[WB-Discuss] The Answer is Blowin' in the Wind

[Edmund R. MacKenty]

PHWernick at aol.com writes:
>At the next meeting of the WBGRP I would like to place on the agenda,near the 
>top, the issue of the WBGRP list servs and the following items:

I'll take a stab at answering these questions now:

>1) Who is the moderator of the list servs? What authority does this person 
>have to decide whether or not an item belongs on the list servs?

Our group has two lists: WB-Announce, which is moderated by Aram, and
WB-Discuss, which is unmoderated.  As for authority, I don't know of any
definitive documentation on the subject, but from my experience with lists
and the USENET, a moderator's role is that of a content filter.  They are
to ensure that list members receive the kinds of messages they signed up to
receive, and only those kinds of messages.  Because they're giving their
time to help other people keep their inbox managable, their authority is
absolute, like all positions of trust.

>2) What are the purposes of the list servs, especially in the infancy of the 
>WB GRP?

WB-Announce "is intended for announcing club meetings, posting meeting
minutes, and other event announcements."  WB-Discuss "is open for postings
by all list members, though we ask that you limit your postings to topics
relevant to the group."  The quotes are from the list-info pages, which are
the first link off of the main list archive pages.

These are the standard set of mailing lists used by most groups I've been
involved with on the 'net.  In fact, the original list-serv software would
create three mail addresses for a group "foobar": "foobar at myplace.org" for
ordinary postings, "foobar-announce at myplace.org" for important
announcements that everyone should get, and "foobar-request at myplace.org"
for automated list management functions.  The "mailman" software we're
using provides the same functionality, but splits the first two into two
explicit lists, and provides a web interface for list management
functions.

>3) How to involve the maximum number of Watertown Belmont citizens,utilizing 
>the list servs?

I think these lists are, and should be, entirely for people active in the
WBGR.  While they are public, and anyone can find links to them on our
website and sign on, we should be using them to discuss matters pertaining
to our club.  I doubt that a list-serv is a good way to involve the maximum
number of citizens; a newsletter is more likely to do it.  We don't have
the resources now, but a newsletter with three or four thoughtful articles
about events and issues in the town would probably find a lot of readers.

I read the TAB, and while it sometimes gives me a decent idea of what
occurred at a town meeting, I seldom get a clear understanding of the
issues.  I'd like to see us author position papers, pass them around on
WB-Discuss, and make them public if we have concensus on them.  I think
that kind of effort will be needed as we move toward an election.

>4) How to encourage the free flow of ideas and to encourage folks to post to 
>the list servs and have discussions since meetings are only once a month?

We just need to start doing it more.  So far, only Paul has really tried to
start any discussions going, and I'm sorry I haven't followed up yet.  I'm
going to try to on this latest one.

>5) How to encourage town citizens with specialized information as well as 
>teachers and academics and professionals to inform us of ongoing developments in 
>their field, especially as they may affect local politics.

I haven't the faintest idea about this one.
	- MacK.
-----
Edmund R. MacKenty
    <mack at mackenty.com>     http://www.mackenty.com/mss/
    Voice: +1-617-926-2131  Cell: +1-617-899-7653

Policemen so cherish their status as keepers of the peace and protectors of
the public that they have occasionally been known to beat to death those
citizens or groups who question that status.
	-- David Mamet