5 Posts per day limit

[KathyK]

Jordan wrote:

> (personally, I don't see the need for the limit at all in
> "peacetime" - i.e. when we're not in a really hectic time period 
> like around the release of a book - I think you said earlier that 
> this all started around the OOTP release?)

KathyK:

There are a couple things I wanted to say.  The first is that the 
list volume and membership *did* explode when OoP was released in 
2003.  I had just joined and didn't know any different, but I 
*think* the growth was quite a surprise for members and elves 
alike.  I apparently had nothing to do at the time and read every 
single post from the release through February 2004, but for most, 
the volume all summer was unmanagable, as has been described by Jen 
and Susan.

The posting limit was not implemented, IIRC, until 2005.  Way after 
the OoP release.  Because, as Jen and Judy both mentioned, there 
were occasions where the list was dominated by a few members, the 
arguments and topics were repetitive, etc...  long after the initial 
Phoenix craziness.  I think the posting limit has been quite 
effective in stopping much of that.

Lifting the limit during "peacetime" is not as simple as it seems.  
Other than this summer, which seemed quite quiet to me, this list 
tends to get much busier in North America's summertime, when many 
members are out of school and have more free time, regardless of 
whether a book or film (which also tends to increase membership and 
posting volume) has been released.  So a limit is a good thing 
during these peacetime busy-times.  Additionally, unexpected things 
do increase our membership and posting volume.  Like Yahoo putting 
us in their spotlight and teasing folks that Book 7 is coming out 
next summer.  These are times, IMO, posting limits are very helpful 
in maintaing order and quality on list.  And I suppose we could just 
issue an admin whenever we feel things are getting out of hand, but 
to me it's really inconsistent.  And our posting rules are numerous 
enough to remember as it is, I wouldn't want to force members to 
have to keep double-checking to see if they've changed every few 
months.

I want to address your proposal about a limit per subject, but I am 
afraid I have to hold off because I need to leave for work.

Best,

KathyK