[Reader-list] a thought

[mahmood farooqui]

I strongly second Vivek's proposal...

2008/9/30 Vivek Narayanan <vivek at sarai.net>

> Monica et al.,
>
> I wonder if some of the issues and difficulties over the reader list
> might be addressed by introducing (and strictly and universally
> enforcing) just one simple, unambiguous instrumental rule that we could
> all agree on:
>
> each member of the reader list is allowed no more than one post per day
> / 24-hour period.
>
> An exception could be made solely for announcements, and that too of an
> urgent or time-bound nature.  If the member violates this rule of
> conduct and makes, say, two or three posts in a single day, then they
> are first issued a warning.  The second or third time they do it, let's
> say, they are off the list.  Simple as that.
>
> I think this could, at the very least, force us all to exercise a
> certain restraint before we hit the send button, choosing and focus our
> energies on making the postings we consider more substantial or
> important, combining thoughts together in a single mail.  Since the
> dominance of certain issues on the list is largely an effect of
> overposting by a small handful of individuals, I think this might also
> help to even out the range of issues that are discussed on this list.
>
> (To Radhakrishnan-- I don't think we can artificially enforce diversity
> on this list, but we can give it more room to breathe.)
>
> On a very basic level it encourages respect for other peoples' inboxes.
> People can write their second message, save it and cue it up on their
> mail programs, then send it after a day (after perhaps reading it over a
> second time to see if it's really necessary).
>
> As far as I can think-- I don't think anything will be lost by this rule?
>
> I realise that this procedural rule can be circumvented through the use
> of multiple aliases and heteronyms, and god knows the list is no
> stranger to that, but even in that case I think it will help restraint,
> and prevent cases where, for instance, we get 10 mindless rants by the
> same person over the course of a day, or a situation where an individual
> replies to every single mail on the list, regardless of whether they
> have anything interesting to add or not.
>
> I also realise that, with this mail, I have violated the rule myself!
> But were we to introduce and agree on this, I would certainly abide by it.
>
> Vivek
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