[Aslml] Moderation update

[Paul Ferraro]

On Sun, 2 Nov 2003, William Fleming wrote:

> I have been trying to follow this thread the best that I can, but I have not
> seen much info on actually how the list will be 'moderated'.  Since the list
> is at least temporarily moderated (we can hope for a change), can we get a
> better idea of how the list will be moderated and by who?

Will is right on target.  I have been mulling over addressing this, but
time being the thing that is most short supply-wise, I have not addressed
it until now.

None of those moderating is hiding.  I offered and suggested that any
additional moderators beyond me remain anonymous.  They may or may not. It
is up to them.  I just didn't feel that even the high pay associated with
this position was worth being known as an ASLML moderator.

> I understand the moderators wishing to remain anonymous--to spare them HEAT.
> If we can't get that, can we get a fairly firm understanding of what will be
> moderated?  I understand these guidelines may change, but I would like to
> know what is deemed on topic by the moderators.

There are some really good reason for moderation these days - and none of
it has to do with censure.  I'm going to give a few brief examples:

1. SPAM.  The old list had some decent filters.  The new list has filters,
but frankly I am not accustomed to them yet.  Moderators kill SPAM dead.

2. Zhukov, Wolf, etc..  Some folks cannot be tamed.  Moderators thin that
end of the bell curve.  Censure?  So be it.

3. One word replies to the 20,000 byte AAR that INCLUDE the original AAR.
This is just plain sloppy.  Moderators weed sloppy if they can.

Will the list ALWAYS be moderated?  I don't know.  Maybe yes.  Probably
not - if the filters work.

We'll be working on some posting guidelines for now.  Right now there are
four things that will be rejected or discarded:

1. test messages
2. obvious trolls for flame wars. Keyword here: obvious
3. multiple identical posts
4. One to a few word replies sent back along with the ordinal post.  Examples are
"Great!", "Do'h", or even "Nice AAR".  That sort of stuff need not go to
the list.  It clogs the digest version and adds nothing to the original
post.


Paul Ferraro
www.greenepa.net/~pferraro
<pferraro at alumni.business.pitt.edu>