The people who inhabit this list have traditionally always been very kind to
one another. If any small group of people were to gang up on someone on the
list with exceedingly derogatory comments, they would be immediately censured
by the great majority of this list's participants.

The same should be just as true of the reverse situation. Ad hominem comments,
either good or bad, are almost never a good idea. The personal comments that
have been made today, while I realize are part in jest and part heart-felt,
are probably doing the list as a whole some harm, and I have no desire to be a
part of that harm.

I think a more proper set of rules for the list ought to be: anything is open
for discussion, followed by polite agreement or disagreement, no matter how
vigorous, but comments about the authors themselves are strictly forbidden,
other than perhaps a polite thank you for taking the time to respond quickly
and accurately.

Wirt Atmar