Re: Replying to messages

[Lionel Mrocki <amrocks...>]

Wendy wrote:

> Please, a note of courtesy:
>
> When someone asks a question, unless it's something that you feel is
> important for the whole list to see, please reply offline!  This
> especially goes for those who specifically request replying offline.
> Just check the header when replying and make sure you're not sending it to
> the list.
>

I couldn't disagree more with this posting.  This is the first time in ages
that I've felt compelled to write something to the list.

(Ari, please let me know (on-list) if my thoughts here are misguided.)

For starters, any posting to the list has the default reply address as the
list.  By design,. that suggests that that's where most replies should go.

Secondly, as I understand it, this list is primarily an open discussion
forum.  Sure, if you don't want folks to respond to your posts publicly, then
you are at liberty to request that, but generally, the subscribers to the list
expect to post their replies to the list, unless the reply simply doesn't
relate to jewish music (and is therefore "off-topic", or O.T.), or is of a
personal, private or confidential nature which warrants an off-list reply.

(A note of caution: Many replies which have been intended to be private have
inadvertently been posted to the list.  It's one of the real risks one takes
when participating in the list, and anyone expecting private responses ought
to be prepared to take the likely risk that it will happen.)

Thirdly, I have learned so much about jewish music from reading postings
between all manner of people, nearly all of whom I've never met, and never
would have the opportunity to meet here "down under", that it would be an
absolute travesty if folks made many of their responses private.  Threads
often take unpredictable turns and divergences which would never occur if the
list never saw the unfolding conversation.  Under these circumstances, I only
wish that folks would rename the threads so that they more clearly represented
the new key topic of that thread of conversation.

Fourthly... if you want to stay private... with the greatest respect, use the
phone.  This kind of open communication could never exist before the internet
became a commonplace phenomenon.  Why bother having the internet if you don't
want to take advantage of its power?

Perhaps its time for some list "housekeeping".  Those who are more recent
arrivers to the WWW and the internet generally are often unaware of the
expected "netiquette" and unwittingly get themselves into a bit of hot water,
or are simply unaware of the options they have to improve their experience of
the net.

Perhaps Ari (or someone else) could construct a page (the address of which
could be included on the footer of postings) where folks could be directed to
get some pointers about this list.  It could;

   * explain the difference between a moderated and an unmoderated list and
     define this one,
   * outline the list "netiquette",
   * give directions on how to "unsubscribe",
   * outline the methods and the basic pros and cons of the various forms of
     list participation (i.e as a digest, as seperate emails, using web
     access),
   * indicate basic guidelines re HTML/Text only posting (and how to set your
     email client to do that),
   * outline the "attachments" policy and provide alternate ideas for those
     who wish to make such resources available to listers,
   * provide pointers on accessing and searching the archives,
   * even, dare I say it, give participants an idea of how they might
     determine for themselves, if their posting is "on-topic" and explain why
     that is an issue,
   * list some other forums which have been set up for the more common
     off-topic threads of conversation. (ie, predominately political issues,
     halachic matters, music which is not jewish, etc.)

Re the "on-topic" issue, I say "determine for themselves" quite deliberately
because I understand that what is or isn't on-topic is often a matter of
opinion, and we don't want to see some sort of righteousness or dogma
dictating what people can or can't write about.  Nor do we want to see
"slanging matches" developing over interpreting the finer points of the "law
of the list".  The list netiquette could indicate how to politely suggest ways
that a lister could review the appropriatness of their own posts.

Sorry for the verbosity,

Lionel.

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