On Wed, 18 Mar 1998, Captain Napalm wrote:
I'm surprised that it took so little time for
this list to get to this
point. Another list I'm on took about two years for it to reach critical
mass before it exploded into three additional mailing lists, all covering
the same topic (with the result of many hurt feelings, a list that only
lasted about six months before it imploded, with the original list still
going strong).
Was this right after Sam subscribed 8-)
As I said to Sam in some private mail I sent to
him:
I'm not sure what can be done, but if the topic of a mailing list is
held too tightly, eventually it'll die (like one of the mailing list
I host now, although there are some other reasons for that as well)
as there is little or nothing new being added.
...
I don't want to seem overly pessimistic, and yes, perhaps the topics
have drifted off a bit too much, but actions like yours (and I'm not
trying to blame or pin anything on you, this is just my observations
from about 5 years of being on several mailing lists (almost all of
them high volume)) tend to do more harm over time than good, by
splitting the community up, causing confusion, ill feelings and
political overtones.
A very good breakdown. I especially liked (so will repeat 8-)
splitting the community up, causing confusion,
ill feelings and
political overtones.
Sounds exactly like Sam - I don't want to look like I am picking only on
Sam (tho it is extremely hard - heck - impossible) I have to agree the
topics have lately gone pretty far off track BUT...
Isn't this OUR list? Bill runs it (supplies the resources) but as he
stated himself - he doesn't have time to baby sit us. Only one person
that I am aware of goes so far as to blame the subscribers if the list
wanders. Only one person goes immediately to gutter language when he has
to spend a little more time and read the headers, digest the fact the
thread is going nowhere, and then ignore the thread.
And yet it continues (and Sam, in your reply to the
above you appear sane
and rational, yet your diatribes on the list show a completely different
side, and one that isn't very flattering).
Well apparently you have never recieved the email I have from Sam!
Bill may "own" the current list, but that
still doesn't prevent anyone
from starting up a new list dedicated to the same topic, only time and
resources. And perhaps against my better judgment, I'm doing such a thing
(Lord help me), and so let it be. If Sam feels that he can run a list
better than Bill, or even I, then he is certainly free to start his own and
see who signs up. Much like I am doing now.
If Sam gets to host/moderate/control the list - most of us are gone!
And I mean the backbone of the list - just read the replys to Sams little
triad.
It's there. If no one subscribes and this list
continues to flurish, so
be it. If, on the other hand, my list takes off and this one dies, so be
it. Currently, the only person subscribed is me. I'm not going to add
people, it's up to you.
To subscribe, send a message to classiccomp-request(a)lists.armigeron.com
with a subject line of 'subscribe' (you might want to put this on the first
line of the body as well). That's it. You'll then recieve a welcome
message describing the rules and regulations of the list, as well as the
unsubscribe rules. If you don't like the rules, we can talk, or you can
walk.
Simple, eh?
-spc (We shall see ... )
I still reserve the 'final option'. I only hope Bill isn't too busy to
think of us.
BC