From: "Rosser Jr, John Barkley" <rosserjb-AT-jmu.edu>
Subject: future of lists
Date: Mon, 16 Sep 1996 14:18:04 -0400 ()


     This may be about to be a dead topic, but hearing that 
Louis P. is not on the unity list made think that this is 
more important than before.  I think that it is more 
important than before that there be a volume-only moderated 
list.  Let me describe what happened on ecol-econ.
     The problem on ecol-econ was largely a single 
individual, a retired conservation biologist of very strong 
views, who would post over 20 times a day and who was (and 
still is) very aggressive towards those who disagreed with 
him.  So, a volume limit was introduced.  At the same time 
there was a related list "ee-cafe" that was not limited by 
volume.  Anything on ecol-econ was also on ee-cafe, but 
overflow was only on the latter.  What has happened is that 
ee-cafe has essentially disappeared.  Posters to ecol-econ 
have accepted the volume limits because they know that that 
is where most of the audience is.  Even the main violater 
who frequently gets into offlist arguments with people 
becuause of the volume limits, that then get reported on 
back to the whole list.  This has worked.
     Something similar could be done here.  Have the 
unmoderated list get everything from the moderated list, 
but have the latter moderated only by volume.  The 
unmoderated list might well then fade away.
     Now, I realize that there are lots of people who want 
moderation on content grounds, including Louis P.  But I 
contend that this just leads to this endless wrangling that 
we see now over the unity list's vague rules.  We had an 
earlier round of this over M2's rules.  At least M2 has 
settled down to a modus operandi and has reasonably 
intelligent discussions, even withoug good old Lou.
     Louis wants a list that has just the right amount of 
moderation: enough to keep malecki off, but not enough to 
keep himself or his "friends" off.  Sorry, Lou, but such an 
amount does not exist.  Go for a volume limited list.
     BTW, some of the biggest drunks I know are judges, 
:-).
Barkley Rosser 
Rosser Jr, John Barkley
rosserjb-AT-jmu.edu




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