Gene Glass asks whether other list owners have had trouble with
inappropriate postings. It's happened to me 3 times: one subscriber was
a compulsive crossposter and parasitized about 10 Lists; one was a
follower of a colorful cult personality, now in jail, and posted social
polemics; the third believed that my List should be hospitable to social
and political activism, which is not its purpose.
 
Every month I post a detailed definition of the List's purpose, with
examples of kinds of appropriate and inappropriate postings. My posting
emphasizes that a reply to an inappropriate posting, if the reply is
posted to my List, is by definition inappropriate. However, subscribers
are encouraged to reply privately and to continue discussions along
lines that if posted would be inappropriate.
 
Just now things are pretty quiet, but they neednot remain so. I deleted
the perpetrators of the first two episodes described above.
 
The List is gated to a newsgroup, which also receives the monthly posting.
I am sending Gene a copy of it for his information.
 
-Rafe-
 
R.R. Ronkin, VITA Volunteer
Volunteers in Technical Assistance
<vita@gmuvax> or <[log in to unmask]>
List Owner, DEVEL-L