Nan:2026-04-02-result-comp.unix.sys5

From: Big-8 Management Board <board@big-8.org>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.misc,comp.unix.sys5.misc,comp.unix.sys5.r4,news.announce.newgroups,news.groups.proposals
Subject: RESULT: comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4 will not be removed
Followup-To: news.groups.proposals
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2026 15:56:17 EDT
Message-ID: <10qmhjc$eo5$1@reader2.panix.com>
Archive-Name: comp.unix-reorg

RESULT:

comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4 will not be removed

The Last Call for Comments (LCC) on 2026-03-20 initiated a five-day
period for final comments.  Following this comment period, the Big-8
Management Board has decided by a vote to remove the groups
comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4.  The vote was 1 in favour
of deletion, 1 against deletion, 1 abstaining, and 1 not voting.


DISTRIBUTION:
news.announce.newgroups
news.groups.proposals
comp.unix.misc
comp.unix.sys5.misc
comp.unix.sys5.r4


PROPONENT: Marco Moock <mmoock@big-8.org>


RATIONALE:

There are various groups in comp.unix.* that are not used regularly.

I propose to delete groups that are not used well and to direct the
people to more general groups like comp.unix.misc in case they want to
discuss the topics they special groups covered.
If people declare interest in using them, I suggest to not delete them.


DISCUSSION SO FAR:

For discussions relating to the 1st RFD, please see the summary in the
2nd RFD at
<news:MPG.4382d7dcd99c72d7989702@news.eternal-september.org>.

Discussions relating to the 2nd RFD took place in
news.groups.proposals and in news.groups. The discussion occurred
primarily in the threads in each group for "2nd RFD: Remove
comp.unix.bsd.386bsd.misc and comp.unix.bsd.bsdi.misc", but many
responses were generally applicable to all groups under consideration
for removal, including the ones in this RFD.

Arguments, suggestions, and observations put forward in response to
the 2nd RFD were:

- Removing unused groups will not increase participation in related
   groups, nor in Usenet as a whole. [sticks, Steve Bonine, Adam
   H. Kerman]

- Many sites won't list a group that has been rmgrouped, so group
   history will be inaccessible unless one knows the group existed and
   seeks out a provider that keeps the removed groups
   archived. [sticks, Steve Bonine]

- There is potential for inconsistency/confusion for users if some
   sites keep the group available and some don't. [Steve Bonine]

- There is no point to streamlining the list of newsgroups, as there
   are no new users coming in to Usenet who could usefully be funneled
   into a smaller list of groups. [Steve Bonine]

- It would be more useful to overhaul the whole Big-8, keeping only
   the active groups and combining unused or little-used groups with
   them. While this will not "save" Usenet, it would bring users
   together and encourage active discussions with more
   contributors. Something like this has happened in fr.* and nobody
   has asked to re-create the removed newsgroups. [Julien Élie]

- The topics of some groups are now obsolete. Other groups were split
   into sub-groups when the volume of discussion was much greater, and
   these could perhaps now be usefully recombined. [Dr Englebert
   Buxbaum]

- Large-scale consolidation of groups might work if users could be
   consolidated along with their subscribed groups, but it's more
   likely that they would just lose access to their old groups once the
   rmgroups were issued. Also, to have much effect, it would be
   necessary to remove a large majority of groups. [Matija Nalis]

- In a large-scale deletion, groups that are to be deleted could be
   left in place for a transitional period in order to redirect users
   to the best remaining group. [The True Melissa]

- The proposals overestimate the importance of the hierarchy
   administration, as the active newsgroups list merely tells news
   server administrators that, if they create a group on a given topic,
   they should use the canonical name given in the list.  [Adam
   H. Kerman]

- Hierarchy administration does benefit new operators installing
   Usenet servers, who ask for more accurate active files. [Todd
   M. McComb]

- Older Unix systems, possibly including those covered by the groups
   under discussion, may still be in use in the telephone industry or
   by individuals with old PCs. [David Chmelik]


GROUPS:

comp.unix.sys5.misc
Versions of System V which predate Release 3

Charter:
Older versions of System V are still in use, however, and there should
be a home for discussion of new releases.  Thus the proposal to create
"c.u.sys5.misc".

History:
comp.unix.sys5.misc is an unmoderated newsgroup which passed its vote
for creation by 252:50 as reported in news.announce.newgroups on 17
Sep 1992.

Rationale:
1 message in 2011
This operating system isn't developed anymore.
If there is need for discussion, more general groups can be used.


comp.unix.sys5.r4
Discussing System V Release 4.

Charter:
System V Release 4 has been an even bigger success than SVR3, not only
on the IBM PC but also on the Amiga and other proprietary
architectures.  Thus the proposal to create "c.u.sys5.r4".

History:
comp.unix.sys5.r4 is an unmoderated newsgroup which passed its vote
for creation by 258:50 as reported in news.announce.newgroups on 17
Sep 1992.

Rationale:
Last thread in 2010, last message in 2012.
This operating system isn't developed anymore.
If there is need for discussion, more general groups can be used.


HISTORY OF THIS RFD:

2025-10-10: 1st RFD (remove)
2025-11-15: 2nd RFD (remove)
2026-03-20: Final RFD / Last Call for Comments
2026-04-02: Result: comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4 will
             not be removed

-- 
Usenet Big-8 Management Board
https://www.big-8.org/
board@big-8.org

From: Big-8 Management Board <board@big-8.org>
Newsgroups: comp.unix.misc,comp.unix.sys5.misc,comp.unix.sys5.r4,news.announce.newgroups,news.groups.proposals
Subject: Re: RESULT: comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4 will not be
 removed
Followup-To: news.groups.proposals
Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2026 21:26:22 EDT
Message-ID: <10qn4rg$86o$1@reader2.panix.com>
Archive-Name: comp.unix-reorg

On 2026-04-02 14:56, Big-8 Management Board wrote:
> RESULT:
> 
> comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4 will not be removed
> 
> The Last Call for Comments (LCC) on 2026-03-20 initiated a five-day
> period for final comments.  Following this comment period, the Big-8
> Management Board has decided by a vote to remove the groups
> comp.unix.sys5.misc and comp.unix.sys5.r4.  The vote was 1 in favour
> of deletion, 1 against deletion, 1 abstaining, and 1 not voting.


The sentence in the second paragraph should have read "...has decided by 
a vote not to remove the groups...", in accordance with what's written 
in the line above it, in the Subject header, and in the History of this 
RFD section. Apologies for any confusion.

-- 
Usenet Big-8 Management Board
https://www.big-8.org/
board@big-8.org