tmoody@sjuvax.UUCP (T. Moody) (11/05/85)
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I read this newsgroup regularly. There is much difference of opinion
here, about what should and should not be happening on the net. On
one point, however, there seems to be a consensus. The net is fast
approaching the point where it will no longer be possible (i.e.,
affordable) for users to post as much as they like, as often as they
like.
This is really too bad, but so it goes. Many people have suggested,
as a remedy, the deletion -- either centrally or locally -- of certain
high-volume, low-quality newsgroups. Typically, the non-technical
groups are targeted.
I don't know if it's true that USENET was "intended" as tool for the
dissemination of technical information. Clearly, it has become much
more than that. I find that the material in many of the non-technical
newsgroups is at least sometimes interesting, challenging, and useful.
Frankly, I would not want to see them disappear (even though I might
occasionally want to see particular contributors disappear).
A solution to the volume problem that would not require the deletion
of newsgroups is the imposition of quotas and limits. Perhaps each
user could be limited to a certain number of lines per week. An
article overflowing the limit would not get posted.
This would cramp the style of many contributors, including me. But I
could live with it, as an alternative to losing, say, net.philosophy
and net.nlang altogether. It's not a *pleasant* alternative, but it
would probably work, and it would probably affect the technical groups
least of all (except for sources, which appear to be a unique case).
What do you think?
Todd Moody | {allegra|astrovax|bpa|burdvax}!sjuvax!tmoody
Philosophy Department |
St. Joseph's U. | "I couldn't fail to
Philadelphia, PA 19131 | disagree with you less."