[news.config] status comp.sys.sun

fors@ndmath.UUCP (Guy Fors) (09/18/89)

This is the third time I've posted a note asking about the currunt 
status of comp.sys.sun.  Our site is just not getting any messages
for this group.  Has everyone lost interest in this group or has
our site simply stopped getting news in this group.  This group
was very active until lately when messages came in spurts and
now we get almost nothing.  Any information would be appreciated.

bob@omni.com (Bob Weissman) (09/18/89)

In article <1555@ndmath.UUCP>, fors@ndmath.UUCP (Guy Fors) writes:
> This is the third time I've posted a note asking about the currunt 
> status of comp.sys.sun.  Our site is just not getting any messages
> for this group.  Has everyone lost interest in this group or has
> our site simply stopped getting news in this group.  This group
> was very active until lately when messages came in spurts and
> now we get almost nothing.  Any information would be appreciated.

We've noticed the same problem here.  The moderation of this group, a
difficult and thankless job at best, has apparently become too much for
the moderator.  I have no idea whether the "sun-spots" Internet mailing
list has died as well, or just the USENET side, "comp.sys.sun".

I don't want to throw any stones, but something needs to be done to
restore the information flow.  Alternatives include:

1. Unmoderate the group.

2. Find a new moderator.

3. Break the group into smaller groups by geography.

4. Break the group into smaller groups by subject.

Alternative (1) has the advantage that everyone will get every message
quickly.  This may also be a disadvantage, given the amount of noise which
will doubtless appear.

Alternative (2) offers no guarantees that things will get any better.

Alternative (3) may be a good solution for people with time-sensitive
questions who can't wait for (or afford) Sun support folk.

Alternative (4) may be the best solution, at least for the USENET side of
things, as people can subscribe to just the subgroups of interest.  These
might include hardware, software, operating systems, window systems,
programming questions, user interface, etc.

Rather than attempting to shake everything up all at once, I'd like to see
some discussion take place.  My suggestion is that we unmoderate the
newsgroup and take a wait-and-see attitude to see if further action is
necessary.

Comments?  (Followups are directed to news.groups.)

-- 
Bob Weissman      <bob@omni.com>
UUCP:             ...!{apple,pyramid,sgi,tekbspa,uunet}!koosh!bob
Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect,
                  even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.

ndonald@ccu.umanitoba.ca (Nick Donaldson) (09/19/89)

We got news from comp.sys.sun a couple of days ago. In fact, I think
we got quite a few postings.
-- 
        Nick Donaldson
Bitnet -                 Ndonald@UOFMCC or
NetNorth Domain-style -  Ndonald@ccm.umanitoba.ca or
On our Unix box -        Ndonald@ccu.umanitoba.ca

gary@dgcad.SV.DG.COM (Gary Bridgewater) (09/19/89)

In article <1555@ndmath.UUCP> fors@ndmath.UUCP (Guy Fors) writes:
>This is the third time I've posted a note asking about the currunt 
>status of comp.sys.sun.
>... was very active until lately when messages came in spurts and
>now we get almost nothing.  Any information would be appreciated.

I'm sure that moderating a group is a fair amount of work. I suspect
the person who inherited this group makes as much time as possible.
Still, this was a useful forum for exchanging handy information and to
have it become a trickle is a waste. What do the net lawyers say about
this? Should we call for another volunteer to take it over assuming
the current admin (who has remained silent in this group) will accept
that? Can we make it unmoderated (and suffer the decreased S/N)?

I am not, btw, volunteering to moderate (can you say conflict of interest?).
But we do have Suns here and they do need the usual herding, calving, branding
&c. and the help is missed.
-- 
Gary Bridgewater, Data General Corp., Sunnyvale Ca.
gary@sv4.ceo.sv.dg.com or 
{amdahl,aeras,amdcad,mas1,matra3}!dgcad.SV.DG.COM!gary
No good deed goes unpunished.