Path: utzoo!utgpu!watserv1!watmath!uunet!samsung!usc!apple!rutgers!netnews.upenn.edu!jes From: jes@mbio.med.upenn.edu (Joe Smith) Newsgroups: bionet.molbio.methds-reagnts Subject: Re: net-etiquette, bandwidth, and posting to this newsgroup Message-ID: Date: 4 Aug 90 22:14:42 GMT References: <1520@gazette.bcm.tmc.edu> Sender: news@netnews.upenn.edu Organization: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Lines: 44 In-reply-to: steffen@hawk.bcm.tmc.edu's message of 3 Aug 90 19:04:42 GMT > 1) Do you think that there is too much noise on the bionet bulletin > boards, or too little content? At the risk of contradicting myself - no, I don't think noise, or the cost of a few extra lines in a message are really that important. I do think that careful quoting (as you did in your response!) is 1) polite: it saves the reader's time in (re-)reading some excess verbiage and instead gets right to the point; and 2) it forces the poster to consider carefully what the other person really said. [ I said readers could retrieve the quoted article and you quoted DK who said it might not be easy for those getting the groups by e-mail ] If some other reader really needs the whole article and can't retrieve it, s*he can always ask the group or the poster to send it. I really appreciate the considered, intelligent discussion that occurrs. I'm really annoyed when people fire off questions/ responses/flames that waste my time (and possibly hundreds... dozens... several - DK? - other's as well). I was real hesitant to post a followup because I've been guilty as well, but I want to see the *quality* of the bionet groups go up as well as the quantity. That seemed like a goal worth persuing in public. > 2) Do you consider this discussion of value? Why or why not? Probably not. I've said my piece (or maybe shot just my mouth off!). You hit the nail on the head: scientists will use the groups when they percieve a concrete benefit. I've asked for and recieved information and advice enough times to know that it's worth it as long as I don't spend too much time just BS'ing. The more we who like, as well as benefit from, the groups just USE them INTELLIGENTLY, the more useful and attractive they will be.