Re: OT: List etiquette question.

Tom Tadfor Little wrote:

> Mark, Walter, and Leslie: your understanding of the list policies is the
> same as mine. They say explicitly that postings about non-iris gardening
> topics are acceptable, provided the off-topic label is used.

I agree, and I have no problem with the policy. The same policy has
existed since the beginning of the list almost two years ago. It reads:


*****
c. Off-Topic Posts

I enjoy the freedom of unmoderated lists, and I hope you do
to. I think this discussion group should resemble a conversation
between gardeners over the backyard fence. There is no
prohibition on humor, idle chit-chat, or the occasional off-topic
exchange.

However, please remember that people subscribe to this list
because they are interested in irises. If the iris talk gets buried
under a mountain of off-topic chit-chat, the list ceases to be
useful. I may occasionally suggest that a certain line of discussion
be taken off the list and continued by private email.
*****


So maybe I am on the conservative side of its interpretation, and I
certainly have sent some off topic posts. But the policy does say
"occasional". I am not sure how long running OT threads fit into the
picture. There are also some very involved iris folk that are no longer
on the list because of the level of "chaff". It is in a sense our list
in that it is what we make it. If there are enough people that want a
general gardening list, maybe we should start one...

Something else to remember is that while the OT: XXXX subject line does
give us all the opportunity to use the delete key, not everyone has
unlimited access to their server and the more bits that come over the
line the more it costs them.


John                     | "There be dragons here"
                         |  Annotation used by ancient cartographers
                         |  to indicate the edge of the known world.

John Jones, jijones@ix.netcom.com
Fremont CA, USDA zone 8/9 (coastal, bay) 
Max high 95F/35C, Min Low 28F/-2C average 10 days each
Heavy clay base for my raised beds.
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