In case anyone is curious, this is the comp.lang.ruby Proponent Questionnaire (PQ) that was just submitted to the Usenet Volunteer Votetakers (UVV). If everything is in order, we may see a CFV (call for votes) in a week or so. Conrad ===================== #####################################################_BEGIN_##### SUMMARY: The consensus seemed to be that the newsgroup name and charter were OK. The main concern was whether the level of interest was sufficiently great to justify a new newsgroup at this time. The comp.lang.ruby supporters provided recent traffic information about the various Ruby mail lists. There was discussion among the apparent news.group regulars about how much anticipated traffic was appropriate to justify a very technical (the comp.lang.ruby case) versus a more general and non-technical newsgroup. It was suggested that we use comp.lang.misc to demonstrate the level of interest, and resubmit the RFD at a later time. We began using comp.lang.misc, although a couple of the comp.lang.misc regulars have quite understandably expressed their displeasure with comp.lang.misc being used in this manner. #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### PROPOSED NAMES: comp.lang.ruby unmoderated #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### NEWSGROUP DESCRIPTIONS: comp.lang.ruby The Ruby dynamic OO programming language. #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### PROPONENT: Proponent: Conrad Schneiker <schneiker / jump.net> #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### RATIONALE: comp.lang.ruby Ruby is a very-high-level, dynamic object oriented programming language. Ruby provides many of the best-liked power and convenience features of Perl and Python on one hand, with an elegantly simple and powerful syntax that was partly inspired by Eiffel and Ada on the other hand. Ruby is a more thoroughly objected oriented language than Python, and some Ruby features were inspired by Smalltalk. Ruby is an open source language. There are over 1000 members of 4 Japanese Ruby mail lists (general, developers, math, extension writers), with a peak volume topping 100 messages per day. At present, there is one English Ruby mail list with about 175 members, with a recent volume often exceeding 10 messages per day and growing. Many users of the Japanese Ruby mail lists have some understanding of English and are also prospective comp.lang.ruby users as well. Much of 1999's newsgroup discussion of Ruby took place on comp.lang.python, which is not optimal, since comp.lang.python is dedicated to the Python language. For obvious reasons, Ruby users do not post there frequently. In 2000, most Ruby discussion has occurred in comp.lang.misc. This again is not ideal since other comp.lang.misc regulars are typically more interested in issues that transcend Ruby, and have said as much. In Japan, Ruby has overtaken Python in terms of popular usage. During 1999 and into early 2000, Ruby has been featured in several articles in the English language software trade press, indicating it is at the takeoff threshold that Perl and Python attained years ago. (Please see http://www-4.ibm.com/software/developer/library/ruby.html for the latest example.) The English language Ruby home page is http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/, which provides links to documentation and download pages for Ruby. #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### CHARTER: comp.lang.ruby The comp.lang.ruby newsgroup is devoted to discussions of the Ruby programming language and related issues. Examples of relevant postings would include, but not be limited to, the following subjects: * Bug reports * Announcements of software written with Ruby * Examples of Ruby code * Suggestions for Ruby developers * Requests for help from new Ruby programmers The newsgroup is not moderated. Binaries are prohibited (except the small PGP type). Advertising is prohibited (except for announcements of new Ruby-related products). #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### MODERATOR INFO: #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### GATEWAYS: comp.lang.ruby Gateway mailing list name: English language Ruby discussion group Submission address: ruby-talk / netlab.co.jp Request address: ruby-talk-ctl / netlab.co.jp #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### NEWSGROUPS: Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,news.groups, comp.lang.perl.misc, comp.lang.python, comp.lang.java.programmer #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### NEW CROSSPOSTS: New Newsgroup: comp.lang.misc Reason: We have been using this newsgroup for Ruby postings at the recommendation of the news.group regulars. #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### MODERATED NEWSGROUPS: none #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### POINTER MESSAGES: none #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### MAILING LISTS: #######################################################_END_##### #####################################################_BEGIN_##### PQ Date Stamp: 980322 #######################################################_END_#####