[RP TownTalk] History and Perspective on the Posting Guidelines

[Alan K. Thompson]

Dear TownTalkers,

When Mayor Archer asked me to help create mailing lists for the town,
I had a lot of experience with being a member of mailing lists, and a
little of being a list owner (relatively small lists compared with
TownTalk, and less diverse).

>From my experiences being a list member, I knew that people sometimes
posted things that offended or hurt other members of the list, which
sometimes erupted into "flame wars," where all traffic on the list was
yelling and name-calling.  Usually the flame wars would result in
important voices on the list leaving.  I don't believe that I have
ever seen anything good come from a flame war.

After a few initial issues with postings to the list, which revealed
the need to have some sort of  posting guidelines, my wonderful spouse
and partner (Sarah Wayland) drafted guidelines for TownTalk, borrowed
from a list for which she is a moderator (the volume of that list is
enormous).  I thought that the guidelines balanced the goals of (1)
encouraging everyone to fully discuss items of importance on the list,
and (2) preventing the flame wars and the loss of both posters and
readers that they bring.

To date, I think the list has lost roughly the same number of
subscribers on both ends of the spectrum -- those who left because
they thought the _letters_ were too harsh, and those who thought that
the _restrictions on posting_ were too harsh.  I was sad to see _all_
of them go - I think the list is better with more voices and more
ears.  But I doubt, given the wide variety of people that live in our
town, that one list can be ideal for everyone.

If I'm right about why people unsubscribed (and most of the
information I've gotten about people leaving is second hand or worse)
then the guidelines are about right.  That being said, I'm not married
to the current guidelines.  As I said in an earlier message, Council
Member Rob Oppenheim is drafting new guidelines which, as I read the
latest draft, are a little less restrictive than the current
guidelines, but more or less consistent.  I will have no problem using
those guidelines, assuming they are approved, they just aren't the
ones in place now.  So, if you want to see things changed (or don't,
for that matter) you should talk with Rob or your council
representative and let them know how you feel.  Or talk to me -- I am
always willing to discuss changes to the current policy while the
council works on an official policy.  Now that you know where I'm
coming from, you should be able to choose your arguments well ;-).

So please, everyone, PLEASE write about the things you care about.
Write forcefully and passionately.  But write as if you are trying to
_persuade_ the people who disagree with you to change their minds.  If
you do that you will almost certainly be within the guidelines, and
the list will be vibrant and relevant to the town.

Regards,

Alan Thompson
(Volunteer) E-mail List Administrator and (Volunteer) Acting Webmaster
Town of Riverdale Park Website & TownTalk Listserve