VOTE: voting continues on comp.unix.wizards

[Ray Dunn]

In referenced article, jfh at rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II) writes:
>there is historical precident for creating groups with little
>regard for the guidelines.

..and thereby lies the crux of the whole problem.

Little regard for the guidelines not only by jfh, but by the inconsistent
Mr.  Lear who posted the call for votes on comp.benchamrks recently, even
though:

>[This posting does not strictly adhere to the guidelines, as the call
> for votes was not timely.-eliot]

and the call for votes on talk.politics.drugs, when:

>[I never received a call for discussion for this group.eliot]

Eliot certainly doesn't allow guidlines to hamper him when it suits him,
but it does seem to suit him as far as JFH is concerned (and I might even
agree with him on that one!).

Now consider the following quote from Eliot:

>Subject: Re: Call for Discussion - talk.politics.ireland
>Message-ID: <Sep.3.14.16.25.1990.20266 at turbo.bio.net>
>
>> Ignoring for a moment the specifics of talk.politics.ireland, the only
>> legitimate reason for the creation of a newsgroup is success according to
>> the guidlines in a properly conducted vote.
>
>The guidelines document exists as a means to an end, and not as an end
>in itself, so it is oversimplistic to argue that a group should exist
>simply because the guidelines say so.
>...
>The USENET ran a lot better for a longer period of time when the
>number and name of groups was controlled by a small group of people,
>so the net certainly existed based on my beliefs on newsgroup
>creation.

It is clear that Eliot is not moderating, but is manipulating the newsgroup
creation process to suit his own beliefs.

John F. Haugh is attempting to do exactly the same thing.

Many other people have also done exactly that over the years (something
sound scientifically fishy here?)

While the guidelines are only guidelines, this will go on indefinitely, and,
probably, perfectly legitimately.

I believe one of two things has to happen to clean up this mess.

Either the guidelines must be converted as soon as possible into RULES, or
preferably, the moderator of news.announce.newgroups must publish
definitively the way that he will interpret the guidlines, and he must
stick to that interpretation consistently, treating them as rules.

Following the latter course would be ideal, it would allow the net to
choose (or retain) a moderator based on his/her stated interpretation of
the guidelines.
-- 
Ray Dunn.                    | UUCP: ray at philmtl.philips.ca
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