Re: [gentoo-user] OT: future moderation

[Alan McKinnon <alan.mckinnon@gmail.com>]

Apparently, though unproven, at 01:58 on Sunday 12 June 2011, Mark Knecht did 
opine thusly:

> On Sat, Jun 11, 2011 at 4:19 PM, Matt Harrison
> 
> <iwasinnamuknow@genestate.com> wrote:
> > Hi list,
> > 
> > An odd post here but I'm sitting up after midnight with a few beers and I
> > wanted to get an advanced word on this.
> > 
> > I don't know if anyone is subscribed to the ruby-talk mailing list at the
> > moment (or used to be on the comp.lang.lisp group a while ago). There is
> > an odd character there who is harming the community by either being
> > insane (not my words -- those of ruby guru Ryan Davis) or with extremely
> > well crafted trolling.
> > 
> > I see the trouble that ruby-talk is having with him and I wondered
> > firstly, if we would have similar trouble moderating his crap (he
> > alternates between email, usenet and forums. Apparently they can't
> > moderate him) and secondly, if/when he turns up here can we please shoot
> > him down the instant he arrives.
> > 
> > Ok, as I'm writing this it does seem that I'm going a little crazy, but I
> > consider this list my home. I love this list and the people on it..I
> > don't post that much these days but I have learned a lot. When I do
> > post, I get very helpful replies and I know you're good people. I would
> > just hate for this guy to come on here and wreck the joint.
> > 
> > Take this as you will, drunken ramblings or well-meant concern :)
> > 
> > Matt
> 
> Matt,
>    I'm sure your concerns are well intentioned so let's assume for the
> sake of conversation that there was going to be a problem. I've been a
> member of this list for (I think) 11 or 12 years now. I know of no
> case (made public anyway) where a specific individual has been banned.
> It's always been the receiver's requirements (you and me) to blacklist
> the individual if we don't like what they say.
> 
>    That's not to say that whoever moderates the server couldn't do
> something. I simply don't know that anyone ever has taken a step quite
> that drastic.

+1 

We've been lucky so far on gentoo-user. OTOH, luck extending for 12 years 
years probably isn't luck anymore, and is more like skill.

Like Mark says, we've had our fair share of twits over the years. But there's 
always been a chorus from the members about how the troller is being a twit, 
and it doesn't take long before they give up and go away.

Part of the "fun" from a troller's POV is when folk bite, this list doesn't 
let that happen much.


-- 
alan dot mckinnon at gmail dot com