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From: frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik Skulason)
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: New newsgroup(s) - a summary
Message-ID: <1918@krafla.rhi.hi.is>
Date: 10 Aug 90 13:38:43 GMT
Reply-To: frisk@rhi.hi.is (Fridrik Skulason)
Organization: University of Iceland (RHI)
Lines: 39

I posted a note recently, asking if readers of comp.arch thought that
creating comp.arch.risc or comp.sys.ibm.r6000 might be a good idea.

I received a considerable number of replies:

COMP.ARCH.RISC.  There was about an even split between those for and against
the group.  As explained in my original posting, I will therefore not
post a "CALL FOR DISCUSSION" or pursue the matter further. 

Those arguing for the creation generally gave no reasons, but those arguing
against gave a number of good reasons, including the two below:

        * RISC/not RISC is not a relevant way to split comp.arc.  If it
	  is to be split at all, some other split would be better.  Some
          groups were suggested, but no ideas looked good enough.

        * The problem with comp.arch is not the number of articles, but
          rather the number of articles that should have been posted in
          other newsgroups instead. C-specific stuff (comp.lang.c),
          assembly/high-level language stuff (comp.lang.misc) etc.

Very good arguments, so the suggestion will just be allowed to die quietly.

On the other hand, the responses to COMP.SYS.IBM.R6000 were almost all
positive, but most replies suggested .RS6000 instead.  Almost everybody
agreed that this group would have to be created at some point in time, the
only question was whether we should wait a while.

The traffic is not here yet, so I will at least wait until we get our first
machine, before doing anything.  Then you can probably expect a formal call
for discussion from me, unless somebody else posts it first.  Two issues that
need consideration are the name (.r6000 .s6000 .rs6000 - one reply indicated
that RS was offensive somewhere in the world) and the question of moderation.

-frisk
-- 
Fridrik Skulason      University of Iceland  |       
Technical Editor of the Virus Bulletin (UK)  |  Reserved for future expansion
E-Mail: frisk@rhi.hi.is    Fax: 354-1-28801  |