Thomas Dalton wrote:
So people would rather I decided what they are and aren't interested in? Surprising... most people I know like to make their own decisions about things like that...
My guess is that people here want what pretty much anybody in a shared context wants: consideration and respect for their experiences. You don't have to unilaterally decide what interests people; if you're unsure, you can just ask.
Elsewhere on the Internet I moderate a couple of mailing lists, and I frequently get questions like these:
* I'm new to the group, and wondered if it would be ok to ask about X. * Have I been talking too much about Y? People seem interested, but it's a little off topic. * I'm worried that thread Z has gone too long. Am I beating a dead horse?
William