Subj : Reality Check!
To   : Michiel van der Vlist
From : Rachel Veraa
Date : Wed Oct 02 2002 08:21 pm

In a message to Matt Bedynek, Michiel van der Vlist wrote:

 MB> There is no need to protect the users because the users can
 MB> leave the echo and create a new echo with minimal effort.

MvdV> Over here we do not like that system as it is confusing for the
MvdV> users. The sysops over here like to offer the users a set of
MvdV> echomail areas that cover popular topics without duplication.

MvdV> Duplicate echos are not in the interest of the users.

Kind of paternalistic of you to decide what is and what is not in their 
interest, isn't it?  In Zone 1, users prefer to decide for themselves what's in 
their own interest.

MvdV> have a problem, want to ask a question or have a discussion about
MvdV> something it is in their interest that they can find all
MvdV> interested in the same in one and only one area. When they have a
MvdV> problem related to pointing, it is good to know that they can
MvdV> probably find the answer in POINTS.028. It is in nobodies interest
MvdV> if they have to wade through POINTS.028, POINTS.NED, POINTS.BNL,
MvdV> POINTS.HOL, HOLLAND.POINTS and DUTCHPOINTS.

But in practice that doesn't happen.  Generally, when a dissatisfied user 
creates a new echo, either everybody migrates to the new one and the original 
dries up, or the new one is ignored and dries up by itself.  In either case 
only one -- the one users prefer -- survives.  If both echoes attract enough of 
a following to survive, it indicates that there's sufficient difference between 
them, and sufficient interest in each that there was a real need for two echoes 
all along.

The whole point of working on an echo conference -- either as a moderator or as 
a distributor -- is to serve the people who use it, not to dictate to them.


       N'a pale pi ta,
           Rachel

http://www.netside.net/~rveraa/
--- timEd/2 1.10.y2k
 * Origin:    Birdsoft - North Miami       (1:135/907)

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