[net.news.group] Current topics under consideration

chuqui@cae780.UUCP (12/20/83)

Well, here is my latest list of topics under consideration. It seems like
it was well received, and as long as we are considering a number of them
simultaneously, I'll try to update it every so often.

Previous topics now considered dead:

net.eulogy, net.nlang.*

Topics created:

net.games.go, net.tv.drwho

Topics under discussion:

net.sources.pc
    I've gotten some good feedback on this, and it is probably a good idea
    to split up unix and non-unix sources. Would net.sources.micro be a
    better idea?

net.bio.*
    There is still a BIG disagreement over net.bio.expert. Since
    net.astro.expert is still highly experimental, I would suggest creating
    net.bio and holding off on net.bio.expert until the astro combination
    proves (or disproves) its efficacy. It looks like net.bio should be
    created.

net.micro.trs
    Someone still needs to create this group. I won't because its not
    within my sphere of interests.

net.origins
    Discussion is still very mixed here, and seems to be runing 50-50. If
    we assume the creation of net.bio, does it handle the areas of origins
    that other existing topics don't?

net.people
    I think a better name would be net.news.people, because we are talking
    about people configuration the way net.news.config talks about
    machines. However, it may be that net.general is appropriate as well,
    because I expect that volume will be reasonably low, and there will
    probably be a number of people who unsubscribe to net.*people that you
    might need to contact. Comments?


New topics under discussion:

net.olympics:
    It seems to me the net.sports would be appropriate (and perhaps
    net.travel for accomodations, and net.tv for ABC coverage). I would
    really like to see some message volume before we create YAUT (Yet
    Another Usenet Topic).


Comments, flames welcome

mark@elsie.UUCP (12/21/83)

I agree that we should hold off on net.bio.expert untill net.bio becomes
established. Biology is a huge topic: biochemistry; botany; biophysics; etc.
Under the (perhaps dubious) assumption that biologists will eventially lose
their terror of touching a terminal, I would expect subtopics such as
net.bio.molecbio to become needed and created. But, for now, net.bio will
suffice.

At the same time, I do not want to see discussions of creationism vs
evolution move into net.bio. That debate is politico-religious in nature and
really belongs under net.religion (in my opinion). I am not a great
supporter of net.origin, but I would rather see it created than see that
stuff move into net.bio.

-- 
UUCP:	decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!elsie!mark
Phone:	(301) 496-5688

rigney@uokvax.UUCP (12/31/83)

#R:cae780:-23000:uokvax:9300012:000:1936
uokvax!rigney    Dec 27 17:47:00 1983

=================================================================
        net.bio.*

I agree, create net.bio, and if the professionals get  too  upset
at having to wade through matters of non-interest ask them to say
so, whereupon net.bio.expert can be created.  I still  think  the
gap between professional and amateur biology is much greater than
the gap between pro and amateur astronomy, but agree that it's  a
good  idea  to  wait  until  we see how much interest there is in
subgroups.

        net.origins

This  will  be  a  very  high  noise-to-use  ratio  group,   like
net.religion  and  net.philosophy, but if we have those we should
have this too.  I favor either net.origins or net.bio.origins, to
save  the  trouble  of  moving  it out of net.bio later.  The top
level group net.origins would be more appropriate since cosmology
is going to be discussed as well as evolution.

        net.people

I agree that net.news.people is much  better,  and  would  prefer
this  be  in  a  group  of  its  own  rather than grouped in with
net.general.  For one thing, it makes it easier to  look  through
if you're searching for someone's new location.

        net.olympics:

I  rather  favor  this  being  a  top  level  group,  instead  of
net.sports.olympics,  for two reasons.  First, the old bugaboo of
name length.  More importantly, to keep all  the  discussions  in
one  place,  rather  than  scattering it over net.travel, net.tv,
net.sports, net.misc, and Who (sorry) knows where else.  I  think
it should be created now, so we don't need to discuss it again in
the future.  The Winter Olympics are coming soon, so we might  as
well.  How about creating it Jan 2, 1984, with a notation that it
will be deleted on Jan 2, 1985? Of course, should it turn out  to
be an issue of lasting interest, we can keep it:-)

In closing, I'd like  to  say  that  I  really  appreciate  these
summaries.

	Carl
	..!ctvax!uokvax!rigney