Sinister: A boring Iain post

[Honey]

Putneysays at aol.com said:

> The following is a note i wrote to our illustrious list leader asking him to 
> reconsider his decision about Iain.  I guess I'm not fey enough to be 
> considered one of the 'Sinister' elite and warrant a response.  I'm very 
> nice, really!  And so is Iain.  
> Susannah

Hmm - when was the last time one of YOU got picked up publically in
front of 1100 people for not replying to a mail in less than 24
hours?  Susannah, I'm sorry I didn't manage too, I guess I'm going to
have to do it on Sinister now as you've taken it there, so sorry to
all those who are bored to death of this. 

My strong impression, and those of others it seems, was that this was
a parting shot through the door on the part of Iain - he was leaving
and this was his method.  My unsubscribing him was therefore merely a
confirmation and probably a somewhat petulant hastening of that.
He's mailed me privately and tells me he was fully aware that he'd be
unsubscribed, and that's the only reason he didn't do it himself.
I'm therefore not sure what Susannah is asking me to do.

But listen, if there's a feeling I'm striking the balance wrong in
the way I run this list then it's important I know: the only aim I
have in my madness is to continue to make it the kind of place that
the majority of people want to stay in.  I'm often wrong in this, and
leap too fast or too slow, and make all sorts of mistakes.  I may
have done in this case, and if the majority of people think I have,
then I'll bow out.  But can we agree, without thinking it's quashing
the debate, to take this off the list so that others can get on with
being Sinister?  Let me know if you think I got this wrong or right,
or whether you want this whole debate stopped and if there's a strong
overriding opinion I'll act accordingly.

I've said it a lot of times before, there's a difference between
debate and flaming.  Debate looks for an answer: flaming wants to
make an impression then slam the door shut.  Please don't confuse the
two: without strong opinions a mailing list is a waste of time.
Flaming will ALWAYS be taboo on this list, and I'll act on it, it's
just the way things are here I'm afraid: rule number one.  That's
because I believe it's been the number one killer on most mailing
lists I've watched die: it's just so damn BORING for those not
involved who have to sit and watch.  There are plenty of other
mailing lists where it's tolerated and some where it's obligatory:
that's fine, and if you can't find a list you like, you can go off
and make one yourself.

Iain's mail looked a lot more like a flame than an opinion to me: I
had to assume the things he said were directed at real individuals,
because he praised a few real people by name in his mail too.  I know
(Iain tells me) a lot of people were offended by what he wrote,
and I could see a flame war hotting up: and I'm so tired of the old
rejoinder "oh you're so serious it was a JOKE, haha".  If it was, and
he wasn't just kicking sand in the face of those whose manner he
disapproves of before leaving, then I got it plain wrong.  I'm
copying this to him by way of follow-up to a mail he sent me, so he
can let me know.

Honey
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
   +---+  Brought to you by the reborn Sinister mailing list  +---+
  To send to the list mail "sinister at majordomo.net". To unsubscribe
   send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to
  "majordomo at majordomo.net".  WWW: http://www.majordomo.net/sinister
 +-+  "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+
 +-+  "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+
 +-+                     "jelly-filled danishes"                   +-+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+