Humanely Wielding a Clue By Four

Reflections on Managing a Massive Mailing List

Eric A. Meyer

Complex Spiral Consulting

Mailing Lists: The Original Usenet

• There have been mailing lists for decades now on every topic imaginable
• Unmoderated lists have, traditionally, been as unruly and noisy as unmoderated Usenet groups
• Can a mailing list (large or otherwise) be kept civil, useful, and focused?
• Is there an upper size limit for a mailing list?

The First Year

• Announced to the world on Thursday, 24 January 2002
• Interest was immediately off the hook
  • 300 subscribers in the first four hours
  • 700 subscribers in the first 24 hours
  • 1,031 subscribers in the first week
• By year's end, traffic was crushing the server
• Set up css-discuss.org and migrated over to evolt UK servers on 8 December 2002

Traffic Levels

The List Today

• Source of the insanely useful css-discuss wiki
• 5,928 subscribed addresses (and the list is pruned)
• Averaged about 60 messages per day in Q1 2005
• Tended to by four moderators and the List Chaperone

The Rules of the Road

“I really only ask two things of list members: that they stay on topic, and that they respect their fellow list members.”

—List Chaperone Eric Meyer, 1 January 2005

• Too touchy-feely? More detailed list policies are laid out on the web site, and the URL is sent to every new subscriber
• Other communities have adopted the same policies

Set An Example

• Have a mission and scope clearly in mind, and act vigorously to continually define and defend them
  • The person in charge gets to decide what's off topic; don't be afraid to define the lines
• Whatever you do on the list, others will follow suit
  • A flame-throwing administrator will have a flame-filled list
  • When others follow your lead, they'll serve as examples to still others
• Whoever's running the show needs to be a regular participant as well as the Big Cheese
  • On-list course corrections and adminisrative reminders can happen as a part of that participation

Direct Corrections

• Respond to violations of list policies, even minor ones
• Praise in public; admonish in private (when possible)
• Having a pre-written set of gentle admonishments can be very helpful

  “I'm writing you offlist to request a change in your quoting policy. The practice of quoting most (or all) of a message unnecessarily inflates message sizes, and drives up traffic as well as makes life more difficult for digest readers.”

  —excerpt of a css-discuss form letter

• People are more willing to listen if you aren't faulting them in front of others

Be a Benevolent Dictator

• The person in charge of the list has to have the final say and be willing to enforce it
  • A mailing list is neither a democracy nor an anarchy... unless the person in charge allows it
• If a member gets too disruptive, don't be afraid to place them under moderation
• Know what constitutes reason to be kicked or banned from the list, and stick to it!
• Exercise authority only when necessary; avoid power tripping at all costs

When It Gets To Be Too Much

• When community interest attacks!
• Take stock of your involvement from time to time
  • Are staying on top of administrative chores?
  • Are you staying involved on the list?
  • Are you still setting a good example?
• Consider appointing moderators or co-adminsitrators to help spread the work around
• If you just don't care any more, think seriously about appointing a successor and stepping aside

In Summary

• Embrace benevolent dictatorship
• Be involved in the list
• Set an example for the list members
• Praise in public; admonish in private
• If you're drowning, either get help or step aside

Thanks!

It's been a pleasure. Questions? Let me know!