[Sigia-l] List Moderation

[David Heller]

Re: Broken Window metaphor

Christina, I find this to be interesting indeed. I could look for where the
metaphor breaks or just w/ your discussion w/ your colleague, but I think
overall the problem here is to me the question, "What is broken?"

I have to say that having spent a HUGE chunk of time on e-mail lists about a
lot more violatile and substantial subjects than IA; I have moderated
discussions about Israel (Yikes!) I can tell you that our flame rate on this
list is pretty low. If people feel like they have been flamed on this list
then (this might be a flame) I feel people need to think deeply about the
meaning of attack and propriety. I really feel like we are blowing this way
out of proportion, and maybe there are some yards w/ overgrown grass (at
best) but no unmended broken windows that I can see here.

Moderation:
Let Dick moderate! Use the process. He is here, I know he listens when you
send him a message about the list. It is up to him and him along. Dragging
this discussion on and on is just not helpful.

I moderate the IxD discussion list (discuss.interactiondesigners.com). There
have been 3 times that I have needed to "intervene" with someone; and one of
those was with someone you wouldn't have expected. Through my moderation I
set a tone for that list, but for the most part the participants are the
ones who set the tone. If you don't like what you read, then change the
subject and address something different. But a community is always going to
be made up (a virtual one anyway) of those people who speak. Lurkers are not
members of a virtual community IMHO as they give up their voice and their
presence through their silence. They can't mold the community b/c of their
silence.

Our list guidelines for the IxD list do talk about volume as something that
can be moderated, but it can only be moderated b/c it is in the guidelines.
Are there equivalent guidelines for the sigia-l? Does ASIS&T have list
moderation guidelines? These are important issues, but they need to be
addressed by the moderators and owners of the list ... The general populace
discussing them is not helping anyone. All that I've seen here is a new
attack.

This is my last post on this subject. Dick, I leave this list in your
extremely capable and hard working hands.

-- dave