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From: max@arches.uucp (Max Hauser)
Newsgroups: comp.misc,news.groups,news.misc
Subject: Re: IEEE Computer Society news group
Summary: And then again ...
Message-ID: <1897@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu>
Date: 27 Mar 88 17:24:47 GMT
References: <4749@aw.sei.cmu.edu>
Sender: news@pasteur.Berkeley.Edu
Reply-To: max@eros.UUCP (Max Hauser)
Followup-To: news.groups
Organization: UC Berkeley
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In article <4749@aw.sei.cmu.edu> mrb@sei.cmu.edu (Mario Barbacci) writes:
>A few weeks ago I posted a message proposing the creation of a moderated
>group to carry IEEE Computer Society news. ...

>This brings me to my next point. The YES votes are in a majority (see tally,
>below) but there are not enough votes to create the group. I find it
>distressing that the creation of a group to carry news of a computing
>professional society is not receiving the attention it deserves. ...

>There is still time to vote and if you are interested in the welfare of the
>profession you should vote for this initiative. ...


I would not have responded but for these statements. Again with respect
for the sincerity and good intentions of the proponent, the whole reason
we solicit votes and discussion on a proposal is to find OUT how much
"attention it deserves," rather than leaving this up to the proponents
alone to decide, which would certainly give us a lot of groups that 
seemed like great ideas but didn't receive much ultimate following.
(In fact we get plenty of those now).  Once again, a mailing list is a
flexible, positive alternative, requiring no one's approval, and readily
parlayed into a newsgroup if the volume proves out. From the vote totals,
the size of such a mailing list would seem easily manageable.

I should not have to point out that one can be interested in the welfare
of the profession and still legitimately disagree with the proposal. 
Indeed, to paraphrase the final pph above, there is still time to vote and
if you are interested in the welfare of the net you should vote against
this initiative. Note that I've set followup to news.groups, per protocol.

Max Hauser / max@eros.berkeley.edu / ...{!decvax}!ucbvax!eros!max