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

[Katharine Thayer <kthayer@pacifier.com>]

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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