would cover ONLY rules for net.general and would not try to duplicate the material in net.announce.newusers, which covers the whole realm of netiquette. ARGUMENTS (this section is where I answer possible objections. It's long. Skip it if you agree with me). Objection #1 -- We should delete net.general instead of adding a subgroup! I agree with this one. Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be enough of a consensus to nuke net.general. As long as we still have it we should try to save it. Objection #2 -- It wouldn't do any good. I think it would. Net.announce.newusers has spread a lot of useful information. Net.general.newusers would catch everyone in the USA who is reading net.general for the first time. It should eliminate mispostings due to ignorance. I think a new subgroup has an advantage over all the other techniques that have been tried to educate net.general users. Unlike printed documentation, friendly software, and nasty letters to trash-posters, it will reach everybody in the distribution area who is just discovering the net. Objection #3 -- It's redundant to net.announce.newusers No, because the subject matter is different. It would describe how to use one particular newsgroup properly. Yes, net.announce.newusers already has the rules for net.general. But they won't be seen by people who only skim net.announce.newusers, or by people who don't have it on their subscription list. Objection #4 -- So who has the time to write an intro to net.general? I'll write it. There's no reason to take any more time away from Chuq, Mark, Spaf & co. Objection #5 -- It will be flooded by articles from new users. Once they've read it, I hope they would know better. Maybe the name should be net.general.intro, which doesn't sound like a forum for new users to post to. Objection #6 -- There's nothing wrong with net.general! Yes there is. So many people have unsubscribed that it has lost much effectiveness as a way of reaching people. My source for that is Mark Horton. Objection #7 -- You're a fascist. I know somebody is going to say this. My motive is preserving an unmoderated forum (net.general) which can reach thousands of people. If that's fascism, call me Benito. Objection #8 -- It doesn't give new people enough information. True. Net.general.newusers probably ought to have a pointer to net.announce.newusers. Objection #9 -- You've missed the point. The problem isn't ignorance, it's deliberate misuse of net.general. I hope not. But if all those people posting path requests really do know what net.general is for, then my proposal won't do any good. Objection #10 -- net.general.newusers would burden Europe and Korea with more traffic at high phone rates. No, they wouldn't receive it. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Well, what do people think? Am I totally off base? Have I come up with something worthwhile? Looking forward to hearing from you, Fred Wamsley -- UUCP:{ihnp4,decvax}!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!alcmist ARPA:ssc-vax!alcmist@uw-beaver I am not speaking as a representative of the Boeing Company or any of its divisions. Opinions expressed are solely my own (if that) and have nothing to do with company policy or with the opinions of my coworkers, or those of the staff of the Software Support Center VAX. (did I leave anyone out? :-))