On the Use of Maillists, was Re: cities

[JCWisc at aol.com]

In a message dated 09/08/2002 6:22:01 PM Central Daylight Time, 
cbcox at ilstu.edu writes:


> But notice, your inaccuracy evoked a useful informational and analytical
>  post;

Why, thank you, Carrol.


>  I'm using your post to make a point in a debate that has been going on
>  between Doug and me for a number of years. My claim is that my strong
>  affirmations in effect pose questions which others then respond to in
>  various ways, while his questions are in effect conversation stoppers.

I don't think I agree about Doug's questions, but perhaps you have a more 
general point.  What I find impossible on maillists are interminable 
discussions that take the form:

I said
>blah blah<

To which you replied
>blah blah<

But I say
>blah blah<

Then you said
>blah blah<

But my position is
>blah blah<

Then somebody else will reply in the same manner, and on it goes.

There's a place for exchanges of this kind, but I think that place is 
somewhere more slow-paced than a high-volume internet maillist.  Doug's 
instinct in pressing people to keep things relatively brief and to stick to 
three or so posts a day seems sound for this list.  "Strong affirmations" 
which "pose questions which others ... respond to in various ways" may serve 
the same purpose, of helping the list do what it is good at, while keeping 
down to a dull roar stuff that probably belongs in the pages of a journal or 
on a more slow-moving maillist.

Jacob Conrad