OT: ending unwanted threads

Tue May 25 11:50:27 MST 2010

actually, to be more accurate for this list, OT should designate something
that actually has to do with FOSS.
ha ha!

On Mon, May 24, 2010 at 5:00 PM, Bryan O'Neal <
Bryan.ONeal at theonealandassociates.com> wrote:

> 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 at 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 at acm.org
> > On Tue, May 18, 2010 at 7:45 PM, Bryan O'Neal
> > <Bryan.ONeal at 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 at 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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