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