Re: We are ALL guests (except Eric)

[tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)]

James A. Donald wrote:

> Timothy C. May writes
> > Funny, I don't recall Eric ever claiming it was "his house" to do with
> > as he wishes. Seems to me that the list is an emergent entity,
> > presently being centrally distributed off a machine owned by John
> > Gilmore [...]
> 
> Internet custom and precedent, as I understand it, seems to be 
> that Usenet newsgroups are the collective property of the
> regular inhabitants, but that mailing lists are the private
> and individual property of the guy whose account they run out
> of.
> 
> Even the commies on alt.politics.radical-left seem to be 
> reluctantly and painfully accepting this doctrine.  I am 
> amazed that an ex-extropian does not.
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

An issue of subtlety. I made no "commie" claims.

> We can advise Eric that we think it might have an undesirable
> effect if he manages the list in certain ways.  We cannot
> tell him that it is unfair or unjust to manage the list in
> certain ways.

I made no mention of "unfair" or "unjust." As I recall, I used the
term "unwise" once or twice. Others have made similar points about
compulsion and behavior control. (And we should avoid any nit-picking
about how Eric cannot possibly use "compulsion" because it is his
list, blah blah.)

> The extropians list claimed to be managed in accord with the
> principles of justice.  Eric makes no such grandiose claim.

This is a straw man, as I have made no mention of "justice."
> 
> > I happen to think Eric is quite wrong in thinking that "behavior
> > modification" is needed, or practical. The list has done very well for
> > the past 26 months without rigid rules, and has never even had a
> > person kicked off the list (who didn't ask to be removed, back in the
> > pre-Majordomo manual processing days)).
> 
> agreed.

Good to end on agreeement.

--Tim May


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