From control@usenet.org.uk Sun Apr 23 00:31:08 2000 Path: join.news.pipex.net!pipex!warm.news.pipex.net!pipex!rill.news.pipex.net!pipex!dispatch.news.demon.net!demon!illuin.demon.co.uk!illuin.demon.co.uk!control From: Malcolm Mladenovic Newsgroups: uk.net.news.config,uk.net.news.announce Subject: Changes to The Guidelines Followup-To: uk.net.news.config Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 20:02:32 GMT Sender: Richard Letts Approved: Richard Letts Message-ID: Reply-To: control@usenet.org.uk NNTP-Posting-Host: illuin.demon.co.uk X-NNTP-Posting-Host: illuin.demon.co.uk Lines: 259 Xref: join.news.pipex.net!pipex uk.net.news.config:17257 uk.net.news.announce:629 X-Agent-Group: uk.net.news.announce Status: RO RESULT Clarification of RFD posting rules PASSES 38:0 Regulation of Binaries PASSES 37:2 Naming Conventions PASSES 36:2 Fast Track PASSES 31:6 Rationalise language PASSES 33:1 Voting Closed: 23:59:59 GMT, Friday 18th April 1997 This vote was conducted by a neutral third party member of UK-VOTING. UK-VOTING is a group of independent votetakers who count votes on CFV's in the uk hierarchy. The rules under which this vote was taken are posted regularly to uk.net.news.announce or can be found at the following URL: ftp://sunsite.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/news-info/news.answers/uk/voting. Further information on UK-VOTING can be found at http://www.harlech.demon.co.uk For voting questions only contact voting@mort.demon.co.uk (Malcolm Maldenovic) For questions about the proposals contact david.mayall@ukonline.co.uk (Dave Mayall) DISTRIBUTION: These results have been posted to the following newsgroups: uk.net.news.announce, uk.net.news.config ======================================================================== PROPOSAL 1 - Clarification of RFD posting rules Rationale: There has been some recent dispute as to the precise meaning of the current text of the first 2 paragraphs of point 1 this amendment seeks to clarify the wording without changing the meaning Reword paras 1 & 2 of item 1 as follows: 1) A request for discussion (RFD) on the creation of a new newsgroup shall be mailed to control@usenet.org.uk (as moderator of uk.net.news.announce). Control will cross post the RFD to uk.net.news.announce, uk.net.news.config and any other groups or mailing lists related to the proposed topic or likely to be affected. The groups to be cross posted into should be those requested by the proponent. The proponent may also indicate which groups the Followups should be set to. Control may, at his discretion, add additional groups to these lists (or remove groups where such cross posting is beyond the technical capabilities of the news software). Uk.net.news.config shall be included in both the original cross posting and followups. Only postings which are cross posted to uk.net.news.config will be considered part of the definitive discussion. ======================================================================== PROPOSAL 2 - Regulation of Binaries Rationale: Several recent RFDs have attempted to allow binaries, although all subsequently withdrew that part of the proposal in the face of opposition. A great deal of effort would be saved if either binaries were prohibited, or were restricted to a uk.binaries.* hierarchy. This proposal would take the latter course. Reword the final paragraph of item 1 as follows, (Splitting into 2 Paragraphs): The Charter shall make clear what the topic of discussion within the group is to be (useful if arguments about what is "on-topic" should arise later on). It is also advisable for the Charter to indicate whether or not advertisements are welcome within the group, and if so of what sort. The same applies to the admissability of job adverts, etc. Binaries are allowed in uk.* only in hierarchies explicitly created for binary posts, and having a hierarchy charter stating this. In all other hierarchies the group charter should state that binaries are not permitted. If any uk.* hierarchy or group whose charter does not mention binaries, the assumption shall be that binaries are forbidden. The One-line Summary will eventually go into the "newsgroups" file which many newsreaders make available to users as a quick guide to the intent of each newsgroup. As regards group Names, reference should be made to the document "Guidelines on uk.* Newsgroup Names" which is posted periodically to uk.net.news.announce. ======================================================================== PROPOSAL 3 - Naming Conventions Rationale: Whilst reference is made to the FAQ on news.announce.newusers, these are somewhat general, and it would be helpful to define more explicitly what is and is not allowed in uk.* Reword item 2 as follows: 2) If the RFD is in the correct form, and if the name of the proposed group falls within the normal accepted practice for the uk.* hierarchy (as detailed in "Guidelines on uk.* Newsgroup Names") control@usenet.org.uk (as moderator of uk.net.news.announce) will post it. Otherwise, he will refer it to the Committee for resolution (which may involve negotiation with the original proposer). A proposer who needs help in choosing a name, or is looking for any other guidance in the creation procedure, may send email to committee@usenet.org.uk before issuing his RFD. ======================================================================== PROPOSAL 4 - Fast Track Rationale: There is an inconsistency, in that elsewhere it is mentioned that 4 objectors are required to prevent a fast track to changes to these rules. The rules at present seem to allow a single objector to prevent a fast track, this proposal would implement the 4 objectors rule for all RFDs. Reword the first paragraph of Item 4 as follows: 4) If, by the end of the initial discussion period, a consensus has been reached and the proposal appears to be straightforward and non-controversial, the proposer may, within 40 days of the original publication of the most recent RFD ask control@usenet.org.uk to create the group by the "fast-track" method. If Control (as advised by the Committee) is satisfied of this, he will announce in uk.net.news.announce that, in the absence of valid objections, the new group will be created on a date not less than 5 days thereafter. In the event of 4 or more objections, or any objection which seems to the committee to be well founded, the fast-track method shall not be used, and the RFD should either proceed to a vote, or have a revised RFD submitted for further discussion. ======================================================================== PROPOSAL 5 - Rationalise language Rationale: In many places in the document SHOULD is used when the imperative is meant (SHALL or MUST) Add the following text immediately after the title line; The following words where used in this document have the precise meanings shown here; SHALL - any RFD which fails to follow this guideline will be invalid SHOULD - in all but exceptional or unusual cases an RFD ought to follow this guideline MAY - whilst this guideline is acceptable practice, it remains optional Reword the following items as shown (NB items altered by points 1-4 above are not reworded by this proposal. The changed words are shown capitalised for clarity, but the final document will contain the words in their ordinary case: 3) Discussion SHALL take place in uk.net.news.config and SHALL continue initially for 10 days, and thereafter as required until consensus is reached, or at least the important issues have been identified. It should be concerned with finding the final form of the Name, Charter, and other items listed above. Additional RFDs SHOULD be issued if substantive changes arise during the discussion. Revised RFDs SHOULD be discussed for a further initial 10 day period. 8) The procedures described above SHALL be used, with appropriate changes, for the removal, renaming, splitting or combining of groups, for introducing major changes to the hierarchy, for changing the moderation status, or for forcing a change of moderator (under normal circumstances, it is accepted that a retiring moderator appoints his successor). ======================================================================== Ballot Details and Counts ========================= Language-----------------+ Fast-Track--------------+ | Naming-----------+ | | Binaries--------+ | | | Posting Rules-----+ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Voter Name | | | | | Address (ish) | | | | | Keith Willoughby A Y A Y Y keith.cowtown.wftd.demon.co.uk John M. Line Y Y Y Y Y jml4.cus.bhlwl.cam.ac.uk Steven Clarke Y Y Y Y Y steven.pdi.clarke.keble.oxford.ac.uk Rick Martin Y Y Y Y Y rickm.bkof.pixel.co.uk David Wood Y Y Y Y Y david.ckd.wood2.demon.co.uk Lyn David Thomas Y Y Y Y A lyn.stuffing.bbgi.demon.co.uk Simon Gray Y Y Y N Y simon.hsns.star-one.org.uk Paul Bolchover Y Y Y N A pb10003.ghpb.cus.cam.ac.uk Chris Isbell Y Y Y Y Y chris.isbell.pae.demon.co.uk David Smith Y Y Y Y Y ds.lfsos.lionins.co.uk Tim Bray Y Y Y N Y Tim.dbkl.mikebray.demon.co.uk Nigel Ashton Y Y Y Y Y nigel.ashton.bwfr.demon.co.uk Richard Clayton Y A Y N Y richard.turnpike.hcbbe.com Philip Hunt Y Y N Y Y phil.vision25.wpi.demon.co.uk Mike Cattell Y Y Y Y Y MCattell.akfp.mikecat.demon.co.uk C. R. Newport Y Y Y Y Y crn.ckin.netix.demon.co.uk Barry Carr Y Y Y Y Y barry.cdw.bsce.demon.co.uk Chris J Dixon Y Y Y Y Y chris.pdgte.dixon.easynet.co.uk Dave Mayall Y Y Y Y Y david.aob.mayall.ukonline.co.uk Illtud Daniel Y Y Y Y Y idaniel.jesus.eee.ox.ac.uk Charles Lindsey Y Y Y Y Y chl.clw.cs.vbua.man.ac.uk David M Bloor Y Y Y Y Y david.bloor.ppht.demon.co.uk Alan Ralph Y Y Y Y Y alan.ralph.ftbk.ukonline.co.uk John Stockton Y Y Y Y A jrs.spbsh.merlyn.demon.co.uk Chris Watts. Y Y Y Y Y chris.lisr.vineries.demon.co.uk Christopher Watkins A Y A A A christopher.pehs.uffa.demon.co.uk Iain Bowen Y Y N N A alaric.harlech.kmdhk.demon.co.uk Chris Jay Y Y Y Y Y cjay.hnenm.globalnet.co.uk Richard Ashton Y Y Y Y Y richard.ptpt.corixia.demon.co.uk Jon Harley Y Y Y Y Y jon.ffbk.serf.org Adam Calow Y N Y Y A adam.adc.sdnpu.netkonect.co.uk Pete Humble Y Y Y A Y pjh1.bltn.leicester.ac.uk Rod Ellery Y Y Y Y Y rod.eku.ellery.demon.co.uk Kevin Lee Y Y Y N N ja56.dial.pipex.emia.com Adrian Wontroba Y Y Y Y Y aw1.hrekf.stade.co.uk Chris Clough Y Y Y Y Y ChrisC.cdwt.pobox.co.uk jAmES Lawson Y Y Y A Y chasm.eeo.zetnet.co.uk David Boothroyd Y N Y Y Y david.vhdif.election.demon.co.uk Patrick Herring Y Y Y Y Y ph.mnj.anweald.exnet.co.uk Anthony Gold Y Y Y Y Y tgold.panix.hat.com Total 'Yes' 38 37 36 31 33 Total 'No' 0 2 2 6 1 Proposal 1: Posting Rules Yes-No = 38 Yes % = 100 Passed Proposal 2: Regulation of Binaries Yes-No = 35 Yes % = 94 Passed Proposal 3: Naming Conventions Yes-No = 34 Yes % = 94 Passed Proposal 4: Fast Track Yes-No = 25 Yes % = 83 Passed Proposal 5: Rationalise Language Yes-No = 32 Yes % = 97 Passed ========================================================================= Votetaker's Notes ----------------- There were 40 valid ballots. In addition two ballots were superseded by later ballots from the same address and one ballot was bounced as being from an admin account with a request that it be re-submitted. I've tried to make the automated culling of voter addresses difficult. There's no way to stop someone who is willing to edit them by hand, however, since under the current guidelines they need to be understandable by the voters and other interested parties. I would be interested in feedback on this method of mangling. -- Malcolm Mladenovic - Volunteer Votetaker, UK-VOTING. voting@mort.demon.co.uk please use mbm@acm.org for personal mail UK-VOTING web pages are at http://www.harlech.demon.co.uk/ukvoting.htm