ADMIN: New Poll Regarding OoP Release

[Cindy C.]

No: HPFGUIDX 54228

Greetings from Hexquarters!

The Moderator Team is considering policy changes for 
the release of OoP. With your help, we'd like to find a way to 
maintain the high-quality discussion that has made this list truly 
unique in the fandom, while at the same time allowing our community 
to enjoy and celebrate the arrival of OoP.

One of our goals is to keep the main list focused 
on discussion of the HP books themselves, with more light-hearted 
and personal experiences posted on our sister list, OT-Chatter, just 
as they are now. An additional concern is that the Moderators, 
Elves and Geists will be busily reading the book too, so we are 
searching for ways to maintain our standards on the main list at a 
time when we will have very few people available to help moderate, 
at least in the early stages.

So far, we have decided that there will be two outlets for those 
wishing to post their first impressions and experiences. First, we 
will have our chat room (known as "The Shrieking Shack") available 
for list members who would like to share their first impressions of 
the book with other members. Second, OT-Chatter will be open for all 
types of conversation, as usual.

Our dilemma, then, is whether to keep the main list open for posting 
or whether to close the main list for some period 
(probably 36 hours) following the midnight release of OoP in 
the UK. If the list were closed, members could read the archives, 
the "Fantastic Posts" and the files, polls and databases on the main 
list, but they could not post new messages. The arguments on both 
sides are:

REASONS TO KEEP THE MAIN LIST OPEN: OoP release is a 
long-awaited and important event in the fandom, and it would be a 
shame to close the list at a time when list members are most eager 
to discuss the new canon. After all, the very purpose of the main 
list is to promote discussion, and closing the main list will make 
serious canon discussion impossible (aside from chat and OT-Chatter) 
for some period of time, even for those who finish the book very 
quickly. The release of OoP is the most important event in the 
fandom, so the main list should stay open for canon discussion.

REASONS TO CLOSE THE MAIN LIST FOR 36 HOURS: Our members may 
appreciate an opportunity to buy and read OoP at a reasonable pace 
without worrying about missing out on main list discussion. After 
all, if we'd like posts to the main list to make canon points about 
OoP, it is reasonable to give members time to read OoP. When 
members are finished reading, they will have far fewer posts to 
catch up on than if the list remains open, which may improve the 
quality of discussion overall.

We'd like to know what our members think about closing the list for 
OoP, so we are creating a poll. The poll is for advisory purposes 
only; there are other administrative issues that will influence our 
decision, of course. You can only vote once in the poll, although 
you can change your vote at any time before the poll closes. The 
poll will not display names or results for now.

Finally, we would like to hear *any* thoughts, ideas, comments or 
suggestions you may have about any issues or policies related to the 
release of OoP. Please send your remarks to:

Mods_Elves_Geists at yahoogroups.com

We will most definitely read and consider your messages, although we 
won't be able to guarantee you a reply or acknowledgement.

So please. Tell us what you think!

Cindy, for the Mods