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From: Roy_Roper@QMS1.life.uiuc.edu
Newsgroups: bionet.general
Subject: Re: RFD:  comp.online moderated
Message-ID: <1991Jun15.142435.2696@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu>
Date: 15 Jun 91 14:24:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: ux1.1991Jun15.142435.2696
References: <-gzh3__@rpi.edu>
Sender: usenet@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (News)
Reply-To: RFD: comp.online moderated
Organization: SOLS Advanced Technologies Group
Lines: 50

In article <-gzh3__@rpi.edu> cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson)
writes:
>I would like to propose the creation of a new newsgroup, COMP.ONLINE
>The purpose of this newsgroup would be to discuss the phenomena of being
>"online" -- what it means to be part of an electronic community.
>
>To my knowledge, there are no newsgroups dealing broadly with this issue.
>Individual newsgroups may deal with the conversations happening locally,
>as in the various muds newsgroups; or the topic may come up spontaneously
>and then die, as it has in comp.society on occasion.  Yet the experience
>of being online is central to what all of us do here:  it deserves some
>special attention.
>
>I suggest putting this new newsgroup in the comp. hierarchy because being
>online is irrevocably tied up with the use of computers and information
>technology.  It could also go in rec. (since we often recreate online)
>or soc. (because we are a social happening) or alt. (where nearly every-
>thing else ends up).  But comp. feels right to me.
>
>I propose further that this newsgroup be moderated.  I offer to do the
>moderation, at least initially.  I have been a host on USENET (sci.
>virtual-worlds) for nearly a year; before that, I hosted two conferences
>on The WELL and ran a legislative BBS for the California State Assembly.
>My credentials are in order.
>
>Please let the online crowd know what YOU think about this proposal.
>Also, please crosspost this announcement to such other newsgroups as you
>think are appropriate.  After approximately one month of discussion, I
>will call for a vote on creating comp.online
>
>Thanks for your attention and your ideas.
>
>Bob Jacobson
>Moderator, sci.virtual-worlds
>-- 
>Associate Director
>Human Interface Technology Laboratory
>Washington Technology Center
>c/o University of Washington, Seattle
>206-543-5075
>(Employment given for purposes of identification only; the HIT Lab
>hosts only sci.virtual-worlds and has no connection to this proposal.)
>

Bob:
I believe to be a very good idea for a variety of reasons.  One of our main
concerns at the School of Life Sciences at UIUC is with the use of computers as
information windows to the scientific world.

Roy