Thank you Martin. I was going to open reply to Jon's e-mail myself and eventually decided not to, but for the record -
I counted people rather than e-mails, with the result: 7 people who expressed a preference for some kind of open reply policy; 3 people who did not express a preference on reply policy, but replied to everyone, which presumably means they do not mind an open reply policy; 5 people who expressed a strong preference for replying only to the poster except in the unusual circumstance that there was clearly a point of interest to the whole group. A less than ringing endorsement for global replying.
Of the original replies, I spotted only one that was a serious reply to the original posting (though I did like the quip about the Harlequins). Such a thread really can't be considered a serious use of the discussion boards. Even worse was a thread earlier in the year in which a request for identification of what turned out to be a potato masher. many of these replies were from people who were just guessing, almost all incorrectly, at what it might be. This board is not a pub quiz (and I do like pub quizzes) and there are plenty of people out there who do know what these things are, just leave the replying to them, please.
Nothing in what we advocate compromises people's freedom of choice or ability to express their interest, we simply suggest they do not share their expression of interest with everyone else, it isn't necessary. No-one need be cut off from the responses if they tell the poster (and only the poster) that they would like to know what the responses were. If the responses make up a generally useful set of information, then the poster can compile them and post them out to the group. What is the problem with all of this?! I do not expect everybody (indeed, anybody except the person to whom I am replying) to be interested in what I have to say, why do other people think they are so much more interesting and important. A little courtesy and restraint please.
Yours, politely but firmly
Steve
Steve Thompson
Community Learning Officer
North Lincolnshire Museums Service
01724 843533 ext 114
NLC ext 7055
