[plug] off topic subjects

[Kim Covil]

On Thu, 2001-10-11 at 15:08, Bret Busby wrote:
> I had understood that the purpose of the PLUG mailing list was to allow
> communication about Linux. It was to be the means of communication between
> PLUG members, and, other Linux users, about Linux issues.

<waffle>
Not to add fuel to the fire... but I had understood the PLUG mailing
list to be the means of communication between PLUG members and those
that wanted to talk to PLUG members... 

Yes, the group's main common thread of interest is Linux issues... but
there are times when other issues in the world also need to be
discussed... and occasionally I am sure people would like to be able to
discuss these issues with members of a group they are part of and whose
opinions they hold in high regard... Whether those issues happen to be
on topic or not... and hence the use of an [OT:] flag in the subject...

Take away the feeling that you are welcome to discuss with members of
the group issues you think might be of interest to them and you are
likely to lose a large number of the people who like to think... and the
general level of regard people have for the group decreases...

Being part of the group becomes more like a job for those who know what
they are talking about and don't have many questions to ask and less of
a place they like to come and be a part of... If the only topic of
conversation here is questions about Linux... then people would probably
only join the list when they have a specific question to ask...
including those who could possibly answer other questions... I know this
is how it is for a number of other lists I have been briefly part of...
</waffle>

Cheers

Kim
 
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