[META-SIG] whence db-sig?

[Michael McLay]

Andrew Kuchling writes:
 > Ken Manheimer <klm@CNRI.Reston.Va.US> wrote:
 > >I'm coming to agree (with whoever suggested it) that it would be a good
 > >idea to retain SIGs after they've satisfied their goals, if they're
 > >going to be useful for answering questions.  
 > 
 > 	That's a big IF; what if no one's reading the SIG anymore?  If
 > a SIG becomes quiet, the active posters will probably stay subscribed,
 > but no one new will join, and as the active posters change e-mail
 > addresses (and forget to resubscribe to a list they haven't seen a
 > message from in months), the readership will slowly drop.  
 > 
 > >subject at issue?  Plus, sigs often have artifacts - eg pythonwin stuff
 > >- that need a place.  Why not keep them around?
 > 
 > 	Then there should be a page under software for that stuff, or
 > the maintainer should have a page on starship for it.  It's not very
 > nice to make people hunt around the SIG pages looking for software.
 > ("Go write a locator, then".  I know, I know... :( )

I think there's value in keeping even the sleepy SIGS around.  They
provide a signal to potential Python users that someone has had the
idea that Python might work in a particular domain.  For instance, the
efactory SIG got started by me over a year ago.  Contract funding
didn't come through so the people in that SIG drifted away.  Because
of the recent contract awards I have reason to believe that the SIG is
likely to become very active.  The new traffic on the SIG would
automatically find its way to old SIG members so they will get an
automatic reminder of Python.

I propose we have three catagories in the SIG page.  (The less active
SIGS could be on a separate web page if the clutter is really that
objectionable.)   

Active SIGS:  
   The top 10 SIGS as measured by activity or SIGS with over 30
   messages in the last three months. 

Sleepy SIGS:
   SIGS that haven't completed their mission, but who's traffic is
   slower than the active SIGS.

Retired SIGS:
   SIGS who's mission has been accomplished.  They are kept around so
   that people will know that the work was done as a SIG and also so
   that if for some reason, such as maintence work, in the future more
   work is needed the SIG still be there.  

Let's not through anything away just because it is untouched for an
extended period.  Historians hate it when that happens.  If you want
to move it off to an obscure web page that's fine, but don't throw it
in the trash.

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