[Jukebox-list] Re: Sample message board. Not ideal !

[David Breneman]

--- On Fri, 8/7/09, Steve Kline <y2kvette at verizon.net> wrote:


> If there is some way to CONTROL the OT stuff, then the old
> way is fine. Otherwise, change the list to a forum. 
> OR, can we have a separate email list for those who want to
> rant and bit*h about OT issues (

Steve, every technical list I subscribe to has occasional
off topic "storms" and it's mainly because the people who
subscribe to the list are intelligent and opinionated and
love to engage in spirited conversation with others with
whom they share something in common.  The storms soon die
down, unless, ironically, they are fed be people asking
"Can't we drop this", or, in the most extreme case, "Can't
we start a new [list,newsgroup,bulletin board] to get
away from those who go off topic?"

This conversation has been going on largely due to
people who have complained about the detour and are
trying to wrest this community asunder to ensure that
such diversions don't take place in the future.  If
they'd just let the thread die, like so many OT 
threads in the past, we would have moved on.

And, I would point out that there is nothing inherent
in a bulletin board that prevents threads from going
off-topic, unless said bulletin board enlists the
services of a censor.