[AF] Keeping the Lists USEFUL

[Phil Alexander]

On 9 May 2007 at 20:49, Kevin Tekel wrote:

> Barry Mishkind wrote:
>  > Usually, I will give extra latitude for threads that start to
> diverge....
>  > but some threads are just fruitless.
> 
> I will agree that some people are misusing this list, especially by
> posting a political news item, with little or no personal commentary
> attached to it, basically as a way to throw stuff against the wall and see
> what sticks. That's never a good way to start a productive discussion.
> But for you to declare certain subject matter to be totally off-limits on
> this list, regardless of the way the topic is approached, is going a bit
> too far, IMHO.

Kevin,

You are entitled to you opinion, but that is not the point.
Your opinion WRT sexual orientation will not be changed by 
anything said on this list. Others have their particular
views on religion and politics. These are equally intractable.
If change is not possible, what is the point? It is a simple
waste of bandwidth without useful result to anyone. Barry
pays for the bandwidth and wants to see useful employment of
it for the good of those assembled here and for the industry
in general.

If a discussion could be had that would result in an exchange
of ideas and formation of new opinions - IOW a discussion with
a constructive useful point - I don't doubt that Barry would 
be the first to encourage it. But, when it is clear that NOTHING
will be accomplished AND that some will be driven away by the
useless acrimony, what is the point? Answer: there is NONE.

Why should Barry pay for a useless result that also drives away
others who might one day contribute to a USEFUL result on a 
topic of some general interest? Would you pay for it if you 
were in Barry's shoes?

On some lists the unwanted topics would be stopped by blacklisting
the contributor. Barry has not done that. What he has said is he
is not willing to sponsor a total waste of bandwidth. Those with
an ounce of gratitude for the expense and huge effort that Barry
expends on these lists have already complied with his suggestion
to make better use of this gift - and, make no mistake, that is
what it is - but others, must, it seems, be hit over the head with
a virtual two by four before they get the message that these lists
are intended to be USEFUL, and that the proscribed topics cannot
and will not serve any useful purpose.

---------------------------------------------
Phil Alexander, CSRE, AMD
Broadcast Engineering Services and Technology 
(a Div. of Advanced Parts Corporation) 
Ph. (317) 335-2065   FAX (317) 335-9037