chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuq Von Rospach) (03/06/84)
Well, it seems as if the time for network restructuring may actually be
approaching. I've been watching the discussion and there have been a number of
very interesting and intelligent comments on my proposals. In response to
those, let me modify my original suggestions and put forward the second
draft of the proposal. As always comments are welcome, and intelligent ones
especially so.
The biggest problem with the original proposal is in the moving of existing
groups. I agree: This is a real mess. The main problem seems to be a few
(I hesitate to use the word but it is appropriate) lazy system
administrators that are unwilling to maintain their active file or keep
their software current. This causes a fair amount of pain for the rest of
the net, and such people should be shot on site (ok, enough flame. They
don't read net.news.group anyway...).
To minimize this problem, I suggest we break down the task at hand into a
number of small sub tasks. This gives us a number of advantages, not the
least of which is we don't need to hold up on creating the main topics
until we get the rest ironed out. We can work things out as we go along.
Therefore, to...
The Proposal (rev 1)
Item the first) I don't think there is much disagreement that we need a
general purpose topic for both computers and science (remember net.sci?
It seems to have been forgotten in the fray on net.cs). These two
groups will be used as the basis for the reorganization. Therefore, I
recommend the immediate creation of both groups.
Item the second) Because we now have general purpose groups for science and
computer science, some of the specialized and very low usage topics that
have been created can go away. Hopefully this will also minimize the number
of people asking for topics so they can discuss Egyptian Third Dynasty
Tarot card paint dyes. Therefore, item the second recommends the following
topics be merged into the main group:
net.astro, net.astro.expert, and net.bio would be merged into
net.sci and the main group used for further discussion.
net.analog, net.arch, net.cse, net.lsi, net.research, net.std, and
net.vvs would be merged into net.cs and it would be used for
further discussion.
Item the third) All topics that should be subgroups of these main topics
will be moved when we figure out how to do it with a minimum amount of pain
(and also when we can agree what should and shouldn't be moved, of course).
My recommended plan of action is:
1) create the new subgroup
2) yell, scream, whimper, and threaten people to use the thing
3) nuke the old main group
4) shoot lazy SA's that don't update their active file (see above)
With enough information and tongue lashing, I think it can be done. I
expect we will need to make significant use of net.announce to keep people
informed on the movings, but that is why it is there.
Recommended topics for moving into sub-groups:
ai, cog-eng, crypt, dcom, graphics, info-terms, lan, periphs, text,
usoft, works, works.apollo moved into net.cs
math, physics, and roots would be moved into net.sci.
[editorial note: looking at my active file, I think there may be a case for
some of these subgroups to disappear into the host group as well as the
ones I am already recommending. roots, crypt, dcom, and lan come to mind,
but I would like to get some feedback on this before I stick my neck out
(further)]
Item the fourth) Nuke net.wobegon (just kidding, folks.... )
Comments are quite welcome on this. Please keep them rational, and leave my
mother out of this! (*giggle*)
chuq
--
From the Citadel of the Autarch: Chuqui the Plaid
{fortune,menlo70}!nsc!chuqui P.S. Nuke Wobegon!
A relationship is like a shark. It has to keep moving forward or it dies.
What we have here is definitely a dead shark.dave@utcsrgv.UUCP (Dave Sherman) (03/08/84)
Most of Chuq's suggestions are reasonable. However, net.dcom should
remain separate from net.cs. I read net.dcom for specific things,
and it's extremely useful. I don't even think it should be a subgroup
of net.cs, since data communications is not really a subtopic of
computer science.
Dave Sherman
--
{allegra,cornell,decvax,ihnp4,linus,utzoo}!utcsrgv!dave