NG History

All this talk of the newsgroup has led me to one question ! (probably a stupid one!!)

I was first introduced to the NG back in 1996 while at uni. A chance email from Peter Forbes made me aware of it but I could never work out how to access it! In 1997 I bought my own computer for uni work and my computer science flatmate hooked me up to the NG's and I haven't looked back!

So who originally set up uk.rec.engines.stationary and when ??! I am aware of usenet etc, but not too hot on the subject so maybe someone could enlighten me! I have a sneaky suspicion Peter Forbes was behind it all ??

Hopefully someone can provide the answer! Thanks David

-- Stationary Engines Scotland

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Reply to
David McC
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Not me, I think you will find that George Hendry set it up originally.

I always recommend the NG to anyone remotely interested in engine stuff, and over the years it has got much better, with a more consistent level of posting compared with the early days when two a week was the norm.

Peter

-- Peter & Rita Forbes snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Engine pages for preservation info:

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Reply to
Peter A Forbes

27th October 1997

groups.google.com seems to have postings from November '97 and George Hendry was certainly involved in the charter, if not doing the actual mkgroup

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Thanks, makes interesting reading on how the group was formed.

George, any comments from yourself on how you feel the NG has progressed in the past 6 years and the initial inspiration for actually requesting the formation of this NG ?

Regards David

-- Stationary Engines Scotland

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Reply to
David McC

David and Gentlemen,

Yes I have to confess it was me.

For a while I had been a reader (dare I say lurker) on the US mailing list but found that the sense of humour, tangent hopping and pure irrelevance of a great deal of the postings meant that I spent more time sorting the wheat from the chaff than reading anything worthwhile. There was also very little content relevant to British Engines.

Six years ago, because of the history of the Internet, most newsgroups and mailing lists were US inspired and from chatting to friends it was felt that something should be done to redress this balance.

So a request was made to set up u.r.e-s. This was received quite well even by some of our US colleagues and a small number of us on this side of the pond. It was (after some discussion about the name and where best to fit it into the UK hierarchy) soon able to be fast tracked to completion. I think by failing memory it actually took between three and six months.

The newsgroup started off very slowly but was used by the early supporters whilst it gained momentum. I am deeply grateful to those people who helped with support and by using the newsgroup in the early months.

Since then of course it has grown as you are all aware and now provides a very good basis for the interchange of ideas and information for the hobby as a whole. I think that it now provides more information than some of the subscription publications available, for the most part because it is instant and doesn't take two months for a reply.

I was only the proposer, the success of the newsgroup is down purely to you the users and as this is a non moderated group the control is down purely to everyone who contributes. This has worked extremely well for the most part and shows what a jolly nice bunch of guys you are.

I do consider the group to be 'my baby' however and take a great interest in its development and will occasionally 'have a go' if I think that it is being abused as can be seen by 'language' and 'binary' postings over recent months.

I do believe that the group should evolve however and as for the most part people are changing to broadband perhaps it is time to consider a change to the charter to allow the posting of a regulated size of picture if it does not stop more ISP's from carrying the group. Perhaps this could be the source of another thread - How can the newsgroup evolve?

Sorry to have gone on for so long Gents.

George Hendry

In message , David McC writes

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George Hendry

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