[412] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Lists--Comments & Questions
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Public-Access Computer Systems For)
Wed Jun 3 12:24:09 1992
Date: Wed, 3 Jun 1992 11:13:11 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <LIBPACS%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
4 Messages, 123 Lines
*-----
From: Paul Jones <pjones@mento.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Moderated/Unmoderated aka talky lists
The Internet solution has been to offer two lists (actually two newsgroups
but more on that later) or more with different levels of moderating and/or
digesting.
First you have your talky list where everything is allowed and
there is no attempt to moderate or even control the talk (usually called
talk.whatever or alt.whatever.talk or comp.sys.whatever.talk). If I'm
really deepy involved in a subject that's the one I read.
Next you may have a moderated list. This means that someone reads each
message and see if it meets the criteria that will allow it to be posted
to the list. The criteria are highly personal as is the selection--that's
the difference between rec.humor and rec.humor.funny; only the jokes that
the moderator considers funny are posted to the second. A moderated list
may be a selected version of material from an unmoderated list. There is
as you might imagine a slight delay between your postings and your replies
on such lists.
Then you have digests. These are selected and combined materials. For
example, several messages on the same subject may be combined into one
message. Digests are sent out periodically (say daily, weekly, monthly) or
as the traffic demands--the list folks and/or the moderator decides about
this. Again noise and messages that are extremely timely (that couldn't
wait for digesting) are much less often included in digests. Many lists or
newsgroups only archive the digests. Digests more often than not have
their sources in talky or moderated lists.
In short, if someone wants a moderated PACS-L let'em create a moderated
list or a digest and offer it for subscription. If there is a demand and
someone is willing to do a good job moderating, then all will benefit.
Just the same, I much prefer newsgroups to lists, but that's another
message entirely.
One more quirky point. ****FLAME ON**** All-in-one is not a friendly mail
system to those who have to read three pages of "interoffice memo" and
other useless crap before they can get to the meat of the message. If it's
really "Interoffice" then keep it in your office. If not clean up your
headers.
Paul Jones
Office FOR Information Technology
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Paul_Jones@unc.edu
Self-determination for Kernow, Alba, Cymru, Eire, Mannin, and Breizh
*-----
From: kendall <KSIMMONS@UKANVM>
Subject: Re: Questions from Patrons
i have to agree with michael about the ease of using the delete key. i'm
intelligent enough to be able to distinquish between what i'm interested
in and what i'm not. i am assuming you all are, too. i just got back
after 11 days off. i didn't bother setting my stuff to no-mail. i
wanted mail sitting here waiting for me to go through, and have found dozens
of things that i would have missed. i also found about 100 i deleted
without a second thought. sure, this is taking me time. so? it's also
adding to my store of knowledge, improving my ability to do my job,
expanding my horizons, giving me food for thought...darn. what a bummer.
kendall simmons
university of kansas
*-----
From: "JENNIFER A. HEISE" <jahb@lehigh.edu>
Subject: Re: NOT JUST COWS
I don't understand. Why is it that it is OK to post copies of a Library
Instruction Roundtable meeting announcement to 4 lists-- only one of which is
BI-related, and whose subscribers are known to be very much the same-- but not
OK to send messages to many agricultural listservs (whose populations may or
may not be quite distinct) about an Agricultural guide?
Last winter, I sent a message to one list suggesting ALA and other
meetings-at-meetings announcements could perhaps be routed to a central
library.meetings usenet group. I got a message back from the moderator
claiming that the posting was inappropriate-- use my delete key. (Most of
the affected messages, of course, don't list location or "ALA" in their subject
lines.) Can someone explain the ettiquete(sp?) difference?
Jennifer Heise
Reference Dept., Bitnet: jahb@lehigh
Fairchild-Martindale Libraries #8A Internet: jahb@ns.cc.lehigh.edu
Lehigh University Phone: (215)758-3072
Bethlehem, PA 18015
My opinions are my own. No one else would HAVE them anyway.
*-----
From: <KINGH@SNYSYRV1>
Subject: RE: Moderated & Not moderated lists
The question that is rarely asked by any moderator is: What do you all want
to see on this listserv? How do I determine "quality"? Should I leave an
archive of "moderated" queries or comments i.e. those that are not allowed on
the list for perusal by listservs? who owns a listserv -- participants or
the one who coordinates/organizes/moderates?
What do we participants expect of moderators? When ought they step
in -- moderate?
When I first joined PACS-L I felt guilty for listening without
contributing? It seemed like cheating to take and never give to the
discussions.
And -- I want to thank all of you who responded to my query for
information about electronic pathways and gateways for developing countries.
As it turned out, I took up the predominant suggestion -- that I obtain a
copy of Quarterman's work, The Matrix, and also Zen and Hitchiker. The person
who was working on the paper considered Quarterman's work to be the best
directory available, referenced it, and recommended to her audience. So,
thanks all.
Hannah King
SUNY HSC Library at Syracuse
kingh@snysyrv1
kingh@vax.cs.hscsyr.edu
