On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 19:21:42 +0100, "John Briggs"
wrote:

PG wrote:
snip
I am a potential user, and you say the uk. hierarchy is for potential
users. I am entitled to a vote, on request. Are you seriously suggested
that all those potential voters who agree with you should, and those who
don't, shouldn't?


Actually, I had no intention of taking part in a vote, but if you are
determined to vote against it, I would feel compelled to vote in favour.


Why?

Just because *you* think his reasons are invalid? You are, of course,
wrong about that. His reasons are as valid as any are likely to be.
More so than most.

In general, the *only* reasons which are considered *valid* for voting
against new newsgroups is the effect they will have on the rest of
usenet.

Although of course, there is absolutely no enforcement of that (how
could there be?), and people vote against for all sorts of reasons.


You have yet to explain why my reasons are invalid. I have a reasonably
in-depth knowledge of the workings of rsre, the regular contributors, the
traffic. Do you? It is my considered opinion that the potential dilution
could be bad for both groups, which will likely be covering identical
ground. I and others have explained why. That is perfectly valid
argumentation.


You don't seem to have thought this through. If your existing users are not
interested in using the new group, all they need to do is not vote. The new
group will fail to be created for lack of support. If it is created and
there are still insufficient new posters it will still fail. If it thrives,
that will be justification for its creation. If the new group thrives at
the expense of rsre, that will still justify its creation, but show that
rsre was already on the borderline. Both groups failing is an unlikely
scenario.


That is your opinion, and you are entitled to it.

But I think it is actually a quite likely scenario. Not the most
likely, which is that the uk group will never attract enough traffic
to be viable, while rsre is only reduced slightly. But probably the
second most likely scenario.

There will undoubtedly be some people who would otherwise have gone to
RSRE who will now go to the new uk group. I don't think that will be
many, and probably will not be enough to cause rsre to fail, but it
may well be enough to significantly reduce the usefulness of rsre.


Oh, and rsre is an excellent forum, if a little quiet during the summer
months (despite my efforts on the green stuff). Unlike some who have
suddenly taken an interest in this thread, I and most others who
contribute regularly to this forum actually practice the sport.


I see - and that is a pre-requisite for voting against the creation of
another forum?

Before voicing opinions at length, a little knowledge about the subject
does help, yes. Particularly as one of the main arguments against is
duplication, with two ngs potentially covering identical ground.


That is valid for two groups in the same hierarchy, but not for groups in
different hierarchies.

It is valid when so much of the potential readership is the same,
regardless of th fact that the hierarchies are different.

And most of the potential audience *is* the same. rsre is supposedly
multi-language, but in practice is almost entirely English-language.
Which means mostly people living in the UK, or ex-pats.

--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
Never trust a computer you can't lift. - Stan Masor

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