U of S | Mailing List Archive | alt-photo-process-l | Re: New home for list needed-a Case Against Yahoo

Re: New home for list needed-a Case Against Yahoo



On Nov 12, 2009, at 6:34 AM, Gene Laughter wrote:


For a number of years I have managed The Bromoil List. Approx. 125 members. It has migrated from one host to another as companies have merged and been bought out. We have used Yahoo Groups for a number of years now. Searching the archives is a nightmare and the results of searches are terrible at best. Yahoo Groups is filled with problems. My 2 cents ... stay away from Yahoo!

The most important prerequisite, IMO - a list manager with sufficient time, dedication and passion!

Gene Laughter

In addition to the concerns I voiced earlier about technical hassles on yahoo, I have real concerns about copyright/licensing issues with yahoo and other commercial concerns, and would be especially uneasy if the archives were to be transferred to one of those companies. If I'm not mistaken, yahoo owns the content or licenses the content in such a way that they are free to package it however they like and sell it to other companies or concerns at their will/discretion. I don't mind my conversations with my brothers and sisters over health concerns and memories of childhood being bought and sold by yahoo; it's just personal chat and worthless to anyone beyond our little group. I don't feel the same about the knowledge of gum printing I've shared on this list. I offered that information to this community/family free of charge; I want it kept in the community, and I would not be willing to give permission for the ownership of that copyrighted information to be transferred to a commercial concern to be bought and sold as a commercial commodity. I hope that's clear.

My point is that you can't hope to make decisions that redefine how we view the information that we are entrusted with, from an educational resource to a commercial commodity, without changing the nature of the community that shares that information, and this should not be a decision that's taken lightly or hurriedly.

My understanding is that Kees has a server ready to go, has the archives there, and could transfer the mailing list to his server immediately if necessary; I'm afraid I don't understand why this offer isn't being taken more seriously. If the issue is that this makes the list too dependent on one person and his server, then let it be a temporary solution while an institutional host is being sought.

I greatly fear that we are about to split into two groups: one that wants a web-based platform and format and doesn't have an issue about the content being considered a commercial commodity, and one that wants to keep the forum as an educational (non-commercial) resource. I am heartened by the reports that an institutional host may be found, but I would much prefer going to an individual host like Kees or non-profit like Malin's site, both of which would preserve our fundamental spirit as an educational resource, than to a large commercial concern whose interests are not the same as ours, even as a temporary measure.

Katharine





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