On Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:12:06 -0400, "Lee Michaels"
wrote:


That sound good in theory Tom. But one of the big problems with newsgroups
is that an ancient group of dinosaurs determine if anybody gets to make a
new one. We are basically stuck with what we got.

I worked with a number of individuals to create a new newsgroup once, It was
a descent into hell. You have to "prove" the existence of a "need" of the
new newsgroup. And a poll is taken of present newsgroups with all the
spammers and bozos. They are living in another universe. And do not care
about the present dysfunctionl state of things.

Until which newsgroups can be created and in some fashion filter out the
bozos, there isn't much hope for a viable alternative to the present
situation.




I'd agree that the process is cumbersome but a smurf like Vito Kuhn
went through it and created a newsgroup that nobody participates in.

I think that the point of some of the oldtimers is that newsgroups
were better when you had to be technically competent to even get on
them.

I've talked with guys who think that the whole game went to hell when
we got away from BBS's.

I'm not saying that I agree but I understand their argument.

We often joke about the Cabal here on rec.norm but the real Cabal was
the group of guys who created the architecture of Usenet in its
transition to what we have now.

I'll bet most of the survivors don't even use it anymore.

Talk to a guy who remembers when The Well was a hot item.

I'll bet most of the original group stay in contact with each other
via email.



Regards, Tom.

Thos. J. Watson - Cabinetmaker
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet