Nan:2008-03-31-comp.lang.c++-rfd

From: Gary L. Burnore <gburnore@databasix.com>
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,comp.lang.c++,news.groups.proposals
Subject: RFD: comp.lang.c++.misc
Followup-To: news.groups.proposals
Date: Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:47:51 -0700
Message-ID: <nan.20080331164751$2a72@killfile.org>

                      REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD)
                  unmoderated group comp.lang.c++.misc

This is a formal Request For Discussion (RFD) for the creation of the
unmoderated Usenet newsgroup, comp.lang.c++.misc.


NEWSGROUPS LINE: comp.lang.c++.misc

comp.lang.c++.misc	Development in C++, libraries, cross and single targets




RATIONALE: comp.lang.c++.misc

There is already a newsgroup called "comp.lang.c++", but its discussion
is restricted to elements of the C++ Standard (e.g. how the language
works, and how you work with the language's standard libraries). More
development oriented discussions such as working with wireless internet
or interfacing a specific device with USB are quite out of place there,
so a group such as comp.lang.c++.misc needed.

The purpose of the newsgroup would be for people to discuss and inquire
about developing in C++ whether for a single platform or for multiple
platforms.  Topics would include libraries and C++ programming techniques
in general.

Tomas O hEilidhe <t...@lavabit.com> proposed comp.lang.c++.cross-platform
in article <nan.20071205185618$5999@killfile.org> but the subsequent
discussion suggested a more general group would see more use.  This
proposal builds on his work.

Prososed alternate names included comp.programming.c++ (the
comp.programming tree deals with social issues in programming so few
would look in that hierarchy), comp.programming.c++.portable (like
cross-platform it was viewed too narrow in focus and there was debate
between the .platform and .cross-platform supporters over semantics),
comp.lang.c++.development or asking for a recharter of comp.lang.c++
to include development issues (no need to alter a currently successful
group).  In the end comp.lang.c++ was chosen as a compromise among the
suggested choices.

TRAFFIC ANALYSIS:

Regularly, there are postings to comp.lang.c++ asking what's the best
library to use for things like User Graphical Interfaces. Also, there
are people asking how to interface with a COM port, or how to eject a CD
drive using code. Such posts are deemed by the majority at comp.lang.c++
to be off-topic because the C++ Standard does not deal with such things
as COM ports and CD drives. These inquiries would find a much warmer
home at comp.lang.c++.misc.


CHARTER:

comp.lang.c++.misc is an unmoderated newsgroup which will serve as a
forum for discussing C++ related issues not a part of the language
standard.  This includes development, libraries and single-platform or
cross-platform C++ programming techniques. Topics that may be
discussed include:

 * Idiom for acheiving specific tasks.
 * Discussion of portability issues in C++.
 * Inquiries as to whether a particular library exists, or a
   list of suitable libraries for a given task.
 * Discussions of whether a particular library is any good, or
   if it should be avoided in favour of a different library.
 * Cross-platform programming techniques in general.
 * Particular libraries, how to work with them and how they
   work internally.

Posting of advertising and/or promotional material of any kind to
comp.lang.c++.misc is explicitly prohibited.  Posting of binaries is
not permitted, with the exception of small binary components in
otherwise non-binary postings, such as PGP signatures or X-Face
headers.  Posts must be readable as plain text. HTML, RTF and
similarly formatted messages are prohibited.





PROCEDURE:

For more information on the newsgroup creation process, please see:

  http://www.big-8.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=policies:creation

Those who wish to influence the development of this RFD and its final
resolution should subscribe to news.groups.proposals and participate in the
relevant threads in that newsgroup.  This is both a courtesy to groups in
which discussion of creating a new group is off-topic as well as the best
method of making sure that one's comments or criticisms are heard.

All discussion of active proposals should be posted to news.groups.proposals.
To this end, the 'Followup-To' header of this RFD has been set to this group.

If desired by the readership of closely affected groups, the discussion
may be crossposted to those groups, but care must be taken to ensure
that all discussion appears in news.groups.proposals as well.

We urge those who would like to read or post in the proposed newsgroup
to make a comment to that effect in this thread; we ask proponents to
keep a list of such positive posts with the relevant message ID
(e.g., Barney Fife, <4JGdnb60fsMzHA7ZnZ2dnUVZ_rWdnZ2d@sysmatrix.net>).
Such lists of positive feedback for the proposal may constitute good
evidence that the group will be well-used if it is created.




DISTRIBUTION:

This document has been posted to the following newsgroups:

  news.announce.newgroups (moderated)
  news.groups.proposals (moderated)
  comp.lang.c++


PROPONENT:

Gary L. Burnore <gburnore@databasix.com>



CHANGE HISTORY:

2007-12-05     RFD for comp.lang.c++.cross-platform
2008-03-01     1st RFD Submitted
2008-03-31     1st RFD Posted