IMPORT - PLEASE READ

["Mark McCall" <mark@xxxxxxx>]

As you saw earlier the results of the recent poll showed a small majority
in
favour of change on the list.

While there is some complaint over the volume of off-topic messages, and
some complaint over the volume of messages in general, the vast majority of
personal email I have received has been complaining about the
aggressive/rude/negative posts that have crept in over the last few months.
I don't think it is necessary to do a poll on this but I will if enough
people think it's needed.

You may or may not be aware that the list is being moderated since
Monday.  I have appointed 6 new co-moderators to help me with this task.
Thank you to them for agreeing to help.  They are all well-known list
members that have been around from the early days.  They are (in
alphabetical order)...

Keith Doxey
Paul Gordon
Graham Howe
James Hoye
Ken Watt
Stuart Whyte

Moderating every message is a pretty thankless task so I will be turning
this off shortly. However, all the co-moderators have the ability and
authority to turn the list back to moderated mode at any time.

I am working on some "guidelines" which will be posted to
everyone in due
course. As I have said before I do *not* want this list to be ruled like
the
"newsgroup nazis".

So let's all regulate ourselves.  Before you post, take a minute to think.
See if your post is really necessary and is adding to the debate.  If you
strongly take issue with someone then email them off list.

The list has had some great quality threads since Monday.  Let's keep it up
people :)

Thank you.

Mark McCall
Moderator