GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2005-03 > 1111518601


From:
Subject: Splitting the List
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 2005 14:10:01 EST


Martha, Ireland I1a wrote:

"Might you share what these were specifically? It could help us."

I had written:

> After some negative reactions, I have stopped recommending the list.
>

First let me say that I enjoy this list tremendously, most of the time!

Now, at the risk of beating a dead horse to death by continuing this
subject, here are a few of the negative reactions I have encountered, in no
particular order:

1. " The topics are way over my head." [Ed. note: This is the biggest
objection by far. I've tried telling people to hang in there and they'll start
understanding more, but that lasts about a week and they give up. How do the
rest of you project administrators answer this one?]

2. "My question wasn't answered." [Ed. note: Usually someone on the list,
often Ann, tries to respond to even the smallest question, but I think the
answers get lost in the crowd at times.]

3. "I won't stay on a list where people flame each other, lecture each
other, and are so sarcastic." [Ed. note: I have no direct response to this one,
but I think to a certain extent it is due to our having so many list members
in academia. Years ago when I was young, I read what struck me as
virulently negative comments on a student thesis in an academic journal and I was
amazed at the "rudeness" of the commentator. Later I discovered that this type
of academic criticism was normal in the academic milieu, in the name of
searching for truth.]

4. "There are too many posts and my mailbox gets full." [Ed. note: I
subscribe in digest form, which I usually recommend to others as well, but as has
been pointed out many times, excessive quoting makes the digest very
difficult to read.]

5. "People make fun of each other's ideas on the list." [Ed. note: This
is true. People also made fun of Columbus when he said he wanted to sail
around the world to prove it was round, but he did it anyway.]

I'll add my own comment here: Topics sometimes go on too long -- witness
this email!

Eleanor Gordon





This thread: