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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--