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