On Fri, 13 Sep 1996, Peter Rauch wrote:
 
> > Date:         Fri, 13 Sep 1996 11:14:35 -0400
> > From: Judith Hopkins <[log in to unmask]>
> >
> > > 1. Let it die of its own inaneness in its own good time, or
> >
> >         The problem with this approach is that by the time the inane
> >         thread does die, your more focussed, serious subscribers have
> >         become so sick of it that some have unsubscribed.
>
> You might think this will be the predominant behavior, but in my
> experience as owner of a number of lists over many years, very few
> people actually leave in disgust. Some complain onlist, some threaten
> to leave --few, usually none, actually leave. I've made it a habit of
> collecting subs/unsubs and of paying attention to the waves of comings
> and goings vis a vis what is going on in the list discussion; you just
> don't lose your more focussed, serious subscribers to occasional
> "inane" threads (I participate in lists that I would call generally
> serious, so I can't vouch for the lists dominated by constant
> inaneness; what is their topical focus?).
 
I have to agree with Judy here.  They have unsubbed on my list and
on another list that I know of, when they become annoyed with negative posts.
I think the best think to do for everyone is to remove that person posting
the negative stuff.
 
 
Sue :-)