Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 alpha 5/22/85; site cbosgd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!cbosgd!mark From: mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton) Newsgroups: net.news,net.news.group Subject: Re: Removing net.flame Message-ID: <1304@cbosgd.UUCP> Date: Thu, 4-Jul-85 18:05:48 EDT Article-I.D.: cbosgd.1304 Posted: Thu Jul 4 18:05:48 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 6-Jul-85 09:41:59 EDT References: <3892@alice.UUCP> <484@oliveb.UUCP> <268@luke.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Oh Lines: 24 Xref: watmath net.news:3578 net.news.group:3224 net.flame was created to give the flamers a place to post so they would keep their flames off the other newsgroups. For the most part, this has worked well. If we remove net.flame, the flames will just start to appear in other groups. One thing we could do is forbid (in software) cross posting to net.flame and anything else. We could refuse to accept or forward such postings, just like moderated groups. This would help keep flames from spilling out into other groups. Another thing that might be useful is to automatically rotate all postings to net.flame. Finally, there is no guarantee that any particular site will propagate nonessential groups like net.flame. If a particular group shows up in the top 25 and a SA feels it's eating up too much of his/her machine's resources, just don't forward it. I am not asking all hosts to turn it off, since that would cripple the connectivity of net.flame, making it a non-group and giving flamers an excuse to move to other groups. Just pointing out that hosts are not required to carry every single newsgroup. Some other high volume / low value groups might belong in this category too. Mark Horton