Re: Limiting number of post from a poster per day per list

[Craig Sanders <cas@taz.net.au>]

On Sat, Dec 25, 2004 at 12:11:04PM +0100, Martin Schulze wrote:
> Colin Watson wrote:
> > I'd rather see more lists moderated, and the moderators given
> > power to say "OK, this thread has gone off-topic and stopped being
> > productive, please end it". That would allow discretionary salvaging
> > of totally

the "please end it" *request* is crucial to making list moderation work
without stifliing free speech.

> Anybody can say so, but nobody can really stop a thread. That would
> also mean that list contributors would be encumbered in their free
> speech.

voluntary obedience to moderator suggestions can work.

when it works, it is because the moderator (not usually self-appointed,
unless they were the person who created the list or are pretty much
universally respected or considered authoritative) has a light-hand, is
not prone to jumping in too early, and is believed by all sides to be
impartial (i.e. not closing down a discussion just because the side s/he
favours is losing). with these conditions, most participants in a thread
will take the hint from the moderator and shut up. sometimes, a few
won't - but the rest ignore them and the thread just peters out anyway.

it gives people an out, so they don't "have to" respond to the last
incredibly stupid or annoying or insulting etc thing that was said, they
don't have to defend their honour, their silence is not assent, they are
choosing to shut up because the moderator asked them to and for no other
reason.


as it stands, though, none of the debian lists that i know of has an
official moderator, although some have a person or people who nearly
everyone will choose to follow their lead - that generally works better
than someone appointed from above, although it works eevn better if
their suggestions have some official standing as well.

if not enough people like or respect the moderator, then it won't and
can't work. at best, they will be ignored. at worst, the list dies.

craig

-- 
craig sanders <cas@taz.net.au>           (part time cyborg)