POLICY on Bug Reports, Message Content, etc.

[mike%brl-vgr at sri-unix.UUCP]

From:      Mike Muuss <mike at brl-vgr>

As the moderator of UNIX-WIZARDS and INFO-UNIX, let me clarify the
current state of things.

UNIX-WIZARDS is an InterNet ("ARPANet") mailing list.
There is a companion list called INFO-UNIX.

net.unix-wizards is a "UUCP" (netnews) newsgroup.
There is a companion list called net.unix.

These pairs of lists are connected together in a 2-way gateway, ie,

	UNIX-WIZARDS <--> net.unix-wizards
	  INFO-UNIX  <--> net.unix

All of the additional sub-structure of the netnews system does not
make it out to the Inter-Net portion of this list.  Ie,
net.sources, net.bugs.4bsd, and other such lists NEVER makes it out
to the InterNet.  And, conversely, mail which InterNet people submit
to UNIX-WIZARDS always goes to net.unix-wizards.

I would like to make several pleas:

*)  UNIX-WIZARDS (resp, net.unix-wizards) should be a place where
there is a highly technical discussion about features, changes,
bugs, and futures of UNIX.  My own feeling is that there is not enough
bug-reporting traffic to really make it worthwhile separating
it into another list.  Most "Unix Wizards" are a Jack-of-all-Trades when
it comes to UNIX software, and the fellow fixing the Kernel probably
is the fellow fixing CC, or LD, or ED, or whathaveyou(1).
And, the person runing a 2.9 BSD today will probably have a 4.2
tomorrow (and/or a System V).  Often, there will be similar bugs
across many versions of UNIX.

*)  INFO-UNIX (resp, net.unix) should be a place where new users
(actually, all "non-wizard" users) of UNIX should feel free to
ask questions, share horror stories, and swap software.  Enough
people capable of answering all the questions raised read the
list, so the balance of questions to answers should not be a problem.
Discussion of "applications packages" (cross assemblers, database
managers, etc) properly belong here.

*)  Header lines on messages should provide as much information as
possible, so that people not interested in the particular issue
raised in a message may skip over it.  (Personally, I read them
all, to be sure to not miss a good "tidbit", but tastes differ).
Contributors have been pretty good about this;  please continue!

I would like everybody to subtly change their thinking when
sending messages to the groups net.unix and net.unix-wizards;
ask yourself:

	"Is this question so important that it should be
	seen by over 1000 of the most active UNIX people
	in the world?".

If the answer to that question is "yes", THEN ask the question:

	"Would I be personally embarrassed if Dennis Ritchie,
	or one of the other creators of UNIX, read my message?"

If the answer to that question is "no", THEN send to UNIX-WIZARDS.

**Otherwise**, please route your mail to INFO-UNIX (aka, net.unix).

You will still receive a proper response (perhaps many!), and will
be interacting with the correct set of people.

Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season,
	-Mike Muuss
	 Moderator of this, that and the other.