Admin: What you guys want to do with the group

[Merlin Mann]

I've gotten lots of email and a couple posts on the board from people
who variously want membership re-opened, have offered to take over the
administration reins, or just want to discuss use of the board vs. the
group. This is good, but can we use this thread to keep it all in one
place?

Just to reiterate, I'll do whatever a majority of you all want with the
group as long as I get out of the spam patrolling business;
regretfully, I just have way too much on my plate right now to also
read/process every post in both places and still do the other things I
need to do without losing my marbles.

If a bunch of you want this to group break off and be moderated by a
few current members, that would be swell. I'm open to options.

I'd be grateful if we could gang that discussion here, though -- for
the same reason I can't maintain twelve separate email threads. :)
Cool? Cool.

So yes! Discussion. Good.

busier than I'd like right now,
/m

[John SJ Anderson]

> If a bunch of you want this to group break off and be moderated by a
> few current members, that would be swell. I'm open to options.

I've indicated my willingness to do this directly to you, so I'll toss
it on this thread too.

I agree with the idea that closing the list to new membership seems
like a slow-motion shutdown, and I'm willing to help out with whatever
to keep the list open and active.

cheers,
john.

--
genehack.org * weblog == ( bioinfo / linux / opinion / stuff )

[Mando Escamilla]

The mailing list has my vote.  Forums just aren't my bag, baby.

I'd be willing to put in some time to moderate new member requests and such.

--
Mando

[S. William Schulz]

I will also throw in my notice that I will help
moderate/patrol/whatever the group if that is what is needed.

I realize that Merlin is busy, and I would hazzard a guess that being
(too) busy is what brought many of us to GTD/43Folders in the first
place. I just find that email is significantly more efficient than
any forum software available, and I am always saddened when great
email groups make the switch for forum-format. I think I have a
callus on my right index finger from scrolling the mouse wheel :)

SWS

[Merlin Mann]

Thanks, for chiming in, man.

Yes -- I should have said, I made John a moderator and am open to
making a few others moderators as well. Definitely.

[arehrlich]

Although new to the group I have found it both incredibly interesting
and educational. If additional moderators are needed, I'll be happy to
assist.

Alan

[vlb]

Here's what I sent Merlin provately, added tyo the thread for
completeness:

I run several lists; I don't do much "admin" I;'m there to break up
arguments if any occur. Give me aa hint as to what you mean by
"administration". I'm happy to help.

Would you be willing to turn membership back on, with member moderation
(all of my lists are member moderated if members can post) and give me
(and/or a handful of other volunteers) owner/moderator privs?

I hate to see the board locked to new members. I think we could cut
back on spam if we moderate membership before postings. i.e.

Access settings
# Anyone can read the archive
# Members must be approved before joining
# Listed in directory
# Set a "Join this group" question

(p.s. I'm one of those people who never reads forums)

[Chris Lott]

I don't know if Google Groups has this option, but in other groups an
option that a new member had to have their first post approved worked
wonders at reducing spam...

c

[bill7tx]

I'm also busier than I'd like (haven't had a vacation in six years, but
who's counting?), so I can't realistically volunteer to help moderate.
However, I'd like to second vlb's ideas. I think that, together with
the number of moderator volunteers you seem to be getting, those access
settings will knock out the spam, and also make it possible to know who
the spammers are and to get rid of them quickly.

Bill

[Bob O'Malley]

Hopefully, Google has this feature, as it makes the Yahoo Groups I belong to relatively spam free and easy to eliminate if someone "tricks" their way thru.

 

I'd hate to see this group go away.  It is so much easier to manage these types of groups in a GTD fashion via email instead of forums.  Forums are great but take longer.  Email allows us to automatically keep these great informative emails out of our Inbox, but still get to read all new stuff whenever we get a chance!

 

Please don't close !

 

Thanks,

Bob O'Malley

 

[stevecooper]

I actually read this _as_ a forum. If you head to

<http://groups.google.com/group/43Folders>

You actually get the list presented as a forum anyway. Change your
membership options to 'no email' and treat it as a board. It's quicker
and easier to use than the official board, and gets more traffic.

[Daly de Gagne]

Chris' suggestion is a good one. That's what I do with my group. Since I
have been doing that the only spam that has made its way to the list is
from a few individuals who signed up before I started approving first
posts. I immediately delete the person who has posted it. Since
implementing the first post approval policy in October, I have found
perhaps 10 pieces of spam in first posts. I immediately delete the post
and the poster. One of your moderators could be in charge of approving
first posts, and deleting spam from people already on the list.

Daly

Chris Lott wrote:

--
Discuss and learn about David Allen’s Getting Things Done:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Getting_Things_Done/

[Giovanni Intini]

> I actually read this _as_ a forum. If you head to

Me too. I use 43Folders as a forum (a good looking one too).

[Philip Sharman]

a) That's the policy I use for the framescript-users group at Yahoo, and it
works well.

b) Regardless of whether that is possible with a Google group, I'm happy to
volunteer to help moderate the list.

c) I too prefer an email list format, so I'd like to keep it going if we
can.

Regards,
Philip Sharman.

[teri.p...@gmail.com]

I'd like to see it kept open, new members moderated, and maybe a few
helpful moderators for things like first posts. It's a good forum and I
like the idea of alternatives to Yahoo. Would be happy to help out any
way that I can.

[adi]

Merlin,

Consider this another moderator volunteer offer. I too would prefer if
the list remained open to new members. I've learned a lot from the list
and would have missed out if new membership had been shut off before I
joined!

Regards,

Adi Gadwale.

[jos...@gmail.com]

Even though I'd like to contribute to this group by moderating it, it
won't matter if I am not a moderator

[Vicki Brown]

I note that Google has (recently?) added the
Messages from new members are moderated
option to Google Groups.

Hooray!
--
- Vicki

ZZZ
zzZ San Francisco Bay Area, CA
z |\ _,,,---,,_ Books, Cats, Tech
zz /,`.-'`' -. ;-;;,_ http://cfcl.com/vlb
|,4- ) )-,_. ,\ ( `'-' http://heatercats.com
'---''(_/--' `-'\_) http://cfcl.com/vlb/weblog

[Ben Wilson]

Toss me in amongst the moderators.

[GTD Wannabe]

I've never done any list admin or moderating, but I'm willing to learn.
Count me in :)

[A. Pearce]

Merlin,
Looks like you need to find someone to stamp out a few tin
stars - seems lots of people love this format and will willingly serve
as your deputies - sheriff ( :) )

[MO]

You know I think there is something to be said about this clean google
interface that makes it so much more appealing than anything else. Add
to that the email options, and it is pretty slick and doesn't need to
show it. Much easier to read that the new forum. Too bad it didn't
offer more structure, built in spam filters, and editing. But I do like
it here, and will continue if it remains active. And I'll visit the
other one as well.

db
http://groups.google.com/group/The-Thread-That-Never-Ends?lnk=li

[Diego Zamboni]

Unfortunately, I can't volunteer to moderate, due to time constraints,
but I'd like to express my vote to keep the mailing list open and
active. I also find it very hard to consistently read forums (I get
this list in digest form, which makes it very easy to keep an eye on
what's going on).

Cheers,
--Diego

[Merlin Mann]

Okay: update!

Please say hello to your official moderators John SJ Anderson and Vicki
Brown; they are my sworn deputies, here to uphold order, poke people
with sticks, and kick spammers down flights of stairs. I'll leave them
as the two and only two moderators until such time as they say they
need help keeping up. (If he's into it, I'll also throw the title at
Robert Daeley as well, just because he's the official go-to consigliere
for the site family.)

I've also -- per Vicki's excellent suggestion -- set membership to be
open but moderated, with the inclusion of a simple question regarding
the new member's interest in joining the group.

Finally, I've set each person's first post to be moderated, so the
burden of being the first line of defense falls to the moderators, God
bless them.

Me? I'm going to put my feet up, sip a colada, and enjoy being an
occasional participant. Thanks for your input and opinions and
wonderful participation here. You guys have made this a very swell and
rich community. I'm glad it's going to keep being around.

[Michael O'Henly]

Great news! Thanks to John and Vicki.

M.
--
Michael O'Henly

-----Original Message-----
From: 43Fo...@googlegroups.com [mailto:43Fo...@googlegroups.com] On
Behalf Of Merlin Mann
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 3:52 PM
To: 43 Folders
Subject: [43F Group: 11627] Re: Admin: What you guys want to do with the
group

[Zura Beth]

Thank you to John and Vicky!! Although I rarely post, I read every
message and learn so much from you all!

Zura

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