[ripe-list] on the existence of this list: a suggestion

Hi all,

Having foolishly neglected to either register to attend this week's meeting in person or on-line (you can follow the stream without registering, but I don't think you can send questions to the mic line), I thought I would send some small thoughts about the question of moderation of this list to this list.

I would suggest that this list is used today for three main purposes:

1. Announcements;

2. Controversial topics and undesirable commentary that in recent times has often triggered active moderation;

3. Discussions about the operation, nature, purpose and value of the list itself, of which this e-mail is an example.

It seems to me that there are better ways of achieving (1) than an open mailing list; we would arguably be better off without (2) altogether and (3) only has value so long as the list in its current form continues to exist.

The days in which this list was used to advance the ideals of the community (and hence the Internet) in a practical, meaningful or operational way are long past, I think. Those conversations continue but they do not happen here. I think this is more likely to be a natural consequence of generational differences in the way that people communicate than a result of the way this list is implemented or operated.

Other communication platforms are widely used today (and have long been widely used) for conversations relating to the Internet, the RIPE community and the RIPE NCC. I do not think this list is a necessary prerequisite for accountability or transparency.

Unless people really think (2) and (3) have a value that exceeds the demonstrated cost of keeping this list alive, I suggest it should be closed. It's surely healthier for a community to adapt than it is to cling onto the past.


Joe