Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!bbn!bbn.com!cosell
From: cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d
Subject: Re: How can a moderator take a vacation? (Re: comp.sources.unix)
Message-ID: <32608@bbn.COM>
Date: 22 Nov 88 15:12:18 GMT
References: <184@twwells.uucp> <7681@well.UUCP> <200@twwells.uucp> <1326@mtunb.ATT.COM>
Sender: news@bbn.COM
Reply-To: cosell@BBN.COM (Bernie Cosell)
Organization: Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc., Cambridge MA
Lines: 43

In article <1326@mtunb.ATT.COM> dmt@mtunb.UUCP (Dave Tutelman) writes:
}We need to evaluate
}the relative cost of short UNMODERATED periods of an otherwise
}moderated group.

}ADVANTAGES:
}   -	Programs would be posted shortly after their announcement in
}	related groups.  (I've announced programs in, say, rec.bicycles
}	or comp.sys.ibm.pc, and had to deal with mail for
}	a week or two asking why the reader hadn't seen it yet.)

But you have to deal with this delay even if the moderator is around 
--- the reality is that there is always a variable, generally unpredicatble
by the poster, delay.  When you submit the
program you ought to ask the moderator to give you an estimated time of
publication.  Then delay your public announcement until the sources-date
comes close.

}DISADVANTAGES:
}   -	(Perhaps biggest problem) Programs would probably be posted
}	whose format is in conflict with what's expected by
}	somebody's archiving software.  (Is this fear real?)

Sure is.  Most sources groups these days sequentially number their postings,
collect them into "volumes", index the volumes and have various places that
provide archiving services.  Not to mention that it becomes possible to tell
if something gets bagged enroute (you get #35 and then #37 and you have a
clue that something's gone wrong).

}   -	Without discipline, some discussion will appear in a program group.
}   -	(Unlikely paranoia) Unprincipled posters will take the opportunity
}	to post a trojan horse or virus.  (Only matters in those groups
}	where the moderator does extensive testing.  Do such groups
}	exist?)

I think so... I'm quite sure that the moderators check that the program
compiles (at least on the moderator's system), that it unshars properly, has
a makefile, etc.

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