From: wjb@moscom.UUCP (Bill de Beaubien)
Newsgroups: soc.singles
Subject: Re: Lurkers...
Date: 28 Aug 92 18:23:44 GMT
Organization: Moscom Corp., Pittsford, NY
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

John Fereira (johnf@Auspex.COM) wrote:
: In article <1992Aug26.201719.2129@CERIS.Purdue.EDU> dheisler@CERIS.Purdue.EDU (Dave Heisler) writes:
: |From article <1992Aug26.192500.21837@cs.hw.ac.uk>, by neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite):
: |> 
: |> Though one things that put off some lurkers I guess, many of the regulars
: |> or soc.singles 'old timers' (for want of a better word) seem to have their
: |> cliques and are always having their little digs back and forth and I guess
: |> people feel a little left out.
: |> 
: |  
: |      i'll agree this is one reason. and I'll give you
: |      another,
: |
: |      you email someone who posts and they never reply.
: |      (yes, assuming it it got there) 

Granted I haven't sent that much e-mail in response to postings, but I think
I've always gotten an answer.  Just lucky, I guess.
  
: Depending on the content sometimes I won't respond to unsolicited email.  It's
: my perogative.

Certainly true.  Though one would hope that under reasonble circumstances (no
massive deadline lurking or other such) polite e-mail would at least be 
acknowledged.  Like you said, depending on the content.

: 
: |      CLIQUE, BANG!, GOTHCHA
: 
: All of us were one time soc.singles.neophytes.  We all subcribed to 
: soc.singles at one point.  Some people decided to lurk and listen while
: others decided, what the hell, and jumped into the fray.  That's what I
: did and was promptly called an ASS by Oleg.  Undaunted, however I continued
: to post, and interacted with "the clique" as if I was part of the group.
: Sure, there are a lot of "in jokes" but after time you'll get to know the
: personalities and people will get to know yours.

Sure, and if you lurk long enough you'll know the personalities as well as
many of the posters do.  (Get your program, can't tell the posters without
a program...  I probably shouldn't have said that, in view of certain 
rumours floating around about Allisson :-)
 
: So many times soc.singles has been likened to a cocktail party.  Using this
: analogy, if you are at a cocktail party and you don't know anyone you have
: to choices.  You can either stand by the punch bowl and eat potato chips
: and listen or you can attempt to interact with those already in conversation.
: Whether on the net or at a cocktail party you need to listen before offering
: your opinion.  Whether on the net or a cocktail party if you're obnoxious
: or a bore you're going to be treated accordingly.  If you've got something
: to say, or in some way entertaining people are going to listen to you.

Note that the above aren't mutually exclusive.  Some people consider flaming
people who are obnoxiuos and a boor entertaining.  Of course, others prefer
to think of it as high art. 
 
: | John Fereira            "Is that all you ever think about?"                |
                            Yes.


-- 
"Bless me, Father; I ate a lizard."
"Was it an abstinence day, and was it artificially prepared?"
-------------------------------------------------------------
Bill de Beaubien / wjb@moscom.com