[Foundation-l] Top posters

[Jussi-Ville Heiskanen]

Anthony wrote:
> On Sat, Jul 5, 2008 at 6:50 AM, Mark Williamson <node.ue at gmail.com> wrote:
>> The latter. We are trying to give a hint to people who post "too much"
>> that perhaps they should cut back a little, without actually being all
>> up in their business and being all like "HEY YOU STFU", you know?
>>
> A convincing discussion as to what's wrong with posting "too much"
> would work much better.  So far it seems to come down to people not
> having decent e-mail readers and people who think that lowering the
> number of posts is somehow going to magically increase the quality.
> As for the latter belief, I've seen mailing lists try this, and I've
> never seen it work.
> 
> If a group of you want to go off and start a new mailing list with
> (soft or hard) posting limits, feel free.  You have my full support.
> 
> Anthony


I comprehensively endorse this view. I was personally quite
astonished to read the view by one major wikimedia actor that
they thought the foundation list should contract into a more
thoughtful and rarely loquacious medium. By some magic not
specified.

I would not have been so surprised if the person in question
had not for long coasted on a reputation of being an alumni
of the early intarweb. I guess there is a difference if you
experience the web as a peon, and if you experience it as a
mailing list moderator.

I have made reference to this before, and I certainly don't
wish to make reference to it frequently in times to come.
The documented case of a discussion medium being rescued
from collapsing under off-topic and otherwise tedious talk,
without parallel, is clearly that which James D. Nicoll was
able (and yes, he has a wikipedia article, though perhaps
just as much because of the quote that has been so oft
attributed to Booker T. Washington et alia, but I digress...)
to accomplish.

What is needed can be done by a very limited number of people.
I suppose I could do it all by myself, if there were enough
people who thought it worthwhile to respond to my postings of
a non-contentious but philosophic nature, purely for the intent
of drowning out contentious without thoughtfulness chatter.

Yours,

Jussi-Ville Heiskanen