Hope all of you are enjoying a wonderful weekend; where I am in this tiny
corner of the universe, it is a sunny warm day. Despite the pleasant
conditions, I thought I'd share with you my feelings on a topic that has
been occasionally (mercifully, only VERY occasionally) discussed on the
list: netiquette.
I have consistently requested that members do not (as a rule) post
messages to this list on behalf of others, particularly if the message is
not one of obvious interest to our list's aims. I keep a similar vigilance
with regard to messages posted by people whose purpose may well be simply
to 'use' the considerable brain power we (or at least the rest of you)
represent. For example, whenever I see a poorly phrased question sent to
the list by someone who has just joined it minutes before -- as list
owner, I receive a message from Mailbase informing me of people joining
and leaving medieval-religion -- alarm bells ring, and I try to encourage
a more obviously intelligent and more complete query from that person.
Now, very often, the replies sent to such queries by our list members are
extremely valuable and informative, particularly because of the very fact
that the queries tend to be so 'basic' and fundamental. But does this
justify our sending replies to the list following such queries? Often, I
fear that the people who join our list and post such queries demonstrate
considerable difficulties in expressing their thanks to those who have
helped them, let alone demonstrate the capacity to share new insights with
the rest of us. And, sadly, minutes ago such a fear did materialize, as I
received a message that young Mr Renihan has left the list.
Am I over-reacting? Should we continue to answer all queries with the
courtesy typical of the vast majority of our membership (fast approaching
600 in number)? Should such queries be sent to the list or only to the
person who posted them? What do you think?
With all good wishes,
George Ferzoco
temporarily at [log in to unmask]
permanently at [log in to unmask]
PS, particulary to list members (often lurkers) who are not professional
academics or university students of the Middle Ages: my worries are most
definitely NOT over you, who have been members of the list for quite a
while, and whose interest in our discussions is genuine and therefore
welcomed; my own concern is with ensuring that discussions serve
*ourselves*, i.e. those who show they wish to belong with our textual
community (to borrow a term from a one-time tutor of mine, Brian Stock)
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