> At 08:36 AM 6/3/98 -0700, Dr. Ernest N. Prabhakar wrote:
> >Ah, but you forget that FoRK's primary method of reproduction nowadays
> >is from people hitting the archive and being sucked in by one tidbit
> >or other. And that one of the reasons for the list's existence is to
> >explore the evolution of a electronic community in the fishbowl of a
> >public archive.
> >
> >Protecting the archive 'a priori' is equivalent to putting up a 'no new
> >members' sign. We'd only get people who already know someone else,
> >which is hardly any fun at all.
> >
> >Viva the new blood!
>
> I agree. A true community does not lock out potential residents (except
> for Beverly Hills). I think that putting all of the smarts in the mail
> server is the way to go.
Well again I have to disagree and I can see I have to explain why.
The reason to archive the list is two fold.
1) So we the list members can go to the archive to find useful past "bits"
2) So others can read the achive to see if they share a common mentality to
the other users of FoRK.
That being said, isn't the accepted rule of FoRK that the 97% are clueless?
So we're opening ourselves up for who? The clueless?
Let's take it a step further. Let's suppose a writer, or employer does a
web search for user@whatever.com and finds they post on FoRK. Are open
archives really worth it for someone to find out that Joe takes
antidepressants, that Janie has been called a slut and likes it, that
CobraBoy thinks Canada has produced nothing of value, that Rob seems to
have a slight emotional problem with Microsoft, that Ernie is a devout
Christian, that Rohit can't give it away, and on and on. I personally have
told Rohit that I would prefer my archived posts be passworded. Because I
am not CobraBoy. CobraBoy is a personna on FoRK. Clearly Elwood was a
pretty bright guy and he couldn't figure it out.
So that is my reason for wanting the archive passworded. As an added
benefit it does add an air of mystery to the list that the 97% that find it
will have to wonder what it is all about.
Tim
--Go sell crazy somewhere else, we're full up here. ...Nicholson
<> tbyars@earthlink.net <>