kyt@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (Kok Yong Tan) (07/30/90)
This is not a flame but merely a suggestion. I know that to get a response, one has to post to multiple newsgroups especially for topics which are difficult to classify. However, in the return message, could those responding edit the "Newsgroups" field to just include the newsgroup they are currently reading? This way, it would cut down on the bandwidth wasted by numerous repeated messages across two or more newgroups, yet keep the information content about the same. Comments, anyone? Is there a better way? =============================================================================== Kok-Yong Tan can be contacted via: | "Oscularis fundamentum!" InterNet: kyt@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu | - Annoyed Latin scholar CompuServe: 75046,256 | America Online: Lallang | ===============================================================================
dave@PRC.Unisys.COM (David Lee Matuszek) (07/31/90)
In article <1990Jul29.232510.17562@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> kyt@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (Kok Yong Tan) writes: >This is not a flame but merely a suggestion. I know that to get a response, >one has to post to multiple newsgroups especially for topics which are >difficult to classify. However, in the return message, could those responding >edit the "Newsgroups" field to just include the newsgroup they are currently >reading? It will never happen. Perhaps your message will make a few people realize they can do this, and may spark a few more people to try a little harder to remember to do it. However, the net population is an ever-changing one, and humans are not intrinsically a compulsively careful species. >Comments, anyone? Is there a better way? A much more workable scheme would be to write (and widely distribute) a news program that asks you whether you want to reply to multiple groups (the way my mailer asks if I want to append my .sig file). The default should be no, don't cross-post. This would not only remind people but also make it easy for them. I'm posting this reply just in case someone with the competence and the spare time thinks this would be a good thing to program. -- Dave Matuszek (dave@prc.unisys.com) -- Unisys Corp. / Paoli Research Center / PO Box 517 / Paoli PA 19301 -- Any resemblance between my opinions and those of my employer is improbable. < You can put a mouse on an IBM. And you can put a radio on a motorcycle. >
ostroff@Oswego.EDU (Boyd Ostroff) (07/31/90)
In article <1990Jul29.232510.17562@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> kyt@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu (Kok Yong Tan) writes: >This is not a flame but merely a suggestion. I know that to get a response, >one has to post to multiple newsgroups especially for topics which are >difficult to classify. : : >Comments, anyone? Is there a better way? First of all, I notice that you cross-posted your article (-: I am directing followups to comp.sys.mac.misc :-). If your news software is properly setup there really shouldn't be much of a problem cross-posting to several groups. An "Xref: " header line will prevent you from seeing an article you've already read (or junked) in another newsgroup. My personal "pet peeve" is not with cross-posting, but with people who actually post the same article multiple times to different newsgroups. This actually generates separate files in each news directory, whereas crossposting only creates links to the same file. I would make a few suggestions: 1. If you want your article to appear in more than one newsgroup, do it by editing the "Newsgroups:" header line. Just list the groups you want separated by commas. DO NOT separately post the same article to different newsgroups; this is a waste of net bandwidth and disk space. 2. If you followup to an article which was crossposted to a bunch of groups, edit the "Followup To:" header line so that future followups will all be directed to one group. 3. If you keep seeing the same cross-posted articles in different groups check with your news administrator. Older versions of the news software did not handle cross-referencing; you made need to install the "xref patch". 4. Every now and then read the periodic articles posted in "news.announce.newusers" that describe proper ettiquette and procedure for posting to USENET. Most of us can use a refresher course here... :-) Just a few thoughts on the subject. ||| Boyd Ostroff - Tech Director - Dept of Theatre - SUNY Oswego ||| Sys Admin - "The CallBoard" - (315) 947-6414 - 1200/2400 baud ||| ostroff@oswego.oswego.edu - cboard!ostroff@oswego.oswego.edu