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Subject:ADMIN: From the TECHWR-L Mailbag From:TECHWR-L Admin <admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Fri, 16 Mar 2007 09:30:29 -0600
A TECHWR-Ler wrote:
> Why are these very long threads still active? For example, "Pet
> Peeves" long ago degenerated into non-tech writing, non-tech comm
> banter. Why is it continuing? Reminds me of a classroom of adolescents
> in a school without an effective discipline plan.
>
> Is there an administrator?
Yes, TECHWR-L has administrators. We're the ones
who posted three--count 'em THREE--ADMIN messages
in the past week about various threads being off topic, with
suggestions for alternative ways to communicate such material.
We are setting repeat off-topic posters to Moderated status.
Often it's a fine line between on-topic and off-topic, and we
encourage the community to moderate their own postings
and ask questions about appropriateness if they're not sure.
What's been going on in the past few days, however, goes
beyond people disregarding the purpose of this forum. Yesterday
alone, the TECHWR-L list has more than 160 messages posted
to it--160! How many of us have time to wade through 160
messages, let alone when a good portion of them include
nothing more than a "witty" remark or something that's even
labeled OT. Folks, before you post a witty comment, a
one-line reply, a comment that takes discussions further away from
technical writing, or the like, realize that you're not adding
value for the 3,000+ subscriber base and the 10,000+ daily
list readership who subscribed to discuss technical
communication.
The TECHWR-L list is set up so that when people
reply to a message, they have to make the conscious
choice to Reply All if they want the message to go to
the list. If your message doesn't add value to a technical
writing-related discussion, think twice before posting:
* Consider sending the message off-list to the person
you're responding to
* Consider posting the material as a blog or a story
reference on the TECHWR-L Web site: http://www.techwr-l.com
* Consider asking whether the message is appropriate
before posting. Contact us at admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com
Above all, please be considerate of others' time. Through
this list, help other technical communicators do their jobs
more easily; don't make this list one more obstacle to
doing their jobs.
************************************
TECHWR-L ADMIN
admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com
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