Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!limbo!taylor
From: kling@ics.uci.edu (Rob Kling)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Changing moderators/unmoderating "comp.society"
Message-ID: <2008@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 13 May 91 07:13:28 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
Lines: 35
Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

Thom,

I would hope that comp.society becomes much more active than it is now.
Right now, many comp.society issues are discussed much more frequently on
the moderated RISKS board and the unmoderated comp.org.eff.talk.

Rapid reposne time is important in my view .... if the board
gets 20 messages a day instead of 20 messages a month, the moderator
will be superbusy in processing the messages. I would not be surprised
if Peter Neuman spends 50% time moderating RISKS since I get several
full (15K-25K) each week, most weeks, with few lapses.

Peter has played a major role in pormoting RISKS, and now has columns based on
RISKS in the ACM's SIGSOFT Newsletter and Communications of
the ACM.  Perhaps tis is an exceptional case, but one which is pertienet
because RISKS posts many messages and discussions which should appear here
too (and are not cross posted).

I also read unmoderated boards and sometimes they develop flame wars
for a few days now & then. Other than these occassional brushfires, I see no
real problems w/the unmoderated boards, especially when the traffic
volume is relatively high. I realize that alot of the higher volume can be
more noise than signal ...  but again, that depends ...

I would like to see a moderator who can develop comp.society into a
livlier forum. Absent that, I don't see a fundamental problem with
an unmoderated board.

Moderating is alot of work, and Dave has done a good job. I imagine that
the routine can become a bit much after a while since the moderator should be
checking  his/her mail for messages to edit/forward several times
each 24 hour period..... (IMHO).  Maybe the moderator becomes a slave to
the board (grin) w/o vacation, sick-leave, etc..

/R