Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!bu.edu!cs!ptownson
From: ptownson@cs.bu.edu (Patrick Townson)
Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk
Subject: John DeArmond Explains The Rules Around Here
Message-ID: <74744@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 14 Feb 91 02:52:49 GMT
References: <74436@bu.edu.bu.edu> <6870@rsiatl.Dixie.Com>
Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu
Reply-To: this group
Organization: TELECOM Digest
Lines: 58


In article <6870@rsiatl.Dixie.Com> jgd@Dixie.Com (John G. DeArmond) writes:

>And if you can't quite manage to accomodate "the opposing viewpoint',
>you get upset that people use the means available to them, such
>as header forgery, to be heard?  Amazing.

>>presumably people from a socially responsible organization like EFF to
>>violate news etiquette by posting direct to the news group bypassing
>>the moderator?  Is that any more incredible than the fact that not one
>>person from the socially responsible among you criticized such a
>>technique? 

>The reason such techniques are not being criticized here is that it 
>strikes to the heart of electronic freedoms. 

This is really rich ... so header forgery = electronic freedom, is
that it?   Marvelous.

>You and the other moderators serve at the
>pleasure of me and the others who pay the freight on the net.  When you
>get a bit out of line, we'll tweak you to  remind you that you do NOT
>hold any special authority.  If you get really out of line, we'll vote
>you out completely, we'll direct telecom to the bitbucket or whatever 
>other things are appropriate.  

Is that a fact?  You seem to be unclear on the concept, John. TELECOM
Digest is a mailing list first and foremost. It is gatewayed to Usenet
and the comp.dcom.telecom newsgroup as a courtesy to the several folks
on Usenet who like reading it. The former moderator of the Digest cut
off Usenet for awhile mainly because of people like yourself. I agreed
to send the Digest to the gateway again two years ago. By coincidence,
because no one else was available when Chip had to drop out, I agreed
to 'moderate' comp.dcom.telecom as well, but by default actually since
I was really distributing the Digest first, and handling the gateway
to comp.dcom.telecom was no extra hassle.

In other words, John, I do NOT serve at your pleasure. You read
TELECOM Digest via Usenet at *my* pleasure. If you get out of line,
then you lose, not me. It is my nickle (my time is worth money) that
is in question here. Do we have all that clear now?

But you're going to get your way John. The gateway is now closed again.
I will post a message advising Usenet readers that TELECOM Digest is
no longer available via Usenet / comp.dcom.telecom and give them the
option of receiving it via email with QUALIFIED readers being added to
the list on application. Of course, a site can also receive a copy and
explode it to their own list if desired.

Oh, and thanks, John. You really opened my eyes this evening, and
enlightened me on who you think are the productive ones here and who
you think are the leeches.  Other than a lot of extra work at first
adding names to the mailing list, my load will be cut by a couple
hours every evening. And I have you to thank for it .... as does the
rest of the net. 


Patrick Townson