The RPML should be fixed and not abandoned.

From: EdGrenda@aol.com
Date: Wed May 14 2003 - 01:08:04 EEST


The RPML should be fixed and not abandoned.

We’ve been through similar periods of disaffection in the ranks in the past,
but what’s different this time is the enormous worldwide increase in spam.
The Wall Street Journal had a story about it recently. As I recall, it said
that 75% of the email volume passing through AOL’s system is now spam and
they were deleting 2 billion junk emails a day. Times have changed and the
RPML should change a bit to accommodate new circumstances.

This is a small group of only 1,800 people. The conversation is pretty
sparse as it is, and getting sparser. Not many of you actually post. Does
it make sense to split this group into smaller pieces? The power of the
group lies in its size. As a whole it knows more than any individual and can
answer a wide range of questions. A smaller group simply isn’t as smart. It
is unlikely that a new group will reach this size very quickly and there is
past experience to support that.

Do you want this group to be commercialized? Can you trust anyone with a
profit motive to provide guaranteed free speech for all? Is there any
guarantee that a competitor will be able to post at will? Maybe today - but
maybe not tomorrow. When this was discussed a year or two back, people
seemed to like the idea of the list being associated with a university which
is the situation today. It provides stability and back-up and an egalitarian
forum. I’m not impugning Doug’s motives which I believe are positive and
constructive. I’m pointing out that this is an issue that’s been discussed
in the past and should be again.

Are you aware that one of the most important functions of the RPML is
archiving? When people search for specific topics related to RP on search
engines, they will often be guided to past postings from the RPML. This is a
service that’s been provided by Hannu and HUT. It’s a major resource to
guide people into this field. Will this continue?

Also, I have to say it is simply discourteous to abandon ship without a
discussion - and before a comment or a response from Hannu. There should be
at least a modicum of loyalty and appreciation based on recognition that this
list doesn’t happen without effort. It seems automatic, but someone has been
quietly working in the background for many years now to keep this going. Do
we recognize that?

There are problems here. But fixing them is the simplest and best solution.

Ed Grenda
Castle Island Co.
EdGrenda@aol.com (email)

The Worldwide Guide to Rapid Prototyping
http://home.att.net/~castleisland/



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