jeffrey@algor2.UUCP (Jeffrey Kegler) (02/25/89)
My excuse for this extension this discussion will try to be in raising more general issues. I suggest the following: 1) Revive the mod.all news category for moderated groups. Create some sort of first come first served discipline for allocating names within it. (I would outline one, but I am sure better qualified people than I are available.) No vote is required to create such a group, simply registration with some authority for the namespace. Removal of a news group takes place only through inactivity, though anyone at any time may refuse to carry it. Of course, if enough people refuse to carry it, that should result in inactivity which would be a sort of vote to remove. 2) Insist all moderators in this category take full responsibility for their group. In return, allow them to assert any copyright or other rights that the laws of the nations involved allow. This includes charging fees to recipients, contributors or anyone else the moderator feels inclined to charge. It is the idea here that the courts will eliminate meritless copywrite claims, and the marketplace excessive charges. Determination of moderator's rights under the law should be left between them and the courts, wherever possible. 3) News sites in turn are free to forward or not forward the group, as they see fit. They may ask for a fee for carrying the group from either the moderator or the recipients and either may, of course, refuse or accept any such arrangement. Quite possibly some sites will decide that the entire mod category is contrary to the spirit in which they carry news groups and drop all mod category newsgroups. Brad and other moderators must be able to protect their rights and get reasonable compensation (monetary or other) for their services. Under this proposal Brad may do as he wishes, news sites can carry him or not as they wish, and people who feel they can do better than Brad are quite free to try. Brad should not have a usenet enforced monopoly. And we in usenet should not try to be Brad's attorney. -- Jeffrey Kegler, President, Algorists, jeffrey@algor2.UU.NET or uunet!algor2!jeffrey 1788 Wainwright DR, Reston VA 22090