In message <[log in to unmask]> on Wed, 20 May
1998, Frances Hendrix <[log in to unmask]> writes
>Does any one else get fed-up with the endless stream of inane questions
>circulated on mailing lists - and then for heavens sake the answers.
I think that a mailing list such as this is particularly useful when
used as a _discussion_ list.
If people have factual questions to which there are simple answers, then
certainly they should be encouraged to use local resources first, as
well as checking web sites and mailing list archives, and state where
they have looked before asking others for help.
Most questions, though, are not of this kind but are asking for opinions
or for people's experience, and this cannot easily be found elsewhere.
Posting such questions and answers to the list allows many people to
contribute, and an initial answer may be supplemented or contradicted by
someone else. Replies direct to the enquirer, even if resulting in a
published summary later, do not allow for this cross-fertilization and
discussion.
List members can learn interesting things from such discussions, though
they would not have thought to raise the topic themselves.
The main thing that is needed to avoid wasting time is for everyone to
use meaningful and descriptive subject headings to make it easy to scan
a list of messages and delete ones in which we are not interested - this
should be no problem in our profession! [I have therefore changed the
subject of this thread. :-)]
Leonard Will
--
Willpower Information (Partners: Dr Leonard D Will, Sheena E Will)
Information Management Consultants Tel: +44 181 372 0092
27 Calshot Way, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 7BQ, UK Fax: +44 181 372 0094
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