Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cwjcc!everest!davisp
From: davisp@everest.CWRU.EDU (Palmer Davis)
Newsgroups: news.newusers.questions
Subject: Re: Usenet is not a BBS (was Re: (VERY) Long dead subjects
Message-ID: <571@cwjcc.CWRU.Edu>
Date: 13 Sep 89 22:39:00 GMT
References: <250D145B.4189@ateng.com> <1989Sep12.124629.27897@jarvis.csri.toronto.edu> <14661@bfmny0.UU.NET>
Sender: news@cwjcc.CWRU.Edu
Reply-To: davisp@everest.UUCP (Palmer Davis)
Organization: Smith Undergrad Lab, CWRU, Cleve., OH
Lines: 29

In article <14661@bfmny0.UU.NET> tneff@bfmny0.UU.NET (Tom Neff) writes:
>
>A BBS typically provides a centralized site into which users *voluntarily* 
>dial to access its message base and libraries.  The same is true of 
>commercial timesharing services.  So if frivolity is perpetuated, no one pays
>except those who choose to do so.  Usenet's flood algorithm, on the other 
>hand, visits the sins of the tiro (sic) upon the willing and unwilling alike.
>The only cost effective control is limiting which newsgroups a site passes; 
>so polluting popular, practical newsgroups with inappropriate postings is an 
>uncontrollable form of rudeness.
>

Polluting popular, practical BBS's with inappropriate postings is equally rude.
Furthermore, many BBS's (I'm thinking of FidoNet in particular) support echo
conferences across sites (almost exactly like Usenet newsgroups).  When 
frivolity is perpetuated on bulletin boards, everyone who uses them suffers.
When frivolity is perpetuated on Usenet, everyone who uses Usenet suffers.
Courtesy and respect for others is absolutely necessary whether you're posting
to Usenet or to a BBS (which some kind soul is funding out of his own pocket).
The need to treat them with equal respect seems to me to be quite clear.

Just thought I'd chip in my two cents' worth, since I'm a recent addition to
Usenet from FidoNet.

-- Palmer T. Davis --

Palmer T. Davis                  | The opinions expressed herein are my own
Case Western Reserve University  | and do not necessarily represent the truth.
davisp@skybridge.scl.cwru.edu    | Flame away to your heart's content.