Reorganization of comp.sys.att (was: CFD: create comp.sys.3b1)

[Mark H. Weber]

bill at ssbn.WLK.COM (Bill Kennedy) writes:
>markw at GVL.Unisys.Com (Mark H. Weber) writes:
>
>[ discussion about comp.sys.att.3b1 ]
>
>>So it looks like the best thing to do is to do a reorganization of the
>>comp.sys.att group:
>>
>>
>>    comp.sys.att.3b1    7300's, 3b1's and related CT machines
>>                .3b2    Can include the 3b2-clones (3b5, 3b15, 3b20..)
>>                .misc   Other stuff
>
>If anyone would like it, I suggest adding comp.sys.att.63xx.  I'm the
>coordinator for the AT&T PC63xx mailing list, nearly 200 strong and I
>would not object to gatewaying the mailing list into a newsgroup for 63xx
>if the net wants it.  I would not gateway the other way because the
>folks on the mailing list have steadfastly refused to become a newsgroup.

I thought about adding a 63xx group to my proposal, the fact that there
is a 200-member mailing list indicates that there is a need for the group.

So how about:

    comp.sys.att.3b1    7300's, 3b1's and related CT machines
                .3b2    Can include the 3b2-clones (3b5, 3b15, 3b20..)
		.63xx   6300's and related machines
                .misc   Other stuff

I'm hearing differing opinions about starting a newsgroup name with a digit.
Is this really a problem? There are at least two active groups which violate
this "rule" (comp.sys.atari.8bit and comp.sys.nsc.32k). Do people have
problems with those groups? I can see a problem if you have a mixed-up
hierarchy like this:

	comp.sys.att		miscellaneous postings
	comp.sys.att.6300	6300 stuff

In this case the news software may become confused by the 6300 subdirectory,
which it might try to treat like an ordinary article. It should be OK, though,
if you have a lower level "misc" group, or have at least 1 letter in the 
group name.

If we do have to start with a letter, almost any would be ok, although it
should probably be less than or equal to "m" so that the product-specific
groups would sort out before the misc group. If an article is cross-posted
within the hierarchy, it would be nice to see it first in the appropriate
group.

Is this one of those secondhand rumours ("I think I heard of someone who 
had a problem with this")? Can someone give a firsthand account of the 
problems they have on their machine with digit-started newsgroup names?


-- 
  Mark H. Weber                   | Internet: markw at GVL.Unisys.COM  
  Unisys - Great Valley Labs      |     UUCP: ...!uunet!cbmvax!gvlv2!markw
  Paoli, PA  USA  (215) 648-7111  |           ...!psuvax1!burdvax!gvlv2!markw