Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Need a Moderated List -- Posting Limits and Required Participation
From: "Anthony Atkielski" <anthony@atkielski.com>
Date: Thu, 30 Sep 1999 01:42:28 +0200

From: Stephen Gandy <cameras@jetlink.net>
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 1999 00:55
Subject: Re: [Leica] Need a Moderated List -- Posting Limits and Required
Participation


> I don't know the exact figures, but I would guess 80%
> of the posts come from less than 2% of the 800 or so LUGers.

This is true of all forums, newsgroups, and mailing lists.

> ... and about 80% of their posts are what I consider useless,
> often attempts at brilliant comments, which usually don't
> succeed, or just useless comments.

The fact that you consider them so does not mean that all other members feel the
same way.

> After all, if  LUG posts were limited to no more than 5 a day,
> and everyone had to contribute at least one post a month to
> stay on the list, we would have much fuller LUG participation ...

No, you would not.  The list would shrink by attrition until it were finally
abandoned by the remaining members.  By limiting the number of posts, you
severely restrict the utility of the list, and by requiring posts, you encourage
loss of membership by default.

> ... and those with compulsive email syndrome ...

I've never seen anyone with this syndrome, at least not if I understand it
correctly.

> ... would not be able to dominate the LUG by virtue of the
> sheer number of their postings, as they do today.

All lists tend to be dominated by a minority of their subscribers.  In addition,
those who post to lists frequently are also the members who read the lists most
regularly.

  -- Anthony