2009/11/8 William Pietri william@scissor.com:
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.
People talk about "consideration and respect". What they usually mean is "agreeing with me". Disagreeing with someone is not being inconsiderate or disrespectful.
You don't have to unilaterally decide what interests people; if you're unsure, you can just ask.
It is hardly practical to hold a vote before sending an email - that would take up even more of people's time. Anyway, what proportion would I need being interested in what I have to say before I say it?
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?
And how do you answer them? Based on your experience of what is usually accepted on the list in question? Who should I ask that has more experience of these lists than I do?