Re: RFD: comp.object.moderated moderated

[Tim Ottinger <ottinger@oma.com>]

Bertrand Meyer wrote:
> 
> `comp.object.moderated' is a blatant attempt at censoring
> any non-conforming view on object technology. (The censorship
> has already begun with the redirection of replies to a single
> newsgroup that no one reads. Please refuse this and reply to the
> newsgroups where the original was posted, as I am doing -- with
> some difficulty -- here. I can't believe the arrogance of posting
> on a newsgroup and trying to bar others from replying on the same forum!)

Dr. Meyer:

This is the standard, well-published Usenet standard. As a courtesy
to the newsgroups who received the (2nd) RfD, followups are posted to
news.groups, for exactly the reason that it's not used for anything
else. 

It is not a malicious invention of the group who propose and
support comp.object.moderated. It is required, in fact, by the
usenet mentors in their documents on how to create a newsgroup.
As such, it was considered common knowledge among netizens, but
here we see that maybe the procedure is not so well-known.

I suggest that you and all others who are concerned about this
practice take a look at the FAQs at 
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/by-newsgroup/news/news.groups.html
particularly:
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/creating-newsgroups/part1/

Where there are links to find the information about how to
format and post newsgroup RFDs. 

There are rules. By adhering to these rules, we are not 
performing any dispicable personal acts. You are free to
dislike the rules, and to post against them. But you should
attribute the rules to the usenet ruling bodies for whatever
purposes they have, not to the adherents of the rules who
are just trying to get a newsgroup created.

Please also consider:
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/usenet/mod/manifesto/


> To the authors of this proposal: if you really want to have an O-O
> group tailored to your own view, you are entitled to creating it
> but you are NOT entitled to the name comp.object. Start your own
> Web-archived mailing list, or a newsgroup with a less portentous name.

Consider the FAQ on newsgroup names. We're within the rules of
the Usenet ruling body.

Creating a newsgroup is a bureaucratic process with reasonable 
rules, and not an effort by some upstart to usurp whatever 
standards of courtesy you feel should instead apply.

I respect your work. I'm sorry you weren't aware of the 
standard process for moderation, and that you've misinterpreted
it to be a vicious and personal and sneak operation.

I still respect your work. 

tim