Goodbye mailing list.

[George Roffe]

Brian Cembor wrote:

>If it is not the SE-R list, then what is it?
>I don't want to appear rude or unappreciative but it sounds like you are
>upset over semantics. Simply because this is not the "premier"  source of
>SE-R information you don't want to promote or continue its function as the
>SE-R list. I am trying to understand your motivation on this but to me it
>sounds like a case of sour apples. "my list's membership is down, there
>are alternative sources for the info, and traffic has dropped, therefore I
>will no longer offer this service"
>PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I AM OFF BASE HERE but this is what it sounds like to
>me.

Oh my.  Where to start?

Yes Brian, you are *way* off base here.  Mein Gott im Himmel, if you only
knew how far off base you are.  Actually, it kind of pisses me off.

Larry has been providing the SE-R list for longer than I've been on it, and
that's almost 6 years now (wow).  During that time, Larry has developed
other interests that take up a great deal of his time and has not been
terribly active on the SE-R list, but he has not only maintained it, but
done a great job of making and keeping it one of the best Internet mailing
lists I've seen.  His filters, while occasionally cumbersome, keep the list
incredibly easy to read - much better than the 8 or so other mailing lists
I'm on or have been on.  For the last few years, Larry has not been
maintaining this list for *his* benefit, but for ours.

List traffic has dropped *considerably* over the last couple of years, and
for exactly the reasons Larry mentioned.  At times, it seemed like the list
was dying this year.  Fairly low traffic volume and sometimes much of that
was just friendly banter rather than discussion of SR20 issues.  I'm sure
Larry felt many were staying on the list out of pure momentum - easier to
stay than to leave.  However, since Larry first mentioned the possible
shut-down of the list, things have picked up some.  Some folks who have
been quiet for a few years have started posting regularly again (great to
see y'all again).  I'd love to see more come back.  I cannot remember the
last time I saw a post from Rob Cadle (perhaps his momma took his computer
away ;-).

No, Larry's feelings are just exactly what he wrote.  Better to let the
list die a dignified death than to whither away into irrelevance.  I
respect and support that.  However, I don't think it's going to happen.  I
think folks have stepped up and proven that it's *not* irrelevant to
them.  Let's hope more folks who have been absent and quiet become at least
a little more active.

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/>