[ExI] Moderation on the ExiCh list

[Stefano Vaj]

2009/12/5 Lee Corbin <lcorbin at rawbw.com>:
> Now Stefano then takes what is to me a very different tack
> when he tries by example what "off-topic" to him is:
>
>> The real point of moderation and the real (and only) cardinal sin
>> in mailing lists is IMHO Off-Topic. Flames are off-topic. Spam is
>> off-topic. Ad hominem are off-topic. Tireless single-issue evangelism
>> is off-topic. Bilateral chit-chat is off-topic.
>
> Right: those items (and doubtless more) make moderation
> necessary. But describing them as "off-topic" doesn't
> seem quite accurate! How are wanderings into atheism vs.
> religion exactly germane to supposed functioning of the
> list? How indeed are technical arguments about global
> warming germane? Some may think these "off-topic", and
> that's why I claim that the whole concept of *off-topic*
> ought to be avoided.

Why, ExI-chat is very peculiar in that it does not really have a topic
in any traditional sense, or rather the topic can probably be
described as: "theoretical and other discussions on whatever which may
be of interest of polite, intelligent transhumanists at the moment".

Under such description, I think that the examples I made before would
stand, as well as perhaps long single-issue agenda rants, but one
would not include the interesting, albeit sometimes perplexingly
disparate or over-technical, discussions which keep popping up. ;-)

-- 
Stefano Vaj