[LINK] Link and other lists..

[Bob Bain]

On Sun, 28 Jan 2001 10:12:47 +1100, Judy Harrsion wrote:

>Why is it, that there aren't Australian equivalents to e-groups or topica?

  There are groups devoted to Australia/New Zealand subscrbers on
e-groups, and in fact I've just joined one which has as it's criteria
that the people who subscribe must be vetted by the moderator as having
an Australian or New Zealand address.

  My brother in the United Kingdom set up a specialised mailing list on
e-groups.  However the subscriptions come from all over the world
including Belgrade and Melbourne, not just the United Kingdom.

  There's at least one e-group mailing list I subscribe to which
originated from a now defunct Australian "othernet" Bulletin Board
System (where "othernet" refers to networks outside the once predominant
"Fidonet" system).  This has subscribers from around the globe including
French Canadians.

  There are other means by which people communicate.  One is by IRC.  I
am discovering that there are specialised IRC servers that cater for
special needs (eg health where "outsiders" may not be welcome and which
are kept semi private) and which people may only find out about if they
subscribe to a mailing list for instance.

  There is also a fact of life that people set up their own informal
e-mail mailing list systems.

>I'd be very grateful to pointers to Australian facilities that I have
>missed and thoughts about why Australian ISP's are not promoting their
>mailing list services.

   In Australia there are mailing lists devoted to special topics such as
the Australian Sydney Linux User Group (www.slug.org.au - refer to the
section "mailing lists". )

  Some discussion takes place on NNTP servers not directly connected with
an ISP and not controlled in any way by that ISP.  Some adult oriented
groups operate this way and there are gateways into Fidonet for instance
both via NNTP and Telnet.

  I believe the answer is that people aren't interested in where servers
are located.  If they have a special need or interest they will usually
find a server somewhere which services that need, whatever that need may
be, and wherever on the planet Earth the server may reside.

  The internet knows few geographical boundries and Australia has a small
population.  If an Australian server is serving a "need" then the people
who use it will generally know about it.

  There are "othernets" in existence.  The Fido echo "fido.othernets"
provides a vehicle by which pointers to such networks take place,
including listservers.

  For example (from "fido.othernets")

  ---------------- coutesy Fidonet ----------

  "  FamilyNet members now have access to their own listserv groups. Any
BBS or member of any BBS can start his/her own listserv group at no
charge.

   Othernets that are listed in FamilyNet can have unlimited access to
get their conferences distributed via the FamilyNet Listserv and NNTP
news server as well.

   Visit our web home page at:
   http://www.fmlynet.org

   This page contains links to most BBS software and many hardware
   vendors. It is a resource for people that run BBSs and those that
   may want to start running BBSs. This page also contains a list of
   search engines that you can access to give your web page the widest
   possible access! "

  --------------------------------

  As mentioned many years ago in relation to the censorship of the
Internet an ISP does not control content.  Content is international with
the ISP simply a carrier, much like a telphone company.  In some
networks an ISP isn't even necessary.  The distinction between a mailing
list, ordinary e-mail and non-Usenet NNTP message group can be a very
blurry one indeed.....


--------------------------
Bob Bain. Sydney Australia
bobb@alt.net
bobb@acslink.net.au