132 LANGUAGE AND THE INTERNET
point to the variety of approaches which already exist, and identify
some of the linguistic issues to which operations of this kind give
rise.
The aims of a group are indeed as diverse as it is possible to
conceive. Many are formed because of an interest in a particular
subject-matter, whether amateur or specialist. Others are there just
to talk or play games. The constituency of a group may be aca-
demic, professional, governmental, commercial, or social. As the
WELL writer comments, ‘regulars check in frequently to offer ex-
pertise, debate ideas, play word games and indulge in banter and
gossip’. The informal descriptions capture this diversity. LISTSERV
has been described as a ‘virtual coffee house’;^11 Usenet as a ‘fair,
a cocktail party, a town meeting, the notes of a secret cabal, the
chatter in the hallway at a conference, a friday night fish fry, post-
coital gossip, the conversations overheard in an airplane waiting
lounge that launched a company, and a bunch of other things’.^12
Some systems permit the presence of extraneous content, such as
commercial advertisements; others do not. The more specialized
the topic, the more likely the content will be focused – and several
groups use moderators to ensure that the conversation does not
diverge from the subject too much (gooff-topic).^13 However, the
amount of identity and responsibility given to contributors varies
greatly. Some allow anonymity of membership (see below), oth-
ers insist on real names being used. All emphasize the freedom
of expression that is present in the situation, while at the same
time warning users against the incautious use of that freedom. The
WELL aphorism, ‘You Own Your Own Words’ (YOYOW), stresses
this element of personal responsibility, and draws attention to the
need for ‘mutual respect and co-operation’ (cf. Grice’s maxims,
p. 48).
(^11) <www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8d/user/user.html>. However, it has both public (or open)
12 and private (or closed) lists, the latter with some degree of controlled access.
13 http://www.faqs.org/facs/usenet/what-is/part2.
Though what counts as off-topic is not always clear. A reference to the weather might be
considered off-topic by some, but good group rapport-forming by others.