[KYHAM] Earthquake???

[N4AOF]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Paulahkolik at aol.com>
> The reason I started posting earthquake info, is that I figured that there
> just might be somebody out there that would be interested in it, that 
> either
> doesn't know where to look for it, or possibly might have motion-sensitive
> equipment that may need to be re-calibrated after an event like this.


Let me offer yet another point of view....

And, please indulge me to the extent that I express this point of view in a 
generic sense rather than specifically discussing any particular message 
posted here....

In general, I believe most mail lists have specific purposes, and that 
purpose is usually (but not always) reflected in the list name, and usually 
(but not always) described somewhere readily available to current and 
potential members.

While some mail lists are very strict about the specific content that is 
appropriate, other lists are rather loose about what is or isn't considered 
"on topic," a few lists manage to succeed with very nearly "anything 
goes" -- all these management styles have their advantages and 
disadvantages;no one style can be considered the only right way to run a 
mail list, or even the best way to run a mail list.

What is important to a successful mail list is that members have a general 
understanding of what to expect -- that way people have a legitimate choice 
to subscribe to lists that meet their needs and their personal style.

Personally I tend to prefer lists that have a reasonably well defined topic 
but are not draconian in enforcing fine details of that definition.  I am a 
member of nearly 200 different mail lists, covering perhaps a dozen totally 
different fields and numerous variations within each area.

I never mind seeing a post that is only marginally related to the group 
topic that someone reasonably thought might be of interest to the group, but 
I rarely appreciate seeing such posts become a recurring feature.  I 
especially DO NOT like to see anyone consistently forwarding messages from 
one list to another or consistently forwarding information from some website 
to a mail list (other than one operated for that particular purpose).

My thinking in this is very similar to what you said (quoted above).  If 
there is reason to think the information would be of interest to a 
significant portion of the list members, then posting the information is 
good -- but if people actually are interested, they should then subscribe to 
the appropriate list or visit the appropriate website, not expect the 
material to be added to a list where it is unrelated or just barely related 
to the list topic.

For example, I grind my teeth at the lids who insist on forwarding the ARRL 
Letter to each and every ham radio related mail list they know of!  I have 
dropped subscriptions to some ham radio mail lists because there were 
actually multiple members who consistently forwarded the ARRL Letter to the 
list.

Most of the time, I find about half the ARRL Letter worth reading - so I 
have a subscription to the ARRL Letter -- but I certainly don't need (and 
don't want) over a dozen copies arriving in my mailbox from different mail 
lists over about a week.

73 de N4AOF