From: cabeca@sw.stratus.com (Linda Cabeca)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps
Subject: Re: DOOL:  All this talk about UPDATES.....
Keywords: new idea?
Date: 9 Sep 92 14:00:55 GMT
Organization: Stratus Computer, Inc.

In article <1992Sep9.123703.6996@cbfsb.cb.att.com>, mins@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (timothy.j.mizerak) writes:
> 
> Time for my thoughts on this update thing....
> 
> Ruth wrote:
> 
> >occassions.  Granted, things are going a little slow on DOOL
> >right now, and some of the stories are a little lame (OK, I'll
> >even give it a lot lame) but hey, it's just entertainment.  I
> >still follow the stories and will probably never quit watching
> >the show.  I just wish there were still updates every day of the
> >week like there used to be.  There has to be other people out
> >there like me who want unbiased updates!  I'd even be willing to
> >do an update myself if that's what it takes to get updates back
> >on the net.
> 
> 
> I can understand your wanting to see regular updates, but the fact of
> the matter is that they take a lot of time and work.  If the show is
> not interesting then it is *very* tedious to have to labor through
> an update.  I do the Knots Landing updates and as much as I love that
> show, it still can be a pain.  I found that updating as I watch [first
> viewing] takes away from my enjoyment of the show.  So I watch the first
> time for myself, then rewatch later on to take notes for the update.
> Then I have to dedicate one of my lunch hours during the week to keying
> in the whole thing.  I could just imagine having to do this for a boring
> Days show.  I like updating Knots for the most part and I think it is a
> nice touch to the newsgroup.  What I'm saying is that to expect regular
> updates from a small set of people here is not fair.  It is a much larger
> task than it seems.
> 

	I have to agree with Tim here, doing the updates is a lot of work.
I have been doing the update for Tuesday for the past 9 months and
didn't realize how much time it would take.  You have to sit through
all of the shows that you are doing the update for, I try not to FF
through even the boring stuff.  Never mind the fact that sometimes things
get busy at work or in your personal life, I have been very behind at doing
the updates and have found myself in front of the TV with pen in hand trying
to catch up very late at night.  I often wondered how many people really do
read the updates, I rarely get any feedback from the updates I post.



> Also, the people who tend to ask for updates are not the ones who tend
> to "contribute" to the group.  No matter how nicely you may ask, it still
> seems lopsided.  You have volunteered to help out, however, which is
> great.  Hopefully we can come up with an idea to get a better handle on
> this.  Read on...

	Well, I guess I don't care if the people who ask for the updates also
contribute.  I lurked for almost 2 years before I dared to post.  I loved just
reading the discussions and getting a good laugh from some of the more
colorful personalities we seem to have.


> 
> >The Peels and Cores are cute but I want to hear plot spoilers and
> >be able to read summaries of the shows that I miss for whatever
> >reason.
> 
> 

	Well, if everyone uses TAN correctly, you could set up a KILL file
to weed these out.

> Well, again, those of us that contribute a lot are only bound to put out
> what we enjoy putting out.  That sounds so sleazy.  :)  I mean that we
> are motivated to post selfishly.  Updates are more of a duty and since it
> is easy to shirk, it will be shirked.
> 
> 
> And then Marie said:
> 
> >	Could some-one post a list of the people that do daily updates,
> >and the "days" that need to be filled?  I agree that the people that do
> >updates should have the time and ability to post them regularly, or else
> >campaign for an alternate or partner...
> 
> 
> Well, you can try to change the list or add to it, but I still think the
> same problems will take over eventually.   I think the best way to get
> "updated" is to just read the show-related articles and ask questions.
> This can at least be enjoyable for all parties and not so much of a chore
> for one individual.  And we all should try to practice a "give and take".
> If someone asks something that I think I can give a good answer to, I post
> it or email it.  So, when I miss a show I know that I can expect to be 
> filled in by someone.  I'm sorry, but when someone just pops out of 
> nowhere and asks for a full update of a particular show, I just don't
> feel like they deserve my time.  If someone out there feels more generous,
> that is fine.  I'm always willing to discuss, but just summarizing is 
> very one-sided.
> 
> So anyway, I do have two ideas on how to keep up better with updating that
> might make everyone happier.  
> 
> 	1.  How about "capsule updates"?  These can be in addition to the
> 	    regular updates, whether or not those ever actually make it 
> 	    out there.  Just a paragraph or two about the major happenings
> 	    of the episode.  This may be enough to let people know if the
> 	    parts they care about were on, and if so, it could serve to
> 	    stimulate some discussion and questioning.
> 
> 	2.  How about updating by *storyline*, rather than by day???  It
> 	    would be easier to read and I would think easier on the
> 	    updater.  One person would have the Carly/Lawrence/Nicky 
> 	    thing, another would have Carrie/Austin, another J&J, etc.
> 	    This would split things more than 5 ways and would give 
> 	    people a chance to pick the parts of the show they enjoy, 
> 	    thus making the updating task more enjoyable.  Hey, I would
> 	    even take the Kim storyline.  It's the least I could do since
> 	    I'm probably the only one here that can keep his lunch down
> 	    while watching her lately!  :-)    What do you all think?
> 	    How would we go about implementing this?
> 
> 
> I didn't mean to be insulting here, but this is my take on the issue.
> I hope we can find a solution everyone can live with.
> 

	I don't find this insulting.  Maybe we should try to do both the
regular updates and the mini updates and let people decide what they want.


Mango-wango

> Tim
> 
> Intriguing lyric of the week:     (Send guesses via email)
>    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>      "I wish I never learned to weep,
>           Don't sell those dreams you should be keeping..."
>            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> |  What is it up in the air for?                :   Timothy Mizerak        |
> |  It's going to fall if it's there for long.   :   tm@mhnmc.att.com       |
> |  It's over, it's over me.             R.E.M.  :                          |

-- 
*****************************************************************
Linda M. Cabeca			cabeca@chablis.sw.stratus.com
Stratus Computer Inc.		Linda_Cabeca@vos.stratus.com
*****************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv.soaps