I know what you mean Sarah. Those are private sites, privately funded. This
List is funded by a University and ultimately the UK government. It is a
list and not a site. You subscribe to the list and then receive everything
that is posted to the List by other subscribers. This is why it is suggested
that postings be restricted to the proper business of the List. None of us
wants inboxes stuffed with chatter, benign or flammable.Other sites are
organised into' Rooms' almost. The Home room then lists the rules or
protocols of that site.If you are unclear on any point please do ask. If I
don't know I know a man who does.
* smiles*. I am posting this response to the List rather than back-channel
and hope everyone reads it. Arthur.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sarah Willans" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2003 10:17 AM
Subject: Re: New member - this list and its function for the novice - Tony
> Having started this, I feel I should say here that this seems to me
> (admittedly after only a couple of days' observation) to be a commendably
> disciplined, courteous list. I have seen no evidence of the off-topic
> posting, flaming and other nastiness that some lists are plagued with.
>
> That said, I have tried, and sometimes joined, other lists devoted to
> various subjects, and one feature stands out as being particularly helpful
> to the newcomer: Some lists use their files area to store information that
> everyone who joins the list will need - the sort of general pointers that
> Arthur kindly posted for me. I don't know how this list works, but on
> others the attention of all new members is drawn to the 'read this first'
> file by means of the message they receive when they sign up, or in text
> displayed on the list's 'home' page (probably not the proper term, sorry).
> All too often, without some ground rules for guidance, new members fail to
> pick up on the established conventions of the group, post what they think
is
> an acceptable and relevant message, offend an existing member and -
bingo -
> the fireworks begin! On other occasions, newcomers fail to recognise the
> tacit understanding between the 'oldies' about 'how we do things', and
step
> into the perceived vacuum with ideas of their own. Existing members take
> offence at the upstart who has thrust him/herself into their midst and is
> trying to teach them to suck eggs and, once again, the fireworks begin.
Come
> to think of it, that's rather what I'm doing now (bows out gracefully,
foot
> embedded squarely in mouth).
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tony Hillier" <[log in to unmask]>
> Snip
>
> > In what way is it designed to encourage and attract writers who are new
to
> > the field and especially new to putting their work up for comments and
> > commenting on others?
> >
> > Has a past posting covered this in terms of the basics readers can look
> out
> > for and comment on?
> >
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