CALL FOR DISCUSSION: Reorganization of comp.unix.*

[Chip Salzenberg]

[ Document created: $Date: 90/06/27 14:45:23 $ ]

This article is a call for discussion on a reorganization of
the comp.unix.* hierarchy.  This reorganization will add
various "obvious" missing groups and rename several groups
which have misleading names.

PLEASE EXAMINE THE ENTIRE PROPOSAL BEFORE COMMENTING ON IT.

All discussion regarding this proposal will take place in
news.groups ONLY.  If you post articles elsewhere, I might
read them, but I might not.  Comments intended for me
personally should be sent by E-Mail to <chip at tct.uucp> or
<uunet!pdn!tct!chip>.

+----------+
| PROPOSAL |
+----------+

Create:
  comp.unix.admin           Unix system administration.
  comp.unix.msdos           MS-DOS running under Unix by whatever means.
  comp.unix.large           Unix in the large: mainframes, large networks.
  comp.unix.misc            Discussion of miscellaneous Unix topics.
  comp.unix.shell           Unix shell programming.
  comp.unix.users           Unix from a user's perspective.
  comp.unix.xenix.sco       Xenix versions from the Santa Cruz Operation. [*]

[*] NOTE: If comp.unix.xenix.sco passes, then comp.unix.xenix will be
          renamed to comp.unix.xenix.misc, since its charter will have
          changed to cover only non-SCO versions of Xenix.  I didn't
          want to make two changes based on one vote, but in this case
          I think it's necessary.  Experience teaches that parent
          groups frequently draw inappropriate crossposting from their
          children.  Peer groups are better insulated from each other.

Rename:
 comp.unix.microport -->
  comp.unix.sysv286         Unix System V (not Xenix) on the '286.
 comp.unix.i386 -->
  comp.unix.sysv386         Unix System V (not Xenix) on the '386.
 comp.unix.questions -->
  comp.unix.newusers        Questions from, answers for new users of Unix.

For completeness, here is a list of Unix groups for which NO change is
proposed:

  comp.unix		Discussion of UNIX* features and bugs. (Moderated)
  comp.unix.aix		IBM's version of UNIX.
  comp.unix.aux		The version of UNIX for Apple Macintosh II computers.
  comp.unix.cray	Cray computers and their operating systems.
  comp.unix.ultrix	Discussion about DEC's Ultrix.
  comp.unix.wizards	Discussion of esoteric and obscure Unix issues.

+---------------+
| VOTING METHOD |
+---------------+

I will collect votes on my machine, "tct", which is two
Trailblazer hops away from uunet.

A valid vote will include a "yes", "no" or "abstain" for EACH
proposed change.  Each proposed newsgroup creation or renaming
will stand on its own.  Why?  First, it fits better with the
spirit of the current guidelines.  Second, I don't want the
whole proposal going down the tubes because of one unpopular
change.

I will use a Perl script to tabulate well-formed votes.  I will
examine each vote rejected by the Perl script.  If it is
complete and its meaning is obvious, I will fix it.  Otherwise,
I will reply to the voter with a form message that explains how
to cast a valid vote.

+----------+
| SCHEDULE |
+----------+

  1. Discussion:
     The official discussion period will last 21 days, starting from
     the time this article appears in news.announce.newgroups.  If
     Eliot holds to his normal schedule, that will be from July 2 to
     July 22.

     NOTE:  This proposal has already been discussed for quite some
            time in news.groups.  However, in accord with the
            guidelines, we still need a discussion period of record.

  2. Voting:
     Assuming that the discussion does not cause me to retract
     this proposal, I will issue a Call For Votes soon after
     the discussion ends, perhaps around July 25.  The vote
     will run for 21 days from the time the Call For Votes
     appears in news.announce.newgroups.

     I will post a second Call For Votes, and possibly a list of
     unreachable return addresses, during the voting period.  When
     the vote is over, I will post the final results.

 3.  Waiting Period:
     I will observe the normal waiting period of five days from the
     time that the final results appear in news.announce.newgroups.
     During this time, people may report lost votes and/or impugn
     the fairness of the vote taker.  :-)

 4.  Consummation:
     After the waiting period, I will issue the appropriate control
     messages to create all new groups and/or new names for renamed
     groups.  About one week later, I will re-issue the creation
     control messages, and also issue removal control messages for
     old names of renamed groups.

If all goes as planned, whatever parts of the reorganization that
pass will take effect by the end of August.
-- 
Chip Salzenberg at ComDev/TCT     <chip at tct.uucp>, <uunet!ateng!tct!chip>