Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site sdcc7.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcc3!sdcc7!ln63fkn From: ln63fkn@sdcc7.UUCP (Paul van de Graaf) Newsgroups: net.news.group Subject: Put bad newsgroups on probation before killing them. Message-ID: <148@sdcc7.UUCP> Date: Fri, 1-Nov-85 22:44:16 EST Article-I.D.: sdcc7.148 Posted: Fri Nov 1 22:44:16 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 5-Nov-85 05:38:57 EST Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center Lines: 48 Keywords: probation Just as there is a protocol for starting a newsgroup, there should be a protocol for ending one. I don't recall a precedence for removing an active newsgroup until the recent demise of net.bizarre. I'm sure all know more than a few feathers have been ruffled on both sides of this issue. Granted: net.bizarre and net.internat were rogue newsgroups, but a little diplomacy might have helped ease tensions. Given that removal of an active group has little precedence, one can hardly expect that newsgroup members would bother reading net.news.group to find out if such action would take place. I started reading net.news.group when I saw an off-handed remark in net.bizarre talking about "what was going on behind my back". After that I got the impression that net.bizarre was on psuedo probation, and I started sending some of the more blatant misusers mail to gently remind them to cool it. The volume and quality of postings improved somewhat, but then came discussions about hanging toilet paper, simulating cat behavior, and the real kicker - a HUGE prime number posted not once, but twice! Soon after, net.bizarre was history. Now we have people complaining they weren't consulted. Not much can be done about this now, but in the future I hope people wouldn't have this argument. I have nothing against removing groups per se, but I have some thoughts about the procedure of removing a group. Proposed Protocol: 1.) Discuss the problem with the newsgroup in net.news.group. Establish the reasons for removing it. Sufficient grounds might be: high volume, poor signal to noise ratio, commercial content, etc. 2.) Someone like Spaf decides the problem warrants action. Posts a probation notice in the newsgroup which: Says why the group is in trouble. Tells what needs to be done to keep the group. Encourages members to police themselves and read net.announce.newusers. Directs discussion to net.news.group. This message should repeat 1 or 2 times a week to catch new readers and assure no-one can say he/she missed it. 3.) If after one month (maybe less) the group does not shape up, kill it! Otherwise the group stays, but remains on probation until the powers that be decide to lift it. If anyone wants to try this out on net.sources.mac, go ahead! I especially dislike posts of binary images. At least with REAL sources, if I can't use the software in question, I can learn something by reading it. Paul van de Graaf sdcsvax!sdcc7!ln63fkn U. C. San Diego