Re: [DML] Walt quitting

["jv_espey" <james@xxxx>]

Surprisingly, I'm in agreement with Marc...someone must be putting something 
in my coffee.

Nearly SEVEN years ago, I started the DML as a moderated list after bad 
experiences with the UN-moderated RX-7 mailing list to which I subscribed. I 
think it was Arnie Brandon who gave me the nickname "Iron Hand Espey" as a 
tongue-in-cheek comment regarding my moderating style.

For a great deal of time after turning over the DML to the current moderating 
team, I gnashed my teeth about how much 'crap' they were letting through. It's 
a thankless job, with no rewards other than a lot of abuse from frustrated 
members and the occasional 'atta boy'.

People have discussed the different moderating styles of the various 
moderators, and while that is true to a degree, I recall having different styles 
myself depending on my mood, the time of day, and perhaps most importantly, 
previous experience with the person attempting to post a message - I had less 
patience with those folks who in the past had proven themselves to be a pain 
in the ass. And, if you didn't like the way I ran the DML, you were more than 
welcome to leave and start your own. The DML is still the largest and best 
forum for DeLorean information on the internet (perhaps the world), and still 
the only list that ALL the vendors and clubs monitor because it is the way to 
keep their fingers on the pulse of the hobby that is impossible any other way.

As Marc mentioned, I would be interested in seeing a DMC-News "Reject" list 
setup. Set it up as a list that only the list-owner(s) can post to, and the 
moderators can just forward all the rejected postings to that list. Not only do I 
think it would be interesting to see the depth and breadth of the crap we're all 
NOT seeing, it might make the moderators think a second or two longer 
before out and out rejecting a posting.

The list MEMBERSHIP has grown and evolved a great deal over the last 
seven years, and perhaps it's time for the list itself to grow a little, too. It would 
be nice to hear from the 950+ others that subscribe whom we never hear from, 
I think we'll all agree. 

James Espey
Moderator Emeritus


--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Marc A. Levy" <malevy@xxxx> wrote:
> Why not start a list for messages that have been rejected from the DML. 
This is a good mix to get results to satisfy everyone, I'd subscribe to both.
> 
> In some cases, I think the moderators let too much crap though. It depends 
on which moderator is on that week, and their mood for the day. They are 
human, and the rules are left to interpretation. Walt and others have been 
talking about valuable resources (other people who have quit) being lost from 
the DML, and I assure you that with a unmoderated list we would loose many 
more people just due to the volume of crap that goes over these lists. There is 
(SNIP)
list with bullshit to the point where I now read neither list. The Tech list really 
needs a moderator.... Maybe splitting the DML in to sub lists would be a 
positive thing considering the current size? I think so, as long as they remain 
moderated (except for maybe a "general discussion" group).
>