X-Message-Number: 794 Date: Sat, 2 May 92 13:10:40 EDT From: (Perry E. Metzger) Subject: CRYONICS: alt.cryonics from (R Enns) I think creating an alt.cryonics newsgroup would be very unwise. The general perception of alt groups would do more damage to cryonics than the actual content of the base itself (IMHO). What sort of general perception are you refering to? A large fraction of the useful sources on the net get sources get posted to alt.sources. Alt.sys.sun was the major place for sun workstation discussions for a while. Alt.wais is the place where one of the more exiting network technologies today (WAIS) is discussed. Alt.cd-rom is the major source of news on available cd rom titles. Alt.individualism is one of the better political discussion groups on the net. Whats wrong with alt? Even if we lost the attempt to create a sci group, the exposure in news.groups would certainly increase general awareness (i.e. many people from very diverse backgrounds monitor news.groups). Most news readers inform you of all incoming new newsgroups. Most people I know check the first couple of messages in all new newsgroups to determine what the group is about. I suspect that they will not get a bad impression from alt.cryonics. The point is not that a sci.med.cryonics wouldn't be good, but that we can't be sure we will get it and the added distribution would be a big win. Trying for alt.cryonics puts us on the same level as alt.McDonalds. Does trying for a mainstream group put us on the same level as talk.bizarre? Does Alcor having an 800 number put us on the same level as Jerry Brown? Perry Metzger Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=794