dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu (David Mark) (09/02/90)
I prepared this a couple of days ago, but I have been resisting posting it (for reasons that will become obvious below). However, I think there is evidence that people are becomin emotionally involved in this, and people are getting offended or even hurt. So, here goes: I re-subscribed to news.announce.newusers, to check some points of rules and etiquette. I presume that all new USENET users subscribe to this initially, and carefully read the rules, methods, and etiquette, of USENET. :-) Anyway, I though that the following excerpt from one of them is HIGHLY relevant to the current state of rec.birds. > Article: 572 of news.announce.newusers > Subject: Rules for posting to Usenet (Updated: 19 Jul 1990) > Date: 2 Aug 90 02:05:12 GMT > > This message describes some of the rules of conduct on Usenet. The rules > vary depending on the newsgroup. > ... > > Some newsgroups are intended for discussions and some for announcements > or queries. It is not usually a good idea to carry on discussions in > newsgroups that are designated otherwise. It is never a good idea to > carry on "meta-discussions" about whether a given discussion is > appropriate -- such traffic mushrooms until nobody can find articles > that belong. If you are unhappy with what some user said, send him/her > mail, don't post it. > Could it be any clearer?? Let me repeat the key SENTENCE: > It is never a good idea to > carry on "meta-discussions" about whether a given discussion is > appropriate -- such traffic mushrooms until nobody can find articles > that belong. Let me repeat the key WORD in the key sentence. > never Got that? Of course, I am violating that principle by posting this, but perhaps meta-(meta-discussions) are "OK". :-) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Personally, I find the discussions about what is or is not appropriate, and about group splitting, at least two orders of magnitude more annoying than any indoor bird posting. If you agree, or have a comment, "send [me] mail, don't post it". PLEASE post only about BIRDS. (Please?) =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= David Mark dmark@acsu.buffalo.edu =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=