BUT READ THIS FIRST !

Bart De Pontieu (BDP@MPEPL)
Mon, 25 Mar 1996 20:01:17 +0100 (CET)

You can subscribe to UseSat-L by sending a message with in the Subject: field
the word 'subscribe' to UseSat-L-request@iris01.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de

Mark that though we already have been discussing a name for the new newsgroup
(sci.space.satellites.observe.visual), this is still at the center of discus-
sion and not part of the proposal we ask you to vote on.

The pros and cons of our proposal as they have been discussed on UseSat-L
in the recent past (with thanks to Jeff Hunt and Jim Varney for the 
compilation):

PROs:

1. Provides a platform  to a larger audience of people interested in satellites.

2. Expanded dissemination of info related to satellites and visual 
observing of satellites to the Usenet community interested in this topic.

3. Usenet group will allow for a broader discussion of satellite interests than 
presently found on SeeSat.

4. A moderated group will help insure the discussions and info generated
are directly related to the interests of this group.  A charter will outline 
what topics are relevant to the proposed Usenet group.

5. Expanded coverage of SeeSat

6. Charter will prohibit binary attachments, so message size will be
kept small.

7. A "SeeSat-l:" prefix will be added to Usenet message headers so
readers can easily indentify which messages came from SeeSat,
to prevent reading the same message twice.  It also serves to
show interested Usenet readers the quality of information available
on SeeSat, which hopefully will draw new subscribers.

8. Although SeeSat messages are mirrored to Usenet, the SeeSat subscriber
retains control of whether or not their message appears on Usenet.
To send a message to SeeSat *and* Usenet: use SeeSat-L.  To send a
message to SeeSat list members only: use SeeSat-P.

9. The proposed newsgroup name, sci.space.satellites.observe.visual,
fits harmoniously with the other sci.space.* newsgroups such as
sci.space.news, sci.space.shuttle and sci.space.policy.  These three
existing newsgroups carry a lot of traffic relating to satellites;
our proposed group adds the visual observing dimension to them.

Cons:  

1. Information is not routed in a timely fashion as compared to a mail server.

2. No central archive 

3. Your access provider may not carry the new Usenet group.

4. When posting to SeeSat, you'll need to remember if you want to use
SeeSat-L or SeeSat-P.  This makes using the mailing list a little
bit more complicated to use than it is now.

5. Usenet service can be unreliable and you may not receive all of the
messages.

6. The proposed newsgroup name should be in sci.astro.*, not sci.space.*,
because satellite observing is essentially an astronomical and
astrometrical activity.


Most of us on UseSat-L feel that despite the obvious disadvantages, the
advantages win out. If you think we have overlooked advantages but esp.
disadvantages, feel free to post them to UseSat-L.

For all of us at UseSat-L,
    Bart De Pontieu <bdp@mpepl.plasma.mpe-garching.mpg.de>