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[brian@ucsd.edu (Brian Kantor): USENET characterized]

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Subject: USENET characterized

From: csu@alembic.acs.com (Dave Mack)
Newsgroups: news.admin,news.groups
Subject: Re: Voting--what's the use? (Re: c.u.wizards vs. c.u.internals)
Organization: Alembic Computer Services, McLean VA

In article <1990Sep13.103133.26386@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG 
(Kent Paul Dolan) writes:
>Here, we debated for months, agreed to rename comp.unix.wizards by the
>only mechanism available (create a new group, remove the old group, and
>alias the old group name to the new group until the net ring time for
>the old group damps down), to remove it's name's magnetic attraction for
>newbie postings; the question was widely publicized in groups accessible
>to all interested parties; everyone with an opinion had plenty of chance
>to express his/her ideas; the vote was taken; the issue decided; the
>newgroup and rmgroup messages were sent out...
>
>and then the site sysops went ahead and did exactly as they pleased anyway.
>
>The fact is, people in positions of power have complete contempt for
>democracy.  Democracy is only loved by the folks out of power.

This article reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature
of Usenet. Usenet is not a democracy. It is not an anarchy. It is a
collection of baronies. The news system administrator is The Baron.

A newsgroup vote is the mechanism whereby the peons collectively
express their desire for a particular newsgroup. Each Baron then
decides, based on such considerations as expected volume, perceived
value and mood at the moment, whether or not to allow his local
mob of serfs to have this group. Some Barons are benevolent, and
generally give the scum what they want. Others are cruel and heartless,
and deny the whining scoundrels anything that is not of interest to
the Baron himself. (I, of course, fall into the former category. I
remember well the many times my father said to me, "A happy peasant
works harder than an angry peasant.")

Given the rather large overlap between the Barons and the Wizards, it
is perfectly normal and natural that the former should cater to the
desires of the latter, rathering than the mewlings of an odorous crowd
of helots.

I hope this has clarified the situation for you.

Your Friend,
Baron Dave of Alembic
Idiot Rampant upon a Field of Staynes

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