From: jamesm@procor.dialogic.com (Mark James)
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,comp.ai,comp.databases,comp.lang.c++,comp.lang.eiffel,comp.lang.smalltalk,comp.object
Subject: RFD: comp.databases.object
Followup-To: news.groups
Date: 21 Jan 1993 14:09:03 -0500
Organization: Dialogic (N.Z.) Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand
NNTP-Posting-Host: rodan.uu.net

This is a request for discussion of the proposal to create an
unmoderated Usenet newsgroup called "comp.databases.object".  This
name is not final; other suggestions are welcome during the discussion.

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". 


PURPOSE

The proposed newsgroup "comp.databases.object" is intended to serve as
a medium for the sharing of knowledge about systems which combine
object-oriented technology with that of database management systems.


CONTENT

The "comp.databases.object" newsgroup would provide a forum for the
discussion of issues surrounding the recent introduction of object-
oriented database management systems.  It would provide a means whereby
people with experience in these systems can share their knowledge; it
would also give the growing number of people who are exploring this new
field an opportunity to ask questions and provoke discussions concerning
the suitability of object-oriented databases for the solution of
specific problems.

The new newsgroup would also serve as a forum for discussing ongoing
research into object-oriented databases, OODB programming interfaces and
query languages, and related projects such as deductive and multimedia
databases.

The newsgroup could also provide for discussion of systems which are not
technically object-oriented database management systems, but which offer
some form of persistent object storage; or, conversely, which are full
database management systems that offer some object-oriented features.


RATIONALE

Currently, discussion concerning object-oriented databases is scattered
across a number of newsgroups, mainly comp.databases and comp.object.
A new newsgroup would centralize this discussion, avoiding repetition
and encouraging those with something to say by providing a newsgroup
which is obviously the "right" one for this topic.


ISSUES

The following questions should be resolved during the discussion:

1.  Is the name "comp.databases.object" the best one?

2.  Should the new group come under the comp.databases hierarchy at
    all, or would it be better placed under comp.object?

    2a.  Should we implement multiple inheritance in Usenet?  (:-)

3.  What should our attitude be toward vendor publicity?  (This
    should be a guideline only, since we probably don't want a
    moderated group -- but we can consider that too, if desired.)

4.  Would there be enough contributors (and not just readers) to the
    new group to warrant its creation?


DISCUSSION PERIOD AND VOTE

The discussion period will be from 21 January 1993 to 18 February 1993.
Please post all discussion in "news.groups", cross-posting as appropriate.
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, in
accordance with Usenet guidelines, will last for 30 days.
-- 
Mark James  <jamesm@procor.dialogic.com>  **[ Opinions are mine ]**
Dialogic (N.Z.) Ltd.                Voice:  +64 9 302 1794 ext 27
Auckland, New Zealand               Fax:    +64 9 302 1793
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