Re: CALL FOR DISCUSSION rec.games.frp.pbn From: fabbott@athena.mit.edu (Freeland K Abbott) Date: Sun, 09 Jul 1989 15:07:37 +0000 This is probably the last "call for discussion" that I will post for this group before I call for votes three days from now, on July 12. Unless this prompts lots of discussion, that is.... At any rate, a broad summary seems in order. The topic under discussion is the creation of an unmoderated newsgroup for role-playing play-by-mail games, with the explicit provision that such games may be played partially on the newsgroup (players posting their publicly-visible moves) as in Steven Gabai's "Broad Axe Tavern" game. Games will not be played entirely or even primarily on the newsgroup, however, and all games which are played there must use a consistent subject header so as to be easily skipped or killed. The newsgroup will also serve as a forum for announcements of PBeM role-playing game openings, and for summaries for them as well. Opponents of the formation generally argue that since the participants of a PBM game are known, a mailing list is more appropriate (startups can be posted to rec.games.frp or -pbm); proponents like myself argue that many people enjoy being observers and aren't known (so cannot be on mailing lists) and that there is no substantive difference between turns posted in Steven's game and diplomacy turns posted to r.g.pbm now, but that postings are more frequent but far shorter, and so would clutter a general-purpose group. I picked up moderation after the original Call for Discussion, but will be running voting beginning on July 12. At that time I will post a final summary of arguments-- tom@tnc, please see postscript-- and voting procedures. According to the guide in news.announce.newusers, voting must last for 30 days; if necessary I will run it that long, but I notice votes in news.groups with voting as short as two days. Unless there are strong objections, I will leave voting open for a week, perhaps two. Tom Blauschman (I think-- the email is tom@tnc, but I can't seem to get mail through), could you take the job of writing the "opposed" summary for the call for votes? Limit it to 1-2K, and I or someone else in favor the the proposition will write an equivalent "in favor" summary to be posted along with it. ********** Please vote on July 12, either way *********** ***** I'd hate to throw a vote and have no one come ***** Freeland K. Abbott fabbott@athena.mit.edu 454D 410 Memorial Drive MIT Undergrad (Comp. Sci. nerd) Cambridge, MA 02139 USA "stop the world, I want to get off..." Up