REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD)
unmoderated group comp.internet.services.google
This is a formal Request For Discussion (RFD) for the creation of the
unmoderated Usenet newsgroup, comp.internet.services.google.
NEWSGROUPS LINE: comp.internet.services.google
comp.internet.services.google Search, Gmail, Groups, Maps, Picasa
DISCUSSION:
Much of the previous discussion was over the name; while no one name was
truly found to be perfect, comp.internet.services.google is, in this
proponent's opinion, both "good enough" and a good basis for a potential
future hierarchy.
Analyzing all discussion about a *.google.* group in news.groups.proposals
since this was first discussed in June, however, shows the following numbers:
In Favor, Will Read/Post 3
In Favor 3
Unknown/Vaguely Positive 7
Unknown/Vaguely Negative 3
Opposed 1
While these numbers seem positive in favor of "this is a good idea", the
numbers on their own are not promising. However, this proponent suggests
that this is because the previous RFD was crossposted to no non-administrative
newsgroups, so that nobody would be able to express interest. This second
RFD is crossposted to three more groups, and suggestions for places to
post pointers would be greatly appreciated.
RATIONALE: comp.internet.services.google
Google runs many of the Internet's most popular web services, including
Gmail, Youtube, Google News, Google Groups, Picasa, and of course its
primary search engine. The widespread use of Google's applications has
lead to regular discussions in all media about its influence on the world,
especially on Usenet which is closely tied to Google ever since its
acquisition of Dejanews in 2001. However, even with this connection, there
are few newsgroups in which to discuss any of Google's features, let alone
its impact on the rest of the online world.
This proposal aims to address this problem, utilizing an existing hierarchy
to discuss other internet applications (e.g., blogs, wikis, news sites).
CHARTER:
comp.internet.services.google is an unmoderated group dedicated to
discussing Google, both the services it provides and the company itself.
Posters are expected to abide by normal Usenet standards of decorum, and to
ignore articles intended to disrupt the group. The usual suspects are
prohibited (spam, binaries, direct advertising, etc.)
PROCEDURE:
For more information on the newsgroup creation process, please see:
http://www.big-8.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=policies:creation
Those who wish to influence the development of this RFD and its final
resolution should subscribe to news.groups.proposals and participate in the
relevant threads in that newsgroup. This is both a courtesy to groups in
which discussion of creating a new group is off-topic as well as the best
method of making sure that one's comments or criticisms are heard.
All discussion of active proposals should be posted to news.groups.proposals.
To this end, the 'Followup-To' header of this RFD has been set to this group.
If desired by the readership of closely affected groups, the discussion
may be crossposted to those groups, but care must be taken to ensure
that all discussion appears in news.groups.proposals as well.
We urge those who would like to read or post in the proposed newsgroup
to make a comment to that effect in this thread; we ask proponents to
keep a list of such positive posts with the relevant message ID
(e.g., Barney Fife, <4JGdnb60fsMzHA7ZnZ2dnUVZ_rWdn...@sysmatrix.net>).
Such lists of positive feedback for the proposal may constitute good
evidence that the group will be well-used if it is created.
DISTRIBUTION:
This document has been posted to the following newsgroups:
news.announce.newgroups (moderated)
news.groups.proposals (moderated)
alt.comp.google
alt.fan.dejanews
alt.internet.search-engines
PROPONENT:
Tim Skirvin <tskir...@killfile.org>
CHANGE HISTORY:
2007-07-30 Informal Pre-RFD
2007-08-01 1st RFD
2007-08-15 2nd RFD
