Klarinet Archive - Posting 000417.txt from 1997/10

From: Mark Charette <charette@-----.com>
Subj: Re: censure
Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 01:51:15 -0400

I'm not sure exactly why, but somehow or other some people think
I'm a "somebody" on the list or have some control of the list
(I'm just a member of the list, a real beginner on clarinet, and have
no control other than being able to understand the technical details
of the list), so I get queries often about this. Most of the queries
I get are *extremely* polite, and go something like "I don't know what
the proper 'netiquette' is, but how can I get <A> and <B> to continue
their debate off-line? Can you do something?"

to which I respond "You can send a real polite letter to them
asking that and showing them that possibly it's gone on too far".
Other than that, the Klarinet list is an unmoderated free-for-all,
and is open to all participants. This means that you are responsible
for separating the wheat from the chaff, not anyone else.

There's a big downside to this, though. There are a number of
professional clarinet players who have left the list _because_ it's
unmoderated. The amount of postings in a day can end up overwhelming,
and many of us just don't have the time to weed through everything.
For the sake of keeping as many people involved as possible, a bit of
self policing on everyone's part is always a good idea. Once in a
while the "me too" postings crop up. (the "I like X because of <Z>"
posting garners ">I like X because of <Z> - Me too." It's always
proper to send an acknowledgment to the author, but it clutters the
list.

I also get asked on a regular basis if I'd start a _moderated_ list.
I resist for two reasons - first, because it would dilute the present
Klarinet list, and secondly because I've never found anyone that
would moderate it. I cannot (for reasons of time and knowledge), and
it is a very difficult position.

The discussions between Roger G. and Dan L. would have passed *my*
moderation, since they were polite repartee, and educational to
the extent of showing two diametrically opposite sides of a
question, and some logical debate. Being an empiricist, I have my
own ideas on the subject <G>.

Roger Garrett wrote:
> Thanks for the reply Clare......others?
> On Sat, 11 Oct 1997, C Henderson wrote:
> > Roger wrote:
> > > I am curious if anyone has received email asking that, unless the
> > > information sent to the listserv is "useful clarinet information"
> > > not to send it to the list? Would that also go for funny
> > > stories, poems, discussions regarding saxophone/flute etc...?
> > >
> > > Do we really want the listserv to be censured that way?
> > >
> > > Just asking for opinions......I am curious about responses.
> >
> > Yes, I have, Roger. I was extremely surprised, since one of the
> > best things about this list, to me, is the fact that it *isn't*
> > always 100% serious! Besides, since the request didn't come from
> > the list co-ordinator, it seemed decidedly presumptuous and
> > out-of-place to me.
--
Mark Charette | "This is a very democratic organization, so let's
charette@-----. All those who disagree with me, raise
MIKA Systems, Inc.| their hands." - Eugene Ormandy
Webmaster of http://sneezy.mika.com/clarinet, The Clarinet Info Pages