CALL FOR DISCUSSION: comp.apps.*

[Evan Leibovitch]

This is a call for discussion on a Usenet hierarchy dealing with
applications software.

During the failed vote on comp.unix.sco, one of the valid points brought
up was that applications were not unambiguously dealt with in the Usenet
namespace. This proposal is an attempt to deal with that problem.

Specifically, the groups being proposed are (subject to change):

comp.apps.spreadsheet	Spreadsheets
			(1-2-3, Q-Calc, 20/20, Professional)
comp.apps.wordpro	Word processors (as opposed to text formatters)
			(MS-Word, WordPerfect, Lyrix)
comp.apps.comm		Communications packages (as opposed to protocols)
			(Blast, Crosstalk, Kermit)
comp.apps.vertical	Industry-specific implementations of databases
			(SBT, Fourgen)
comp.apps.graphics	End-user graphics software
			(AutoCAD)
comp.apps.office	Integrated office automation tools
			(Uniplex, WP Office, SCO Portfolio)
comp.apps.database	Specific end-user database products
			(Informix, Progress, Oracle, Integra)
comp.apps.misc		Anything that doesn't fit elsewhere

All groups are to be unmoderated.

The intent with comp.apps.db is to remove the questions related to
specific packages out of comp.databases, and allow that group to deal
with more general and theoretical questions. But if there's consensus
that it doesn't need to exist, I'll drop it.

In the discussion to date, most of the reaction has been supportive. One
negative comment has been that the hierarchy should be "comp.unix.apps.*"
instead. Though I certainly won't get religious about it, I believe this
hierarchy belongs in comp.apps.* because:

1) Applications of a common type but on different platforms have more
similarities than differences. Many applications (like Lotus, WordPerfect
and others) are being ported across many different platforms. Though
these packages have some porting-related differences, their look-and-feel
and support issues are identical across different operating systems.

2) There has not yet been enough demonstrated traffic to justify
multiple separate comp.foo.apps.* (or rather, comp.os.foo.apps.*)
hierarchies.

If the comments are not overwhelmingly opposed to this idea, I will issue
a call for votes on this hierarchy early August.

Thank you.

-- 
   _____
  /     \
\/\/     |  Evan Leibovitch
 |  (o)(o)  Sound Software, located in beautiful Brampton, Ontario
 C   .---_) evan at telly.on.ca / uunet!attcan!telly!evan
  | |.___|
  |  \__/   "Son, there's a little Homer Simpson in all of us."
  /_____\