Creating a Panix Newsgroup

Rules for the creation of a panix.user.* group on panix
Version 0.3 Dec 21, 1994

This document describes the rules for the creation of "panix.user." newsgroups. The "panix.user." hierarchy is for newsgroups local to panix that have been created by subscriber request.

The proposal and creation of a "panix.user." newsgroup has 4 stages.

1 - Proposal.
2 - Discussion.
3 - Voting.
4 - Creation.

1 - Proposal...

Any panix subscriber may propose a newsgroup in the "panix.user." hierarchy. The person proposing the new "panix.user." newsgroup must first submit a proposed name and charter (description of the purpose of the group) for the group to the moderator(s) of panix.user.announce (by mailing to panix-user-moderator or posting to panix.user.announce -- your post will automatically be mailed to the moderator).

If the format and wording of the charter are acceptable to the moderator(s), the moderator(s) will then post this information in panix.user.announce as: "Call For Discussion: panix.user.[proposed-group-name]".

In order to protect the local namespace the moderators reserve the option to reject proposals for groups with a charter that is very similar to that of an already existing "panix.user." group or reject proposals for groups with name problems (e.g. "panix.user.silly.silly.silly.silly...").

The charter of the proposed group must not imply that certain subscribers on panix may not post to or read the group.

There is no mechanism for a user to propose a moderated "panix.user." group. All user proposed "panix.user." groups will be unmoderated and open to posting by all panix subscribers (for private discussions, you can use E-mail).

2 - Discussion...

Immediately after the "Call for Discussion" on the proposed newsgroup appears in panix.user.announce a one week discussion period will commence. All discussion about the proposed newsgroup should take place in the newsgroup panix.user.config. After the one week period is over the person submitting the original newsgroup proposal must submit a final one with a final proposed charter and name (so don't propose a group if you're not going to be around the week afterward). The final proposed charter and name may differ from the initial ones proposed (if the final proposed charter and/or name differ significantly from the original, the moderator(s) may post another "Call for Discussion" on the group with another one week discussion period to follow).

If the person that originally proposed the group does not submit a final group name and charter within one week of the end of the discussion period, the proposal will be considered abandoned.

A "Call for Votes: panix.user." announcement containing the final proposed name and charter and indicating the voting period will be posted in panix.user.announce.

3 - Voting...

Immediately after the "Call for Votes" on the proposed newsgroup appears in panix.user.announce a one week voting period will commence.

Voting will be by E-mail. You vote for a proposed newsgroup by mailing your vote to panix-user-moderator . Your vote should have a subject of "FOR: panix.user.[proposed-group-name>]". Mail not containing the name of the group you are voting for will be rejected. A vote must be mailed from a valid panix account to be counted.

There is no mechanism to vote against a proposed group. If, after the required discussion period and call for votes, the minimum required number of panix subscribers vote for a group it will be created.

The number of subscribers that must vote in favor of a group for it to be created will initially be set at 20.

This number may be adjusted up as panix grows or for other administrative reasons (like if it is discovered that 20 panix subscribers can be found to support _any_ newsgroup proposal or something).

The votes will be tallied by the moderator(s) of panix.user.announce (or a person or persons the moderator(s) designate). The final vote tally will be posted to panix.user.announce with a subject of "Vote Tally: panix.user.[proposed-group-name] PASSES" or "Vote Tally: panix.user.[proposed-group-name] FAILS" and will include the login-names of all the users voting in favor of the group.

Intermediate vote tallies will _not_ be released by the moderator(s) of panix.user.announce or their agent(s).

The voting period will last the full one week even if the proposed group has received more than the minimum required number of affirmative votes before then.

4 - Creation...

If the group has received at least the minimum number of required votes at the end of the voting period it will be created.

The first article in the newly created group will contain an introduction of the following form followed by the charter of the group. 

---
| Welcome to panix.user.. This group was created as a result of a
| user proposal and vote.
|
| This group is local to panix.
|
| This group is open to all panix subscribers. Any panix subscriber may read
| or post to this group, but please keep posts on the topic of the group as
| indicated in the group's charter.
|
| This group is expected to be "self-policing" through the efforts of
| subscribers of/posters to the newsgroup and through the use of newsreader
| "kill files". Only in the most extreme circumstances will the staff of
| panix intervene to control the contents of this newsgroup.
|
| To prevent the panix.* newsgroups from being deluged by posts from people
| outside of panix please avoid crossposting articles from the panix.* 
| hierarchy to the rest of Usenet.
|
| The charter of the newsgroup follows...
----

Additional information...

In the event of a dispute involving voting, group naming, permissible charters, etc., the decision of the moderator(s) of the panix.user.announce newsgroup is final.

Only the moderator(s) may post articles in panix.user.announce. Unauthorized (i.e. forged) articles posted in panix.user.announce will be deleted.

All "panix.user." newsgroups will be open to all panix subscribers. Private discussions can always be held via E-mail.

Groups in the "panix.user." hierarchy are expected to be "self-policing" through the efforts of subscribers of/posters to the newsgroup and through the use of newsreader kill files. Only in the most extreme circumstances will the staff of panix intervene in groups in the "panix.user." hierarchy that were created through user proposal (extreme circumstances being those that would cause staff intervention in any of the Usenet/Altnet groups: postings of an illegal nature, postings with a severe negative impact on the net - such as crossposting an article to hundreds of newsgroups, etc.)

These rules for group creation are not meant to prevent the creation of user desired groups, but merely to ensure there is a fair and objective method for determining which desired groups get created.

These rules for creation of a "panix.user." newsgroup are subject to change (any change(s) will be posted in panix.user.announce).

If you want to create a new group in the panix.user.* newsgroup hierarchy on panix here is a summary of the steps to follow...

First, send a proposal for your new group including a proposed name and charter (description of the purpose of the group) to the moderator(s) of panix.user.announce (mail to "panix-user-moderator").

The moderator(s) will review your proposal and either send it back to you with a comment as to why it is being rejected or post a "Call For Discussion:" on your group to panix.user.announce. A one week "discussion" period will then commence.

Within one week after the end of the week discussion period in panix.user.config, you must submit a final proposed charter and proposed name to the moderator(s) of panix.user.announce.

The moderator(s) will then post a "Call For Votes" for your group in panix.user.announce.

Voting on your proposed group will then commence and last for exactly one week.

If, at the end of the one week voting period, the group has received at least the required minimum number of affirmative votes (currently 20), the group will be created.

Please note that in the case of disputes on voting, naming, charters, time frames, etc. the decision of the moderator(s) of the panix.user.announce newsgroup is final.

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