Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!udel!mmdf
From: wjb%cogsci.COG.JHU.EDU@vm1.nodak.edu
Newsgroups: comp.os.minix
Subject: Re: comp.os.minix split up
Message-ID: <50356@nigel.ee.udel.edu>
Date: 11 Apr 91 03:16:03 GMT
Sender: mmdf@ee.udel.edu
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Vincent Broman wrote:
>As another archive maintainer, my comment is similar:
>splitting up the group would not make my job any easier,
>particularly because there is no mechanism for enforcing
>posting to the "right" group,  also because I archive
>discussions as well as packages of code.

	Well, AST has said that he won't post to a moderated source code so
you're right.  There won't be any mechanism to force people to do the right
thing. (other then peer pressure.)  I am of the opinion that in the Minix
community that will be a strong force, but only time would tell.

	As someone who has used the Minix archive sites in the past, just
having that one extra bit of information ("code related") would have made it
much easier to determine if some program was available and where to find it.
Some of the sites archive sources in separate directories.  This is usually
done by the person who runs the archive site.  In some (many?) cases, those
files never even came through the mailing list.  (I believe Bruce Evan's bcc
compilers would be an example.)  They usually don't have every piece of code
that came through the mailing list because this would require the archive
administrator to manually do the segregation.  Other sites store every
article from the mailing list.  This means that messages about why you can't
do something are mixed in with messages about how to do it and speculations
about why somebody would want to do it.  By having a "code" newsgroup, I
hope in some sense to turn the latter type of archive site into the former
type, WITH LITTLE OR NO ADDITIONAL WORK FOR THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THAT SITE.

	I'm basing this hope on the goodwill of the posters to correctly
identify their postings and the willingness of the administrators of the
current list archive sites to make the necessary changes to the way that they
run their site.  I can't prove that the former exists.  All I can look at is
the willingness of the Minix community in the past to help one another.  As
to the administrators, so far they seem to feel there is little benefit to
segregating code or that it won't work.  I don't understand the first
reason.  The only thing I can think of is that those administrators have
never really had to USE their archives?  They are already very familiar with
Minix and what is available.  The second is possible.  It would result from
either people being unwilling to post to the appropriate group or from new
subscribers who are not yet aware of the difference.  New subscribers are
more likely to post to "comp.os.minix" then "comp.os.minix.sources" and
their postings will usually belong in that group anyway.  If there are
posters out there who are going to deliberately make the newsgroup split not
work, please step forward now so we can avoid all of this hassle.

				Bill Bogstad

P.S.  This could almost be accomplished by having everyone who posts code
put a "CODE" keyword in the subject line of their messages.  If it really
looks like splitting the group/list is too much trouble can we at least try
to do this?  My problem with this is that there is no protection from a new
subscriber who blindly replies/followsup to a "CODE" message and uses the
same subject line.  Sending to a separate group or mail address takes a
little more thought/knowledge.