Date:         Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:49:59 -0500
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Vanagon List Moderator-let's get things underway!
In-Reply-To:  <91c8f9760901160918s3add3d7ft83cc594474bdfcf9@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

> people are using the vanagon list as a substitute for
> google  Got a virus? Email the vanagon list.  Have a problem
> with popups? email the vanagon list.  Know someone whoes
> charity needs promoting?  Email the vanagon list.  Its gotten
> kind of out of control.

>   i must strongly put in my own personal protest
> at making THIS list a totally tech list, without any regard for
> the community conversations most of us have enjoyed
> throughout the years.


There is a middle ground between these two extremes. This list has always
been a community of sorts, and topics have always been tolerated or even
encouraged that had only the vaguest connection to Vanagons - maybe they
were about camping, travel, a Vanagon-like vehicle, or so on.  It's kept
things interesting and diverse, and I for one enjoy the little diversions.
But the point is, for the most part, the posts have had at least a vague
connection to Vanagons in some manner. What we're seeing now is posts that
are completely out of left field.  One person is using the list to solicit
donations to his favorite charity, another for computer advice, and so on.
As well intentioned as they may be, this is the wrong forum for such topics.
I think most of us would agree that there should be at least some remote
relevance to Vanagons in posts to a Vanagon list.  You can say that
solicitng charity donations or asking for computer advice is outside the
scope of this list, without going to the other extreme of pronouncing it a
"totally tech list" (which it never has been).

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  www.busdepot.com
  (215)  234-VWVW

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