OpenEuphoria

1. Etiquette

• Posted by "Wallace B. Riley" <wryly at MINDSPRING.COM> Aug 15, 1997
• 565 views

As a newcomer to Euphoria and listserv, I have a  question about the
etiquette of listserv.

I've noticed that people often post questions on the Listserv, and within a
day or two get answers or at least comments, also on the Listserv.
Sometimes the answers are puzzling if I didn't see or don't recall the
original question.  In many cases neither the question nor the answer seems
to refer to anything I am doing.  On the other hand, the questions that I
have posed have been answered very helpfully, and thanks a lot to those who
provided the information.

However, any question that goes on the Listserv is broadcast to several
hundred users.  If three or four of those users respond to a question, and
all but one of the replies were of little or no value to the questioner, it
seems kind of silly for the questioner and the one responder who did reply
usefully to carry on a sort of conversation through the Listserv.  After the
initial exchange, anyone who did not reply to the original question will be
puzzled by these comments going back and forth.

So if I want a person who responded to my question to clarify a point or
two, I send an e-mail message to him or her directly, rather than tie up the
Listserv to the bafflement of other users.  I then find that said responder
again writes to me via the Listserv.

Who has violated Listserv etiquette here?  Me, for corresponding further by
direct e-mail, or the responder, by continuing to use the Listserv for
essentially a private conversation?

Wally Riley
wryly at mindspring.com


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