Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!tank!uwvax!umn-d-ub!cvonrabe
From: cvonrabe@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU (Chris von Rabenau)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Too Much Traffic in this group
Summary: suggestion for breakup
Keywords: Traffic, USENET policy
Message-ID: <631@umn-d-ub.D.UMN.EDU>
Date: 21 Dec 88 17:52:45 GMT
References: <6895@spool.cs.wisc.edu> <522@kosman.UUCP>
Distribution: comp
Organization: U. of Minnesota-Duluth, Computer Center
Lines: 42

In article <522@kosman.UUCP>, kevin@kosman.UUCP (Kevin O'Gorman) writes:
> In article <6895@spool.cs.wisc.edu> zeiden@ai.cs.wisc.edu (Matthew Zeidenberg) writes:
> >I like reading this group, but it has too much traffic. It is hard
> >to read the stuff of interest between all the messages asking for
> >advice on what hard disk and/or computer to buy. Therefore
> >I propose that it be split into about 10 groups.
> 
> 
> Yes, yes, yes!!!
> 
> As it is, I usually just look at the Subject lines, sigh, and trash it all
> because I can't take the time to go through 100 or so articles, mostly about
> things I don't understand, and don't need to.  That's the main reason to
> have separate newsgroups in general.  It's also the reason I don't even
> let soc and talk groups on my machine any more.

I agree!  I think there could be three news groups coming from this one.
One asking for recommendations on hardware or software (comp.sys.macware),
another for general program usage information, for those who haven't the
faintest idea what an INIT is (like me) (comp.sys.mac.gen), and one for
those who ask questions about fixing programs and other technical
information that just boggles the minds of those of us who haven't 
a clue to what is being said (comp.sys.mac.tech).

I know that those of you who understand programs can look at someone
like me and say how can you possibly think you understand a program 
without understanding how it works.  Well, I am, quite modestly
speaking, the one that a large majority of people in the department
turn to when they have a problem with a program.  I don't have the 
ability to tell them if there is something amiss with their program,
but I am able to tell them what kind of error they are making using it.
I am a Macintosh user in the sense of the original idea behind the
user-friendliness of the Mac.  I can do astounding things with the
programs and yet I can't do anything (except make HyperTalk stacks)
with out them.  This does not mean that I am totally disinterested
in how things work, but when I am looking for pertainant information
I just get bowled over with all of the articles that mean nothing
to me.

Just my thoughts on an issue that is being talked about.

Chris von Rabenau