I would ask that the guidelines for posting on this thread be reconsidered (sysop,post the guidelines in this thread please). We now have a thread for y2k prep only. Ive been there and its great. We needed the separation of opinion and strict y2k prep. So now we have a thread open to all opinion. We as individuals, with differing opinions, that may or may not have direct relevance to y2k, have enjoyed the opportunity to express ourselves and ponder the opinions of those who have differing views. I have been more guilty that the average when it comes to posting OT. Yet from those posts Ive developed an awareness of the stand of others that I can not get anywhere else. This forum is a national treasure for those who feel there words fall on deaf ears. Here they have a place to stand and say This is what I think. Those of like mind will stand and say me to! Those with differing views do likewise for their cause. This is the single most important quality of democracy.

Thank you, GBA

Dianne? Russ?................?

-- Mike (midwestmike_@hotmail.com), July 08, 1999

Answers

Here here!

There was a thead, that Said. If you do not believe that Y2K will be >7 THEN DO NOT POST.

Well this forum is a place where doomers and Pollys can talk, with a doomer trend abet, but it is about the discussion.

Will it be a 10(not) will it be a 7(shrug) will it be a 3(shrug) I don't know, you don't "KNOW" Lets talk about it.

I like freedom of Speech. (I never saw it, mr Pe)

-- No (Problem@All.com), July 08, 1999.

Under Ask A Question TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000)

Post a New Message

This forum has become exceedingly busy in the past couple of months, and there is a great deal of duplication of questions and answers. This makes it difficult for visitors to sort through the blizzard of postings to find something useful.

PLEASE check recent questions and postings before you decide to post a new question of your own.

TimeBomb 2000 Forum Posting Guidelines:

 Y2K--preparation and related issues--are recommended discussion topics
 Challenge posts with facts or reasoned arguments--try to avoid flames
 If you have nothing of Y2K value to say--lurk dont post
 Post using your own name or handle--stealing may result in deletion
 Once 3-5 regular posters request DELETE--pointless threads may be removed
 Refrain from using profane/obscene language--or post will be deleted
 Dont feed the trolls--please
 Delete assessment of TBY2K SYSOP(s)--is final

Problems? Help? Notify Moderators or Sysops at: y2ktimebomb2000@yahoo.com

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.

Under the..

NEW!!!

TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Preparation Forum (Y2K Prep Only Discussions)

http:// www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a.tcl?topic= TimeBomb%202000%20%28Y2000%29%20Preparation%20Forum

Under Ask A Question TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Preparation Forum

Post a New Message

PLEASE check recent questions and postings before posting a new question to avoid duplication.

TimeBomb 2000 Preparation Forum Posting Guidelines:

 Y2K preparation issues and discussion topics only, please
 We ask that vendors refrain from posting direct information about their products and services
 Post using your own name or handle
 Challenge posts with facts or reasoned arguments and avoid flames
 If you have nothing of Y2K prep value to say, lurk, dont post
 The ABOUT section contains links and FAQs
 The PUBLISHER section will link up to a Y2K Recover web-site soon
 Profane/obscene language will be deleted
 Disruptive posts will be deleted
 Delete assessment of Prep Forum SYSOP(s) is final

Problems? Help? Notify Prep Sysops at: y2krecover@yahoo.com

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.

Havent we sort of beat this issue to death, Mike?

BTW, I expect traffic on Forum Classic to decline due to the split with the Prep Forum and perhaps a slow summer... unless NEWS hits... then expect a flurry. Or not.

In the fall, at least, the need for awareness, with a capital "A" will likely revive... big time. As will the last minute prep advice needs.

Been thinking the two Forums are rather like the Yin and the Yang of Y2K.

Yin = Preps
Yang = Awareness

Both provide balance.

Also it illustrates more "Female/Yin and Male/Yang" energy, reversed.

At least one Sysop for TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) is Female, me, moderating the Yang Forum (Sysop #2 prefers to remain anonymous), and two Males BigDog and Chuck Rienzo are moderating the Yin-like TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Preparation Forum.

Balance in all things.

You will get a chuckle though, hope its okay to mention, just too cute not to share...

A poster sent me an e-mail:

Last night, after scanning through the classic forum, and getting some mighty good info I might add, great recap on the midnight thread...then I topped off the evening heading for the relaxation and kinder/gentler atmosphere of the prep forum...well...I kind of felt guilty leaving you behind...Sort of like in college (oh, so many years ago) and heading home after a night of reckless abandonment and bar hopping with the ladies, and thinking, I have forgotten something...can't remember...what was it...then slowly retracing steps, lets see...

OH MY GOSH WE LEFT DIANE AT THAT BIKER BAR!!!

;-D

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.

you COWARD,S have been trying to censor good ole al fur'JESUS will punish you rear engine rider,s#i,d could kic all your ass,s**

-- yur-pal-al. (dogs@zianet.com), July 08, 1999.

al-d (or whatever else you choose to call yourself), et. al.... as I said earlier...

About the TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) Forum

Founded by computer expert and noted author, Ed Yourdon:

This forum is intended for people who are concerned about the impact of the Y2000 problem on their personal lives, and who want to discuss various fallback contingency plans with other like-minded people. ...

You are free to leave. NO ONE is chaining you to this forum. Except you.

Or start your OWN Forum. Go here...

http:// www.greenspun.com/bboard/index.tcl

Its easy. Under Actions select...

 Add New Topic (i.e., add a new discussion board)

And... If you're interested in how this software evolved and/or want to learn how to build similar systems yourself, then you should read Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing.

http://photo.net/wtr/thebook/

Invite YOUR friends.

Nuf said.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.

If I hear one more doomer say "Nuff said" I am going to shoot myself.

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 08, 1999.

Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said Nuff said

-- bwahahahahahaha (doomer@poison.nuffsaid), July 08, 1999.

...at least THAT imposter was funny...

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 08, 1999.

Diane-

No offense but, why do you even bother tacking up these "TimeBomb 2000 Forum Posting Guidelines"? As is evidenced by hundreds of posts here, neither the forum regulars nor the forum moderators pay any attention to them.

I can appreciate the original intent of posting "guidelines, but when they are compared to what actually goes on around here they have become something of a joke wouldn't you say?

-- CD (not@here.com), July 08, 1999.

CD,

Guidelines are just that... "guide" lines... not "rules."

It also means that when something needs to be invoked, the "guidelines" are there for support, and will hopefully mitigate the claims of CENSORSHIP.

When Ed Yourdon originally started the forum, it was essentially, self-moderating.

Occasionally, WHEN SOMEONE E-MAILED ED, pointing out that something required a delete, he did so. We're are trying to continue that light level of moderating... sans "disruptors" would be nice.

If you don't like it here CD... leave.

If Y2K Pro doesn't get the "attention" he would like when someone "steels" his handle, he is welcome to e-mail a delete request. None of us has time to view or even post to every thread. I sure don't. And to monitor who posts, under what name, is absolutely pointless and a TOTAL waste of energy... unless someone poses a "real" problem. Then we'll look into it.

The specific guideline...

 Post using your own name or handle--stealing may result in deletion

Means just that... "MAY result in deletion." No more, no less.

Frankly, I have ZERO compassion for Y2K Pro and his ilk.

He/she has contributed almost nothing of value to the Y2K discussion here, he/she constantly badgers and heckels, to which *some*, not all, regular posters respond with flames and counter-heckles.

Y2K Pro is welcome to leave too. Or start his/her own forum.

Is this "fair?" No. It doesn't have to be.

Get over it, or depart. Your choice.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 08, 1999.

Thanks Diane. That was very enlightening.

Now, about those guidelines.. Perhaps it may be useful to the new visitors if you tacked your explanation onto the "TimeBomb 2000 Forum Posting Guidelines". That would surely help prevent them from making the same assumption I did. After all, we wouldn't want them questioning if the guidelines aren't something of a joke now would we. Besides, you're way too busy to explain to each newbie that if they don't like it they can get over it or leave.

By the way, didn't MidwestMike sorta invite comments on the "guidelines" subject when he put up this thread? Or did I just misunderstand?

-- CD (not@here.com), July 09, 1999.

Comment away CD.

"That would surely help prevent them from making the same assumption I did."

And what assumption was that?

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 09, 1999.

Diane wrote:

"That would surely help prevent them from making the same assumption I did."

And what assumption was that?

Well Diane, don't mean to sound sarcistic here, but I clearly made the wrong assumption in believing these guidelines were taken seriously by the moderators.

As an example of what I mean, let's take a look at just one of the "guidelines" - "Refrain from using profane/obscene language-- or post will be deleted". It doesn't say "might be deleted. It doesn't say "may" be deleted. It clearly states *WILL* be deleted. Throw a dart at any thread on this forum and see if the moderators have deleted profane/obscene language from it as is stated in the guidelines. Now then, do you believe that my assumption that the moderators do not take these guidelines seriously is unfounded? Do you think a newbie might assume the same thing? Do you think a newbie might also assume these guidelines are just a joke? Granted, they may not voice it in a post. (The upside to that for you is you won't need to tell them to "get over it or leave".)

I hope this answered your question

-- CD (not@here.com), July 09, 1999.

The Squire said:

"Frankly, I have ZERO compassion for Y2K Pro and his ilk. "

Translation:

Those that are not part of the Cult of Doom are fair game. The rules only apply to the pollys not FOR the pollys. This is called Doomer logic...

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 09, 1999.

Off

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 09, 1999.

Diane,

How about striking the "don't feed the trolls" statement? You have never adequately defined "troll." Many of my posts (even those on moderate preparation) have been rejected as "trollish." This characterization has nothing to do with the content of the post, and everything to do with personal opinion of the author. You have your "preps" forum. Why not drop the inflammatory langauge?

Regards,

-- Mr. Decker (kcdecker@worldnet.att.net), July 09, 1999.

Ken,

Troll

http://whatis.com/troll.htm

As used on the Internet:

1) As a verb, the practice of trying to lure other Internet users into sending responses to carefully-designed incorrect statements or similar "bait." In a real example, a Usenet newsgroup contributor mentions the discovery of an ancient African carving containing a list of prime numbers. The contributor further lists some of the prime numbers found and includes some numbers that, in fact, are not prime numbers. Other contributors then send serious replies, correcting the list of prime numbers cited. The originator of the troll then announces that so-and-so has been "hooked."

2) Also as a verb, as a synonym for "surf."

3) As a noun, in emulation of the small mischievous figures of Scandinavian legend, a figure (or one of a group of figures) that you can pretend to be in the chat groups and games called MUDs and MOOs and their variations.

Sources: Eric S. Raymond (compiler). The New Hacker's Dictionary, MIT Press, (1996) The Wall Street Journal, May 22, 1996, page A13

-- Wilferd (WilferdW@aol.com), July 09, 1999.

Someone passed this along in another e-mail:

Amazon Books says: "This is an Internet classic! Featured on CNN, PBS, and the BBC!!"

An interesting tidbit on netiquette...

"Censorship" on the net

http://www.albion.com/netiquette/book/0963702513p79.html

[snip]

One of the remedies noted above for errant flamers is appealing to the culprit's sysadmin or to the newsgroup moderator to have network privileges revoked. This will no doubt elicit cries of "censorship!" from some. Sorry. Currently, no network service that I'm aware of is run as a democracy. While scorn is rightly heaped on such services as Prodigy -- which monitor discussion group content ruthlessly for anything that could be construed as remotely offensive -- there is such a thing as Going Too Far in almost any group. Privately owned and managed groups do have a right to monitor and censor their contents.

[snip]

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 09, 1999.

Translation:

It's my ball and I get to make the rules.

-- Y2K Pro (2@641.com), July 09, 1999.

die ann seems to be a teensie bit cranky today. please try to be kind to her. i know her to be a patient, open-minded sort who is probably just having an off day. that is all.

a nuf said kis to ya sweetie.

-- corine l (corrine@iwaynet.net), July 09, 1999.

Pro, doncha just hate it?

-- tee (hee@hee.hee), July 09, 1999.

Ken Decker, CD and Y2K Pro, et. al.,

Sorry, but we... the Moderating team... and myself, will place far more weight on guideline comments coming from long-time forum participants in the Y2K discussions ranging here (as we did when Ed said Sayonara), than on a group of acknowledged, nit-picking and/or heckling "pigwidgeons" who hang out the De Bunker web-site, and are constantly nattering and flaming us and are also trying to shut this forum down on the MIT server.

Just the way it is. You can leave, if you don't like it. Your choice.

Diane

Back to Y2K.

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), July 09, 1999.