Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucbvax.ARPA Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ucbvax!wildbill From: wildbill@ucbvax.ARPA (William J. Laubenheimer) Newsgroups: net.misc,net.jokes Subject: USENET Awards, anyone? Message-ID: <4082@ucbvax.ARPA> Date: Wed, 9-Jan-85 01:38:00 EST Article-I.D.: ucbvax.4082 Posted: Wed Jan 9 01:38:00 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 12-Jan-85 01:18:50 EST Distribution: net Organization: University of California at Berkeley Lines: 58 Xref: watmath net.misc:7241 net.jokes:10236 Given that the total volume of USENET traffic can now be measured in terms of megabytes per week (I have no idea how that compares to anything, but it is certainly impressive), it would seem to be a reasonable idea to attempt to recognize some of the truly brilliant people and transmissions over the course of the past year. After all, if "the press" can have Pulitzers, the movies have Oscars, mystery writers have Edgars, and SF writers have Hugos, Nebulas, and a bunch of other little awards too, there's no reason why USENET writers can't have awards, too. So let's lay some ground rules and try to get started. First, we need a name for the things. "The USENET Awards" just doesn't have the right amount of zing to it; something better is required. Perhaps we need somebody's name (mine is not available, besides being too long), or some symbol of the Net. Next, there have to be categories. Just to get started, let me propose a few, some serious, some less so: Best Technical Article Best Nontechnical Article Best Technical Author Best Nontechnical Author Best Program in net.sources Most Valuable Bug Fix Most Interesting Newsgroup Most Worthwhile Poll Least Worthwhile Poll Best Flame Most Rabid Flame Best Joke (subcategory for ROT13s) (somebody's name) Award for Least Intelligible Article (somebody's name) Award for Most Extremist Posting to net.politics (somebody's name) Award for Most Irrational Response to a Request to Honor Another's Viewpoint [will probably be found in net.religion or associated groups] (somebody's name) Award for Meritorious Service to the Net Asbestos Skin Award for Flame Tolerance Most Intelligent Debate [nominees for the named awards are needed. They should be truly outstanding examples of the category - perhaps the first winners] Plus any other categories which seem like a good idea (and perhaps not all of these, depending on the general consensus). Once categories have been selected, nominees will be solicited, voting rules established, and eventually winners announced. Progress reports on the goodness and/or necessity of all this, as indicated by the mail volume received at ucbvax!wildbill, will be posted. _\| ____ |/_ Bill Laubenheimer / \ / \ / \ UC-Berkeley Computer Science | o o | ucbvax!wildbill -------------------()------------------- Killjoy's on vacation...Murphy's running the show!