On Tue, 15 May 2001, Doug Wheeler wrote:
> Douglas,
> If the content is essential, then it is essential, regardless if the list
> has 10 subscribers or 1000 subscribers. If the Head of Product Development
> does not get the information sent, it could be a costly error for the
> corporation. In many cases information dissemination is not a convenience
> for the client; it can readily fall into the emission critical status.

You are talking about using lists to sell a product, while I am talking
about lists for discussion within a profession.

Yes, if you are running a corporate list, to sell a product, that the
message was not received by 0.1, or even 0.01  per cent of the "clients"
might be important.  But, presumably, as these folk are your clients,
you have all the information you need to get the information to them
via a different venue once you know there was a problem with list email
delivery, and if your job is to ensure that every client gets the
information immediately you will pursue all the options for each client.

I, though, don't run corporate lists, I run professional discussion lists.
I do not worry at all that 1 of 4,000 subscribers had a mail delivery
problem: it is transient, will correct itself, the person can catch up,
if he wishes, from the archives: if it isn't transient, delete the sub,
the person can resubscribe and catch up from the archives, if he so
wishes: etc.

You must feed your subscribers (clients) with essential information, while
I make essential information available to subscribers at their discretion.
For you a 0.01 per cent loss may be a disaster, particularly if time is
of the essence, but for me it is nothing; the information is in the
archives and in most instances it matters not a whit whether they read it
today or next week.       Douglas