Xref: utzoo bit.admin:74 news.groups:28400 comp.windows.ms:9869 Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!att!linac!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!psuvax1!psuvm!auvm!jim From: JIM@auvm.auvm.edu (Jim McIntosh) Newsgroups: bit.admin,news.groups,comp.windows.ms Subject: Re: Gateway for bit.listserv.win3-l Operational Message-ID: <91063.082516JIM@auvm.auvm.edu> Date: 4 Mar 91 13:25:16 GMT References: <91050.202313DOUG@ysub.ysu.edu> <4072@stl.stc.co.uk> Organization: The American University - University Computing Center Lines: 60 In article <4072@stl.stc.co.uk>, dww@stl.stc.co.uk (David Wright) says: >In the referenced article DOUG@ysub.ysu.edu (Doug Sewell) writes: >#In article <91050.181303JIM@auvm.auvm.edu>, Jim McIntosh >#says: >#>A gateway has been established at AUVM.BITNET to connect WIN3-L@UICVM >#>with a new NETNEWS list bit.listserv.win3-l. ># >#Any particular reason to gateway it as a bit. group, rather than to >#comp.windows.ms ? > >I was thinking the same thing. We have hundreds of 'main net' groups, >and loads of bit.listserv ones, and quite a few overlap. That's a problem >for users who don't have the time to read every single newsgroup (i.e. all >users). However there may be historic reasons which prevent the overlaps >being fixed. > >Here we have a new gateway with no history. Couldn't we have discussed >whether it should have been to the existing windows news group? I'm sorry. I've been away at SHARE all week and missed this ongoing discussion. I took the initiative to get the mailing list added to the NETNEWS distribution as bit.listserv.win3-l. The WIN3-L list has a fairly high volume, and the listowner indicated that he is receiving complaints about the number of messages on the current list without it being in NETNEWS. He indicated that WIN3-L could be added to NETNEWS as bit.listserv.win3-l, but NOT gatewayed to comp.windows.ms. The primary reason was to not significantly increase the traffic on WIN3-L. I tried to explain that gatewaying the groups would provide his subscribers with a larger pool of people to answer their questions, provide a larger group of windows experts, etc., but the mail volume was his primary concern. Since a number of local NETNEWS servers were already subscribed to WIN3-L, and since the NETNEWS interface is a much better one for a high traffic list like this, I went ahead and created bit.listserv.win3-l even though it created two groups with the same basic purpose. >Please don't tell me that the BITNET people don't have to discuss bit. >groups with the main net - I know that. But here's a case where some >discussion would be a good idea. No, you are right. I should have stated more clearly the reasons for creating this group, and even asked for suggestions about how to proceed. >So - could the list gateway to comp.windows.ms? Should it? >The benefit could be better interchange of information about MS Windows. >What are the problems, if any? Right now, the list owner. The NETNEWS guidelines state that the LISTSERV list subscribers and the list owner must agree to the gateway. In this case the list owner would only allow the gateway as a stand alone group. When I polled the list prior to establishing the gateway, I did receive some mail from people who wanted the list gatewayed to comp.windows.ms. Perhaps, in the future, the list owner will change his mind. --- Jim McIntosh (jim@auvm.auvm.edu) The American University Washington DC 20016-8019 USA