Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.7.0.10 $; site ccvaxa 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