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Subject:Admin: Censorship? From:Lisa Higgins <lisa -at- DRDDO1 -dot- EI -dot- LUCENT -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 12 Dec 1996 15:15:52 +0000
> Writing personal off-line chastisements also sets one individual up as a
> censor of the entire list. Subscribers cannot make this listserve into their
> own tightly controlled domain. There are people in the workplace who don't
> interest you: this will also happen on the listserve. What is not of
> interest to you may be fascinating to someone else. It is unrealisitic (and
> undemocratic) to try to police the list so that no message will ever bore you.
1. Sending someone chastising email is not, never has been, and never will be
censorship. Censorship is a serious matter, and it offends me deeply to see the
term hobbled by those who apply it to any form of criticism.
2. The "Dr. Suess" thing is IN THE POSTING GUIDELINES as an example
of what not to post.
3. This mailing list is *intended* to be a fairly tightly controlled
forum. The posting guidelines are clear about that.
This is not a moderated list, but it is specific. So, what is the response to an
inappropriate post? Another, likely MORE inappropriate post? Absolutely not. A
short, usually politely worded emailed reminder of the posting
guidelines is completely appropriate.
The reason that I've posted THIS is that it really seems as though
there are a lot of people joining the list in the past couple of
weeks who don't bother to read the guidelines or just barge in trying
to change them.
Back in the olden days, when somebody got a new internet account, their
provider would point them toward certain rules about posting to
newsgroups, listservs, etc. Rule Number One was "LURK."
Read the group, get the FAQ (or posting guidelines), and get a feel
for the forum BEFORE you post, and certainly before you try to change
the rules to fit the way you'd like things to be.
Is it just me, or is the whole danged internet just going to hell in
a handbasket?
Lisa
lisa -at- drddo1 -dot- ei -dot- lucent -dot- com
PS: And yes, I know that I made an inappropriate post only about an
hour ago. Sorry. It's a long, boring story.
