AFPF History
AFPF (pronounced "Ay Eff Pee Eff") is a USENET news group that was formed in 1996 by Ladyblue. What follows here is the original post to request forming this NG, followed by various comments about the proposal. Also, at the end, is a comment by one of our regulars, rlloyd, on how the first year was and how it felt to be there at the beginning.
Original Proposal and Responses:
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Proposal: alt.fifty-plus.friends
Author: ladyblue ;
Date: 1996/06/05
Forum: alt.config
Posted on: 1996/06/05
Message-ID: <4p4ei7$7a2@news.injersey.com>;
content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
mime-version: 1.0
organization: Asbury Park Press, Inc
x-mailer: Mozilla 1.22KIT (Windows; U; 16bit)
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Am proposing newsgroup 'alt.fifty-plus.friends':
For the purpose of those of us in (or soon-to-be in) the Senior Citizen
time of life, to meet and 'chat' with others in like age group; to
reminisce together, discuss our 'old times' and 'used-to-be's', old
favorites (songs, bands, movies, etc.), 'new-fangled' technologies and
how they affect us, etc. and, in general, have our own 'back porch',
'back fence', or favorite walking mall, etc. to 'hang out' at.
Please e-mail approval, comments, suggestions to:
ladyblue@injersey.com
Thank you.
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Re: Proposal: alt.fifty-plus.friends
Author: Brian Edmonds ;
Date: 1996/06/06
Forum: alt.config
Posted on: 1996/06/06
Message-ID: <374tookbfw.fsf@salvator.cs.ubc.ca>;
organization: Computer Science, University of B.C., Vancouver, B.C., Canada
references: <4p4ei7$7a2@news.injersey.com>;
sender: edmonds@salvator.cs.ubc.ca
to: ladyblue@injersey.com
x-geek: http://www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/edmonds/doc/geek.html
x-operating-system: HP-UX A.09.03 A
x-pgp-ox6e86b769: This key is obsolete, please discard it.
x-pgp-ox979d0b09: A9 3E 1E CB 86 09 B1 E9 3C 1A 0E F6 49 F9 5D 99
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>>>>> "lb" == ladyblue ; writes:
lb> For the purpose of those of us in (or soon-to-be in) the Senior
lb> Citizen time of life, to meet and 'chat' with others in like age
lb> group
The name you're proposing is poorly chosen as it creates a new top level
hierarchy, and the name is unclear (i.e. 50+ what? tattoos?). I would
suggest alt.culture.senior-citizen as a better alternative.
If you're feeling really ambitious, an entire new hierarchy not unlike
the existing k12.* hierarchy (seniors.* perhaps?) would not seem
entirely unreasonable. That's outside the scope of alt.config, however.
If you're mainly looking for a 'chat room' type of atmosphere, I'd also
recommend you look into setting up and IRC channel or two, as that's
specificly what IRC is good at.
---Lodoss---Nuku-Nuku--DP-Flash--Macross-Plus--Akira---/================
Brian Edmonds (MSc CompSci) aka JubalTMI / *Gweep Systems*
http://www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/edmonds ...zumaBOT / System Consulting
---Sarah-McLachlan---Cowboy-Junkies---Arc-Angels----/___inux spoken here
I really hate it when you get heroic. Cuts into my business.
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Re: Proposal: alt.fifty-plus.friends
Author: Lee S. Bumgarner ;
Date: 1996/06/10
Forums: alt.config, alt.doobry, alt.wired, alt.cyberspace
Posted on: 1996/06/10
Message-ID: <4pget7$l1k@doc.jmu.edu>;
organization: James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA
references: <4p4ei7$7a2@news.injersey.com>; <374tookbfw.fsf@salvator.cs.ubc.ca>;
sender: bumgarls@jmu.edu
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> The name you're proposing is poorly chosen as it creates a new top level
> hierarchy, and the name is unclear (i.e. 50+ what? tattoos?). I would
> suggest alt.culture.senior-citizen as a better alternative.
> If you're feeling really ambitious, an entire new hierarchy not unlike
> the existing k12.* hierarchy (seniors.* perhaps?) would not seem
> entirely unreasonable. That's outside the scope of alt.config, however.
> If you're mainly looking for a 'chat room' type of atmosphere, I'd also
> recommend you look into setting up and IRC channel or two, as that's
> specificly what IRC is good at.
That's the thing: Usenet and the Net in general are being flooded by
so many different generations and interests groups that its sometimes
hard to figger out which one is going to be the most influental. Anyway,
I would suggest generation-wise, we are going to see a big "influence"
battle between the Wired Generation (everybody after we "Reality Bites"
geekazoids) and the Old Farts. The youngins are going to have a lot of
time on their hands and be easily influcence by we evil Netheads "Mommie,
Mommie, whose 'Kibo" and why does everyone talk about him?" while
the Old Farts will start getting money from their 401(k)'s so they
can buy computers and use IRC to embarrase their grandkids when they
get into The College Of Their Choice.
-l
__
Undertoad: http://falcon.jmu.edu/~bumgarls/ "Klaatu barada nictow" * "Usenet
is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive, difficult to
redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind-boggling amounts
of excrement when you least expect it. " --spaf@cs.purdue.edu (1992) * Jesus
loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an asshole * Kibo/Furr in '96!
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Re: Proposal: alt.fifty-plus.friends
Author: Emery E./Eugene A. Calame ;
Date: 1996/06/12
Forum: alt.config
Posted on: 1996/06/12
Message-ID: <31bf1188.3149724@nntp.ix.netcom.com>;
organization: Netcom
references: <4p4ei7$7a2@news.injersey.com>; <374tookbfw.fsf@salvator.cs.ubc.ca>;
x-netcom-date: Wed Jun 12 11:59:36 AM PDT 1996
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edmonds@cs.ubc.ca (Brian Edmonds) wrote:
>>>>>> "lb" == ladyblue ; writes:
>
>lb> For the purpose of those of us in (or soon-to-be in) the Senior
>lb> Citizen time of life, to meet and 'chat' with others in like age
>lb> group
>
>The name you're proposing is poorly chosen as it creates a new top level
>hierarchy, and the name is unclear (i.e. 50+ what? tattoos?). I would
>suggest alt.culture.senior-citizen as a better alternative.
12 June 1996
I must disagree. I knew just what was meant by the name
fifty-plus.friends. Maybe that is because I am one of the growing
crowd.
I would go along with alt.culture.fifty-plus.friends if that would
help.
If I had a say I would say yes to the group.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Eugene A. Calame
Austin, TX USA
emery2@ix.netcom.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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cmsg newgroup alt.fifty-plus.friends
Author: eacalame ;
Date: 1998/01/04
Forums: alt.config, alt.fifty-plus.friends
Posted on: 1998/01/04
Message-ID: <34afbe19.5119993@news.earthlink.net>;
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Control: newgroup alt.fifty-plus.friends
Keywords: BOOSTER mature penpals senior citizens informal discussion group
Mime-Version: 1.0
Organization: EarthLink Network, Inc.
Summary: BOOSTER discussed in alt.config senior citizen group
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BOOSTER BOOSTER BOOSTER
Comments:
This group was first proposed on alt.config June 5, 1996. Created June
17 18:50:01 1996, Message-ID: <4q4nlt$l6b@news.injersey.com>; by
proponent ladyblue@injersey.com . This booster is being sent by
eacalame@texas.net through the facilities of earthlink.net with the
purpose of improving propagation through out Usenet.
The original control.newgroup message has been edited.
For your newsgroups file:
alt.fifty-plus.friends For mature penpals and discussion
Charter:
For the purpose of those of us in (or soon-to-be in) the Senior
Citizen time of life, to meet and 'chat' with others in like age
group; to reminisce together, discuss our 'old times' and
'used-to-be's', old favorites (songs, bands, movies, etc.),
'new-fangled' technologies and how they affect us, etc. and, in
general, have our own 'back porch', 'back fence', or favorite walking
mall, etc. to 'hang out' at.
Justification:
A plea for penpals over 50 was also posted in soc.penpals, to 'test
the waters'. That posting brought many responses, indicating the need
for this newsgroup. There is no other newsgroup dedicated to the
purpose of allowing mature people to easily make contact with others
in the more advanced stages of life, for the purpose of friendly
correspondence.
Discussion of this lack, among those who responded, brought very
favorable reactions to this proposal.
I feel this newsgroup is necessary and would become a very popular
one.
Thank you for your consideration.
ladyblue@injersey.com
==========================================
Booster by...
Eugene A. Calame eacalame@texas.net
Austin, Texas USA
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cmsg newgroup alt.fifty-plus.friends
Author: eacalame ;
Date: 1998/02/02
Forums: alt.config, alt.fifty-plus.friends
Posted on: 1998/02/02
Message-ID: <6b3kn3$22p$1@news3.texas.net>;
Control: newgroup alt.fifty-plus.friends
Keywords: BOOSTER mature penpals senior citizens informal discussion group
Organization: Texas Networking, Inc.
Summary: BOOSTER discussed in alt.config senior citizen group
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======================================================
Who can see this newsgroup?
Author: Eugene A. Calame ;
Date: 1998/01/03
Forums: misc.misc, alt.fifty-plus.friends
more headers author posting history
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Some weeks ago this newsgroup was included on texas.net. Since I am well over
fifty I thought I would check into it. The group seems to be abandoned and
unused with one exception. I do see several recent post by rlloyd8949@aol.com
. Maybe he is trying to breath some life into the newsgroup.
I think the idea for the group is excellent and should be attracting a large
following. This age group is rapidly growing and many have computers on line.
I have looked up the control.newgroup message, several pasted below, and
believe the newsgroup did not get good propagation through out Usenet because it
did not have an "approved" line in the header. Also the name of the group does
not fit into the general scheme of Usenet organization. I cannot do anything
about the name, to me it describes the purpose of the newsgroup perfectly, but I
can send out boosters, with the approved field added to the header and see if
better propagation can be achieved.
Obviously you have the newsgroup on your server if you can read this. Would you
please send me a note, post it to the group, perhaps both, to give me an idea
of just how many news servers carry the group and how widespread it is
worldwide. Such information would be useful in justifying the group to system
administrators.
Enjoyed the visit. Check in regular. Hope your new year got off to a good
start.
Regards,
Eugene A. Calame eacalame@texas.net
Austin, Texas USA
======original control.newgroup messages below=============
..........
Reminisces from RLLOYD:
In 1996 (i said) or 1997, I don't know which, I was looking around trying to find an unmoderated over fifty newsgroup that let over fifty people express themselves freely, openly, honestly and spontaneously. I was looking for a mature group over fifty who could speak freely without the reader flaming, getting mad, cursing, threatening and all that. Doors were opened and closed. Then quite by accident, I came across alt.fifty-plus friends. None of the negatives existed because no one was in the ng. This was like in the summer of whatever year. I checked each day and nothing, just blank. Well, I started posting things on my mind and even responded to my own post.
Only one person posted anything and that was Cat from Houston. She did not know what to think of me because of the unpredictable post and would only offer these "two word burst" off and on. No one was on the ng at this time but Cat and me. Then Eugene came in and he told me he liked the ng and was going to run it through again, whatever that meant. I suspect he was aware of the ng but had more or less given up on it also. He knows a lot more than I do about the internet.
Well.... "he run it through" and it took off like a rocket. It was as if no one knew it existed until he did what he did. Like this thing started going strong and getting stronger. Then LadyB emails me and tells how excited she is to see her ng up and running. She told me she more or less abandoned the ng she created because no one posted. She then comes back and starts posting away and rightly so, very proud her ng finally got off the ground. LadyB created the ng. Problem was... it was humming along when she got back and had taken an identity of its own. She tried to moderate the ng thru FAQ, but it was too late and the unmoderated contol kept criticising her efforts to control. She, apparently disappointed, left and never came back
in a post.
I will also say this and please don't be offended because I DO NOT mean to hurt. It
is simply an observation. When I was there by myself and in my mind, it was better to post like rlloyd. Now that does not mean I'm ashamed of my name because anyone can look me up on aol and what you see is true. But by only using rlloyd and not my name Richard, I was inviting participation without giving the impression of a good ole boys club.
This is the only comment I've made on this subject and I trust it stays here.
But that's the reason I've avoided offering my real first name in a general
post. I will sign my name in personal email. On this particular subject also,
they are far more lurkers than posters because the great majority of email
received from this ng are people who have never posted in the group. That's my
input on the earlier years.
Changes last made on: Thu Feb 11, 1999