[net.followup] How to reduce net traffic

mzal@pegasus.UUCP (06/20/84)

There are three kinds of messages that strike me as being
particularly useless:

1. "Why is this being posted on ..."
2. "Why not move this discussion to ... (or /dev/null) ..."

People posting to the wrong group or posting trash seem to me to
fit one of two catagories:
(1) Posting to the wrong group because of some misunderstanding
about what a group is for.  These people will someday pick up on the
conventions without flaming tirades from other people.
(2) Posting to the wrong group or posting superfluious messages
because they are deliberately being rude or seeking attention.
Flaming at this group only gives them the attention they want.

Also, in some cases, what one person finds silly, another may not.
net.auto postings complaining about some auto topic or other being
dull, for example.

The third kind of useless message?

3. "What can we do to reduce net traffic ..."

This seems to be a pointless issue.  The amount of effort required
to introduce any kinds of (easily circumvented) restrictions seems
not worth the trouble.  If one site or person seems to be a problem,
talk to the manager of that site.  Perhaps s/he is unaware of the
situation.

One last thing: It would be nice if people kept their signatures
short.  Cutesy pictures, quotes, and 5 line addresses are a drag
at 1200 baud.

-- Mike^Z    Zaleski@Rutgers     allegra!pegasus!mzal