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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!vax135!petsd!moncol!john
From: john@moncol.UUCP (John Ruschmeyer)
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: Re: Meeting people via email/net.singles
Message-ID: <492@moncol.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Aug-85 23:08:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: moncol.492
Posted: Thu Aug 29 23:08:19 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Aug-85 07:41:22 EDT
References: <5557@cbscc.UUCP> <timeinc.291> <595@unc.UUCP> <243@gymble.UUCP> <555@unisoft.UUCP>, <436@azure.UUCPR>
Organization: Monmouth College, West Long Branch, NJ 07764
Lines: 71
Keywords: Mailing-list, $0.02

>In article <555@unisoft.UUCP> tim@unisoft.UUCP (Tim Bessie) writes:
>>>I suggest creation of a new newsgroup to facilitate this....
>>>net.personals
>
>I have two reasons why I would disagree with the creation of such a newsgroup.
>
>1) It tends to promote a "meat-rack" attitude tworads personal relationships.
>
>2) It isn't needed since net.singles provides generally the same facility 
>   (and in a much nicer package I might add).

Instead of net.personals, we should probably begin with a mailing list

			mail.personals

Ideally, initial interaction should be handled by a moderator. People
wishing to place an "advertisement" would mail to this person.
Periodically, the moderator would collect the new "ads" together into a
digest and mail them to all the people on the list. Replies to a ad would
be sent to the moderator who would pass them along to the appropriate
person.

Why a mailing list you may ask? (Go ahead, I'll wait............... Okay?)

	1) The "meat rack" attitude is avoided. A person wishing to
	advertise need not subject himself to the jibes of heartless
	co-workers or fellow netters. Only the moderator knows the
	true identities of *all* the posters.
	
	2) The moderator can "filter" out unsuitable postings. 
	Eventually, any unmoderated group is abused by someone.
	The moderator could prevent obscene or *stupid* postings.
	
	3) I do not know the specifics, but I suspect that even a 
	very active mailing list is less of a burden on the net
	than a full newsgroup.
	
	4) It should be much easier to create a mailing list than
	a newsgroup. There is less need to worry about the people
	who *won't* be interested in the group.


The problems:

	Mainly, the moderator would need to do quite a bit of
	work (probably more than usual).

Net.singles is a great medium for meeting people. Since bringing people
together is not its main purpose, however, it can only do that job so well.
I remember that the first MOTOS I wrote to from net.singles "warned" me in
almost her first note that she was not interested in a net romance as some
netters were, but that she would not mind being a friend. Hopefully,
[mail,net,mod].personals would clear up any confusion before it has a
chance to start.

(I should point out that I am *not* volunteering as moderator. To be frank,
moncol is a small site. I would want to check with my superiors before I
even considered it.)

-- 
Name:		John Ruschmeyer
US Mail:	Monmouth College, W. Long Branch, NJ 07764
Phone:		(201) 222-6600 x366
UUCP:		...!vax135!petsd!moncol!john	...!princeton!moncol!john
						   ...!pesnta!moncol!john
Disclaimer:
	Monmouth College is a mecca for diverse opinions. It is, therefore,
	highly unlikely that the above opinions are those of anyone but me.

Silly quote:
	Son, you're mixing ponderables again...