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From: root@conexch.UUCP (Larry Dighera)
Newsgroups: news.admin,news.software.b
Subject: Usenet is not a BBS (Was: Re: Results of "moderation poll" (LONG))
Summary: Usenet is a publication medium not a Electronic Bulletin Board
Message-ID: <6627@conexch.UUCP>
Date: 8 Aug 88 16:18:37 GMT
References: <401@mace.cc.purdue.edu>
Reply-To: root@conexch.UUCP (Larry Dighera)
Organization: The Consultants' Exchange, Orange County, CA.  (714) 842-6348
Lines: 76

In article <401@mace.cc.purdue.edu> rsk@mace.cc.purdue.edu (Rich Kulawiec) writes:
[Much useful information deleted to focus on the real problem]
>the percentage of useful postings is way down.
>
>6. Unmoderated groups suffer from several problems; here are a few.
>
>1. Inappropriately posted articles (including excessive cross-posting)
>2. Numerous replies to simple questions (which should have been mailed)
>3. Excessively-quoting followups (sometimes bypassing 2.11's checks)
>4. Public airing of private squabbles (e.g. flames)
>5. Test (and similar) articles from novice users
>6. Articles with questions that have been asked zillions of times (and
>       answered) and could be dealt with in a single letter.
>7. Signatures longer than articles (sometimes bypassing 2.11's checks)
>8. Article skew (see above).  [ This is curable with smart news-reading
>       software, but only if the whole discussion is read after it
>       completely arrives. ]
>
>These problems were once not problems at all; they were isolated incidents.
>Now they're almost the norm, as a random sampling of nearly any group
>quickly reveals...and they're getting worse, despite the best efforts
>of some to alleviate them through (a) education and (b) software.
>

Usenet was originally conceived as a medium for the electronic publication
of _articles_ (imagine an electronic newspaper or magazine).  Because, 
this medium possesses the facility for feedback from its readers, discussion 
and announcement newsgroups also exist.  

It is my feeling that the difficulties that usenet is experiencing at this
time are due to novice usenet users not being _required_ to learn the "rules"
of this unique medium before they are being permitted post to it.

        These novice users fall into two _main_ categories: those who 
        gain access solely by virtue of their being college students, and 
        those who are familiar with BBSs and think that usenet is 
        just an extension of that sort of mentality (which it is not).
        The average user that represents either of these groups has 
        little desire to compose an article for publication, but would 
        rather just react to what is published, or "test the waters" to
        see if s/he can stimulate a response to their posting.  This is
        natural if they haven't been enlightened about what usenet is.

The news reading programs are inadequate in prompting and prodding usenet
posters into conforming with the premise of usenet.  This is finally being
addressed in current discussions of proposed updates to the news software.

        Default distributions for each newsgroup, the necessity to
        manually enter the newsgroups when crosposting a follow-up,
        questioning the poster whether an e-mail reply wouldn't be
        more appropriate than a follow-up article, as well as the
        necessity for more new material than quoted, and .signature 
        conformance are examples of the type of prodding posters need.

        Personally, I would also like to see a mandatory one month 
        probation period, for observing how usenet functions, enforced 
        before novice users are allowed to post to the net.  It would 
        also be prudent to assure that potential usenet posters have 
        indeed read the new-user articles which describe the proper 
        etiquette by requiring them to pass a short electronic-quiz 
        before the posting program becomes functional for them.

Usenet is a unique medium.  It isn't a Bullition Board.  In order to see
that it doesn't become one, it is mandatory that posters understand how
it is different _before_ they are allowed to post to it, and that they be 
cajoled and prodded into respecting its etiquette.  Many of the problems
currently plaguing usenet are a result of the users not being adequately
informed of what is expected of them.

Larry Dighera

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