Mike wrote:
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mike Scoles [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 3:05 PM
> To: Rick Adams
> Cc: Jim Guinee; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: a little question
>
>
> Jim wrote, "Why do I get two replies?"
>
> Others wrote, "The 'Reply to All' is so confusing, or people are just to
> lazy to edit their 'to' fields."
Why should they have to do so when the software was _designed_ to do it
automatically?
> Rick wrote, "Oh, Bill doesn't care about us anymore. : ("
From the complete disregard he has paid to all requests from list members
in the last year--I would say that's a very fair assessment. The only time
we hear from him is when he wants US to write letters supporting his
efforts. Otherwise, we can take a hike from the impression he's leaving--a
fact that I kept firmly in mind when his latest request for letters was
posted (the FIRST one I did NOT bother to respond to)--as, I suspect,
others did as well.
If Bill is tired of running the list he only needs to turn the
responsibility (and authority) over to someone else. Otherwise he has an
obligation to make a reasonable attempt to meet the needs of his list
members--something he hasn't bothered to consider in recent times.
> I've just got to write, "If you get two of something, delete one. It's
> easy! Worried about bandwidth? Quit whining about such silly mechanics
> to the whole list. And, if you don't like the way Bill is doing things,
> try starting your own list and see how much appreciation you get."
1. I'm glad you don't mind dupes, because I've decided to no longer trim
my headers. If the list owner WANTS messages to go out in duplicate, then
I'm very willing to meet his desires. Here's your dupe. And, btw, Jim can
thank you for including him on the cc: so this will make a dupe for him,
too! Try triming your OWN headers if you're going to criticize the
statements of others!
2. It isn't a question of "deleting the second copy." The message
_directly_ to the individual comes in substantially before the one to the
list. Unless you read it and examine the headers, you have no way of
knowing whether or not the message was _intended_ for the list (and should
be answered there), or sent as personal email. If you reply, you have to
repeat that reply when it appears in the list. If you reply to the list,
you may be sharing private email with the group. That's a "little" less
minor than you make it out to be.
3. If you don't like the complaints, you know where your delete key is.
Every member of the list who posts more than an occassional message is
being adversely affected by the change. That gives us a _right_ to
gripe--particularly when Bill has refused to comment on the topic for some
time. The net effect has been to discourage many of us from posting
informational messages, or answering questions for others and caused us to
only participate in conversations of _personal_ interest to us--with a net
loss for the entire list as a result. There are many times that I could
answer a question and there are a number of informational posts I receive
that could be sent to the list. But I'm sick of bounce notices (Bill could
_at least_ clean up his membership list) and duplicate email, so I don't
bother. And from the content of other email I've received, I'm not alone.
3. Concerning starting a list. I _do_ manage lists for groups (support
groups, medical groups, and an academic group). And, unlike Bill, I pay
attention to the requests of my list members. AND unlike Bill, those lists
are on machines owned (and supported) by myself, not an academic
institution. If Bill wants to manage a list on an academic computer, he
has an _obligation_ to do so for the benefit of the members. If he's tired
of doing so, it's time that he found someone else to take over his
responsibilities and turned over list ownership to someone who will be
more responsive to the members needs.
> <Glad I got the last word.>
You didn't.
Rick
--
Rick Adams
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Social Sciences
Jackson Community College, Jackson, MI
"... and the only measure of your worth and your deeds
will be the love you leave behind when you're gone."
Fred Small, J.D., "Everything Possible"
