> I would like to say that I do not agree with moving the list. We have
> been well served by Rice for over five years and I think this list has
> been a great success. It is true that we have had one or two problems,
> but I don't think moving the list will really help. As I see it, the
> only advantage of moving the list is to allow for moderation. I am
> unsure if everyone understands the same thing by this. For one thing
> there is full moderation where every message is vetted by someone before
> it goes to the list. This would be a lot of work for the moderators and
> messages would be delayed. The alternative is more properly called list
> ownership. The owners would be able to throw people off the list etc.
Yes, we agree.
> Finally, and most importantly, moving the list, or moderation, would
> achieve absolutely nothing. If it were possible to easily ban certain
> addresses from the list, this would not stop people from adopting
> further addresses. Kristen has already used multiple different AOL
> addresses. There are dozens of free e-mail systems on the internet that
> she could use even if we were able to track down all the AOL addresses
> she has available. It is effectively impossible to ban anyone from a
> mailing list if they are determined enough.
Yes, we agree.
> The bottom line here is to ignore anyone who is acting in a deliberately
> stupid or disruptive way. Kristen can only destroy this list if we let
> her!
Yes, we agree.
> The final thing that I think has been suggested is the use of a couple
> of people with authority to advise people of inappropriate conduct etc.
> I think this already goes on.
Yes, we agree.
We belong to a number of lists and one of them is very heavily moderated.
But that does not stop idiots from posting sometimes rude and unnecessary
postings from time to time. The moderator of one tropical fish list is a
programmer and he has had to resort to coding to identify the idiots. When
they are identified they are thrown off, but this moderator admits that
control in itself is not the be all and end all...
David Hinsley,
www.gerbils.org
