Xref: utzoo news.groups:12374 news.misc:3618 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!looking!brad From: brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) Newsgroups: news.groups,news.misc Subject: Report Card on the success of the group creation guidelines Message-ID: <17735@looking.on.ca> Date: 20 Sep 89 05:00:08 GMT Organization: Looking Glass Software Limited, Waterloo ON Lines: 182 Class: news, reprint In order to find out just how successful groups created under the guidelines have been, I decided to look up the readership stats for all groups that were not on Brian's readership guidelines near the end of 1987. The results follow. Almost one group has been created per week. Yet only 8 groups created in the 'official' way have managed to get at least one reader per machine they propagate to! Only 2 (plus comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d, which I am unsure of) made the top 50. The vast majority are going to large numbers of machines where nobody reads them at all. (While Brian's numbers are not super-accurate, they are reliable for readers per machine, as the net size estimate is not figured in. If anything, since he surveys big machines, this figures are even more embarrasing) Notes on the top groups (*) Alt group created on whim (F) Created by Fiat (?) Wasn't there something special about the creation of this? (+) Created by survey after immensely popular alt group. 7 49000 2285 66% 601 1260.0 11% 0.03 9.8% alt.sex(*) 10 40000 1872 98% 1 4.7 0% 0.00 8.0% news.announce.newusers(F) 28 28000 1327 86% 700 1053.2 10% 0.06 5.7% misc.consumers 38 24000 1133 94% 278 440.8 5% 0.03 4.9% comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d(?) 39 24000 1117 53% 32 152.6 13% 0.01 4.8% news.announce.newgroups 40 24000 1106 51% 268 545.8 2% 0.02 4.7% alt.sex.bondage(*) 59 20000 953 95% 12 408.0 0% 0.04 4.1% comp.sources.x 68 19000 902 96% 695 1286.4 5% 0.12 3.9% comp.sys.mac.programmer 69 19000 898 95% 337 562.3 0% 0.05 3.8% comp.sys.next(F) 72 19000 886 96% 85 171.2 10% 0.02 3.8% comp.sources.games.bugs 76 18000 860 92% 355 571.5 11% 0.05 3.7% comp.unix.i386 77 18000 850 82% 75 195.1 6% 0.02 3.6% sci.physics.fusion(+) 102 15000 723 89% 231 301.2 9% 0.03 3.1% rec.music.cd My conclusion? Of all the groups created in almost the last couple of years, only misc.consumers and a couple of special comp groups can be claimed to be any sort of success. But even more interesting is the fact that in spite of all the usenet-bureaucrats, almost as many groups created against the guidelines have enjoyed high readership and success. It will come as no surprise to anybody that I give the guidelines a D+ in this report card, but I have some stats to back it up in this posting. ----- Less than one reader per machine ----- (propagation not counted) (26 more guildline-created groups rate between .5 and 1 readers/machine) 109 15000 707 58% 364 563.4 4% 0.04 3.0% news.newusers.questions 110 15000 699 87% 348 923.9 10% 0.10 3.0% sci.environment 111 15000 688 94% 423 832.0 3% 0.09 2.9% comp.sys.amiga.tech 112 14000 679 87% 102 163.6 0% 0.02 2.9% comp.virus 115 14000 673 97% 114 202.5 7% 0.03 2.9% comp.std.c 118 14000 665 95% 38 77.0 0% 0.01 2.8% comp.parallel 127 13000 619 90% 4 169.4 0% 0.02 2.7% comp.sources.sun 130 13000 613 58% 27 37.1 4% 0.00 2.6% alt.sources.d 135 13000 600 94% 49 93.4 17% 0.01 2.6% comp.protocols.nfs 140 12000 580 96% 4 6.3 50% 0.00 2.5% comp.windows.misc 143 12000 571 96% 33 56.7 16% 0.01 2.4% comp.mail.sendmail 149 12000 565 83% 435 723.7 2% 0.09 2.4% rec.backcountry 150 12000 561 71% 153 375.3 0% 0.04 2.4% soc.couples 154 12000 559 95% 46 98.4 23% 0.01 2.4% comp.fonts 155 12000 554 76% 152 581.4 18% 0.07 2.4% gnu.emacs 159 12000 546 86% 20 27.8 0% 0.00 2.3% comp.realtime 161 11000 538 89% 156 304.0 0% 0.04 2.3% sci.military 164 11000 534 95% 58 88.8 7% 0.01 2.3% comp.unix.aux 167 11000 523 92% 30 56.5 4% 0.01 2.2% comp.lang.eiffel 169 11000 517 70% 175 264.1 13% 0.03 2.2% alt.rock-n-roll 174 11000 513 61% 155 484.4 9% 0.05 2.2% alt.activism 176 11000 508 95% 2 3.7 0% 0.00 2.2% comp.archives 186 10000 486 81% 152 305.1 5% 0.04 2.1% rec.autos.sport 193 10000 474 82% 20 55.6 5% 0.01 2.0% comp.sw.components 194 10000 474 66% 63 143.5 8% 0.02 2.0% alt.bbs 196 10000 471 91% 5 24.4 0% 0.00 2.0% comp.org.ieee 200 10000 469 93% 81 109.7 7% 0.02 2.0% comp.windows.ms 202 9800 461 58% 63 96.8 12% 0.01 2.0% alt.msdos.programmer 206 9400 442 77% 55 69.8 6% 0.01 1.9% gnu.gcc 210 9100 430 93% 36 108.6 0% 0.02 1.8% sci.nanotech 211 9100 430 59% 54 89.9 31% 0.01 1.8% alt.restaurants 216 8900 417 67% 145 202.5 12% 0.03 1.8% alt.cult-movies 224 8500 399 82% 58 154.8 4% 0.03 1.7% sci.edu 230 8100 380 64% 237 486.6 12% 0.07 1.6% sci.energy 233 7800 365 93% 103 159.6 9% 0.03 1.6% rec.music.bluenote 235 7800 365 77% 85 787.6 3% 0.14 1.6% gnu.gcc.bug 238 7700 362 93% 12 25.0 33% 0.01 1.6% sci.logic 240 7700 361 80% 53 91.6 4% 0.02 1.5% gnu.g++ ------ Less than one reader for every 2 machines ----- 244 7600 358 70% 51 83.9 25% 0.01 1.5% alt.fax 249 7500 355 72% 301 654.3 7% 0.11 1.5% soc.culture.asian.american 251 7400 350 76% 86 128.5 15% 0.02 1.5% rec.music.newage 255 7300 342 46% 127 220.3 1% 0.03 1.5% gnu.misc.discuss 257 7200 339 44% 113 196.3 0% 0.02 1.5% alt.romance 259 7200 338 83% 24 32.6 4% 0.01 1.4% sci.chem 265 6800 318 85% 98 281.2 38% 0.06 1.4% rec.arts.misc 276 6400 302 82% 38 44.5 28% 0.01 1.3% rec.ham-radio.swap 278 6400 299 88% 72 172.0 21% 0.04 1.3% soc.culture.arabic 286 6200 290 79% 42 85.9 0% 0.02 1.2% comp.sys.super 289 6000 284 88% 13 15.8 0% 0.00 1.2% comp.protocols.iso.dev-environ 290 6000 281 87% 7 12.5 0% 0.00 1.2% comp.lsi.cad 291 6000 281 74% 6 6.7 0% 0.00 1.2% gnu.config 292 5900 278 63% 9 28.8 0% 0.01 1.2% soc.feminism 294 5800 275 75% 63 151.5 0% 0.04 1.2% gnu.emacs.bug 297 5800 272 58% 46 55.5 5% 0.01 1.2% comp.sys.mips 299 5700 268 88% 3 3.8 0% 0.00 1.1% comp.ai.shells 301 5700 266 85% 160 231.3 1% 0.06 1.1% rec.music.dementia 304 5400 253 74% 58 155.0 2% 0.04 1.1% gnu.utils.bug 306 5300 250 57% 215 276.4 4% 0.05 1.1% rec.arts.tv.uk 310 5100 242 89% 61 135.1 2% 0.04 1.0% comp.mail.mush 311 5100 242 74% 21 39.3 0% 0.01 1.0% sci.med.physics 313 5100 240 89% 13 10.4 0% 0.00 1.0% comp.protocols.kerberos 314 5100 240 46% 103 146.6 2% 0.02 1.0% alt.religion.computers --- Less than one reader for every 3 machines --- (and so on) 316 5100 239 38% 40 74.2 16% 0.01 1.0% comp.os.mach 320 4900 230 94% 2 3.8 0% 0.00 1.0% comp.org.usrgroup 323 4900 230 52% 195 916.5 0% 0.18 1.0% misc.headlines.unitex 325 4800 226 82% 10 21.8 10% 0.01 1.0% comp.lang.lisp.x 327 4700 223 95% 4 32.9 0% 0.01 1.0% comp.simulation 330 4700 220 73% 23 40.9 0% 0.01 0.9% gnu.emacs.gnus 331 4700 220 47% 473 812.1 1% 0.15 0.9% soc.culture.hongkong 334 4600 217 82% 23 39.0 0% 0.01 0.9% comp.soft-sys.andrew 338 4600 216 68% 19 38.7 6% 0.01 0.9% alt.emusic 340 4500 213 65% 61 254.0 0% 0.07 0.9% news.software.anu-news 341 4500 211 47% 50 112.6 4% 0.02 0.9% talk.rape 342 4500 210 73% 8 7.2 38% 0.00 0.9% gnu.chess 349 4300 201 67% 115 236.8 10% 0.07 0.9% alt.individualism 350 4300 200 65% 249 653.6 15% 0.18 0.9% talk.politics.guns 352 4200 199 63% 126 201.6 9% 0.05 0.9% alt.fishing 353 4200 197 74% 26 65.8 4% 0.02 0.8% gnu.gdb.bug 354 4200 197 36% 182 359.6 9% 0.06 0.8% alt.gambling 356 4200 196 78% 11 59.2 9% 0.02 0.8% sci.philosophy.meta 358 4100 192 67% 354 890.1 0% 0.26 0.8% alt.sca 360 4000 189 83% 19 20.7 0% 0.01 0.8% comp.protocols.iso.x400 361 4000 189 65% 136 312.9 1% 0.09 0.8% alt.recovery 362 4000 188 85% 5 8.3 0% 0.00 0.8% comp.mail.multi-media 363 4000 187 74% 103 312.1 2% 0.10 0.8% gnu.g++.bug 364 4000 186 60% 365 660.4 4% 0.18 0.8% soc.culture.nordic 366 3900 183 78% 15 23.6 0% 0.01 0.8% talk.politics.soviet 368 3800 180 81% 56 102.4 8% 0.04 0.8% rec.folk-dancing 369 3700 173 88% 12 43.9 0% 0.02 0.7% comp.lang.scheme.c 372 3600 170 91% 20 430.3 0% 0.20 0.7% comp.binaries.apple2 377 3500 165 64% 111 176.7 0% 0.06 0.7% gnu.bash.bug 378 3500 165 64% 12 79.7 8% 0.03 0.7% alt.prose 380 3500 163 57% 13 29.1 15% 0.01 0.7% bionet.general 382 3400 161 80% 10 30.2 0% 0.01 0.7% comp.sys.isis 383 3400 160 74% 5 3.0 0% 0.00 0.7% gnu.test 384 3400 158 70% 18 49.2 12% 0.02 0.7% gnu.g++.lib.bug 390 3200 151 75% 1 1.3 0% 0.00 0.6% comp.lang.visual 392 3100 148 72% 12 15.8 0% 0.01 0.6% gnu.ghostscript.bug 395 3100 146 30% 60 126.3 0% 0.02 0.6% misc.emerg-services 396 3000 141 74% 16 15.8 13% 0.01 0.6% gnu.emacs.vms 397 3000 141 61% 5 5.5 0% 0.00 0.6% gnu.emacs.gnews 400 2800 134 90% 9 17.4 0% 0.01 0.6% soc.politics 401 2800 134 80% 84 466.1 25% 0.24 0.6% soc.culture.turkish 402 2800 133 56% 4 3.8 0% 0.00 0.6% alt.california 404 2700 127 56% 11 16.8 0% 0.01 0.5% bionet.jobs 405 2600 124 45% 230 451.9 0% 0.14 0.5% rec.music.dylan 408 2500 117 58% 3 3.5 0% 0.00 0.5% alt.postmodern 409 2400 113 76% 9 13.9 11% 0.01 0.5% comp.os.aos 410 2400 111 85% 10 19.9 0% 0.01 0.5% comp.sys.ti.explorer 413 2100 100 11% 155 276.3 55% 0.03 0.4% unix-pc.general 414 2100 99 53% 27 41.1 0% 0.02 0.4% alt.co-ops 415 1900 89 84% 2 2.9 0% 0.00 0.4% comp.protocols.iso.x400.gateway 416 1900 88 84% 4 6.2 50% 0.00 0.4% comp.os.rsts 417 1900 88 4% 38 64.6 3% 0.00 0.4% sci.skeptic 418 1800 86 59% 61 115.7 7% 0.07 0.4% alt.prose.d 419 1700 81 10% 11 428.9 100% 0.05 0.3% unix-pc.sources 421 1700 79 10% 92 174.7 3% 0.02 0.3% soc.rights.human 422 1600 76 40% 292 418.9 0% 0.19 0.3% alt.cosuard 423 1600 75 46% 10 16.3 0% 0.01 0.3% bionet.software 426 1500 71 94% 2 2.3 50% 0.00 0.3% comp.sys.ridge 428 1400 65 5% 2 7.7 50% 0.00 0.3% sci.aeronautics 430 1300 60 56% 5 3.3 0% 0.00 0.3% bionet.molbio.gene-org 431 1100 54 10% 2 2.0 0% 0.00 0.2% unix-pc.bugs 432 1000 49 56% 2 1.1 0% 0.00 0.2% bionet.molbio.news 433 1000 49 10% 8 11.9 0% 0.00 0.2% unix-pc.uucp 434 1000 47 46% 10 166.3 0% 0.14 0.2% bionet.journals.contents 435 940 44 56% 1 1.4 100% 0.00 0.2% bionet.molbio.embldatabank 436 910 43 27% 4 2.2 0% 0.00 0.2% bionet.agroforestry 437 790 37 56% 1 5.8 0% 0.01 0.2% bionet.molbio.evolution 438 700 33 56% 2 1.5 0% 0.00 0.1% bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts 439 640 30 9% 8 11.0 0% 0.00 0.1% unix-pc.test 440 620 29 5% 21 40.3 0% 0.01 0.1% soc.rights.alien 442 450 21 6% 3 6.0 100% 0.00 0.1% u3b.tech -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. -- Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473