Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!haven!adm!smoke!gwyn
From: gwyn@smoke.BRL.MIL (Doug Gwyn)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: Multiple newsgroups
Message-ID: <14143@smoke.BRL.MIL>
Date: 14 Oct 90 03:18:10 GMT
References: <16062.netnews.info-apple@pro-novapple>
Organization: U.S. Army Ballistic Research Laboratory, APG, MD.
Lines: 28

In article <16062.netnews.info-apple@pro-novapple> herwin@pro-novapple.cts.com (Harry Erwin) writes:
>My sons can't find any IIGS software in the local stores anymore, so
>the concept of a combined //ecIIgs users group makes sense--because
>all that is supported any longer is the //ec side...

It seems to vary substantially with the store and with the location.
Local Electronics Boutique stores have drastically reduced their Apple II
software stock and tend not to have a separate IIGS section, nor stock
IIGS versions when 8-bit versions are available, nor have very up-to-date
stock.  Local Babbage's tend to have a larger 8-bit Apple II section than
IIGS section, and also don't have very up-to-date IIGS stock.  WaldenSoft
tends to have similar-sized 8-bit and IIGS sections, with a sparse
selection of recent releases.  Egghead had a IIGS section as large as the
8-bit Apple II section, with all the new games that I was looking for in
stock.

Thus, despite the fairly poor showing the Apple II family is making in
local software stores, I don't see that the IIGS is generally considered
passe'.  In fact, in the last month or so there have been more new games
released for the IIGS than I recall seeing over the previous past year.

The main argument against splitting the lists is that it doesn't work.
What advocates of splitting really want is for every message to be one
that they have an interest in.  Since IIGS users also have an interest
in 8-bit Apple topics, they are likely to continue to discuss those in
any new "IIGS-only" newsgroup, so even 8-bit Apple II owners would still
want to scan the IIGS newsgroup, and vice-versa.  All that splitting
would accomplish would be to increase the administrative hassles.