zemon@pernod.dec.com (Art Zemon - SwsE/ACES) (07/30/88)
As is wont to happen in our world of high tech and portable
applications programmers, I have been ported to a new host. This
normally would be of interest to you only because it explains the
long silence on comp.unix.ultrix followed by the massive burst of
backlogged messages. However, as is wont to happen in our world
of high tech and glitches, my new host is Digital Equipment Corp.
Which leads to my question: do we need a new moderator for
comp.unix.ultrix? Before you answer, please read a little more.
Comp.unix.ultrix (aka info-ultrix mailing list) was started a
year ago by a few of us Ultrix users so that we would have a
forum in which to discuss, and hopefully solve, the problems that
we were having with Ultrix and which DEC was being singularly
unhelpful with. Although from the very beginning we have had a
number of Digital employees reading the messages, and
occasionally posting, DEC has never been in a position to control
the content of comp.unix.ultrix.
I have seen my primary duty to comp.unix.ultrix to be an
archivist. I have copies of all articles ever posted and have,
on a number of occasions, forwarded subsets of the archive to
people. Post a question that has been hashed over in detail and
you will receive the pertinent articles via return mail.
I have acted as a pretty minimal moderator. I have forwarded all
messages except those which clearly violate copyright law (for
instance, someone once tried to post an entire directory of
source files -- with copyright header notices). I also suppress
messages which have nothing to do with Ultrix. Finally, I answer
some messages personally instead of posting them if they are not
of general interest or are trivial (e.g., Q: How do I order
Ultrix for my PC-XT, A: You don't). Occasionally, I suppress
answers to questions when I have already posted one answer and
get a dozen more identical answers.
I always post new information, regardless of whether it contains
reasonable arguments, flames, or just plain silliness. I never
edit the messages for content, grammer, or punctuation. What you
write is what others will read.
VERY IMPORTANT: I always post messages about Ultrix and related
issues regardless of the writer's expressed opinions on DEC
and/or Ultrix. DEC-bashing is OK if that is how you feel.
Fortunately we have been blessed with a bunch of reasonable
people and have not had any on-going flame wars. *Thank you all.*
But now that I am working for Digital, I want all of you to feel
comfortable that comp.unix.ultrix will continue to be moderated
but unedited. It must be seen as a group neither run by nor
controlled by DEC. I am more than willing to continue to
moderate comp.unix.ultrix. If I do so, DEC will exercise *no*
editorial control over the content of the newsgroup. And if DEC
ever tries to exercise such control, or if my manager doesn't
like this arrangement, I will transfer the moderator-ship to
someone outside DEC.
So what do you think? Do I continue to moderate
comp.unix.ultrix? Or do you want a non-DEC employee as the
moderator? Don't worry about hurting my feelings. Just send a
yea or nay vote to me at any of the following addresses:
zemon@pernod.dec.com
...!decwrl!pernod.dec.com!zemon
...!hplabs!felix!zemon
...!hplabs!felix!info-ultrix
Or just post a followup message to the newsgroup. But note that
I do not plan on posting followup discussions to comp.unix.ultrix
unless you explicitly indicate that you want it posted. If you
want your response posted, just ask and I'll do it, but I would
really rather keep comp.unix.ultrix for technical issues only.
Voting ends on August 20. I'll post the results then and let you
know what is going on earlier if your votes strongly favor one
action or the other.
Oh yes, before I forget, turning comp.unix.ultrix into an
unmoderated newsgroup is not a choice on this ballot. Take that
issue up with the people who run the backbone sites and care
about such things. And please, use a different newsgroup for it! :-)
Cheers,
-- Art Z.