Date   : Sun, 21 Nov 2010 18:29:51
From   : heyrick.beebsoc@... (Rick Murray)
Subject: [BeebSoc] Do we need an off topic ban on this list? :-)

On 22/11/2010 00:19, Michael Firth wrote:

> If the standard list will potentially ban non BBC related discussion,
> will there be a heated debate on this list as to whether BBC micro
> related topics will be allowed?

Well, there are two options:

   1. On-topic posts are completely banned. If anybody should post an
      on-topic message, we'll take the Kortink approach and start a
      long thread which basically involves a written tantrum and being
      rude to everybody who disagrees with this point of view,
      regardless if it is right or wrong. And if it gets really bad, have
      a poll and then misread the results.

or:

   2. Sod it. Everybody is welcome to contribute what they can, and while
      there may be lots of dross, a golden nugget will turn up from time
      to time. Really, that doesn't sound so different to how I remember
      comp.sys.acorn.* at the turn of the millennium.

Personally, I favour option 2.


I find it easy that JK writes:
--8<--------
Any way you turn it, off-topic threads are detrimental to
the mailing list.
--8<--------
[Message-ID: <j2bje6t0umf20lkrjo7sju08pv384i4gsf@...>]

The way I see it, the off topic posts are "annoying" to a select few, 
but it is the outlook and rudeness of some people that is being most 
detrimental to the list. How can it promote a happy community people are 
behaving like pseudoreligious social pariahs on Halloween night?

I mean, think about it. Is there an actual *need* for a BBC Mailing 
list? There's a quarter century of Beeb history and a heck of a lot of 
it is archived. Surely the list only exists for promoting "new" products 
and for those who can't be assed to get up and Google for info...? Or is 
the social interaction of it (apparently missed by some) as important as 
the question? Maybe when you're playing with decades-old hardware you 
don't want to feel so alone. All the cool kids run personal hacks of 
some Linux derivative or an OS with a name like "Haiku" or "Android" on 
obscure SoCs. But us? We favour what is a pocket calculator in 
comparison. Are we crazy? Perhaps. Are we lonely? Perhaps. Are we left 
out because there's no GUI, no POSIX, and hell, it's pretty damn hard to 
find blank media these days. Perhaps. But by trading information and 
sharing ideas, and - yes - "bullshit" too, we can feel a part of a small 
community bravely taking on the world with a system less complicated 
than the average multi-purpose TV remote.

Frankly, I'm not *that* interested in how many MPGs a car gets. Hell, I 
can't even think in *gallons* (it isn't helpful having a mom of American 
heritage, as their imperial measurements are different again). However, 
the idea of a little GPS recorder? That interests me. My eeePC is too 
big, and my mobile phone is epic fail (I have a perfect program that 
draws a little compass and everything, but it appears as if all the 
readings are directed to /dev/null !). Maybe some sort of mini computer 
and SD card sort of setup will do the job? Maybe. I will probably, in 
all honesty, build that like I built the 6502 board I designed in 2003. 
;-) I'm lazy really, but thinking about stuff. I like that. Thinking is 
good...


That said, Rob's the guy in charge. Perhaps we ought to have a charter 
to point to. Like "OT is accepted, binaries and attachments aren't" or 
something? I dunno. It's not my call. Ooooh, Shiki #14 is here. Later...


Best wishes,

Rick.