> Russell wrote
> >Dan Minette wrote:
> I probably don't qualify as either a semi-lurker or an active poster,
> but I can contribute to this... The intellectual and academic calibre of
> the active posters is extremely high, and quite daunting to many. Is a
> lurker going to get into a debate with someone when that someone has a
> PhD on the subject, and the lurker has only his personal convictions? A
> lot of stuff that isn't really flaming seems like it when a theory put
> forward is met by an avalanche of contrary opinion and evidence.
List members can be daunting and exciting, in some cases as a
group and individually our strengths are our weaknesses. I am
thrilled most every day to read the list, yet I recall being intimidated
by Stefan's sense of humor initially.... and I swear someday in
the next fifty years I might finish a set of QM posts for more than
the first 3-4 posts. Nicola intially thought I was (not his words
exactly) some young blonde type. Kind of hard in someways to
make your own way on the list, but each of us makes it richer
by being ourselves.
As someone who has no real computer savvy, I struggle with
alot of the conversations on technical topics. All and all I figure
it is a fair deal for those I can help on the topics of healthcare.
One of the reasons I think workers accept me in their plants/
places of business is because I try and respect each worker's
value to do things no one else can do as well as they can. I
think the same can be said for our lurkers, I can't tell you how
much I learn from quiet people.
Now in all fairness, I am mostly big mouth who will talk
in stream of consciousness..... sometimes I just wish I
had the beauty of Steve's one liners... he conveys things
like Trinary (only in one line :-) I am often accused of passion
without the ability to get it through clearly in a short time....
truth be told several people who lurk help make my posts
better (or my thoughts clearer).
I like to digest each post individually and then within the
scope of a larger conversation. Sometimes a post will
accent another post, or clarify something I missed or couldn't
"get", that is where the benefit of diversity comes in. I also
have a friend who taught me a thing or two about consensus....
sometimes it is not the best or right thing (not to be taken in
the context of any other threads posted in the last week).
Sometimes one opinion can sway others, even if it seems
like it will not.
> PS How many network administrators and similar computer types do we have
> - seems to be an awful lot...
I am a definite negatory on that one :-)
Still returning from the world of lurking,
Dee
