[341] in Public-Access_Computer_Systems_Forum
Re: NOT JUST COWS - Summary of personal messages to Bill Drew
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Bill Drew-Serials/Reference Librar)
Wed May 27 17:28:15 1992
Date: Wed, 27 May 1992 16:21:18 CDT
Reply-To: Public-Access Computer Systems Forum <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
From: "Bill Drew-Serials/Reference Librar. SUNY Morrisville" <DREWWE%snymorva.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list PACS-L <PACS-L%UHUPVM1.BITNET@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU>
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
In response to Peter's message below; when a guide such as mine includes
entries to over ten different lists how do I decide which ten should get the
announcement? How come it is system administrators, some list moderators and
one postmaster are the only ones that complained to me about my posting? I
would definitely use a different avenue if the announcement could be guaranteed
to reach those neophyte users that it was targeted at.
Don't get me wrong, I understand the fact that internet resources are used
when such postings go out. Would someone of the INTERNET experts out there
please tell me of a better way to reach the target community. At the present
time there are at least 40 lists aimed at people in agriculture. That does not
inlcude news groups or other such things.
Thank you for your responses. I beleive enough has been said on this issue. I
will not comment anymore myself.
PS.
I was not looking for endorsements of my guide.
Bill Drew
drewwe@snymorva.bitnet
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
From: Peter Graham
The problem with such testimonials as Mr Drew has accumulated is that they
reflect those who care to support the case, and the views of those who by
definition have the time to deal with multiple postings and to respond
so affirmatively. There are thousands of people on the net affected by those
multiple messages and we all appreciate their/our not writing to protest them;
we just grin and bear it.
The net guidelines exist for a reason, and so do common ideas of consideration;
I continue to think that posting to 10 lists displays a lack of targeting and
is an imposition on those who receive it all. As a systems administrator the
implications for net traffic, gateway upgrade costs, disk storage costs, and
the like are also disturbing. The net is not free; your use of it is costing
academic institutions money. Is the pressure to upgrade systems caused by
excessive network use the best use of our resources? There's no clean
answer, obviously, but we do need to think ahead.
--pg
