Newsgroups: soc.motss
 Subject: Re: Origins of soc.motss
 Message-ID: <1179@spdcc.COM>
 Date: 27 May 88 20:31:15 GMT
 References: <54747@sun.uucp>
 Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA
 Lines: 77

 In article <54747@sun.uucp>, wild@sun.uucp (Will Doherty) writes:

 > Was anyone reading this message involved in starting the
 > soc.motss (or was it net.motss?) newsgroup?  Are there any
 > myths surrounding the origins of motss?  Pray tell!

 Will, net.motss was created by me (i.e., I did the actual
 "newgroup") while I was at BBN (I'm almost certain you were
 there at BBN, too, since the NAMBLA discussion followed very
 shortly after its creation.) I seem to think it was 4 or 5
 years ago last September/October, although I am chagrined to
 admit that I am not certain anymore about the date.  I'm
 afraid that its history is not of exactly mythological
 proportions.

 It arose out of some comment in net.singles about having a
 newsgroup for gay issues, passed on to some folks saying
 "yeah, good idea, I'll support it", and then gathering the
 requisite "yea" votes.  We then presented the results to
 "net.groups" or whatever it was called, where it encountered
 violent opposition.  People were sure it would not only
 scare the horses but that it would scare upper management as
 well, and lead to Netterdammerung:
 death-of-the-net-as-we-know-it.  I mean, if upper management
 knew they were spending money so that gay folks could chat
 clandestinely to find sex partners, what would be next?  The
 whole house of cards would be in danger of falling: first
 net.singles, then net.lang.c.

 Some folks thought that "net.gay" was too hot a name, and so
 we rather frivolously suggested alternatives.  Someone lost
 to antiquity peeped up with net.motss, a pun on MOTOS/MOTSS,
 and it stuck.  It took a lot of calm but relentless and
 impassioned arguing with people to achieve consensus and to
 convince folks that this would be wonderful and not a
 disaster, but I believe that we did.  The newsgroup was
 formed, and the rest is history.  About a year later, I got
 a note from Mark Horton, one of the backbone folks (and at
 the time spiritual leader of all of USENET), saying that we
 could consider, if we wanted to, changing the name to
 net.gay, since there had been no problems and the quality of
 the group was self-evident. It didn't seem worth pursuing;
 motss was fairly well-engrained.

 I wish I could single out folks who really were instrumental
 in seeing motss formed; certainly John Quarterman, then of
 U. Texas, fought loudly over the hypocrisy he saw in a lot
 of objections.  Mark Horton seemed to be doing a lot of
 behind-the-scenes work in calming others down for a topic
 which was pretty new for him as well.  There are undoubtedly
 others I've forgotten.

 Here's the first posting (something which seems more and
 more dated--I mean, quaint.)  I manage to post this one way
 or another semi-annually!

   Net.motss is a forum for the discussion of gay-related
   issues of interest to all members of USENET.  Its name is
   an acronym for "members of the same sex", coined by
   contributors to net.singles as an analogue to
   MOTOS--"member of the opposite sex."  It is therefore,
   unfortunately, a euphemism of sorts--an alternative to the
   preferred 'net.gay'.  Nevertheless, the proponents of the
   group have gladly passed on this minor issue so that the
   group should be swiftly formed. [After a year of
   operation, it was suggested that net.motss change its name
   to net.gay, in recognition of its success which confounded
   even its staunchest critics.  However, by that time, the
   acronym 'motss' was pretty well established in the USENET
   community.]

   Net.motss is designed to foster discussion on a wide
   variety of topics, such as health problems, parenting,
   relationships, clearances, job security and many others.
   Gay members of USENET will find this a supportive
   environment for the discussion of issues which have
   immediate impact on their everyday lives.  Those who
   aren't gay have an opportunity to be informed by the
   discussion, and are encouraged to read the news items and
   contribute their own questions and opinions.

   Net.motss is emphatically NOT a newsgroup for the
   discussion of whether homosexuality is good or bad,
   natural or unnatural.  Nor is it a place where conduct
   unsuitable for the net will be allowed or condoned.
   Rather, like every USENET news group, it is an opportunity
   for people all across the world to express their opinions,
   exchange ideas, and come to appreciate the diversity
   within the USENET membership.
 
   /Steve Dyer
   decvax!genrad!wjh12!bbncca!sdyer
   ...!ima!bbncca!sdyer
-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer