new memebers

[whizbang]

If my experience is anything like yours, few new members will read
back on old posts.  You will get some great new posters, and nurturing
and encouraging these is where time and effort should be spent.  But a
frustrating percentage won't even read the last post on a page before
they jump in.

In polite society, this would be uncommonly rude.  But online, it
seems the shoe is on the other foot, and the individual who butts in
takes great offence at being asked to read back old posts and find out
what the discussion is even about before beginning to type.

I understand that part of the solution here has been to monitor new
members for a time.  But monitoring all the posts on a list this size
would be daunting, to say the least.

A while back, I suggested moving HP4GU to a forum style board,
abandoning the group format.  But that met with a great deal of
objection.  

hmmm...

Well, a forum style board could be run side by side with the
yahoo.group board.  Or a new board could be open for new members to
post freely on.  The established board will be viewable, but only
members who have been considered by the mods to be quality posters
could be allowed to post.  New members who wish to follow the same
lines of thought could post them on the newbie board.

Or it could go the opposite, as well.  Leave the established board as
it is.  But open a new board visible to all members, but only allow
quality posters to contribute.  Some forums do maintain invisible
boards, like Hogsmeade at Cosforums.com.  Everyone knows Hogsmeade is
there, but the staff chooses who may see and post on this board.  It's
an incentive to work on quality posting.