From: ukmtk@software-ag.de (Mark Kuschnir)
Subject: RFD: comp.lang.java.moderated moderated
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups,comp.lang.java.announce,comp.lang.java.beans,comp.lang.java.databases,comp.lang.java.gui,comp.lang.java.help,comp.lang.java.programmer

comp.lang.java.announce is moderated.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD)
moderated group comp.lang.java.moderated

This is a request for discussion (RFD) about creating a new moderated
Usenet newsgroup, comp.lang.java.moderated.

Newsgroup line:
comp.lang.java.moderated     Java language issues (moderated)

RATIONALE: comp.lang.java.moderated

The Java language is becoming increasingly popular. There has been
an explosive growth of messages in the unmoderated Java news groups
a great deal of which is not particularly helpful to Java programmers.

There is therefore a need to provide a forum for which people with
interest in programming in the Java language can freely and openly
discuss their problems and solutions, keep abreast of developments
in Java, and interact with their peers around the world.  In order
to keep discussions centered on the Java programming language and
to better serve the Java community in its entirety, a moderated
discussion group is required.

At the same time, there is also a demand for a continuing low-delay
unmoderated forum. Hence, this proposal is for the creation of a new
moderated group coupled with the existing unmoderated group hierarchy
comp.lang.java.*.

This RFD favors this option because it parallels what was done with
comp.lang.c and comp.lang.c++.

CHARTER: comp.lang.java.moderated

comp.lang.java.moderated is a moderated news group for discussion
of common Java programming issues.  Welcomed topics of discussion
will include any topic directly related to the Java programming
language.  The moderators will decide which posts are of general
interest to the worldwide Java community.  The moderators are free
to reject any post which is deemed to be system-specific, covered
by the comp.lang.java FAQ(s), and/or more appropriate to another
Usenet discussion group. The following is a short list of posts
which will be considered off-topic by the moderators.

- System-specific problems which are better addressed in existing
  system-specific newsgroups may be considered off-topic. (Here we
  are using the term "system-specific" in reference to a particular
  computer system configuration.)
- Questions answered in the comp.lang.java FAQ(s) will be considered
  off-topic.
- Obvious homework problems and trivial questions that can be
  answered by quick inspection of any Java text may be considered
  off-topic.
- Very broad questions which could equally apply to any computer
  programming language may be considered off-topic.
- Advocacy and "flame wars" about Java will be considered off-topic.
- Advertising shall be considered off-topic.
- Binaries, excessively long postings, inappropriate crossposting
  and long sigs shall all be deemed inappropriate.
- Java product announcements shall be at the discretion of the
  moderators.

Overall, the moderators shall lean towards accepting posts and the
free exchange of ideas and general discussion of Java issues.

END CHARTER.

MODERATOR INFO: comp.lang.java.moderated

At least 5 moderators who are knowledgeable about Java are needed
to moderate the newsgroup. A moderator site is also needed. 
If you are interested in being a moderator and/or can provide
a moderator site please contact me.

I, Mark Kuschnir <ukmtk@software-ag.de>, will be one of the
moderators. 

END MODERATOR INFO.

PROCEDURE:

This is a request for discussion, not a call for votes.  In this
phase of the process, any potential problems with the proposed
newsgroups should be raised and resolved.  The discussion period
will continue for a minimum of 21 days (starting from when the
first RFD for this proposal is posted to news.announce.newgroups),
after which a Call For Votes (CFV) may be posted by a neutral vote
taker if the discussion warrants it.  Please do not attempt to vote
until this happens.

All discussion of this proposal should be posted to news.groups.

This RFD attempts to comply fully with the Usenet newsgroup creation
guidelines outlined in "How to Create a New Usenet Newsgroup" and
"How to Format and Submit a New Group Proposal".  Please refer to
these documents (available in news.announce.newgroups) if you have
any questions about the process.

DISTRIBUTION:

  news.announce.newgroups, news.groups,
  comp.lang.java.announce, comp.lang.java.beans,
  comp.lang.java.databases, comp.lang.java.gui,
  comp.lang.java.help, comp.lang.java.programmer

Proponent: Mark Kuschnir <ukmtk@software-ag.de>