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From: chip@t4test.UUCP (Chip Rosenthal)
Newsgroups: net.news.group
Subject: proposal for unix novices' newsgroup
Message-ID: <476@t4test.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 6-Apr-84 14:31:08 EST
Article-I.D.: t4test.476
Posted: Fri Apr  6 14:31:08 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 9-Apr-84 05:31:13 EST
Organization: Intel, Santa Clara, Ca.
Lines: 63

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                          SUMMARY

     A new newsgroup, net.unix-novices, should be creat-
     ed  for the discussion of Unix and Unix related to-
     pics among fairly new Unix users.  Such  discussion
     currently  does  not exist, probably because newco-
     mers do not feel comfortable posting to any of  the
     existing  newsgroups.   Such a newsgroup would cer-
     tainly be an asset to this net.


     I'd like to propose a new  newsgroup.   This  newsgroup
would  be  used for fairly new Unix programmers to ask ques-
tions and exchange ideas.  A possible name  for  this  news-
group  is  "net.unix-novices".  I think that the scope of it
should extend beyond just the Unix operating system and into
areas such as uucp and c as well.

     For the  most  part,  discussions  in  groups  such  as
net.unix  and  net.lang.c  are between people who have had a
fair deal of experience working under Unix.  You don't see a
lot  of  questions from people who haven't become experts in
this.  This is for one of two reasons:

o    Either there are no Unix novices  on  the  network,  or
     they don't care.

o    Unix novices are intimidated when it comes  to  placing
     fairly  simple  questions and requests in a group where
     discussion about a lot of esoteric topics is happening.

     I tend to think that the first case isn't true, and the
reason  we don't see much discussion from novices is because
there isn't a place where they would feel comfortable  post-
ing technical questions.

     This network  provides  an  important  service  to  the
member  sites.  More importantly than the entertainment fac-
tor, I believe it has the great potential to inform and edu-
cate  the users.  A Unix novices' newsgroup would be a great
asset to this aspect of the net.

     Usually a new newsgroup is created because  traffic  in
other  groups merits it.  The net has discovered many a time
that creating a group because it is a "topic which  deserves
conversation"  is  often  a failure.  However, if the second
reason I pointed  out  is  true  (i.e.  intimidation),  then
creating  a Unix novices newsgroup would be a good exception
to this rule.

     I believe that all the pieces are there  which  justify
the  creation of this newsgroup.  My one question is, "Would
it be used?" I would like to get some discussion on the idea
of  such  a newsgroup.  I would ESPECIALLY like to hear from
some "Unix novices".  As a relative newcomer to Unix  (about
six months), I see great potential in this.

-- 
Chip Rosenthal, Intel/Santa Clara
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