Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!pyramid!octopus!pete
From: pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: A counter-example for those who would eliminate PC binaries
Message-ID: <264@octopus.UUCP>
Date: 29 Jun 88 16:28:54 GMT
Reply-To: pete@octopus.UUCP (Pete Holzmann)
Organization: Octopus Enterprises, Cupertino CA
Lines: 54

I find it interesting that there has been much talk about the need for
ridding the net of the evil PC binaries. Yet, something much less useful
is happening right now, and I haven't seen a peep of complaint!

Consider: PC binaries are useful to many on the net. Probably a majority
of net-users, if the readership stats are at all accurate.

Consider: The source code for the Mahjongg tiles.

	1) This is pretty useless if you don't have a Sun [sure, it could
		be ported... but somebody who wants to port it could just
		grab it from an archive. I doubt that more than .01% of
		net-readers will want it for its source-code portability
		feature :-)!]
	2) This posting is HUGE
	3) This posting would be much more efficient if done as a binary
		with accompanying format information. Since it isn't even
		executable, there's no fear of viral infection!
	4) This posting is occuring in a moderated group.

Here we had tremendous flames over the GIF files that got posted to the
net, and now we have a single posting that far exceeds all the GIF files
ever posted. And not a peep. We had tremendous flames over the volume
in unmoderated PC binary groups. Now we have a single posting that is
bigger than any PC binary ever posted [I think]. And not a peep. We've seen
rantings and ravings about how the net is for the Unix users of the world;
PC programmers are third-class citizens. Now we have a gigantic game posting
basically dedicated to the users of a single brand of Unix computer. Yet
not a peep is heard in complaint.

I'm not complaining about the posting, mind you. But I think that those
who have been vocal about PC's, and about binaries, ought to put their
feet in a different pair of sandals and rethink the issues. Or at least
the consistency of their statements.

Personally, I think that quality, useful postings of all kinds  should have
a place on the net. If the existing distribution scheme can't handle the
volume as the net grows, let's solve that problem. But not by disenfranchising
whole classes of net-people. There *are* better solutions possible. I've
discussed some in other articles. I'd like to see more moderation, and
regionalization of the net, for example.

But, if we're going to take the easy way out and simply ban X, we've got to
be consistent and ban ALL 'X', even the brand that affects us personally.
If rec.* goes, so do the sci-fi groups, Chuq. If programs for PC's go, so
should those for Suns. If the net must be turned into a technical-information-
only network, so be it. I don't think that's necessary, or desireable. But
whatever we do, let's be consistent!

Pete
-- 
  OOO   __| ___      Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises
 OOOOOOO___/ _______ USPS: 19611 La Mar Court, Cupertino, CA 95014
  OOOOO \___/        UUCP: {hpda,pyramid}!octopus!pete
___| \_____          Phone: 408/996-7746