[news.groups] SCI.VIRTUAL-WORLDS Proposal

fishwick@fish.cis.ufl.edu (Paul Fishwick) (11/28/89)

I would like to provide a positive response to the proposed news group
on "Virtual Worlds." I think that this news group would help to foster
interdisciplinary discussions on machine-machine interfaces. In this
sense, though, perhaps one could provide a more conservative title
such as "comp.chi" (Computer-Human Interaction/Interface).

In general, I would like to propose that *all* individuals 
proposing new news groups will follow a format such as this one:

 1. First, form a mailing list (not a news group) on your proposed topic.
 2. Run and advertise the mailing list for a period of at least
    one month (optionally, longer).
 3. At the end of the period, provide a single article in news.groups that
    overviews the results (success or lack thereof) of your group. Make
    a case for the creation of your group. Show statistics. Did your
    list flourish, or did it wither on the vine?

I believe that all news groups should naturally evolve from *mailing
lists*. It is difficult to gauge the success of any venture by simply
posting an assortment of articles to news.groups. In short, this
proposal reflects a "trial by doing" rather than "trial by talking."

-Paul Fishwick
Moderator (comp.simulation)

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