Main List Problems

[Ali]

Hi,

Just to say I'm yet another "oldbie" (well, semi-oldtimer) and Elf 
who has at times felt very despondent with the Main List recently.

You are not alone in thinking that standards have fallen. They have. 
I think that this is a result of a collision of several different 
elements - newbies, new book and Summer fatique. It is also true 
that the elves have been inundated. I accept that the work that we 
do behind the scenes is invisible, but it is there and it does help.

I also am reluctant to think that a new newbie list would solve the 
problem. I do remember that one did exist, and I did join it 
fleetingly over 18 months ago. I have no idea what it was called and 
who ran it. The only person who I can recall being part of the group 
was Hollydaze. I don't know if anyone else can remember that group?

I am in favour of supporting old members who have fallen foul 
of "our ways" by returning them to moderated status if they have 
trouble with our policy guidelines. I am proposing that we reimpose 
our old "howler" system and maintain a database of offenders, using 
a 3 strikes and you're back on moderated status. This database and 
howler system would have to be run by the admin team, but there is 
nothing to stop anybody informing us if they think that there is a 
problem. We *will* deal with it.

In terms of the general quality of the list, I have noticed several 
interesting threads, but they have been lost amid chaff. However, I 
think that as Abigail says we all have a duty to protect and uphold 
the standards on the list that we love. That means posting!


Ali