[wp-hackers] [meta-topic] Improving the S:N ratio of the list

[Charles]

> In light of the recent "signal to noise" discussion regarding the
> future of this list, will you two please STOP or take it offlist?
> This serves nothing.

Unless you're the List Mom, this kind of reaction tends to exacerbate the
problem.

I think you're great and this is not a ding on you, but it illustrates that
without a List Mom *everybody* who cares about the health of a forum feels
compelled to play that role.  This makes everybody nervous, and a healthy
list can't work that that way for long.

I've heard some people discussion cordoning off core developers into their
own area.  In my experience[1], popular lists can be managed without
segmenting people into n00bs and l33ts.  After all, today's n00bs are
tomorrow's l33ts, and n00bs are good at identifying issues that l33ts can
take for granted.

In my experience the best way to keep list quality high is through example
and peer-pressure, based on clear and consistent guidance/feedback from a
List Mom.

-- Charles

P.S.  I think I only ever banned one person, and that was because he
threatened my life and Apple security got involved.  I think this list is at
least a few days from that point.   :O)

[1] I was the List Mom of a couple a Apple lists with a few thousand
subscribers each for a few years.