Date:         Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:41:56 -0500
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Living Memory vs The Archives
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Just doing a bit of mental ruminating as a consequence of a comment
someone made regarding the functionality of a WBX/Vanagon part and it
occurred to me the value of each of these resources.

The archives are a fabulous static resource, always sitting there, full
of information, never changing, and not very interactive - but
definitely recorded for all time - until something breaks or shuts
down.  On the other hand there is the living memory of the Vanagon list
- fully interactive, with information and ideas that ebb and flow like
the tides, providing both questions and answers - most of which - but
not all - benefit someone on the List. Got a question? Throw it out
there and someone will shoot at it pretty quickly. Try that with the
archives and you will spend a lot of time digging - first doing the
search, then reading the materials to get at what you want. Quite a
contrast between the two ways of getting information about our beloved
vehicles.

And what is the point?

None really. It's just interesting what we have going on here in this
online society. I belong to several, and there is none wuite like this
one - and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 gL Driver