Re: Please

On 10 Oct 97 at 11:43, fs@idir.net wrote:

 

> Frank Sheeran (fs@idir.net) responded to a message you left

> in the Medium Format Digest bboard:

>

> Subject: Response to Please....

>

> 1) WJM, I wonder why you didn't bother following up to the existing

> thread on this topic, from Nick:

> http://db.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0003cw

> With a title like "The 'Subject' line in mail messages" it could

> have caught your attention 8-) Of course since your thesis is

> that the current system sucks, I'm not suprised you can't be

> bothered to use its threading features. <p>

 

Online you mean?

No, in Europe we have to pay for even the most local connection,

can't afford that, sorry. Definately not with such a slow site.

 

> 2) Any time non-computer professionals have an e-mail-based list,

> the S/N ratio drops massively, thanks to huge quotes and huge sigs.

> The fact that this system threads for us and doesn't promote quotes

> and sigs makes it READABLE. The EOS mailing list I met WJM on

> was so clogged with crap I couldn't make time for it. <p>

 

Perhaps it helps other people to understand your problem by

mentioning that you refused to use the real time mode at all cost.

Normally a sig is at the bottom of a message, but you preferred to

see them all over a digest. Your choice.

 

> 3) What is taking you 10 minutes, anyway? In fact, I always have

> netscape and ppp running on my Linux box; I can get web pages

> immediately but actually have to log in to get mail! <p>

 

Sorry Frank, us poor European have to pay for even the most local

connection. What you do on your system is your business, but not

extrapolate it to the average user.

 

> 4) How about some constructive comments about the current system?

> Would you like the option of selecting your own prefix (MFD or

> whatever) for incoming mail? Do you want a mail address to post

> to (so you can bury us in your huge sig and quoting)? These

> features could be added fairly easily I'm sure.

 

I am not so sure since I asked this long before the chance was made,

and repeated that request more than once since. If it had been easy,

I am sure it would have been added already.

 

> 5) And lastly, if you can't read mail fast enough to avoid it clogging

> your inbox, try the digest version. Filter on sender to put it in

> a folder, or just count on 1 mail a day or a week. Trivial. <p>

 

In which case my neverending objections against a digest-only

mailinglist rises again:

- a pain to read (remember your EOS list Frank?)

- a pain to store

- a pain to reply

 

And don't start with undigesting software or other crap, not everyone

likes to fiddle with homebrew software, and making adjustments for

each and every mailinglist.

 

And as for how the old MFD was maintained: editing this thing by

hand is of course a workload nightmare of the first order, bordering

on torture. But that was a choice too, just as it was a choice to

keep it digest-only. None of my dozens other mailinglists is set up

this way, and they all keep running, with happy members

everywhere....strange eh?

 

Someone else mentioned the requirement of an archive, would I go

through with a email based mailinglist. There are stacks of

mailinglists out that don't have an archive, and I feel sad for those

who think it is an absolute requirement for an active and healthy

forum of discussion. I think it is a rather lazy way of providing

information....FAQ's and overviews on personal homepages is what

makes the Net what it is, not archives.

The times someone asked about the existence of an archive for the

Infrared Mailinglist can be counted on one hand. And I would still

have plenty fingers left for typing. Offline of course.

Funny, I replied to Franks message in Pegasus, now I have to copy and

paste it, start my oh-so-slow browser, wait ages to get through to

the web-forum, start typing my name and address again, find the old

thread so that it fits in the famous threading system....oh the

wonders of modern technology.

Does some of you work for M$ by any chance?

 

Ah, it is even greater fun....don't have the site bookmarked

yet....so I now first have to copy and paste the address in the

footer, launch my browser, go back to Pegasus, copy and paste again,

and finally create a message. Wow.

 

This is one of the most user-unfriendly mailinglists I have ever

seen, and I don't think I will see anything worse in my entire life.

 

'Mailinglist' is way too much honor for this.

Why do people keep on reinventing wheels, and end up with square

ones?

Stop whining. Get with the program or take a hike. Your posting is too long and your self-pity an annoyance. We'll miss your input, I'm sure.

 

<p>

 

Thanks and good-bye,

 

<p>

 

Mark

Suggest you take that square wheel and make it 3-sided---that way you will eliminate 1 bump. ;-)