 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
"Let's Meet the New Moderators! Here's Mark Anbinder!" |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"Let's Meet the New Moderators! Here's Mark Anbinder!" |
|
Greetings from Behind the Electrified Pencil folks... There are few things more important in the realm of the STARFLEET Listserver than understanding the people that you are dealing with. The STARFLEET Listserve is a mailing system that allows many people to receive a message sent by one person at the touch of a button. Naturally with this great service, comes the need to have someone "police" it and that is where our guests come in. Recently Mark and Donna Friesen were installed as the Listserve Moderators and we here at the AREA thought that it was time to "get to know them." So here, we present "A Chat with the Moderators..." Begin Interview with Mark Anbinder... * For those that don't know you, tell us who you are, where you live and what you do for a living (as a job, or have in the past as a job...) I'm a computer consultant in Ithaca, New York, solving technical problems and developing web sites and Internet services for my clients. I worked for a computer dealer for six years after college, but went into business with a friend in 1995. Meanwhile, I'm active in the local community non-profit radio station, as an on-air staffer (DJing, newscasting, and sportscasting), a part-time salesperson, and a member of the board of directors. My forays into local politics are fun, and I've got a great batting average! I don't plan on running for office myself, just helping friends and worthy candidates get elected. * What kind of schooling have you experienced in the past? I've got a bachelors degree in Linguistics from Cornell University. It doesn't apply directly to anything I do, though my background in languages can come in handy on the #starfleet IRC channel when we're invaded by non-English-speaking users! * Are you satisified with the education that you received? How does your education help you in being an Administrator on the STARFLEET Listserve? I suppose the various courses in Psychology I took as an undergrad come in handy in figuring out what's on people's minds, and how best to convince them to do what we want them to, or not to do what we don't want them to! * Most people will only know you as a ".sig line" and "the voice of reason" that sometimes chimes into a discussion on the listserve: What would you like people to know about you most? I tend to err on the side of giving people the benefit of the doubt, so I hope people realize that when I step in, I see things as having already gone too far. * Many things come to mind for people when you mention the word Listserve in STARFLEET Circles: What is your immediate thought? I cringe. "Listserve" isn't a word, and Listserv is a registered trademark for one company's mailing list server software -- which we're not using. :-) We're using a package called Majordomo, but for most folks, that should be irrelevant. Regardless of what software's being used, we're running a "mailing list." There are lots of folks who cringe when they think of STARFLEET-L for other reasons. I think recently it's been fairly calm and fairly productive, which is a testament not only to Donna, Allyson, Kurt and myself, but also to the many participants who've managed to tone down their posts in recent months. We're all still aware, though, that the opportunity for explosion lurks just below the surface; the last firestorm of complaint is only a few weeks in our past, when you get right down to it, and all it takes is one irritated member who isn't thinking before posting. * While the "personal loss of a loved one" or an event or issue in ones life is a shock to the system, one of the things that infuriate people on the Listserve, are "condolences" messages that go on endlessly. What do you feel people that wish to convey their condolences should do? This one's pretty easy, and while we try not to scold folks in public, I wish more people would pay attention to this rule. "Me too" messages just plain don't belong on STARFLEET-L, whether it's a follow up to a thank-you, congratulations, condolences, or get-well message. Follow ups need to go directly back to the specific person or people involved, or back to the poster of the message if no more suitable contact info is available. * The STARFLEET Listserve has been a hotbed for discussion in recent years. What is your policy on "following procedures and protocols of the listserve" in regard to "outbursts", etc etc (ie: First Strike, Second Strike, NO strikes, etc...) As I said above, I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. There are very few offenses that will get someone suspended from the list without warning, and these tend to be in the privacy arena. For example, posting someone else's private message, just once, will get a subscriber suspended. We'll generally tend to be lenient with first-time offenders for most minor issues, but it's important to listen when we say something. Subscribers who violate recently issued edicts, especially personal warnings, will get little patience from us. * What is your (current or past) pet peve of peoples behavior on the STARFLEET Listserve? "Me too" posts, "Hear, hear!" posts, and "I know I shouldn't post this here, but..." posts are among my biggest pet peeves. * And Finally....... * Tell us something about yourself that virtually noone else knows about you: I'm a slob. :-) By nature, I tend to acquire and not dispose of vast quantities of stuff. I picked this up from my parents, though my father is much better at LOOKING organized than I am. It requires constant vigilance to keep from accumulating more stuff, and I've been working very hard the last several months to declutter my home. After nine years in one apartment, you can imagine what it's like. Or maybe you shouldn't try!
|
AREA
52: All rights reserved. © COPYRIGHT 2006 This material may be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
only with permission granted from the AREA
52 Administrator. Thank you for your cooperation.
