From: Hugh Denoncourt HOPPER UNH EDU> Date: 7 oct 1995 Subject: Re: Popularising Shogi on the Net > What are we doing to make spread shogi on the Net? > I think we should regularly post a FAQ to rec.games.chess.misc and possibly a > few other newsgroups. > What does everyone else think? Well, I have already voiced my opinion on this subject on rec.games.chess.misc, but I think it is easily as important(more important probably) to post my opinion here too. Shogi has a mailing list and several WWW sites devoted to it. However, it lacks a newsgroup and a server dedicated to playing Shogi. Basically, I think one of the most popular and visible forms of communication on the Net is newsgroups. Mailing lists are great but newsgroups enjoy greater visibility as well as other fine features. At first(and for some time), a newsgroup dedicated to Shogi would not come close to competing with the rec.games.chess threads, but then again, rec.games.chinese-chess doesn't come close either(yet there is at least some volume of posts on that newsgroup). A server for playing Shogi, or increased usage of the Go server for Shogi play might increase the popularity as well. However, it is much easier to get a newsgroup dedicated to Shogi than to put up a working server. Now, if a rec.games.shogi can't be created at this time(I totally forget how you create a newsgroup, but I think there is a call for votes or something like that which determines whether a newsgroup goes through or not) then I definitely agree with the suggestion that a FAQ be posted to rec.games.chess.misc and probably even rec.games.chinese-chess and maybe even rec.games.go(though I am sure that would probably upset some Go players!)... If a newsgroup is created, the need for a FAQ would be amplified. I'm only a relative beginner at the game of Shogi. However, it is precisely because I am just beginning that I want this game to be more popular. I have played many chess games and Shogi is the one that appeals to me most but I have the unfortunate circumstance of living in the USA where very few play the game of Shogi. And so, I hope the game spreads so I can play more people and get better at the game. This mailing list has been great for me so far, especially with the archives of many Shogi games, but I think we Shogi players deserve more because the game is great. What do you think? Hugh Denoncourt