Re: administrative

Wiping out anonymous accounts is not the solution. Anonymous accounts serve
a useful purpose for those who are in countries where they face political
repression, even imprisonment or worse, if they are associated with anything
that is associated with anti-capitalist or even human rights policies.
Certainly there are many postings on this list, and I would argue that
either some police agency or some independent right wing person seems intent
on disrupting this list, so  someone is watching....

Anonymous accounts provide some small measure of protection for those who
have reason to fear state repression.

The other alternative is "moderation", having someone review all posts
before sending them on. To some list members, it might sound like
censorship, but it is entirely possible to practice an extremely open form
of moderation, where virtually everything is approved, even occasional
emotional outbursts, but that slander, abuse, and time-wasting
advertisements/spam are eliminated. It depends on whether or not we trust
the moderator or are concerned with the moderator censoring some useful
material. There is no answer in the abstract; it depends on whether one
trusts the moderator. I've been a moderator and been on moderated lists, and
have found it possible to have a moderated list without hampering the
discussion.

Alan Spector


----- Original Message -----
From: "Konstantin Borodinsky" <konbor@ecopress.org.by>
To: <wsn@csf.colorado.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 3:44 AM
Subject: administrative


> In view of the posting I am sure you all received, I suggest the
following:
> ask the listowner to wipe out ALL anonymous subscribers. Students with no
> personal access shall provide a reference from PERSONAL accounts,
verifiable
> and traced, preferably from the university stuff. Games with legal
entities
> (if someone dares) will thus come closer to court doors. Since I have
> switched to Internet I have been surprised at the amount of anonymous
mail -
> making the biggest venture of the 20-th century a gutter.
> Hope, you will support me.
> Otherwise with a mass of scum around the list will be destroyed. Insects
> propagate much faster than humans, Vernadsky wrote viruses could occupy
the
> planet in no time, under favorable conditions.
> Respectfully,
> Konstantin Borodinsky
>