Xref: utzoo news.groups:20174 comp.unix.i386:4722 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!pdn!tscs!tct!chip From: chip@tct.uucp (Chip Salzenberg) Newsgroups: news.groups,comp.unix.i386 Subject: Re: Splinter groups (was Re: comp.unix.sco...) Message-ID: <263F16D4.1584@tct.uucp> Date: 2 May 90 17:20:20 GMT References: <1990Apr29.200335.8618@buster.irby.com> <10580@rls.UUCP> <1990May1.221156.20220@newcastle.ac.uk> Followup-To: news.groups Organization: ComDev/TCT, Sarasota, FL Lines: 26 According to Chris.Holt@newcastle.ac.uk (Chris Holt): >What is going to happen to news groups when the load factor increases by >10 (<5 years, when more universities allow their students access) and >100 (<15 years?, when more non-computing people gain access) and >1000 (<25 years?, when the rest of the world starts linking in)? Long before that time we'll have better newsreading tools widely available. One that's almost out is "trn", which is a threaded version of rn. Written by Wayne Davison, trn shows the discussion tree in graphical form on the upper-right of the article display. It also has a thread selection mode, where specific threads can be read and the rest dropped. In my opinion, newsgroup proliferation is a cosmetic solution to the basic problem of article classification. I'd rather program my newsreader than try to change the Usenet namespace. The latter requires great effort for an unknown benefit, while the former offers immediate feedback and utility. >Question: is it worth providing a forum for discussion of what shape >the net should take? Such a thing is needed. The last attempt failed; the mailing list became an argument magnet, just like news.groups. Who will try again? -- Chip Salzenberg at ComDev/TCT ,