Fate of the list

[George Roffe]

Chris Davis wrote:

>I think to dismiss the design of websites as "pretty" is not fair.

True.  IMHO, none of them are pretty. :-)  I'm not dissing any forums.  I
just think they aren't pretty.  They are graphical, but I would use them
just the same way if they were text only.  Photos incorporated into
messages is nice in some cases, but IMHO most photos included in forum
messages, avatars (which I do like), and signatures is pure fluff and a
waste of space.  Just IMHO.  Again, I'm not dissing the forums.

>It is far more intuitive and consistent than this list has been.

I would disagree, but everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion.

>It is true, progress has left this list behind in many ways.  The content
>is probably the best we have to choose from (for now) but it is truly a
>text field of miscellaneous information thrown together in a 10-point font
>with serifs.  Perhaps if the strings could be kept together in digests
>somehow rather than posted in chronological order.

Actually, while I sometimes like the fact that the forums are arranged by
thread, sometimes that's bad.  I *like* getting semi-random e-mails in my
mailbox (preferably on-topic).  It involves me in threads I would otherwise
ignore in a forum.  This fact should *not* be overlooked.  Both ways of
sharing information have their advantages.  There have been many times I've
ignored a thread and then I read one message that pulls me in for whatever
reason.  I've been known to go back through my trash folder to get up to
speed on a thread because of one message.  I'm sure others get involved in
threads they would ignore in a forum as well.  This too helps bring newbies
and veterans together - probably more so than in a forum.

I think that last point alone makes having this list worth it IMHO.  I hope
that Larry is not so totally fed up and disgusted that we go black at the
end of the month.

>And one last thing; senior members need newbies as much as newbies need
>the seniors.

God, I think I should be collecting Social Security. ;-)

Chris, I would say it's not as much a need as an obligation.  I've talked
about this many times.  Some friends have asked why I still read the list
(and as little as a year ago I read about 99% of the messages).  My
response was obligation.  I learned an unbelievable amount here.  I
consider it my obligation to give back.  I think other veterans should as
well to be honest.  Perhaps if more veterans would actually help, those of
us who do try to help out wouldn't feel as tired of always answering the
same question.  That's a big hint to my many friends who have been around
here a while.  The obligation is like that of any student turned teacher or
master.  At some point you become obligated to pass one what has been given
to you.  I hope with this wake-up call, we all will revive the list and
learn from our past mistakes, myself included for sure.

Humbly

George Roffe
Houston, TX
91 SE-R (well modded)
91 G20 turbo (well modded)
84 944 SCCA ITS race car under construction
<http://home.earthlink.net/~geo3/>