From: maurer@nova.stanford.edu (Michael Maurer)
Subject: RFD: comp.soft-sys.matlab
Followup-To: news.groups
Organization: STAR Lab, Stanford University, California USA
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 10:15:23 GMT

This is a formal Request for Discussion on the creation of a new newsgroup
called "comp.soft-sys.matlab" (not moderated).

This announcement is cross-posted to newsgroups whose readers may have
interest in the discussion about the new group; follow-up discussion will
take place in "news.groups". Suggestions, comments or problems may also be
emailed to me at <maurer@nova.stanford.edu>.


REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION
----------------------

NEWSGROUP
  comp.soft-sys.matlab (not moderated)

PURPOSE
  The newsgroup 'comp.soft-sys.matlab' would be a forum for discussing 
  issues related to the use of Matlab, the scientific calculation and
  visualization package from Mathworks, Inc.

RATIONALE
  Discussion of Matlab questions currently has no single home.
  Recent discussion has appeared in newsgroups with widely
  varying charters, such as
	comp.dsp
	comp.graphics.visualization
	comp.os.os2.apps
	comp.sys.next.misc
	sci.math.num-analysis

  A single group will centralize discussion and target the intended
  audience of such posts more accurately.
  
  A Matlab mailing list already exists and is moderated by Mathworks
  (email to matlab-users-request@mathworks.com).  Because of the slow
  turnaround of this list (about 4 months), it is unable to address the
  daily issues that interest Matlab users.  This unmoderated group will
  fill that void.  The group will be independent of this mailing list
  and will have no association with Mathworks, Inc.

CONTENT
  Appropriate discussion in the group will include both general
  Matlab issues and platform-specific questions, and discussion
  comparing Matlab to other systems.  Some examples:

  General Matlab issues
	Answers to novices' questions
	Exchange of public-domain Matlab source code
	Use of commercial toolboxes (advice, bugs, etc.)
	Implementation of numerical algorithms
	etc.

  Platform-specific issues
	Graphical output
	Interface to external programs
	etc.

  Comparison to other systems
	Mathematica, AVS, Khoros, etc.

NAME      
  comp.soft-sys.matlab seems to be most appropriate.

  Matlab is used on many different architectures and thus doesn't
  fit in any one comp.sys.* hierarchy.  It is more than a programming
  language, so comp.lang.* is out; similarly it encompasses more
  than scientific visualization or numerical analysis, eliminating
  sci.math.num-analysis.* or comp.graphics.visualization.*.

  The other comp.soft-sys.* groups share this breadth.

NOT MODERATED
  As the new group will be for informal discussion and the quick
  exchange of ideas, no moderator will be necessary.    

NEWSGROUP CREATION
  The proposed discussion period will be from November 13, 1992
  to December 7, 1992.
  Please post all discussion in news.groups.

  If a consensus is reached by the end of the discussion period,
  a CFV (Call for Votes) will be posted at that time. The voting
  period will last for 21 days.
-- 
______________________________________________________________________
Michael Maurer          maurer@nova.stanford.edu        (415) 723-1024
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,rec.music.synth,rec.music.makers.synth