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> ---------- > From: EIBISCH, Jan[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: 14 May 1997 11:19 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Communication overload > > I have been opening my mail box with increasing dismay because of the > > volume of communication from dis-forum and especially those inputs > which > are > so heavily techie-based, and very specialist at that. Also the number > of > mailings which often contain just one sentence ! > > I agree with Leila's suggestion that perhaps it is time to separate > various > topics for discussion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --- Sorry if you feel that the techie discussion that has been going on has been a little too technical, but this sort of thing is very important for those of us who are recommending the computer equipment for students. This equipment has to last for the three or more years while the student is at university and it is all too easy to under-specify or spend more than is necessary from the student's allowance on equipment. When new technology arrives on the scene, as is happening at the moment, it is probably more important than ever. The techie based discussion has not been very specialised at all since it has revolved around the introduction of MMX technology, the Pentium II and the 1998 "standard" Windows PC, and since most people will end up using some or all of this technology as well as Windows (95, 97, NT, 3.11 or whatever Microsoft decide to introduce next week), it is extremely important to determine what level of technology DSA claims should revolve around. People discuss software packages (TextHelp, voice input, etc.), but surely it is as important to discuss the hardware platform that these packages will be running on. If you are not particularly interested in this discussion then you can always delete the message without reading it based on the subject header. Dis-forum could be split into different sections by use of key words in the subject label, but I don't think that would improve things since everyone will still be receiving the whole mail bag. Some people will be able to delete things automatically if their mailer supports this, but I'm not convinced that this is the solution. If people really are wanting to segregate dis-forum, then maybe we need a totally separate discussion group or groups. Heath Boffey Special Needs Technical Support Officer Lancaster University %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%