As many of you on ARBR well know, I have always been very much opposed to
cross-posting, but I am having lots of second thoughts about that. I now
think it is the one thing that will save ARBR from dying and going to the
Google graveyard.
ARBR was always a very small newsgroup and it was virtually destroyed by a
criminal vandal troll by the name of Ed Gin last winter. It is being revived
at long last by all the cross-posting. I am in favor of it as there are now
lots of interesting posts for everyone on ARBR to read and respond to. There
is a grave danger in being too recumbent specific. I think we are saved from
ourselves thanks to the other newsgroups.
RBM I think is compatible with ARBR and I suspect the other cycling
newsgroups are also. I am not sure about the racing group. Maybe Mr. Sherman
could advise us on that. However, I do note that Mr. Sherman is no longer
trimming the newsgroups, so I think he has come around to the idea of
cross-posting too. I reference Mr. Sherman because he has been the main stay
of ARBR ever since I have been here, something like three years I believe.
We should of course use some discretion concerning what threads we drag over
to ARBR. Frankly, I am amazed at how one poster, NYC, has single handedly
sparked the newsgroups. All newsgroups need newbies. Otherwise we just end
up cussing and swearing at one another to no good end. I am encouraged by
what I see happening here on ARBR. I do not think we ever want to be a small
group again. It is too easy for a criminal vandal troll to take you down
when you are a small group.
The one thing I do know for sure is that it is not healthy to be a small
group. ARBR has enough in common with the other cycling newsgroups so that
we should welcome their posting here. We should not bother them with
recumbent specific messages though. The other groups are large enough and do
not need us, but we need them. I think it is either that or we perish.
I am fairly new to newsgroups and so I may not be aware of all the dangers
of cross-posting. I am curious to know what others more experienced than I
may think.
Regards,
Ed Dolan - Minnesota