[ADMIN] Additional moderator(s) sought for ubuntu-users list

[Ric Moore]

On 09/28/2011 04:01 AM, Avi Greenbury wrote:

> Sure, perhaps I'm wrong here. But then I'd appreciate it if the
> opposition was to that, not to the broader concept of moderation at
> all. It doesn't always need to be the dictatorial regime you appear to
> believe it must turn out to be.

Well written perspective, thanks. I have been on lists where the 
moderators made everyone so mad that most of the active participants 
left. Myself, I've started 4 computer user groups around the country and 
ran an 8 line BBS when that was an unheard of feat. I spent 26 years in 
the Chemical Industry, starting with BASF when there was only two 
employees in the country that had a home computer, myself with an Apple 
][ and another guy with a Commodore Pet. I felt sorry for him. :)
At any rate, we used Robert's Rules Of Order, got our business done with 
in short order, and got straight into the presentation and the 
socializing. ALWAYS have refreshments! Our members ranks swelled, 
because we had business over with in short order and then came the fun.

I have come to a couple of conclusions. Computers are dead things. We do 
all sorts of things to make them alive and responsive to our needs. The 
trick it to not become like our computers. The best list I have ever 
been on was the old Caldera Users List. There was ONE rigid rule that 
was enforced. We had to insert <TID> "Thread is Deteriorating" on the 
subject line or get yelled at by the group, when we got OT. And TID we did.

Anyone NOT wanting OT could depend on the fact that the OT was always 
labeled and a filter would scrub it. You NEVER got OT if you didn't want 
it and we liked that. I got to hear from the likes of Mad Dog Hall 
recounting his days on the PDP-8, stuff you would never have read about 
anywhere else. Evan Liebovich was determining the "Right Thing" for the 
Linux Standards group. We got to communicate on topics that were near 
and dear to our hearts via Pine and 2400 baud modems that helped shape 
some of the standards that became in use. He took our suggestions 
seriously, no matter our individual skill levels. I was a glutton at a 
feast. Sure, this list is for technical discussions. But, as Ubuntu 
Users, pursuit of the "Right Thing" regarding our distro and our OS 
ain't a bad thing either.

So, I would suggest a rigid enforcement of the OT rule or the <TID> rule 
be in place for subject lines, so that the users who do not want OT 
don't get OT with a mere simple filter rule. That would be a polite 
thing to do for the users who don't want OT. Then if someone wants to 
yak across the fence, and talk about CP/M machines, no harm no foul.

Oh yeah, also beat the crap out of the top posters. <grins> Ric

p/s shouldn't we be marking this OT? :)


-- 
My father, Victor Moore (Vic) used to say:
"There are two Great Sins in the world...
..the Sin of Ignorance, and the Sin of Stupidity.
Only the former may be overcome." R.I.P. Dad.
http://linuxcounter.net/user/44256.html