MJ Ray wrote:

Would people consider these guidelines worth adopting for the ALUG lists? If so, we'll add them to the web site.

Do we really need "rules"? The idea of having "rules" suggests that they may be "enforced" which doesn't seem too great to me.

#1. Talk politely on-list. If you can't be polite, please consider unsubscribing.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#2. Please don't post any off-topic mail (non-GNU/Linux) to this list.

not agree, I think Unix and Unix/Linux like alternative OS should be included, also this rule would mean GNU/Hurd would be rated off topic, but anything not really unixy/linuxy etc. can go to social which is why we formed that list originally.

#3. In your reply, quote only minimum relevant portions of the earlier mail.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#4. Once a 'thread' is declared closed by the moderators, please don't insist on discussing it.

moderators?! i think the list should be self moderatating unless things got really out of hand and enough people had told the protagonists to be quiet. Then perhaps stepping in would be worth it.

#5. Personal mail, meant for just 2-3 persons on-list, should not be posted to everybody on the list.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#6. Signatures and mast-heads should be of reasonable size. LOST tips, being informative and 'on topic' here, are welcome.

*should be* yes, but if you can't do anything about it i.e. boilerplate from your employers then there is not to much we can do about it, just hope to embrace and educate.

#7. If material is available on the web, post the URL with a small description of the same.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#8. Don't post only URLs without giving at least a brief idea of what the site contains. Some of our readers might not have speedy Net access.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#9. Don't repeat the same posting more than once to this list.

? there is nothing wrong with repeating the same posting multiple times if you are asked the same question twice. Apart from that this is reasonably obvious.

#10 If you find a good GNU/Linux-related newsletter which can be subscribed-to via the web, send in a brief synopsis of the newsletter and directions on how to subscribe to the same.

People would do this already, although perhaps the suggestion is that if i didn't tell people of interesting newsletters I would be breaking the rules?

#11 If you find something that would be of interest in a newsletter, send across the excerpts of the relevant snippets. Eg. a snippet or two from Freshmeat newsletter, rather than the entire posting.

Again this is mailing list etiquette already, its not really necessary to go into "rules"

#12 Try to condense information and post. This is needed in view of the growing number of members on this list.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#13 Rather than curse the darkness, light a lamp. If you feel this list could be better off with more useful information circulated through it, please post something that others would learn from.

agree, but do we need to tell people this?

#14 Commercial postings (in moderate length), must necessarily go with the [COMMERCIAL] tag on the subject-line. Such postings should preferably be occasional, and not too frequent.

already says as much in the FAQ iirc, similar for job adverts.

#15 If anyone violates these rules (i) lodge a protest, if any, *only* with the moderators, and not directly to the list as a whole (ii) preferably send a copy to the person who's behaviour you see as violative to the letter and spirit of these rules.

hmmm, sounds like you can have mailing list police, not something I would want to do. I figured the mailing list admins are here in the capacity of "peace keeper" i.e. don't interfere and try and make everything run smoothly. If a problem erupts we deal with it as and when. Having too many "rules" can slow down discussion and make the list seem less accessable. As soon as you have "rules" you will also get more trolls who will flame at the slightest chance. So to sum up, I think "rules" are a bad idea, "guidelines" or "reccomendations" may be a much better phrase to think of these things as. Thanks Adam

My feeling is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I've yet to see any glaring failures of netiquette on this list, in fact we are probably sometimes too polite. Didn't someone once say "We need to increase friction until some traction takes place!". Bastards, Keith ____________ Old CM people never die, they just get archived and can be reproduced at any time.