General Policy Stuff

[abigailnus]

--- In HP4GU-FAQ at yahoogroups.com, "Cindy C." <cindysphynx at c...> wrote:
> Now, on to this question of scrubbing . . . 
> 
> One thing I noticed when I was running this group last year is that
> administrative issues can easily swallow you whole.  They just keep
> coming at you, one after another, and before you know it, you're all
> bogged down.  Now that all of us are working together in some loose
> form of governance, we run the risk of being repeatedly derailed by
> discussions of administrative issues.

We *run the risk*?

> How about if this group decides to review its archives before new
> members arrive and to delete anything that might embarrass a new
> member, as we have done in the past?  

I have to say I'm not entirely certain why this is such a big issue on this 
particular list.  Our mandate is writing FAQs, which usually doesn't entail 
discussing other group members.  I remember when I joined, going back 
in the archives and finding the endless cataloguing messages, some of 
which did contain comments on individual posters, but mostly those were 
the posters that we would never consider having here.  I might understand 
this kind of precaution on MEG, and indeed when I received my invitation 
to that group I was warned that I might find myself discussed in the archives, 
but why is it so significant here?  

Generally speaking, I'm opposed to scrubbing the archives.  I think by 
deleting past messages we delete the only record of our history, and we may 
end up losing vital information in the rush to expunge off-hand insults.  
Besides, as other posters have noted, knowing that we may end up being 
accountable for our words might help to reduce those off-hand comments.  
This list is not intended to allow us a place to vent with impunity.  That's what 
personal e-mails and weblogs are for. <g>

Getting back to Carolyn and Kelley, would it be possible to discuss the merits 
of inviting either of them?  My experiences with Kelley on MEG have only been 
positive, and I think she'd be an asset.  Carolyn also seems eager to help, but 
is anyone else concerned about her brief tenure on the main list?

Abigail