Subject: 2nd RFD: comp.os.linux reorganization
From: Dave Sill <[email-masked]>
Date: 14 Oct 1994 15:45:43 -0400
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,comp.os.linux.help,comp.os.linux.announce,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.development,comp.os.linux.admin

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD)
                     comp.os.linux reorganization

Summary: An extensive reorganization of the comp.os.linux hierarchy is
         proposed.  It includes the creation of five unmoderated
         groups, the renaming of three unmoderated groups, and the
         creation of one moderated group.

Proponent: Dave Sill, [email-masked] 

History: This proposed reorganization was prompted originally by the
         excessive level of traffic in comp.os.linux.help.  Following
         a straw poll conducted by the proponent, an RFD was posted
         for breaking comp.os.linux.help into various subgroups and
         creating comp.os.linux.answers for separating the
         documentation and announcements currently posted to
         comp.os.linux.announce.  During the discussion period, it
         became evident that it would be preferable to create the
         groups directly under comp.os.linux, rather than splitting
         comp.os.linux.help.  The previous RFD reflected that change.

         This revision of the RFD incorporates several other changes
         resulting from the previous 11 days of discussion.

1) Create group: comp.os.linux.advocacy (unmoderated)

 Charter: For discussion of the benefits of Linux compared to other
          operating systems.

2) Create group: comp.os.linux.answers (moderated)

 Charter: For posting Linux FAQs, How-To's, READMEs and other
          documents that answer questions about Linux.  This will
          help keep the traffic down in other c.o.l.* groups and will
          leave comp.os.linux.announce for true announcements.
          C.o.l.answers will be moderated by Matt Welsh
          ([email-masked]), the moderator of c.o.l.announce.

3) Create group: comp.os.linux.development.apps (unmoderated)

 Charter: For questions and discussion regarding the writing of
          applications for Linux and the porting of applications to
          Linux.

4) Create group: comp.os.linux.hardware (unmoderated)

 Charter: For questions and discussion specific to a particular piece
          of hardware, e.g., "can this system run Linux?", "how do I
          use this disk drive with Linux?", etc.

5) Create group: comp.os.linux.networking (unmoderated)

 Charter: For questions and discussion relating to networking or
          communications including Ethernet boards, serial
          communications, SLIP, etc.

6) Create group: comp.os.linux.x (unmoderated)

 Charter: For questions and discussion relating to X Window System,
          version 11, compatible software including servers, clients,
          libraries, and fonts, running under Linux.  XFree86 issues
          not unique to Linux will be directed to
          comp.windows.x.i386unix.

7) Rename group: comp.os.linux.development (unmoderated)
             to: comp.os.linux.development.system (unmoderated)

 Charter: For questions and discussion regarding the development of
          the Linux operating system proper: kernel, device drivers,
          loadable modules.

8) Rename group: comp.os.linux.admin (unmoderated)
             to: comp.os.linux.setup (unmoderated)

 Charter: For questions and discussion relating to Linux installation
          and system administration.

 Rationale: "setup" is clearer than "admin", and is a more obvious
            place for installation questions.

9) Rename group: comp.os.linux.help (unmoderated)
             to: comp.os.linux.misc (unmoderated)

 Rationale: Comp.os.linux.help is too general.  It currently overlaps
            comp.os.linux.admin, and if the proposed groups are
            created, will overlap comp.os.linux.hardware and
            comp.os.linux.networking as well as comp.os.linux.setup.

      Note: The intent here is actually to remove comp.os.linux.help,
            not to rename it to .misc, which already exists.
            Unfortunately, it's not possible to remove it directly.

Comp.os.linux Reorganization Roadmap

  Current Hierarchy                 Proposed Hierarchy

                                    c.o.l.advocacy
  c.o.l.announce                    c.o.l.announce
                                    c.o.l.answers
  c.o.l.development                 c.o.l.development.system
                                    c.o.l.development.apps
  c.o.l.help
                                    c.o.l.hardware
  c.o.l.misc                        c.o.l.misc
                                    c.o.l.networking
  c.o.l.admin                       c.o.l.setup
                                    c.o.l.x

After a discussion period of 21-30 days, if there are not overwhelming
objections to any of the proposed groups, there will be a Call For
Votes (CFV) posted to the groups as this RFD.  The voting period will
be at least 21 days.  Each proposal that passes, by receiving 100 more
YES votes than NO votes and twice as many YES votes as NO votes,
will be implemented.