Nan:2008-05-13-comp.lang.c++-lcc
From Usenet Big-8 Management Board
From: The Big-8 Management Board <board@big-8.org> Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,comp.lang.c++,news.groups.proposals Subject: RFD: comp.lang.c++.misc (LAST CALL FOR COMMENTS) Followup-To: news.groups.proposals Date: Mon, 12 May 2008 22:01:23 -0700 Message-ID: <nan.20080513050123$0b6e@killfile.org> REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (RFD) comp.lang.c++.misc This is a formal Request For Discussion (RFD) for the creation of the unmoderated Usenet newsgroup, comp.lang.c++.misc. PROCEDURE: The B8MB plans to begin voting on this proposal after five days. Please offer any final discussion or comments before the end of this waiting period. Voting may take up to one week (7 days); a result will be posted following the end of the voting period. All discussion of this proposal should be posted to news.groups.proposals. The full group creation procedure is documented here: http://www.big-8.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=policies:proposals NEWSGROUPS LINE: comp.lang.c++.misc comp.lang.c++.misc Development in C++, libraries, cross and single targets SUMMARY OF DISCUSSION: Several cycles of name discussion repeated. Since most groups in the comp.lang hierarchy have a wider topic spread than comp.lang.c++, the name ending in .misc was chosen specifically to cover topics that would have been on topic in another group. Several regular posters from comp.lang.c++ checked in pointing to various resources on and off UseNet that address issues that would be on topic on other groups in the comp.lang hierarchy. These posts reflected the frustrations of why comp.lang.c++.cross-platform was roposed in the first place. Some typo corrections were suggested. RATIONALE: comp.lang.c++.misc There is already a newsgroup called "comp.lang.c++", but its discussion is restricted to elements of Standard C++ (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 is 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 <toe@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++.misc 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. 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: 2008-03-31 1st RFD 2008-05-01 2nd RFD 2008-05-12 3rd RFD/LCC