>
> Have any list-owners, who now have the TOPICS capability available on
> their LISTSERV, figured out how to _decide_ which topics, if any, would
> be appropriate for their list(s)?
>
> 1) Was it unilateral by you? (perhaps you searched the notebook for
>    recent subjects:)
>
> 2) Do you plan on doing a survey?
>
> 3) Do you plan on waiting and see what other owners are doing w/
>    TOPICS?
>
> 4) something else?
>
> As an aside, I've received one comment from a list-owner who felt that
> list subscribers won't play nice i.e., that the users will tend to
> ignore setting the topic appropriately.
 
The lists I manage are full of non-techies, and they are not likely to
remember to set topics unless they have a high motivation to do so.
 
One example is the Canada: topic, that a group of Canadians on the list
wanted in order to discuss Canadian slants on the issues on the list.
Since they are specifically targeting a focus and a group of people, it
should be easy to remember.
 
Another category is for postings from organizations who post to the
list.  There is an organization (FCNL) which operates as a "legislative
watchdog" in Washington, and provides weekly postings on legislative
issues likely to be of interest to this list, and emergency bulletins as
needed.  There are some people who subscribe to QUAKER-P only to get
these postings, but are somewhat overwhelmed by the volume of other
materials on the list. Having these postings' Subject: start with FCNL:
will enable people to get the info without drowning in posts.
 
I don't think that one should create topics just because the facility
exists!  Only when there is a clear need for them will people actually
cooperate and use the appropriate Subject:
--
Bruce P. A. Dienes                     Beware the iniquitous Disk Trolls!
BitNet:   dienes@uiucvmd
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