On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:09:02 -0400, Dave LaCourse
wrote:

On Sat, 22 Sep 2007 14:26:39 -0000, salmobytes
wrote:

Yes, Mike has contributed too. Ken kept him at
a frenzy rate as best he could. Out of control
posts from all such sources would simply be
erased in a moderated forum. I hesitate to mention the names of the
forums
I prefer to read these days. I wouldn't want to cause
those moderators any more work than they already have.

I've jumped into these spats occasionally too (like now).
The increasing frequency of these never-ending **** storms
may or may not be related to the downhill spiral in readership.
But I think it is.

Three points:

1. I believe it is impossible to have a "moderated group under the
rec domain.

Unless it has changed recently, there are a number of moderated groups
in the rec.* hierarchy - IIRC, alt. groups aren't moderated, but ???

2. Fortenberry has been here since this place started. How could it
be "successful" and then "unsuccessful" when he hasn't changed in the
12 or so years I have known him.

3. You want a fly fishing news group to exist, don't moderate it.
That would be a death kiss.

There are apparently lots of moderated, successful groups and forums if
you define "successful" as solely the fact that a reasonable number of
people participate. And I'd offer that under that standard, ROFF is a
successful newsgroup.

There is nothing different about roff in 1997 or 2007. It is the same
place, rough and tumble, and it will continue to be rough and tumble.

Sandy is right about a decline in the number of posts to ROFF - that's a
easily-checkable fact. But so what? I'd offer that in the last 60
days, there has been a significant jump going solely by the numbers -
heck, Connor seems never to post a single reply, so that alone has
contributed to the sheer number of posts. Again, so what? Heck,
someone could set up a 'bot to post ten replies that simply say
"Automatic Reply" to every post, and the numbers would really increase.
Yet again, so what? I mean, is someone getting a fee on each post or
something?

TC,
R