[HANASHIR:5424] Netiquette Reminder

[Adrian Durlester <durleste...>]

It's time for my quarterly reminder to the list. Please understand I am NOT
singling out any particular individual, nor am I singling out any particular
posts proximate to this notice.

There has been a noted increase in posts to the list that might best be
described as "superfluous." I'd like to address this problem.

The list defaults to "reply to list." This means anytime you use the "reply"
function of your MUA (mail user application) your MUA will put the list's
name/email address in the "To:" field. When you hit send, your reply goes to
the entire list. That's fine if your reply is meant for, and appropriate for
sharing with the entire list. It's a problem however, if your reply is
either meant for the originator of the message you are replying to, or isn't
really suitable for sharing with the entire list. In that case, you must
manually change the "to:' field to direct the message where you want it to
go. On a related note, if you receive the DIGEST form of the list, you MUST
manually change the "subject" line of any reply so that it reflects a useful
subject or refers to the thread being replied to, and doesn't just read "re:
Hanashir Digest xxx" which is pretty meaningless to subscribers seeking to
filter their mail.)

Please exercise due diligence, restraint, and forethought in your replies.
Short, pithy replies that merely restate the obvious, or offer kudos,
thanks, or agreement with the originator of the message do little to further
the purposes of the list.

Now, a great deal of latitude on subject matter is given. My concern is less
with issues of how closely related the subject is to Jewish music and
songleading than it is with trying to not fill subscribers mailboxes with
items best sent privately and do not contribute to the overall welfare of
the list.

I include myself as one who is sometimes guilty of such infractions of list
netiquette.

This list does permit (and indeed encourages) artists and performers who are
subscribers and participants to share news of their work, announce new
projects, recordings, performances, etc. We do ask that we self-limit our
shameless self-promotion to reasonable amounts. I would further ask that, if
your message might be of interest to only a segment of the list, that you so
note in your "subject" line.

One last note. It is fully expected that a certain poetic list subscriber
will post a pithy but witty reply to this message. As list owner, I declare
by fiat (it's good to be da king, as Mel Brooks would say) that said poet is
granted license to be as pithy and witty as desired, and incur no disfavor
or wrath, or lashing with a wet noodle.

Also, I'm NOT saying it's never OK to post a short "thank you" or "I agree"
or "way to go" type message. Just think before you do. There are times when,
in the general context of how discussions on the list are going at that
particular time, more latitude is appropriate.

Again, thanks to all our subscribers for making Hanashir the vibrant,
active, supportive and useful community is has become. Let's continue to
keep it that way-but perhaps with a little less excess.

Your humble list owner,
Adrian Durlester

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adrian A. Durlester  -  durleste (at) home(dot)com
http://members.home.net/durleste/
Student, Vanderbilt University Divinity School
http://divinity.lib.vanderbilt.edu/vds/vds-home.htm
Music Director, Congregation Micah, Nashville, TN http://www.micahnash.org/
Home phone (615) 646-9788 Nextel cel-phone (615) 207-2661
You can page me from http://www.nextel.com
List-Owner for hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org; Co-Owner for L-Torah (at) 
shamash(dot)org
http://uahc.org/hanashir
Editor, Bim Bam (for Torah Aura Productions) http://www.torahaura.com/
Alternate Email: aad (at) iname(dot)com  adriand (at) aol(dot)com

------------------------ hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org -----------------------+