[XCSSA] Stop mailing list bloat!

[X-otic Computer Systems of San Antonio]

On Friday 22 May 2009 12:51:53 pm X-otic Computer Systems of San Antonio 
wrote:
> On May 22, 2009, at 11:11 AM, John D. Baker wrote:
> > Please, please, PLEASE edit your responses instead of just top-
> > posting with the ENTIRE LIST DIGEST. 
[...] 
> Thank you. This was starting to bother me too, and I don't even get
> it as a digest. 

Since our group is pretty good as self policing I'm not going to harp on these 
subjects as they have done with such religious zeal on SATLUG.  However  I 
will say a few words for those who could benefit from some direction in the 
area of common courtesy on the mail list (aka "Netiquette").

We're pretty laid back on XCSSA and won't beat top or bottom posters over the 
head over what boils down to personal communication style.  However we DO 
want folks to at least be courteous here.. and that can take a few different 
forms.

1) Name Calling:
I saw some recent name calling.  C'mon folks.. This isn't the 7th grade.. As 
Steve said, most of us are professionals.  There's no place for this on 
XCSSA. This isn't the 7th grade. Be nice... 
(or in the very least, be intelligently sarcastic or entertainingly witty.. ;)

2) Reply Trimming: 
Whether you're a top poster, a bottom poster, or an in-liner (like me ;), in 
all forms folks... you're being rude if you only give  a mere 1-2 line reply 
to a 100 line post.  Please trim irrelevant quotes with either [...], 
[...subject...], ---8<--- snip --->8--- or whatever.  
But especially you digest folks. 
ok?

And BTW... just because you're a bottom poster, doesn't mean that you're above 
this common courtesy.  Bottom posters seem to be some of the biggest 
violators of this one (mostly on SATLUG I notice).

3) Anonymous lists (like XCSSA) require email signatures.

> Also folks, please sign your messages. This list is anonymized
> because of spambots.

Yes.. agreed.. Many of us forget this once in a while.. and that's fine.. But 
if you're posting reply after reply without signing them.. then maybe you 
should configure your mail client to auto-sign your messages (this feature 
exists on most all mail clients).  Especially you UN*X/Linux folks, see 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signature_block .

4) Common Netiquette for all...
And as Steve points out, RFC1855 is a great read.. 
	http://www.dtcc.edu/cs/rfc1855.html
even for some of us old timers. :)

Lastly, and specifically in the example of coming down on John for CAPS 
YELLING..  c'mon folks.. I grew on on fidonet and BBSs.  Caps are a great way 
of adding emphasis to an emotionally flat medium.  Plus.. as the list owner.. 
I'm all about extending 1st Amendment type rights on this list, as long as we 
keep our exchanges civil, mature and constructive.  I often use caps to 
emphasize.  Folks who pull the "stop shouting" card need to get a grip. ;)

Thanks all for keeping XCSSA an interesting and diverse list of free thought 
and information exchange.

Tweeks