Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site cbosgd.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhuxl!cbosgd!mark
From: mark@cbosgd.UUCP (Mark Horton)
Newsgroups: net.news.adm
Subject: Re: This bothers me a bit, so...
Message-ID: <759@cbosgd.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 26-Dec-83 12:41:11 EST
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.759
Posted: Mon Dec 26 12:41:11 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 27-Dec-83 04:15:38 EST
References: <252@cae780.UUCP>, <420@bbncca.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus
Lines: 27

This discussion comes up every once in a while.  The conclusion is
generally the following:

(1) net.test is there because people sometimes have a legitimate need
    to post to net.something as a test.  If we nuked net.test, people
    would start posting their test messages to net.general.  (This
    has happened before.)  net.test gives people a place to post test
    messages to so that humans (who are annoyed at reading them) can
    unsubscribe.
(2) The extra traffic generated by net.test currently is insignificant.
    I suspect that there has been more traffic flaming one way or
    another about the subject than there has been making up test
    messages.  Even if you cut out all test messages, you would not
    reduce the phone bills by any measurable amount.
(3) Of the messages posted to net.test currently, most of them probably
    could have been posted to a smaller group, like "test" or "to.foo"
    or "cb.test".  People do misuse net.test.  In fact, the current
    policy is that all messages to net.test are supposed to have a body
    explaining why a smaller newsgroup was not used.  Obviously some
    people on the net cannot read.
(4) There are now apparently two places on the net that send automatic
    mail to people who post to net.test.  This is plenty - assuming the
    messages are benign (and it sounds like they both are) and try to
    be helpful rather than berating, this is a useful service which
    reminds people of the rules and points out a better way.

    Mark Horton