Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!rutgers!cmcl2!ccnysci!dan
From: dan@ccnysci.UUCP (Dan Schlitt)
Newsgroups: news.admin
Subject: Re: Cabal and news group creation etc.
Keywords: newgroup, vote, control
Message-ID: <1533@ccnysci.UUCP>
Date: 10 Apr 89 14:22:58 GMT
References: <52217@uunet.UU.NET> <1989Apr6.113431.27370@ateng.ateng.com> <28503@apple.Apple.COM>
Reply-To: dan@ccnysci.UUCP (Dan Schlitt)
Organization: City College Of New York
Lines: 39

In article <28503@apple.Apple.COM> chuq@Apple.COM (Chuq Von Rospach) writes:
>>>1) pick some people (at most 5). Any one of them can decide to immediately
>>>	create a group. They can also immediately decide to reject a group.
>>>2) anyone not liking the above choice can vote to override their decision.
>>>3) should there be a conflict [...] immediately nullified and go to 2)
>>
>>Wonderfully simple and workable.  I say yea.
>
>It'll never work. It's simple, straight forward and honest. I'm all for it.
>
Chuq may be right.  But there is something in this discussion that
really worrys me.  I thought that the net grew out of UNIX, that it
was kinda like an ethernet where every thing attached was essentially
a peer.  It seems like we have been taken over by IBM.  The net is
being turned into SNA.  There must be a MASTER.  Someone must be in
CONTROL.  Else the death of the net is upon us.

I fail to be convinced by those who assert that group creation is a
mess.  Chaotic yes, vitrolic at times, but not really a mess.  I
create groups on my machine.  I remove groups on my machine.  I decide
when to expire groups.  Group removal and creation is not automatic.
The request ends up in my mailbox when the control message comes.  The
present system provides the guidance that I need in makeing these
decisions.  It tells me if there is sufficient interest to justify the
creation of the group.  I had absolutely no trouble in deciding what
to do with the recent eniac and doctortoyoubuddy creation messages.

The proposed centralized processes leave me with much less help given
the ease with which control messages and mail can be forged.  The
current hullaballoo connected with group creation provides lots of
redundant information.  (Some people would term it noise.)

Please leave the rules alone.

-- 
Dan Schlitt                        Manager, Science Division Computer Facility
dan@ccnysci                        City College of New York
dan@ccnysci.bitnet                 New York, NY 10031
                                   (212)690-6868