Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!ames!mailrus!csd4.milw.wisc.edu!nic.MR.NET!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!ns!logajan
From: logajan@ns.UUCP (John Logajan x3118)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Recommended changes to netiquette
Message-ID: <1084@ns.UUCP>
Date: 23 Jan 89 20:19:52 GMT
Organization: Network Systems Corp. Mpls MN
Lines: 45


Based upon my observations, I recommend the following changes to
net etiquette (netiquette.)

1.) It is presently recommended that answers to questions be routed via
    private posts.

    The effect of this is that crummy answers by un-informed users get
    posted publicly and the gems (what this whole net is about) get sent
    privately.   I see lots of questions that people ask that I also would
    like to see the answer to.  Most net readers are browsers (due to time
    constraints) and would benefit from seeing answers to interesting
    questions.

    While it is true that we risk the reception of multiple similar answers,
    I think such duplication is dwarfed by the volume of other ranting and
    raving.  How can we hope to improve the S/N by attenuating the only thing
    which we have control over (the signal!)

    Therefore I recommend that if you know the answer, and are so motivated
    to enter it, to post it as a follow-up and not as e-mail to the questioner.

2.) The defenders of the Net often post BROADCAST messages of the form:

You are an (----- subtle insult goes here) for carrying on this discussion
in this group.  Please move this discussion to xyzzy group.

    Then they go on to say:

Please post follow-ups to abcdef group.  (or /dev/null if they are in a nasty
mood.)

    Well folks, this is the height of hypocrisy.  You cannot broadcast such
    messages and then expect the recipient to adhere to a higher standard than
    you.  It is insufficient to justify hypocrisy merely because it serves our
    convenience!

    Net Police should first send private request to their identified
    offenders.  And unless they enjoy counter-productive efforts, they ought
    to avoid the scolding, high handed attitude that seems universal in such
    postings.  (Such as I am doing right now :-)

-- 
- John M. Logajan @ Network Systems; 7600 Boone Ave; Brooklyn Park, MN 55428  -
- ...rutgers!umn-cs!ns!logajan / logajan@ns.network.com / john@logajan.mn.org -