> there were only 61 messages in the my VNC group. The times they are a-changin'... The VNC newsgroup idea is now 'out of the bottle' - and I don't see it now having 'the cork put back in'. I suspect that a newsgroup will be used by a majority of VNC users (and I shamelessly include myself). However, I also have no doubt that such a newsgroup will be 'bad news' for this list as it stands. I see two alternative routes, roughly speaking, which can transpire when a VNC newsgroup is formed: 1) the newsgroup and list will function as independent entities (though, of course, there will be some who cross-post); 2) the newsgroup and list will 'mirror' each other; In both cases the impact on the list (and those who rely on it) will be quite detrimental! Here's why: In case (1) the majority of users will 'transfer' to the newsgroup, no longer subscribing to the list. There will be a number who will, for whatever reason, remain on the list. However, the traffic to the list will most likely decrease, and I have no doubt that the all-round value of the list will decrease correspondingly. I think the subsequent "fragmenting of the VNC community" (as someone described it) is not an acceptable scenario at all... Since I have no doubt that a newsgroup will increase the audience and popularity of VNC quite substantially, the number of messages posted to it will increase steadily. In case (2) all of these messages will be mirrored on the list... and end up in your mailbox! You won't be sorting through 61 e-mails - more like 661... This will lead to the e-mail list postings becoming very difficult to manage, which will in turn lead to decreased usefulness for those who remain solely on the list. (And I'm not just talking about traffic - speaking personally, I have e-mail from a quite number of lists, and when I look through them all I have to decide as quickly as I can which are worth replying to straight away, which to leave a few hours, which to leave for a few days, which to archive for future reference, and which to delete. Any little help - and I often find the subject by itself is not sufficient - would be useful - even if it is worthless to most!) a few days, which to archive for future reference, and which to delete. Any little help - and I often find the subject by itself is not sufficient - would be useful - even if it is worthless to most!) It's time to stop arguing about the merits of a VNC newsgroup - there are none as far as the nature of this e-mail list is concerned. Instead it's time to figure out what radical changes need to be made to this list so it can carry on in a way that is useful for those who do have to remain here. I think there have been some reasonable starting suggestions in the last few hours - I really do hope that they can be compiled and turned into something... Adrian Umpleby --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send a message with the line: unsubscribe vnc-list to [EMAIL PROTECTED] See also: http://www.uk.research.att.com/vnc/intouch.html ---------------------------------------------------------------------
