Newsgroup V. Mailing List (was alt.books.pynchon)

[davemarc]

At 02:45 PM 11/18/96 -0800, the Robot Vegetable wrote:
[snip]
>I am in despair these days over the state
>of rec.arts.books.  What was once a font of titles I had never heard
>of in the company of educated and witty discussion has become a slum
>of adolescent omphaloskeptic babblings wherein once may read for weeks
>without finding a book mentioned.  pynchon-l remains as the only place
>that I find enjoyment in the discussion of literature and its
>accouterments.
>
Robot Vegetable's concern is well-grounded.  But is the problem really that
of a newsgroup?  Isn't this mailing list just as vulnerable to
"deterioration"?  What would it take?  A few domineering and unpleasant
voices who repel and/or exhaust everyone else would probably do the trick in
a matter of weeks.  I realize that such a scenario is virtually
inconceivable in light of the high civility that predominates here.  But I
suppose it's still in the realm of the possible. 

The rec.arts.books that I know is a newsgroup where the regulars became
extremely cliquish and nasty toward newbies.  Flamebait was everywhere.  The
result was exceptionally unpleasant in comparison with other newsgroups I've
visited.  

I wonder if Jester's aware of bots or other programs that screen out likely
spams and other unwanted newsgroup messages.  I think I saw evidence of one
in the very pleasant nyc.food.

davemarc