On 6/29/06, Tony Sidaway f.crdfa@gmail.com wrote:
If we don't screen posts before they go to the list, that would explain why we've getting an incredible amount of trollish edits by the likes of Rgulerdem over the past month or so. However it doesn't explain why we *don't* get loads of off-topic borderline spam.
Posts from people who are not subscribed do not, by default, make it through to the list. That knocks out all spam instantly. Occasionally some legitimate posts are made in this fashion, and if we're on our toes, we notice them and let them through, but probably a goodly number get wiped. The list gets a hundred or more spam messages a day...
Also, all subscribed users start out moderated, but are usually taken off after their first message.
Clearly there is some moderation, and the moderators are awake. But their standards over the past month or so have been, to say the least, somewhat catholic. To the extent that I wonder why we bother running this list any more. The good discussion is being relentlessly drowned out by idiocy.
I don't presume to set the standards for discussion, I only enforce them. IMHO, it is up to people on this list to decide the standards and tell others when it's time to drop a subject, or to ask people to stop responding to trolls. Also, we do tend to react when we get complaints to wikien-l-owner@wikipedia.org .
If people want, we could raise the minimum standards, and be more proactive about moderating trolls. However, with the new directive that grievances about blocks should not be brought here, that may not be necessary.
Steve