[PLUG-TALK] Amusing email list meltdown

[Keith Lofstrom]

Amusing mailing list failure:

The Oregon IEEE uses misconfigured and second rate mailing
list software.   The IEEE Oregon list has 5000 subscribers
on it, most signed up without permission.   Any of the
subscribers can post.  A meltdown waiting to happen.

Someone sent a boring message to the list, someone else
sent what they cluelessly thought was an unsubscribe request
(which have no effect, they must use the website).  Somebody
else responded similarly.  Some people threw tantrums - on
the list.  Right now there are about 5 unsubscribe messages
a minute coming in.

Here is a message I sent out.  It is having some effect.
Now I am getting about 5 private congratulations per minute.

Cool.  I think?

Keith


----- Forwarded message from Keith Lofstrom <keithl at kl-ic.com> -----

Take a deep breath.  Then use a web browser to go to:

http://listserv.ieee.org/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=IEEEOREGON&A=1

to unsubscribe from this mailing list.  Fill out the form. 
Answer the acknowledgement email.  And you are off the list. 

Sending "unsubcribe" messages to this list has no effect, beyond
demonstrating thoughtlessness.  No human operator is standing by
24x7 waiting for your unsubscribe message - it is robot software,
mindlessly rebroadcasting everything you send to it.  Please try
to think before reacting, and be smarter than the damned robot.

Most names on this list should not be here, but throwing a public
tantrum on this list won't fix that.  Take that up with the
folks that put you on the Oregon IEEE mailing list without your
explicit permission, and who chose second rate mailing list 
software (Mailman is better), not with the other 5000 of us.

Better yet, volunteer, fix the signup process, and install
Mailman yourself.  Whoever is responsible for the problem
isn't getting paid to fix things, and if you don't like
the job they are doing, demonstrate that you can do better.

Personally, I find this list meltdown useful - I like to know
which engineers complain rather than solve problems.  Repeating
the same ineffective behavior and expecting different results
is insanity, not engineering.  I have no official connection
with the IEEE, nor do I have any control over this list, but
I do understand the limitations of software, and know how to
read instructions and solve problems. 

If you wish to castigate me for what I just wrote, send email
to my address below, NOT TO THE DAMNED LIST.

Thank you for your thoughtful attention;

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          keithl at keithl.com         Voice (503)-520-1993
KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon"
Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Scan ICs