Xref: utzoo comp.sources.d:3166 news.groups:6715
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!edsews!rphroy!pte!car
From: car@pte.UUCP (Chris Rende)
Newsgroups: comp.sources.d,news.groups
Subject: Re: comp.datasets Call For Discussion (was: Re: SAO Part01/49)
Summary: Yes to a DATA newsgroup
Message-ID: <360@pte.UUCP>
Date: 28 Dec 88 16:49:27 GMT
References: <1249@fig.bbn.com> <1280@vsi1.UUCP> <151@cjsa.WA.COM> <15054@genrad.UUCP>
Organization: Precise Technology & Electronics, Warren, MI
Lines: 39

In article <15054@genrad.UUCP>, jpn@genrad.com (John P. Nelson) writes:
> In article <76@sopwith.UUCP> snoopy@sopwith.UUCP (Snoopy) writes:
> >It appears that the number and size of "datasets" posted to the net is
> >growing.  Time to consider a group such as comp.datasets to hold them.
> 
>     Point of order:  What EXACTLY is a "dataset"?  There was a discussion
> recently about starting a group for GIF format graphic pictures:  would
> this group cover these as well as star catalogs?  I mean, these are
> clearly data, and they are large (well, at least in collection).

I think that a group for data postings is a good idea. I'd like to see more
data be posted: Astronomical data, medical, graphics, geographical maps,
census, etc...

What is a dataset? I can just see a month's worth of philosophical flaming
in the wings... :-) Especially if you're talking about LISP stuff... (((:-)))
It would probably be best to describe the desired contents of the group
rather than try to define data in a manner which agrees with all netters.

To start the furnace, here are some thoughts that I have about a comp.data
newsgroup:

- Used to post machine readable information that is NOT program source code.
  [I say "NOT program source code" because we have source code groups and
   because LISP code looks like LISP data.]
- Format can be ASCII or UUENCODED binary.
- Said data should NOT be binary executables. There are groups for this as well.
- Although I'm not quite sure of the posting mechanism, I think that some
  description of the structure of the data should be included with the data.
  This could be source code segments (like .h files), a column by column
  description, or just plain text. [comp.data.d?]
- Said data should be machine independent. I.e., a UUENCODED binary of a
  MSDOS directory is not generally usefull.

car.
-- 
Christopher A. Rende                Multics,DTSS,Shortwave,Scanners,StarTrek
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