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From: snelson@victor.engr.sgi.com (Scott Nelson)
Newsgroups: alt.ascii-art
Subject: Re: DIS: rec vs alt (Please Read)
Date: 15 May 1994 19:41:25 GMT
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.  Mountain View, CA
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>I know this isn't art, but I wanted to start a proper discussion about the
>creation of rec.arts.ascii (r.a.a) and the differences between it and 
>alt.ascii-art (a.a-a).
    I hate to post this having only read this group for about a month, 
but surely this issue was discussed thoughly both here and in rec.config 
before the call for votes?

>The most obvious difference between r.a.a and a.a-a is in propagation.
[snip]
> 
>The other change from a.a-a to r.a.a will be the introduction of Scarecrow
>as a moderator. As moderator he will be able to cut out any letters that
>he wants to and prevent us from seeing them.
    This also means the speed with which letters are posted will be limited
by the moderator's speed, discussions will become painfully slow.
[snip]
>
>If you really believe that the moderation of r.a.a would stop you
>subscribing to it, vote YES anyway so that everyone who wants the moderated
>group can have it, and then carry on reading a.a-a, it won't be deleted when
>r.a.a gets created.
>
>This is known as a 'win-win' situation and you know it makes sense!
    I personally feel that the benefits are many and the losses few, but 
it's incorrect to say that rec.arts.ascii will be a win-win situation.
it's a big win for rec.arts.ascii, but alt.ascii-art will suffer, consider;
The quality of alt.ascii-art will drop by some amount as talent leaves
to post in rec.arts.ascii (moderated.)  
The moderator's time will be absorbed more and more as he deals with repost 
requests, and requests for specific pictures that exist, he will post 
less and less to alt.ascii-art.
Sites which do not currently carry alt.ascii-art are less likely to carry 
it once rec.arts.ascii comes online, resulting in smaller distribution for 
alt.ascii-art. 
Every other rec group loses a very tiny bit when a new rec group is created.  

    Don't get me wrong, I'm in favor of rec.arts.ascii (I voted YES!)
I'd much rather see an index of what's available, and an automated art 
request facility, but rec.arts.ascii (moderated) is at least as step in
the right direction.
- o ----------------------------------------------------------------- 
 _M_
  O   He has the sureness of self which comes only from inexperience.
 <|>
 / \   Scott Nelson, Patron Saint of Hats (snelson@engr.sgi.com)