At 1:17 AM -0400 8/2/02, Chuq Von Rospach is rumored to have typed:
> If my list rules DON'T tell them what they can and can't do, my bad.
I'm not certain I buy that argument. If you go on vacation to Yellowstone
and post photos from your trip onto your personal web page, and I want to use
one of those photos on my pages about geisers, I don't just take it because
you don't post a "Please do not steal these photos" disclaimer on your page.
It is expected that I would ask permission before using your material. Forget
copyright - it's just the polite and proper thing to do.
I don't have a sign on the front lawn saying, "Do not break into this
house while I'm gone," yet that doesn't prevent a break-in from being treated
as improper. I don't need to list on signage what may and may not be done
with my property; if it isn't yours, ask first.
But here the assumption appears to be, "if I may subscribe to a list, I
may do whatever I d*mned well choose to do with that list," and it's the
responsibility of the listowner to spell out in graphic detail what may and
may not be done with that list's information. I'd argue that, regardless of
the legalities (which lord only knows could get _really_ muddled depending on
the type of list, etc.), it's just plain impolite for someone to archive,
post, and gateway someone's list without asking permission first, no matter
how cool the technology (although I don't quite understand the coolness
factor here, since this has all been done before anyway).
All of the other reasons seem insignificant next to the complete lack of
netiquette in these archivers' missions. Seems to me the _only_ think they'd
need to do to have everyone here completely on-board is to set up a system of
permission-based archiving/gatewaying/whatever. Those listmasters who wished
to have their lists archived could do so by a simple confirmation; those who
didn't would need do nothing to keep these robots out. And those who feel the
pressing need to put everything to the list membership for discussion and
decision-making could do that as well..._everyone_ would be happy, or at
least everyone who's contributed so far to this discussion (I haven't seen
anyone yet who suggested that asking the listmaster's permission is a _bad_
thing). All of the reasons and rationals, for or against, would apparently be
satisfied by this one simple change of mindset and mission.
Charlie
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