Closing of INDOLOGY list

[Gunthard Mueller]

I fully concur.
It would be a great loss if the list came to a grinding halt
because of the regrettable recent incidents.
Some of the suggestions that were just made for ways of
preventing such trouble sound very reasonable.
Publicized identities might work.
Also, what if personal attacks and insults were to be
systematically rewarded by temporary
bans from the list? Or would it be a lot of hassle and
responsibility to enforce for any single list master I
wonder. Dominik might get personally attacked again if
he takes any measures. Maybe the burden could be shifted
to a committee of maybe three or four people
who would not contribute to the list for the duration
of their membership on the committee. Say, six
months. Then some form of public election of the
next committee members. The normal running of
the list could be done by Dominik, but if any temporary
shut-outs are to be enforced for the protection of the
list, they would be called for by the changing and
hopefully impartial committee.

It would be a pity if we lost this list.

Yours,
Gunthard






Harry Spier wrote:

> Dear list members,
>
> Dominik in his posting about closing the list talks about how the list gave
> access to the worlds best scholars in Indology.  Perhaps that is the most
> remarkable achievement of the list in making Indological Scholarship known
> and available to a wider public. That was certainly my experience when by
> accident I came across the list on the internet several years ago.  I have
> often been touched by the time and care that the ziSTas on the list give in
> sharing their knowledge.   Perhaps that is whats most offensive in the
> mudslinging, i.e. those against whom the mud is slung. No Professor or
> researcher or Phd student ever got tenure, recognition or a single penny by
> responding to an internet query, yet that is what they do again and again
> with knowledge and care and skill.  There is a sanskrit word for this - seva
> - service given without any self-serving motive .  My heartfelt thanks to
> Drs. Wujastyk, Deshpande, Vassilkov, Lopez, Witzel, Rao, Brockington, Smith,
>   Kochhar, Lehmann, Novetz, Knobl, Baumann, Torella, Dyczkowski,
> Mayer-Koneg, Zydenbos and Thompson (and many many more) for generously
> sharing their knowledge.
>
> I for one think it will be a great loss if the list closes down and I hope
> that does not occur.
>
> Harry Spier
> 371 Brickman Rd.
> Hurleyville, New York
> USA 12747
>
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