Re: Topical Postings

[Christiane Cadrin <cadrinc -at- BERCLAIN -dot- COM>]

At 07:17 04/10/96 PDT, E. Ray wrote:

>TECHWR-L is for technical communication issues.

>That is,
>Grammar AS IT CLEARLY PERTAINS TO technical communication is
>        acceptable, while grammar for its own sake is not.
>Software AS IT CLEARLY PERTAINS TO technical communication is
>        acceptable, while software for its own sake or disconnected
>        from a technical communication application is not.
>Any other issues AS THEY CLEARLY PERTAIN to technical communication
>        are acceptable.

>Messages that do not fit any of the above categories are
>        NOT ACCEPTABLE.

I must say how surprised I am to read such a statement.  I am deeply
convinced that grammar is an acceptable topic of discussion, though I agree
that the since/because discussion was growing a bit too heavy!  But then
how about the numerous messages on salaries, acceptable or not and where?
Does this CLEARLY PERTAIN TO technical communication???
How are we to convey the technical part without language (including grammar
and usage)?


>As I've said before, I'm open to discussion of what constitutes
>an acceptable topic of discussion, but refuse to be bamboozled or
>railroaded by deliberately inflammatory messages from one subscriber
>into changing the fundamental purpose of this list.
[...]
>Quite frankly, I'm sick of the personal attacks, both
>on-line and off-line, and will not tolerate them any longer.

>I can and will remove people from the list for regularly
>flaunting the rules. (It's only happened once in the past three
>years, but I'll do it again if sufficiently provoked.)
>If I remove a subscriber for violating the rules,
>that subscriber will get a personal message from me stating
>that they were removed and why.

Talk about personal attacks!! Of all the lists I'm subscribed to, this one
is the only one to be so stern.  Mind you, it may prove to be an asset but
doesn't justify an outburst like Eric's.

Christiane