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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!cbmvax!snark!eric
From: eric@snark.UUCP
Newsgroups: news.misc,news.admin
Subject: Re: Awards of Arms and Usenet
Message-ID: <102@snark.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 28-Nov-87 12:04:48 EST
Article-I.D.: snark.102
Posted: Sat Nov 28 12:04:48 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Dec-87 06:47:29 EST
Organization: Thyrsus Enterprises, Malvern PA 19355
Lines: 34
Xref: utgpu news.misc:982 news.admin:1285
Summary: Proposal for a rewards system

In article <7782@g.ms.uky.edu> David Herron writes:
> There's been something bubbling around in my head for the last couple
> of weeks.  That is, what we (we being the people who make up this
> entity known as Usenet) do for the valued members of the community.

I agree with all the points you made. I was in the SCA myself years ago;
their awards system is a valuable enabler. I think you can start one rolling
very easily, and here's how.

	1. Announce to the world that you are collecting data on stellar
	   net.benefactors, and solicit nominations by email for an awards
	   list.

	2. When you have enough info, author a posting that lists the
	   names and accomplishments of each benefactor, and attach an
	   appropriately sonorous and silly title to each (Spaf, for example,
	   has to be something like "Grand Herald of Lists").

	3. Sign yourself "USENET King of Arms" and re-post it, with appropriate
	   changes and additions, to news.lists every month.

   People will laugh, but they'll get the point.

   If you want to get really amusing you can try cooking up canting arms for
everybody. I know enough technical heraldry to help you get the constraints
right if you like -- just call me Eric Pursuivant-of-Arms :-).

   If we ever develop a more formal structure (I can imagine all kinds of
silly roast-the-USENET-celeb events at USENIXes) this will make a good
springboard.
-- 
      Eric S. Raymond
      UUCP:  {{seismo,ihnp4,rutgers}!cbmvax,sdcrdcf!burdvax,vu-vlsi}!snark!eric
      Post:  22 South Warren Avenue, Malvern, PA 19355    Phone: (215)-296-5718