scott@zorch.UU.NET (Scott Hazen Mueller) (01/23/88)
I've been following the discussion on merging the unix-pc net into the main
Usenet with some interest now. So far, I've seen two basic positions:
1) People who don't get unix-pc feel that they are missing out on something
and would like to see unix-pc merged into comp.sys.att.
2) People who already get unix-pc feel that the unique nature of this net
would get lost in a merger.
I think that it is possible to come up with a compromise that would be
satisfactory to both groups of people. The creation of a gateway from the
unix-pc net into comp.sys.att would make postings from the former available
to all the sites that get the latter without requiring posters to explicitly
crosspost or requiring their sites to carry both groups. It would also
ensure greater propagation and readership of the unix-pc networks.
Some considerations: there would be a small increase in the amount of traffic
in comp.sys.att. A gateway should not be created without some form of consent
by the backbone SAs. It would be most easily implemented as a one-way gate
from the unix-pc net into comp.sys.att; possibly a *meaningful* (i.e., don't
just dump everything, one of the major objections to a merger) reverse gateway
could be implemented, but it would be a non-trivial task. Not all of the
groups should be gatewayed; as an example, unix-pc.sources often contains
news patches, which would be redundant as well as misplaced in comp.sys.att.
It would be possible, I suppose, to ask the moderator of comp.sources.misc to
gateway unix-pc.sources, but that is beyond the scope of this posting.
I would be willing to do the work to create a gateway and to support it on
this system. I already carry both unix-pc and comp.sys.att; I would have to
consult with the SAs at the sites that feed me before committing myself
completely, but I do not see any problems in that regard.
Comments, discussion and constructive criticism are welcome. If the consensus
is positive and it seems necessary, I will gladly conduct a vote on the
matter.
\scott
--
Scott Hazen Mueller scott@zorch.UU.NET
(408) 245-9461 { uunet, pyramid!tolerant }!zorch!scottemigh@ncsugn.ncsu.edu (Ted H. Emigh) (01/25/88)
In article <394@zorch.UU.NET> scott@zorch.UU.NET (Scott Hazen Mueller) writes: >I've been following the discussion on merging the unix-pc net into the main >Usenet with some interest now. ... >I think that it is possible to come up with a compromise that would be >satisfactory to both groups of people. The creation of a gateway from the >unix-pc net into comp.sys.att would make postings from the former available >to all the sites that get the latter without requiring posters to explicitly >crosspost or requiring their sites to carry both groups. It would also >ensure greater propagation and readership of the unix-pc networks. Right off the top of my head, I can think of one thing wrong with it. This would add to the duplication found in comp.sys.att. Any article that is posted to unix-pc would make the round there, then after you gateway (I never knew gateway was a verb :-) it to comp.sys.att, it would make the rounds there. I can't see how that could have any positive effects. unix-pc is one corner of USENET that is working with a minimum of fuss -- let's leave it that way. -- Ted H. Emigh, Dept. Genetics and Statistics, NCSU, Raleigh, NC uucp: mcnc!ncsuvx!ncsugn!emigh internet: emigh%ncsugn.ncsu.edu BITNET: NEMIGH@TUCC @ncsuvx.ncsu.edu:emigh@ncsugn.ncsu.edu