Post by Bryan MorrisCan be done with a will but you have to convince the uk.net.news
committee of the need and then call a vote
Nothing to do with Google who simply relay (since their take over of
Deja News) Usenet Groups
BTW I'm copying how it's done
Archive-name: uk/guidelines
Posting-frequency: monthly
Last-modified: Sun Jul 12 17:06:39 BST 2015
The procedures for coordinating newsgroup management within the UK
hierarchy are contained in three documents, of which this article
contains the first.
GUIDELINES FOR GROUP CREATION WITHIN THE UK HIERARCHY
<https://www.usenet.org.uk/guidelines.html>
<ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/uk/guidelines>
VOTING PROCEDURES WITHIN THE UK HIERARCHY
<https://www.usenet.org.uk/voting.html>
<ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/uk/voting>
THE UK USENET COMMITTEE
<https://www.usenet.org.uk/committee.html>
<ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/uk/committee>
The following Guidelines were originally accepted on 07 Aug 95 by a vote
conducted on uk.net.news with 93 votes in favour and 11 votes against.
They were amended by further votes conducted on uk.net.news.announce on
19 Apr 97 with majorities of 31 or more votes in favour and 6 or less
votes against, again on 15 April 98 by 47 to 13, again on 26 Sept 98 by
the fast-track method, again on 28 Nov 1999 by 74 to 2 and 39 to 27,
again on 18 May 2000 by 30 to 8, again on 13 Feb 2001 by 30 to 13 and
again on 5 May 2001 by 52 to 27.
GUIDELINES FOR GROUP CREATION WITHIN THE UK HIERARCHY
The following words where used in this document have the precise
meanings shown here:
SHALL - any RFD which fails to follow this guideline will be invalid
SHOULD - in all but exceptional or unusual cases an RFD ought to follow
this guideline MAY - whilst this guideline is acceptable
practice, it remains optional
Requirements for Group Creation:
It is hoped that most creations of new newsgroups within the UK
hierarchy can be accomplished speedily and without the necessity for
voting. When dissention arises, however, voting may be the only method
of resolution.
These guidelines have the approval of the major UK service providers,
who have declared that they will only carry and propagate groups created
using them.
It should be pointed out here that, as always, the decision whether or
not to create a newsgroup on a given machine rests with the
administrator of that machine. These guidelines are intended as an aid
in making those decisions. On the other hand, it should be understood
that groups created contrary to these guidelines are unlikely to
propagate far.
The Discussion:
1) A request for discussion (RFD) on the creation of a new newsgroup
shall be mailed to ***@usenet.org.uk (as moderator of
uk.net.news.announce).
Control will cross post the RFD to uk.net.news.announce,
uk.net.news.config
and any other groups or mailing lists related to the proposed topic
or
likely to be affected. The groups to be cross posted into should be
those
requested by the proponent. The proponent may also indicate which
groups
the Followups should be set to. Control may, at his discretion, add
additional groups to these lists (or remove groups where such cross
posting
is beyond the technical capabilities of the news software).
Uk.net.news.config shall be included in both the original cross
posting
and followups. Only postings which are cross posted to
uk.net.news.config
will be considered part of the definitive discussion.
The RFD should include as much as possible of the following
information
concerning the proposed group:
The Name
The Charter
Whether it is to be Moderated
The name of the Moderator (if appropriate)
A One-line Summary of the charter (max. 79 characters)
The Initial Time to be allowed for discussion (which must be at
least 10 days).
Any of these items missing from the RFD must be resolved during the
discussion.
The Charter shall make clear what the topic of discussion within the
group
is to be (useful if arguments about what is "on-topic" should arise
later
on). It is also advisable for the Charter to indicate whether or not
advertisements are welcome within the group, and if so of what sort.
The
same applies to the admissibility of job adverts, etc. Binaries are
allowed in uk.* only in hierarchies explicitly created for binary
posts,
and having a hierarchy charter stating this. In all other hierarchies
the
group charter shall state that binaries are not permitted. In any
uk.*
hierarchy or group whose charter does not mention binaries, the
assumption
shall be that binaries are forbidden.
Retromoderation, i.e. moderation of a newsgroup by way of
content-based
cancelling of articles, is not allowed, and RFDs which include the
possibility of retromoderation will not be accepted. This does not
affect
the general power of moderators to cancel articles which have
appeared in
the group as a result of forgery, catastrophic failure of moderation
software, or in other unforseen emergency circumstances.
The One-line Summary will eventually go into the "newsgroups" file
which
many newsreaders make available to users as a quick guide to the
intent of
each newsgroup. As regards group Names, reference should be made to
the
document "Guidelines on uk.* Newsgroup Names" which is posted
periodically
to uk.net.news.announce.
2) Where it is desired to provide for a large number of newsgroups to be
created as and when demand emerges, all sharing a common charter, an
RFD for
a "group template" may be submitted, in the same form as an RFD, but
containing also the scope of subjects for which it shall be
available, and a
standard charter and newsgroups line applicable to them all (with
placeholders for those words specific to each subject). It may
further
specify a group or groups to which all future notices of quick
creations
must be crossposted.
The scope of subjects shall be clear and finite, it must be possible
to
create a definitive list of potential groups (although it is not
required
that the proponent provides such a list). The scope shall give clear
instructions as to the formation of group names under the template,
including any flexibility (to be exercised at the discretion of the
committee) that is allowed in naming.
A group template RFD may also specify a single group which will be
created
immediately the proposal passes, without need of a quick creation
request.
3) If the RFD is in the correct form, and if the name of the proposed
group falls within the normal accepted practice for the uk.*
hierarchy
(as detailed in "Guidelines on uk.* Newsgroup Names")
***@usenet.org.uk (as moderator of uk.net.news.announce) will
post
it. Otherwise, he will refer it to the Committee for resolution
(which
may involve negotiation with the original proponent). A proponent who
needs help in choosing a name, or is looking for any other guidance
in the creation procedure, may send email to ***@usenet.org.uk
before issuing his RFD.
4) Discussion shall take place in uk.net.news.config and shall continue
initially for 10 days, and thereafter as required until consensus is
reached, or at least the important issues have been identified. It
should
be concerned with finding the final form of the Name, Charter, and
other
items listed above. Additional RFDs should be issued if substantive
changes
arise during the discussion. Revised RFDs should be discussed for a
further
initial 10 day period.
Where 90 days have elapsed since the publication of the first RFD,
the
committee may direct that no further RFDs shall be published, but
that the
proposal shall either proceed to a vote within 40 days of the present
RFD
or be withdrawn. Any vote resulting from such a decision by the
committee
shall include the option ROD (re-open discussion). Where the RFD is
concerned with the committee constitution, and the committee has not
acted
to curtail discussion within 130 days, the RFD shall proceed as if
the
committee had done so.
5) If, by the end of the initial discussion period, a consensus has been
reached and the proposal appears to be straightforward and
non-controversial, the proponent may, within 40 days of the original
publication of the most recent RFD, ask ***@usenet.org.uk to
create the
group by the "fast-track" method. If Control (as advised by the
Committee)
is satisfied of this, he will announce in uk.net.news.announce that,
in the
absence of valid objections, the new group will be created on a date
not
less than 5 days thereafter. In the event of 6 or more objections, or
any
objection which seems to the Committee to be well founded, the
fast-track
procedure shall be halted, and the RFD should either proceed to a
vote, or
have a revised RFD submitted for further discussion. In circumstances
where
the fast-track has failed on only minor problems, the proponent is
permitted to correct these, and re-submit a fast-track request with
the
corrections, which shall then be conducted as above.
Otherwise, the proponent may, within 40 days of the original
publication of
the most recent RFD, ask the votetaking organisation to conduct a
vote.
Where the vote results from the failure of a Fast Track, and the 40
day
period has expired, the proponent may request a vote within 10 days
of the
Committee notice that the Fast Track was not successful.
The proponent may, at any stage, withdraw an RFD, or permit another
person
to take over as proponent on the current RFD. The proponent must
notify
***@usenet.org.uk. Control shall publish a notice of the change
of
proponent or withdrawal to all newsgroups which were included in the
original RFD.
Note than only ***@usenet.org.uk may issue 'newgroup', 'rmgroup'
and
'checkgroups' messages which are to be regarded as valid under these
guidelines.
6) Where a group template exists, a group may be created by the 'Quick
Creation' method, without any RFD (with formal Charter) being posted.
A 'Quick Creation' request may be made by:
A request for Control to create a group using the template shall
contain the names and valid email addresses of the proponent and
at
least 11 (maximum 20) supporters. If Control (as advised by the
Committee) is satisfied that the proposed group lies within the
scope
of the template, he shall announce in the newsgroups specified
in the
template that if a minimum of 11 of the provided list of
supporters
respond as indicated below then, in the absence of valid
objections,
the group shall be created on a date not less than 10 days
thereafter.
Control's announcement shall contain the names/valid email
addresses
of the proponent and supporters.
Control shall email each supporter provided by the proponent
informing
them that they must email a reply within 10 days to acknowledge
that
they support the request and that the request will fail if fewer
than
11 respond positively.
If the original request is rejected, or fewer than 11 of the listed
supporters respond positively to Control, then Control shall announce
this
to the same groups as received the original posting.
If, at the end of the 10 day period, the minimum level of support
has been achieved then Control shall post to the same groups that
the proposed group shall be created in 5 days unless there are any
objections.
Objections, which must be emailed to ***@usenet.org.uk, to quick
creation will only be considered on the grounds that:
1) the proposed group lies outside the scope of the template;
2) the name is not in accordance with the template;
3) the list of supporters contains some irregularity.
The rule specifying the number of objections that automatically
prevent a
fast track shall not apply to any group application by the 'Quick
Creation'
method.
In the event that a 'Quick Creation' request is rejected by the
committee,
expires through lack of support or is overturned following an
objection, a
similar proposal may be submitted for discussion by the normal RFD
process
without incurring a 3 month delay. However, a failed or expired quick
creation request may not be re-submitted as a quick creation request
within
90 days.
7) The rules for conducting votes are described in the companion
document
VOTING PROCEDURES WITHIN THE UK HIERARCHY.
8) Only one RFD on any particular subject should be
allowed at any one time. The first valid RFD received by
***@usenet.org.uk should be published, and all others rejected.
In
cases of doubt, the Committee shall adjudicate as to whether two RFDs
overlap sufficiently to warrant one being rejected.
A proposal which has been the subject of a successful Fast Track, or
of any
valid vote should not be brought up for discussion until at least 3
months
have passed from the date of the Fast Track notice, or the close of
the
vote.
Where an RFD has been withdrawn, no waiting period shall apply before
a new
RFD can be published.
9) The procedures described above shall be used, with appropriate
changes, for
the removal, renaming, splitting or combining of groups, for changing
the
charter of groups, for introducing major changes to the hierarchy,
for
changing the moderation status, or for forcing a change of moderator
(under
normal circumstances, it is accepted that a retiring moderator
appoints his
successor).
10) All objections and appeals will be decided by the Committee. Their
decisions will be posted to uk.net.news.announce.
Rule Changes
Any changes to these rules, or those in the companion documents, shall
be proposed in an RFD in accordance with the GUIDELINES FOR GROUP
CREATION WITHIN THE UK HIERARCHY, insofar as they are applicable. RFDs
for rule changes shall be discussed in the newsgroup
uk.net.news.management, and this will be the definitive record of
discussion.
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Creation of UK.NET.NEWS.ANNOUNCE
Newsgroups line:
uk.net.news.announce For RFDs, CFVs, FAQs, etc. within the UK Hierarchy.
(Moderated)
CHARTER
This group is to be moderated by ***@usenet.org.uk on behalf of the
UK Usenet Committee. Its purpose is to publish RFDs, CFVs, Result of
votes, etc. produced in accordance with the Guidelines For Group
Creation within the UK Hierarchy and the Voting Procedures within the UK
Hierarchy. It will also publish FAQs and summaries relevant to the
management of the UK Hierarchy.
Creation of UK.NET.NEWS.CONFIG
Newsgroups line:
uk.net.news.config Discussions of RFDs posted in uk.net.news.announce.
CHARTER
For discussions concerning the creation, renaming or deletion of
newsgroups within the UK Hierarchy, especially those arising from RFDs
published in uk.net.news.announce in accordance with the Guidelines For
Group Creation within the UK Hierarchy. Discussions relating to
connectivity, propagation, and other non-configuration issues should
take place in uk.net. Discussions relating to the management of the uk.*
newsgroup hierarchy, the committee, officers and guidelines should take
place in uk.net.news.management.
Cross-posting between this group and uk.net.news.management is strictly
prohibited, EXCEPT for formal RFDs and CFVs and announcements approved
by control. Where cross-posting is allowed, the follow-ups line may
include either uk.net.news.config OR uk.net.news.management but NOT
both.
--
Bryan Morris