Date:         Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:36:24 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Friday moderation discussion - Handovers
Comments: To: Marius Strom <marstrom@microsoft.com>
In-Reply-To:  <F64E4C16A120A148A007EAAE525AC5162B8686FD@TK5EX14MBXC129.re
              dmond.corp.microsoft.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

Speaking as a listmember...

At 02:00 PM 3/25/2011, Marius Strom wrote:
>I think this is difficult, if not impossible, to manage. Ultimately,
>the guy (or gal) who owns the mailing list configuration is in
>charge here. Using the examples you outlined below, say I disagree
>with your moderation style and want to recall you. You, as a
>moderator, have the ability to preclude me from discussing or
>kicking off a recall attempt. So, a moderator has the ability to
>prevent their own recall, which defeats the purpose of a recall
>process. I'd say that if we're at a point where we've got 5 people
>disagreeing with a moderator enough to ask them to no longer be a
>moderator, I think we have a broader issue.

Leaving aside for now the question of particular methods - USAA as an
insurance company has (intentionally) an easy time of it because they
select for a population with overall good ethics.  My suggestions are
all based on the belief that we have a group of people here who care
for the list rather than for power.  And you're right about the owner
of the mailing list configuration.  Happens that right now it's not
either of the moderators, but that doesn't change your point.

However the suggestions I've made have to do with providing a
framework for a voluntary exercise, a gentlemen's agreement if you
will.  As I said, more or less - if we're not gentlemen, why are we here?

The question has been raised by a former member, are we too big, or
too old, to survive?  Actually it was phrased, approximately, "Every
such organization I've ever belonged to has begun as mostly a social
outfit and been taken over by gearheads.  This one has lasted a lot
longer than any of the others."  For context, that former member is
Unca Joel.  He left...dunno, six months ago maybe?  I'm not good with time.

Yours,
David