Date:         Wed, 27 Nov 2002 23:31:14 -0700
Reply-To:     Bill N <freeholder@STARBAND.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bill N <freeholder@STARBAND.NET>
Subject:      Re: Is this thread dead yet?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

I am not clear on why it is up to you to decide when a thread should stop.  Please enlighten
me.  I think that those interested should be free to continue a thread until they tire of it,
and the rest of the list can just delete those messages if they like.  For example, I have an
'81 Westy with a stock engine.  As a result, I have no interest in the frequent discussions of
water cooling problems.  I don't care about subie/tiico/whatever conversions.  I don't really
care about syncro issues, because I don't have a syncro.  Not only don't these threads apply to
me, I have no expertise to share on these subjects.

I don't try to tell others not to continue these threads just because I have no interest.  It
seems to me that the number of messages on this topic (by a bunch of different posters)
indicates that there was a lot of interest.  Let those interested discuss it.  It hurts nobody.
The subject tells you what thread it is, and a couple of seconds will suffice to delete the
messages that don't interest you.  I see in the archives where you posted that you love the
list but think it has "way too much email."  Yes, this is a very busy list, with 1500+ members
or so.  In addition, it is a community.  I have been on the list 5 or 6 years, and many were
already here when I got here.  I have had the opportunity to meet many on the list in person.
Several others I consider friends even though we have never met in "real" life.  In addition,
the list spans ages from teens up to several members considerably older than my 56 years.

On a list this large and diverse, sometimes a topic takes on a life of its own.  I can remember
some way wilder than this one.  I don't want to mention them for fear of starting them up
again, but if you pmail me, I will fill you in.  And that's not to mention tires, everybody's
favorite topic.  I don't even mind that, since new people join all the time, and all people new
to Vanagons have the same questions.

So please, on this Thanksgiving Day, be thankful for the list.  It is a wonderful, occasionally
contentious group of experts, beginners, and the mass of us in the middle.  There will be a lot
of messages.  Sometimes there will be an amazing number of messages.  Sometimes there will be
an unbelievable number of messages.  If the volume of messages bothers you, this list will
really aggravate you.  Just don't tell me what threads I have to quit answering.  That's the
job of the list administrator, and he does it well.  A couple of times he has even shut the
list down when things got out of hand, but most of the time he lets us children play a bit.
You aren't going to reduce the volume on the list anyway, so lighten up a bit and ignore the
topics that don't interest you.

Bill


----- Original Message -----
From: "Marc Perdue" <marcperdue@ADELPHIA.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Wednesday, November 27, 2002 8:23 PM
Subject: Is this thread dead yet? Was Re: WARNING: SOUTH AFRICAN QUAD LIGHT GRILLES INCITE ROAD
RAGE
>
> Please tell me there's no more brain activity on this one . . .  :^)
> Marc "No Brain Activity" Perdue