hatcher@INGRES.BERKELEY.EDU.UUCP (03/12/87)
Although plans for what to do with stargate are not finalized, here is my impression, based on talking to Mark Horton. Note that it is *my* interpretation of what he said. The problem is that doing stargate will be expensive (more than the initial experimental phase). Optional donations are not expected to work. Therefore mandatory charges must be made. Therefore restrictions on redistribution must be imposed. Therefore Stargate and Usenet will become two separate things. Stargate will NOT simply be a redistribution of (some) Usenet material, although it may include that. It will become an entity in its own right. What it will carry besides moderated Usenet groups is being investigated. The intention is not to try to "own" material already published on Usenet, although note that derivitive works based on public domain works can legally be copyrighted. Exactly what will happen with this is unclear. Carrying commercial advertising is at least being considered. I am somewhat unhappy with this; I would prefer to see Stargate as a handy *adjunct* to Usenet, not a whole different thing. But as far as I can tell, Mark sees the splitting up as desirable. Sigh. Doug Merritt