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..."