I partially agree on Wayne Tyson's suggestion of subject lines of logical sequence. I would modify it so that the subject line stays the same and rather, the content of the e-mail stays on topic with the subject line. I do agree with making your points early in the e-mail so that we may catch them if we do decide to read the e-mail - I hope I have done well in this regard! :-)
Here is an expansion on my thoughts: The example subject line provided is too long for me to see all of it in my e-mail program due to the way I have it laid out. I can see the entire subject line if I open the e-mail, but I've just gone through an extra step to do so. I think it might be of benefit to type in a concise subject line and when we reply, simple just hit the reply button to keep that same subject line and most importantly, stay on topic. My example in this case would be not to reply to the subject of "Re: Sources for downloads..." but rather to create a new e-mail with the Subject of "Suggestion for simplifying personal maintenance of e-mails" as I have done here... This is difficult, I know, because in the area of ecology, a subject can branch out into so many different offshoots of the main subject. But if a topic is different enough and will produce a long thread, I think it would help to create new e-mails with new subject lines. We can always reference the other e-mails in the body of the new e-mail. I recently joined the bluebird list and they send two or three times as many e-mails per day as we do on the ecology list, on a consistent basis!! They follow the posting guidelines closely and it makes for a much easier process of delete, delete, read, delete, read, delete, delete... because we can rely more easily on knowing that they are on topic and since the topic isn't of interest, bye-bye... After all this, perhaps there is a set of guidelines posted on a website already that I may have missed? If not, that may also help. Jill S. Lutz (nee Podolsky) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wayne Tyson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 6:45 PM Subject: Behavior animal or Ethology information sources film and video free Re: source for downloads of animal behavior video footage? > I, for one, would also like the information. > > With respect to "bother the list," may I suggest that subject lines > consist of a logical sequence so that those not interested in the > subject at all can quickly recognize it and delete or read more > quickly? I have inserted an example, whilst keeping the initial > title. I leave punctuation out to facilitate eventual conversion > from email subject files to a database. Of course, it primarily > facilitates filing and retrieval of related emails. > > Further, while we are all "bothered" by avalanches of email, wanted > and unwanted, I find using the delete button at the beginning of my > session a fair tradeoff for the value I receive, especially from this > list, even though I delete most of it unread. It also helps if the > information in the text of the message is arranged with the point > first rather than last, and supporting information or comment > arranged in a logical sequence. Why have a list if people are afraid > to post relevant material--regardless of the inescapable fact that a > fraction, perhaps even a significant one, might object? Are not > change and adaptation are initiated by outliers, not averages, > dominance, and tradition? If animal behavior was removed from > ecology, what would be the effect? Finally, the request was very brief. > > Do others have alternative suggestions? > > WT > > At 10:31 PM 6/21/2006, David Whitacre wrote: >>Hi, >> >>Can anyone steer me toward any links where one can download free video = >>footage useful in teaching animal behavior? I wouldn't bother the list = >>with this, but I have searched some without luck. >> >>thanks, >>Dave Whitacre >
