> Date:         Fri, 13 Sep 1996 11:14:35 -0400
> From: Judith Hopkins <[log in to unmask]>
>
> > 1. Let it die of its own inaneness in its own good time, or
>
>         The problem with this approach is that by the time the inane
>         thread does die, your more focussed, serious subscribers have
>         become so sick of it that some have unsubscribed.
 
You might think this will be the predominant behavior, but in my
experience as owner of a number of lists over many years, very few
people actually leave in disgust. Some complain onlist, some threaten
to leave --few, usually none, actually leave. I've made it a habit of
collecting subs/unsubs and of paying attention to the waves of comings
and goings vis a vis what is going on in the list discussion; you just
don't lose your more focussed, serious subscribers to occasional
"inane" threads (I participate in lists that I would call generally
serious, so I can't vouch for the lists dominated by constant
inaneness; what is their topical focus?).
 
> > 2. Ask the major proponents to take it off-list until they arrive at some
> >    conclusion that they can bring back to the list for others to reflect on,
>
>         Assumes that the topic bears SOME relationship to the one that is
>         the focus of your list, AND that the discussion is of the type
>         for which a conclusion can be reached.
 
No, it doesn't assume those things at all. If it is off-topic, people
usually point that out (an owner usually doesn't have to wait long for
one or more subscribrers to make their disdain for a thread known). If
no subscriber takes that initiative, then the owner might wish to take
heed and wonder if maybe the thread isn't all that inane, or at least
not all that bothersome.
 
>         Often a thread that takes
>         off for a life of its own is of the silly kind in which each
>         participant tries to outdo the others in silliness.  There is no
>         conclusion that can be reached.
 
Fine. Then it shouldn't come back to the list ("don't come back until
you've reached a conclusion").
 
> >    or
> > 3. Be surprised when it turns into something interesting.
> >
>         Even if I enjoy it doesn't mean that all or most subscribers do.
 
If you expect _all_ or _most_ subscribers to enjoy each message on a list,
you are bound to be disappointed most of the time. Most subscribers use
the Delete Key a lot.
 
>         My basic approach tends to follow Mario Rups' suggestion: a
>         humorous "This has been fun but it is now time to call it to an
>         end" sometimes with a final 24 hours grace period, sometimes to
>         take effect immediately.
 
Yes, I liked Mario's scenario for handling this kind of problem too.
Like I said, some subscriber(s) usually will beat the owner to it, and
if they don't, wonder why.
Peter