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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!preece
From: preece@ccvaxa.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.news.group
Subject: more signal, less noise
Message-ID: <3500015@ccvaxa>
Date: Thu, 31-Oct-85 10:01:00 EST
Article-I.D.: ccvaxa.3500015
Posted: Thu Oct 31 10:01:00 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Nov-85 06:22:09 EST
Lines: 29
Nf-ID: #N:ccvaxa:3500015:000:1139
Nf-From: ccvaxa.UUCP!preece    Oct 31 09:01:00 1985


There are two ways to improve the signal/noise ratio on the
net: one is to reduce the amount of noise, the other is to
increase the amount of signal.  If we spent less time arguing
about whether people should create new newsgroups and more time
putting good stuff into them, it would be much easier to
justify the cost to higher-ups.

I think net.sources has moved about two notes with source code
in them in the last week.

The best way to guarantee the future of the net is NOT to cut
out all the non-technical material. That will just reduce the
readership/writership, probably below critical mass.  What we
need to do is make the net demonstrably worth the cost.  That
means people have to post things to *.sources, things that
are clearly useful, well documented, and reliable.  That means
people have to respond correctly to requests for help in
net.unix-wizards and net.unix.

Think of the time you spend polishing things before posting
them to net.sources and the time you spend researching and
verifying your answers to net questions as the cost of a
subscription.

-- 
scott preece
gould/csd - urbana
ihnp4!uiucdcs!ccvaxa!preece