🚀 go-pugleaf

Last month I quite foolishly volunteered to take a stab at a charter
for dc.general.  Here it is, warts and all.   There are some key
gaps, especially the desperate need for a committee of admins to 
control the dc.* namespace.  I assume that volunteers from the local
ISP's will *leap* forward in the next few hours to take on this role.
If not ... ?

I suspect that this process will not be pretty, and will take some
time to resolve itself.  It may take a few drafts before we get
something.  But, the text below is a good start.  It is heavily
cribbed from the chi.general charter, with permission.  After 10
years of chi.general, the charter is still in use, and still the
subject of the occasional flame war.  What better endorsement then
that?

The charter is being posted to dc.general and dc.config, with
followup set to dc.general.  I'll post new versions in dc.config
as a reminder of the festivities in progress.   Discuss away.
That's what Usenet is for.


DRAFT 1 - dc.general charter
********************************************************************

This posting is the charter for the dc.* hierarchy.  It describes the
Washington, D.C., regional newsgroups (dc.*), and states the generally
accepted policies for the dc.general newsgroup.  While it provides an
overview for the entire dc.* hierarchy, some newsgroups within the hierarchy
maintain their own FAQ's and/or charters.  In these cases, the documents
relevant to each group take precedence.  The charters may be found at
/xxx/xxx/xxx [will a local ISP admin like to step in here and donate some
space for charter storage, and/or should I try to get the charters stored in
rtfm.mit.edu ? - AK]  Additionally, the FAQ's and charters are routinely
posted in the relevant newsgroups.

This posting also describes the procedure for creating and destroying
newsgroups in the dc.* hierarchy. This newsgroup hierarchy is focused
to a local audience but does, in fact, get distributed worldwide.

Please mail your suggestions for changes or enhancements to
austinj@cris.com or post them to dc.general for discussion.

CONTENTS

I   -  What, Exactly, is DC?
II  -  Where Can I Post Ads?
III -  What Groups Compose the dc Hierarchy?
IV  -  So What About dc.general?
V   -  How Are Groups Created/Destroyed/Modified? 
 

I - What, Exactly, is DC ?


For most of the dc.* hierarchy, dc consists of the Washington D.C.
metro area.  Roughly, the area from Martinsburg W. Virginia running along the
Mason-Dixon line, and south to Richmond Virginia.  The rule of thumb is a
one-hour drive from Washington -recognizing that some drive at night, with a
lead foot.  DC.* is a *regional* hierarchy, created for discussion of
*regional* issues.  National or international issues belong in newsgroups
with a wider focus.  For example, traffic signals on Connecticut Ave.
are relevant in the dc.* hierarchy, while discussions of national
transportation policy are not.  Montgomery County MD's tax rate is
suitable grist for the dc.* mill, while IRS regulations are not
(except for things like IRS employee parking policies and
the impact of those policies on Pennsylvania Ave. traffic flow).  
Residents of other major metropolitan areas have a hierarchy in which to
discuss local issues - residents of the DC area deserve the same.


II - Where Can I Post Ads?


It should be pointed out that, in general, the dc newsgroups forbid posts
of a commercial nature. This means that if the subject you're posting on
is an offer for products or services from which you derive (or attempt
to derive) a livelyhood from then it's prohibited in the dc newsgroups.
The exception is the dc.forsale.* groups, which allow commercial posts
from *local* small businesses, vendors, and service organizations, so
long as the product or service they are selling is indigenous to the DC
metro area.  See the oft-posted dc.forsale FAQ for details.

The newsgroup dc.general is for miscellaneous local-interest postings
that do not fit more appropriately into another group.  It is not for 
postings looking to buy, sell, rent, or trade anything.  dc.forsale.misc 
and dc.forsale.computers are perfectly fine newsgroups for such postings.
Offers of housing for sale or rent belong in dc.housing.  Cross-posting
between the dc.forsale.* groups and other dc.* groups is not a good idea.


III - What Groups Comprise the dc.* Hierarchy?


To start, here are the brief descriptions of the newsgroups suitable for
framing or inclusion in your newsgroups file.


   GROUPS AND DESCRIPTIONS
   -----------------------

dc.test         Group for testing news
dc.general      Miscellaneous topics related to DC
dc.dining       Good eats around the DC area
dc.smithsonian  News about the Smithsonian Institution
dc.housing      Rent/buy/sell/seek housing in DC area
dc.redskins     Discussion about the Washington Redskins football team
dc.driving      Discussion of driving issues in DC area
dc.jobs         Jobs offered or wanted in the DC area
dc.biking       Discussion of biking issues in DC area
dc.music        Announce/discuss music events in DC
dc.config       Discuss creation/configuration of groups in dc hierarchy
dc.romance      Discussing/seeking romance in the DC area
dc.org.linux-users  DC area Linux users group announcements etc.
dc.politics     Discussion of politicians and political issues in the DC area
dc.forsale.misc Buy, sell and swap non-computer items in the DC area
dc.forsale.computers Buy, sell and swap computer items in the DC area
dc.media        Discussion of TV/Radio/Newspapers, etc. in DC area

There are several other groups which have been superceded, or which were
created but never officially accepted by most local ISPs.  Your newsreader
may allow you to a post to a group other than those listed above, but your
posting will be poorly propogated, as most providers have removed those
names.  The above listing represents the official namespace of the dc.*
hierarchy, and posts should be confined to those groups.  This charter will
be modified if new groups are added (see below).


IV - So What About dc.general?


The one-line description of dc.general is "Miscellaneous topics related to
DC."  While this covers a lot of ground, there are common-sense criteria
which determine whether a post is or is not appropriate to dc.general.  The
first is whether or not the topic of the posting is relevant specifically to
the dc area.  In short, anything from the geology which created Little Falls
to the image of Washington which the Post and the Times portray to the world
would belong in dc.general.  The defining characteristic is the existence of
a hook making the topic of primarily *local* interest.  

The second is whether the post is of general interest, or is the topic
appropriate to a more narrowly defined newsgroup?  For instance, a post about
an alteration made to a Rock Creek Park bike trail is probably germane to
dc.biking, but not to dc.general.  But, a posting about the impact of bikes
on DC's air quality may well be of general interest.  The one exception to
this rule concerns the dc.redskins group.  It is recognized that *anything*
to do with the Redskins is of general interest, yet, in the interest of
limiting over-all posting volume, please limit posts which deal only with the
'skins to the dc.redskins group.

Cross-posting between dc.general and other groups is appropriate in
limited circumstances.  For example, a Virginia state policy which
affects traffic on the Wilson bridge might be discussed in va.general and
dc.general.  Or, an attempt by D.C. to lure the Phillies could result in
appropriate (and heated) cross-posts between dc.general and phl.general.
However, a poster should consider carefully why the post is relevant to
this particular set of newsgroups.  Any post which is relevant to a
large number of local areas is, by definition, appropriate only for
groups with a wider geographic coverage than dc.general.  

If you see a posting you belive to be off-topic for the group, do not post
a followup article to it. The proper response is to email your comments
to the offending poster. We highly recommend doing so!  If the post is
blatant SPAM or a binary posting in a text group, a note to the poster's
postmaster (postmaster@DOMAIN, or abuse@DOMAIN) may also be in order.

                                        
V - How Are Groups Created/Destroyed/Modified?


[I am still awaiting word from local newsadmins as to who should
be responsible for the dc.* namespace.  The xxx@xxx in (4) is vital,
but I thought we could start the discussion on the text of the
charter while I await the admin volunteers who, I'm sure,
will step forward any moment now - AK]

    
It is believed that the Washington news community is still small enough
(and rational enough) that elaborate voting schemes are not necessary
to control the newsgroup name space.  On the other hand, it is generally
felt that the total anarchy of the "alt" hierarchy leaves much to be
desired.  With that in mind, the following procedures are proposed.

Newsgroup Creation Procedure
----------------------------
The person wishing to create a new newsgroup should go through the
following steps.

1.  Think again.

2.  Propose the newsgroup in an article posted to the groups "dc.general",
    and "dc.config", with Followup: set to dc.config.
    The proposing article shall include:
        - The proposed name (or names) for the new group.
        - The proposed "one-liner" for for the LIB/newsgroups file.
        - A brief description of the purpose for the new group, intended
          audience, reason for local distribution, and reason no exising
          newsgroup is appropriate.

3.  Discussion should take place in dc.config, to reach consensus.
    (con-sen-sus n. general agreement in opinion)

4.  If agreement is reached on the desirability for the new group, and
    on its name after a discussion period of at least two weeks, the
    person who originally proposed the group shall send a message to
    xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.  The message shall state that a discussion
    has been held in dc.general and dc.config, and that a new newsgroup
    will be created.  The message shall include the group name and brief
    description agreed upon for the LIB/newsgroups file.

5.  The person who proposed the new group shall issue the control
    message for new group creation.  If that person does not have the
    local authority to issue the control message, or does not have the
    knowledge of the correct way to do so, the message to
    xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx can include a request that the control article
    be sent, as well.

Newsgroup Deletion Procedure
----------------------------
This procedure provides a "sunset" for newsgroups that are not as popular
as anticipated or which have out-lived their usefulness.  It is not intended
to be used for newsgroups in active use.  A person who believes he/she
has discovered a dormant "dc" newsgroup should go through the following
steps.

1.  Think again.  Has the group seen no traffic (perhaps other than
    "keep-alive" traffic) in the past few months?  Is the newsgroup
    of a seasonal nature?  Can the newsgroup reasonably be thought
    to be dead?

2.  Propose that the newsgroup is dead in an article posted to dc.general,
    the newsgroup in queston, and dc.config, with Followup: set to dc.config.
    In the article, describe why you think it's dead and not coming back
    in the near/foreseeable future.

3.  Discussion should take place in dc.config.

4.  If no one provides a reasonable argument that the group is still
    alive (or will be soon) within two weeks, the group can be declared dead.

5.  The newsgroup slayer shall send a message to xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.
    The message shall state that the newsgroup has been declared dead.

6.  The newsgroup slayer shall issue the control message for group deletion.
    If that person does not have the knowledge of the correct way to do so,
    the message to xxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx can include a request that the
    control article be sent, as well. 



Newsgroup Modification Procedure
----------------------------
This procedure provides a mechanism for adding or changing a charter for 
a newsgroup in the dc.* hierarchy, retromoderation, limitations on          
cross-posting, etc.  A person who believes that a newsgroup within the
dc.* hierarchy should be somehow modified should go through the following
steps.

1.  Think again.  Is there a strong desire to fix a problem plaguing
    the group?  Is there a practical way to implement your idea?  Has
    your idea, or a similar idea, been discussed to death in the last
    few months?

2.  Propose the modification in an article posted to dc.general, dc.config,
    and the group in question, with Followup: set to the group in question.
    In the article, describe your modification, the problem it will solve,
    and a practical strategy for implementation.

3.  Discussion should take place in the newsgroup in question until 
    consensus is reached

4.  Choose persons to be responsible for implementing the modification.

5.  Implement the modification.



******************************************************************
Note:  This charter was authored by Austin Kelly, with substantial
input from the readers of dc.general, especially Joseph S. D. Yao,
-------------, and ----------------------------------------------.
The charter has been patterned on the charter for the chi.*
hierarchy.  Thanks to the NEWS SIG of Uniforum Chicago,
especially Ron Heiby, Steve Piette, and Gerry Swetsky.