[MacPerl] Newsgroup vs. mailing list

[Eric Jensen 608-265-2554 <jensen@madraf.astro.wisc.edu>]

Summary: I vote yes on a newsgroup because it would let those who aren't
interested in CGI questions skip them easily.

        I would be in favor of making the switch to a newsgroup from a mailing
list.  My reason is essentially a variant on a previous argument for
newsgroups, namely that you can follow threads you're interested in and kill
those you don't find interesting.  A specific application of that argument to
this list involves the proliferation of messages and questions about using
MacPerl to write CGIs.  Messages of this sort have made up a significant
fraction of the traffic on this list recently, but if one is not interested in
that topic, there is no easy way to filter out or skip those messages other
than deleting them individually.  (I'm sure different mail programs have more
or less ability in this area, but in general it's not easy.)  

        There was some discussion a while ago about whether to split the list
into CGI and non-CGI questions; a newsgroup would keep the discussion unified
for those who are interested in all aspects of MacPerl, while making it easy
for others with narrower interests to either follow or kill CGI-related
threads.

        And finally, a question.  A few people have mentioned not wanting a
newsgroup because they don't have Usenet access.  If it were to become a
newsgroup, would it be possible to have a digest form available via e-mail for
those interested?  (I don't have any sense of how much human intervention this
would require.)

Eric Jensen