A Proposal (was - Re: Noise levels increasing and....)

From: Stephen Dauphin <ai705_at_osfn.org>
Date: Wed Oct 28 12:08:38 1998

On Wed, 28 Oct 1998, Hans Franke wrote:

> >>> even breaking the lists in two - on and off topic
> >>> so that ppl with common interests can also talk about other things (like
> >>> both lists would die though
>
> > I actually had a similar thought and it could work. Is it
> > possible to create an off-topic mailing list that is not publicly
> > advertised and cannot be subscribed to unless one were already a
> > subscriber to the on-topic one? Those that want the on-topic list
> > could get that, those who want both would get both and no one could
> > subscribe to only the off-topic one. The unwritten rule is that no new
> > topic could be spontaneously generated on the off-topic one and the
> > only new threads allowable would be those banished from the on-topic list.
> > Of course threads would be allowed to meander and mutate once they were
> > released to the off-topic list. This is just a thought. It certainly
> > would allow for these brief hot torrents of opinion on semi off-topic
> > material to run their course without inconveniencing those who wish to
> > only see hardcore tech info. The off-topic list would be like a sidebar
> > only accessible to those who read the on-topic one.
>
> Nice talk, but just think how hard it seams to be just to
> change the Subject line at the right moment AND to get all
> participants into changing it - not to mention the time delay.
> This is just an international thing - when I get up and have
> a first look at it Allison is still sleeping, Uncle Roger
> (or the other US West Coast guys) are just about to find their
> sleeping position, while Olminkhof is right about to leave
> the office - I've seen these things from other lists and
> news groups. It is just impossible. It is even impossible
> to live such a policy within a worldwide collaboration tool
> for a project. Even when corporate and special rules try
> to enforce it.

I still say it is a worthy experiment. I do not know if it can be
implemented at the listserver, but that is after all the point of
software, to implement a specific goal.

>
> And Moderation is just the dead of any list (maybe beside
> a anouncement list for 0190 (1-900) services, where they
> don't need any spontanous answer.
>

Agreed. The point is to provide the tool for self moderation. I have
reasonable confidence that members of this list could manage to make use
of such a tool to effectively move 90% of the semi off topic material
voluntarily so the main list could function normally.

The key is that List "B", the off topic one, cannot be subscribed to by
someone "off the street". It would only be available as an option to
those who sign on to List "A". That way everybody understands what their
responsibilty is. The current list continues to be public; the new list
becomes a private sidebar, signed on to by what will probably be a
subset of "A" (perhaps half?).

It seems to me this list will have periodic flareups of festering wounds
like West Coast abundance vs. East Coast drought, US insensitivity vs.
the rest of the world, Ebay users vs. Ebay haters (and some of us are
both!!) and ego conflict in general. Hoping this latest batch will
die down and go away and nothing will surface again is similar to the y2K
"ostrich" approach.

Plus the List "B" could also be used for other near off topic subjects.
Who knows what will come up?

I think it is at least worth a short term 2 or 3 month experiment.


                                        -- Stephen Dauphin
Received on Wed Oct 28 1998 - 12:08:38 GMT