Dear friends--- Janet wrote in part: SNIPPED >barb patterson has been doing this work since 1993 >while still maintaining her full time job at mcmaster >[admittedly, when the membership was smaller, the work was less] > >if there is anything we can do to make things simpler >and more streamlined, >we gotta do it AMEN to that! >e.g. one > >there is an existing 'general user's guide' >written by listserv for both beginning users and advanced users >which we haven't really taken advantage of yet > >it's a large text file [100k] >although by mega-giga-byte-hard-drive sizes these days >that's a drop in the digital bucket >it could easily be split into more manageable sections > >there's an option for us to keep files on hand at the listserv >[separate from the automatic archiving process] >which i will look into > >this option would mean that we could request say >the file 'advanced user's guide to listserv' >or >the file 'net etiquette for mailing lists' >or >the file 'emoticons and acronyms in e-mail' >by e-mail from the listserv >whenever we want This would be fine if folks would use it---I think very few listsibs ever request the available info from listserv. Perhaps WE could digest the long file into a more manageable form, removing the things that are only rarely useful? Then it could be sent to new members--on CARE Jeff sends the Listserv Ref Card, but I think often it gets lost or is hard to understand. > >e.g. two > >there is a 'renew' option which we haven't taken advantage of >and which would clear out the list 'clutter' which bob refers to > >listserv can send out a pre-configured membership renewal notice >to the membership automatically every 6 or 12 months or whatever is specified >to ask you individually to reply if you want your membership renewed In theory, great--but considering how many folks don't keep instructions, and have to ask to be removed,etc, I wonder if it would really be responded to--would we then be dropped if we dfidn't reply? >e.g. three > >the listerv's archives are searchable by e-mail again >and in 'english' this time! Could you explain "in English" just how to do that? where to find the "how-to"? It's gpd to have this option for those of us who lack Net access. > >e.g. four > >there is a 'topics' option >which can essentially create 'sub-lists' of this big list >so that members could set their subscriptions to receive >say only 'medical abstracts' or 'pd news' or 'parkinsaw news' >or.... >sounds great, >but it requires a lot of 'subject header' discipline >on the part of the listmembers Exactly my reaction. This is "deja vue all over again" in a way--would we have the discipline to make it work? To impress it on newbies? > >we have been using one of the most miraculous [imho] >means of communication this planet has ever seen >to a limited degree > >i think it's time we learn to use it to its fullest potential > >whadda y'all think? I guess I think we might use some of these resources, at least try them out, but shouldn't we ask Barb P. about it---maybe there are reasons why she hasn't used them up to now? Camilla Flintermann, <[log in to unmask]> http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/camilla/one.htm My Home Page " Knowing when to insist, and when to let be, is,perhaps, a lifetime learning experience ." --Mary McCurry