The Solution (was: Re: List etiquette)

[Jim Leonard]

Jay West wrote:
>> If that's off-topic, then so are discussions of, say, digitial
>> electronics.
> 
> I fully realize the lockpicking discussion started out on topic, that's 
> why I didn't jump on it. I don't recall jumping on it till it went way 
> off topic, as you noted that it did.

As a list owner myself for the Software Collector's Mailing List (I too have 
wrestled with mailman, so I feel Jay's pain), I think it's an unavoidable fact 
that some threads will be off-topic no matter what people think, write, or do. 
  Charter/FAQ or not, there always have been and always will be off-topic 
threads in any discussion forum, whether live or virtual.  The most effective 
way to combat this behavior is to ignore off-topic threads.

To wit:  You say you want to stop cctalk/cctech from degenerating into a PC 
support list?  Then imagine what would have happened if the original message 
had *simply been ignored and gone unanswered.*  Same result (modern computer/OS 
questions avoided), but without all the drama.
-- 
Jim Leonard (trixter at oldskool.org)                    http://www.oldskool.org/
Want to help an ambitious games project?             http://www.mobygames.com/
Or check out some trippy MindCandy at             http://www.mindcandydvd.com/