Terry, thank you for re-sending these remarks to the list. Your further insights are quite instructive and I'm glad everyone has the chance to see them.
> Some comments and observations, designed to be helpful and not > critical. Indeed helpful and not unwelcome in the least. > I understand your motivation for attempting to curb the depth of > detail coming from some of the "techies" on the list. But the > problem, as I see it, with doing that is that you cannot establish a > clear definition of what is too much technical detail and what isn't. That is part of the problem, yes, and certainly responsible for some of the uneasiness towards the idea of a new list. Indeed, I was foolishly attempting to solve the wrong problem -- even, perhaps, a non-problem. Not that I don't still see value in the idea of a tech-only list -- in fact it has been suggested several times by others -- but the present issue is not "the depth of detail." The following comment by you made this stunningly clear: > If it was possible to poll all list members, I believe you would find > that there was a broader consensus on what is rude and discourteous > than what is "too technical." That is because "technical" is defined > by what the viewer already knows, but rudeness and discourtesy is > defined by feelings that we all hold in common (pretty much). Clear thinking is always elegant. Kudos, and right on target. > Roger (or someone) had a good point that it didn't seem fair that he > was expected to use his delete button to delete off-topic stuff, but > others couldn't be asked to do the same with technical posts. False choice. Either both sides have to use their delete key -- as when the discussions are combined -- or else neither side would have to -- as in the case of separate lists. In my "Values and direction" message I wrote the following: > So for the present, I will more strictly limit the influence of > commercial interests and continue to require that scientific and > technical discussion adhere to the same standards of civility and > balance as any other. I will put an end to the attempts to force us > towards conclusions that are more important to their advocates than > to our members. > In short: I intend to optimize the silver-list to serve the needs of > newcomers for fair and unbiased information about CS and for the > support and encouragement they need in their efforts - - much as it > has been in the past. This statement is not incompatible with technical discussions continuing here, but demands an end to efforts by anyone to use the list as their personal battleground. Given the lack of enthusiasm for a new list, we must make it work on this one. The "tech types" will find themselves repressed only to the extent that they indulge in rude or aggressive behavior. > A "Techie" List actually has the effect of splintering the Community > on a basis that is vague. Also, those consigned to the "Techie" list > probably will feel rejected from the general Community. That certainly is how it seems at the moment. On the other hand, I can foresee a time when it can be made to work, in fact when it will be the only way for us to deal with growth. There's nothing that says it must happen right now. > If you lower the technical level to the point that a brand new, > uninitiated, mostly ignorant newbie feels comfortable, the loss in > knowledge would be considerable. Plus, the techies will mostly just > go somewhere else (not the new "Techie" List). It's unnecessary for a new person to feel intellectually comfortable if at least they feel welcomed. We've paid less attention to that than we should have lately. > In the same way that you must explain to each newbie what the > purposes and parameters of the Silver-List are when they first > subscribe, so you can explain that there are several levels of > knowledge and expertise here, and that they should "swallow the meat > and spit out the bones". Well, I can emphasize that even more than I do already in the introductory message they get when they join, but I bet we'd all be disappointed to know how many folks don't read it. Otherwise, it's going to take at least a weekly "Welcome message for newbies and lurkers" to remind everybody what's expected of them. Y'all will get used to deleting it every Tuesday afternoon... > Finally, for a newbie to see discussion at a level too far beyond > them is to actually establish that this is a good place with > knowledgeable people to ask questions of. Good point. > These are my thoughts. > > Terry Chamberlin Gracie, Terry. Be well, Mike Devour silver-list owner [Mike Devour, Citizen, Patriot, Libertarian] [[email protected] ] [Speaking only for myself... ] -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
