Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cornell.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!decvax!harpo!floyd!vax135!cornell!hal From: hal@cornell.UUCP Newsgroups: net.followup,net.college Subject: Re: Berkeley housing info wanted Message-ID: <4706@cornell.UUCP> Date: Sat, 25-Jun-83 16:24:27 EDT Article-I.D.: cornell.4706 Posted: Sat Jun 25 16:24:27 1983 Date-Received: Sun, 26-Jun-83 07:25:36 EDT References: <292@mit-eddi.UUCP> Organization: Cornell Computer Science Lines: 22 Why on earth should we create a new newsgroup every time somebody writes a message on a new topic? If it turns out that there are a lot of housing wanted messages and they persist for a long time, then by all means, let's create a new newsgroup. But the attitude that we need a new newsgroup before we can discuss a new topic is counterproductive. I think it is one of the reasons that there are so many low-traffic newsgroups. Somebody says we need a "net.rec.clams" newsgroup to discuss sea shells or beaches, there's three dozen messages in net.news or wherever debating whether this is a good idea, the group is finally created and a few messages appear. And then it just dies away. I think a much better way to proceed would be to direct messages on a new topic to the most appropriate group (perhaps net.misc). If the traffic on a new topic continues at a significent level for a reasonable amount of time, then consider shuffling it off into a new newsgroup. But let's stop this nonsense of proposing a new newsgroup every time somebody thinks of a new topic. Hal Perkins uucp: {decvax|vax135|...}!cornell!hal Cornell Computer Science arpa: hal@cornell bitnet: hal@crnlcs