Re: [ga] Reducing the noise level

[Kent Crispin <kent@songbird.com>]

On Mon, Dec 20, 1999 at 10:46:32AM -0500, Dan Steinberg wrote:
> > You can send your mail from travel-net.
> 
> So I and the other people on vrx.net that also occasionally post to
> lists dealing with domain name issues are supposed to change our
> e-mail accounts just because you ask us to???? 

I wouldn't ask.  If you want to post, you post from an ISP that don't
condone what is obviously criminal behavior.  There are many such.  No
big deal.  Your choice. 

> .... We can debate this all you want but I
> doubt you will convince me that your need is sufficient for me to
> change the way I do business.  

Only list subscribers can post, anyway, and you are subscribed from
travel-net, obviously.  There is no change to the way you do business.

> In practical terms, the effect of filtering me is negligible since I
> rarely post here in the first place. I just raised the issue as a
> question of principle.

It is indeed a valid question of principle, and the remedy does not 
generalize.  However, NO GENERAL REMEDY IS AVAILABLE.  We don't have 
any external tribunal we can go to; there is no EFFECTIVE external due 
process or law that can handle the problem.  [Personally, I believe 
that Baptista has indeed done things that are illegal in some 
jurisdictions.  We are, however, faced with exactly the problems that 
the IP interests face in terms of *effectively* enforcing laws 
concerning intellectual property rights.]

Given that we have no effective external remedy, then, we are forced to 
come up with whatever ad-hoc remedies we can.  

> I would also like to point out that as usual,
> people dealing with the noise level manage to send almost as many
> messages about dealing with the noise as the actual noise they
> perceive in the first place and this post is in itself a contribution
> to the noise level.

Of course they do -- the original noise is on the common communication
channel where the decisions about how to deal with noise must be made. 
They have no other way to deal with the problem.  If we went off and 
made a decision somewhere else the noise concerning "open and 
transparent processes" would be deafening, and you would be right there 
with the rest of them.

That is part of the effect of such noise sources. 

-- 
Kent Crispin                               "Do good, and you'll be
kent@songbird.com                           lonesome." -- Mark Twain