Re: Proposed group addition

[SiFan <sifan@swbell.net>]

Brian Hyer writes ...
> 
> OK, then. Let's have a little vote-a-thon amongst ourselves. The questions
> before the readership are as follows:
> 
> 1. In your opinion only, does the current traffic on Usenet support the
> creation of a non-Macintosh, non-Apple-II newsgroup within the comp.sys.*
> hierarchy?
> 

     Evidently, you are talking about a group for old Macs, Apple III, and Lisa.

     Would such a mixed platform group attract much participation? Maybe not anything
like Csa2; but, probably more than some other current comp.sys.* groups. 



> 2. Would you subscribe to such a group and use it?

     Might subscribe but doubt that I would participate much.


> If the majority of people
> for whom the group would be a benefit won't use such a group regularly, it's
> a waste of resources to try and get it created. There's a lot of work
> involved in creating a high-level Usenet group.
>

     Much of the expertise in the assorted oldie systems mentioned-- and, possibly,
most of the owners-- will be found among current Apple II users. (Which, of course,
is why the proposal is being discussed here.) 

     There may be an easier way to create the group which also retains a connection
to Apple II users.

     Rather than propose a new group, why not rename an existing group within the
Csa2 hierarchy?



> 3. What is your proposed name for such a group? So far I've seen:
> 
> comp.sys.apple.discontinued
> comp.sys.apple.legacy
> comp.sys.apple.non-macintosh (my own contribution)
> 
> Like one? Hate one? Got an idea of your own? Let's hear it.
>

     Suppose we take comp.sys.apple2.comm and vote to rename it to, say, ...

comp.sys.apple2.othersys (Csa2o).



> 4. Any comments/thoughts on the whole process?
 ....

     Renaming a group within an active established hierarchy should be a good deal
easier than establishing a new, separate group.

     There are other advantages to renaming comp.sys.apple2.comm:

o- Apple II communications discussions and Q&A moved to Csa2 years ago. Csa2c is
largely ignored at present and changing its mission would not harm Apple II users.

o- Locating the new oldie mixed system group within the Csa2 hierarchy puts it where
most of the expertise is and where most owners of such systems are likely to look for
help.

o- Locating the new oldie mixed system group within the Csa2 hierarchy and retaining
"Csa2"x naming helps to assure support for the name change and support for the new
group among Csa2 members.


     As part of the renaming, there would be an opportunity to rewrite the group's
charter. So, we would have a new group dealing with A3, Lisa, and oldie Macs. 

     Someone interested in non-A2 oldie machines could start a FAQs for the group and
submit it for distribution via news.answers. The Csa2 FAQs would include links to
steer oldie Mac, etc. users to the new group and to the new group's FAQs.



Rubywand