Subject: Now What's up with no items for sale
Posted by
gjr
on 2000-03-10 05:07:25 UTC
<snipped some For Sale policy discussion>
<Bill then wrote:>
member
is functioning as a broker. Personally, I consider it nowhere near as
blatantly
opportunistic as some of the other commercial posts we have seen
recently. In
Bill's defense, those forays into obvious commercialism were nipped in
the bud
- with applause from most.
<Bill, again:>
exemplary
job as List-Mom. IMHO, the main problem is that this list has grown
fairly large
and we are seeing the inevitable friction caused when enough different
people get
together. How we resolve this - and other - problems will determine the
kind of
list to which we subscribe.
If we go about it democratically, we may wind up with a "Tyranny of the
Majority."
If we put all the decision making power in the List-Mom's hands, there's
the
chance some will consider the list dictatorial. I don't think a strict
democracy
is the way to run a list, especially one as diverse and high-tech as
this one;
it's just too easy for Royal Sphincters to abuse the political process.
For all the potential problems in having a strong List-Mom, I lean
toward letting
Bill continue pretty much as is. I would much rather trust the motives
of a single
well-intentioned individual, sympathetic to the hobbyist approach, than
a hard-core
sales-type - *any day*. That said, we may want to consider drafting a
revised For
Sale policy to help minimize confusion. As a model, the policy of the
OldTools
Forum would be hard to beat. My $0.02
-Geoff
<Bill then wrote:>
> > Not at all, and I will be glad to listen to any opinions. I have written toI agree that this case is probably borderline, and mainly because a list
> > Murry about my letter, I see no problems with saying you have something for
> > sale. I also have no problems with posting a specification sheet if others
> > ask for it, I felt that both combined in one obvious for sale posting was
> > pushing a bit.
member
is functioning as a broker. Personally, I consider it nowhere near as
blatantly
opportunistic as some of the other commercial posts we have seen
recently. In
Bill's defense, those forays into obvious commercialism were nipped in
the bud
- with applause from most.
<Bill, again:>
> > I welcome any and all input as whether there should be limits, and where theyI don't consider Bill to be in the wrong here, and I think he's done an
> > should be drawn. E-mail me direct, orr post as you desire. If I was wrong
> > say so, if you want completely commercial postings, say so. This list was
> > started by me, but it sure is not for me, but for all of us.
exemplary
job as List-Mom. IMHO, the main problem is that this list has grown
fairly large
and we are seeing the inevitable friction caused when enough different
people get
together. How we resolve this - and other - problems will determine the
kind of
list to which we subscribe.
If we go about it democratically, we may wind up with a "Tyranny of the
Majority."
If we put all the decision making power in the List-Mom's hands, there's
the
chance some will consider the list dictatorial. I don't think a strict
democracy
is the way to run a list, especially one as diverse and high-tech as
this one;
it's just too easy for Royal Sphincters to abuse the political process.
For all the potential problems in having a strong List-Mom, I lean
toward letting
Bill continue pretty much as is. I would much rather trust the motives
of a single
well-intentioned individual, sympathetic to the hobbyist approach, than
a hard-core
sales-type - *any day*. That said, we may want to consider drafting a
revised For
Sale policy to help minimize confusion. As a model, the policy of the
OldTools
Forum would be hard to beat. My $0.02
-Geoff