Date:	Sun, 2 Mar 1997 15:40:01 -0500
Message-Id:	<199703022040.PAA22429@delorie.com>
From:	DJ Delorie <dj AT delorie DOT com>
To:	djgpp AT delorie DOT com
Subject:	c.o.m.djgpp retro-moderated?

Is anyone interested in discussing the idea of switching the
comp.os.msdos.djgpp newsgroup from "unmoderated" to "retro-moderated"
status?  Basically, this means that the retro-moderators (chosen by
the group) would have the authority to cancel any post for any reason
if they feel that such posts are not in line with the group's charter
(or if they just feel like it).

While the c.o.m.djgpp newsgroup (and corresponding mailing list) has a
fairly high quality, There have been a number of lengthy off-topic
threads (below) that I personally feel should not have happened on
this forum.  Switching to retro-moderated would have allowed someone
to simply cancel those posts, or re-posted them on the appropriate
group, effectively terminating the thread.

As for the usual censorship argument, let me remind you all that
moderation and retro-moderation don't stop posts, they only stop posts
in the wrong groups.

DJ

Examples:

* FreeWin32 - this quickly degraded into a pissing match between Win95
and Linux, and was heavily cross-posted.

* Spam and anti-spam.  'Nuff said.

* Getting Quake sources.  These belonged in the quake newsgroups.

* GCC optimizations.  There are gcc groups for this (in fact, the
charter explicitly prohibits these already!)

* Editor wars.  Unless you're porting an editor to djgpp, it doesn't
belong here.

* Game programming.  Unless you're talking about a djgpp toolkit or
techniques that are specific to djgpp, it belongs in a game
programming newsgroup.

* Linux programming.  These belong in the linux groups.

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