#4304: Some list matters

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

Folks, I have just done a revamping of the "welcome" note I send
out to new folks on the list which gives them the procedures and all for 
the list.

I'm going to send it to you'all in the next note, #4305.  Please have
a look, and don't hesitate to let me know your pleasures and displeasures.
I'm open to consider things.

What prompted this were three things in relation to the coming
political campaign for the president.  Given the unbelievable number
of posts we had concerning the recent election and follow-up I
am getting my courage up for the presidential elections!

The three things are:

1.  As always, my controversial policy on personal attacks on list
members for what they post on this list.  I've tried to spell that
out.

2.  I need help with SUBJECT LINES.  Since I asked a few weeks ago
a significant number of you have taken to writing your own.  I plead
and beg for you all to.  If not enough do I may simply have to make
it a requirement for a post.  I'm just to busy to have write the
subject lines.

A subject line should have two items:

A.  Your name.
B.  A brief notion of the topic.

People on the list often cannot read all posts.  They have to pick and
choose and prioritize.  Some choose on the basis of topic.  Some choose
on the basis of author.  Thus topic and author are critical for the
subject line.

I'll add the numbers.

3.  I need help with you NOT writing over the top of old messages.
We all get the messages once.  That's plenty.  if you need a couple
of key sentences of a post your are responding to:  fine.  keep those
and delete the rest.  But do not leave the old message there and just
write a new one at the top.

That one I am not going to mess with any futher.  I will simply delete
messages that come in written over the top of other messages.  I don't
have the time to do the clean up work for hundreds of you.  I'm too
busy.

==============

I will be sending you the revised note that goes to new members.  Please
give it a look.

While the list itself is still under 900, I have been hearing of serveral
subsidary list where some kind person filters the list for others to 
pick out certain topics -- the political posts, or the language posts
or whatever.  Thus the list posts, in some form go to well over 1000
people now and it grows daily.

The number of posts I receive grows.  That's fine too.  But, I need more
help on your end in sending post more re-posting ready.

Thanks,  Bob