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Subject: An Open Letter to Steven Schwartz

Author: Robert Henry Durrett

Date: 18:18:42 05/19/98


Steve:

(1) While reading the various posts associated with the selection of
moderators, I am impressed by the way you have handled the various
"challenges" to the need for some sort of censorship on CCC. (2) As a
newcomer to CCC [in the sense that my first post to CCC was 5-1-98, just
two and a half weeks ago] I am impressed by the fact that someone is
providing a server for CCC and is picking up the tab for the Internet
[and other] costs involved [since there is no membership fee]. Also, it
is clear that one or more people [yourself included] are devoting a lot
of their personal time to make CCC available. (3) Since "Your Move Chess
& Games" is advertised on every screen, it is natural for me to assume
that that the owners of that store are the financial sponsors of CCC.
The obvious motivation for their sponsorship would be to advertise their
products/services. (4) This must put you, AND the future moderators,
into a situation where your first loyalty MUST be to the sponsors. You
must not run off the potential customers, but still must keep the costs
of CCC within the sponsor's "budget." (5) The amount of space available
on "the server" seems to be limited. [Or, maybe, it is a matter of
time-sharing.] Possibly it is being shared with non-CCC users, or is
small and slow, but even the biggest and fastest dedicated servers will
fill-up eventually as CCC grows. There surely will be a limit to the
amount of money and other resources [i.e.. a "budget"] that the sponsors
will be willing to provide, which I presume will depend on their
perception of the amount of advertising benefit they are receiving from
their investment. If they think CCC is making them rich, then "the sky's
the limit" [maybe.] (6) The problem I had with rec.games.chess.computer
was presence of objectionable material [such as severe insults] which
seemed to pervade rgcc. In effect, rgcc "had gone to the dogs." The
widespread feeling that there was a need for a moderated rgcc was
evidently noted by someone in "Your Move Chess & Games" and they saw an
opportunity to do something which would simultaneously provide a public
service and also provide an advertising opportunity. Hence, I presume,
CCC was borne. (7) In summary, I see that you have a juggling act to
perform. Keep up the good work!

Note that the above blurb will surely fail to meet the requirements for
a post to CCC.  It is not about chess, computers, software, or any
combination.  So, I guess this message will be censored.

Hello, everybody!



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