Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Speaking Up About The DG

Author:Russell Lipton
Posted:9/28/2000; 6:23:25 PM
Topic:Speaking Up About The DG
Msg #:21829
Prev/Next:21828 / 21830

Heading off to do a little grooving tomorrow and hope I won't come back to discover that the DG to which I am addicted has closed.

Imho, Scripting News without the DG would just feel weird. How's that for rational-not? (While News mainly stands on its own, it seems like there is an important feedback loop between News and DG that deserves sustenance and helps, in part, sustain the vitality of the News side).

This is just my way of putting my thoughts in order:

. There are lots of DGs on Manila sites but none that have the appropriately dynamic intellectual connection to Scripting News. They complement well but can't substitute.

. Dave may want to redefine his relationship to the DG, either by closing it or dropping by to comment only if/when he wants. Not only is it his sandbox, but we all benefit by him being freed from the trivialities to focus on the real stuff.

. Whatever he decides, he doesn't want to feel any longer like he is the projected object of people's neuroses about their fathers ;-)

. Just possibly, a transition period where Dave was *just* a participant (ie, it was either moderated by some in the community or left to float) might yield an equally rich or richer community board over time, especially if the "Dave flaming" is expunged (see "moderators" above). If it didn't maintain its creativity (a present danger since, bluntly, Dave's intellectual energy and direction largely drive it at the present time), the DG can always be closed.

Corrections to interpretation sought.

Sure, life will go on with the DG - and the other Frontier and RU boards live. DGs have a natural life cycle: this one has long since met Dave's original objective. So, the question is, what is the new mission, if any?

Here is my POV, I'm stuck with it - to have a venue where intelligent people can try to help each other understand the two-way Web as it hurtles towards us over the next few years. Hacker talk, but not only that. Pointers to links, but not only that. Talk about life, love and death from time to time as well.

If there is a better place to do it than here, I want to be there (seriously). At present, I know of lots of useful DGs but none that approach that goal as well as this one, for all its weaknesses.

Dave was also asking readers if they were willing to help Scripting News in some way. Perhaps he is getting private emails on that. If not, silence speaks volumes, no?

.

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