Very sad. Thanks for all your help.
-Audrey Jones
NEW ZEALAND
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From: AlwynapHuw(a)aol.com
To: WLS-ANGLESEY-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [ANG] New List Administrator(s) Needed
Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 11:18 AM
Some genealogy lists have dictatorial list administrators who lay down strict
list rules and "punish transgressors" by blocking them from posting to the
list for a period for a first offence and permanently banning them from the
list
for subsequent transgressions. There are at least four members of
the
northwest Wales list who have suffered this ultimate indignity. If I were to
break
confidence and name them you would be shocked, because they are all
positive
contributors to these lists.
Other genealogy lists have laid-back admins who just let list members do what
ever the xxx they like. These lists are often full of rude and insulting
messages but very few genuine family history queries, which are swept aside by
the
vindictive and malicious postings.
Since I have been responsible for the northwest Wales lists I have tried to
compromise between these two extremes, by neither laying down hard and fast
rules nor ignoring breaches of mailing list etiquette. My approach has been to
try to explain mailing list conventions and to try to engage those who are
uncertain of the rational behind those conventions in a reasoned discussion.
My attempts to engage a rational discussion on the question of block quoting
previous mails on the WLS-Caernarfonshire list today have failed.
I have been accused of telling those who disagree with me to "get off the
road" and of "verbal diarrhoea" on list and most of the off-list messages
are
unquotable. Four list members have unsubscribed as a direct result of the
discussion, including the membership treasurer of the local FHS.
I am not sure if the correct approach should have been to have come down like
a ton of bricks on those who breached the generally accepted mailing list
norms regarding quoting or if I should have allowed digests to continue to go
out
with 20
ancestry.com adverts and five repeats of the same old
messages. It is
clear however that I should not have engaged in a discussion on the subject.
As my position as list administrator has been severely compromised over this
issue, as I have been foully insulted in response to my comments on the issue
and as I am not willing to preside over a split between list and FHS. I intend
to give up the list administration for Gwynedd, Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and
Merioneth.
In order to pass the lists on tidily I need a volunteer (volunteers) willing
to take over the reigns - Stan perhaps?
If Stan, or anybody else, is willing to take on the responsibility of list
administration could they please let me know as soon as possible in order to
effect a smooth transfer?
After the transfer I will not, of course, remain a member of the lists in
order to "haunt" the new admin(s) like a list "Ted Heath to Mrs
Thatcher".
Regards
Alwyn
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