Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen
From: davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (Wm E. Davidsen Jr)
Newsgroups: comp.binaries.ibm.pc.d
Subject: Re: ALED goes to the wastebasket here in Iceland
Message-ID: <4090@sixhub.UUCP>
Date: 16 Jun 91 22:31:35 GMT
References: <3245@krafla.rhi.hi.is> <3246@krafla.rhi.hi.is> <1991Jun14.210757.13150@uwasa.fi>
Reply-To: davidsen@sixhub.UUCP (bill davidsen)
Organization: *IX Public Access UNIX, Schenectady NY
Lines: 38

In article <1991Jun14.210757.13150@uwasa.fi> ts@uwasa.fi (Timo Salmi) writes:

| Having looked into so many programs in moderating garbo archives, I
| can corroborate the concept that a significant portion of everything
| is crap.  Yes, seriously.  The number of badly written programs,
| weak or missing documentations, and useless on cryptic user
| interfaces is unbounded.  It is not possible to check everything,
| but I try to have some sort of a quality control on garbo, and not
| accept disgrace-quality programs.  I highly appreciate the work that
| Bill does, but I think that occasionally the c.b.i.p sieve leaks
| noticeably.  

  The pas/fail is done on the basis of whether a program is useful or
entertaining, not based on standards for human interface. If a program
seems useful to a number of readers, as the editor in question, the fact
that it won't handle special characters is regretable, but I don't feel
that I should deprive readers who find it useful of the chance to
evaluate and use it.

  Only about 10% of what goes out stays here in my archives for BBS
access. I apply another standard. There are a lot of readers, and I'm
happy if a few thousand can use any given item. My standards go up
relative to size, too, which is why I waited so many versions and
patches before gcc went out.

| noticeably.  With Bill's workload I understand.  This is an
| observation, certainly not a flame. 

  No offense taken, I get very little positive feedback. If people like
something they show it by being quiet. I try to look at requests here,
but if I get 50 bad reviews on something, out of 90,000 readers or so, I
can live with that. I reject about 25% of everything I get, if you ever
want to see *real* crap.
-- 
bill davidsen - davidsen@sixhub.uucp (uunet!crdgw1!sixhub!davidsen)
    sysop *IX BBS and Public Access UNIX
    moderator of comp.binaries.ibm.pc and 80386 mailing list
"Stupidity, like virtue, is its own reward" -me