Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!kanefsky
From: kanefsky@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU (Steve Kanefsky)
Newsgroups: news.groups
Subject: Re: ***Call for discussion:  Rec.video.software***
Message-ID: <17241@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU>
Date: 23 Nov 89 18:39:43 GMT
References: <17100@umn-cs.CS.UMN.EDU> <1632@shuksan.UUCP>
Reply-To: kanefsky@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Steve Kanefsky)
Organization: CSci Dept., University of Minnesota, Mpls.
Lines: 48

In article <1632@shuksan.UUCP> scott@shuksan.UUCP (Scott Moody) writes:
>
>I don't think this group gets enough volume to
>create any new groups. Look at rec.bicycles (which does 
>get a lot of volumn) and they don't want to split either.

A group does *not* have to be overflowing to create another group.  I,
like many people in rec.video, want to read everything in *both* groups.

As a reader of rec.bicycles, I could understand why they didn't want to
split, because each group had a lot to offer to the other group.  In this
case, the hardware/software distinction is broad enough that it is very
unlikely that either group would lose any expertise to the other group.
It should be clear that discussion of movies, etc. on video tape or disc
is a vastly different subject than discussion of how to hook up a TV
antenna or a VCR or what camcorder to buy.  There should be a software
group just because the subject is so clearly defined and separate from
the hardware subject.  Don't think of this as a group splitting off from
another group, think of it as a new group to cover a very clearly defined
subject which is growing in popularity. Those of us interested in the
group expect a large increase in volume when/if the new group is created
because interested people from other groups will join in and because those
of us who want rec.video to remain a forum for the discussion of hardware
don't want to post software stuff until there is an appropriate place to
do it.  I, for one, am willing to post monthly reports of upcoming releases
on laserdisc, and reviews of all the laserdiscs I purchase, but I won't
do it in rec.video because I am equally devoted to video hardware and
the range between "when is Roger Rabbit coming out?" and "how do I hook
up my TV antenna" is just too large for one group.

If you like using your 'n' key so much, why don't we combine the motorcycle
and bicycle newsgroups, and you can use your 'n' key all you like.  It has
nothing to do with large volume, as long as each group has enough volume to
justify it as a separate group.  It has to do with the logical distinction
between topics.  That's why you don't see a lot of groups with huge volume
splitting; there just isn't a clear enough division in the subject to 
prevent a lot of cross-posting or expert-stealing.  I promise that 
rec.video.software will have more than enough volume to justify its existence,
and that the distinction between hardware and software is more than broad
enough to prevent cross-posting and expert-stealing.





-- 
Steve Kanefsky
kanefsky@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu