Eric Gray> The discussion is essentially inane

I think  this is an  excellent observation.  It  suggests to me  though that
perhaps  the best  way to  get more  funding  for the  IETF is  to impose  a
surcharge on inane messages to the  ietf mailing list.  The surcharge can be
based on the degree of inanity of the message.

I suggest the following schedule of charges:

- $10 for a generic message whining about US customs/immigration processes

- $10 for a  clueless message suggesting a reorganization of  the IETF or a
  change of the fee structure (fortunately not to be imposed retroactively)

- $10 for a message about the value or lack thereof of Ascii art

- $10 for a message about the format of RFCs

- $15 for a  message whining about US customs/immigration  processes, if the
  whine is backed up only by anecdotes

- $100 for  a message suggesting  that US customs/immigration  processes are
  unfair to  white men from  western europe.  I'd  raise the fee to  $500 if
  sent by someone with an obvious chip on his shoulder.

- $100  for a  message suggesting  that IETF  meetings be  held  in peculiar
  locations

- $100 for a message suggesting that  the cookies at IETF meetings should be
  rationed

- $100 for a message stating that the list is full of inane messages (not to
  be imposed retroactively)

- $200 for a message saying that NAT is evil

- $200 for a  message whining about the IETF's  lack of sufficient emphasis
  on IPv6

- $500  for a  message whining  about  the fact  that IETF  meetings do  not
  routinely occur  in one's home town.  I  would raise the fee  to $1,000 if
  Barcelona is mentioned.

- $500 for  a message saying  that the  job of the  IETF is to  prevent the
  marketplace from making technology choices

- $1000 for  a message stating that the  poster knows how to  solve the spam
  problem once and for all.

Of course,  this is not an  exhaustive list of inane  categories of message,
it's just a start.  

If,  during the  course of  a  week, a  single poster  sends multiple  inane
messages which say  exactly the same thing, I would double  the fee for each
subsequent message.

Putting such  a schedule  of charges into  place would either  eliminate the
IETF's budget problems or else make its mailing list a lot more useful.






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