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From: tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff)
Newsgroups: news.groups,comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: CALL FOR VOTES -- comp.sources.reviewed
Keywords: news groups source review
Message-ID: <26034413@bfmny0.BFM.COM>
Date: 3 Mar 91 10:30:16 GMT
References: <1991Feb28.160555.8446@sparky.IMD.Sterling.COM> <1991Mar1.150759.11832@rick.doc.ca> <1991Mar3.035928.28569@sparky.IMD.Sterling.COM>
Reply-To: tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM (Tom Neff)
Followup-To: news.groups
Lines: 23

I think we should call it comp.sources.reinvent-wheel, and require that
each submission

 (a) perform some function we can already do with standard software;

 (b) add enough frivolous bells and whistles to ensure that it will fail
     on lots of platforms;

 (c) be twice the size of the package it "replaces," or a minimum of 25
     parts, whichever is bigger;

 (d) include a vigorous schedule of fifteen-part patches at frequent
     intervals, so that the frivolous bells and whistles can be
     endlessly tinkered with and the set of unsupported platforms
     constantly reshuffled; at least one run of three releases within a
     one-month period is mandatory.

I urge advocates of a new source group to consider this proposal, as it
would provide a well-tailored niche for so many of today's offerings.
Under my scheme, alt.sources and comp.sources.misc would have to get by
with shorter, widely portable programs that actually do something new
and useful.  It would be tough at first, but we'll bear the sacrifice
bravely.