Mailing List Archive Mailing List Archive
> Another scam.... on AOL you can look up a biosketch under PHKukvers
> and up pops my name.... PHKukvers=f**k you cavers.
(a .plan file?) File a complaint with aol. Really. Mail postmaster@ao*.co*.
> ... LGTSLMR@gt*.fk*.bt*.gd* [=] Lightslammer@ge* f**ked but good. Clever.
No, not clever. Asinine, blatant stokery (see below). Kevin Mitnick, Robert
T. Morris, and the German Computer Chaos Club were clever. [Recommendation:
_Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier_, Markoff & Haffner]
> I wonder if he is related to stokeslam@ao*.co*....
Those who routinely post about "strokes", IMHO, are using a different form
of technology -- computers -- to stroke their egos, and cannot really be
distinguished from the "strokes" they censure.
> Nothing on this should be taken at face value.....
I don't think this list's tone will improve until the list is *really*
moderated: i.e., until someone starts to rejects postings that
-. are anonymous or pseudonymous [as suggested by Carl Heinzl]
-. are from unverifiable addresses [as suggested by Carl Heinzl]
-. use name-calling-- not fact or wit-- to argue that propositions are stupid
[as per a rule of decorum in the English Parliament...a body which
values wit, and debates issues of at least equal standing as techdiver]
-. or otherwise fail to conform to guidelines established, say, in
ftp://ds.internic.net/rfc1855.txt--an Internet Engineering Task
Force advisory document on netiquette [brief summary at note's end].
Did I hear someone cry "free speech"? comp.compilers, which I've read
routinely for eight years, is carefully moderated, and disagreements that
I see there are at least as profound as the ones I see here. But readers
of comp.compilers see reasoned arguments--and don't have to filter garbage
from those who merely talk in Sternisms and forge notes.
[i.e., "Piss in the soup", as one Polish proverb has it.]
Who should moderate, if anyone? Someone, unlike me, who is a real techdiver
and hasn't screwed up by assuming too many responsibilities. [Yes, I know
that "[People should not] have good ideas unless [they're] willing to take
responsibility for them" [first quoted by Alan J. Perlis] ... but, hell,
not all of us can be good at everything ....] I fear, however, that those
whom I'd most want to see moderate--starting with Richard Pyle--can't
afford the time to act as active moderators.
So, the forecast here is for a continuing rain of crap. Sorry for the bad
news. Keep the shovels handy.
-- Phil
Appendix: incomplete synopsis of RFC 1855 on one-to-many communication
(how many of these have *you* seen violated in techdiver?)
- Read mailing lists for one to two months before posting anything.
- Don't blame the administrator for user behavior.
- Take care in what you write. A large number of people will see your
words, which may persist in archives for a very long time.
- Assume that individuals speak for themselves, and not for their
organizations (unless stated explicitly).
- Pay attention to your organization's rules covering system resources.
- Forgeries and spoofing are not approved behavior. You can protect yourself
from forgeries by using software which generates a manipulation detection
"fingerprint", such as PGP (in the US).
- Advertising is welcomed on some lists, and abhorred on others.
- Be brief and to the point. Don't wander off-topic or ramble.
- Read all of a discussion in progress before posting replies. Avoid
"Me Too" messages. Content of a follow-up should exceed quoted content.
- Consider using references before posting. Asking about concerns with
readily available answers generates grumpy "RTFM" messages.
- In a reply to a message, summarize the original, or include just enough
text to give a context. But do not include the entire original.
- Be sure to have a signature which you attach to your message.
- Be careful when replying; you may accidentally send a personal response to a
great many people. It's best to type an address, and not to rely on "reply."
- Apologize when a personal message has gone to a list.
- Send individual mail when an answer to a question is for one person only.
- In a disagreement with one person, respond to that person via mail rather than
the list. When appropriate, summarize the argument for the group later.
- If caught in an argument, focus on issues rather than personalities.
- Avoid flame wars. Neither post nor respond to incendiary material.
- Material which is inappropriate when posted under one's own name is still
inappropriate when posted anonymously.
==============
Phil Pfeiffer, Computer Sci. Dept. | Kindness in thought leads to wisdom.
East Stroudsburg University, | Kindness in speech leads to eloquence.
East Stroudsburg, Pa. 18301-2999 | Kindness in action leads to love.
phil@es*.ed* (717) 422-3820 | -- Lao-Tsu
Navigate by Author:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Author Search Index]
Navigate by Subject:
[Previous]
[Next]
[Subject Search Index]
[Send Reply] [Send Message with New Topic]
[Search Selection] [Mailing List Home] [Home]