Can we please just start using the OT: header in the subject line?
On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 4:56 PM, Mike Schwartz <
schwartz@acm.org> wrote:
>> [...] please just reply [...]
>> [...] with an empty message body [...]
> I agree with this idea / suggestion from Alex Dean.
> For one thing, I agree that some of the more "heated" discussions, probably
> should take place -- [if at all], -- in some other forum. (outside any PLUG
> list).
> But even if someone should "happen" to hold the opposite viewpoint on that
> "matter of opinion", the fact remains that sending a message with a blank
> body, is NOT MUCH of an imposition by the sender, on the time of the
> potential reader. In fact, NO MORE -- (probably less!) -- than when
> compared with an instance of the sending of an "OT: " message that is adding
> to the length of some thread that is tiresome to certain PLUG-Discuss
> participants.
> To add to the advantages of that suggestion from Alex Dean, it does not
> require any exercising of judgment by some admin with special list
> supervising privileges, such as some << power to retroactively prefix the
> string "OT: " to the start of the "Subject: " header title of some existing
> thread >>, nor any hardware / software features that we do not already have,
> nor any organizational "committees" or group structures that we do not
> already have, -- and it is fairly easy to do.
> Technically, I guess the [allegedly] offending mis-users of the "space /
> time" on PLUG-Discuss, are even free to ignore the "advice", and to keep
> their "OT: " thread right here on PLUG-Discuss, -- [for a while!] -- if they
> think it is right / necessary to do so. ...but if there are repeated blank
> messages, then eventually readers might start contacting them OFF LIST, to
> try to persuade / "encourage" them to relent.
> The ["die hard"] thread participants [if any], could also feel free to move
> the thread to some "unobtrusive" place, like alt.flame or something, where
> any reader who happens upon it, is asking for it; but at least, they do have
> the option of continuing their thread without bothering those PLUG-Discuss
> readers who have "hinted" that they are tired of a given thread.
> (for practical purposes, maybe just moving a given thread "off-list", and
> using e-mail between those who want to continue the thread, might be a
> better choice. But I do not expect to be one of the die hards .. :-)
> As has been noted in the past, there might be some newcomers, who might be
> impressionable, and we might not want to scare them away. They might
> be newcomers to Linux / FLOSS, as well as to PLUG-Discuss. Having a way to
> politely suggest that the participants in a given thread, can continue
> the thread "somewhere else" -- but, we "hope", not in PLUG-Discuss -- could
> prove to be a convenient and useful way of "hinting" and getting that
> message across -- without having to do a lot of typing (oops, am I setting a
> bad example with *this* message? ...) and without even "seeming" to be
> un-fairly "discriminating" for or against either side of the "OT: "
> [[debate]] -- INCLUDING even by the choice of "when" the thread should get
> moved (even e.g. right after some supposedly "un-deserving" opponent, has
> just gotten the last word that was "before the move".)
> So -- (bottom line:) -- GOOD IDEA.
> --
> Mike Schwartz
> Glendale AZ
> schwartz@acm.org
> On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 7:45 PM, Bryan O'Neal
> <Bryan.ONeal@theonealandassociates.com> wrote:
>>
>> Please use the OT subject prefix - Please filter on the OT subject
>> prefix - Please reduce the total number of OT threads.
>>
>> Personally - I find the discussions interesting and 1 out of every 5
>> or 10 posts may actually teach me something I did not know on the
>> subject. As such I get sucked in just as much if not worst then most
>> so, as a flame fanner, I feel I should agree that this is not the best
>> forum.
>>
>> On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 7:37 PM, Alex Dean <alex@crackpot.org> wrote:
>> > I don't take any position on the flood of various ideas which have been
>> > flowing through this list lately. If anything, I've been just hoping it
>> > would subside and I can go back to expecting that this list will be
>> > mainly
>> > about free software again. Occasional political posting? No problem.
>> > Vehement political arguments? Pointless. Nobody ever convinced anyone
>> > of
>> > anything by arguing via email. I end up feeling a bit powerless in the
>> > face
>> > of a wave of trollery which doesn't seem likely to subside any time
>> > soon.
>> >
>> > So here's what I propose : If you are tired of these off topic postings,
>> > and
>> > want them to cease, please just reply to the "ditching Apple due to
>> > boycotts" thread with an empty message body. Leave the subject, but
>> > empty
>> > the body. This should be a clear, but polite, way to note to the thread
>> > participants you'd rather they take the discussion elsewhere.
>> >
>> > Lest I be called indifferent, ignorant, or whatever, I will say I care
>> > about
>> > the issues being discussed. Absolutely. I have my opinions about the
>> > topics at hand, but I don't believe an email list is a productive place
>> > to
>> > make those opinions known. All the current climate on this list does is
>> > discourage me.
>> >
>> > Perhaps no one else cares for my suggestion, but I feel like something
>> > needs
>> > to be said lest we lose this list entirely to the trolls. So, if you're
>> > tired of this, reply to the "ditching Apple due to boycotts" thread with
>> > an
>> > empty message. Make your (very quiet) voice known! :)
>> >
>> > alex
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