[microsound] to promo or not to promo

[derek holzer <derek@xxxxxxx>]

Kim,

it seems to me there are a few factors in the increasing "decline" of 
the .microsound list. Self-promotion could be one, but setting 
"standards" could be another. The last could have a lot to do with the 
ever-increasing amount of newcomers to the internet who have no idea of 
nettiquette and thus have no idea how to participate in an online 
community.

So I propose a few ideas:

1) The standards you want to uphold are rather difficult to uphold on a 
large, public list with open subscription. Support lists for software 
[at least in the Linux world] can do it, but that is because of a very 
well-defined topic. However, the goals of the .microsound list are 
substantially interpretive enough to allow someone to self-justify 
posting just about anything. If such high standards are important, you 
might keep it in mind to moderate the list, remove or redirect offtopic 
posts and even batch responses to threads when necessary [in the same 
way as the forementioned Rhizome and Nettime lists].

2) Aside from a list where those of us who like a little intellectual 
sumo wrestling can gather to post texts and rebuttles, those of us who 
like to stay in touch with each other's activities by reading 
announcements *should* have a place to see what's going on. I propose 
[like others here] that a section of the WIKKI and/or a seperate list 
[microsound-announce] be set up for this purpose.

3) Children will be children, and they need a place to grow up. 
Therefore, I propose to create a special list for all those folks who 
consistantly think one-liners are a way of promoting discussion, troll 
the list with dumb off-topic questions about consumer software or CDR 
speeds, don't trim their responses to 1000 word posts, gossip about 
Bjork, Coil or Vladislav Delay's personal life, start flame-wars about 
Raster-Noton, George Bush, Iraq, "bullshit intellectuals" or any other 
such childishness we have seen lately, or in any other way confuse this 
list with the IDM list. This list shall be called 
[microsound-kindergarten], and graduation exams will be given quarterly. 
</sarcasm>

Derek
--
derek holzer ::: http://www.umatic.nl
---Oblique Strategy # 2:
"A line has two sides"


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