18347: Corbett replies to Dorce on anonymous posts

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

Folks,

I posted Dorce's disagreement with anonymous on the news report since it
expresses a view on why she is not willing to give credence to the report.
That view seems fair enough.

However, what is not up for discussion is the question of whether or not
people may post anonymously on the list.  That's a decision of the list
moderator -- me -- and I made that decision 10 years ago and stick with
it.  It is not up for discussion.  That's my decision and it's made.

In the main it's really a non-issue.  Over the years I have learned from
so  many many of you that you don't use your own name anyway.  You either
use an e-mail log-on name which isn't your name at all, or you have an
alias for the list.  When one subscribes to the list no NAME is
subscribed, merely an e-mail address.  I have absolutely no access to the
list at all.  I purposesly set it up that way with Webster U. in 1999 when
I moved the list to their server.  I don't even want to know who is on the
list and I don't want access to the list, and I don't want the list on MY
computer.  It is none of those things.  It is on the Webster server and I
have no access to it at all.

I did agree a few years ago to add the name of the poster to the subject
line.  First the number, then the sender (either the name the person uses
or the e-mail name).  Then the topic.  You are free to delete any posts
from any sender whom you come to recognize you don't want to read.

Thus if posts from "anonymous" are ones you don't like, no problem.
Delete them and get on with it.

You are left with judging the post by its internal content.  You don't
have "authority" to give you help in that regard.

Bob Corbett