[clue] [RANT], [OT]: Re: Mailing list technical questions

[Christopher Cross]

Sounds like a symptom of too many lists. :)
On Feb 9, 2011 5:48 PM, "Kevin Fries" <kfries6 at gmail.com> wrote:
> I for one never heard about a vote on anything,
>
> Sounds like I am not alone.
>
> Just saying
> Kevin
>
> On Feb 9, 2011 5:42 PM, "Matt" <matt at osource.org> wrote:
>
> (not directed at you Kevin)
> There was a vote. What was the outcome of the vote?
>
> Where was all this discussion _before_ the vote? David bent over
> backwards to accommodate people in voting.
>
> What's the point in voting if the people who don't like the outcome are
> able to override the vote?
>
> Matt
>
>
> On 02/09/2011 04:57 PM, Kevin Fries wrote:
>> On 02/09/2011 04:24 PM, Brad Morgan wrote:
>>>
>>> > The announcement and job lists will be restored. There are no plans to
>>>
>>> > restore the other mailing lists.
>>>
>>> Can someone please explain to me the differences between one list with
>>> tags and multiple lists without tags?
>
> Tags are suggestions and guidelines. They are not mandatory.
>
>>>
>>> One reason I can come up with is that maintaining one subscription
>>> list is easier than maintaining multiple lists, but the lists are
>>> "maintained" by the mailman software, correct? Isn't that software
>>> designed to handle a large number of mailing lists with minimal human
>>> intervention?
>>>
>>> I am looking for a technical discussion. If specific reasons why CLUE
>>> started this debate are added, please keep them technical and civil :-)
>>>
>> Depending on the software, there is several issues between multiple
>> lists, and tags:
>>
>> Issue one, multiple lists cause the user to have to maintain multiple
>> user lists. This is mostly automatic, but admin are required to clean
>> lists, and do other maintenance from time to time.
>>
>> Issue two, multiple lists are often confusing to many users. Which list
>> should I be on, which lists are available, etc. One list means the
>> answer is easy, this one. We use tags to separate content.
>>
>> Issue three, people forget to tag, or use the wrong tags, causing
>> filters not to work. When this happens, people get annoyed by getting
>> messages they did not intend. Also, new users to the list, are often the
>> most confused, and many will post in ways that bypass the filters.
>> Spammers that get onto the one list, instantly hit a much larger
>> audience, making your list a bigger target. Multiple list means more
>> work for the spammer for a smaller audience, often causing them to move
>> on. Spammers are about volume. (The spammers could be their own issue,
>> but I fit it in here).
>
> spammers harvest mailing lists like any other addresses. All the lists
> are listed on the CLUE ML page. It take no more effort to hit all 7
> than one.
>
>>
>> Issue three, when there are multiple lists, it is easier for someone to
>> be segmented off to get only the content that they want. The problems in
>> issue three are not inherent. It tends to make conversations much more
>> focused, well at least in theory. I tend to find that while separate
>> lists do tend to stray off course, it is not as often as with single
>> lists. I watched a thread in the PLUG group go all heywire after the
>> Tuscon shootings. They only maintain one group, and it was very
>> difficult to get everyone back on point. Multiple lists if properly
>> designed are much better about that.
>>
>> The technical issues are small, unless the list is moderated. A
>> moderated list, will almost always be separate list, so that multiple
>> moderators can take up individual topics. But when there is only one,
>> person doing all of this, it is easier for there to be one list. From a
>> technological side, there really is no big advantage one way or another
>> to the end user.
>>
>> CLUE has had a decrease in people stepping up to the plate. I have been
>> as guilty as anyone. As fewer and fewer people are doing the work, it is
>> easier on them to have everything in one place.
>>
>> That is the real issue.
>>
>> Kevin
>>
>>
>>
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>
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