Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uunet!pmafire!uudell!bigtex!dell!baldur!dcm From: dcm@baldur.dell.com (Dave McCracken) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Caller ID: Is comp.dcom.telecom biased? Message-ID: Date: 29 Jan 91 14:14:40 GMT References: <15377@milton.u.washington.edu> Sender: @dell.dell.com Organization: Dell Computer Corporation, Austin, Texas 78759-7299 Lines: 56 cyberoid@milton.u.washington.edu (Robert Jacobson) writes: >Following is a posting from comp.dcom.telecom, the popular newsgroup on >telecommunications. The first part is a status report from Atlanta, >where Southern Bell is forcing customers to accept Caller ID without the >minimal safeguards of public choice, like per-call blocking. But it's >the moderator's addendum that I want you to especially notice: >>Subject: Atlanta / Georgia Caller*ID Update >>Message-ID: <16495@accuvax.nwu.edu> >>Date: 28 Jan 91 18:34:25 GMT >>Sender: news@accuvax.nwu.edu >>Reply-To: bill@eedsp.gatech.edu >>Organization: TELECOM Digest >>Lines: 52 >>X-Submissions-To: telecom@eecs.nwu.edu >>X-Administrivia-To: telecom-request@eecs.nwu.edu >>X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 11, Issue 75, Message 9 of 12 >>(...) >>[Moderator's Note: The service rep talking to the 'older gentleman' >>should have called his bluff on the spot: If I'd been responding to >>him I'd have probably said "Oh, my! Well, Mr. Jones, we'll certainly >>be sorry to lose you as a good subscriber after X years. It has been >>approved and will be available around February 14. Do you want me to >>process the disconnect order on your service for the same day or would >>you want me to have the service turned off sooner?" (pause, let him >>take it from there ...) PAT] >Is this person biased, or what? Would you want the moderators of all >of the conferences that handle controversial topics popping off like >this, making those who hold opposing points of view feel foolish? >As a moderator, I'm offended. As someone with a regard for privacy >interests, I'm alarmed, because this newsgroup, comp.dcom.telecom, >wields a lot of informational power. But what to do about this? As a regular reader of comp.dcom.telecom (aka the telecom digest) I am well aware of Pat Townsend's bias, as are most other readers of the group, I'm sure. He does not, however, use this bias in suppressing dissenting views. I don't feel that Pat's frequent editorial comments have hindered my ability to gain an understanding of the various sides of the topics under discussion. Indeed, many times I think his comments have led to a more complete discussion as people respond to him as well as the original poster. While I agree his bias is something to keep in mind while reading the group, he is doing an excellent job of providing a high quality discussion of the current state of telecom. That group is the only one I use the nn 'select all articles' command on. -- Dave McCracken dcm@dell.dell.com (512) 343-3720 Dell Computer 9505 Arboretum Blvd Austin, TX 78759-7299