META: List Content (party atmosphere)

From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@ricochet.net)
Date: Wed May 02 2001 - 00:53:22 MDT


Bill K wrote

> [That] thread indicates that both Brian and jm have 'always-on'
connection to
> the Web. While this is a 'good thing' for making full use of the Web, it can
> be a disadvantage when used for mailing lists. IMHO the Extropian mailing
> list should be treated with respect as a mailing list and not treated as
> though it was an AOL chat room with lots of one-liner repartee.

Yes, a lot of people are in chat mode. But suppose that someone has
put in a long day creating wealth, and wants a bit of fun and stimulation.
As has been said, one of the purpose of a list like this is to create a
party atmosphere.

> When I read the daily digest, I am forced to think about what I read, wonder
> about responding, then ten minutes further on in my reading, find that
> several people have responded far better than I could have hoped to respond.

Yes, your complaint echos the way that I feel, in that that for
your purposes and mine, the list would be a lot richer if people
didn't respond instantly and impulsively, but judiciously weighed
the whole thing up for a while, perhaps reading some other comments
first. While this would greatly increase the value of the list for
some of us, it would destroy its utility for those who need the
party-type conversational atmosphere.

> So, please count to ten before responding - and never send the first draft!

'fraid that's going to be asking too much of most folks.

As for me, I'm having to give up on digest mode: it's just too hard
to wade through all the junk and get to the meat. In individual
mode, at least I can start ignoring the posts of people's who I've
learned contribute very little, or who've for the nonce lost their
tempers.

Lee



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