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The list fulfils other functions as well as chat. Many people visit the list
as a non-prejudiced, up-to-the-minute, reliable information source about
matters scientific. They may not post often (I don't get much time to, for
example) but find the list very worthwhile nevertheless. : )<br>
***********************<br>
<br>
Natasha Vita-More wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid6.2.1.2.2.20060219140838.02f050b0@pop-server.austin.rr.com">
<div align="center"><font size="2">“… a wide-open forum is a relic of the
Cretaceous period of the Internet. <br>
The size of the net has probably grown by 8 or 9 orders of magnitude <br>
since the Early Days when the list was open. I'm grateful it was back then,
<br>
but it's time to change.” Greg Burch, 2006<br>
<br>
</font><font size="1">_________________<br>
<br>
</font>"I say: the List is dead! Long live the list!” Max More, 2006<br>
________________________________________________<br>
<br>
</div>
<br>
Before you read any further, I would like you to know that ExI’s 2006 formal
Strategic Plan, which is being formatted for public viewing, indicates that
ExI is currently undergoing a transformational change. One of the initiatives
of the Plan is restructuring and modernizing its email list. The Strategic
Plan is not public yet, and the initiatives are scheduled for implementing
after March 1, 2006, although I believe we can expedite this initiative sooner.
<br>
<br>
Please read on …<br>
<br>
The following are my thoughts about the current state of the email list:
It is evident that list members cannot or will not actively manage the list
as they once did. This could be because of the list volume, I’m not sure.<br>
<br>
Years ago, list members did not want to be controlled. They carried on high-level
discussions and, every now and then someone would cause a conflict, and the
list would work though problems. The list was a virtual team of extropians
who thought about the future and their unified worldview. Newcomers to the
list were scrutinized and, eventually, welcomed into the forum.<br>
<br>
Then extropians were criticized for being an “elitist” group and one had
to be highly intelligent, enormously creative, and exceptionally knowledgeable
about science and technology to fit in. As the years passed and the ideas
became more widely known, the list maintained its dignity and also welcomed
more diversity and input from different disciplines.<br>
<br>
There were several very difficult times when the list was unbalanced, attracting
dogmatic posters on religion and politics. It angered some list members
and they left for a while, started their own lists, but eventually came back
because they found something of value on ExI’s list. That something is a
sense of quality, depth, reasoning, dignity. List members expected quality
and they usually got it.<br>
<br>
There have been ups and downs and time and time again, because the list is
an open forum a few soapbox posters demanded that their point of view was
right. Then there were trolls who came onto the list to cause havoc. Weeding
out these posters with skill and tact, while at the same time valuing a non-censored
sentiment and uncontrolled list environment, has been the job of list moderators.<br>
<br>
Balancing these elements is not easy. And for the posters, confidence wanes,
conflict arises and discontent prevails, until a transformation occurs.<br>
<br>
But transformation does not come easy. Conflict tends to shift focus away
from the basic goals of the list posters, reducing productivity and the bottom
line of “list quality.” Surveys show that list moderators and managers spend
about 20 to 50 percent (could be more) of their time on conflict resolution.
And as a result, the list owners, such as ExI, have increased house cleaning
tasks to empower list posters to move beyond the conflict. This repeated
loop reinforces confusion and distrust of list quality and makes the list
more vulnerable to problems, annoyances and distrust than ever. <br>
<br>
As the Internet grows, posters are “supposed” to continue to be self-directed,
contribute their opinions, and communicate with a greater number of list
members. List posters have to be focused on avoiding, accommodating, competing,
compromising, and collaborating with other list members. By this, the individual
list posters need to be ready, at an instant’s notice, to access to their
own conflict management skills. <br>
<br>
This is asking a lot of list posters who are on the list to communicate
- not manage. Over time this reinforcing cycle breaks down the foundations
of the environment, the extropy list, and the only choice is to terminate
the list or transform it into something new.<br>
<br>
Greg Burch commented yesterday that “a wide-open forum is a relic of the
Cretaceous period of the Internet. The size of the net has probably grown
by 8 or 9 orders of magnitude since the Early Days when the list was open.
I'm grateful it was back then, but it's time to change.”<br>
<br>
Max More said today: “When the Extropians e-mail list began 15 years ago
-- an eon in Internet time -- posters were intensely enthusiastic people who
clearly shared a core set of values and goals. Few people outside the list
had the necessary information or inclination to participate. Years passed.
Some time ago, we changed the name of the list to "Extropy-Chat" to reflect
the much looser collection of posters and content.<br>
<br>
”Now is the time to change the list again. Many other e-mail lists now exist
where people can chat about any topic imaginable. Extropy Institute and its
principals have moved on to more focused, solutions-oriented, practical thinking.
A chat list fits poorly with that shift.<br>
<br>
”It is time to terminate this list, or radically transform it, depending
on how you look at it. I favor an invitation-only list so as to maximize the
quality of postings. If feasible, read-only status will also be an option.
I say: the List is dead! Long live the list!”<br>
<br>
I look forward to seeing you in the future!<br>
<br>
Natasha<br>
<br>
The best defense is ProAction!<br>
<b> </b><x-sigsep></x-sigsep>
<p> </p>
<dl>
<dd><font size="2"><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Natasha </a><a
href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Vita-More</a> </font></dd>
<dd><font size="2">President, <a href="http://www.extropy.org/">Extropy
Institute</a> </font> </dd>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><i>If you draw a circle in the
sand and study only what's inside the circle, then that is a closed-system
perspective. If you study what is inside the circle and everything outside
the circle, then that is an open system perspective. </i> </font></dd>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times">Buckminster Fuller<br>
<br>
</font> </dd>
</dl>
<pre wrap="">
<hr width="90%" size="4">
_______________________________________________
extropy-chat mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat">http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
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