For me, this list is of marginal value normally, because I'm not
all-involved with the mechanics, we use listserv and I don't really
mess with it, other than the simplistic mundanes of management. I
stick around and scan everything that passes through, though, for the
occasional "(big domain) is bouncing everything" warning.
Now people-management is a huge interest for me, and takes up 90
percent of my time as a list-owner. Now if this is really off topic
for this list (got that impression from something somebody wrote),
someone tell me to shut up and take it elsewhere and, unlike some of
my listees, I will.
(I pause for a minute, hearing no objection yet, I continue.)
What would be of great value to me would be a discussion about some of
these list types and positive ways to handle them.
I already talked about the "need to organize" folks, and how I give
them an official title and standing and they thrive on that, provide
service to the rest of the list and stay out of my hair. This
title-bestowing is effective for me.
I don't have such an effective method for dealing with the
self-appointed list police, though. Those folks not only irritate me
no end, but they drive off enthusiastic newbies, and I wish I had a
good handle on this. What I'm doing now is posting every now and then
a "this list is unmoderated, there is only one rule, all the rest of
this is courtesy, if you want to know who is list administration, save
my email because I'm the only one" sort of thing, which shuts them up
for a (too short) time. Once I tried, with my worst offender, handing
out an official title of "periodic poster of list courtesies" but that
didn't work, she preferred being list cop.
I may add Tim's "If you didn't write it, then we've already seen it
elsewhere, and don't need it here" to the list courtesies, though.
Occasionally these repostings are of value, but way more often they
are netbilge. (See, already something of personal use for me!)
Tom's list of types could have been culled from my list (just today
all the types have shown up and it's not yet suppertime). Stepping
through those hoping for comments...
>* the charmingly grammar-challenged postaholic
Grammar, spelling and punctuation (and ratz, she's just discovered
"stationary") ... but charming and interesting and what do you do when
one of the newer nitpickers picks on her? (She's also thin-skinned.)
Same with the funky spaced posts being a magnet for nitpickers. Uhhh I
guess this is back to what to do about the picker-problem, huh?
> * the Nine 1-Line Posts In A Row Creature
Another irritant for me, and I have no effective way of dealing with
these, either. (Do I need to deal with them? Maybe, maybe not. I see
newbies scared off with the number of posts per day, before even
reading them and seeing how many are nothing.) I lead by example on
this, consolidating and condensing post replies, but this really isn't
effective for the worst offenders (who also don't know how to
selectively quote anything). I've called them the "me too" folks, even
though it's more likely a flip comment in three words than just "me
too."
>* Mister Hobbyhorse:
Big shrug here, irritating but what can you do? (unmoderated list,
remember?) Heh, other than when others start posting their "zzzzz"
posts to post "unmoderated, remember? delete if you don't like the
thread, don't add venom to it please"
>* Apology Person (sorry for mentioning her/him!)
... seems to need validation, eh? I usually post a don't apologize,
there are lurkers with the same question, etc. sort of thing. It's
that "welcoming newbie" thing I seem to have, but it doesn't keep the
apologists from posting that way again.
>* the Acronym Proliferation League [APL]:
Oh yeah! My list has a number of subject line acronyms (and the list
nitpickers to complain when someone forgets one). I find them helpful
but please, only two or three. And this circles back to the nitpickers
and how to handle them.
So how do you handle the nitpickers?? How do you make newbies welcome?
How do you keep the 20 list members who post 90 percent of the posts
from becoming the list royalty clique? How do you generate on-topic
discussions and foster that sense of community successful lists need?
Inquiring minds want to know.
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Janet Detter Margul | Real women don't have hot flashes...
WeeBe Graphics Plano, Texas | they have power surges!
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See my jewelry at http://www.weebedazzled.com
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