Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site pur-ee.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!mazina
From: mazina@pur-ee.UUCP (Der Kaiser)
Newsgroups: net.news.group
Subject: A modest proposal
Message-ID: <3261@pur-ee.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Sep-85 18:32:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: pur-ee.3261
Posted: Wed Sep  4 18:32:15 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 7-Sep-85 03:59:49 EDT
Reply-To: mazina@pur-ee.UUCP (Der Kaiser)
Organization: Electrical Engineering Department , Purdue University
Lines: 75

{Hmm, time to shoot my mouth off...}

	I think that by now it is apparent that the net will collapse under
its own weight eventually. It is a simple case of unlimited growth on limited
resources. It has simple causes:

		1) More newsgroups. Not that these newsgroups are bad,
		   or not good, or whatever. Just too many.

		2) More trash. More repetitive, non-germane postings.

There is no easy solution to #1. Judging the relative worth of newsgroups in
a quagmire of bias waiting to spring on the unwary. However, #2 can be solved.
My proposal:

		A monitor for each group.

Now, don't close your minds just yet. I will admit, up front, that I am 
avdocating censorship, a concept I normally dislike. However, if it is a
choice between that or no USENET... I hope you get the picture. 

Now, as to who. I don't know much about the people who really keep the
net going. I do know about a few people: Chuqui (sorry I don't know your
real name), Gene Spafford, & Lauren Weinstein. I have read, I think, most
of the articles these people have posted in net.news, net.news.group, etc, 
etc. After reading them, I would trust them to monitor news. They seem to 
be unbiased and truly interested in the net as a whole. They seem to do
most of the dirty work, and take most of the flak. Why not give them authority
commensurate with their responsibility? Obviously they cannot police the net
themselves, (nor would they probably want to try!), but I would trust any
monitor they appointed. 

As to how. I propose that there should be a monitor appointed by the above
named people, to do the following:

	1) Read ALL the articles posted. (In net.flame, a BIG job)
	2) Mail warnings to inappropriate posters. 
	3) If a poster repeatedly ignores warnings (3 or more?),
	   mail a note to their system site administrator, requesting
	   action.

(By inappropriate postings, I mean: obscene, abusive, wrong group, or 
the articles that are 99% quotes with a 1 line statement following)
Obviously, most people will see sense after a warning or two. There will
hopefully be very few notes to SA's. 

If a poster feels that a warning is undeserved, he can mail a note to 
one of the three mentioned above. As long as everyone is reasonable,
it should work. A little reminder is all most people really need, just
a reminder that there is a bit of order in the anarchy.

Problems with this proposal are legion. 

	1) Chuqi, Loren, or Gene may not like it (I would appreciate
	   input from these people, of course!)

	2) Getting enough people to monitor all the newsgroups.
	   Perhaps getting monitors for the high-volume news
	   groups like net.{flame, politics, singles, women, politics,
	   etc}

	3) Disaffection among the rest of you. I realize that 
	   this can look like a Machiavellian plot to take over the 
	   net. It isn't. I really enjoy the net. I want to see it
	   continue. I don't believe it will exist much longer in
	   anything resembling its present form.

Please consider this with an open mind, and let me know what you think.

					Thomas Ruschak
					pur-ee!mazina

"By the pricking of my thumbs,
 Something wicked this way comes... "
		--- W. Shakespeare