GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Call for discussion on subjects that should be labelled OT

phorbin · 21-10-2010, 09:04 PM posted to rec.gardens.edible

In article ,
says...

Bill who putters wrote:

My question. Does have OT or Off Topic in the header help folks?

For me, it's something that may be interesting, though I'm fairly quick
with "ignore thread" if not. Truth is, trying to impose rules on an
unmoderated groups is akin to urinating upwind. I've found that a very few
KF rules provide lossless compression.
As somebody wisely pointed out (I'm too dang lazy to look back and see
who), there's very little on this gardening group that's _truly_ OT!

Some of the best unmoderated groups I've participated in adhere to the
basics and continue to do so.

OT when it's off topic, no flames, mostly bottom posting, and editing
quotes to a reasonable minimum are generally adhered to. It really does
make for a better environment. It always has.

I'll point out that my query has brought a good comment stream. The
quality of the group does seem to matter to people.

As the thread gets away from the original post, I think I should stress
that I brought the issue up to corral a number of hot-button issues that
tend to provoke grudge matches to the death.

I'm not trying to suggest that any rule or set of rules should have a
death grip on the newsgroup but that the discipline of making
distinctions between what is and is not on topic or what will or will
not tend to create conflict and then expressing that discipline in
making a choice is showing some measure of respect to everyone who has
this group in the queue.

I keep saying I've been around text based networks incl. USENET for a
very long time. Eternal September was about 1/3 of the length of time
I'd been online a few years ago. It doesn't mean much I suppose, beyond
giving me a bit of perspective.

Groups work, newsgroup cultures work when there are accepted and
acceptable rules that maximize cooperation and minimize or marginalize
conflict. Moderation works when it's (mostly) very light handed.
Unmoderated works when the subject matters to the participants and they
are disciplined enough accept and constantly re-create the rules by
example.

With apologies, I think laziness is an excuse, not an option.

I've probably not said this very well but I don't have the time to
rework it so off it goes.