Re: Dumb bunnies

[P3D bob wier <wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

|> How about just a couple of lines at the top of the list stating that
|> unsubscribe information can be found at the bottom of the list?
|> That way, maybe people will see the information they need can indeed 
|> be found if they scroll down to the bottom of the list.
|> 
|Possibly, but I don't think many of these people would "get it" if you grabbed
|them by the scruff of the neck, shoved their face into the screen and rubbed
|their nose over the words. Why bother learning how to do something if you can
|whine a little and get somebody else to do it for you?

Marvin brings up a good point - I've kind of taken it on as a crusade
to MAKE people unsubscribe themselves from a list at least once - then
maybe they can do it again in the future. I maintain that if they managed
to get themselvs ON a list, then they can get themselves OFF.

Since I'm feeling verbose tonight, I'll explain what I'm doing currently when I see (or intercept) an administrivia request mailed to the list in general...

1. Look up their address to see if it's changed sufficiently that
they actually *are* having problems with the listserv robot - probably
75% of the time, that's not the case. Due to limitations on the software,
I'm more than happy to assist in that case. Otherwise,

2. I place them on the ignored address list as far as POSTING to the
list is concerned - so they can't send any messages again to the
list until/unless specifically reinstated.

3. I LEAVE them on the outgoing mail address list, so they still receive
the postings FROM the list.

If someone sends to the 3d-moderators directly without going thru the list,
asking to be unsubscribed, then we gripe a bit but generally go ahead and
do it for them. Except when someone appears excessively combative and/or
non-cooperative. Then I send a copy of the unsub note directly and do the above
sequence for them, too. 

I also tend to give more slack in one place versus another. I give no
slack at all on the microcontroller list - presumably these are all
engineers/software people who should be familiar with computer technology.

On the other hand, I give considerably slack on my historical list - a lot
of those people have never touched a computer keyboard before in their
lives (especially us older folk) and so need a "kinder, gentler" approach
(hmmm - would make a good phrase for a speech :-)  

Photo 3d kind of falls in the middle.

FWIW - 

THANKS

    ====== wier@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ======
  Sunday, November 24, 1996 03:40 AM
   keeper of the Photo-3d, Motorola
 MC68HC11, Overland-Trails, LDS State
Research Outline Guides and other stuff
 



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