From: stuarta@syd.dms.CSIRO.AU (Stuart Andrews)
Newsgroups: aus.news,aus.general,soc.culture.australian,rec.railroad,rec.models.railroad,rec.models.scale,alt.models,fj.rec.rail,misc.misc,tecc.circle.railway
Subject: Re: aus.rail update
Date: 15 Nov 92 22:10:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: syd.Bxs2yB.6pM
Organization: CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Australia

In a recent posting, Eddi Oliver writes...

>>I think these results speak for themselves.
> For once I agree with you! They speak for themselves in demonstrating that
> you can only identify 26 people who are even taking enough interest in the
> matter to be bothered communicating with you about it (and when you
> remove yourself, it's not even 26).

Yes, It is 26, I hereby add my vote to the list of those who wish to
see aus.rail created. I won't be reading it, but I do believe that those
who wish too should have that pleasure. Read on:...

> A number of people have communicated with me also (more than on your list).
> Needless to say, they have been opponents. Don't you think your sampling
> process is somewhat biased?

Why have they communicated with *you* and not the proposer? Anything they
say to you is surely of no significance to the discussion at hand b'cause
it is a private discussion, and not presented in the proper channels.

> Anyway, when will you formally put it to the vote by whatever the
> approved route is for getting new aus groups set up? 

He will not, b/c there is not.  What he has done to date is more than
that which is required to create a new group in aus. He has to my mind,
been most polite in establishing first that some *will* read his group.
His results *DO* speak for themselves.

Further, to my mind, there should *never* be any responses in the negative
when the creation of a new group is discussed, unless there is *already*
a group which is a suitable point for the subject planned for the new group.

If I don't want to read the new group, I shall simply not subscribe. If
everyone on a site doesn't read it, the sys admin simply doesn't receive it.
No cost to the site. No cost to you.

I don't want to read aus.rail, but I don't believe I have *any* right
whatsoever to stop those who do. (See the Voltaire quote in my .sig
and perhaps rethink your motives...)

> Does it have to be done by the normal usenet rules (in which case the
> number of respondents is likely to be far below the minimum needed) or is
> there some local protocol?

No. No.


Now Eddie, if I may ask, why is it necessary for you to fight aus.rail, rather
than simply chose not to read? Are we seeing the arrival of a 'thought police'
mentality? Is '1984' closer than we think?

thanx for 'listening',

stuartb, who couldn't stay quiet on this one any longer...



-- 
  "Two to the power of one hundred thousand to one against.
    That's pretty improbable you know" (Ford Prefect)

"I do not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death
 for your right to say it" (Voltaire)
################################################################################
Stuart Andrews (stuarta@syd.dms.csiro.au)
Opinions posted here are mine and do not necessarily comply with those of CSIRO
Newsgroups: aus.news,aus.general