Hi!
I normally lurk around minding my on bussines, that is, reading
fanfics and sending (scarce) C&C to the ones I like. I don't mind
reading other people's spam _or_ comments to fanfics. Almost any
thread that comes from the FFML is interesting to me one way or
the other. But, from time to time misunderstandings happen and
threads like the ones we've had the disgrace of reading of late
appear on the list. It started as a badly redacted request that
looked like a "beg for my fanfics" message instead of the intended
"is there enough interest on this monster to post it here?". The
answers ranged from the polite "do what you want" to some
lamentable posting that added wood to the fire.
But this is not my point. I _hate_ being controlled. I absolutely
despise the role of a list moderator. BUT I think that this recent
thread shows clearly that this list needs this role. The thing that
tipped the scales that normally prevent me to writing (and I have
over 1,300 reasons not to give opinions in the other side) is this:
crime, you've just comitted the same one 1300 times over.
-Tybalt
-exhausted
I collect the [admin] messages because of the witty taglines Tybalt
puts normally (I have exactly 82). Actually the first thing that
alarmed me was the missing [admin] tag in the last two messages
from Tybalt. There is a guy in the list that cannot afford to miss
_one_ posting to the list, and his/her name is Tybalt. And s/he is
saying that s/he is exhausted. Think of it.
Someone said that netiquette is a concept vague and useless
because is not written. Well, here are some excerpts from the
section "Etiquette guidelines" from Pegasus Mail help:
* If you are replying to a message but are changing the subject
of the conversation, change the subject too - or better still, start a
new message altogether. The subject is usually the easiest way to
follow the thread of a conversation, so changing the conversation
without changing the subject can be confusing and can make filing
difficult.
* Use correct grammar and spelling. Electronic mail is all about
communication - poorly-worded and mis-spelled messages are
hard to read and potentially confusing. Just because electronic
mail is fast does not mean that it should be slipshod, yet the worst
language-mashing I have ever seen has been done in e-mail
messages. If your words are important enough to write, then they're
also important enough to write properly.
* Avoid public "flames" - messages sent in anger. Messages
sent in the heat of the moment generally only exacerbate the
situation and are usually regretted later. Settle down and think
about it for a while before starting a flame war. (Try going and
making yourself a cup of coffee - it's amazing how much you can
cool down even in that short a time, besides which a cup of good
coffee is a great soother).
* Include only the minimum you need from the original message.
One of the most annoying things you can encounter in e-mail is to
have your original 5-page message quoted back at you in its
entirety, with the words "Me too" added at the bottom. Quote back
only the smallest amount you need to make your context clear.
* Pay careful attention to where your reply is going to end up: it
can be embarrassing for you if a personal message ends up on a
mailing list, and it's generally annoying for the other list members.
And the help file states that this is "based on a document
distributed widely around the Internet over the last few years, and is
in no particular order".
May be some of them are worth to include in the FAQ. And some
of them _are_ included in the FAQ with other words. Pity that most
people don't read it.
Support Tybalt. THINK BEFORE POSTING.
Josep "Palpatine" Olivella
palpatine@axis.org