[at-l] Keeping it a hiking discussion?

[nealb at midlandstech.edu (William Neal)]

I am not flaming you.  But I do disagree somewhat. 
 
If this were strictly an "on-topic" list, many hikers would drop out sooner
or later.  How much can you stick on-topic without it getting boring to many
who might benefit from the list or who might benefit the list.  I have
dropped lists because they answered all my "questions" and they no-longer
held any interest for me.
 
This is more like a campfire along the AT.  Certainly we are going to talk
about the AT, places to hike, equipment, etc.  But we are not going to stick
to just trail related things.  And speaking of that, who decides what is
trail related?
 
Want another analogy?  Ever been in a cop bar?  They often are very
clannish.  But you are not going in and hear nothing but cop talk: Cal. of
ammo.  Best vest.  Best take down method of a PCP addict.  Worse
case-scenario.  Cops -- like hikers -- are human and have other interests.
A cop who talked about nothing but shop talk would probably end up alone.
 
As for "real hikers" dropping away.  How do you know they are real hikers?
Because they say so?  I know a guy who knows a lot about hiking.  And he
would probably be a very good "on-topic" lister.  But he has never hiked.
But he has read lots of books.  And before you dis him -- he's in a wheel
chair.  And No, he's not on the list.  And just because they have dropped
away does not mean that they have done so because of all the non-trail
related postings: I have dropped off of several lists because I did not have
time for them, got bored with them, or no longer needed them.
 
"ON-Topic" lists are often the most boring ones and they end up dying from
being too on-topic.  On the other hand, too free topic lists end up dying
sometimes from being too open.  But somewhere in the middle ground is
usually the best for most lists.
 
William, The Open Turtle.
 
PS    One expert on the early Internet was telling us how he use to mail
messages to various scientific agencies and military agencies on his work.
Then he -- like others -- started mailing "off topic" messages about Star
Trek and SF in general.  And ;I have heard similar talk from others involved
in the early proto-internet.  If the early "netters" had stuck on topic,
there would be no AT-L.  Shoot, most of us would not even have computers or
play computer games or....

-----Original Message-----
From: athummingbird [mailto:athummingbird@hemc.net]
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2003 9:08 AM
To: KellyGoVols@aol.com; redhead@hack.net
Cc: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] Keeping it a hiking discussion?


Okay, Kelly:
 
This is Dutch Treat sending from Hummingbird's terminal. I usually lurk but
read, being a hiker from way back. This is the Appalachian Trail list, not
the anything goes list. I am not in the habit of flaming, and this will be
no exception. However, I MUST tell you, 99% of what you are saying has
absolutely nothing to do with the trail. Sticking a tidbit in every now and
then about something hiking related does not constitute discussion about
hiking. Saying you are bored -- well, I don't give a rat's behind about
that, and I doubt anyone else who's been on this list for any amount of time
and depends on it for hiking news does, either. 
 
Hell, my broken back has prevented me from hiking at all this year. Talk
about not only being bored, but frustrated and hurting! 
 
So Kelly, please stop the dumb blonde Southern Belle routine and stick to
the subject, for crying out loud... you're ruining the scenery. And all of
you joining in by responding to her jabber: cut it out, willya? All of you
are making real hikers with something interesting to contribute leave the
list. Then, who will be left to make this a hikers' list? 
 
In case any of you who did not like what I have just said decide to flame
me: think about the intended content of this list and THINK before you
slam...
 
Dutch Treat
 

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system ( http://www.grisoft.com
<http://www.grisoft.com> ).
Version: 6.0.489 / Virus Database: 288 - Release Date: 6/10/2003

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.hack.net/pipermail/at-l/attachments/20030707/d74ac8a1/attachment.htm