andy@fgp.hcru.uq.oz (The Wubba Wubba Mon) (01/08/90)
Brad has said that the formats of the two services (GEnie and Usenet) are quite different. If this is so, then what is the point of trying to link them into a homogenous system? Predictions have been that Usenet will have even worse S/N ratio, as, in addition to the noisy annual start-of-university-semester grunion spawining of new Usenetters, there will be worse noise in the form of GEnie subscribers. [No offence meant here. The S/N ratio is low as it is, GEnie users are apparently discouraged from using private email and encouraged to "post" globally, and by linking of these two systems, the users caught in a too-wide gulf between have two opposing and incompatible netiquettes.] It would seem to me, that GEnie should be left to do the things that its set-up allow it to do best. Carrying USenet doesn't seem to be one of them. By all means, set up two way email links between it and Usenet though. GEnie users (and anyone else with a modem) who wish to participate on Usenet can get accounts on a Public Access Usenet BBS. Sounds too simple to be true! Consistancy of rules on a system. Access to Usenet for any one with a modem. No real change to the S/N or volume levels (or no worsening, anyway). It even seems sensible! Any comments. /\ndy. -- Andrew M. Jones, Systems Programmer, ACSnet: andy@fgp.hcru.uq.oz Language Lab, Univ. of Qld, Work Phone: (07) 377 2075 Brisbane, Qld. AUSTRALIA. 4067 O/S Phone: +61 7 377 2075 "No matter what hits the fan, it's never distributed evenly....." [This article may not be sold in part or whole for profit.]
tneff@bfmny0.UU.NET (Tom Neff) (01/08/90)
( Talking about giving CPR to a dead topic... ) In article <446@fgp.hcru.uq.oz> andy@fgp.hcru.uq.oz (The Wubba Wubba Mon) writes: >Brad has said that the formats of the two services (GEnie and Usenet) are >quite different. >If this is so, then what is the point of trying to link them into a >homogenous system? From an email standpoint it doesn't matter what the rest of GEnie (or the net) looks like. Mail should be interchangeable in a standard and reliable way, as is happening with other commercial services like MCI Mail and CompuServe. I predict this will happen. The other issue is gatewaying Usenet newsgroups -- and possibly digested public mailing lists -- to and from GEnie Roundtable bulletin boards. To attempt to gateway EVERY newgroup or EVERY Roundtable would be folly; there is too much traffic, too much noise, and not enough benefit in my opinion. However, it may be the case that certain low volume special interest areas -- where content transcends system of origin -- would enjoy gatewaying. -- "We plan absentee ownership. I'll stick to `o' Tom Neff building ships." -- George Steinbrenner, 1973 o"o tneff@bfmny0.UU.NET
brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) (01/09/90)
Yes, I think all that needs to be done is make sure USENET gatewaying only takes place in particular areas of a GEnie round table, and that the users are informed that E-mail reply is the norm. There will be those who forget that message, of course, but we get people like that on USENET all the time, too. -- Brad Templeton, ClariNet Communications Corp. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473