For ooo-users, moderators receive a special e-mail whenever there is a post 
from an e-mail address that is not subscribed to the list.  The moderator has 
three choices: 

 1. accept the post (so it goes to the list, but it does not create a 
subscription), 
 2. reject the post (so a rejection notice is returned to the original sender),
 3. ignore the moderation message and allow the post to simply disappear 
without any response

In the case of spam, action (3) is taken, since there is no value in letting 
spammers know their mail is reaching a working address.

Note that all of the moderators receive the same notification, and any one of 
them can act.  (3) is a practice used by mutual agreement among the moderators. 
 Generally, most posts brought to my attention receive (1) or (3).  

I do not moderate content beyond deciding borderline cases between (1) and 
spam.  If in doubt, I go with (1).

Those are the only notifications that moderators receive, apart from direct 
e-mail communications to ooo-users-owner@ i.a.o.  While I do read the list, I 
do not actively support posts and questions.  That is not a moderator duty.  I 
can interact the same as any user here, of course.  I had to subscribe the same 
as everyone else in order to do that.  

In most cases, I presume that the community of list users will work out what 
matters, including sending the poster to a more appropriate place, providing 
links for repeatedly raised issues, etc.  It is, after all, the purpose of the 
list to have a peer-supported structure.

If someone finds something very objectionable happening, they can bring it to 
moderator attention by sending an e-mail to ooo-users-owner@ 
incubator.apache.org.  I don't consider any active intervention unless there is 
a specific request.

And, as I said before, although moderators can unsubscribe an user there is no 
barrier to their resubscription.  The moderators have no technical means to ban 
a subscriber.

Furthermore, moderators are volunteers the same as any other subscribers.  
(Moderators are not automatically subscribed, as far as I know.  I had to 
subscribe the same as anyone else.)

That is the limit on the technical means available to moderators.  If a 
different arrangement is required, it needs to be taken to ooo-dev@ i.a.o where 
project policies and technical approaches are determined.

 - Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Caesar [mailto:[email protected]] 
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2012 05:29
To: [email protected]; [email protected]
Subject: Re: Establish some rules of conduct


>On 7/7/2012 3:00 PM, Dennis E. Hamilton wrote:
>> If this is a serious concern, it will be necessary to take any proposal and 
>> its discussion to the ooo-dev list, where project deliberations are 
>> documented.  It might be easier to publish a monthly FAQ about how the list 
>> works and what the guidelines are, rather than having enforced rules.
>>
>> As a moderator, I am uncomfortable with my duties being expanded to 
>> monitoring behavior around hot-button situations.  I would not want to act 
>> without a complaint being copied to ooo-users-owner@ incubator.apache.org.  
>> Unilateral action is not something I am willing to accept an accountability 
>> for.

Then perhaps you should ask yourself:

1) what are a moderator 's duties?

2) am I willing to discharge them?

I prefer mailing lists because they offer "moderation".  Without
moderation, then we degrade to Usenet.

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