Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!ucsd!ucbvax!NISC.SRI.COM!cwilson From: cwilson@NISC.SRI.COM (Chan Wilson) Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2 Subject: Re: CALL FOR DISCUSSION: comp.sources.apple2 Message-ID: <18445@fs2.NISC.SRI.COM> Date: 7 Jul 90 09:06:03 GMT References: <9007041250.AA04085@apple.com> Reply-To: cwilson@NISC.SRI.COM (Chan Wilson) Organization: Network Information Center; SRI International Lines: 90 In article jac@paul.rutgers.edu (Jonathan A. Chandross) writes: >jac: >> Secondly, the charter for the comp.binaries.apple2 newsgroup is "binaries", >> *not* sources. The charter for all of binaries is just that -- binaries. >> A binaries group is just not the appropriate place to post source. People >> don't know to look there for sources, and you don't expect to find sources >> there. Sources are not binaries. > >lwv27@cas.BITNET (Larry W. Virden) >> I have never really understood this argument. It is like saying "This is >> a mexican restraunt so no one would ever know to look around and see >> if steaks are served here." > >I do not read the comp.binaries.* groups in the hopes that some useful >source will be posted there. I don't EXPECT to find source there so I >don't LOOK for it there. If it appears there I WILL NOT SEE IT. > >You also ignore the fact that inappropriate use of a newsgroup can cause >you grief from the net.gods. Why not avoid the problem entirely by using >an appropriate group? net.gods? Usenet is a fairly good anarchy, IMHO. The only people that are going to complain are the users. i.e, people reading those newsfroups. Jonathan, no offense, but I think you're being a little obtuse when you're saying that you won't read the binaries group for sources just because it's "comp.binaries.apple2". Oftentimes source is included in the archive; I've placed at least half a dozen postings in the archive at wuarchive that were this way. Source has been rare to cross the binaries group simply due to the nature of programming on the //s. Until recently, there was no "real language" out there to program in. Most 'serious' programming was done in assembly. There weren't any or to include -- most were home-brewed, and used as such. This means in order to give a person the source to the program you're working on, you have to make sure to include all the external stuff you call. This adds up... >In the old, dark days, when USENET just started there was "net.sources". >All discussion went there -- sources, source requests, patches, and >general discussion about sources. Because volume was small, this was >fine. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ This is the primary reason I disapprove of a comp.sources.apple2 group. The flow of articles on comp.binaries.apple2 is a bit less than one articles per day. Source postings won't get lost in the flow. There isn't enough flow. I would like to see a bit more descriptive posting names. I mean, really: /usr/spool/news % grep Subject * 942:Subject: mcm bbs, part 2 of 3 943:Subject: mcm bbs, part 3 of 3 944:Subject: MCM bbs, part 1 of 3 945:Subject: mcm bbs, docs 946:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01665 U1 947:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01664 U1 948:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01663 U1 949:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01662 U1 950:Subject: Re: MCM bbs, part 1 of 3 951:Subject: Re: MCM bbs, part 1 of 3 952:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01667 X1 953:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01666 X1 954:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01668 X1 955:Subject: Shareware version of Barney Stone's DBMaster version 5.0 7/8 956:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01669 Z1 957:Subject: reposting 958:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01674 U1 959:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01673 U1 960:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01671 U1 961:Subject: This file is from APPLE2-L 90-01672 U1 962:Subject: File Manager 1.1 963:Subject: File Manager 1.1, part 2 of 2 I'm aware that the files from apple2-l are a repost, and that there is a second subject line buried in it, but try to tell that to a shell script. I'd be in favor of making comp.binaries.apple2 a moderated group, if only to make it easier to archive things. (As it currently sits, I have to make up a filename for each post. Moderating the group could guarantee a valid filename.) Just my $.02... --Chan ................ Chan Wilson -- cwilson@nisc.sri.com I don't speak for SRI. Janitor/Architect of comp.binaries.apple2 archive on wuarchive.wustl.edu "a2fx it!" ................