Re: [syndication] From your list manager: "name-calling"

[Julian Bond <julian_bond@voidstar.com>]

Mark Nottingham <mnot@mnot.net> wrote:
> [ with my list-manager hat on...  ]

> 1) Posts containing ad hominem attacks against other people *or* their
> work (e.g., "bob is stupid", "bob's software sucks") are off-topic.

etc.

On the lists I run, I have only one rule.

     "No personal attacks"

If anyone fails to understand this, they get exactly one warning off 
list and direct to them. If they do it again, I chuck them off the list. 
I've only ever had to do this half a dozen times and I've never had to 
chuck anyone off.

Trying to decide what's on topic and what's off topic is too hard. The 
list community usually manage to decide this for themselves by allowing 
off topic stuff to die. If it won't die, a tactful post from the 
list-manager is usually all it takes to make it die.

I can't agree that criticising software, regardless of who produced it, 
should be off topic. I prefer constructive criticism but if we don't 
recognise that we all produce shitty software, it'll never get better. 
Having said that, criticism doesn't have to include or imply a personal 
attack on the author. And it shouldn't or we're back to rule one.

--
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