On Thu, May 29, 2014 at 8:05 AM, Wil Sinclair wllm@wllm.com wrote:
As I mentioned to Sam, I have just one more thing to say here before I let you guys deliberate on whether to block me.
I've been getting tons of private emails from people who say that they don't want to see me blocked, but that they are afraid to say that on the list, because they feel like they might be intimidated or ostracized.
That's right: *afraid*
I think we should all let that sink in for a moment. . .
. . . Now, is that OK? Is that how we want our community to function?
It is an interesting question; you have framed it as a serious problem, which may be undeniably true from your perspective based on the private emails that you have received. But we can't see those emails, and you don't know the people who are sending you those emails, and their motivations. Please let *that* sink in.
As I have said in another post, *this list* is the primary communication venue for a 'movement' that runs one of the largest web properties in the world, and the people doing it are mostly volunteers whose time is very precious and motivations very diverse, and it is being done on a tiny budget so the paid staff time is just as precious.
That *should* have ramifications on the type of discourse that is appropriate on this list. 'free speech' isnt a valid argument. Your speech on this list effectively costs me money (time). And it consumes donor dollars. So what is appropriate use of this list? We do discuss that periodically, and organically.
I know I was *afraid* of posting to this list during my first year of being 'highly active' part of this movement. I remember being in awe of some of the insightful posts, and very disturbed by others, but usually someone else would pipe up and complain, so I just lurked and occasionally privately emailed people, learning as I went along. I dont see that as inherently a bad thing. This movement is huge; there is lots to learn. About the projects. About the people. About their disputes.
The change of ED is *very disruptive*, and so it should be.
Your arrival on this list is *very disruptive*. e.g. we dont often have people hit the posting limit in their first month of participating in this list.
Disruption can be very good. ;-) But consider this list officially disrupted for at least the next month or two, and probably best avoided IMO. Don't be surprised that volunteers don't want to get publicly involved in the highly disrupted environment that this list is currently, and instead privately email you a word of encouragement.
https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Exopedianism
-- John Vandenberg