Call for Votes: Applications hierarchy

[Evan Leibovitch]

This is a call for votes for the creation of a new Usenet hierarchy to deal
with applications, and the first three groups to fill it:

comp.apps.misc
comp.apps.wp.wordperfect
comp.apps.wp.misc

All groups are to be unmoderated.

PURPOSE:

There have been considerable postings about the desire for a proper
place in the Usenet hierarchy in which to place newsgroups devoted to
specific application software packages.

That a certain software package is brain-dead or not cannot be the issue
at all. If there are enough Usenetters around who want to talk about it,
trade tips, and generally provide peer support, there should be a place
on Usenet to provide that forum. If brain-deadness was a criteria for
creating groups, then half of what's in comp.sys and comp.os shouldn't
exist :-). It could be easily argued that the most brain-dead programs
are the ones *most* in need of a Usenet forum!

My proposal is to provide the first groups, to demonstrate the desired
precedent of comp.apps.<category>.<productname>, as well as .misc groups
to take up the slack.

comp.apps.wp.wordperfect	To discuss the word processing products
				of WordPerfect Corporation.

comp.apps.wp.misc		To discuss other word processing software.

comp.apps.misc			To discuss applications not provided for
				elsewhere in the comp.apps hierarchy.

The first specific group proposed is for WordPerfect, because it's been
mentioned specifically in much of the discussions about applications
newsgroups, and because it just happens to be a popular product on both
MS-DOS and UNIX platforms. It's a good example of what should be in an
applications hierarchy.

If there are enough postings/supporters in the misc group(s) for another
product, then its supporters can hold a vote here, to create a new group
in the apps hierarchy using the same <category>.<productname> structure.

HISTORY:

There has already been much discussion about the specific naming scheme
proposed above. This proposal is a combination of majority rule and
consensus among the many messages that were mailed and posted on the
subject during June and December 1990. The last Call for Discussion was
held Jan 14, and generated very little because it's all been discussed
to death already.

PROCEDURE:

The three groups are to be voted on together. I am not interested in
seeing the comp.apps level created without an orderly way of putting
groups underneath it.

Please send your yes or no vote to

apps at telly.on.ca

Please say whether your vote is "yes" or "no" for the hierarchy, in the
subject line of your message. Votes mailed to me personally will be
included but votes which are posted will not be recognized.

Voting will commence on the day this message is posted in
news.announce.newgroups, and end four weeks from that date. I will post
an interim voters' list, which will be the only receipt anyone
will get for their vote.

Thank you.

-- 
 Evan Leibovitch, Sound Software, located in beautiful Brampton, Ontario
       evan at telly.on.ca / uunet!attcan!telly!evan / (416) 452-0504
         Ididntdoit, nobodysawmedoit, youcantproveathing. - Bart