imo, we are getting way too many off topic threads on slug. I believe
the quality of this list has dropped in the last year or so, and i
believe it is from the large number of off topic threads.
i'd like to come up with some rough guidelines about what is or isn't
allowed on the list.
can everyone modify this list, until we get something we agree on. if
people think there shouldn't be such a list of guidelines, then please
voice that opinion too.
if a particular point can't be decided on, i suggest we remove it,
rather than spend weeks negotiating something we aren't unanimously in
favour of anyway.
jeff, once decided on - can we put this in a prominent place on the
slug web pages.
RATIONALE:
this is a linux users' list. it is meant for discussion about linux
related topics, and technical queries.
posts that would be of interest to the linux community are also
allowed, but replies should be moved off the list, unless they add
something new to the discussion and are also of interest to the linux
community.
since lots of this is subject to personal opinion, be lenient and work
off a "punish only on more than one complaint" system.
ALLOWED:
questions about linux.
eg: "how do i setup a linux firewall?"
eg: "how do i allow windows NT to login to my linux-samba PDC?"
linux discussions.
eg: "what do the different linux distributions have to offer?"
eg: "i just started using lbdb, and its cool."
eg: "interesting linux article: <url>"
RESTRICTED:
(ie: allowed, but replies should be off list, unless they are
particularly "worthy")
linux job ads. must be *linux* jobs, not just general unix sysadmin or
web/programming jobs. should have "[JOB]" (or similar) in the subject.
non-linux (but nerdy anyway ;) discussion. this includes MS bashing.
eg: "hey, i saw the railway indicator boards blue screen!"
eg: "cool new gadget that doesn't run linux"
[or should this be under "allowed" ?]
NOT ALLOWED:
(not even a post with "[OT]" in the subject and asking for private
replies. there are more appropriate lists for these)
windows-only tech-support questions.
eg: "how do i get MSOutlook to read PGP signed email?"
eg: "Does anyone know what runs ITS_EJ.EXE?"
[sorry howard]
anything classed as "spam"
personal flames. (flames, particularly funny ones, are a part of email
life and so should be allowed as part of a normal email
discussion. anything that the recipient gets more than trivially upset
over is not allowed.)
HTML or "rich text" posts.
irrelevant quoted text or long sigs. (be lenient, since this is
largely personal opinion)
[this needs to be mentioned, but probably not in this category]
PENALTIES/PROCEDURE:
if someone is caught breaking these, send them a *private* message
saying this is inappropriate and pointing them at wherever these
guidelines can be read. don't be too harsh on a first offence ;)
if they disagree with your interpretation of these guidelines,
something should probably be mentioned on the list, so the point can
be clarified (or adjusted to fit future list demographics).
if someone repeatedly ignores these guidelines, complaints should be
made to whomever the listmaster is, and the listmaster (after
considering the list guidelines rationale) can block further posts
from that address (or something).
[or should complaints go to the list, so everyone knows whats happening?]
--
- Gus
--
SLUG - Sydney Linux User Group Mailing List - http://slug.org.au/
More Info: http://slug.org.au/lists/listinfo/slug
