From: dc_ags@ac.nsac.ns.ca (Don Christie)
Subject: when is news news and when is it garbage?
Reply-To: dc_ags@ac.nsac.ns.ca
Organization: Nova Scotia Agricultural College, Nova Scotia, CANADA
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 19:53:16 GMT

>>What "powers that be" are basing their decisions on our insignificant
>>little debate?  Or are you extrapolating the situation in
>>alt.sustainable.agriculture to the entire international agricultural
>>community?

I guess the answer to that question would have to depend on what you mean
by `decisions'... If you mean a `decision' by a government to ban chemicals
from agriculture, then you are correct in thinking that our discussion is
insignificant and little... If you mean a `decision' to legislate the types
and sizes of production systems that will be employed, then one would have
to draw the same conclusion. On the other hand, it isn't beyond the realm
of reason to think that a research scientist could have the seed for a new
project come from having read the USENET... or that an executive within the
department of agriculture could decide (on the basis of information coming
from USENET) that policies (for example regarding the appropriateness of 
specific subsidies, or the need to re-evaluate and/or implement policies,
strategies and practises) need to change.

I think any source of NEWS has the potential to affect us a bit more than
you seem to think. 

>>USENET is not a big input into the executive decision making process.  You
>>apparently have little understanding of the makeup of USENET readership. 
>>Nobody who's been involved with USENET for more than a year or who has
>>even the barest understanding of human nature would be the least bit
>>surprised that people take "potshots" at each other in debates.  It's the
>>grandest of USENET traditions: the flame.

I agree, it is not at present a big contributor. The thrust of my last post
was that not only is it not very important NOW, but that given the performance
to date in this newsgroup, it never will be.... I understand what you're
getting at... in your opinion, USENET is a trivial utility that has been 
devised for the amusement of computer types and anyone else who can fathom
their cryptic sense of humour. Flaming one another and taking `potshots' are
all a part of the act, and in general it is not to be taken too seriously.

I don't quite see it that way... I see the USENET as a vehicle for exchanging
ideas and information. Part of the USENET's organization is its structure: 
there are newsgroups for serious topics, and there are other newsgroups for
the amusement of its readers. I consider sustainable agriculture to be a
serious topic, and it is YOU that I don't take too seriously. 

>>This is really funny.  Do you honestly take this newsgroup that seriously?
>>You and Gil both seem to think that this is some grand "International
>>Forum on Sustainable Agriculture" where the top researchers and
>>practitioners in the field meet to exchange ideas and politely debate the
>>issues.

Yes, I take the newsgroup that seriously, and I don't see any reason why that
opinion is out of line. I do not think it should be limited to `top researchers
and practitioners' at all. In my opinion, this newsgroup gives members of
that group direct contact with ordinary citizens, and the flow of information
should go both ways. 

>>You're wrong.  It's an electronic "bulletin board" open to the public. 

That doesn't change the fact that it _IS_ an `international forum on 
sustainable agriculture'. The function and/or usefulness of that forum is
at present questionable, but that has more to do with its lack of content
than it does with anything else.


>>It's not moderated, and there are no requirements or even guidelines on
>>the level of expertise required to participate.  The objective is not to
>>mold world policies or steer research and development or publish new
>>findings, as they would be in a serious forum like the one I described in
>>the previous paragraph.  Those are great, important, and necessary, but
>>that's not what this newsgroup is about.  It's a place where interested
>>people of varying levels of knowledge on the topic can informally discuss,
>>debate, and pass information on to others.

Wonderful! When do we start?


//Don
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who ELSE could have written The Adventures of Wild Bill Groady??