[PLUG] What is on-topic

Russell Senior seniorr at aracnet.com
Thu May 30 20:46:34 UTC 2002


>>>>> "RE" == Russell Evans <revans at e-z.net> writes:

RS> In the past I have asked for some positive statement of what is
RS> on-topic.  The answer I've received has more-or-less uniformly
RS> been that on-topic is whatever people don't complain about.  I
RS> personally don't find this satisfying.

RE> My personal experience is that when lists are rigidly defined,
RE> that new postings asking about the same old questions, are
RE> ignored. 

Just to clarify: when I say I don't find it satisfying, I mean to say
that if "on-topic" means the list is principally for technical
questions and discussion, then we ought to say that.  Some people seem
to assume that, but others think there is a much broader definition of
on-topic.  People refer to the need for list participants to be
"reasonable" and get annoyed when participants, in their estimation,
are not.  To hold someone to a "reasonable" standard, to be fair, you
need to provide something on which to base the "reason".

I am not _for_ rigidity.  I am for giving people a basis for acting
reasonably, as a way of minimizing wasteful friction.  That's all.

-- 
Russell Senior         ``The two chiefs turned to each other.        
seniorr at aracnet.com      Bellison uncorked a flood of horrible       
                         profanity, which, translated meant, `This is
                         extremely unusual.' ''                      




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