All of this On Topic/Off Topic discussion reminds me of one of the best, well thought out, and insightful responses to this that I have ever read on CaveTex. Here it is below:
________________________________ From: JS White [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Fri 8/28/2009 7:45 PM To: Stefan Creaser Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Rethinking the delete button I've read this thread with interest, consternation, and amusement all bundled up together. Back when this mailing list was CaveTex, I spent a year (and then some) as its administrator and moderator. I inherited the job from my dad, who just got plain tired of trying to keep up with Luddites and flamers and headaches from the lists various hosting services. Here's what I think, for what its worth. The me-toos and one-liners are indeed a nice campfire, sociable kind of response. You guys exist in a rare community. I've seen the old-timers take care of each other in ways that just don't happen in conventional communities and families, and I feel blessed albeit in a very non-religious, non-denominational way. You rely on each other for amusement, and you work together and learn together. I work closely with another Caver-offspring in a 40-hour/week bureaucratic environment. We marvel regularly at what a great thing it was to be raised by our crazy parents and their friends. In most cases, you know you can count on each other to care about important things in the same ways family, friends, the land, the caves, the knowledge your own lives. Use the Delete key as you see fit and keep your impatience to yourselves. If you really want to be business-minded, be cautious with your subject-lines. Use important first words: Trip Report, Work Weekend, Action Required, whatever. But don't disparage each other for brevity or lack of brilliance. Gil Edigar can write an essay that would make any of us weep. Ted Samsel can make me laugh so hard I fear I will pee myself from a single line. But every non-stellar rejoinder or mundane reply meant something to the person on the other end who hit send. Respect that and appreciate it. (Mark again) As an aside, I know a lot of y'all are on Facebook and, yikes, talk about a wellspring of inane, trivial quips! I'm seriously contemplating removing myself from FB, especially, when I comment on my kids' see me responding to their posts! They love that! (Not). ________________________________ From: Fritz Holt [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Fri 2/26/2010 9:47 AM To: 'Joe Ranzau' Cc: [email protected] Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Minnow Joe, This should be OT but I will stick with this venue for my final post on the matter. Your reply is well put, thanks. I thought about our confrontational posts last night and below is what I intended to send you this morning. Joe, Please disregard my last post. I felt your response of yesterday was somewhat rude and responded spontaneously. I should have taken it as deserved criticism and let it go. With luck I will see you at the convention. Fritz ________________________________ From: Joe Ranzau [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 5:35 PM To: Fritz Holt Cc: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Texascavers] Minnow As a recovering prolific poster from around 14 years ago I can appreciate where you are coming from. It took several years of folks gently guiding (bashing me over the head) for me to change. You have much to contribute but your potential is diluted by each posting. Others have put this much more eloquently than I am capable of. This list is not for back and forth chit chat like the GHG listserve often is. Substantive replies are encouraged. Three word quips while posted are not needed but a few are easily tolerated. 37 different back and forth quips cause people like my good friend Martha to jump ship and others to filter you out. I can easily block all your messages but want to hear what you have to say so I'm taking the intervention route. Roger's note was obviously not understood so I went for blunt. This is like a virtual camp fire where discussion and differing opinions are encouraged. But just like at a big camp fire if a few folks feel the need to have a different conversation you get up from your chairs and take it outside the circle. If you don't someone will throw empty beer cans at you until you get the hint. Please don't take any of this the wrong way. Try not to continue down this path because we would hate to resort to the kind of stuff that would make Cheney proud. Respectfully, Joe
