[Foundation-l] moderate this list

[Birgitte SB]

--- On Sat, 8/29/09, Brianna Laugher <brianna.laugher at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Brianna Laugher <brianna.laugher at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Foundation-l] moderate this list
> To: "Wikimedia Foundation Mailing List" <foundation-l at lists.wikimedia.org>
> Date: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 9:36 AM
> 2009/8/29 Anthony <wikimail at inbox.org>:
> > If you'd like to start a moderated foundation-l, in
> addition to the regular
> > foundation-l, that might be useful.  But it's
> considerably inappropriate for
> > you to sign up for a mailing list that many of us have
> been enjoying for
> > years and in one month decide you want to alter it to
> suit your tastes.
> 
> "Enjoying"? Maybe more accurate for many of us is "barely
> tolerating".
> 
> I am with Anders. It is not just a matter of learning to
> use an email
> client properly. Considered posts are soon piled under
> dozens of
> back-and-forth-over-minor-details responses.
> 
> But it doesn't seem the culture of foundation-l at this
> point would
> allow moderation to make it a more proportionate place.
> Which is a
> shame as in theory it is our main Wikimedia-wide channel
> of
> communication, and must be terribly off-putting for
> newcomers.
> 

I am only still subscribed because I blacklist several people who I find excessive (although not Anthony).  But I don't think moderation as answer here.  Who would dare to take on the chore of moderator and what will be the result.  Look at what happened the last time someone was moderated; we had how many messages full of smears about the moderation itself?  I don't know exactly the number because I quickly adjusted my blacklist to the poster's new email address.  I wonder if no one responds to Thomas Dalton for a month how much he will continue to post.  I understand why people want moderation, but I don't think it is practical.  However, filters solve a majority of the problem.  The biggest help would be people resisting the urge to reply when someone is obviously looking for a debate for debate's sake.

Birgitte SB