From: tstpcc@gwunix1.gwu.edu (Paul C. Chemmanoor)
Newsgroups: alt.culture.kerala
Subject: Amendment, etc.
Date: 9 Jan 1993 14:08:59 -0600
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu


1] Now that the voting is over, I thought I would say somethings about it.
   In principle I agree with the "Freedom of expression" argument.
   In practice it doesnt work.
   I wont say much, just point to the spate of articles that messrs Indu
   and ajay shah have been posting on ack. 
   Is this why we formed ack ? Did we have to form a newsgroup so that
   we could read such articles ? 
   Are we to stand idly by while ack turns into a parody of sci ?
   Do you still believe hitting the 'n' key is a solution ?
   Do you think something is wrong when 4 out of 7 articles are of
   this nature ?
   Do you realize that for a significant group of people on ack
   hitting the 'n' key is not an option -- There are 20+ people
   who are reached by mailserver ? 
   
   I am proud that a.c.k has the reputation of being the best newsgroup
   among indian newsgroups. I hope ackers act to keep it that way.
   
2] When you see misuse of the group, complain to the originator by
   e-mail, if the misuse continues, complain to the sysadmin.
   While this may be "childish" it works.
   One complaint may not, a dozen or twenty complaints will make
   the sysadmin sit up and take action. Recently on sci two 
   offenders have had their accounts removed.
   It may be shutting up people who think they are being deprived of
   the freedom of expression, but frankly I am willing to see that
   happen, as long as we can have a clean newsgroup.

3] The key to all this is: active participation.
   No one else is going to keep ack clean. You have to do it yourself.
   
   I hate to sound like net.police, but I much prefer being called
   net.police, than see ack go to waste.

4] A bad posting is not limited to its direct effects.
   Those who advocate hitting the 'n' key dont realize that a newsgroup
   is not a static entity with which the user interacts. You see,
   each posting affects the newsgroup, and postings when taken together
   form the newsgroup. Postings also do not exist in vacuum. They 
   constantly exert pressures on other postings so that when several
   cultural postings appear, it is more than likely that more people
   will be encouraged to post on cultural issues. When several articles
   that preach hatred appear, it is more than likely that users will
   bring out their net.knives. Each posting in that sense affects every
   other. Regardless of whether you choose to read it or not.
   What do I have to offer by way of proof ?
   Take a look at sci. Almost all of the interesting sci posters have
   stopped posting there. The women on sci boycotted it because of the
   vulgar and obscene language used there. Now it is a playground of
   morons who flame each other using anonymous accounts.  

5] End epistle. :-)
   Stay Cool.

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.    ~ ~                                                                  .
.    o o         signito ergo sum.                                        .
.     |       i sign therefore i am.               paul chemmanoor        .
.     =                                            washington d.c.        .
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