Frankly, I have been subscribing to these email lists long enough now that I am convinced that topic drift is something that cannot be cured. If someone complains about it a few, not most, people will change a subject line for a little while and then it is forgotten again. Even the threads with the changed subject lines tend to drift away from the new topic after only a couple of posts. The only way I have seen that can do anything about it is very tight moderating. There are some lists to which I have subscribed where a person who posts an off topic message can get completely banned from the list. On lists like that the topic of the list is adhered to pretty well, but even on those lists the topic will drift. That is, the individual posts will be on topic for the list but will not necessarily reflect what the subject line says. I think the best solution for someone who gets hundreds of emails a day and decides to read a message or not depending on the subject line is to bite the bullet and unsubscribe from something or several somethings. If you delete emails because you are not interested in what the subject line says it is about you are simply going to miss messages that you would have been interested in and if you read emails because you are interested in what the subject line says it is about you are simply going to read messages that you have no interest in. It is as simple as that and if you complain about it you are just contributing to cluttering up the list with complaints. The only way you can do anything about it short of unsubscribing from a few lists is to start your own and run it tyrannically and if you do that you will run yourself ragged punishing people who do not match their messages to the subject line.
On 6/7/2012 6:36 PM, Cindy wrote:
Bob, One of the lines Madeleine quoted from the purpose of the volunteer list was something to the effect of using it to get to know each other; I can't remember exactly what it said, but I posted it recently. We are a community, and become friends, and in general we care about each other and what's going on in each others' lives. I do agree, though, that the subject lines should be specific, so we can quickly decide if we want to read the post or delete it before reading. Maybe the subject line could even include who the post is from, which might give added information about the subect (e.g., if it's from Daria it might be more about her health) or fromDornetta, about her twins)--or knowing from whom the post is might give us an idea of the tone of the post , knowing how various people write, smile Cindy Cindy________________________________ From: Bob W<rwiley45@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, June 7, 2012 10:29 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] no place on the list {was: Re: Off-topic discussions was RE: Re: Some proofing questions} Hi folks.I totally agree with Deborah. But, I would go a fewsteps further. These messages have nothing to do with volunteering, or books, or bookshare. Therefore, they have no place on either bksvol or bookshare-discussion.Obviously, bookshare staff is going to renege onthere obligation to maintain the quality of these lists, so it's up to us, the membership, to maintain that quality.I don't mind happy birthdays, or a few "ot"messages, but, this... is... over... the... wall... .Now, I have to go get another coffeefix.Bob the grench ----- Original Message -----From: Deborah Murray To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 8:26 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Off-topic discussions was RE: Re: Some proofing questions Hi all,Maybe I haven't had enough coffee yet this morning, or maybe I'm just crabby...But if you folks are going to continue these discussions on-list could you plese do the rest of us the courtesy of using appropriate subject lines?I have no problem with a little chit-chat, but using OT in your subject or something approaching the actual topic would be really nice for those of us who don't choose to follow a particular discussion. Sorry to be a kill-joy...DeborahFrom:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dasha RadfordSent: Thursday, June 07, 2012 8:30 AM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofing questionsI did answer you off list Cindy but I need to clean out my inbox so I can get to yours. You'll know what I mean and you know what I'm talking about so it's fine. That is to forward the answers to those questions.Sent from my iPhone On Jun 6, 2012, at 7:51 PM,Cindy<popularplace@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:I just received a reply to some questions and asked Daria if it's o.k. to forward it to the lists since there are people on the list who care about her and are interested.________________________________ From:Cindy<popularplace@xxxxxxxxx> To: "bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"<bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 4:16 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofing questions chuckle. I did take it off list.However, if I can find my questions and her answers I'll send them to youI remember that she was born in Russia, in a place near a wastedump that had metals and things that are complicating her problems. They're testing to see if they've affected her. She's being treated at a hospital and outpatient climic in North Carolina. I asked because my daughter's a pediatrician and if Daria were near he she could visit.I've just asked how old she was when she came to the U.S. and ifEnglish is her second language. When she answers, I'll forward her note to the list, if people are interested. Otherwise I'll forward it just to you, Marty.Cindy________________________________From: Martha Rafter<mlhr@xxxxxxx>To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Wednesday, June 6, 2012 6:19 AM Subject:[bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofing questionsHi Cindy andDaria,If you take this topic off-list, I'm gonna be really,really mad!Marty -----Original Message----- From:CindySent: Wednesday, June 06, 2012 1:12 AM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject:[bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofing questionsGood. Thenmaybe it's no longer a problem, with new staff and more volunteers, like me, who like to chat on the volunteer list so we get to know each other personally and care about each other. There is another list for non-volunteer chat but it's theoretically to discuss books and I never go to it. One list is enough for me. smileCindy ----- Original Message-----From: Dasha Radford<dasha95@xxxxxxxxx> To:"bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"<bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Cc:Sent: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 8:20 PM Subject:[bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofing questionsIsanyone noticed that we've on our off-topic conversation no one has said aword not to say that they won't let it's just curious. I'mnotcomplaining then. Sent from myiPhoneOn Jun 5, 2012, at 10:41 PM, Cindy<popularplace@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:What's next for them? Isupppose we'd best continue this offlist, before we get reprimanded.smile________________________________From: SueStevens<siss52@xxxxxxxxxxxx>To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxSent: Tuesday, June 5, 2012 7:35 PMSubject:[bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofing questionsNetta, Areyour twins identical or fraternal? Igot thatyou have a son and daughter, but they could still look alike. Iam interested in twins.Sue S. From: Dornetta Sent:Tuesday, June 05, 2012 6:20PMTo: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxSubject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: Some proofingquestionsCindy,They are twins and now both are finishedwith high school. Myson graduated last year and thedaughter this past Friday.YIPPEE!!!"Our deepest fearis not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fearisthatwe are powerful beyond measure. It is ourlight, not our darkness that mostfrightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,talented,fabulous? Actually,who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playingsmall does not serve the world. Thereisnothing enlightened aboutshrinkingsothat other people won't feel insecure around you.We are all meant toshine, aschildrendo. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is withinus.It's not just in some of us;it's in everyone. And as we let ourown light Tounsubscribe from this list send a blank Email tobksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a listof available commands, put the word 'help' by itself inthe subjectline.To unsubscribe from thislist send a blank Email tobksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx putthe word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Emailtobksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx putthe word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.To unsubscribe from this listsend a blank Email tobksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx putthe word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
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