Post by thread:[OT] [ADMIN] A good old post

Dear List Admins, If possible, please redefine what is [OT] and what is not allowed. Thanks. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Olin Lathrop <spam_OUTolin_piclistTakeThisOuTembedinc.com> Date: Mar 20, 2007 7:42 PM Subject: Re: [PIC] [ADMIN] A new topic tag has been added - [ARM] To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <.....piclistKILLspam@spam@mit.edu> Russell McMahon wrote: > Funny how such an unimportant area of such little interest [ :-) ] can > get a new tag at the drop of a hint whereas really important > additions, such as a better delineation of ... OT / TECHO / EE / ... > meets with, literally, years of explanation of how it can't be done, > too much load on the system, too much load on the admin, too hard for > people with PICList level intelligence to understand etc :-) I don't think it's funny at all, just common sense. ARM is a clearly deliniated topic. Your TECHO, new definition of EE, WOT, or whatever else are too vague. The definition is largely up to each individual, which will create a mess. I wouldn't know which ones to subscribe to and would probably regularly complain about abuses. Then we'd have frequent threads like "That was OT, you moron", "No it wasn't, are you the only living brain donor or something?", etc. It also occurs to me that your main objective is to allow for dumping even more off the wall posts onto the list. Why should MIT or anyone else pay for bandwidth for WOT? That would be a bunch of useless babble between excessively bored get-a-lifers. Aren't there already lots of web forums for Kaffee Klatsches? Obviously we need a set of clearly defined topic tags that everyone can understand: [ARM] - For ARM architecture microcontrollers, problems with your elbow, and questions about how to throw a baseball better. [EE] - Electrical enginneering. [ELEC] - Everything engineering less electrical, except of course when it applies to ARM microcontrollers, problems with your elbow, or how to throw a baseball better. [TECH] - General technology, although directly engineering related is verboten since that is covered by ELEC and EE. Science is OK, but it better not be applied else it is engineering. It's OK to talk about how something works, but not how to build one else you will be unsubscribed immediately. [TECHO] - Technology overflow. Sorta like TECH, except more broad with a tighter focus, but definitely not engineering (mostly). The rules are more lax that TECH. Offenders will get FIRST WARNING, then SECOND WARNING, then some number of Nth WARNING before being unsubscribed. The Nth WARNINGs are to make it easier for admins so they don't have to keep count past 2. [TECHNO] - No technology allowed. If technology is mentioned, it must only be while discussing superstions or religious beliefs about it, although direct discussion of religion is of course totally banned. Offenders discussing religion are immediately excommunicated from the list. [OT] - Other topics. Everything that doesn't fit in any of the above or below topics. [RUSSEL] - Brief discussion and links to the dregs from recent web surfing. [PIC] - Deprecated. Messages to this topic are automatically forwarded to the Microchip Forums. There is no point duplicating effort and splitting the PIC community into two online forums. Besides the extra bandwidth from PIC may cause MIT to pull the plug on the list altogether, and then there'd be no place left to argue about who is really a space alien or whether it is better to use assembler or have broccoli for dinner. ******************************************************************** Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, http://www.embedinc.com/products (978) 742-9014. Gold level PIC consultants since 2000.

On Dec 8, 2007 9:58 AM, Xiaofan Chen <xiaofancKILLspamgmail.com> wrote: > Dear List Admins, > > If possible, please redefine what is [OT] and what is not allowed. Thanks. > BTW, the following quick FAQ section does not even have the [ARM] tag which was added sometime ago. http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist/index.htm#quickfaq "[OT] - .....piclistKILLspam.....mit.edu?subject=[OT] This label is for posts that are completely off the topic of PICs and engineering. The only thing we don't (ever) want to see are religious, hate, or political messages." What will be considered as political? As Russel mentioned, how can you avoid politics in some of the [OT] topics (eg: those with [WOT] added features)? "[EE] - EraseMEpiclistspam_OUTTakeThisOuTmit.edu?subject=[EE] This label is for topics that, while not necessarily about PICs, are of general interest to the Embedded Engineering community. How to hook something up to a microcontroller or other computer (not related to the PIC on board peripherals), how to measure something, how something works, news about companies involved in EE, etc..." Does Computer/IT related issues (Linux/Windows, etc) considered as [EE]?

??? As per http://www.piclist.com/techref/piclist/index.htm for a long time now... I just added "(unprovable beliefs)" after "religion" since I think that is a more clear definition of what religion is in my mind anyway. Let me know if that makes sense. The rest of this was already there... [PIC] - piclist at mit.edu?Subject=[PIC] This label is for posts that are strictly on the topic of PICs. If the subject is not PIC specific, please use another tag. Some examples of [PIC] topics are: MPLAB or other PIC language questions, on chip peripherals, how to do some sort of thing in PIC assembly language or other PIC specific languages, "how do I...on a PIC". [SX] - @spam@piclist at mit.edu?Subject=[SX] Items specific to the Scenix SX microcontrollers [AVR] - KILLspampiclist at mit.edu?subject=[AVR] Items specific to the Atmel AVR microcontrollers [EE] - RemoveMEpiclist at mit.edu?subject=[EE] This label is for topics that, while not necessarily about PICs, are of general interest to the Electronics Engineering community. How to hook something up to a microcontroller or other computer (not related to the PIC on board peripherals), analog circuitry, how to measure something, how something works, news about companies involved in EE, etc... [OT] - spamBeGonepiclist at mit.edu?subject=[OT] This label is for posts that are completely off the topic of PICs and engineering. The only thing we don't (ever) want to see are religious (unprovable beliefs), hate, or political messages. [BUY] - TakeThisOuTpiclist at mit.edu?subject=[BUY] People looking for parts, equipment, or consultants should use this topic. [AD] - RemoveMEpiclist at mit.edu?subject=[AD] This is for advertisements of a commercial product or service. Don't spam, do post [AD] Don't use more than one topic tag. If you are selling something PIC related, limit your posts to new product announcements or replies to other members questions and always add [AD] to the beginning of the subject line. CONTENT: The body should - be in plain text, not HTML. (see: email formats for more information) - be a detailed description of the problem in as few words as possible. - If you have a web page, post a verbose description of the problem to it and put the full URL of that page in your post (include the ) along with a summary of the problem. - include what you are trying to do (overall), what you expected to have happen at this point, what you are seeing, and how you are seeing it (what test equipment, etc...) - Include specific part numbers, code snippets (not the full source, please), and signal descriptions. Finally, read your message over again, check the subject line and press send. You may not see your message echoed on the PIClist, and it may take more than a day before anyone responds since most people only read their PICList mail once a day and they are all over the world. If no one responds after a few days, read the rest of this page, and Myke Predko's general list guidelines at http://www.piclist.com/../listguide, rethink your post and add a "Nobody responded to my last post, what am I doing wrong?" to the beginning and send it again. -- James Newton {Original Message removed}

> I do not think that post is silly at all... It's actually MEANT to be silly. By the writer. Some doesn't translate well into other cultures or languages. (Note that that is not intended as a negative comment about anything !!!!) Starts out half OK. But, you need to read on to find the real, and intended, silliness. This is Olin in the flights of high humour. He even manages it quite well sometimes ;_) ____________ > [ARM] - For ARM architecture microcontrollers, problems > with your elbow, and > questions about how to throw a baseball better. elbow? > [ELEC] - Everything engineering less electrical, except of > course when it > applies to ARM microcontrollers, problems with your elbow, > or how to throw a > baseball better. baseball? > [TECH] - General technology, although directly engineering > related is > verboten since that is covered by ELEC and EE. Science is > OK, but it better > not be applied else it is engineering. It's OK to talk > about how something > works, but not how to build one else you will be > unsubscribed immediately. unsubscribed immediately -> sarcasm / cunicism - said with a wry grin. {Quote hidden}> [TECHO] - Technology overflow. Sorta like TECH, except > more broad with a > tighter focus, but definitely not engineering (mostly). > The rules are more > lax that TECH. Offenders will get FIRST WARNING, then > SECOND WARNING, then > some number of Nth WARNING before being unsubscribed. The > Nth WARNINGs are > to make it easier for admins so they don't have to keep > count past 2. Broad & tighter together ... A dig at the admins ... > [TECHNO] - No technology allowed. If technology is > mentioned, it must only > be while discussing superstions or religious beliefs about > it, although > direct discussion of religion is of course totally banned. > Offenders > discussing religion are immediately excommunicated from > the list. Sarcasm of sorts - with an indication or religious understanding thrown in. > [OT] - Other topics. Everything that doesn't fit in any > of the above or > below topics. Nonsense comment or nul set. > [RUSSEL] - Brief discussion and links to the dregs from > recent web surfing. Mild slingoff at me (highly acceptable ;-) ). {Quote hidden}> [PIC] - Deprecated. Messages to this topic are > automatically forwarded to > the Microchip Forums. There is no point duplicating > effort and splitting > the PIC community into two online forums. Besides the > extra bandwidth from > PIC may cause MIT to pull the plug on the list altogether, > and then there'd > be no place left to argue about who is really a space > alien or whether it is > better to use assembler or have broccoli for dinner. Cynicism, sarcasm, a bit of hurt feelings showing. > ******************************************************************** > Embed Inc, Littleton Massachusetts, > http://www.embedinc.com/products > (978) 742-9014. Gold level PIC consultants since 2000. The good oil!!! Russell