Theos-Talk Archives (May 1996 Message tl00744)

> >To Michelle and Doss:
>
> Don't you think you're generating a tempest in a teapot? It takes perhaps a

NO I dont. Take note of the number of resignations from this list for
a start! When a list is small and the traffic light it doesnt matter
too much to most users if the noise ratio is high. But this list is
now large and if its purpose is to provide a public forum for the
discussion of theosophy and if we want people to lurk, participate and
stay then we need to consider what is discussed.

Practically speaking this is very much like the death many members of
this list talk about happening to lodges - ironic isnt it?

> half a second to delete a "one liner", or if you find one person does only
> "one liners' you can filter them.There are a number of people on this board

When it can be half of the messages at around 90 a day that's 45
messages - which takes more than a second to:
a open
b read
c delete
What a waste! Ironically so many things wrong with TS organizations
is that they dont get around to doing practical things and here we
are wasting each others time on this stuff.

> Basically, I fear that what you're actually thinking about is censorship of
> content and that is a basic American "NO-NO". Who has the right to decide

Firstly this isnt America - its the internet with its own philosphy
called netiquette.

This is a list to discuss Theosophy, and as I understand it the
members of the list have the right to decide what is OK.

If a lodge spent half is time talking about things other than
Theosophy members could do one of three things:

1 leave the lodge
2 put up with it
3 encourage a return to the focus/ point of the group/lodge

I have chosen to take option 3 and I am sure others agree, sadly many
have taken option1 :-(

AND WE ARE ALL POORER FOR THE LOSS.

> what is "on-topic" and what is "off-topic". I know I don't, and I certainly
> won't cede the right to anyone else. I strongly doubt if anyone on this

Great, you "wont cede the right", what about the rights of the group,
the purpose of us gathering together?

> board will be broken financially by the cost of the telephone time it takes
> to delete a "one-liner".

I believe the point ....doss was making, is that many internet users
(nothing to do with the board -  whatever that is) pay for time on
line or for bandwidth used and hence off-topic messages cost that
individual money. While that may not be an issue for some is is very
real to others. We are part of this global community on this list.

I believe that both ....doss and myself are coming from a
consideration and compassionate point of view and I hope our comments
are taken as such.

BFN
OOROO
Michelle

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