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Date:         Tue, 21 Jul 1992 05:48:04 GMT
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Subject:      Some thoughts for us all to take to heart: forwarded fr

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From LISTSERV@PSUVM.PSU.EDU  Mon Jul 20 18:38:57 1992
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 21:36 EST
From: JUDITH HOPKINS AT SUNY BUFFALO <ULCJH@UBVMS.BITNET>
Subject: Some thoughts for us all to take to heart: forwarded from NETTRAIN@UBVM
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From:   IN%"NETTRAIN@UBVM.BITNET"  "Internet/BITNET Network Trainers Discussion
   List" 20-JUL-1992 15:22:27.17
To:     IN%"NETTRAIN@UBVM.BITNET"  "Multiple recipients of list NETTRAIN"
CC:
Subj:   Some observations about lists

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Date: Mon, 20 Jul 1992 12:18:00 MST
From: "walters@pc.maricopa.edu" <WALTERS@PC.BITNET>
Subject: Some observations about lists
To: Multiple recipients of list NETTRAIN <NETTRAIN@UBVM.BITNET>
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 <NETTRAIN@UBVM.BITNET>
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I am new to this list, but from what I've read here, I'd like to express a
concern that I have about list participation.  As trainers of net users, I would

like for you to think about what I have to say and if you agree, incorporate it
into your training sessions.

We in the USA have LOW cost access to the net and assume that everyone else gets

it "free" as well.  This is NOT true.

I recently returned from an extensive trip through Europe where I visited severa
   l
of my e-mail friends.  I spent three weeks in Central/Eastern Europe visiting in

Poland, Czechoslovakia, Russia and Estonia, in addition to time in Western Europ
   e.

The people I visited are all active on-line through various connections.  The
thing that is most disturbing to them, and now to me is that since they pay for
their phone lines by the minute and in some places pay for messages by the Kb
(both to send and receive).  I have a friend in Poland who spends a lot of time
on-line, and her phone bill is frequently higher than her salery from the
University of Warsaw.  She survives on grants and extra money she earns doing
translation. These people tend to sign off of lists that are dominated by person
   s
who ask simple questions that could be looked up in an ordinary dictionary or
encyclopedia.  Also some of the lists to discuss "local issues" like SLOVAK-L
have many Americans (since the lists are open) who tend to be very vocal but not

well informed.

In observing lists, there seem to be three kinds of members.  There are the
lurkers who read but never voice anything, there are participants who send
messages which are deleted by most people, and there are contributors who are th
   e
ones who share meaningful information.  So in many lists there is a lot of noise
   ,
but little in terms of signal.  The noise created by the participants is annoyin
   g
to most of us, but is especially annoying to our european netters who pay dearly

for their on-line time.

So, when training new users, there needs to be a word of caution about sending
messages.  Messages should move the conversation forward and contribute to the
understanding of the list members.  "I agree" messages only create traffic and
expense for a large population of people who make the net such a rich environmen
   t.

A motto for the net could be "DON'T LITTER!" Each person should analyze the valu
   e
of his/her contribution prior to sending it out.

Jim Walters
Phoenix College, Phoenix Arizona
walters@pc.bitnet
walters@pc.maricopa.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU