What next

[Gunthard Mueller]

Dear Dominik and other friends --

Profs. Fosse and Ruzsa--
I don't think that the interested public should be
prevented from asking serious questions on the
list. I think many valuable contributions were
in response to such questions, and they are the
reason for why the informed public is interested
in the list resources that have accumulated.
Professionals tend to ask themselves insider
questions, like references for books etc., which
are important, but not very exciting. One should
also not forget that professionalism is no guarantee
for decency. Let me just remind everybody of
the bickering or outright warfare that went on
between Weber-Aufrecht, Rudolph Roth-Max Mueller
etc. etc.; it does exist nowadays also...

I think the main problem is --as I think Prof Fosse
also implied just now-- the fact that Dominik is
thinking about stopping, i.e. the lack of a moderator
or moderating committee.

So I am wondering if I should offer to host
a non-Yahoo continuation of the list in case Dominik
really doesn't want to continue?
I could put it on one of our servers. The software
is in place any way. I would just have to have it
activated.
I was anyway planning to set up something
for Shrivaishnavism specially.

We could try together to set up a rotating committee
system for decency (sounds ominous, but obviously
necessary in view of what happened),
and run it like a gentlemen's (and of course
ladies') club, say like the Bangalore Club.
Membership to the character-wise
privileged only... Applications to be screened
and approved on probation.
Member identities and addresses to be public
within the list.
Discretion of a rotating committee to cancel or
suspend membership on decency basis, or on
the basis of other disturbance factors. For example
if somebody really sends truly abysmal nonsense,
we could suspend membership until he proves he
has swallowed an intelligence pill...
Periodic touch-base with everybody to
see if they are happy with the way the "club"
is being run...
Before start-up, a call for suggestions,
drawing up a wish-list, seeing if it's possible
timewise. Maybe the burden should be
shouldered by several? I wonder if I am offering
more than I can handle on the side. Maybe if
we make it a bit democratic I don't have to
work too much... :-|

I don't know--ideally I would still prefer Dominik
to continue. And maybe a Yahoo list IS enough.
Please let me know everybody.

 Yours,
Gunthard