Poors (rpmpoor@bcpl.net)
Thu, 11 Feb 1999 19:11:26 -0500
If one comments on appropriateness, it will be more effect and certainly
appreciated to direct the commentor to the appropriate list
elsewhere..since s/he is seeking the best source of on line help or the
best place just to sit and watch and learn. Bob
Gordon J. Holtslander wrote:
>
> Hi all:
>
> As the list manager I am the one who is ultimately repsonsible for
> this
> list. I appreciate all the talk about what should and should not be
> on
> the list. I believe it is necessary.
>
> It has been my policy to let "the list" be responsible for itself. I
> have
> always expected the list to govern itself - ie for its members to use
> "good judgement". This includes telling other people when they are out
> of
> line. I have and will always refuse to babysit a group of mature and
> apparantly intelligent adults.
>
> This has led to management by crisis. People don't protest until
> things
> are quite bad. There is a "crisis", people shout and yell at each
> other,
> hordes unsubscribe, no one says anything for fear of contributing to
> "the
> crisis", the crisis dies down and things get back to normal and so on
> until another crisis erupts.
>
> The list has over 500 participants and continues to grow. Because of
> the way the list is set up I must first concern myself with the "dull
> mechanical details". I had 1600 error messages to sift through this
> morning. I have a fairly efficient way of handling these, but it does
> take
> time.
>
> I can not moderate this list, I don't think any one person could. (at
> least anyone with a life). It is time to get some help managing the
> list.
>
> I would like to have a small handful of people volunteer to "mind the
> list". They would have the consent of the list community to warn
> people
> when they are out of line. This group, including myself would be the
> "List
> Authority". This would put some order to the "creative indulgent
> anarchy"
> that the list can be.
>
> The beauty of this mailing list i,s that it has developed a tremendous
> sense of community. This community sense is absent from other
> internet
> based forums like usenet news or www based bbs's (bulletin board
> systems).
> This community, this mailing list, should be able to develop and
> maintain
> a community standard.
>
> The thing that makes this list successful is the mutual respect list
> members give each other. This and this alone allows for a free
> exchange
> of information. Without this mutual respect the list is nothing but a
> bunch of noise. I have set up and maintain the "physical mechansim"
> of the list. Its value and success is dependent upon the people
> participating in it. Its your list. Make the best of it.
>
> I would like list members to nominate at least one person whom they
> beleive would be a responsible list minder. If I am able to get a
> group
> of willing volunteers I would like to have their help insuring that
> this
> list continues to be productive.
>
> Gord Holtslander
> List manager
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Gordon J. Holtslander Dept. of Biology
> holtsg@duke.usask.ca 112 Science Place
> Tel (306) 966-4433 University of Saskatchewan
> Fax (306) 966-4461 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
> Canda
> S7N 5E2
> ---------------------------------------------------------
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