Re: [tlug] [RFC] Proposed method for TAGGING subjects

[Shawn <javajunkie@example.com>]

HI,
>  One reason
> many experts drifted away was because of moderately silly threads like
> this one.  It's the bikeshed thing. 

Bikeshed def from bsd:

In FreeBSD parlance, the word is a derogatory term that refers to any
oft-recurring discussion about a particular subject; in particular, it
is most often used to refer to a topic which has never reached a
consensus within the FreeBSD community, and instead remains
controversial. 

Parkinson (the coiner of the term) shows how you can go into the board
of directors and get approval for building a multi-million or even
billion dollar atomic power plant, but if you want to build a bike shed
you will be tangled up in endless discussions.

More generally, a bikeshed is a topic that will tend to generate
immediate meta-discussions and flames if you have not read up on their
past history.

Ok, my thought:

If this is the reason why people left, then would it be possible to tag
summaries of these (bikeshed type) discussions so that if they arise
again, the history behind them would be more available by searching?
You could call the responsibility to make a summary a punishment doled
out by the list-master to people who incite flamewar.  There would
likely be two sides flaming so both would get included fairly in the
summary (with the listmaster deciding who instigated and who has to draw
the first draft).

Whether the amount of work in just this or tagging everything is worth
it, I defer to others to decide.  My motivation in this proposal is just
the entertainment value is seeing what Josh doles out and his rationale
behind it.

Shawn