Ok, this is the third try to post this to the ML...first time I accidently
sent it to ONLY the person I was replying to, the second time I royally
screwed up puttin the address into Eudora's NickName/recipient list...THIS
time it'll work! Again, I apologize to all for having to forward this...but
at least I know that it didn't get out to the list in general now...

Date: Sat, 25 May 1996 11:21:59
To: FanFicML
From: Aaron Stolz <astolz@direct.ca>
Subject: Re: [FanFic] Spam & Overreactions

Since I don't think this got out to the ML in general and not just to ther

person who wrote what I replied to, I shall re-send this.  I apologize of
you get it twice (Even to um...*shrug* The person or persons at
"trichm@iu.net" since I messed up accidently replying to them)

Date: Sat, 25 May 1996 11:16:30
To: trichm@iu.net
From: Aaron Stolz <astolz@direct.ca>
Subject: Re: [FanFic] Spam & Overreactions

At 09:48 AM 4/24/96 -0500, you wrote:

I've gotta address some things here to help OUR side of this...

Damon Jason Casale wrote:

[snip]

After explaining that I'd sent a message to the

list in general, calling for at least a toning down of the sig war and
related spam, a couple of very vociferous complainers hammered at me with
things along the lines of:

Why not just delete the spam.

That right there is the heart of the problem. We shouldn't have to 
delete spam in the first place.

I was the one that said "If you don't want SPAM you're goin to have to make

this a trictly moderated list, like RAAC is a strictly moderated newsgroup"
And I really till don't see any difference between SkyKnights 400K+ BGZone 9
and 400 1K spamms spread over some 4-5 days...if someone's got a 500K
mailbox, what are they doing on a Mailing last this busy, really?  No matter
WHAT is kept to this list, people with 500K Mailboxes are GOING to get them
overfilled, let's face it, most 'fics are rather large! 

Wolf asked nicely. Roy asked bluntly. I'll plead. Please stop.

This list is supposed to be a place for authors to post thier fics and 
get C&C. Maybe and eigth of the posts I've gotten from here in the last 
week have been Fic or C&C. It's degenerated into a chat line, sorry to 
say.

I agree with Damon in that a little spam is fun and good for the soul, 
but when it reaches these levels it just becomes tedious.

What levels?  Sure, I've onlybeen here since the 16th but I really haven't

noticed much diffrence between what we're getting now and what we got 5
months ago except that we seem to have more people with small mailboxes now.

I think we have lost a lot of valuable voices, blown out out cyberspace 
by the sheer volume of noise generated here. Hell, I know we have. Many 
have unsubbed and just hit the re-mailer.

How many of them posted something?

It occurs to me that not everyone is aware of the definition of spam. If 
it isn't Fic, C&C or about writing in gerneral, it is considered spam 
for this list. If your reply doesn't fit into that definition, please 
take it to private mail. Or for all you .sig warriors, go to IRC. You'll 
prob. have more fun writing it there anyway.

I feel I must break in here and say this: When Damon was writing this they

WERE on IRC! or about 5 *HOURS* straight at *LEAST!* We finally wound down
(VERY quickly) after Damon came in and told us he was writing this!

"I like the fanfics!  I like the spam.  It's what made the ML fun!"

The spam is fun for maybe 10 percent of the list. Sorry, but it's true. 
When people start complaining, then it is safe to assume that they are 
no longer having fun. This list had over 200 people on it last time I 
asked. We see maybe thirty of them posting regularly. That's a big 
silent majority that has been complaining.

How many of those people are actually posting and not just lurking?

So again.  I'm not asking for the spam to cease.  I'm asking for a little
common courtesy and respect.  I'm sure that's not too much to ask.

No, it's not. At least I hope it's not.

Shannon

Well, there are my replies to that...and I maintain that people with 500K

mailboxes *really* shouldn't be subscribed to places this busy in the first
place, unless they're actually writing somthing.  If what they're writing
needs work, for a time THAT will be what is talked about th most on the
ML...that's how it was 5 months ago and I don't see any reason why it should
be any different now.  Heck, for about a half-month most of what we talked
about once upon a time was "What color should Sylvies suit be in BGZ?" (I
love what ya finally chose BTW SkyKnight!)  Actually, not that I think about
it, the only thing really different now than 5 months ago is that there
aren't that many "works in progress" really being posted, it's (mostly!)all
simply pre-edited, pre-RAAC-release stuff, so there really isn't much TO
talk about!

Aaron Stolz-astolz@direct.ca E-mail me anytime! I'm on for HOURS on end all the 
time, so you might even get a reply soon after you send it! *******************