Mailing List vs Newsgroup

[Chris Pierce <pierccm@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Originally, I wanted to have a newsgroup created for the discussion of
Harmonicas.  After talking to my Systems Manger (who is the List owner
of the KISSARMY Mailing list along with many others, FYI), we decided
that I would be better off starting a Mailing List, and here are some
of the reasons:

	Creating a Newsgroup is a LONG and DIFFICULT process, taking
MANY months of deliberation and voting.  Also I believe that at least
100 (please correct me if this is wrong) people must vote FOR the
creation of the list.  I was using rec.music.blues as my means for
communication of harp topics, but not many people were responding....
BTW, the process for creating a new newsgroup is now in
news.announce.newgroups.  If someone wants it but doesn't see it from
their site I will mail it to them.

	It IS possible for ANY News Manager of most any site to create
an ALT group, but that just sucks!  Don't get me wrong, there are some
really good ALT groups (like the ALT.GUITAR groups), but MANY sites
will NOT support and carry the ALT groups, so that cuts out a large
group of the harp players in the world that could get to us via
e-mail.

	Another thing is some sites don't support USENET news at ALL. 

	Also, and one of the BIGGEST factors, was that having a
Newsgroup allows ANY 'Joe User' to post ANY obnoxious or irrelevant
letter to the group.  In conjunction with this, major flame wars can
start in the group from people who have nothing to do with the list
and nothing better to do with their lives.  Granted all of this CAN
occur on a mailing list, I feel that it gives a little extra security
against it, because not every jerk who likes to do the above mentioned
things will know the address.


That is most everything that I can think of at the moment AGAINST a
Newsgroup.  Now some good things about a Newsgroup:

	ADVERTISEMENT!!!  People will see it and say "Hey, A news
group for Harmonica, just what I always wanted."  Ok, some people will
say this, most will say "Harmonica???  That's not even a REAL musical
instrument."  BUT it WILL increase the amount of possible desireable 
people with the group of us.

	It will/can cut down on the space which the mail messages take
up in a persons directory.

Hmmm...that's all I can think of for that...


Many Mailing Lists are mirrored to Newsgroups.  If this were to happen
for us, people who didn't want the extra mail messages in their
directory could UNSUB from the List and REGISTER the Newsgroup.  But
this would still allow the rabble-rousers to post to the List/Group.

It is My Belief that the Mailing List is the better way to go than the
Newsgroup.  We can still advertise the List in USENET newsgroups
without having to worry about 'Joe User' posting stupid messages to
the list (not many of them will take the extra effort required to send
a message to a list, whereas posting to the group is relatively
easier).

I realize other people have other opinions, so I think we should
discuss the PRO's and CON's (mine are above) and see what the majority
says.  BTW, if we DO decide to try for a newsgroup I am pretty sure
that we could get one IF everyone on the Mailing list voted YES for it
(that is, everyone that can access USENET news).

Those are my thoughts on the subject, let's here what you all think.

Chris
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Chris Pierce                                  ____________________
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"10 hole diatonic - the poor man's pacifier."