Transparency, Community? (was Re: List-Id Changed why? )

[Matthew East]

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Hi,

* Derek Broughton:
> Matthew East wrote:
>> Some background. I emailed the list administrators, asking to change the
>> topic to make it clear that this is a technical support list (as
>> distinct from sounder, which is the discussion list). The administrators
>> then implemented the wording.
> ...
>> Please don't react so strongly to this - there are more important things
>> to focus on in the Ubuntu community. There is no stifling of discussion,
>> it is simply made clear that there are two lists for two purposes -
> 
> No, it is NOT "simply made clear", and I'm as annoyed as Peter.  Nobody
> consulted US, the users of this list.  Instead, you unilaterally decided to
> change it.  What the Ubuntu Community Council has to say about the lists is
> not relevant - they are an advisory body, and not the list community.

I think basically the two complaints in your mail boil down to:

1. The users on the mailing list did not have a say in the decision of
the list administrator.

2. The Community Council does not have a relevant say in the direction
of the mailing list community.

The simple facts are these - the mailing list description has been
amended to better reflect the original intentions for the list, which
was important given the increasing traffic on the -users list in order
to ensure that users seeking support are better able to get it without
being swamped by chatter. The sounder list exists in order to satisfy
that need. The Community Council is the body which has the authority in
the Ubuntu community to resolve any disputes about the non-technical
side of the Ubuntu world. I would seriously suggest that if a
substantial body of mailing list users have a problem with the topic of
the list, they discuss the matter with the Council, which previously
approved the etiquette guidelines. This isn't fobbing off the discussion
onto someone else, it is simply suggesting the body which is best placed
to address any greivances.

Mailing lists tend to take the direction determined by the people who
administer them, obviously it is appropriate for those administrators to
take into account the wishes of the Ubuntu community as a whole, but
that does not go as far, in my view, as saying that the list topic
should be determined by the list subscribers. It simply isn't practical,
although I suspect you will certainly disagree with me on this point.

The reason I don't think it is appropriate to get too excited about this
is that there are still two perfectly acceptable channels for all types
of Ubuntu discussion, as there always were. No one has limited any
freedom of expression here.

Matt
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