COMING CHANGES: BIONEWS/bionet.announce and BIO-CHAT/bionet.gen...

[Michael van Waes]

In article <9112101810.AA13146 at genbank.bio.net>

>        My vote would be to keep BIONEWS the way it is, and to add other
>forums as required.  By the "the way it is" I mean an UNmoderated forum for
>announcements of broad interest to biologists, and OCCASIONAL discussion to
>which a "heavy hand" is applied (thought public postings by an assertive
>person; WITHOUT actual censureship) if it gets "out of hand".
                   (.................)
>        It's important to understand the difference between "thought control"
>and "etiquette."  Highly motivated people tend to get themselves into
>overworked and stressed states, and in at least one culture with which I am
>personally familiar, such states make people prone to outbursts of frustration
>and excessive defensiveness.  The etiquette of the bionet forums is (should
>be) NOT TO RESPOND IN KIND.  Just try to understand what was behind the
>outburst or defensive posting, and address its substance in a polite and
>constructive manner, perhaps with a bit of jocularity to help break the
>tension, e.g.:
>
>>        Gee, willies... Have I set the cat among the pigeons..
>>I dare to raise my head. [...]
                  (.................)
>                                Fote

I absolutely agree with this; if you don't like a posted message, delete it
from your list; it takes only two keystrokes. I don't think there's a
need for a moderator, and I also think that BIOCHAT will either be ignored
or degenerate in very short time. 

   
		Michael van Waes	|
		Div. of Biol. Sci.	| Please remain calm, 
		Univ. of Montana	| it's no use both of us being
		Phone: 406-243-5733  	| hysterical at the same time.
		bi__mvw at selway.umt.edu	|