2nd RFD: remove comp.virus moderated (LAST CALL FOR COMMENTS)
The Big-8 Management Board
remove comp.virus
This is a formal Request For Discussion (RFD) to remove the moderated
newsgroup comp.virus.
PROCEDURE:
The B8MB plans to begin voting on this proposal after five days. Please
offer any final discussion or comments before the end of this waiting
period. Voting may take up to one week (7 days); a result will be posted
following the end of the voting period.
All discussion of this proposal should be posted to news.groups.proposals.
The full group removal procedure is documented here:
http://www.big-8.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=policies:rmgroup
SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION:
Yves Bellefeuille suggested that a call for a new moderator be issued,
stating, "[w]hen the moderator was moderating, the group was active
and useful."
Others suggested the possibility of a new group, perhaps with a
broader focus than comp.virus, in either the comp.security.* or
comp.software.* hierarchy.
When asked, the current moderator of the group (Nick FitzGerald) said:
My very strong preference is just to declare the group "dead" and
remove it.
If there is really any interest in a group dealing with what would
previously have been on-topic messages to comp.virus, those clamouring
for it can propose it through the normal processes (and maybe better
locate it in the comp.security tree).
He has also indicated his belief that the time for the newsgroup as a place
for discussion by and among anti-virus "industry insiders" had passed, and
that a group at this time would mostly receive submissions from individuals
interested in anti-virus protection for their own computers, or from less
well-informed, but opinionated individuals. Vendors of anti-virus software
have developed their own support channels, including discussion forums.
He has continued to monitor the submission address, and has received
_no_ valid submission for several years.
It should be noted that it is almost 10 years since the primary period
of regular activity (there was a short-lived 3-month revival 8-1/2
years ago with much lighter traffic). The virus-l listserv that was
gated to the newsgroup no longer exists. Any particular value in
using an existing newsgroup has likely dissipated.
RATIONALE: remove comp.virus
The last approved article was in June 1999. There had been previous
interruptions from August 1997 to March 1999, and September 1995 to
January 1996. The virus-l listserv which was gated to the newsgroup
no longer appears to be in existence.
A Moderator Vacancy Investigation (MVI) was held in October 2004. At
that time, the last moderator of the newsgroup/listserv, Nick
Fitzgerald, voiced his opposition to conversion of comp.virus to an
unmoderated newsgroup, or to robomoderation.
When asked whether his comments should be interpreted as a
recommendation for removal of the newsgroup, he replied:
It is my feeling that the newsgroup really has no significant
purpose any longer, but given its history I would also not like to
see it "taken over" or re-implemented as something "less" than it
once was.
Brian Edmonds said that he had contacted the moderators a couple of
years earlier (2002?) and they had indicated that at that time they
"had imminent plans to revive the gated list, and thus the group, but
that apparently went nowhere."
HISTORY:
The newsgroup comp.virus was created in May 1989 as a gateway for the
virus-l mailing list (which had been created in April 1988). It had
roughly 5 to 10 articles per day until it was first interrupted in
September 1995. After being restarted in January 1996, traffic
increased to over 10 articles per day until the group was again
interrupted in August 1997. There was a one day burst in October
1997. There was a final attempt at revival From March 1999 to June
1999, with under 2 articles per day.
There was a Moderator Vacancy Investigation in October 2004 (see
above), which did not come to a conclusion, and left the newsgroup in
its inactive state.
DISTRIBUTION:
This document has been posted to the following newsgroups:
news.announce.newgroups
news.groups.proposals
comp.virus
alt.comp.virus
CHARTER:
The newsgroup line is:
comp.virus Computer viruses & security.
The charter (extracted from the RFD):
This newsgroup will be devoted to the discussion of computer viruses.
Topics shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, virus
protection software, reports of new viruses, and behavior of viruses.
This group will not be specific to any machine or class of machines.
However, it is anticipated that the focus will be on microcomputers.
PROPONENT:
Jim Riley <jim...@pipeline.com>
CHANGE HISTORY:
2007-05-03 1st RFD
2007-06-13 2nd RFD/Last Call For Comments