1To: python-list 2Subject: comp.lang.python RFD again 3From: Guido.van.Rossum@cwi.nl 4 5I've followed the recent discussion and trimmed the blurb RFD down a bit 6(and added the word "object-oriented" to the blurb). 7 8I don't think it's too early to *try* to create the newsgroup -- 9whether we will succeed may depend on how many Python supporters there 10are outside the mailing list. 11 12I'm personally not worried about moderation, and anyway I haven't 13heard from any volunteers for moderation (and I won't volunteer 14myself) so I suggest that we'll continue to ask for one unmoderated 15newsgroup. 16 17My next action will be to post an updated FAQ (which will hint at the 18upcoming RFD) to comp.lang.misc; then finalize the 1.0.0 release and 19put it on the ftp site. I'll also try to get it into 20comp.sources.unix or .misc. And all this before the end of January! 21 22--Guido van Rossum, CWI, Amsterdam <Guido.van.Rossum@cwi.nl> 23URL: <http://www.cwi.nl/cwi/people/Guido.van.Rossum.html> 24 25====================================================================== 26 27These are the steps required (in case you don't know about the 28newsgroup creation process): 29 30First, we need to draw up an RFD (Request For Discussion). This is a 31document that tells what the purpose of the group is, and gives a case 32for its creation. We post this to relevant groups (comp.lang.misc, 33the mailing list, news.groups, etc.) Discussion is held on 34news.groups. 35 36Then, after a few weeks, we run the official CFV (Call For Votes). 37The votes are then collected over a period of weeks. We need 100 more 38yes votes than no votes, and a 2/3 majority, to get the group. 39 40There are some restrictions on the vote taker: [s]he cannot actively 41campaign for/against the group during the vote process. So the main 42benefit to Steve instead of me running the vote is that I will be free 43to campaign for its creation! 44 45The following is our current draft for the RFD. 46 47====================================================================== 48 49Request For Discussion: comp.lang.python 50 51 52Purpose 53------- 54 55The newsgroup will be for discussion on the Python computer language. 56Possible topics include requests for information, general programming, 57development, and bug reports. The group will be unmoderated. 58 59 60What is Python? 61--------------- 62 63Python is a relatively new very-high-level language developed in 64Amsterdam. Python is a simple, object-oriented procedural language, 65with features taken from ABC, Icon, Modula-3, and C/C++. 66 67Its central goal is to provide the best of both worlds: the dynamic 68nature of scripting languages like Perl/TCL/REXX, but also support for 69general programming found in the more traditional languages like Icon, 70C, Modula,... 71 72Python may be FTP'd from the following sites: 73 74 ftp.cwi.nl in directory /pub/python (its "home site", also has a FAQ) 75 ftp.uu.net in directory /languages/python 76 gatekeeper.dec.com in directory /pub/plan/python/cwi 77 78 79Rationale 80--------- 81 82Currently there is a mailing list with over 130 subscribers. 83The activity of this list is high, and to make handling the 84traffic more reasonable, a newsgroup is being proposed. We 85also feel that comp.lang.misc would not be a suitable forum 86for this volume of discussion on a particular language. 87 88 89Charter 90------- 91 92Comp.lang.python is an unmoderated newsgroup which will serve 93as a forum for discussing the Python computer language. The 94group will serve both those who just program in Python and 95those who work on developing the language. Topics that 96may be discussed include: 97 98 - announcements of new versions of the language and 99 applications written in Python. 100 101 - discussion on the internals of the Python language. 102 103 - general information about the language. 104 105 - discussion on programming in Python. 106 107 108Discussion 109---------- 110 111Any objections to this RFD will be considered and, if determined 112to be appropriate, will be incorporated. The discussion period 113will be for a period of 21 days after which the first CFV will be 114issued. 115