[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Is It Just Me? (Cont.)

[Sheryll Townsend]

 --- elfundeb2 <elfundeb at comcast.net> wrote: > > 
> 
> I agree 100% with Abigail's point on how best to
> maintain quality on 
> the list:
> 
<<<< So post.  Don't be afraid that someone's said the
same thing already - they have.  And not just over the
last seven weeks but over the last three years.  How
many times have we told newbies that they shouldn't be
afraid to suggest an oft-repeated topic, because there
are always new angles and new readers?  That's still
the case.  I'm sure everyone on this thread has a lot
to say, and I know that I'm looking forward to reading
it.  I can't be the only one who scans the list for
her favorite posters, because I know that those
posters can be relied on to provide consistently high
quality.  If you post, others will respond, and some
of them  will be inspired to raise the quality of
their
discussion.
 
What makes HPfGU a great place to discuss Harry Potter
is not that there are moderators around to discourage
low-brow discussions, but that there are great people
who encourage high-brow ones.
 
Post, people.>>>>

I have to agree with this as well. The best way to
encourage new members to post quality messages is to
lead by example. Yes, the ratio of good posts to
repetitive or less interesting ones is high. Yes, it's
hard to find the quality posts amid the rest. But they
are there. And the more people making quality posts,
the more new members will see what made this list a
great place to discuss Harry Potter. 
 
> And this is also the reason why I personally don't
> think a second 
> list is a good idea.  I believe the best way to
> encourage new members 
> to post the way we want them to is to set the
> standard ourselves; new 
> members' first impression of what the group expects
> is formed by the 
> recent posts they read.  A newbie list isn't going
> to be able to 
> maintain the standard.  Also, to me it's not very
> welcoming to shunt 
> newbies off to a second-string list while the really
> good discussion 
> is taking place on a list where they have no voice. 
> 
Not only is it not going to be very welcoming to send
new members off to another list, it also won't help
them learn what we expect on this list. So that's
basically a "me, too" on what Debbie has said. 
> 
> It's a daunting task to read through the main list
> these days.  Yes, 
> there are posts out there with very poor form (and
> they're not all 
> from the 3000 most recent members).  But I also
> always find 
> intelligent and insightful posts written newbies
> that we would not 
> read if their contributions were shunted off to
> another list.  

Another good point. Putting new members on another
list will deprive us of some excellent posts. And
Debbie is correct that not all the messages coming
through in poor form are from new list members, so
having new members on another list is no guarantee
that things will improve. 

Personally, I think starting another list smacks of an
elitest, "we're better than you and can't join us
until you're good enough" attitude. I honestly don't
think that's the impression that we would want to give
new people looking for a place to discuss Harry
Potter. 

Sheryll, finding all the suggestions being offered
very interesting

=====
"No matter what happens, somebody will find a way to take it too seriously." - Dave Barry

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