[net.sources] rmgrouping net.sources.*

jr@inset.UUCP (Jim R Oldroyd) (11/02/85)

>[To quote eli@vcvax1.UUCP (eli):]
>> I propose that we remove net.sources and only allow the posting of
>> sources in mod.sources.* for the following reasons:
>
>		[reasons were given]

Here is another agreement.  Not only do we spend considerable telephone
times on the receipt of sources which are of either NO USE to us, or
of NO INTEREST to anyone here, but the sources which we do take off the
net, usually contain a high number of bugs and portability errors.

Those in the moderated group which I've looked at were somewhat better.

As a site which only takes those newsgroups we're interested in, I would
encourage the idea of removal of net.sources.* and the introduction of
a wider range of mod.sources.* groups.  Here is one place where mod.*
groups are ideal.

I would even like to propose:
	mod.sources.announce	- announcements of available source
	mod.sources.request	- requests for sources.  requests would
				  only need to be published if the
				  moderator(s) were unaware of the
				  existence of the desired source.

And the following groups for the actual publication of source if the
volume of requests are high:
	mod.sources		- for sources which should work everywhere
				  (and where the author has made a deliberate
				  attempt at removing system dependencies)
	mod.sources.usg
	mod.sources.bsd		- etc

and possibly also:
	mod.sources.mail
	mod.sources.news
	mod.sources.games	- etc
	mod.sources.fixes	- ??
-- 
"The Software did it".
--
++ Jim R Oldroyd
++ jr@inset.co.uk		(after Jan 1, 1986.  `jr@inset.UUCP' before...)
++ ..!mcvax!ukc!inset!jr

eli@vcvax1.UUCP (eli) (11/05/85)

> >[To quote eli@vcvax1.UUCP (eli):]
> >> I propose that we remove net.sources and only allow the posting of
> >> sources in mod.sources.* for the following reasons:
> >
> >		[reasons were given]

Er, slight misunderstanding here. I did not say that net.sources* should go.
I was responding to a previous posting that said as much. I am against the
removal of the sources groups (mostly out of conservatism; I would rather
we talked about it first like we are now).

> 
> Here is another agreement.  Not only do we spend considerable telephone
> times on the receipt of sources which are of either NO USE to us, or
> of NO INTEREST to anyone here, but the sources which we do take off the
> net, usually contain a high number of bugs and portability errors.
> 
> Those in the moderated group which I've looked at were somewhat better.
> 

I have been watching the arguments for a mod.sources* to replace a net.sources*
and I must admit that this seems like a much better idea. I think that alot of
the problems would be aleviated if a moderator could, say, refuse to post
*YET ANOTHER WAY TO PRINT FILES IN SWAHILI* (spelling?). The thing that we have
to make sure of, then, is that all sites that now receive and enjoy
net.sources* would be able to get mod.sources* (lets not leave anyone out
in the cold :-)

As far as bugs and portability errors, well perhaps a moderator could ditch
code that was obviously flawed, but if you get the code for free, who are
you to complain that its not perfect? (that last sentence is *not* a flame).
Even in "the industry" caveats abound concerning applications that just
don't do the job.

> -- 
> "The Software did it".
> --
> ++ Jim R Oldroyd
> ++ jr@inset.co.uk		(after Jan 1, 1986.  `jr@inset.UUCP' before...)
> ++ ..!mcvax!ukc!inset!jr

----------------------------------------------------

Elias Israel		VenturCom, Inc.
"you can laugh at my behaviour, but that'll never bother me.
 say the devil is my saviour, but I don't pay no heed" -- supertramp

{cybvax0,mit-eddie}!vcvax1!eli