T&T: Enough already - AN EMAIL FROM THE LIST ADMINISTRATOR

[Bob McLeran (T&T List Administrator)]

One post this afternoon, whether made in error or intentionally, 
resulted in several posts that were _intentionally_ composed to 
circumvent the filters that we had in place to block totally off-topic 
responses which served no purpose other than to perpetuate the original 
transgression. Those of you who chose to do so are just as culpable of 
violating the list rules and creating a hostile environment as the 
poster(s) of which you complain.

This list has almost 2,000 subscribers and only a handful of posts made 
it to the list itself, so this email isn't intended to chastise the vast 
majority of the list; I apologize for having to bother all of you 
because of a few who are thoughtlessly disinclined to follow the list 
rules and guidelines. Thank you to those of you who held your thoughts 
privately. However, the few posts that made it to the list represent a 
fraction of the posts which were caught by our filters and were rejected 
because they did nothing but perpetuate the original post - so there are 
others whose posts would have made it to the list, but didn't.

Now everyone, take a deep breath. Please do not respond on list to this 
email or to any of the recent spate of emails that have virtually 
subverted the intended purpose of the list for the last eight (count 'em 
- eight) hours. Please keep in mind that the sole purpose of the list is 
to discuss all matters relating to trawlers, trawlering, boats and 
boating; anything else does not belong here, whether it is an original 
post or a response to a post by an unthinking or unwitting subscriber.

I'd suggest that those of you who feel inclined to keep this nonsense 
going take a look at the list rules and guidelines found at 
http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/forums/listrules.html and THINK 
before you post.

Unlike some other boating-related lists, the T&T List is an 
"unmoderated" list. That means, that with rare exceptions, no post is 
rejected. Any subscriber can post anything they wish - we trust our 
subscribers to use their own judgment about whether a topic is related 
to the purpose of the list. Normally, the list functions smoothly - we 
on the Admin Team really do prefer to just sit back and enjoy the list 
ourselves. This also means that once-in-a-while someone slips one in 
that absolutely doesn't belong on the list, such as happened at 3:36PM 
EDT today. When this occurs and it becomes evident to those of us on the 
Admin Team, we take action to make the perpetrator aware that the post 
wasn't appropriate and to block replies to that post in order to prevent 
the perpetuation of the inappropriate posting. That is simply the way 
the list works.

The fact that one inappropriate post gets through isn't a license for 
anyone else to join in the inappropriate discussion. The appropriate 
response to any inappropriate post is twofold: (1) let me or the 
Assistant List Administrator (Kevin Redden) know that there is an 
inappropriate post on the list; and (2) let the perpetrator know that 
you think his/her post was inappropriate.

If you wish to discuss the matter further, please contact me directly.

-- 

Keep on trawlering!

Bob McLeran
T&T List Administrator