Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:31:48 -0500
Reply-To: pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: pickle vanagon <greenvanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon List Moderator-let's get things underway!
In-Reply-To: <49702574.4010304@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
> Some things need cleaning up, but mostly I would like to see the [NVC]
> become standard fair for off topic subjects. And to see Frydaye Follies
> become a permanent part of the scene.
Some people will leave if this is done. Already, when people first sign up,
they are often overwhelmed by the volume of mail and back out. If half of
that mail is not even about vanagons, it will be that much worse.
[the list membership] is such a wealth of information it seems a waste not
> to put it to use, even on [NVC] stuff at times. It sure has helped me in
> other areas of life besides strictly Vanagon things. I would be more
> than a bit lost not being able to communicate with such a great bunch of
> folks about other things. In my view, there isn't another group out
> there quite like this one.
I think there are several problems here. First of all, most people on this
list didn't sign up to answer our questions about topics that aren't related
to vanagons. So it seems kind of unfair to abuse their place on this list
by sending them things they really didn't ask for. Yes, there are some
simple technological solutions to this like filtering, etc., but something
like that is always going to require a bit more work or computer-know-how
than some valuable contributor is willing to invest just to stay on the
list.
More importantly there are *plenty* of other lists out their just like this
one. Why not go bother the volvo people with your unrelated posts ;-). But
seriously, mailing lists are all over the place. And best of all, there are
mailing lists that are actually *relevant* to peoples questions! Go to
groups.google.com and do a search for what your interested in, and you'll
find a group that's perfect to post in. Question about viruses or pop-ups?
Post to Mikes Computer Problems/Solution tech support mailing list (
http://groups.google.com/group/Mikes-Computer-ProblemsSolution-tech-support?lnk=srg).
Question about basic electronics not in the context of vanagons? Try the
basic electronics group: (
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.electronics.basics?lnk=). The vanagon
list might seem like an amazing resource about everything, but its really
just an amazing resource about vanagons, and a mediocre resource about
everything else (especially in the context of the internet). What's worse,
using the list as our personal help desk abuses the membership (which is
here for vanagons, and not the rest of our problems) and will put-off some
valuable contributors.
-Wes
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