Douglas,

I have to agree.  I think you have the cleanest lists on the Internet, second only to mine, of course.  <g>

I float back and forth between setting all subscibers to moderation (edit, not review) and allowing those that can, to do.  As we employ a set of subject header prefixes just to complicate matters, I usually end up editing those for subscribers.

It's the Click (Reply), Type, and Send subscribers that drive me crazy.  They end up on moderation very quickly.  As one, a veteran of AOL groups (I have no idea what breeds threre) said to me, "I just want to talk".  I flip through the incoming from the server quickly and those that are "click-and-shoot" sans trimming become the last to be edited and forwarded.  If I get busy, they may not be posted until the next day.

The problems seem to stem from a select few "list vets" and, until they've experienced moderation, those that are new to the list.  There's something about those on AOL who seem to love to send forwards or replies several levels deep as though it's a contest to demonstrate who can build the longest quote.  I have discovered an effective method of teaching a subscriber *why* long quotes are undesirable, without going into the argument over constructing archives that are actually benefiicial.  I just place them on digest for a week.  <g>  I am seriously considering placing all new subscribers on digest for their first week during which I usually hold back posting privaleges.

I notice, too, that some employ a command of the language that is almost incomprehensible.  I set out a five step routine to posting, suggesting that subscribers think of posting as sending a "letter to the editor" in their local small town newspaper, and that they take a little pride in what they write.  So many of them view a list as a medium for very casual conversation rather than semi-formal discussion with a modicum of presentation.  I do have hope for some though, as last week one shared with us all their having discovered a "spell checking feature" in their email client.  Wonderful.

I have inventoried several "instructional" pages on everything from how to properly construct a post, to email client settings and why HTML is not always wonderful.  We have one chap who not only has to suffer the expanded codes in ascii, but through a Braille reader.  I grew tired of the unncessary HTML last month after having asked until I was blue in the face that it be used judiciously, and now, it's filtered out, save for those who have Rich Text Format capability which so far seems to be only myself.  <g>

However, I must cut them a little slack.  The list is centred around patients in a great deal of constant physical pain, some of whom are on very strong medications.

Michael McNeil


At 12:44 AM 6/19/01 -0500, Douglas wrote:
>
>This list *will* be clean, clear of excessive,
>pointless, lazy quoting, unsiginged postings etc.  If you don't do it
>properly to start with I *will* edit and you may wish I hadn't.