Thanks, Steve.
FLALUG has a similar list policy that is posted online. After a rocky
start, our list has been very peaceful for the last 2 1/2 years.
In fact it states, "No spam, no libel, and subscribers shall take any
hostile (not intellectual) disputes off the list."
Those who want to flame, know they need to go elsewhere to upset people.
Thus, we do not see them here.
Keeping rules down to the minimal essentials is quite important. Our list
subscribers are all mentally adults and are responsible. We don't need to
constantly remind them of unnatural, unnecessary rules.
I think that has become an established tradition with flalug.
Best regards,
Smitty
Steve Litt wrote:
>
> Hi Smitty,
>
> When formulating bylaws, I suggest you include a provision banning
> personal insults, and *enforce it*.
>
> There's a temptation to leave out such provision in the name of
> "free speech". Indeed, as one of the 10 co-founders of LEAP, I
> fought tooth and nail to keep such a provision OUT of our bylaws,
> all in the name of free speech. I was successful in keeping out the
> provision, and perhaps more tragically, I was successful in moving
> LEAP toward an "anything goes" email culture.
>
> A couple years later I found out just how far afield "anything goes"
> could go in the hands of a persistent and determined troll. A
> significant percentage of my technical and vendor based posts were
> met with multipage diatribes insulting my character, abilities and
> intentions. I stopped recommending friends and business associates
> join LEAP because I didn't want them hearing all this
> anti-Steve-Litt garbage.
>
> As a member of LEAP's elected Exec Committee and LEAP's 2001-2002
> president, I tried to undo my earlier mistake by championing a
> no-personal-insult policy, which was passed by a slim majority of
> the Exec Committee. No matter, the Exec Committee, whether under my
> presidency or later, would not enforce the the rule, so there were
> almost monthly personal insults against me and several others.
>
> By Feb 2004 I was convinced that LEAP would never quash personal
> insults, so I formed GoLUG, with a very strong no-personal-insult
> policy. I made sure this policy was not only written, but a part of
> our culture. Interestingly, I never had to enforce the policy --
> everyone knew the expectations and nobody crossed the line.
>
> It's now late 2005. GoLUG has been a pleasant and peaceful place for
> almost 2 years.
>
>>From what I see in their archives, LEAP is also at peace. You see,
> the troll drove away some with whom he disagreed (at least two are
> in GoLUG now), and silenced others to the point where there are
> certain reasonable positions on vendors and technical subjects that
> are never advocated on LEAP. In my opinion it's unofficial
> censorship, with the troll, who has never been an officer, in
> charge of what is discussed, and who stays and who leaves. From my
> perspective, the troll controls LEAP's culture, regardless of who
> the elected officers happen to be.
>
> It is interesting that my vigorous 1999 campaign to prevent a
> "civility clause" in the name of "free speech" resulted in what I
> perceive to be censorship, while my 2004 GoLUG
> "no-personal-insults" rule resulted in almost completely free
> speech, except that you can't call somebody a "no good %*&%@##@".
>
> Well, that's my advice, given as an officer (at various times) of
> ELUG, LEAP and GoLUG.
>
> SteveT
>
> Steve Litt
> Founder and acting president: GoLUG
> http://www.golug.org
>
>
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