[Lvas] Mailing list suggestion

[Douglas Phillipson]

Oh I quite agree that if you want to direct a question to an individual, 
then the mailing list is not the appropriate venue.  The whole concept 
of a public mailing list is to spread questions, answers and encourage 
discussions to, by and for, all the members of the list.  Some people 
are too shy to ask questions, but like to listen, and learn from others. 
  This is why it is important for both the question and the answer to be 
directed to the list.  Some will be interested in the answer but too shy 
to ask for it, so when the question and answer gets to the list, 
everybody benefits, including the poster of the reply because this way 
he or she won't get asked 50 times for the same answer, they just reply 
once and everybody gets it the first time.  Then, the answer is also 
archived so answers to interesting or technical questions can be 
referred to via a URL for those that join the list after the fact.  The 
archive actually gets more valuable over time as information is accumulated.

You are certainly free to opt out of the list if you don't want to 
communicate or don't want to see what members are talking about. But I 
would suggest just directing the emails to a folder to keep them 
separate.  I know this is a really foreign concept for some.  The 
"Mailing List" is how most if not all Open Source projects are 
organized.  Some mailing lists have hundreds of thousands of members and 
they are VERY useful and helpful.  An expert will answer a question and 
that knowledge goes to thousands of people.  Groups even use mailing 
lists to vote on issues and discuss controversial ideas in an open forum.

Now I suggest that the "Paying Member" email list still be maintained in 
the manner in which we do it now so if you opt out of the mailing list 
you won't be denied the newsletter or other important club information. 
  Or perhaps the newsletter should be a "Pull" affair rather than a 
"Push" affair.  Get it from the website if you want it.  Then the 
mailing list can be used as a discussion list for technical support and 
discussing issues in a public manner.  This very discussion we are 
having now is most appropriate for this new venue.  Out in the open for 
all to have the ability to discuss and understand.  What we are doing 
right here would not be possible but for this mailing list.  This venue 
will be valuable for quickly getting the opinion of the members for 
important club issues.  Do we want to include our members in our 
decision process?  Will the club benefit from the opinions of all its 
members rather than a select few?  I think so.  The board still has the 
final decision of course, but at least they will be better informed as 
to how the members feel.

Just my humble opinion (JMHO)


eggers at physics.unlv.edu wrote:
> Another suggestion is this: be very selective in the emails you send out
  > on this mailing list.  If you are directing a question to one or two
> people, take the time to send it to only those people.  Otherwise each
> member will have to sift through a pile of email that does not pertain to
> them, even if it is all in one folder.  You will run the risk of people
> ignoring the emails, or unsubscribing.  This can be a wonderful tool if
> used properly.
> 
> -Diane
> 
> 
>> Depending on the volume of messages on this new mailing list, you may
>> want to create a LVAS folder with your email program and create a
>> "Message filter" to automatically send lvas messages into the folder.
>> Doing this will separate the LVAS email out so as to not interfere with
>> your regular email.  I subscribe to several high volume mailing lists
>> and this helps very much.
>>
>> Doug P
>> _______________________________________________