[OpenID] Mailing List etiquette question.

[David Nicol]

the general etiquete is to avoid me-too posts.  Another general rule is that
general rules are superceded by specific rules.  When the question is a show
of support or opposition to a proposal, brief yea/nays from all are acceptable.

The question of what to think of the silence following a substantial post to
a list -- was it so good that there was nothing to add, or was it so bad that
it was not worth pointing that out? -- is known as "Warnock's Dilemma"
after Brian Warnock, who succinctly described it on a perl 6 discussion list
in 2000.  (ever since I seem to be evangelizing the term, having gotten it
listed in Wired Jargon Watch for instance)

Warnock's dilemma is very similar, in human behavior terms, to the aspects
of human nature that allow all passerby to not intervene in ongoing violence
in urban settings, for instance.  There's a term for that too but it's been too
many years since I took that psychology course.


On 11/30/06, Scott Kveton <scott at janrain.com> wrote:
> +1.  Don't be shy to speak your mind.

> > As being one that often floats proposals to the list, I'd encourage people to
> > voice their opinions even if it is just agreeing with someone else.  With
> > silence it is hard to know if people agree with you, think you're crazy, don't
> > care, or haven't read it.

> > On the other hand, [posting a "me too"] almost seems like spamming the list

-- 
perl -le'1while(1x++$_)=~/^(11+)\1+$/||print'