stuart@ssc-vax.UUCP (Stuart Lewis) (04/20/84)
Fellow net.auto readers: It appears to me that discussion has slowed down the past couple weeks. Permit me to toss out some ideas and points. First, I believe that net.auto is a fantastic news block. It should be used not only for querys from subscribers seeking information and/or help in finding solutions to personal automotive problems (which I believe is the first and foremost duty of this group), but also, particularly when things slow down, for anyone who so desires, the opportunity to submit their personal knowledge for the entertainment of the whole. Second, (a subscript of the first), this personal knowledge could cover any topic related to general automotive history, production, maintenance, perfor- mance, and even simple reminisciences of past experiences. Perhaps some of the aforementioned topics would fall under the heading of net.auto.sport which I for one will cast a nay vote for the implimentation of. Third, (partial explanation of my nay vote), since it seems to me that things have slowed down, I see no reason to begin an offshoot to this group. If how- ever this newsgroup becomes flooded with articles concerning drag racing, ralley driving, stock car racing, etc., I would support such a move. This is not the present case though. Fourth, this newsgroup is for the use of the entire spectrum of auto enthusi- asts. Everyone should come together without the fear of being flamed at for presenting what another feels to be a trivial or seemingly 'dumb' question. While one subscriber may seek information one how to change plugs in his/her Slant-6 (a seemingly unbelievable request), could you as an average subscriber calculate a burn to apogee calculation for which the requestor could do in his/ her sleep? Fifth, (corrollary to the fourth), while I am myself guilty of this, we sub- scribers are the owners of nearly every type of automobile imaginable and we should ought not to take ourselves out of context and get overly indulgant in flaming the owners of makes foreign to our own. Foreign owners flaming domes- tic owners and vice-versa should be contained in mail if the desire to so flame is unrepressable. Playful digs are fine and humorous and are of no harm to anyone, but the type of articles that stereo-type and classify certain drivers and their cars have no place here. A perfect example of this was the weeks long drag out of Caddillac owners - it doesn't belong here, put it in net.flame. I myself have put digs on foreign car owners as well as Ford own- ers that probobly should not have been made. Ford and Chevy owners have a good natured tolerance of this back-and-forth chiding, but I personally be- come highly incensed at getting a flame from a foreign car owner, so I sus- pect that their is a mutual feeling. So I conclude readers. Let no one be afraid to submit any article on any sub- ject or topic for fear of put-downs or flames - regardless of race, creed or color of his/her automobile. Try to be as informative as possible as to the content of the article in its title - that way it may be easier to discern whether or not you choose to read it. If you choose not to read the history of the ZL-1, skip it; if you choose not to read the history of the Toyota Celica, skip it. Don't flame it, mail it. I've received some excellent mail concerning Mopars and Chev's that perhaps the readers wouldn't post for fear of put-downs, and I would respectfully ask these people to consider posting them to the net as I'm sure they would be greatly enjoyed - by those who choose to read them. If not, skip it, don't flame it. __________ | | ------- --------- /Stuart Lewis / / ssc-vax!stuart/ --------- ------- | | ---------- REAL men drive AMERICAN V-8 cars, by God! (in token of my brotherly love and affection, (any blue lodgers out there), this shall be my final use of my closing phrase following my logo) be
pmk@spuxll.UUCP (04/26/84)
Rusted out American car??? I wish I had nickel for every rotted out rattletrap Toyota or Datsun I have seen. That way I could take a year long vacation and relax, maybe even buy a 427 AC Cobra ($65,000.00+, not bad for a used car). P Kelliher AT&T-ISL S Plainfield, NJ