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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!rlgvax!cvl!umcp-cs!fred
From: fred@umcp-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.news.group
Subject: Temporary newsgroups
Message-ID: <3696@umcp-cs.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 9-Nov-83 14:51:00 EST
Article-I.D.: umcp-cs.3696
Posted: Wed Nov  9 14:51:00 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Nov-83 04:15:05 EST
Organization: Univ. of Maryland, Computer Science Dept.
Lines: 24

This is just a random thought, but I think it's worth discussing.
I propose an alternate policy on when to form a new newsgroup.
Suppose we either create a new newsgroup called  ``net.temp'', or
use the existing ``net.misc'' for this purpose. Whenever a discussion
in an existing newsgroup spins off some sub-topic, and all the
non-participants in the new discussion start flaming about their
newsgroup being cluttered with articles about <whatnot>, we could
create a temporary newsgroup under ``net.temp.<whatnot>''. The
criteria for the creation of the temporary newsgroup could be a
simple:  three or more persons at different sites are in favor of
it. It would be assumed that the new newsgroup would be deleted as
soon as the discussion died out; say: no articles submitted for a
week. If the discussion is still going strong after a month, this
could be taken as justification for the creation of the permanent
newsgroup ``net.<whatnot>''. This would 1) provide a home for
transient discussions, and 2) allow for a more formal standard for
deciding when to create a new newsgroup, as opposed to the current
``Well, there SEEMS to be enough interest.'' method.

Comments? Flames?

					Fred Blonder
					harpo!seismo!umcp-cs!fred