carey@seismo.UUCP (Marie Carey) (04/11/84)
I believe I was the first person to have mentioned the mailing list after it was created and now I am very sorry I ever did so. It seems there are all of these people who are not on the list criticizing it, which in turn has caused some of the people who do belong to the list to defend it. What I don't understand is, why didn't the people who did not get on the list when I first mentioned it here, just simply mail to me and ask me about it instead of acting like total #$%^&! and becoming really offended (for no reason that I can find) and then venting that anger in this newsgroup. Some more mature (shall we say, for lack of a better word at this time) people did mail to me and I then either referred them to the moderator or started forwarding messages to them when the moderator's mail system became too loaded down. I really do not think the mailing list is separating people from this newsgroup. I still see articles posted here from people who also happen to be on the list. The best thing about the list (in my opinion) is that it is a very personal forum, whereas this newsgroup is just not as personal. I think that is what is so appealing to people of the list, it being so personal and friendly. Now we all know that this newsgroup is definitely lacking in friendliness :-) I am familiar with some of the people in this newsgroup that tend to enjoy arguing about *anything* (it seems like) and personally, as Beth Mazur has already said, who wants to listen to that sh*t in the mailing list when we hear enough of it here? (She didn't say those exact words, but the same general feeling was impressed) Feminist issues are discussed in the list, but some of the articles from people are very personal and *definitely* not something people would want to post in this newsgroup. I hope I have explained things a little better so that people can try to understand *why* there is a mailing list versus just posting everything here. Please try not to condemn this list without even understanding its existance. My own personal feeling is that the people who have argued so vehemently here against having the list are people that I personally would *not* like to see in the list at all. So far, things in the list have been so wonderful with no one flaming anyone else and no arguments. But this is my own personal feeling and not necessarily anyone else's in the mailing list. And don't think for a moment that having no one arguing can in any way be boring! This list is far more interesting than anything I have read here, probably because of it's personal and friendly atmosphere. Well, just thought I would clarify things a little since I was the one who first mentioned the list after it's creation. Marie Carey ...!seismo!carey
twiss@stolaf.UUCP (Thomas S. Twiss) (04/12/84)
>The mailing list is a private club. Nothing more and nothing less. >Membership seems to be decided by the existing members, with a strong >bias in favour of women and a strong bias against anyone given to a lot >of flaming. Wrong. If anyone has ever been rejected (which I strongly doubt), then it's becuase the moderator is deluged. No preference is given to anyone over anyone else. >The above is just my guess. Since I am not a member of the club, I don't >know much about it. Then don't flame about it unless you do. >Nor do I wish to join the club. Then why are you making such a fuss? > Carlo @ the U of Waterloo > P.S. Haven't we beaten this to death by now? I certainly think so, and if you do, why did you write the article? The point being that the mailing list was not set up as an exclusionary group at all, and to my knowledge, no one has been excluded. The only consideration is the size of the group and the over-work of the moderator. If you want, I'LL even forward messages to some of you. So why don't we quit complaining ok? Flames cheerfully ignored or returned postage due. Questions and intelligent discussion welcomed by: Tom Twiss ...{decvax|ihnp4}!stolaf!twiss