Re: self referencing post *to* the list *about* the list...

Tim O'Connor (tim@roughdraft.org)
Fri, 06 Feb 1998 19:48:58 -0500 

> > In the last week alone I have sent 4-5 posts
> > that never show up on the digest.  I was just curious to know what's going
> > on here.

A couple of people have been subscribing from one address, and sending
posts from another; since the list is set to allow only subscribers to
post, the others are being rejected.  (This protects us from most spam
mail.)

> and today's digest, instead of being sent at 09:00 irish time, was
> delivered at 13:52...
>
> interesting...

No -- depressing!  We had a major problem in which a list owner
accidentally hobbled himself, so overnight the error messages passed, in
the thousands, between the list server and this person's crippled account,
pushing everything else back in the queue.  I had to spend a few unamused
hours straightening out the mess.  8-#

> just as matter of course, i would like to announce that 30 jan marked
> the end of my first year on the list. out of interest, who is the
> absolute original founder ever? and who are the longest standing
> posters? as far as i can see, will, tim, malcolm, matt stevenson, and
> sonny get the honours.

Congratulations!  The other folks were here well before me; I don't recall
when I first got the nerve to post something, but it was long after a good
track record had been set.

Luke's page was wonderful, and every time I have a passing thought of
Harold Ober, it rekindles my irritation.  I don't know which was better --
the faux advertisements on the site, or the "Cliff Notes"-style
distillation of Catcher.  Together, those deserved the web equivalent of an
Academy Award.

> this stuff fascinates me. and it frightens me too, the fact that it
> seems like only yesterday that i subbed, but while i've been here people
> have arrived, become part of a living, breathing community, and then
> left. the rate of personnel turnover on the net is insane.

I've been astonished at the rate of turnover.  Sometimes it bothers me (as
in, "are we that bad a place?"), and at other times I figure, people in,
people out.  Right now I'm pretty sanguine about it.  Enough else to worry
about than how many people are on the list.

I agree with Luke that there's not nearly as much scholarly or analytical
traffic, which is something I miss.  But it's not like a campfire one can
kindle; if the community wishes to conduct business in a more scholarly
manner, I'd love to see that happen.  (And I guess we can all help foster
that by posting something scholarly -- it won't get you pilloried!)

Anyway, thank to the people who do speak up, and thanks for the Silent
Majority.  This list is something that often brightens my days and darkens
my nights.

--tim o'connor