Re: [cobalt-users] mjones@xxxxxxxxxxxx

[jens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Jens Kristian Søgaard)]

Dom Latter <d.latter@xxxxxxx> writes:

> There are more drawbacks - 
> - fragmentation of resources

Not if we close the mailinglist at the same time / or setup up a
mailinglist<>newsgroup gateway.

> - not everybody has news access

Huh?

You mean there still is people that only have mail access to the net?

There exists free newsserver that everyone can use (for example the
sunsite.auc.dk newsserver that has a lot of linux newsgroups and also
hosts newsgroups versions of a lot of open source / linux
mailinglists).

> - propagation.  I don't know what the "dreadful 2-3 delay" is,
>   but all else being equal a mailing list is going to be faster
>   and more reliable than netnews

I (and a lot of others) experience a huge delay, when sending messages
to this list. I have earlier examined the headers of my own messages,
when I get them back from the mailinglist. 

I can see that it takes a few minutes for my message to get from my
computer to Cobalt's mailinglist server. But it is somehow stored
there for up to 3 days before being sent out to the list members.

Anyhow using a real newsgroup would be just as fast in general use -
especially if we all use the same newsserver.  

> - spam, supercedes, cancelbots, flame wars, trolls and interminable
>   cross-posted OS-advocacy yawn-fests.

Well, a good community can make these issues disappear. I participate
in a lot of danish newsgroups -- these do not have the problems you
mention.

But again - spammers, OS-advocacy, etc. can also happen on a
mailinglist. Although you there has the ability to throw people out
from the list (but again, how fast is Cobalts' reaction there?)

Maybe a moderated newsgroup could be used, if a regular one wouldn't
suffice. But who wants to be a moderator :-(


-- 
Jens Kristian Søgaard, Mermaid Consulting I/S,
jens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,
http://www.mermaidconsulting.com/