I agree with Nick on this point. But I suggest (perhaps?) that it be
made clear that it is not necessary to join the list to follow its
discussions, though it is encouraged to do so. For example,
http://n2.nabble.com/Statalist-f1588530.html provides the discussion
and a method to search the list. Also, I think there is an RSS feed,
but I am not sure of that point.
Fred
On Wed, Feb 3, 2010 at 5:54 AM, Nick Cox <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I urge strongly that we support Marcello unequivocally on this point.
> His record is outstanding and his longstanding struggle to reconcile the
> rights of individuals with the health of the list is one that I doubt
> anyone wants to take over, or that anyone wants anyone else to take
> over.
>
> It is evident from the archives that Marcello has been pushed to this
> only with the utmost reluctance. It only needs a little imagination to
> realise that such a decision also has been taken after much consultation
> and consideration of the pros and cons of alternatives. Neither past
> evidence nor present imagination can answer the question of exactly how
> well it will work, but no one is saying anything is forever.
>
> Nick
> [email protected]
>
> Schaffer, Mark E
>
> Umm... I think Marcello's posting to the list has all the details of the
> new policy, no?
>
> I too was very unhappy about the whole business. I am sure Marcello
> considered alternative solutions before settling on this one in
> particular. But ex ante screening of membership is labour-intensive
> (Eric's first point), makes the list less open (my point), and may not
> stop the problem from happening again (Eric's second point).
> Personally, I would have opted for ex post banning for bad behaviour
> instead of ex ante screening.
>
> Just my 0.02, as they say. I freely admit that it's easy to kibbitz
> from the sidelines, and that if I knew what Marcello knows, I could
> reach the same conclusion as he did.
>
> Martin Weiss
>
> > Wait a minute before you torpedo a policy whose details you
> > do not know yet!
> > The bleeding had to be stopped! Remember, we were down to
> > nationalities and mother tongues as arguments!
>
> Schaffer, Mark E
>
> > My reaction was similar to Eric's. Making Statalist less
> > open, even if ever so slightly, may not be worth it if events
> > like these happen only once every decade or so.
>
> DE SOUZA Eric
>
> > > Does it happens often enough for you to spend so much time on it
> > > screening new applicants?
>
> Marcello Pagano
>
> > > My apologies for allowing the tenor of the list to degrade.
> > > We have now made a change to see if we can stop this from happening
> > > again. For those currently on the list the change will not
> > affect you
> > > other than you will possibly experience an improved tenor. New
> > > subscribers will have to go through a screening process
> > that will add
> > > time, hopefully less than a day, before they can subscribe. The
> > > screening process is designed to keep some, hopefully very
> > few, people
> > > out.
> > >
> > > Thank you all for your patience while we cleared this mess
> > up.
>
> *
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--
Fred Wolfe
National Data Bank for Rheumatic Diseases
Wichita, Kansas
NDB Office +1 316 263 2125 Ext 0
Research Office +1 316 686 9195
[email protected]
*
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