[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: No responses on the main list (Was: Wizarding Education )

Fri Jul 23 00:37:16 UTC 2004

From: entropymail [mailto:entropymail at yahoo.com]
| Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2004
| > Kneasy:
| Possibly, but that's no reason to not aspire to one. <snip> And
| judging by some of the posts a proportion of them have never  bothered
| to read the books properly. Doesn't stop 'em posting, though.
|
| Entropy:
|
| True, Kneasy. The problem may be two-fold: I am frustrated lately by
| not just the caliber of the posts, but by the subjects themselves.
| First, if I'm going to entertain a theory (or post one myself), it's
| got to be chock-full of canon and common sense; a simple post stating
| a theory and a sentence from Book 3 to back it up just isn't going to
| do it for me. And second, I'm personally getting a bit tired of being
| asked to entertain the same theories over and over again. (No offense
| to all of you Vampire!Snape diehards out there, but do we really need
| to be re-hashing that one again? )

[Lee]:
Of course, if everyone would read the FAQ files and such before posting,
this probably wouldn't happen so much.

Now, I've got to admit, I joined the HPFGU Main List in--uh--hmm--April, I
think?...well, anyway, I did *scan* the FAQ files and tried to absorb the
acronyms with little success. :-) There's just sooo much info to read
through fully.  But I at least felt pretty comfortable popping in.

When I posted, I tried to devote a great deal of care to my posts and did
all I could to adhere to List Protocols, and had lots of fun.

As of late, however, some of the thrust of some of the threads makes me
wonder if I've read the same books as some of the posters out there...no
offense, but some of the stuff just totally eludes me.  Perhaps I'm
too--uh--concrete in my thinking that not every line has to allude to or
foreshadow something...like the "stalagmite & Stalactite" thing.  I admit
I've got to wonder about all the time-travel stuff...a bit too way off the
deep end for me.  Etc., etc.

[Entropy]:
| My concern is not so much that the list is getting too big or too
| busy, or too whatever, but that it is in grave danger of stagnating.
| In my mind, the older posters have (rightfully so) a "been there, done
| that" attitude: they've done the research and collaborated on the
| theories and drawn their conclusions, and don't really have much
| interest in watching the newbies start at square one all over again.

[Lee]:
Well, on the Battlestar Galactica list which I moderate, sometimes if
there's enough lag, old things wax new again and a fresh spin can be put on
something that older-list minds didn't see but one of the newer-list minds
comes up with.  Then, things can get interesting.
|
| >Kneasy:<snip>So call me a whiner - better to my mind than airily
| dismissing concerns  from the lofty eminence of 4 years on site. One
| stance is concerned about  maintaining reasonably adult standards; the
| other sees no cause to worry. Sorry, I think you're wrong. The
| complexion of the membership is changing, and not in a way I  feel
| comfortable with.

[Lee, breaking in]:
Been there, done that on the BSG list.  That's why I went from full-mod to
co-mod; I thought perhaps another voice, new blood, would be able to handle
the change of dynamic, climate, whatever you wish to call it.  We were a
very close-knit, tight group who shared a lot; now, I don't feel I really
know that many of the posters as well as I used to.  Of course, our volume
and numbers are no way as big as HPForGrownups!
|
[Entropy]:
| Once again, Kneasy, I agree. Whether or not  problems have been
| brought up in the past is no reason to dismiss them now.  Perhaps the
| complaints were unfounded in the past; or, perhaps those complaining
| two or three years ago simply saw then what has now reached critical mass.

[Lee]:
Or, perhaps, those complaining just lurk or left.
|
[Entropy]:
| In any case, it doesn't seem out of line to consider somehow splitting
| the list.  Although someone suggested that other lists have been
| divided by subject (Snape, FILKS, Ships, etc.), I don't think anything
| that drastic is necessary.  Simply splitting the list into two groups:
|
| (1) newbies who are excited about discovering older theories for
| themselves and
| (2) oldies who have a certain amount of time put into the group (or a
| certain number of posts)
| seems to me to be a fair way of keeping newer members happy and older
| members interested.
|
| Elves, are you listening?

[Lee]:
A newby list might be a good idea or maybe if there's someone with all the
information at hand who newbies can write to...who knows.  These,
unfortunately, are situations which probably always arise when running
lists.  <Sigh.> Like I say, been there, done that

One most important thing is *Consistency*.  Examples:
Any OT posts, for example, should either be 1) replied to off-list or 2)
directed here to the chatter list.
Movie & Canon comparisons might need their own list, I don't know.
People who are basing their views on the films instead of the books should
be redirected to the Movie list.
Whichever way one goes, absolute consistency is paramount.  IMO this goes
for the list-veterans as well as the newbies.

Anyway, I've still found some interesting threads to read and am certainly
enjoying the banter on this list.

The other thing to consider is that sometimes we get a case of "list
burnout".  That means that one needs to lay off for a couple months and give
it all a rest, then come back and see what the climate is.  Unfortunately,
as a Mod, I can't leave...I'm trapped on the BSG list! <BEG> But I've seen
listers do this...take a sabbatical for a couple months, then come back and
test the waters.

Anyway, there's no clear-cut answer; what will please some won't please all
and that's just the way it is.  I have to applaud the Elves; this isn't a
small group and takes a heck of a lot of work, I'm sure, to keep everything
running as smootly as it is.  Being a List Mom/Mod/Elf can be almost like
having a full-time job which can be rough, especially if one has an active
RL, too.

So, please, Elves, know that I understand and thank you for your efforts.

Cheers,
Lee :-)

Do not walk behind me,    | Lee Storm
I may not care to lead;   | N2FGC
Do not walk before me;    | n2fgc at arrl.net (or)
I may not care to follow; | n2fgc at optonline.net
Walk beside me, and be my friend.