The following are comments in no particular order which are only slightly edited for relevance e.g. personal messages to me etc. I tried to get them all but may have missed a few, They are reported without identification as to author. I tried to eliminate references which might identify the writer. Charlie I think the sheer volume of mail overwhelms some people Encourage people to read only what they can, and delete the rest.) Teach people how to delete "en masse" thus simplifying the process.eg. on aol we have the capacity to click the ignore button on messages I'd rather not read. After doing so,I hit my new mail option. All the messages with the red check go to old mail and are not in my way. I usually go to old mail, select all messages and delete. I use to be on Digest formerly and many went unread. I periodically deleted them when I conceded I wouldn't read them. I highly recommend setting up a separate account for just this list Since doing so myself, I now get mail individually (instead of digest). I usually go through every piece albeit some in a blink of an eye. People on different mail systems be on a list as coaches to others on the same system (as they vary greatly from what I can gather) I have seen more resignations on the list in the last 4 or 5 months complaing about too much mail, than I have in the four years I have been on the list. I am not going to leave the list, but my use of the delete button is increasing. ( An annoyance more than a problem). PS Maybe a FAQs list could be developed, approved by Barbara P. and posted so it would be easily be accessible to everyone on the list. I feel a little uncomfortable about the strength of my feelings, because I believe that for many participants the listserv is a major source of comfort completely aside from its informational value. I am not a PWP, but a xxxxx. I want to understand the community in part to enable me to be more effective in my job ..., but I also want to help a lot of very sick people, some of whom I have been lucky enough to meet in person. Nevertheless, I have considered leaving the list many times in the six months since I joined, just because it takes a lot of time even to delete many messages without reading them based on the first lline or two.Rather than plow through the whole thing, I'll just say that most of the time I like the List the way it is. I do wish people would stop hitting "Reply" and thereby repeating some long letter that wasn't all that great the first time around. They've been asked before to do this. Perhaps we could ask again. "I agree" comments are also tiresome and take time and space, needlessly. I have a friend on the CG list who left the PD list because her PWP can use the computer and she wondered why she should take up her time reading "his"stuff. I stay on the List because I find it helpful and because my husband's tremor is too bad for him to use the computer. I would be very sad if the List were turned .into PD-related ONLY material by List-Nazis. The humor really helps.. Rather than plow through the whole thing, I'll just say that most of the time I like the List the way it is. I do wish people would stop hitting "Reply" and thereby repeating some long letter that wasn't all that great the first time around. They've been asked before to do this. Perhaps we could ask again. "I agree" comments are also tiresome and take time and space, needlessly. I am not sure what the purpose is , it appears to be good for relieving and giving stress.. I am a care giver and wanted to find out more from the PWPs It does that for me, most of the time.. This is like a large family. Some you would just as soon never see again (or hear from) delete, delete (to some people I may be one of those) This list should be wide open. As long as they stay reasonable polite. One thing that bothers me a lot is that there is not much political activity reported on (political activity, writing to the committees that hold our future in their hands) I don't understand why. Letters from 1600 people could get research going and paid for. No matter what it will be too late for my xxx, but I am writing and writing.I also think that at this time of year, I know you want to be more scientific, but you can delete me. I think those jokes are important for people like Don. I enjoy most of them and send them to many friends. So now I have told you more than you want to know Thanks for helping us all in taking look at this. Basically, the non-PD postings seem to be more and more frequent.Yet, I feel supportive of giving list members that license. Maybe the list could be organized into two sections: DIRECT PD INFO AND QUESTIONS and OTHER POSTINGS. The digests could appear with these (or similar) labels so that list members could focus on what they want to. Perhaps just sending out the survey will have the desired effect. I think the fact that the list has stayed static at around 1,600 people forsome considerable time shows that we are turning a lot of people away The irony is the people who are still on the list are there because they don't mind the volume - the people who do have voted with their feet and left. And when then leave the list they are left without a support system IMHO kind of selfish of the people currently on the list. People who we really want on the list (Doctors, other knowledgable people) are quickly put off because of the amount of non-PD drivel on the list. (Comment: The problem is, how do you decide who to tone down and who notto? Janet's postings are frequent, but almost always of great value.Others who post often I generally don't bother to read. We have 1600+individuals. It's a democracy in the purest form. Let's not try to put any one member in jail!) Reiterating the "guidelines' may help (by Barb in her welcome message, for example, and/or by Janet in reminders of list protocol and help available.Nothjing is going to fix everything on an open list ---nor should we expect it to. Tolerance and a finger on the delete key are or fall-back positions. But could we perhaps suggest that no ONE person post more than ONE joke per day? owever, I think you are surveying the wrong factor. I suspect that for most members the issue is ‘relevance’ rather than ‘volume’. I know they are related but my view is that readers would accept the volume if they regarded messages as relevant.‘Relevance’ of course is in the mind of the reader. But this confusion can be overcome if the List owner simply clarifies and states her views on message relevancy to Listserv newcomers. This can be done in her traditional letter of welcome. Knowing what the ground rules are before one joins and therefore what one can expect from the Listserv in terms of message postings should largely circumvent member dissatisfaction. I include expanded answers to your survey to clarify my views. Forgive me if it lengthens the time required to read and record the data. I realize that sometimes messages are posted twice (1 to PWP and 1 to CG); that some people haven't learned to delete all the extra messages about addresses, mime, etc.; and I know that sometimes we need help in "setting no mail"but...I think we need to try harder to send some replies directly to the sender and not to the whole list, especially the "I agree"s; we need to work harder to "Snip" or delete all the parts of a message EXCEPT the part we are replying to; and personally I see no reason to edit others messages....I can understand the first message just fine. I have no problem with the content of messages...poems, jokes (those that tend to be sexual in content, I would not find acceptable --- not because they would bother me, but if it was one I wouldn't tell my motheror grandmother, I don't think needs to be posted) even discussions on politics, or religion. As you know these last three...sex, religion & politics...all cause problems when someone misunderstand what someone is trying to say. So where does this leave us...back to discussing PD only. We all know that there is more to life than that. There's caring, laughter, understanding.One of the biggest problems is numbers. There are at least 1600 of us & our families. Just that in itself, makes it a little hard to see that we cancome to full acceptance of what needs to be changed...., I'll just continue to try to scan quicker & delete. This seems to me, and to others I have chatted with, that the problem has less to do with volume than it does with the content of the messages sent by a handful of contributers. There are a very few members who consistantly clog the list with personal responses to individuals and a larger number who continue to include the entire message they are responding to.I can understand the frustration of those who snap and snarl,and thus cause a spate of messages in response. I use message filters to block out chronic offenders, but I still have to spend too much time deleting. Even worse, the trivial personal messages and the redundant repeat messages are clogging up the valuable archives. We are an independent and assertive bunch. We need a simple, clear set of rules to follow with consequences for chronic offenders. What those rules and consequences should be can be determined by the members.E: Question K - Many may believe there is a problem.but aside from asking people to honor certain guidelines - like addressing replies to the person, not t he list, and limiting non related postings, it doesn't seem there is really anything to be done about it.The net is the ultimate democracy - maybe it's actually a good thing it is. Let people write what they want, and complain too - none of us haveto listen if wedon't want to.Many may believe there is a problem, but aside from asking people to honor certain guidelines - like addressing replies to the person, not t he list, and limiting non related ostings, it doesn't seem there is really anything to be done about it. The net is the ultimate democracy - maybe it's actually a good thing it is. Let people write what they want, and complain too - none of us have to listen if we don't want to.I am disgusted with the attitudes of some of the more vocal members of our list. I joined to post when I have something worthwhile to say about PD and to read about PD so that I can stay informed. And Icertainly don't mind the jokes and some other diversions. However, there seems to have formed ,over time, a clique who post continually to each other with "insider comments" , private messages, etc. and , heaven forbid any of us foreigners to make any coments or suggestions to any of the insiders . It seems at times that the pack will attack to protect their own. If there were another source for information as good as the list , I would be long gone because i do not feel that I have the energy after 30 + years wiht PD to try and correct the problems.I know the above is only my opinion and if this were posted to the list , I would probably be crucified I left the list about 6 months ago due to the non-PD volume of mail that I had to wade through to get to the more important and meaningful items contributed by folks like you. I rejoined and what should I find? Nothing but the fact that nothing has changed. I guess my biggest 'gripe' is that too many people haven't learned to use the technique of determining what is relevant to most on thelist and what should be directed to a single individual. But it isn't my call to restrict the use of the 1st amendment when I have the power to pull the plug so I am not bothered or offended. [should be 100 responses +/- to be worth a damn] lately only "problem" I see is volume; much of the long, boring strings between members is gone most of the volume is worthwhile stuff encourage Phil's suggestion of using mailboxes to organize & filter mail by providing detailed instructions for the various mail programs[Pegasus,etc.,. by volunteers more gentle, polite, occasional, non-sarcastic public chastising of ignoramus's who keep posting thank yous, etc.THere are from time to time inappropriate messages. However, as a rule There is usually help, or at least, a chance for people to express themselves. We need a sense of humor although it should be in good taste, which it mostely is. We need people ... who provide intelligent, reasoned and informed messages. We also need those who share their faith and uplifting message. We also need the advocates for the cause of finding a cure.ALso, there is the DELETE key. It is very useful and I have learned to skimm and pick what is approriate for me. I think this is one of the best lists I have seen, although I realize that from time to time some people need to be reigned in. because by the very nature of the beast, you'll only get a one-sided consensus; besides I doubt that you will get over 200 reponses to this stupid poll-so I don't see how in the world you could even consider that response to be a meaningful over-view of the likes or dislikes of the "list." Thank you for letting me stick in my 2 cents worth. There are too many messages that are non pd. Many letters and responses could be sent private. If senders would just ask themselves "Is this message of value to the list or to an individual?" before sending. I suspect that some of the list members are not sure how to send/reply to an individual. -- ****************************************************************************************** Charles T. Meyer, M.D. Middleton (Madison), Wisconsin [log in to unmask] ******************************************************************************************