[PLUG] [mailing-list] improving ease of use

[Amarendra Godbole]

On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 11:47 AM, Sunil Beta Baskar <betasam at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello everyone at PLUG,
[...]
> Suggestions:
> Section 1 'before posting'
> * Item 5
> ** Linux documentation is available at http://tldp.org/
>     ref: http://www.linuxdoc.org the docbook archive and Q&A
>
> Section 2 'posting to the list'
> * Item 3
> ** Please give a link for newbies to understand what is 'top-posting'
> (everyone needs a HowTo post without violating list guidelines,
> however relaxed.)
> ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Top-posting
>
> * Item 21
> ** Please give the administrator a maximum of 2-days [to permit moderated posts]
> 'a day or two' is ambiguous.
>
> Reference for experts and mailing list administrators:
> http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1855.html (RFC1855) - Netiquette including
> mailing lists (3.1.2)
>
> If the messages that have to be moderated are huge in volume, let us
> have more moderators.
> If SPAM is the issue, please consult us to get a better SPAM filter on-board.
[...]

I have some questions before any policy changes are made:
(a) Why should messages require a moderation in the first place? What
triggered the moderation? Most moderated lists are "restrictive", and
do not foster open collaboration.
(b) Why should top posting be "banned"? How do you expect a Linux
newbie in Pune to suddenly grow ascii email posting skills? If this is
the entry criteria, what is the real motive of PLUG?

Frankly, I am tired of the "restrictions to post" on PLUG, and as a
result don't even consider attending the monthly meets, or post useful
information.

Oh, and these restrictions are not "free as in freedom". ;-)

-ag