[clug-talk] Too Many Mailing List Guidelines?

[Shawn]

On Tuesday 30 November 2004 09:52, kMajor at gov.mdrockyview.ab.ca wrote:
> Just opening a dialogue :-) not sending barbs at anyone - and I agree no
> wrong doing... just seems that the guidelines of the mailing list need to
> be broadened to include what to do with what is awaiting the moderator

It seems to me that we as a group are spending too much time talking about 
guidelines than other pertinent issues. <grins>

While I agree that some guidelines are necessary, I feel that too much have a 
detrimental effect.  We are starting to see that effect now.  

- Mr Pletch has just indicated that he is removing himself from the list, 
because (in part) it is no longer a helpful or enjoyable place.  (Sorry to 
see you go Michael, all the best to you.)

- I have just counted 56 messages received from the list since 12:00 am Monday 
morning (as of 10:49am today).  Of these 55 messages, Only 11 (approx) are 
specific to Linux/open source.  Of those 11, 3 are about the CLUG website,  
and 4 are about Suse 9.2 CDs, leaving only 4 that are of a technical nature.  
The remaining 44 messages are requests for help with hardware selection, 
software configuration (I didn't count the MetaDot emails in those 11, but 
maybe I should have?  even so, that's only 3 more), and comments about the 
list and/or messages about items of interest (i.e. MS sues Linux).

I have to agree that the nature of the list has changed.  When I first joined 
(2 or 3 years ago now), I thought of the list as a great resource to get the 
technical help I needed learn to get Linux and other open source software 
running the way I needed.  Now, the list is more of a social gathering where 
like minded folks (that would be all of us) keep in touch, and talk about the 
topic of the day.  We still see some requests for help, but this does not 
constitute the bulk of the messages anymore.

I feel that the list needs to be self moderating, and very "hands-off" by the 
executive.  I only mean this from a point of view of issuing the "executive 
opinion" on some topics.  If these topics and the resulting opinions are 
necessary, lets create a different list.  I've participated in a number of 
other mailing lists, and the successful ones were the ones where the list 
administrator would only act in an "official" manner in exceptional cases 
(i.e. abuse of the system or other list members).  These lists are successful 
and popular because they are focused, and do not dictate guidelines as to how 
the list should be used - they leave it to the list members to moderate 
themselves.

The clug-talk list used to be focused on technical matters.  This is not the 
case anymore.  It's now focused on community matters, with a spattering of 
technical messages (IMO).  The list should either be about being a technical 
resource for all of us, OR a community forum - but NOT both.  We can (and 
should) create a new list to cover the other topic.  I think the need for 
guidelines that keeps coming up lately is a result of this lack of focus.  
Again, some are needed (i.e. thread hijacking, etc.), but creating guidelines 
on what is a suitable message goes too far (IMO).  Obviously, spam is spam 
and has no place on the list.  But a judgement call on if a non-spam message 
is suitable for the list? or guidelines to help make that judgement?  I say 
let the list decide that in way of whether or not we read and/respond to it.  
I'd also go as far to say that if we (me included) post to the list from an 
address not signed up on the list, then a notification message should be sent 
to the author - and leave it up to them to rectify the problem (i.e sign up 
that address, or send the message from another address already on the list).  
Any message posted from a non-member address should be sent the notification 
and then simply ignored and directed to /dev/null  (protects us from spam).

Of course, this is all just my opinion, and really, I'm not trying to offend 
anyone.  I wanted to point out an issue I've seen developing, and maybe get 
some feedback from the list members (even if it's just to tell me to shut up 
and there is no problem..<grins>).  (um, respectfully, can I ask the 
executive to NOT comment on this email in an executive capacity, until there 
is a consensus on it? <grins>)

May I humbly propose a new mailing list called clug-community.  Then all 
emails such as this one could be (politely) referred to that list, and keep 
clug-talk the technical resource that most of us signed up for.  I think that 
initially most of our traffic would end up on the community list, but in a 
short while, the technical talk will far exceed the community talk (again), 
if we can keep the two mostly separate.

My thoughts...

Shawn

(ps.  Hopefully I used enough emoticons to express that I mean this in a light 
hearted manner)