Subject: Re: Sad (was Re: comments on i386 -1.2BETA snapshot)
To: None <mycroft@mit.edu, peter@wonderland.org>
From: Grey Wolf <greywolf@siva.captech.com>
List: port-i386
Date: 08/29/1996 12:39:57
Peter Galbavy <peter@wonderland.org> writes:
# 
# > 
# > Oh. So this is a confirmation of censorship of supposedly unmoderated
# > mailing lists ?

To which Charles Hannum <mycroft@mit.edu> replies:
# 
# I'm unclear on two things:
# 
# 1) how this qualifies as `censorship', and
# 2) where you got the idea that our lists are `unmoderated'.

Well, it does look rather unfriendly when the explanation given is
pointing fingers at any given person, as in:

> You have frequently posted (or attempted to post) messages to NetBSD
> mailing lists that were, in addition to being far from on-topic,
> often quite abrasive and did not further the goals of the NetBSD project.
>
> As the group of people responsible for these mailing lists, the NetBSD
> Core Group decided that list owners should have the option of reviewing
> your messages before they are posted to the list.  We regret only that
> this is necessary.

It could have been handled much better with a shorter message along the
lines of:

> Your posting was relevant to the discussion as related to this mailing
> list.  End of discussion.

Short and to the point, and it avoids opening old wounds, and it avoids
provoking petty bickering, something this list needs as badly as a disk
drive needs a dust bath.

# 
# Our mailing lists are for the specific purpose of discussing and
# contributing to NetBSD.  They are not for discussing Chorus, VSTa, the...

Other than that, this and the following several paragraphs compress to:

	If you stay within the established charter, and are civil about it,
	you will be heard.  These rules apply to any group which employs
	a reasonable charter.  If you're in charge of the charter,
	you're expected to uphold it, however awkward a situation that
	may be.

And that all makes perfect sense.


				--*greywolf;