This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban list. I then told him why. He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, I will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what you have done". Should I take this further, and if so, how? Carl Hommel

Carl, only one list. (NYTompki) You could have done better job than that. A mere reminder of one aspect of AUP, do not mention the prices. Fine to list books and request contact off list for inquiries about the prices. He was trying to sell what he had in his own book collection to make room or maybe moving to a smaller residential place. W. David Samuelsen On 9/29/2012 1:19 PM, Carl Hommel wrote: > This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message > offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with > prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban list. > I then told him why. > > He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, I > will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what you > have done". > > Should I take this further, and if so, how? > > Carl Hommel > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LISTOWNERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

If it were me, I would base any decision as to letting him back on the list on his prior behavior. While it was not good for him to threaten, his being removed and banned from a list abruptly without warning, especially if he did not even know he was not supposed to post the for-sale items, probably caused him to overreact. I would not want to lose a good listmember because of his knee-jerk reaction to being unsubbed and banned. You can also tell him that he is welcome to post his for-sale genealogy items to the Gen-Mat list, which was created for that purpose. http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/other/Genealogical_Materials/GEN-MAT.html Carol At 02:19 PM 9/29/2012, Carl Hommel wrote: >This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message >offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with >prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban list. >I then told him why. > >He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, I >will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what you >have done". > >Should I take this further, and if so, how? > >Carl Hommel > > >------------------------------- >To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >LISTOWNERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Carl, I am not so sure that removing him was needed, but if that was what you chose to do then there is nothing wrong with it. Now, reply to his latest rant with the correct link to the Help Desk to help him properly "report you" as he threatened, because you've done nothing but what you are supposed to do as a List Admin, IMHO, or else simply ignoring his ranting at this point for the same reason would be less inflammatory. David E. Cann decann@infionline.net or "david.e.cann" on Skype -----Original Message----- From: listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Carl Hommel Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 3:20 PM To: listowners@rootsweb.com Subject: [LO] Spam on my List This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban list. I then told him why. He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, I will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what you have done". Should I take this further, and if so, how? Carl Hommel

> I am not so sure that removing him was needed, but if that was what you > chose to do then there is nothing wrong with it. > > No, as list admins we're not here to play God - we're here to facilitate the exchange of genealogical information. Unsubbing him in such an abrupt manner was not the right thing to do. Best thing to do is say 'Sorry', make an explanation and re-sub him....and take a deep breath and count to 10 next time a subscriber makes a mistake. Irene

Every member deserves a warning before being unsubbed and banned. When someone has mis-behaved, in any way, just moderate them. That gives you the control you need until the matter is resolved. By and large, adults are not used to being reprimanded, and most do not take it well, especially when it comes "out of the blue" and - from their perspective - unjustified. Explain the rule they just broke, give them the benefit of the doubt that they did it innocently, and just keep them on moderation for awhile in case they try to retaliate on the list. This is not a banishing offense, unless it's a commercial dealer spamming the lists. Diana > -----Original Message----- > From: listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com] > On Behalf Of Carl Hommel > Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 3:20 PM > To: listowners@rootsweb.com > Subject: [LO] Spam on my List > > This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message > offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with > prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban list. > I then told him why. > > He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, I > will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what you > have done". > > Should I take this further, and if so, how? > > Carl Hommel > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LISTOWNERS- > request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the > subject and the body of the message

Carl, how do you know that this isn't a commercial bookseller, in which case your action was entirely reasonable. In any event, all subscribers are deemed to be aware of RootsWeb's AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) which reads, in part, "Content submitted for the purpose of commercial use, advertising or fee for service is prohibited." The AUP can be found at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/rootsweb/aup.html If this isn't a commercial bookseller, moderation would have been a better choice but now that he's threatened you, I'd just leave him off ... that isn't the kind of attitude up with which any list admin. should have to put ... PSW ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diana Gale Matthiesen" <DianaGM@dgmweb.net> To: <Listowners-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 3:21 PM Subject: Re: [LO] Spam on my List > Every member deserves a warning before being unsubbed and banned. When > someone > has mis-behaved, in any way, just moderate them. That gives you the > control you > need until the matter is resolved. > > By and large, adults are not used to being reprimanded, and most do not > take it > well, especially when it comes "out of the blue" and - from their > perspective - > unjustified. Explain the rule they just broke, give them the benefit of > the > doubt that they did it innocently, and just keep them on moderation for > awhile > in case they try to retaliate on the list. This is not a banishing > offense, > unless it's a commercial dealer spamming the lists. > > Diana > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com >> [mailto:listowners-bounces@rootsweb.com] >> On Behalf Of Carl Hommel >> Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2012 3:20 PM >> To: listowners@rootsweb.com >> Subject: [LO] Spam on my List >> >> This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message >> offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with >> prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban >> list. >> I then told him why. >> >> He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, >> I >> will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what >> you >> have done". >> >> Should I take this further, and if so, how? >> >> Carl Hommel >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LISTOWNERS- >> request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in >> the >> subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > LISTOWNERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Is the poster's first name Mark? If so he is hitting other lists -- however -- without the prices this time. Joan P.S. Don't concern yourself with threats made to RootsWeb. I've had that threat made many times -- ha, ha -- lets me know I'm doing my job! On Sat, Sep 29, 2012 at 3:19 PM, Carl Hommel <chommel6@comcast.net> wrote: > This morning one of my subscribers on a County List posted a message > offering for sale several hard cover and soft cover genealogy books, with > prices. I immediately removed him from the list and put him on the Ban list. > I then told him why. > > He is now threating me, "If you do not re-subscribe me to your list serv, I > will make a complaint to Rootsweb and notify other local historians what you > have done". > > Should I take this further, and if so, how? > > Carl Hommel > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LISTOWNERS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message