[GSBN] Admin: Proposal for Non-posting subscribers

Mon Dec 12 10:10:12 UTC 2011

I think the concept of this change is excellent, Bill.  I like the changes in wording that Kim and Bruce have suggested.  Perhaps the term "natural building" might be included in the description, as well.  

I wonder if we can find a clearer way to describe this new initiative, that anyone may receive/read the activity of the list.  My concern is that "non-post mode" may not always get the idea across, especially to those for whom English is a second or third language.  Here is my stab at it:

The Global Straw Building Network (GSBN) is a private discussion list with publicly available archives [add live link to archives].  In addition, anyone may sign up to receive copies, via email, of all postings to GSBN.  [And right here in the text, we should have a live link to a webpage that will explain how people can sign up for this new "non-post" mode that Bill has proposed.  Then, back to Bill's wording, "It is composed..."]

What do you think?  

Derelict

Derek Roff
derek at unm.edu

On Dec 11, 2011, at 10:10 PM, kim thompson wrote:

> I want to shout (and whisper) what a fantastic step forward (I think) Bill's proposal is.... for all the good, the generous, the wise and the humble that GSBN collectively stands for. 
> Thank you for taking us there! 
> 
> Vis a vis comments on the notice for uninvited guests, the one flag I had was "other straw-use building materials..." how about environmentally responsible building materials and techniques... other thoughts???
> 
> kim
> 
> On 2011-12-12, at 12:28 AM, Bill Christensen wrote:
> 
>> I don't think I'd go so far as an Occupy GSBN movement... I'm not a fan of tear gas or confrontational techniques myself. ;-)  Besides, the only pigs at the straw construction trough are three little ones, and they're in the 99%.  
>> 
>> Here's what I've written for the rejection notice for posts from uninvited guests:
>> The ability to post to GSBN is by invitation only.  Any posts sent to the GSBN address from email addresses which have not been approved to post are automatically discarded.  
>> 
>> The Global Straw Building Network is a private discussion list with publicly available archives and the option for anyone to subscribe in non-post mode.  It is composed of representatives of regional organizations and other non-affiliated key individuals involved in the general advancement of straw-bale and other straw-use building materials and techniques. The intentionally small number of members range from highly experienced professionals to well informed laypeople.
>> 
>> Other discussion forums about building with straw exist elsewhere for those who are new to the process and/or to building techniques in general. Please see http://strawbale.sustainablesources.com or http://sustainablesources.com/resources/online-discussions/ to join them.  
>> 
>> Should you have further questions about the operation of GSBN, please contact the list maintainer/host at http://sustainablesources.com/about/contact-us/ 
>> 
>> I'm open to edits or feedback on all of this. 
>> 
>> 
>> On 12/11/11 9:58 PM, Maurice Bennett wrote:
>>> 
>>> The wider the audience the wider the acceptance of all that this group attempts to foster.  The membership should not be opened to one and all but the information certainly deserves to be available.
>>> 
>>> So are we advocating Occupy GSBN?
>>> 
>>> MHB
>>> 
>>> On Dec 11, 2011, at 04:50 PM, Bruce King <bruce at ecobuildnetwork.org> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Sounds like a great idea to me.  I don't remember writing or reading anything here that couldn't be made public.  And anyway, as you say we're all aware that once you send an email anywhere, it's public or at least findable.  
>>>> 
>>>> Let's not go hiding our torches or candles or sometimes teensy burning match ends under bushel baskets.  Let GSBN free!
>>>> 
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> 
>>>> Bruce King
>>>> bruce at bruce-king.com
>>>>  
>>>> (415) 987-7271
>>>> Twitter: @EBNetwork
>>>> bruceking.posterous.com
>>>> 
>>>> On Dec 11, 2011, at 3:12 PM, Bill Christensen wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Hi folks,
>>>>> 
>>>>> As y'all might know by now, the GSBN discussions are interesting and popular, not just with GSBN folks but with others in the straw building world as well.
>>>>> 
>>>>> We've long made the archives available to all.  Google and other search engines regularly crawl the archives, so they're easily searchable by putting "GSBN" and your topic in the search field.
>>>>> 
>>>>> But we also regularly get requests from non GSBN people who just want to be able to receive and read the emails and learn from them, without participating in the discussion.  I just got another compelling request the other day which caused me to re-think things.
>>>>> 
>>>>> Right now, GSBN is set up as an invitation-only list.  I'm the only one who can subscribe people.  If instead we changed the setup such that *anyone* can subscribe but only specific people (the current and future invited membership) can post to the discussion, with any other posts to the list getting rejected/returned to the sender, I think we can expand GSBN's influence.  The whole point is to spread knowledge of best practices, after all.
>>>>> 
>>>>> One change which would come from this is that those of us with multiple addresses would have to post from the correct one or we'll receive a rejection notice.  Up til now I've been getting a notice any time one of you does that, then going in and reviewing the message and manually approving them for publication to the list.  That won't happen any more.
>>>>> 
>>>>> The only other potential downside - and it's sort of a moot point since the archives are published automatically - is that we would want to watch what we say about specific problems with specific projects.  Not naming owners or builders or otherwise pointing fingers that could be followed by insurance companies or lawyers, for instance.  I think we're all pretty careful about that anyway as most of us have been on the internet long enough to know that no email is truly private.
>>>>> 
>>>>> I'm not attached to the decision either way but I'd like to hear some of your thoughts.
>>>>> 
>>>>> -- 
>>>>> Bill Christensen
>>>>> 
>>>>> <http://SustainableSources.com>
>>>>> 
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> GSBN mailing list
>>>>> GSBN at sustainablesources.com
>>>>> http://sustainablesources.com/mailman/listinfo.cgi/GSBN
>>>> 

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