Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.modems:1204 news.misc:1113 news.groups:2160
Path: utzoo!lsuc!ncrcan!ontenv!norm
From: norm@ontenv.UUCP (Norman S. Soley)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.modems,news.misc,news.groups
Subject: Re: Telebit Modems (actually prod-support newsgroup)
Message-ID: <356@ontenv.UUCP>
Date: 10 Jan 88 16:02:38 GMT
References: <3101@phri.UUCP> <1499@codas.att.com> <5411@zen.berkeley.edu>
Distribution: na
Organization: Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Toronto
Lines: 43

In article <5411@zen.berkeley.edu>, spp@zabriskie.uucp (Steve Pope) writes:
> Given the "no-commercialization" rules on usenet, starting
> a newsgroup with a specific commercial purpose in mind (telebit product
> support) seems like a notably bad idea.  

Actually no. This issue has been discussed before and there's another
round of talk about it right now in news.groups. The concensus (which 
is also my opinion on the subject) is that "commercialism" is OK 
(brad@looking posted comments which could be quoted here to back this
up) but direct profit from the use of the net is not. That is to say that 
anything Telebit (or any other company using the net for this purpose) 
posts has to be free to any and all (including their competition) and
there is no restiction on their competition doing the same.

USENET is essentially a mutual benefit society, Telebit providing
support on the net makes it easier for telebit owning sites to justify
the phone bills they pay. I also think that the 2 for 1 deal Telebit
offered was a significant contibution to net resources, of course
that's arguable.

> Best to just sneak whatever you can into comp.dcom.modems.

No for one reason, control. Use of comp.dcom.modems for telebit tech
support would be uncontrollable (and generally PO the readers of the
group) a separate newsgoups would allow the net-bosses and those who
pay phone bills to keep an eye on these evil commercial entities :-). 

The same guidelines that apply to all news groups would hold for 
prod-support groups i.e. newsgroups should be of interest to a 
significant portion of the net readership (of course how does one 
define significant?) and have sufficient volume. A separate newsgroup
would allow sites who disagree with this use of the net to choose not 
to carry it. It would allow the cost-per-reader numbers for the group 
to be monitored so they don't get out of hand.

Someone has suggested that an alternative hierarchy be set up for
product support. This too is a good idea. Although some poor sucker
would have to administer it. 
-- 
Norman Soley - Data Communications Analyst - Ontario Ministry of the Environment
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