Kudos

[brathke at juno.com]

Carl,

Hey, I'm not a newcomer - I've been on this list a bit longer than you:-)

Thanks for the glossary of group terms - reading it makes me glad that I
don't frequent places where I'm likely to encounter such people.

Bob 9/19

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On Tue, 19 Sep 2000 14:41:23 -0500 (EST) Carl Zager
<czager at bloomington.in.us> writes:
> On Sat, 16 Sep 2000 Bob <brathke at juno.com> wrote:
> 
> > I have been trying to figure out why some lists work like this 
> one, while
> > others deteriote into mud-slinging forums.  It appears that once a 
> few
> > "bad guys" get on the list, others are encouraged to follow their
> > behavior, and eventually the "good guys" depart in frustration.  
> Then,
> > guess who's left to run the show.
> 
> Bob,
> 
> I'd welcome you to the list, but since I've only been around a 
> little over
> a year, I'll wait for the guys who really make this list "pop" with
> information to officially greet you. What I'll take a crack at is 
> your
> deeper question about this list and the phenomenon of "nets," 
> "boards,"
> "groups," "chats," and "maillists." Ah, heck! Welcome to the list!
> 
> First, this is a maillist and it is actually "owned" by a person. 
> One has
> to "subscribe" and, during that process, receives from the 
> "list-owner" a
> set of instructions. The list members recognize that the list-owner 
> has
> made certain assurances to his/her Internet Service Provider (in 
> this
> case, dementia.org) about the conduct of the list and know that 
> he/she can
> be "unsubscribed" by the list-owner or that the list can be dropped 
> by the
> ISP.
> 
> Second, because one actually has to "subscribe," rather than simply
> selecting from a list of thousands of "groups," "nets" or "boards" 
> on
> USENET, a proprietary "online" service, or a local BBS (bulletin 
> board
> service), maillists don't tend to attract the "quick in, quick
> out" participation that is typical of the "trolls" and "sock 
> puppets" that
> you describe in following paragraphs. [A "troll" is one who dangles 
> bait
> in the group with an off-the-wall comment or question and then 
> proceeds to
> rip any and all responses, spinning the thread off in a multitude of
> directions. A "sock puppet" is one who uses anonymous mailers to 
> create
> multiple personalities. Often a sock puppet will troll under one 
> identity,
> respond under another, and defend the first identity using a third.]
> 
> Having said that, maillists sometimes are invaded by trolls and sock
> puppets, impacting the group negatively for a time. There are 
> studies,
> similar to that of your referenced psychologist, which suggest that 
> there
> is a cycle of activity even in monitored and/or owned lists which 
> one just
> has to live with. In my seven years learning and teaching 
> 'Netiquette to
> adults charged with teaching public school students, I've developed 
> this
> standard practice:
> 	Don't respond to trolls. And if you get caught (some of them 
> are
> 	quite good), don't continue the discussion. Don't jump in to 
> a
> 	negative discussion to defend another list member. If you 
> feel
> 	the need, drop the offended member a private e-mail and 
> suggest
> 	that he/she also cease responding since that only continues 
> the
> 	nastiness. If you are the continuing target, sometimes you 
> can
> 	copy the offending mail to the list-owner or to the ISP -- 
> 	abuse at domain.com.
> 		 
> 
> > 
> > I am even aware of a commercial website that had to shut down its
> > customer forum for a month last year because of abusive language 
> by some
> > users.  That forum has reopened under limited monitoring, and now
> > requires a password.
> > 
> > And, I heard a psychologist comment that chat rooms are today's 
> version
> > of the 1960's CB radio.  Anonymity (a key word) gives some people 
> an
> > outlet to express themselves in ways that they wouldn't dare in 
> polite
> > company.
> > 
> > Everyone on this list uses his real name.  That information - and 
> Alex's
> > recent e-mail -remind me to post my biography.  I'll do it later 
> today.
> > 
> > Bob 9/16
> 
> 
> ---
>  Carl Zager						KB9RVB
>  czager at bloomington.in.us         http://www.mccsc.edu/~czager
> 
> 

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