Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/03/12

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Subject: Re: [Leica] new to group -- and ways to improve the LUG ??
From: Stephen Gandy <leicanikon@earthlink.net>
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 22:08:58 -0800

"C. E. Workman Jr." wrote:

> I'm a new user to this group, but after seeing all the non-Leica email that
> I'm being deluged with I may opt out.  I thought this would be about using
> Leica cameras, but so far all I've seen is a bunch of email on MAC computers
> and stereo speakers.  And to think that I was cautioned to only talk about
> Leica M cameras and not even mention my screw mount Leicas!  Is it always
> like this?
>
> Chuck

No, sometimes things are a lot more off topic.   contrary to what you were told,
however, screw mount Leicas, and indeed any rangefinder 35, are often discussed
extensively on the LUG.

to survive the LUG with a vague semblance of sanity, I suggest you identify the
people you think are clearly a bit off,  those who think the other 600 or so
members LOVE to hear their own poor attempts at humor or one upmanship,  those
who seem to enjoy being rude to other LUG members,  those who think they MUST
comment about everything even if they don't have anything worth saying or know
about what they are talking about, any other category that irks you, and reward
them all with their very own email filter directly into your email trash bin.
You may find, as I did, that this will reduce your LUG traffic 40-50% on any
given day.

Unfortunately the great majority of LUG members don't post anything - for
whatever reason.    Two of these "lurkers" are friends of mine who are both
EXTREMELY Leica knowledgeable, true Leica experts in fact.   These two
individuals  no longer post to the LUG due to getting burned in the petty
arguments, disagreements, and rude behavior that unfortunately often accompanies
LUG disagreements.   If Brian Reid wants to know who I am referring to, I will
be glad to tell him.  If anyone else wants to know, too bad.   Tempers indeed
can flair in LUG discussions, and I am certainly guilty of this too.

Personally I think the LUG, or indeed any mailing list that I have ever
subscribed to, would be greatly improved if

1) EVERY member had to make at least one posting a month in order to stay
subscribed.

2)  To keep the list from being dominated by any individual or group of
individuals, I think postings should be  limited to a maximum of 3 posting per
member in any 24 hr period.  Hopefully the result would be greater participation
by all members,  much greater discussion,  and the inability of anyone to
dominate LUG by bombarding the server with an inordinate number of  postings.

for all of the useless LUG traffic, sometimes LUG posts are extremely worthwhile
and informative.  of course we all have our own ideas of "worthwhile" LUG
postings -- that is what keeps the list going.

Another way to look at it is that the LUG has something for almost everybody --
the trick is figuring out how to get out of it what you are looking for.

Stephen Gandy