[NTLUG:Discuss] NTLUG Discuss Guidelines

[briank@hex.net]

Since the topic is "guidelines," I guess that means I can get my $0.02
in without being branded an agitator, mud-stirrer, or worse yet, a kid.  

I've been a participant on this list for a few years now, and I have
noticed (anecdotal evidence only) a marked decrease in the activity
here.  I've also noticed (again, my opinion) what I feel to be an
increased "sterility" of the topics discussed here, especially over
the last few months.  

MadHat, along with the other little piece of advice I gave you
privately a few days ago, here's another unsolicited piece of it:

If you choose to aggressively moderate this forum, then be prepared to
use a heavy hand on *all* issues, every time, consistently and without
fail.  Otherwise, you will invariably be accused of favoritism by one
side of a discussion or the other.  I won't be accusing you of
favoritism, because I've been where you are (and have learned), and
realize you have taken on a tremendous responsibility which will turn
out to be a no-win situation for you.

As for the rest of us:  It saddens me that some of us appear to be so
sensitive to remarks or posts they might not agree with that we have
been forced into a position to create guidelines to protect those
sensitivities.  In the three years I've been here, I have *never* seen
a post here which I would consider grossly inflammatory, pornographic,
insensitive, or off-topic.  It seems like we're trying to find a
solution to a problem that simply doesn't exist.

Here's my charter/guidelines suggestions (although I think we've been
operating fine without them):

1.  Be nice to each other.
2.  Don't post anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.
3.  Let's talk about all things Linux (peripherally or otherwise).
    Topic strays have a tendency to die out on their own, so don't
	sweat it.
4.  Have fun!


  --Brian