Re: OT: iris-list lurking
As a most of the time lurker I don't feel I have
enough knowledge to contribute anything of value
to most discussions. If I have a question I have
learned to check the archives by repeated
directives to do so by the responses to others
questions. That doesn't mean the list isn't of
great value but more that it meets my needs which
is to learn more about Iris. I wish I had the
knowledge to contribute but at this time I don't
so I lurk.
Martha
NW OK zone 6
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jan Clark" <janclarx@hotmail.com>
To: <iris-talk@egroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 16, 2000 6:43 PM
Subject: [iris-talk] OT: iris-list lurking
490? I counted 99 contributers in the last 2 weeks
(from the mallorn
archives) That makes nearly 20%. I'm sure there
are many more than this, who
contribute once in a while.
Compared with other lists I am involved with,
percentage wise, that is a
little low, but in sheer numbers quite high.
With 500+ people on the list it appears there are
over 300 lurkers.
Perhaps we need to ask ourselves why?
Some reasons I can think of are:
1. Just like to read, and not participate.
2. Wish to remain anonymous.
3. Only read their archives once a week, and any
threads they might have
contributed to have run thin.
4. Have difficulty with subject headings and fear
reprimands.
5. Are afraid of asking stupid questions.
6. Have set no mail, rather than unsubscribe, and
only appear to be members.
7. Could answer a question but don't have time, or
think someone else might
be more knowledgeable.
8. Have become so hooked on irises through their
participation on this list,
that they no longer have time to write to the list
:-)
People do still ask plenty of questions. There are
a lot of iris lovers
asking questions on the iris forum, and many of
them never get an answer.
They are the same old things that have been done
to death on this list -
when to divide, how to remove stalks, iris borer
control, 'my irises have
all turned white', cutting back foliage, where to
obtain certain varieties.
We might get more participation on this list, and
you might get more
membership in iris societies, if occassionally
some of the more
knowledgeable people on this list had a quick read
through the forum
questions and shared their knowledge with those
less informed.
If each of us visited there, and answered a couple
of questions, even once a
month, this would help. Some already do this, I
know.
There is an obvious reluctance on this list to
rehash the same old issues
over and over. Some list members don't want to be
bothered with
the amount of mail this would involve.
Our archives are a fantastic record of past
discussions, but I think if
people can see that they are not going to get a
better answer than a
referral to the archives, some will stop asking.
It comes down to trying to please all of the
people all of the time - an
impossible task. So we have a few very interesting
discussions on this list,
and people who can't cope with the depth of some
of these discussions can
ask questions on the forum, and maybe get an
uninformed answer, or even no
answer at all.
What do other people think - especially lurkers?
Why are you out there
lurking and not writing occassionally?
Now is your chance!
Cheers, Jan Clark
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