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From: bzs@bu-cs.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,comp.sys.mac,comp.sys.m68k,comp.sys.misc,news.groups
Subject: Re: Mac vs. Amiga (Generic comment)
Message-ID: <4031@bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Date: Mon, 9-Feb-87 12:26:37 EST
Article-I.D.: bu-cs.4031
Posted: Mon Feb  9 12:26:37 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 10-Feb-87 07:08:18 EST
Organization: Boston U. Comp. Sci.
Lines: 32
Xref: watmath comp.sys.amiga:2004 comp.sys.mac:1230 comp.sys.m68k:237 comp.sys.misc:335 news.groups:333


Several years ago I remember a very popular INFO node (for Emacs/Info)
was the TERMS topic which was a comparison of dozens of terminals, in
those days the discussions comparing terminals were at least as heated
as these micro discussions (who remembers what N-key roll-over means?)

I suggest that these flame wars are not idiocy but reveal a real and
serious need of the technical community; to choose between various
products.

The problem right now is that it's high volume with little direction
or organization, although some of the comments are obviously important
even they are being buried and lost in the noise. It does seem to
somehow fit the criteria for a new group (high volume, technical
content, appearing undirected in other groups causing complaints etc.)

I think what is sorely needed is a moderated group with a highly
motivated moderator who could glean the comments with the goal of
producing summary comparisons by users of various products which could
then somehow be retrieved at a later date by interested individuals,
like a source archive. I'm not sure how it should be organized, that
would be the moderator's job (anything would be better than this.)

Any volunteers for a moderator? Or are we doomed to just see these
comparison wars break out with little utility in random groups
forever? (I *don't* volunteer, I don't really use micros much and
don't have the time.)

As a rallying cry I suggest 'comp.reviews' with the possibility of later
forming sub-groups if needed (comp.reviews.68k or whatever.)

	-Barry Shein, Boston University