Re: post-moderating this list

[Stephen Montgomery-Smith]

On 12/21/12 09:46, Sergei Steshenko wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Francesco Potortì <address@hidden>
> > To: Octave users list <address@hidden>
> > Cc:
> > Sent: Friday, December 21, 2012 3:13 PM
> > Subject: post-moderating this list
> >
> > I'll try to make this a more structured proposal.
> >
> > In the last years, traffic on this least has increased, which is a good
> > sign.  However, discussions who used to be focused on Octave with very
> > rare off-topic threads are now often becoming tit-for-tats, annoying to
> > most of us and time-consuming for the developers.
> >
> > I propose to introduce post-moderation.
> >
> > For example, this can be implemented by having three post-moderators.
> > If two of three agree and the third one does not veto, a poster who goes
> > off-track or who indulges in Octave or free software bashing will be
> > gently and privately invited to stop after few offending posts.  If the
> > poster's behaviour does not change after the second warning, the
> > moderators will propose a one-month ban of the poster to the list
> > owners.
> >
> > I volunteer to be one of the three moderators, or even a moderator for
> > some variation of the above proposal.
> >
> > --
> > Francesco Potortì (ricercatore)        Voice:  +39.050.315.3058 (op.2111)
> > ISTI - Area della ricerca CNR          Mobile: +39.348.8283.107
> > via G. Moruzzi 1, I-56124 Pisa         Skype:  wnlabisti
> > (entrance 20, 1st floor, room C71)     Web:    http://fly.isti.cnr.it
>
>
> Your proposal is _very_ consistent with authoritarian guru-controlled 
> structures behavior. From the link I recently posted:
>
> http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2012-11-29/ayn-rand-was-not-libertarian :
>
> "
> In a development eerily reminiscent of the organized hatred directed
> against the arch-heretic Emanuel Goldstein in Orwell’s 1984, Rand cultists were 
> required to sign a loyalty oath to Rand; essential to the loyalty oath was a 
> declaration that the signer would henceforthnever read any future works of the 
> apostate and arch-heretic Branden [Rand's number 2]. After the split, any Rand 
> cultist seen carrying a
> book or writing by Branden was promptly excommunicated.
> "
>
> - the "excommunicated" is/means banned.
>
>
> And from http://freedomofmind.com/Info/infoDet.php?id=250 :
>
> "
> People whose power is based on the surrender of others
> develop a repertoire of techniques for deflecting and undermining
> anything that questions or challenges their status, behavior,
> or beliefs. They ridicule or try to confuse people who ask challenging
> questions.” (p.66)
> "
>
> - yes, the status and _behavior_ (e.g. a burst of GPL propaganda instead of 
> addressing the real problems) _is_ challenged, and you _react_ to this 
> challenge.
>
>
> I have a much more general and far going proposal.
>
> I suggest to intensify work on GPL4, and the very first freedom granted by the 
> license should be the obligation of GPL4 SW users to send to FSF and GNU a 
> notary signed pledge of allegiance in support of FSF/GNU/GPL cause.
>
> GPL4 should also grant unlimited discretionary irrevocable freedom to list 
> owners to decide who violates the pledge of allegiance.
>
>
> Regards,
>    Sergei.

Hi Sergei,

This is the octave-help mailing list.  It should be a place where people 
ask technical questions about how to get octave to work properly in 
their environment.  It should be a friendly place, something like the 
front desk of a car mechanics shop.  You should feel greeted by friendly 
people, with good people skills.  The grumpy mechanics, who might 
otherwise be very talented, should be relegated to the back room.  We 
should recognize that while they may be very important, and in some 
cases do much of the real work, nevertheless they should not be in the 
front office greeting customers.

Sergei - I do find a lot of your posts actually quite interesting.  But 
let me suggest that octave-help is not the place to make your opinions 
known.  Or rather, it is OK to make your opinions known, but maybe one 
or two times is enough.

There are forums where people can argue about things like the legitimacy 
of GPL licenses, and whether it is really free or not.  And your 
comments about the inadequacies of the American education system have a 
lot of merit.

But, please, let the octave-help people go.  If nothing else, just as a 
matter of courtesy.  Just so that they can give and receive friendly and 
helpful advice without a huge amount of noise in the background.

If this mailing list decides to ban people from the list for repetitive 
obnoxious behavior, I have no problem with that.  If this were an 
opinion group I would feel very differently, and I would defend your 
right to state your points, even if I greatly disagreed with you.  But 
this is not an opinion forum.  It is a help forum.

Best regards,
Stephen