Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version VT1.00C 11/1/84; site vortex.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!vortex!lauren From: lauren@vortex.UUCP (Lauren Weinstein) Newsgroups: net.news Subject: net.flame (surprise!) Message-ID: <702@vortex.UUCP> Date: Sat, 29-Jun-85 15:30:11 EDT Article-I.D.: vortex.702 Posted: Sat Jun 29 15:30:11 1985 Date-Received: Mon, 1-Jul-85 05:45:23 EDT Organization: Vortex Technology, Los Angeles Lines: 36 Gee, wanna take a guess as to how I feel about removing net.flame? Bets in place? OK... While the decision to carry any particular groups (based on questions of cost, disk space, legal liabilities, etc.) must rest with the administrators of each particular system, I personally feel that net.flame serves a very useful purpose in an unmoderated network environment. If most other groups were moderated, we wouldn't have to worry about the junk from net.flame spilling into other groups--but they aren't and it will. Net.flame serves a very useful function--sort of like a septic tank much of the time. Few people are big fans of septic tanks, but unless you've got some alternative they tend to be useful for many homeowners. I won't even attempt to address any possible liability questions regarding net.flame. But I would submit that widespread deletion of that group would result in widespread contamination of other groups by equally "tasteful" material of a similar nature. This would intensify as the net continues to drastically grow. Remember that a single person can cause immense net disruption if they really want to--and eventually, just in normal course of things, we'll have more and more people around who primarily want to flame. If we block off the septic tank, we'll find all sorts of fun stuff backing up into the other groups. Then what? Will people start calling for the turning off of other groups since they also have become "offensive" as a result? Net.flame certainly isn't a substitute for even low level moderation. Eventually (fairly soon) net traffic volumes will be so high that no group could possibly divert off all the flames. But to the extent that people are interested in seeing the net continue to function in the short term, I recommend that people consider very carefully the results of taking away the flamers' podium in the absence of moderation on most other groups. --Lauren--