Re: ADMIN: Subject lines

Carolyn:

I'm sorry it seems to come to this. I really *don't* want this to be
a personal thing.

:
: I think that folks who overlook errors and learn to tolerate the wide
:range of differences that are evident on this list will BUILD CHARACTER.

I agree. That's why I do very little in the way of directing the discussion
or passing judgment on off-topic posts.

: There were hundreds of postinggs on birthdays -- seems to me they didn't
:have anything to do with iris.  Yet, when I made a comment which  you diliked,
:THAT's DISLIKED, you chastized me.... I wonder why!!!

I thought it was clear from my explanation why I responded to your posting.
Not because I disliked it, or because it was off-topic, but because it
seemed to say that disregarding the list policy about subject lines is a
matter of personal choice, perhaps even a good thing to do. This is not so.

I will respond to any message about list policies by reiterating what the
policies actually are. If someone posted a message saying "It's OK to
post advertisements on this list that are not iris-related; in fact it
will build character for the people who have to delete them", I would
respond to that message the same as I did to yours.

It is my duty as listowner to respond to any postings regarding list
policy that might give the wrong impression.

:
:When students are heavy users of the system I can't make my arrows go back
:over the current line and I can never go up in my text to make changes.
:
: That's another example where folks are being asked to be tolerant.  Does
:it hurt so much???

No, that's an example of overworked hardware. The students aren't
deliberately disregarding the university's policies about computer access,
knowing that it is creating a problem for you when they do so.
:
:So don't build character, I don't give a flying anything!!
:
Carolyn, I have really tried to understand where you are coming from,
and I'm just mystified. All I've ever asked of anyone on this list
is that they make a good-faith attempt to follow the instructions and
advice in the welcome message. **Does it hurt so much** to do **that**?
I have great tolerance when it comes to people who are learning or
having problems with their computer. I have great tolerance when it
comes to people digressing in humor or chit-chat from time to time. But
you seem to take some sort of *pride* in feeling that you are not
obliged to make a good faith attempt to follow the rules, and that
it's everyone else's fault for not having enough "character" to
tolerate it. I can't for the life of me figure out why you insist
on placing yourself above the simple (and easy) requirements of
common courtesy. You seem like a friendly and intelligent person, so
what's the deal here? If you'd responded to my very first message
with a simple "Sorry, I didn't know it was bugging people. I'll try
to do better with those subject lines", it all would have ended then
and there and you would never have heard from me again.

Any collaborative activity requires both tolerance for differences
*and* a respect for some commonly accepted "rules of the road". You
seem to be demanding tolerance of others but showing not the slightest
understanding that you have some responsibilities too. It has to go
both ways.

Please read my last message again, where I explain why meaningful
subject lines are a good idea, and then just ask yourself if you're
willing to make an honest effort to show some respect for that particular
policy. This is really a stupid, petty subject to be bickering about.
What in the world is so difficult about recognizing that meaningful
subject lines are a good idea and we should all try to use them?

I hope we can eventually get beyond this and back to having fun talking
about irises.

Regards, Tom.

===============================================================

Tom Tadfor Little         tlittle@lanl.gov  -or-  telp@Rt66.com
technical writer/editor   Los Alamos National Laboratory
---------------------------------------------------------------
Telperion Productions     http://www.rt66.com/~telp/
===============================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index