Subject: Posting of MPI newsgroup RFD

From: Tony Skjellum <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 4 Apr 94 11:26:22 CDT

I have posted the following request for discussion for comp.parallel.mpi,
as we agreed at the last meeting. - Tony Skjellum

Date:  4 Apr 94 16:18:02 GMT
Message-ID: <[email-masked]>
Newsgroups: news.announce.newgroups,comp.parallel,comp.parallel.pvm
Subject: RFD: comp.parallel.mpi unmoderated
Summary: An unmoderated newsgroup, analogous to comp.parallel.pvm, is proposed
Keywords: MPI, Message Passing, Unmoderated, Parallel Computers, Clusters

This is a formal Request for Discussion on the creation of a new newsgroup
called "comp.parallel.mpi" (unmoderated).

This announcement is cross-posted to newsgroups whose readers may have
interest in the discussion about the new group; follow-up discussion
will take place in "news.groups".  This RFD has been posted to
news.announce.newgroups, comp.parallel, and comp.parallel.pvm on
April 4, 1994.

Suggestions, comments or problems may also be emailed to me at
<[email-masked]>.

REQUEST FOR DISCUSSION (THIS IS NOT A VOTE)
-------------------------------------------

NEWSGROUP
  comp.parallel.mpi (unmoderated)

PURPOSE
  The newsgroup 'comp.parallel.mpi' would be a forum for discussing
  issues related to the use and interpretation of MPI (Message Passing
  Interface), an informal standard for writing message-passing
  programs.

  MPI was created by the MPI Forum, a group of University, Industry, and
  National Laboratory representatives including significant international
  representation.  The MPI standard can be obtained from netlib by sending
  the message "send draft-final.ps from mpi" to [email-masked].
  Alternatively, one can anonymous ftp to netlib2.cs.utk.edu.

RATIONALE
  Discussion of MPI questions currently has no single home.
  Discussion has appeared in newsgroups such as

        comp.parallel
        comp.parallel.pvm

  A single group will centralize discussion and target the intended
  audience of such posts more accurately.

  It is also expected that there will be a wide audience for this
  newsgroup as a result of the participation by many vendors, national
  labs, and universities in the development of MPI.  

CONTENT
  Appropriate discussion in the group will include both general
  MPI issues, platform-specific questions, and discussion
  comparing MPI to other systems.  Some examples:

  General MPI Issues
        Answers to novices' questions
        Clarification of the standard document
        Exchange of public-domain MPI source code
        Implementation of various applications
        etc.

  Platform-specific issues
        Implementations available
		Peculiarities and bugs found in various implementations
        etc.

  Comparison to other systems
        P4, Express, LINDA, PVM, etc

NAME
  comp.parallel.mpi seems to be most appropriate.

  MPI is to be used on many different architectures and thus doesn't
  fit in any one comp.sys.* hierarchy.  It is not a programming
  language, so comp.lang.* is out; 

NOT MODERATED
  As the new group will be for informal discussion and the quick
  exchange of ideas, no moderator will be necessary.

NEWSGROUP CREATION
  The proposed discussion period will be from the date of original posting
  to May 20, 1994 (excess of 45 days).

  Please post all discussion in news.groups.

  If a consensus is reached by the end of the discussion period,
  a CFV (Call for Votes) will be posted at that time. The voting
  period will last for 21 days.