jha@lfcs.ed.ac.uk (Jamie Andrews) (04/12/89)
All these discussions about how to change new group
creation rules, and so on, make me realize that there seems to
be disagreement about the reasons why this whole mess exists.
I think an understanding of this would be helpful to set a
context for these discussions.
I don't understand it very well myself, but here are some
possible reasons for things. I'd be interested in getting other
people's opinions, especially some of the veterans'.
Why does Usenet exist? Sub-questions:
- Why do organizations foot the bills for distributing the
technical newsgroups? Sub-questions:
- Why do they pay for the technical newsgroups that they're
interested in? Possible answer:
- Because their workers benefit from the exchange of technical
information on these newsgroups, and thus they benefit.
- Why do they pay for the technical newsgroups that they're
*not* as interested in? Possible answers:
- Because they want to cooperate by passing on other people's
newsgroups so they can get their own passed on; they figure
there's enough profit in this to do it.
- For some of the same reasons as the non-technical newsgroups.
- Why do organizations foot the bills for distributing the
non-technical newsgroups? Possible answers:
- Because their workers like and want such a service, so they
offer it to improve the work environment.
- Because otherwise they wouldn't be able to keep non-technical
discussions off the technical newsgroups anyway.
- Because there's pressure to carry them in order to cooperate
as well.
- Because the people who actually pay also want this stuff for
their own entertainment.
- Because they can get a cheap news feed, so they figure
what the hell.
- Because they've committed to being a major (backbone) site
and don't realize how little benefit they're getting for
the cost.
- Because they have been duped into thinking there isn't as
high a volume as there is in some of them.
Another possible answer to "why does Usenet exist?": it's a
historical accident and should be just nuked :-).
I was thinking of going on with "why are there different
newsgroups", "why do people do stupid things on Usenet", etc.,
but I'll hold off. As I say, wade in with your opinions...
maybe email would be better for this, use your judgment...
Does this warrant a news.announce.newusers-type thing?
I guess some of these things are already covered in some of
the n.a.n postings.
--Jamie.
jha@lfcs.ed.ac.uk
"Same eyes, same lips, same lies from your tongue slip"emv@math.lsa.umich.edu (Edward Vielmetti) (04/14/89)
In article <1748@etive.ed.ac.uk> jha@lfcs.ed.ac.uk (Jamie Andrews) writes: > >Why does Usenet exist? What makes you say that Usenet exists? What proof do you have?