Stephen Thomas Cole wrote in
:

I agree with much that you've posted in this thread. Usenet is riven with
degenerates who are full of bitterness, particularly in the amateur radio
groups and particularly in ukra.

The CFV for the moderated uk.* group is open. if you lend your vote to its
creation, we may well end up with a haven on Usenet away from the spite and
silliness that'll be worth your staying for. I hope to see you around.


BT are pulling Usenet's plug for their clients in about 24 hours from now,
and I'm not chasing after it, hence I'm trying to chose words carefully (if a
tad excessively) to say my bit while I still have this access.

I'm not so concerned with degeneracy, so long as it doesn't directly and
unavoidably impact on my life. When crack dens open up in a neighbour's flat,
or stuff pours from windows into the yards, then I try to stop it somehow,
after learnign over the course of twenty years how hard that is if allowed to
get out of hand. Otherwise, live and let live, says I.

I agree that a moderated space is useful, nice even, like the difference
between having a drink in an orderly pub, and doing it under a railway arch.
(I do not drink so I indulge in metaphor instead.) I'm more concerned with
'generacy'. So long as it grows without being stamped on, there's an antidote
to the quarreling, and people will make that railway arch as nice as an
orderly pub. Put it another way: if they don't try, they will probably end up
trashing the pub too. Pubs are a useful metaphor, their openly
accessed design, with saloons, gardens, whatever, are part of centuries old
efforts to solve problems with human interactions. Usenet could probably
learn from them... Like a pub, it is an anachronism that is unlikely to die.
Just remember that in any bar that has too many fights, all that remain are
fighters. And most of them dig in like they prefer the pain. I never figured
that out, people say they don't want it, yet they court it, often. It will
probably be easier, and better, to choose one way or the other, or more
people will leave than arrive.