Path: utzoo!utstat!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!intercon!news From: amanda@mermaid.intercon.com (Amanda Walker) Newsgroups: news.software.b Subject: Re: Time for 8 bit news, isn't it?????. Message-ID: <26A913B9.4065@intercon.com> Date: 22 Jul 90 02:47:21 GMT References: <1990Jul13.022224.25441@lth.se> <3119.269d97ea@mccall.com> <777@hades.ausonics.oz.au> <15688@bfmny0.BFM.COM> <1990Jul21.054016.10409@looking.on.ca> Sender: usenet@intercon.com (USENET The Magnificent) Reply-To: amanda@mermaid.intercon.com (Amanda Walker) Organization: InterCon Systems Corporation, Herndon, VA Lines: 32 In article <1990Jul21.054016.10409@looking.on.ca>, brad@looking.on.ca (Brad Templeton) writes: > I would say we should sit down at a usenix and > list out all the other new features we want, then implement them, because > we won't get another chance for 5 years to upgrade the format. I think it's probably too late for that. My view at this point is that Usenet has become large enough (and established enough as an operational network) that it is effectively frozen. A more fruitful approach is probably to start building "Usenet II". It's easier to migrate people from one system to another than it is to upgrade them in place. Just to take an example, I didn't switch intercon.com over to C news until I had to bring up news from scratch on a new piece of hardware, simply because it was not worth risking a breakdown of the existing service while I got the new stuff running. This may sound shortsighted, but it is an example of what you have to deal with when a system is being used for everyday operation. Sometimes a disruption is worse than putting up with current limitations. Myself, I lean towards the techno-nerd side, and always want the latest and greatest toys. However, any plans for Usenet have to take the majority of the sites and users into account. Rather than telling people they should upgrade, I'd rather build something better and have them decide for themselves that it would be a good idea :-). It minimizes aggravation for everyone, and keeps people from bugging you while you're building the better mousetrap... -- Amanda Walker InterCon Systems Corporation