From: reha@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu (Reha Elci)
Subject: newsgroup questions
Date: Wed, 22 Apr 1992 14:18:33 GMT
Organization: Columbia University



I have a couple questions about the newsgroup:

1) I posted an article on Friday and I have not seen it as of now; why?
   Is such a long delay normal?

2) why is the group moderated and do all the posted articles make it?

Reha Elci

[MODERATOR'S NOTE:  In reply, Reha, here are answers:

1.  From Friday to Wednesday is five days.  Presuming your posting shows
up on Saturday, which is most likely, that makes four days.  As this is
over a weekend, you posting may not get looked at until Monday, or two
days before Wednesday.  Then if it gets posted, it may show up at your
site on Wednesday or later.  It take approximately two hours a day to
process the postings, so sometimes the process can be delayed.  What is
at issue here is the concept of "long."  We try to do our best.  

If a posting doesn't show by 10 days after posting, please inquire...it
may have been munged or lost.

2.  The group is moderated because unmoderated groups tend to drift off
in a thousand unrelated directions, are prone to flame wars, and often
have no personality.  Surprisingly, a moderated group tends to reflect
less the personality of its moderators than the personalities of the
participants, whose expressions can be subtle due to the "protected"
space in which they can speak freely.  Some postings do not reach a
general audience, particularly those that ask too general questions
("Please tell me everything about virtual reality") and those that are
irrelevant to the themes expressed here (e.g., the best printers for
PostScript documents, etc.). -- Bob Jacobson]